Flash Acquired

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Went to Mayers in Hidalgo earlier to get the Nissin Di622 Speedlite that I was craving for since reading a review about it by David Tong. I was thinking of getting it from Henrys but for some reason I think destiny (bwehehehe) do not want me to buy it from them. I first checked out their website henryscameraphoto.com to check for their phone number as I wanted to make sure that their open today being a holiday due to President Noys Inauguration. However the webpage is showing that it is suspended. So I had to check other resources to get their number. I tried two of those but no one was answering. Finally, I was able to contact them at about 12 noon but as luck would have it, they have no stock of the flash model I am looking for. The man I talked to tried to persuade me to get a Sunpak brand instead. But I am really decided already to get the Nissin model. So it is one lost sale for them.

I then called up Mayers afterwards even if I was having second thoughts about it as Mayer has a reputation of being uncourteous to some customers. I am just really in the mood of getting a flash and at least have a little bit of upgrade to my gear so even if it is from Mayers I have to get one today. TUrns out they do have a stock of the Di622 and they are offering it at a price lower by about 300 pesos compared to what is indicated with Henrys website (I checked before their site got suspended.)

I am currently in test mode as of the moment. Gotta check out each and every feature as this only has a one week store warranty. It would be of a hassle if I find out after that 7 day period that there is a defect since by then the warranty would be from the manufacturers already. This means return will take a much longer period of time and I do not have that.

My initial tests are very very reassuring. This is indeed a very nice buy. Sulit! I even tested it a very low light where only the tv is on and it still brought amazing results. I will bring it to work tomorrow and test it in my office environ. Gotta burn this flash bulbs like crazy to really see its mettle.

The Meloto Mindset

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“I can do more for the country by not being a Cabinet official”!

Wow! And I mean another, "HUWAW"!!!

It is not every day that we will hear such statements, but yes we did! This is the exact pronouncement of Mr Tony Meloto, one of the founders of Gawad Kalinga. You see, he was offered a Cabinet post by our new President and he declined it exactly for the very reason stated above. He can do more for his country without getting a public post. Sorry, but I have to say another "WOW!!!!" to that!!!

This is in total contrast to what we always hear from our politicians. When ask why they are running for public posts, they will always exclaim that it is so that they can help the poor. I always thought that this is farce and with these kind of statements alone, I find myself rooting for them to lose. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

Sigh... If only Pacman, and all other individuals who are already considered movers of the society can have the same state of mind, surely they will make wonders for the country. The new President himself is in that position already, given the resources that he and his family already have. But no, because in the context of Philippine politics, the child should inherit his parents political position. In this case he gave more weight to the Philippines natural political tradition : Trapoism.

This now makes me ask, Are these guys really becoming more helpful by merely taking in public posts? I tried to look for any studies regarding this but did not find one.

I tend to believe however that Mr Meloto is spot on correct on his decision. And because he declined the post and ultimately did not give in to temptation of having almost an absolute power in our society, I find him to be one of the most honorable Filipino we have in the country. Mabuhay ka Ginoong Meloto! Sana ay dumami pa ang kagaya mo!

Flash Required

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The time has come, hehehe, that is for me to get a flash for my DSLR. The past few shots I took really made me think that I need one already. I cannot make a good enough shots in the dark and I am having headaches with adjusting and readjusting my camera settings to compensate for the lack of light. Not good if I want to excel more in this hobby.

I have been casing the possible flash models that might do well for me. I have been reading reviews and of course I am checking out the price catalouges as well. (This hobby is really eating up my wifes budget LOL hehehehe.) I think I am going for Nissin Di622.

Nissin Di622, according to reviews, is a high-quality camera at a very low cost being from an OEM. It is actually manufactured by Nissin Marketing of Japan. According to Mr David Lee Ong, " The Nissin Di622 (Di622 hereon out) is a mid-level flash model for the Nissin brand and it’s intended to match up against the mid-level offerings of Nikon and Canon (SB-600 and 430EXII, respectively) in terms of output and features."

Since the review is coming from a well respected photographer like Mr Ong. I am sure going to get this one instead of the SB Speedlight series which I was inclined to get before reading the reviews. For more of Mr David Lee Ong's Reviews click here.

The Day of Reckoning: Lakers VS Celtics

We are in for a show! The NBA has never been this exciting since the Jordan Era. It is less than two hours before gametime and as early as yesterday, you can feel that every body can't wait for the game to start. I will be following the game at work (huhuhu too bad :( ). But I will still be cheering for our Laker team.

LAAAKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSS!!!... AHOO! AHOO!

I HeART Makati: i ♥ the Philippines. i ♥ being free.

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Woohoo!!! Just got my ID and permit to use my Nikon D60 here in Makati and take photos til my batteries run low. For those who do not know (and also to those who do not care), Makati CBD does not allow the taking of photographs of any areas of of the Makati CBD be it private or public. This is more for security purposes. And since this area is really one whole private location owned by Ayala Land Inc., there is really nothing that photographers like me can do about it (except of course to snap it out the Guerilla Way). This "once in a lifetime event" (lol, just kidding) is to celebrate our country's Independence Day and the vitality of the Makati Central Business District being hosted by Ayala Land Inc.

With the theme "I HeART Makati: i ♥ the Philippines. i ♥ being free.", all photo enthusiasts are welcome to join the following photo competitions - Photography Club Members Photo Competition and the On-the-Spot Photo Contest. The second category is divided to three levels, (a) Kids (b) Hobbyists / Enthusiasts and (c) Professionals.

Activities will start at 8 AM for registrations on June 19, 2010. By 9 AM there will be an opening remarks from Meean Dy, ALI Vice-President. And then all participants will be briefed by Mon Corpuz who is the President of the Pinoy Photography Organization (PiPho). There are also going to be Phot Sessions with John Chua, Edwin Martinez and Francis Inton respectively.

The Contest Proper will start at 11 AM. Awarding will be at 5:30 PM.

BTW, free food is available to contest participants hehehe. I wont miss it. LOL.

For registration and other details, you can visit the site: I HeART MAKATI

Click! Click!

June is the Dengue Awareness Month

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I first witnessed Dengue when I was still enrolled in an all male school somewhere in Lipa City. There was a breakout causing about 25% of the student population to be infected. Most are mild cases and were treated right away. But there are some who had to be confined for days in the hospital. One in particular caught my attention as we all were not aware that he was already in an alarming stage. The person seemed to have lost control of his mind and started to run in circles at the second floor of our dormitory. That is when we realized that he got the disease and so he was brought to the hospital. A classmate even had to donate blood for him. We were told that if he were brought to the hospital a few hours late, he would have died. That is how bad his dengue stage was during that time.

The Department of Health recently announced that this month of June is declared as Dengue Awareness Month. The DOH warns the public that the number of dengue cases in the Philippines is alarmingly getting higher. From January 1 to March 27, 2010 alone, they have already listed 11,803 cases which is 61% than the number of cases reported in the same period last year.

More information from DOH:

DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER is an acute infectious disease manifested initially with fever.

Transmission

Aedes aegypti, the transmitter of the disease, is a day-biting mosquito which lays eggs in clear and stagnant water found in flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, etc. The adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house.

Signs and Symptoms

a. Sudden onset of high fever which may last 2 to 7 days.
b. Joint & muscle pain and pain behind the eyes.
c. Weakness
d. Skin rashes - maculopapular rash or red tiny spots on the skin called petechiae
e. Nosebleeding when fever starts to subside
f. Abdominal pain
g. Vomiting of coffee-colored matter
h. Dark-colored stools

Prevention and Control

>> Cover water drums and water pails at all times to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

>> Replace water in flower vases once a week.

>> Clean all water containers once a week. Scrub the sides well to remove eggs of mosquitoes sticking to the sides.

>> Clean gutters of leaves and debris so that rain water will not collect as breeding places of mosquitoes.

>> Old tires used as roof support should be punctured or cut to avoid accumulation of water.

>> Collect and dispose all unusable tin cans, jars, bottles and other items that can collect and hold water.

And Show Up They Did

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We were all watching out at how Bynum will come out when being introduced by the Staples Center announcer, and we liked what we saw. The Staples Center crowd was unlike their usual self. Getting into the game at the sound of the buzzer. There was a sense of urgency. It really did something to energize the men in purple and yellow. Something was up when Ron Artest made that three. And we saw a glimmer of hope when Farmar dived down the parquet to keep the ball and then later on driving from the sideline and challenged KG for a layup. And we became believers after Browns tremendous alley-hoop-one-handed dunk off the pass from Gasol!

These Lakers did show up! Not just Kobe, but all the other Lakers! This was what I asked for in my last entry. For them to let Boston feel that Kobe Bryant is just a single presence. That their might is bigger than Laker-Celtic rivalry itself when the whole team plays.

Doc Rivers tried to insert his bench again to try to claw their way back but that came at a high price. These Lakers learned from what happened in Game 4. Nate might be able to do this over and over with superman but not with a superteam with a Mamba's head. And then it is all over. When the dusk setlled, Perkins was down, Rondo went down and for a time after committing a foul, I thought Tony Allen was down too.

I hope everybody is healthy come Game 7. If that is to be, then the best team will take the cake!!! I am not going to try to be no seer no more. The last few times I did that, my Lakers lost. I just hope that this same team that showed up tonight will be a more intensified team come Game 7.

REMEMBER BOSTON

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Let us face it! Lakerland is in the brink of falling into the abyss of no return if the other Lakers do not show up again tomorrow. And there will be no coming back this time. So very much unlike that 2008 defeat when everybody knows that the Lakers will try to avenge their loss by winning everything the next season, this time that is not going to happen. If the Lakers lose again to this airhead Celtic team there is no way that Kobe and Pau and Fish will again be present as Lakers to take vengeance.

The Players union are threathening to go for a one full season lockout if the CBA negotiations become unfavorable to them. If that lockout ever happens, the Lakers and more on the Celtics will be two year older. I think a much matured KD will eat KG and KB (24 that is) alive at that point (although I will still root for Kobe of course and yes it is KD and not LBJ as the latter is nothin but a myth). If that happens, ther will be no more Celtics vs Lakers in the Finals for at least a few seasons.

Now going back to the game. The other Lakers should step up. The Fish should step up! Artest should step up! Gasol, Vujacic and even an injured Bynum should step up! And Lamar, my dear Candyman, Are the kardashians the only guys you can keep up with???(pun intended) Step up man!!!!

I remember the 2009 Playoff Season when they are on the verge of being defeated by other teams in the West, their battlecry was "REMEMBER BOSTON!!!". They were able to pull it through albeit less the Celtic team that they sought for the whole time. They had to face a much younger and inexperienced superman in Orlando. Now they do not have to remember Boston! Boston is in their faces mocking their supposed growth or whatever you call it.

Man, as a Lakerfan, this is exasperating!!!! (Sigh) BOSTON SUCKS!!!!

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Derek "KING" Fisher

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To whom it may concern:

This is to certify that Kobe is not the only Active Laker who has four rings already. I am still here.

Seriously,
Derek

After posting this letter, came the barrage of shots and it is all over in Boston for Game 3. We have to give credit where credit is due though. Boston sure made it an exciting game coming from a 17 point deficit in the first half cutting it to just a one point Laker lead in the fourth. But Alas comes the KingFisher, and Bostons hardships came for naught.

Taking over the game almost at will late in the game, he made Rajon Rondo look like a kid. And before the Celtic Loudmouths could recover, Kobe came off to finish off the game.

Now how about that Boston fans and Laker haters! Two more to go!!!!

Taal Volcano

Phivolcs, which is the main body monitoring seismic and volcanic events in the Philippines, announced recently that they have heigthened its Volcano Alert Level to Alert Level 2 for Taal Volcano.

According to the Phivolcs website:

In view of the above observations and the interpretation that a fresh batch of magma has been intruding towards the surface, as manifested in the seismic swarms in 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2004 to present, Taal Volcano’s status is now raised to Alert Level 2, meaning that the volcano is undergoing magmatic intrusion which could eventually lead to an eruption. PHIVOLCS reminds the general public that the Main Crater remains off-limits because hazardous steam-driven explosions may occur, along with the possible build-up of toxic gases. Areas with hot grounds and steam emission such as portions of the Daang Kastila Trail are considered hazardous. PHIVOLCSreiterates that the whole Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and permanent settlement within this area is strictly prohibited.

I have always thought that the whole lake and not just the little real volcano used to explode thousands of years back. I believe that the little island at the center of the lake is just a remnant of a much older volcano from long ago. I basically derived this theory from the same kind of volcanic eruption that occured in Indonesia before which was studied by Scientists. Scientists claim that a whole lake in Indonesia which is much bigger than that of Taal used to be the crater of a volcano which probably caused super cooliong of the earths athmosphere thousands of years ago when it erupted. In fact when they collected soil samples from mountains in the different borders of that Indonesian volcanic lake, they found out that they are of the same type and quality. This is the same theory that I am applying now for Taal Volcano and the entire Taal Lake.

I do not think that Taal Volcano is the smallest in the world. I think that in fact, it could be one of the biggest. This is if it could be proven that the whole Taal Lake and its sorrounding mountainous edges are part of one big crater.

This belief basically made my wife mad. You see, we were scheduled to go to Tagaytay this weekend for our 6 months celebration of being husband and wife. But after I heard the news about the Alert level in Taal being heightened, and Tagaytay being part of my so called Taal crater, I told my wife to cancel the booking. In effect this means lost money as the terms of Agreement that we have for the hotel we are going to stay at claims no refund for bank deposits. I sure am gonna be whipped when I come home tonight. Wish me luck. But let us all wish the whole Taal area more goodluck. Be safe mga kabayan!

Ray Allen and the Loudmouths

My prediction went south!

I boldly predicted my Lakers winning it all in four games. But when a hand like that of Ray Allen is as hot as a meteor then I guess there is no Nostradamus in me. He single-handedly took the Lakers out in the first half scoring via 7 three-pointers. And I hated it.

Truth be told, of all the Celtics, Allen is the the one I like most. It is because, unlike his loudmouth teammates, he is soft spoken and humble. So much unlike Garnett who constantly barks at his opponents like they are his minions, or Pierce who once said that he is the best player in the world (Is that the reason why he cant even make the playoffs when Garnett and Allen were not around yet???) or Rondo who stupidly tried to belittle Chris Paul (as if he is better than CP3).

However, like him or not, I still regret it that he is a Celtic. It foiled my chance at being a seer. And more importantly he made all these haters rise up again when all they can do was cry in silence after game One.

Floyd Mayweather Retires... Againnnnnn????

The man is not a real man. His latest antic about retiring again seem to boil down to one and only one reason only. That is to avoid being pummelled by Manny Pacquiao.

He retired once before, supposedly for lack of opponents. Manny Pacquiao is waiting now and he would say he would retire. Obviously he wont say that this time it is due to lack of valid foes coz we know who is waiting in the wings. This time around, he is saying that he is retiring to help those who are in need and to help the poor. Cmon!!!!?!?!?!? We all know that that is pure bullsheet masquerading as a charitable layoff.

All you blokes trying to defend the may-at-times-dumb-weather, can't you just tell your man (supposedly) to stand up and avoid hiding in his fathers and relatives dresses. And do not use unknowing kids as pawns in your lies. You sucka! Fight Manny or you will be known as the greatest fighter because your a sissy!!!!

Ron Artest

Update: I just found out that Artest has a Filipino kid living in Puerto Rico. Wow! I cant believe this! And there are vids on youtube showing him eating Filipino food. And he likes Halo-halo!!! Whooooooh!! Artest you the man!!! See the vids here and here and here and singing Celine Dion in a Filipino house here.

It was the first few seconds of the game and someone from the Lakers squad officially announced to the whole world and more importantly to that hated Celtic team that this year is not 2008. This is 2010! This is the year when the Los Angeles Lakers are the defending champs! And even if Ron Artest is not part of the team that won it last year, he made sure that everyone knows that he is very capable of defending the ring that he never got in 2009.

And so it all began... and ended with Pierce most likely still scratching his nuts on how he could get over that big bulky and strong wall that was not there the last time out. In a game that featured more fouls than what the Celtics dreamed of, it was Ron Artest who made the biggest impact (well of course that is if Kobe is sleeping).

The three-pointers went in. Every defensive move made is momentous, including the one with 6 minutes left on the clock. He pumped his fist, showing his grit and his intensity. He didn't show it by exchanging verbal jabs with the Celtic Loudmouths. He did it by doing his job. Showing patience and determination at the same time. Even that former-Knicks-coach-and-now-analyst emphasized how Artest has changed over the years, exclaiming that there is something definitely wrong if Artest is the showing up as the voice of reason. And just like that, he is not just the deliverer of that Game 5 win versus Phoenix and not the 2nd best man of the Western Conference Game 6. He is the pivotal figure in the pivotal first game.

This is the same man who barged into the Lakers locker room after that tumultous lost in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals. This is the same man who proclaimed to Bryant that he can help the Mamba be physical with Boston. That is exactly the same man that showed up in Game 1. And as long as he is keeping up with that universal proclamation, the Lakers will win these Finals.

Lakers in 4!!!

Chris Tiu

I was browsing the web when I chanced upon this webpage with this header "Whats it gonna take for the NBA to draft Chris Tiu?"

I was like "Holy Ligo Sardines!!!" Am I reading this right? Chris Tiu to the NBA? Now that is not such a bad idea!!! Well, I am not really a huge Chris Tiu fan but I know a lot of people who are! He has chosen to play for the flag instead of delving into that so called PBA (pro-league?), so that is a plus point for him. Although I favor Ateneo more than La Salle, this is not the reason also as to why I got a little excited readin the articles "nominating" Chris Tiu to the NBA. Just the thought of a Filipino in the NBA is sheet and Slick man!!!

It has been long since the time that the possibilities of a Filipino running around the Staples Center as a Pro baller was taught of. Remember the time when Johnny Abbarientos was supposedly being looked out for by the old Charlotte Hornets? That was during Flying A's prime. It has been more than 10 years.

Apparently that webpage is actually a blog whose sole purpose is to give Chris Tiu a chance to be noticed by NBA scouts for the upcoming June 24 NBA Draft. Trying to mimick the type of media hype scored by Wang of China for the NFL, the page has gone from giving analysis on why Chris Tiu with teams like the Timberwolves, Heat and the Bucks. It even compared Chris Tiu to David Beckham.

Reality Check:

I really wish that he can be at least enrolled in the draft. If Chris gets to be drafted , we will all surely be proud of him. However, Chris Tiu is Chris Tiu. He is not better than John Wall of course. And teams are not really looking that much into the draft right now. Why would they when the free market is loaded with all the NBA superstars. So I really do not think that this project will fly. But hey no harm in trying right. Way to go Chris Tiu!!!

Click here to check out that Chris Tiu blog.

Lakers in 4! Sweeeeeep!!!! Now that is for real!!!

Steve Nash

Wow!!!! I am a die hard Laker and Kobe fan! No doubt in my mind that I like them better now compared to when Shaq was still with the team. However, this is not about Kobe or the Lakeshow or that dumb-ass-cant-find-no--loyal-home-team Shaq. This is about Steve Nash. The proverbial Steve Nash! The one and only great Canadian! The unstoppable point guard cum MVP of the Suns. The Sportsman. Damn! I really like this long haired soccer-loving baller. If not for Kobe, I really think that the Suns will go to the Finals and meet with those Green Thugs of Boston all because of Steve. Instead, Steve will again go away from the hardcourt and leave.

When I saw on YouTube his being emotional after their Game 6 lost to the Lakers, I had to really admire him more. Watch it here. Imagine still being able to go to Kobe with your daughter and congratulate him even if he feels really really down. He sure is no Le-Hype, he is for real. I really cant help but be sorry for the guy. Man, it really sucks to lose. I hope Steve can be a Laker that way we'll all be able to better appreciate how good he is coz Im sure he'll win a championship wearing the purple and gold. I assure you, NASH IS MUCH BETTER THAN THAT SELF ADULATING CON FROM AKRON!!!! Hope you win a ring someday Nash at least before you retire. Good luck to you sir!