If you love movies like Final Fantasy and don't mind how the CG characters look constipated, then you should try watching Vexille. I used to read reviews of this movie last year but didn't bother to check out the images or trailers. Until my BNC-XE co-forumer juno posted an extended trailer on BNC.
The cell-shaded effects immediately caught my attention that I decided to buy a DVD :~) Rocky and I watched the movie the other day after watching Iron Man on the big screen. It's been a long time since we had a movie marathon. Vexille is a cell shaded 3D/2D animation from the makers of Appleseed. The movie looks very similar to one of my favorite video games, Fear Effect.
Vexille's story is set in the year 2077. Japan has withdrawn from the United Nations and isolated itself from the whole world for 10 years by surrounding the entire country with magnetic fields called R.A.C.E. It prevents anyone to see what's happening inside Japan. Japan's isolation is a result of their continued research on bio-robotic technology that which was banned by the United Nations. Such research has been a threat to mankind.
A few events lead the US government to send a special task force called SWORD to infiltrate the country. SWORD is lead by Commander Leon Fayden & female Lt. commander Vexille Serra. The mission almost failed and the both Leon and Vexille are the only survivors. Leon was held captive while Vexille was rescued by Maria, Leon's former girlfriend and looks very familiar. Claire Redfield anyone? :~)
Maria explains to Vexille that when Daiwa Heavy Industries took over Japan, the company sent a virus throughout the country that forced everyone to take a mandatory vaccination. The vaccine is actually a cybervirus that converts every human cell into bio-metal. When the body completes its transformation, the individual becomes a living machine.
If you want to know what happened, buy the DEEEVEEEDEE! :P
From Wikipedia:
Vexille (ベクシル 2077日本鎖国, Bekushiru 2077 Nihon sakoku?) is a 2007 Japanese CGI anime film, written, directed, and edited by famed Ping Pong director Fumihiko Sori, and features the voices of Meisa Kuroki, Shosuke Tanihara, and Yasuko Matsuyuki.
At the 60th Locarno International Film Festival, where Vexille made its world premiere, the film was sold to 75 countries, including the United States based distributor, FUNimation, however since that time the number increased to 129 countries
Oh and another thing, I love the OST, Together Again by Korean J-Pop artist Mink :)
Most common people I know used to have 1 active mobile phone until Sun Cellular came. When Sun Cellular launched their unlimited call and text service, people started carrying and maintaining 2 mobile phones. One for Globe or Smart and the other for Sun Cellular. As of today, I maintain 4 active mobile phones. Globe is still my main line despite lacking the features I wanted from Smart. I also maintain a SUN Cellular SIM card for my unlimited Calls and SMS to my father and Lalaine. And just recently, I revived my old Smart Buddy prepaid SIM so my cousin and I could keep in touch via Smart's unlimited SMS. Oh don't forget my PLDT wireless landline :)
Here's the list of my active mobile accounts:
Nokia N70 = Globe Telecoms (main line) Nokia 6630 = Sun Cellular (secondary line mainly for unlimited calls/sms) Nokia 6310 = Smart Buddy (line for my cousin) Samsung SGH-X426 = PLDT Landline Plus (my "wireless" landline)
I wonder how much radiation my body radiates when I carry all these 4 mobile phones together. Brain cancer anyone? :~)
Anyway, how about you? How many phones do you carry around?
Though not active, my old Sony Ericsson t68i, Nokia 3210, Nokia 3310, and Nokia 6510 still work. Maybe one day I'll buy a Touch Mobile, Addict Mobile, Talk and Text, and other SIMs for these old phones. Trip trip lang :P
According to my BnC co-forumer loko_loko, Sun Cellular has already soft launched their postpaid HSDPA service, Sun Broadband Wireless.
1 time charge P2,000 (comes w/ huawei e220 modem) yes it works w/ mac!
Plan 500 = 35Hrs/month and if you exceed the monthly allowance P0.30/minute Plan 1000 = 75Hrs/month and if you exceed the monthly allowance P0.30/minute
they'll issue you a 3g simcard and a huawei e220.
huawei e220 is sun-locked accdg to their CS. (globe issued e220 /globetrotter/e620 (oct 2006) were not network locked)
the simcard they'll issue has no mobile number, hence- cannot make or receive sms/calls.
currently, accdg to their CS, Greenhills is hsdpa already.
It's cheaper than Globe's new time-based rate and Smart's ever popular P10/30 minutes connection charge. But the question is, can Sun Cellular sustain the additional load to their system considering their current "Network Busy" problems on their voice calls and frequent delays of SMS? They should double their efforts in expanding and upgrading since a lot of my friends have also switched to Sun because of the savings they are getting because of the unlimited calls and texts being offered by Sun.
With Sun's current network status, I doubt that you could even reach HSDPA speeds. But who knows? I just hope they offer the Huawei e220 modem at a cheaper price to current subscribers. Cheaper than the cheapest 3G enabled phone.
For more information about Sun Broadband Wireless, you may dial 395-3333 on your landline or 333 using your Sun Cellular handset.
I never imagined that I will ever thank Friendster again after they introduced CSS Customization. C'mon. I know you hate people who add loads of blinkies and about a dozen of music players on their page that are programmed to autoplay all at the same time. But I must admit that Friendster helped me locate my former classmates and teachers. And just recently, my long lost cousin who I have been searching for years.
I mentioned her on my Friendster CSS Customization entry last October 16th 2005 and promised to blog about her if I ever find her on Friendster. Well, here she is. After 18 years of searching, we finally saw each other again last April 2, 2008. Cristina was my Grade 2 classmate and seatmate at Saint Claire School. First time we met, we didn't even know that we're cousins until I mentioned her to my father. My father occasionally asks me to narrate everything that happened on school to train my memory and when I mentioned her surname, my father told me, "Ask her if her father is Edward".
Next day, I asked her father's name. Edward it is. :~) I can clearly remember her face, her reaction, the tone of her voice, the pencil she's holding when we both realized that we are cousins. Everything changed that day. I started sharing (ummkay.. giving) my "baon" with to her every recess time. So whenever I go home my lola would praise me, "Very good! You ate your baon". :~)
One thing I really cannot forget was the way she took care of me when I had H-Fever. We were practicing for our Christmas program in our classroom when I experienced headache and muscle pains. She held my face using her two hands and immediately informed our teacher about my fever. Our teacher asked me to sit down and wait for our dismissal and gave my cousin a wet towel for my forehead. For more than 2 hours... she was beside me cheering me up while I endure the headache and burning sensation on my eyes.
Unexpected events happened after that. Her mother and my uncle separated and she together with her sister lived with their mom. My uncle now has a new family. For 18 years, I've asked my grandmother and my uncles about her. No news, No sightings. Nada. I looked for her everywhere and my attempts remained futile because of some stupid memory gap. I was looking for the name Teresa, instead of her name Cristina or Lourdes. :~(
Last February 2008, my friend Glen showed me a picture from Friendster. He asked me if I recognize the girl in the picture since she was our classmate in elementary. I didn't recognize her until Glen showed me another picture on March 26th. I immediately asked him, "Torresyap ba surname nyan??" and he replied with yes.
Glen: nagcomment na sakin ung cristina Glen: na familiar ung mukha Glen: na parang kaklase ntin nun Glen: pro d ko syuur Jepoy: ano ulit URL Jepoy: nung profile nya Glen: check ntin uli Glen: http://profiles.friendster.co... Jepoy: nya private profile Glen: nyaa Glen: didireckt Glen: link ko nalang pics Jepoy: teka ano apelido nya? torresyap? Glen: http://photos-580.friendster.com/e1... Glen: torres yap ata Jepoy: HAHAHAHAHA Jepoy: SABI KO NA EH Jepoy: PINSAN KO YAN Jepoy: HAHAHA Glen: ahhahhaahhahhahhhah Glen: bat d mo kilala Jepoy: HAHAHA kilala ko Jepoy: kaya ko tinanong apelido Jepoy: HAHAHA
I was like floating in space when I learned that she is my cousin... my long lost cousin. March 27th I received a reply from her on Friendster; March 28th, we started exchanging SMS; and on March 30 we spoke on the phone after years of not hearing each other.
Finally after 18 long years... we met 6PM at Trinoma on April 2, 2008. Normally, people who haven't met for almost 2 decades will feel uneasy. But we're different. It seems we've known each other for a very very long time and 18 yrs seemed to be just yesterday. We've exchanged stories and relieved old days. We also learned that we have both allergies to seafoods and dusts, same asthma, same sleep paralysis problems, same problems with our parents (she with her father and me with my mother. Both of them left us in 1991) and same 28th day of the month as our birthdays. Hers is on May 28th and mine is on November 28th.
Two hours was not enough so the next day, she visited me and my grandma and learned her/our family history. A history she only learned now. We've been seeing each other regularly now and been texting and talking on the phone or Yahoo@! Messenger like there's no tomorrow.
What's so funny is that we had every opportunity to meet. I just learned that Ana was her cousin on her mother's side. Ana is from a batch lower than us by 3yrs and I always see her.. as in everyday in school. Another cousin of her from her mother's side is Alexander, who happens to be the former love of one of my best high school buds Maan.
My cousin's house is about a 3 minute walk from Saint Claire School - Villa Corina in Tandang Sora, the branch were we all transfered when we're in 4th yr high school. And every November 1, we're both at the same cemetery -- Himlayang Pilipino.
Imagine all those opportunities we both missed. I've been vocal about my being a mild/temporal agnostic but what just happened to us is simply a miracle. I've been raised as a devout Catholic and until my last years as a college student, I believed blindly. Until one day I started to ask questions.
I've been wearing my Miraculous Medal since Grade 1 and my Sto. Nino necklace since Grade 2 even though I started my doubts. For the past few days, I've been "recovering" my memories and I remembered wishing and praying on my Miraculous Medal and my Sto. Nino necklace that somewhere, somehow, Cristina and I would meet again. I made that wish and prayer 13 yrs ago.
Guess prayers and wishes will be answered. And maybe, part of that wish lead to the development of Friendster. Thank you Friendster :)
(I originally composed this entry on April 8, 2008 as a follow-up entry on hospitalscams.blogspot.com = Severe Case of Psychosis. I didn't notice that my internet connection was dead so when I published this entry, all I saw was a blank screen. Blogger was not auto saving my entry since my connection is out. I have re-written this entry from what I remember, and of course with updated info.)
First of all, I would like to categorically deny all Tim Cumper's accusations against me. I am a blogger. Not a scam supporter or whatsoever. As a blogger, it is normal for me to react on blog entries like of those of Tim Cumper's. Normally when I react on controversial blog entries like this, the author would make a defensive stand and defend whatever he/she has written. But Tim Cumper is different. Instead of being defensive by showing proofs, he attacked every single blogger or person that has criticized all his actions.
Tim Cumper first branded me as being part of a bayanihan payola to protect the image of Tierra Maria Estates. And when I finally posted my entry, he started a barrage of personal attacks against me (eg. posting my photo on a nude pic, creating fake myspace profiles, fake confession statements, etc.). So you see, "mocking" his age (if you consider that mocking) was nothing compared to what he has been doing to me on the internet.
Anyway, you may have already watched the complete and uncut interview of Mayen here on my blog, on GameOPS, on Ms. Noemi's blog or on Filipina Images. Ms. Noemi hosted the interview with Mayen last March 2008 using her MacBook (the video quality is awesome considering it came from a built in webcam! Puts my videocam to shame.. hehehe).
This is where the cool part starts. As of today, I haven't met Ms. Noemi Dado personally but I was the one who edited the video interview, complete with what Tim Cumper calls a Hollywood "B" movie. This is the real Filipino Bayanihan Mr. Cumper, with the help of the world wide intarweb of course. We help each other as long as we believe he/she is in the right position. Internet... love it.
For the record, I edited this video without receiving any forms of payment. So why did I "waste" my time on this video?
- Because I believe that the British guy is a complete idiot. - Because I believe that the hospital, real estate firm, etc. are all innocent. - Because Tim Cumper attacked me personally.. think of this as a sweet vengeance. - Because I believe that Ms. Noemi Dado's efforts shouldn't be put to waste. - And finally, because I believe Mayen is the real victim here.
With the release of our video, Tim Cumper has posted a supposedly "final entry" on his blogs. I will quote some of them.
A humorous introduction in pseudo-documentary style, complete with saccharine sound track and laughable attempts at voice-overs (which sound mysteriously as if they have been purposely distorted - so as not to incriminate the owners.) It certainly will appeal (just as the similarly styled Tierra Maria Estates promotional videos do) to those accustomed to a poor diet of mock Hollywood, "B" movie veneer - where superficiality is mistakenly seen as class. Unfortunately for the makers of this video - it comes across as a spoof - thus accurately setting the tone for the material that follows - an hour long interview of Mayen.
Your paranoia leaks like nuclear wastes, yet you deny. The voices in the video were not distorted. It's Text-to-speech dimwit. Specifically AT&T's Natural Voices Telephony system. If you call our video spoof, then what about your 7 or 8 videos on YouTube? My 7yr old cousin can do better. Look in the mirror pal, see yourself.
I'm sorry if I wasn't able to subtitle the entire video. My measly Pentium 4 computer can't handle all the load and video layers I placed. That also explain why the documentary part only includes static images. If only I was really part of the "bayanihan payola" then I could have edited Mayen's interview on a MAC OSX machine.
By the way, I'm already re-editing the video to include a full subtitle. But you can always read the summary at Filipina Images.
Tim Cumper posted:
They have virtually a completely empty canvas to paint on their own details - something Mayen herself and scammers in general - are expert at - deception - telling lies.
Of course - the IP address on all of these emails reveals that she is holed up somewhere else - we believe possibly Cavite.
Again Timmy boi, you cannot trace the exact location of an internet user in the Philippines by just looking at her IP address. I for example have been a Destiny Cable Internet subscriber for 9 years and if you check the whois of my IP address, the location will yield Makati. Makati is a 2-3hr drive(with heavy traffic) from my place, which is Quezon City. Please stop making technical comments which you can barely comprehend. You're just making an ass out of yourself.
Tim Cumper posted:
I am in an unusual situation - my genuine love acts like armour plating - I am self-employed, my wife knows all about the situation - I have publicly announced it for the world to see on the Internet.
Self-employed. So that's the reason why you cry on Php100,000 huh? So if you publicly announced it to the whole world then why complain if we distribute your stories? If you don't want bloggers like us snooping around your fantasies then make your blog private. Captain Obvious to the rescue.
Tim Cumper posted:
My personal attacks - countering the personal attacks from people who are allegedly "unconnected" are entirely justified - I'm simply playing them at their own game. They got involved. They allegedly did not know the people or the circumstances of the events - so in my opinion were sticking their noses where they did not belong. This is between Mayen, Tierra Maria Estates (or more precisely, Sir Francis of Tierra Maria Estates) and myself.
Again, if you want to keep your story private then make it so. Apparently Mr. Cumper, you are CLUELESS on what blogging is all about.
There are still lots of points to quote but I guess my dear readers are smart enough to react. I will provide the link. I will not update this post like my previous one. If you want to know the latest Tim Cumper blunders, please read my original entry by clicking here.
To those people who have questioned our motives and suggested that let the media handle the interview stuffs, don't worry. I have submitted copies of all the videos and blogs of Tim Cumper to ABC-5
2 weeks ago, I met with ABC-5 News head Mr. Ed Lingao to discuss some business matters. I seized this opportunity to tell him about Mayen and Tim Cumper. I printed Ms. Noemi's posts and burned a CD complete with the entire blog archive of Tim, his videos, blog links and others. I was informed that the story has been handed over to Mr. Jove Francisco.
I have also uploaded Mayen's interview on ABS-CBN's Probe Team. I believe that Ms. Noemi's sister has also submitted this story on GMA Network. I wonder what would Tim Cumper think of next if ever these TV Stations decided to do their own investigations and interviews. Include the TV networks in the Php100000 bayanihan payola? LOL. Check out Tim Cumper's latest comments on Filipina Images' YouTube channel:
LAAAWL!
We have been diluting Tim Cumper's website with our silent SEO campaign since early March 2008. If you wan to join, use any of the links below.
I didn't expect this to happen. I was looking forward for a next generation 3G competition among Globe Telecoms, SUN Cellular, Smart, and BayanTel's WCDMA. More players, good for consumers.
CURE has been beta testing their service for quite some time now in Pasig and some parts of Makati. FREE 3G calls, free phone units, free browsing... I read somewhere that they will be launching the service soon this year. Until I read this on Inquirer:
MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) said Monday its wholly owned unit Smart Communications Inc. has acquired a local telecommunications company for P419.5 million ($10 million) as part of its plan to expand and upgrade broadband services.
PLDT said Smart has acquired the entire issued and outstanding capital stock of PH Communications Holdings Corp. and Francom Holdings Inc., which collectively own 100 percent of Connectivity Unlimited Resource Enterprise Inc. (CURE).
Smart acquired PH Communications and Francom from a group led by Filipino businessman Roberto Ongpin.
Smart also intends to invest an additional P210 million by subscribing to new shares in CURE, which will use the fresh funds for working capital purposes, PLDT said in a statement.
"The acquisition dovetails with Smart's previously announced plan to provide expanded and enhanced 3G services nationwide, including higher speed wireless broadband services," PLDT said.
CURE, which has a government permit to provide third-generation telecommunications services in the country, will provide Smart with a platform to penetrate niche markets, the company said. Smart's wireless broadband subscriber base grew 148 percent to 302,000 in 2007.
PLDT, the country's biggest company by market value, is partly owned by the NTT group of Japan and Hong Kong-based First Pacific Co. Ltd.
At 10:42 a.m., PLDT shares were down 0.6 percent at P2,510
After years of begging, Globe telecom finally introduced a new pricing scheme for their GPRS/3G/HSDPA rates. Both Prepaid and Postpaid users can now enjoy P5 per 15 minutes browsing or could also opt to use the absurdly priced per KB rate.
This new price scheme is almost similar to the popular SMART GPRS/3G rates. The only difference is if you get disconnected on your Globe connection within the 15 minute time frame, you will be charged P5 again if you reconnect. Unlike Smart that consumes the whole 30 minutes whether you reconnect 200x or not.
*Time Browsing Rate is open to Globe Prepaid, Postpaid Consumer Accounts, SME and Corporate accounts. Not applicable to subscribers on Data Plans (i.e. Visibility). Time Browsing rate effective upon receipt of text confirmation. Succeeding connections will be charged P5 for 15 minutes. If disconnected within the 15 minutes, reconnection will be considered a new session charged at P5. No refund will be made if disconnected before the 15mins are up. Applicable to browsing within the Philippines only.
I wonder if the Globe INET access point has been opened to Prepaid subscribers... Hmm.. lemme check tomorrow :~)
After the success of my PLDT Landline Plus SIM Card Giveaway, I am now giving this shiny Neo eXplore X1 laptop to my loyal readers. One of our suppliers, 1lipra Inc., has given me a free Neo eXplore X1 for being one of their top retailers of all time. As a thank you to all my readers for the past 4 years, I am giving it away!
Here's the drill, this contest is for today only. All you have to do is post a comment here stating why you deserve to win the Neo eXplore X1 laptop.
Neo eXplore X1 is the re-branded intel Classmate PC. Specifications after the jump. * A 900 Mhz Celeron processor running on the Intel GMS915 chipset * Windows XP * 512 MB of RAM * 7″ of screen real-estate * Built-in speakers and mike * Ethernet and WiFi (up to 100Mbps and 802.11g respectively) * SD/MMC card reader * 2 USB 2.0 ports * A 245 x 196 x 44mm, weighs less than 1.45 kilos
This contest is open to anyone currently residing in the Philippines.
UPDATE: APRIL 2, 2008 1:50AM
AND TEH WINNER IS....
1lipra Inc is actually the sister company of Lipra 1 Marketing that "helped" me in the iPod Giveaway 2 years ago. 1lipra / Lipra 1 = APRIL 1
My friend Glen received a call on his SMART Prepaid SIM from Globe Telecom a few weeks ago. The caller from Globe offered him a Globe Starter SIM for FREE. The SIM was being offered as an alternative or even a replacement to his SMART Buddy Prepaid SIM Card.
The caller from Globe also offered the SIM to be delivered to my friend free. Yesterday the package arrived via Air21 and Glen took some pictures. CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE:
Glen used to be a Globe subscriber like me but transferred to SMART. He had problems getting a Globe signal when he was traveling through the provinces during our college days.
Any other SMART subscribers receiving calls from Globe?
PLDT has been really aggressive to penetrate the masa market. They recently introduced a prepaid GSM-based landline service that will definitely kill bayanWIRELESS Landline. PLDT Landline Plus Prepaid enables anyone who have a GSM mobile phone to have an instant landline for as low as P300 per month. Now, anyone can get a Smart Bro account without submitting any papers or requirements. Smart is offering their Smart Bro Plug-it as a prepaid kit for Php4500.
Smart BRO PREPAID, the newest Smart Bro broadband internet service that allows you to surf the net anywhere there’s a PC! Absolutely no Monthly Service Fee since it’s prepaid!
The Smart BRO USB modem is a small, palm-sized device that you can carry with you wherever you go. And anytime you need to surf, just plug it into the USB port of your PC, and you’ll get connected in a flash. Total initial payment is P4500 with FREE P30 broadband load. Broadband Internet use is P10 for every 30 minutes.
Actually, you can enjoy the same rates of P10/30mins if you have a SMART Prepaid SIM and a 3G enabled phone. Php4,500 for the USB Modem is also expensive compared to getting yourself a 2nd hand 3G mobile phone. A second hand Nokia 6630 can be bought for as low as P3,500. You get 3G modem capabilities plus call and text functions. Of course, a portable music player and a 1.3 Megapixel camera.
The only advantage with this prepaid kit is that the USB modem gets its power from the USB port of your computer. You don't have to charge it unlike your mobile phone which may last for only 2-4 hours of continuous modem use. Of course if you're mobile, it doesnt really matter since your laptop's battery would probably last 4 hours.
I have been using my Nokia 6630 on my SMART Prepaid SIM whenever I go out with my laptop. My lola's one of the first Smart 3G + Laptop + Skype user when we used my 3G phone to make a call via Skype 2 years ago in the middle of Himlayang Pilipino.
Anyone from China willing to export these 3G modems here? :~)
More information about Smart Bro Plug-It Prepaid here.
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