Wednesday, October 31, 2007

A Week of Native America

Last week I had the chance to finish watching a mini series and a movie made for television, all American Indian. I couldn't absorb everything all at once. My, this childhood interest is still going strong.

Zahn McClarnon and Michael Spears. (Into the West)The first one was Into the West (2005), a mini series of six parts about two families, one white and one Indian, and how their lives were connected in the time of the westward movement in America. The second one is a Hallmark movie. And I should have known better that it would last for three hours. It's called Dreamkeeper (2003) and is about an old man asking his grandson to take him and his old pony to the great powwow in Albuquerque. While traveling, grandfather tells Ame. Indian legends and myths.

Both films have a huge number of cast members, including Michael Spears as Dog Star in Into the West and his younger brother Eddie Spears as the grandson Shane in Dreamkeeper and Red Lance in ITW. There are several others that can be seen in both films.

August Schellenberg and Eddie Spears (Dreamkeeper)I noticed that the massacre at Wounded Knee Creek (Into the West) shows a deaf young Indian man's rifle firing the first shot, just like what was shown in Hidalgo (2004). Was that how it really happened? After watching, I have a better understanding of American Indian culture, old and modern, and I was inspired to listen to my Mohicans album again =).

Official Sites:
Dreamkeeper - Features include cast info, summaries of the legends told, trivia and images

Into The West - Great Site! It features family trees of the characters, Cast info, Timelines of real history, maps, and some basic Lakota words and phrases!

Search Amazon:
Into the West
Dreamkeeper

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

My Aunt’s Wedding

I brought my camera with me at Ate Janette’s wedding. It was hard, especially that I only have a built-in flash. So I used the highest ISO so long as I could take shots and not be noticed. It’s also hard because I had to make sure I don’t block the official photographer, so I always stay at the side. I got some nice photos, though.

Bride walks down the isle
Flower girls lining up

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Blurry Photos

I took blurry photos on purpose just to see how it looked. With the results, it’s easier to find shots on light or objects with or that reflect light. The photos ended up too blurry, though.

Radio HandlebarThis shows the volume control of a stereo.
Buy this Print

Other new photos:

SleepyOur adopted cat, the last one. He’s thin, choosy and sleepy.

FernCropped version. This is the tip of a fern that grew in our backyard.
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Dumbledore is gay

Source: Yahoo! News: J.K. Rowling outs Hogwarts character by Hillel Italie, AP National Writer

NEW YORK - Harry Potter fans, the rumors are true: Albus Dumbledore, master wizard and Headmaster of Hogwarts, is gay. J.K. Rowling, author of the mega-selling fantasy series that ended last summer, outed the beloved character Friday night while appearing before a full house at Carnegie Hall.

After reading briefly from the final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," she took questions from audience members.

She was asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds "true love."

"Dumbledore is gay," the author responded to gasps and applause. (Now I wonder about Gandalf, to think the actor who played it is... and this Italian movie I recently watched... It's called "Facing Windows" and it has this old gay character. Hmmm... There's something about old gay men.)

She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore's feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."

Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."

"Oh, my god," Rowling concluded with a laugh, "the fan fiction."

Read more>>

Saturday, October 20, 2007

New Office

This is my third day of working from home. Now I can sit in any way in front of the monitor. I have also observed that I’m unusually more concentrated for work here. I guess it’s because of the unlimited internet connection; I could surf the web till I get tired of it.

home officeThis is where I work =)

my shadowMy shadow.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Trailers

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman. Directed by Tim Burton.



I'm Not There (2007)
Stars Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw, Marcus Carl Franklin and Richard Gere as Bob Dylan.



mushy trailers...
I'll just give the link to Youtube

August Rush (2007) watch
Stars Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Robin Williams

P.S. I Love You (2007) watch
Stars Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler

The Jane Austen Book Club (2007) watch
Stars Emily Blunt, Hugh Dancy

Saturday, October 13, 2007

NUMB3RS

I have seen some Numb3rs episodes before, at AXN, but I was not able to start it really. It's been a year since, and I have resolved to start all over after my brother asked me a simple Calculus question... and I couldn't answer. Let me explain... I have graduated from college three years ago. My course: Applied Mathematics. My previous job: Proofreader. My current job is supposed to be a little Math-related: Web Developer. But not if all you do is debugging. I don't remember my Math, well except Algebra. But that's not acceptable.

Okay, back to Numb3rs. First seven episodes. Done.

It was a little fast. But I could catch Charlie's (the great David Krumholtz) explanations most of the time, though. Thank goodness the writers make it a point to explain even the most basic of terms such as Composite and Prime numbers. But I wonder if real mathematicians talk like that in normal conversations. I mean the dialogues between Charlie and Larry (the physicist) are a little over the top, even if I imagine my past professors at school. They do talk like that sometimes, but not machine gun fast. Well... they are geniuses... so I guess it's probable.

Numb3rs is in its fourth season now. In the net, it has teamed up with Wolfram, the creators of Mathematica, to explain the Math behind Numb3rs. I've also found a Northeastern University math professor's blog where he comments on the television show.

Anyway, I think I'm inspired... to finally take my masters degree! Maybe at the start of school next year, I'll be lining up for registration. We have MS Applied Math in my city now.

Monday, October 8, 2007

Condemned for doing nothing

We have an African priest and I've heard him thrice now. It's a different experience listening to him, and when I do, I have to wear my glasses so I could see him clearly. It helps me understand what he says better given his accent and all.

He's a teacher and a good one, too. You don't usually take notes when listening to a sermon in a Catholic Church, but this priest makes me grab my pen and paper. I tell you, he gives loads of information in his speech that I gasp every now and then. Add to it his singing, yes, and during his sermon! He uses song lyrics as examples and sings them out. That's authentic African singing live for free!

He is Father Pascal.

The other Sunday, the Gospel reading was Luke 16:19-31. It was about a rich man named Lazarus and a poor man. Lazarus, who was sent to hell, didn't understand why he was there. He believed he didn't do anything wrong. Father Pascal said he was condemned for doing nothing. That was it: he didn't do anything. He could have done something to help the poor man who was right under his nose, yet he didn't. Instead it was the poor man who ended up in heaven.

Lazarus was neither cold nor hot (See Revelations 3:16); Neither an unbeliever who remains cold to a faith nor a believer who takes God's love seriously. He was one of those who seek only comfort and stability in this material world.

I remember in the Penitential Rite, in the earlier part of a mass, we recite this confession: "I confess to Almighty God... that I have sinned through my own fault... in what I have done (that is, my sins), and in what I have failed to do (this is the sin of omission)..."

I am writing this to remind myself that I could always do something.

Friday, October 5, 2007

How Machiavellian Are You?


You Are Somewhat Machiavellian



You're not going to mow over everyone to get ahead...

But you're also powerful enough to make things happen for yourself.

You understand how the world works, even when it's an ugly place.

You just don't get ugly yourself - unless you have to!