Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Thursday, April 9, 2009
cursed
I found this in my gmail account. dated 06/07/08
this was before my ENGLCOM class, so expect the worst of my writing. haha!
------------------------------------------------
cursed
Pushing, or driving rather, the push cart -full of eggs, milk, tissue rolls, that new cheap shirt with the cool catch phrase "I am a ninja", and a week-long supply of back issue magazines- ,
I saw these group of middle aged people wearing the same shirt at mcdo, (well it wasn't a freakshow with alot of people in one huge shirt).
I tried reading their shirt's logo, but it was too small,
this woman, saw me while I was in total curiosity, she smiled at me, I smiled back to bid my farewell.
Then all of a sudden, my mom pulled my shoulder and told me of the person walking towards me,
It was about 2 feet before contact, I managed to stop the cart,
and there she was, my eyes made hundreds of observations in a fraction of a second,
*she's got nice chucks on,
*those pants really put the curves on your butt
*your phone is cute with that blinker
*that jacket fits nicely and gives you extra "hip cleavage"
*those folds on your pants make you look so vintage
*you're so hot
*your eyes are so cute and reminds me of that Korean I used to have a crush on
*I can feel your nose touching mine going left to right and again, and again, was that our noses kissing?
*your hand, I would love to hold your hand.
*those lips, that smile, your cheeks, perfect.
I could go on untill I reach 999 to satisfy "hundreds".
did I mention she was holding someone else's hands whilst texting on the other?
yes, she was holding the hand of a girl around 6 - 10 years old eating some ice cream.
back to the moment I almost hit her.
I was able to stop.
for a fraction of a second, I saw that look in her eyes. frightened, shocked, and that last emotion she had after that last text she was replying to before I caught her attention.
then she came into realization, that I, the clumsy fool was able to stop the car.
during this moment, I was in shock (whilst observing her of course)
she took a glance at me, it lasted for about half a second in time but about 4 days and still counting in my head.
Then she gave a smile,
*a smile that said everything.
*It was short enough to send me begging for more
*long enough to make me remember it
*honest as if saying "hello" to another kid on your first day at the park
*sweet enough that it would make flowers ashamed to bloom in it's presence
*a bit flirty, as if trying to say "Buy me a drink, and let's talk about how your hair looks like with that hairband"
*suggestive, like saying "Your shirt is cool, but wearing a sweater would make you look better"
*Mysterious, that made me ask why smile when they usually look with ridicule.
*meaningful enough to make me think of these words.
what was I supposed to do?
I gave her something, I wouldnt call it a smile because I was neither a fan nor an expert of smiling. but I gave her something that looked like a smile. well, that was what I thought.
she slowly moved to the side, knowing that she had the easier option.
and again, slowly walked away to the direction from where I came from, but
this time, she was looking at me,
I was also looking back at her,
at around 2 meters, we had our second eye to eye. then at about 10 meters, while I was looking at her, we had our 3rd. this time, the little girl was also looking and gave me a childish wave free of critisizing comments of the world.
trying not to be rude, I waved back to the little girl with my fingers like a queer would, and to the lady that has cursed me untill now. she gave a small gesture with her right hand with an open palm bidding a simple farewell.
and here I am still cursed.
-cut
Monday, April 6, 2009
Pride of a generation [Cause and Effect - Englcom essays 5/5]
Pride of a generation
A decade back, the Filipino airwaves was dominated by foreign bands and musicians. The Eraserheads, Rivermaya, P.O.T. and the rest of the early 90’s Filipino bands had to compete with international acts such as the Backstreet Boys, Westlife, A1 and other overseas boy-bands alike. Though this was the situation then, our musicians, our bands pushed through and firmly stood their ground, showing that they can contest the foreign wave of music. Years have passed and now, the booming band scene in the Philippines is encouraging the formation of new bands, giving a new reputation for the then-folk-styled music to the now more-globally-competitive type of music, and giving the international recognition that Filipino musicians deserve.
The boom in the Philippines’s band scene is giving a new batch of aspiring musicians the chance to be a part of it. Since the 90’s, there has been a large increase in the number of bands in the Filipino band scene. Mainstream, Indie or even underground, it has seen its fair share of young bloods, making their way to nationwide, and even international stardom. These new bands aren’t limited to the typical genres. They’re even making their own brand of genre like the indie band “Up Dharma Down” that keeps defying the barriers of musical genres with their own brew of indefinable and uncategorized music style. Also popular in pioneering the new age of Filipino band music is the Rock and Soul band, “Sinosikat?” that’s making heads nod in time with their contra-tempo and old-school funk beats. The soft-core-electronica band, “Taken by cars” bridges the gap between club/disco or DJ mixed techno music and band music.
This new batch of musicians is also making headlines around the world like the band “Up Dharma Down”, after being featured in only if not, most read magazine in the world, TIME. “Urbandub”, a Cebu based band hat got to participate in the annual Bay beats festival in Singapore with fellow Filipino bands “Up Dharma Down”, “Kjuan” and “Typecast”. And who could forget “Rivermaya” for winning the “Favorite Artist Award” during the MTV ASIA Awards Bankok 2006 proving that Filipinos are globally competitive and deserve respect and the international spotlight.
Before the 90’s, Filipino music was tagged as usually mushy, melancholic, slow, non-innovative and is heavily influenced by the current western music. All that because most of our earlier musicians that got international recognition like Pilita Coralles, Ryan Cayabyab, Kuh Ledesma, Basil Valdez and Regine Velasquez were mostly ballad singers. Now, because of the new wave of musicians that we have, we definitely made a strong statement that Filipino musicians aren’t one trick ponies, that they also have their own distinct style of music that they themselves defined and are pioneering and that he what is now the Filipino band scene, is more globally competitive and unique in context.
This new scene, this Filipino band explosion is giving the Philippines an increase in the number of Filipino bands, is giving not only the bands but the Philippines as well an international recognition and the music scene a new reputation. Something to be truly proud of.
A decade back, the Filipino airwaves was dominated by foreign bands and musicians. The Eraserheads, Rivermaya, P.O.T. and the rest of the early 90’s Filipino bands had to compete with international acts such as the Backstreet Boys, Westlife, A1 and other overseas boy-bands alike. Though this was the situation then, our musicians, our bands pushed through and firmly stood their ground, showing that they can contest the foreign wave of music. Years have passed and now, the booming band scene in the Philippines is encouraging the formation of new bands, giving a new reputation for the then-folk-styled music to the now more-globally-competitive type of music, and giving the international recognition that Filipino musicians deserve.
The boom in the Philippines’s band scene is giving a new batch of aspiring musicians the chance to be a part of it. Since the 90’s, there has been a large increase in the number of bands in the Filipino band scene. Mainstream, Indie or even underground, it has seen its fair share of young bloods, making their way to nationwide, and even international stardom. These new bands aren’t limited to the typical genres. They’re even making their own brand of genre like the indie band “Up Dharma Down” that keeps defying the barriers of musical genres with their own brew of indefinable and uncategorized music style. Also popular in pioneering the new age of Filipino band music is the Rock and Soul band, “Sinosikat?” that’s making heads nod in time with their contra-tempo and old-school funk beats. The soft-core-electronica band, “Taken by cars” bridges the gap between club/disco or DJ mixed techno music and band music.
This new batch of musicians is also making headlines around the world like the band “Up Dharma Down”, after being featured in only if not, most read magazine in the world, TIME. “Urbandub”, a Cebu based band hat got to participate in the annual Bay beats festival in Singapore with fellow Filipino bands “Up Dharma Down”, “Kjuan” and “Typecast”. And who could forget “Rivermaya” for winning the “Favorite Artist Award” during the MTV ASIA Awards Bankok 2006 proving that Filipinos are globally competitive and deserve respect and the international spotlight.
Before the 90’s, Filipino music was tagged as usually mushy, melancholic, slow, non-innovative and is heavily influenced by the current western music. All that because most of our earlier musicians that got international recognition like Pilita Coralles, Ryan Cayabyab, Kuh Ledesma, Basil Valdez and Regine Velasquez were mostly ballad singers. Now, because of the new wave of musicians that we have, we definitely made a strong statement that Filipino musicians aren’t one trick ponies, that they also have their own distinct style of music that they themselves defined and are pioneering and that he what is now the Filipino band scene, is more globally competitive and unique in context.
This new scene, this Filipino band explosion is giving the Philippines an increase in the number of Filipino bands, is giving not only the bands but the Philippines as well an international recognition and the music scene a new reputation. Something to be truly proud of.
The Peer to Peer Dilemma [Argumentative - Englcom essays 4/5]
The Peer to Peer Dilemma
The information age, also known as the computer age or information era, is an age where individuals will have the ability to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge. The information era started during the early 90’s, with the development of the internet playing a major role in this change. A few years later, computer scientists invented the peer to peer system. The peer to peer system is a type of transient internet network that allows a group of computer users with the same networking program to connect with each other and directly access files from one another's hard drives. (Wolff, 2004).
Peer to peer technology has given us a better appreciation for the internet because of the new features it offers such as the integration of computer telephony that improved online calls, real time data streaming that facilitates media streaming like video and audio, and file sharing which enabled the sharing of almost anything in virtual space. Among these features, one caught the eye of millions of cyber rebels across this digital world, the ability of file sharing. And because of the goodness in us humans, we share, uncontrollably and immeasurable in number, giving the content owning community something to remember the information age by. An age when their content had more illegal copies shared through copyright infringing methods than legal copies sold.
In short, although peer to peer technology infringers the copyright laws, it should still be supported because it offers computer telephony integration which enables online phone calls, it presents data streaming used in media such as audio and video, and it allows file sharing which enables the sharing of almost anything in virtual space.
But is it reasonable to abolish the peer to peer system? A system that has been in service for so long, that it has been the basis of such companies like YouTube’s, Skype and Yahoo!’s Yahoo! Messenger software. Such technology is necessary for products and services like YouTube -a website company that uses the data streaming ability of the peer to peer technology- basically streams videos that can be watched by everybody who can gain access to it. These videos are uploaded by registered users who before uploading, must conform to certain rules and conditions set by the company to ensure that they do not infringe copyright laws. Skype is a software that uses the computer telephony feature of peer to peer technology. It makes possible for free online video calls that can connect anybody with a computer, an internet connection and a copy of the free software to others around the globe. Yahoo!’s Yahoo! Messenger is a software that allows internet relay chat and video streaming. Yahoo! Messenger or YM, is similar to Skype in terms of the services offered, although YM has more features than Skype like file sharing, the photo share function which allows real-time photo sharing. Those were some of the basic products and services that most of us use, others even rely on it.
The continuation of peer to peer technology does not only benefit the people utilizing its services, but also the companies whose major product or service relies on peer to peer technology. There are a large number of people that benefit from online chat to communicate with their loved ones who are far from them. Online communication like chatting, video calls, and online calls are currently the cheapest option here in the Philippines to communicate with people overseas, costing for as low as 15 pesos per hour or 25 centavos a minute for computer rental in computer shops. When compared to long distance phone calls that can cost up to more than 10 pesos per minute, it is clear why this service is preferred. Companies like Google who owns YouTube, Skype and Yahoo also benefit from these technological innovations. Google’s YouTube relies on data streaming to stream it’s videos on the websites to be viewed by the users. YouTube currently has more than 60 million registered users and more than a billion videos uploaded. It is currently third in the ALEXA ranking list which makes it the third most visited website in the world next to Yahoo!.(Alexa, 2009) The website traffic that YouTube and Yahoo get makes them prime sites to advertise and therefore attracts a lot groups and companies who are willing to pay to be advertised. Yahoo! offers its services by distributing their free Yahoo! Messenger software which allows a variety of services making communication and file sharing easier. Aside from the free services that Skype offers, it also has a premium-level service which provides better services than the basic-level service for a price which by the way is very affordable. They also attract people who are willing to advertise in their website. On the other side of things, abolishing the peer to peer technology will not solve the problem with illegal sharing and infringement of the copyright laws. Note that peer to peer technology only made it easier to share files and that there are many other ways to share files like the server-client method where a client uploads files to a server and clients download these files for free. Professor Lawrence Lessig - an American academic and political activist best known as a proponent of reduced legal restrictions on copyright and trademark, particularly in technology applications- included in his blog that Fred von Lohmann and his colleagues at EFF have suggested an innovative alternative to litigation and traditional compulsory licenses. Their approach, described as a "voluntary collective licensing" system, is aimed at compensating artists while ensuring that new technology will flourish. (Lessig, 2004)
The most feasible option to appease those who are fighting against piracy is to conceive a plan that will eliminate the current problem in the file sharing feature of the peer to peer system. That way, we could carry on with the peer to peer technology and prevent any more problems with the pro-peer to peer community.
The peer to peer system is now a significant and permanent aspect of the internet and it should not be abolished. It should not be blamed for the infringement of copyright laws because it is only being taken advantage of therefore it is only an instrument. You cannot sue a knife for killing a man. The technology and the laws regarding copyright materials are the ones that should be improved.
The information age, also known as the computer age or information era, is an age where individuals will have the ability to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge. The information era started during the early 90’s, with the development of the internet playing a major role in this change. A few years later, computer scientists invented the peer to peer system. The peer to peer system is a type of transient internet network that allows a group of computer users with the same networking program to connect with each other and directly access files from one another's hard drives. (Wolff, 2004).
Peer to peer technology has given us a better appreciation for the internet because of the new features it offers such as the integration of computer telephony that improved online calls, real time data streaming that facilitates media streaming like video and audio, and file sharing which enabled the sharing of almost anything in virtual space. Among these features, one caught the eye of millions of cyber rebels across this digital world, the ability of file sharing. And because of the goodness in us humans, we share, uncontrollably and immeasurable in number, giving the content owning community something to remember the information age by. An age when their content had more illegal copies shared through copyright infringing methods than legal copies sold.
In short, although peer to peer technology infringers the copyright laws, it should still be supported because it offers computer telephony integration which enables online phone calls, it presents data streaming used in media such as audio and video, and it allows file sharing which enables the sharing of almost anything in virtual space.
But is it reasonable to abolish the peer to peer system? A system that has been in service for so long, that it has been the basis of such companies like YouTube’s, Skype and Yahoo!’s Yahoo! Messenger software. Such technology is necessary for products and services like YouTube -a website company that uses the data streaming ability of the peer to peer technology- basically streams videos that can be watched by everybody who can gain access to it. These videos are uploaded by registered users who before uploading, must conform to certain rules and conditions set by the company to ensure that they do not infringe copyright laws. Skype is a software that uses the computer telephony feature of peer to peer technology. It makes possible for free online video calls that can connect anybody with a computer, an internet connection and a copy of the free software to others around the globe. Yahoo!’s Yahoo! Messenger is a software that allows internet relay chat and video streaming. Yahoo! Messenger or YM, is similar to Skype in terms of the services offered, although YM has more features than Skype like file sharing, the photo share function which allows real-time photo sharing. Those were some of the basic products and services that most of us use, others even rely on it.
The continuation of peer to peer technology does not only benefit the people utilizing its services, but also the companies whose major product or service relies on peer to peer technology. There are a large number of people that benefit from online chat to communicate with their loved ones who are far from them. Online communication like chatting, video calls, and online calls are currently the cheapest option here in the Philippines to communicate with people overseas, costing for as low as 15 pesos per hour or 25 centavos a minute for computer rental in computer shops. When compared to long distance phone calls that can cost up to more than 10 pesos per minute, it is clear why this service is preferred. Companies like Google who owns YouTube, Skype and Yahoo also benefit from these technological innovations. Google’s YouTube relies on data streaming to stream it’s videos on the websites to be viewed by the users. YouTube currently has more than 60 million registered users and more than a billion videos uploaded. It is currently third in the ALEXA ranking list which makes it the third most visited website in the world next to Yahoo!.(Alexa, 2009) The website traffic that YouTube and Yahoo get makes them prime sites to advertise and therefore attracts a lot groups and companies who are willing to pay to be advertised. Yahoo! offers its services by distributing their free Yahoo! Messenger software which allows a variety of services making communication and file sharing easier. Aside from the free services that Skype offers, it also has a premium-level service which provides better services than the basic-level service for a price which by the way is very affordable. They also attract people who are willing to advertise in their website. On the other side of things, abolishing the peer to peer technology will not solve the problem with illegal sharing and infringement of the copyright laws. Note that peer to peer technology only made it easier to share files and that there are many other ways to share files like the server-client method where a client uploads files to a server and clients download these files for free. Professor Lawrence Lessig - an American academic and political activist best known as a proponent of reduced legal restrictions on copyright and trademark, particularly in technology applications- included in his blog that Fred von Lohmann and his colleagues at EFF have suggested an innovative alternative to litigation and traditional compulsory licenses. Their approach, described as a "voluntary collective licensing" system, is aimed at compensating artists while ensuring that new technology will flourish. (Lessig, 2004)
The most feasible option to appease those who are fighting against piracy is to conceive a plan that will eliminate the current problem in the file sharing feature of the peer to peer system. That way, we could carry on with the peer to peer technology and prevent any more problems with the pro-peer to peer community.
The peer to peer system is now a significant and permanent aspect of the internet and it should not be abolished. It should not be blamed for the infringement of copyright laws because it is only being taken advantage of therefore it is only an instrument. You cannot sue a knife for killing a man. The technology and the laws regarding copyright materials are the ones that should be improved.
Kaibigan [Descriptive static - Englcom essays 3/5]
KAIBIGAN
It was just like any other yuletide day, walking around the mall with a couple of friends after having lunch at our favorite place to eat. I came across this shirt that says in bold black letters: “Friendship is like pissing your pants. Everyone can see it, but only you can feel its true warmth”. It was an instant hit to me and my friends and after that, we had a long exchange of similar jokes. In this heavily populated world of diverse, crazy and funny looking humans, it’s nearly impossible not to any friends. According to a world census, there are at least six billion humans in this blue planet, so six billion and still counting, we’ll surely have at least one lucky soul to call as a friend. Considering that, I would like to state that, it is a human birthright to be inducted into this world of relationships, partnerships, brotherhoods, families, and best of all, friendships.
It was the cold yuletide season of 2008 that we managed to gather for a week-long reunion back at home base. Again, the usual smoke of the cigarettes, the funk of drunk and beer-breath buddies, and the puke reeking bathroom down the unlit hall stunk. Thank God almost all of us had clogged noses. The music that passionately jamming bands made, the laughter of beautiful and tipsy people, and the noise of wooden skateboards as they hit the concrete in every failed attempt of a trick. Yes, chilly and celestially blessed nights with the warmest of friends. last meet. That was the loveliest evenings I had with my old and new friends. Stories, something we didn’t ran out of. From the solo escapades, to the group adventures we had. We told all the stories, from the new ones worth sharing, to the old ones, worth retelling.
It’s been almost a year since college started –changing my life. A lot of us changed. Even my haircut had a dramatic and traumatic transition. My hair was once a six incher hair lock that was forced to be cut short because of ROTC. Blending in with my friends became harder since my semi-bald head contrasted their beautifully flowing black hair that touched their shoulders.
I think that from my descriptions of our appearances, you’d get a hint that we are some sort of musicians. We’ll you’re correct. We are a group of local musicians, playing anything from the complex accents of Jazz to the blasting beats of Metal. Everything goes in this homey bunk of ours. We grind our skateboards on rusted-red handrails, show off our shiny new instruments, take pictures of everything stunning and leave everything hideous in the blurred background, trade items from hats to shoes, eat pansit with much gusto, drink, smoke and sing like hippies in a flowery commune from three in the afternoon, until three in the morning
This place is where I developed my love for music. Here, I learned about, gave and received a better respect of being a musician and of being a member of a community. Here, I can speak my heart out and project my thoughts without the satire and all that unnecessary sarcasm. Here is where love, freedom, tolerance and equity exist with or without peace. It became our own little alley of twisted paradise
Paradise might sound too good to be true, but believe me when I say that it is possible, it can happen, it does happen, and it should happen for all of us. The best things in life are free. To be given the opportunity to friendship is our human birth right, It is our Filipino birthright. To piss our barong pants or whatever goes for the women, and feel the true warmth of friendship.
Lomography and Photography [Contrast and comparison - Englcom essays 2/5]
Lomography and Photography
Moments last, well, only for moments. That’s why we do our best in capturing and immortalizing those moments for us to enjoy later on when the moment has passed.
Sometimes, telling stories aren’t enough to make those moments linger, and because of that, we make use of technology’s gifts like video recording, and sound. But all of these can’t stand against the timeless still-images made by cameras that promises forever to those priceless moments and makes each image speak of its own unique story.
The rising trend in lomography gave us this new line of “happy-accident” images that supported the subculture of point-first-then-shoot-without-thinking kind of imagery that got the rather “serious” technique-based world of prosumer level photography’s attention. One thing’s for sure, the diversity of available disciplines in imagery –like Lomography and Photography- gives enthusiasts the artistic freedom to express themselves through still-frame imagery.
In terms of technique and disciplines, lomography – as stated by many semi-pro and pro lomographers, - is basically point and shoot photography (with the use of lomography cameras of course). (Lomography Vs Photography. (2003). Retrieved March 16, 2009, from ClubSNAP photography community: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48587)
In lomography, basically, all you need is to do is point at whatever you want to take a picture of then press the shutter/exposure button. To produce its unique photos, lomography is done with film. The use of film offers various, unique and exciting features such as multiple exposures that produce overlapping images; light leaks that give wild burns on the negative and half frame exposures that make for seamlessly ending panoramas are only possible with the use of film. (Lomography. (2009). Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Lomography Society International: http://www.lomography.com/about )
Generally speaking, equipment in lomography is fairly cheap due to the material used in making them. Most lomo cameras are made with full plastic bodies, including their lens. In lomography, there are many different types of cameras like the auto-vignette “holga”, movement sampling “super sampler”, extra wide angled “fisheye 2”, the flash suppressed “Diana F+”, the eight eyed “oktomat”, and many more. Most of these cameras prices range from two thousand to four thousand pesos but the Diana F+ is an exception because it will cost around twelve to fifteen thousand pesos at minimum due to its expensive built-in hot shoe flash. ( Products.(2009) . Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Lomography Embassy Manila: http://www.lomographicembassymanila.com/products/cameras )
Film has a major role in lomography, and is the only thing that makes lomography costs higher (around fifty pesos in negative development fees, printing fees that will range from three to forty pesos depending on the size, not included). Regular film is applicable but seasoned lomographers prefer to use special kinds of film like Black and White films, films with an ISO higher than five hundred that enables lomographers to capture fast moving objects, and that can produce the image they are looking for. Lomo cameras usually come with a built in flash like the color splash lomo that gives off a color tinted flash. ( Accessoriess.(2009) . Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Lomography Embassy Manila: http://www.lomographicembassymanila.com/products/accessories )
Lomography has no problem in popularity and usage. Lomography is rapidly gaining popularity with the younger generation over the past 5 years, thanks to its low price, its own style of images, and its different features.
In prosumer (a combination of professional and consumer) level photography, the techniques and disciplines are vital to produce images that you want. In comparison to lomography, prosumer photography is much more technical. It’s not as simple as pointing and pressing the shutter button. It requires a certain level of knowledge. There are a lot of things to consider like shutter speed or the speed of things that you can take a picture of, ISO level or the numerical exposure index of the film being used, aperture priority or a semi automatic exposure system in which the photography sets the camera for, f-stop or the setting of an adjustable lens aperture, focus or the control for the depth of field, lighting or the current lighting conditions of the location, etc. Most prosumer level photography is done digitally with Digital SLR Cameras mostly know as DSLR’s.
The downside to this kind of photography is that it is expensive. The basic material for photography will be a camera body, and a lens. A camera body (suitable for prosumer level photography) will range from fifteen thousand to eighty thousand pesos while a single lens will cost from five thousand to a hundred thousand pesos depending on the type of lens the person will buy. There are also camera kits that will include a camera body, a lens and other basic accessories that will range from twenty to a hundred thousand pesos. (Henry's Photo Supplies, 2009) The other possible accessories in photography will be the battery of the camera, memory cards to store the photos, flashes and lighting, filters, tripods and other types of lenses. Because these cameras come in digital formats, developing will not be necessary. Printing –costing from around three to forty pesos depending on size- will be immediate and more convenient. Prices of flashes, lighting and lenses will vary with every model and brand.
Photography by far, has been the formal method for image capture, and it is also the most used. Almost every image that is used in advertisements, magazines, newspapers and other related material are taken with the use of Photography. Now, as these cameras are getting cheaper, the number of hobbyists, amateurs and professionals are increasing.
In terms of sophistication, prosumer photography compared to lomography is much more complicated. In equipment, prosumer photography equipment also proves to be much more expensive than a plastic-bodied lomo camera although, it does not prove anything on which is better. For popularity, photography is much older than lomography giving it the advantage of time and service, although lomography proves itself to be faster in acquiring the interests of people. The two kinds of imagery cannot be compared when it comes to how artistic they are, since art is never appreciated in the same way for all of us. Some might consider lomography a cheap excuse for the lack of photography skills; some might say that photography is an overrated practice, and so forth. One thing is for sure; memories worth immortalizing as images are witnessed with light – something that photography and lomography need in common to produce images.
Moments last, well, only for moments. That’s why we do our best in capturing and immortalizing those moments for us to enjoy later on when the moment has passed.
Sometimes, telling stories aren’t enough to make those moments linger, and because of that, we make use of technology’s gifts like video recording, and sound. But all of these can’t stand against the timeless still-images made by cameras that promises forever to those priceless moments and makes each image speak of its own unique story.
The rising trend in lomography gave us this new line of “happy-accident” images that supported the subculture of point-first-then-shoot-without-thinking kind of imagery that got the rather “serious” technique-based world of prosumer level photography’s attention. One thing’s for sure, the diversity of available disciplines in imagery –like Lomography and Photography- gives enthusiasts the artistic freedom to express themselves through still-frame imagery.
In terms of technique and disciplines, lomography – as stated by many semi-pro and pro lomographers, - is basically point and shoot photography (with the use of lomography cameras of course). (Lomography Vs Photography. (2003). Retrieved March 16, 2009, from ClubSNAP photography community: http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48587)
In lomography, basically, all you need is to do is point at whatever you want to take a picture of then press the shutter/exposure button. To produce its unique photos, lomography is done with film. The use of film offers various, unique and exciting features such as multiple exposures that produce overlapping images; light leaks that give wild burns on the negative and half frame exposures that make for seamlessly ending panoramas are only possible with the use of film. (Lomography. (2009). Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Lomography Society International: http://www.lomography.com/about )
Generally speaking, equipment in lomography is fairly cheap due to the material used in making them. Most lomo cameras are made with full plastic bodies, including their lens. In lomography, there are many different types of cameras like the auto-vignette “holga”, movement sampling “super sampler”, extra wide angled “fisheye 2”, the flash suppressed “Diana F+”, the eight eyed “oktomat”, and many more. Most of these cameras prices range from two thousand to four thousand pesos but the Diana F+ is an exception because it will cost around twelve to fifteen thousand pesos at minimum due to its expensive built-in hot shoe flash. ( Products.(2009) . Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Lomography Embassy Manila: http://www.lomographicembassymanila.com/products/cameras )
Film has a major role in lomography, and is the only thing that makes lomography costs higher (around fifty pesos in negative development fees, printing fees that will range from three to forty pesos depending on the size, not included). Regular film is applicable but seasoned lomographers prefer to use special kinds of film like Black and White films, films with an ISO higher than five hundred that enables lomographers to capture fast moving objects, and that can produce the image they are looking for. Lomo cameras usually come with a built in flash like the color splash lomo that gives off a color tinted flash. ( Accessoriess.(2009) . Retrieved March 16, 2009, from Lomography Embassy Manila: http://www.lomographicembassymanila.com/products/accessories )
Lomography has no problem in popularity and usage. Lomography is rapidly gaining popularity with the younger generation over the past 5 years, thanks to its low price, its own style of images, and its different features.
In prosumer (a combination of professional and consumer) level photography, the techniques and disciplines are vital to produce images that you want. In comparison to lomography, prosumer photography is much more technical. It’s not as simple as pointing and pressing the shutter button. It requires a certain level of knowledge. There are a lot of things to consider like shutter speed or the speed of things that you can take a picture of, ISO level or the numerical exposure index of the film being used, aperture priority or a semi automatic exposure system in which the photography sets the camera for, f-stop or the setting of an adjustable lens aperture, focus or the control for the depth of field, lighting or the current lighting conditions of the location, etc. Most prosumer level photography is done digitally with Digital SLR Cameras mostly know as DSLR’s.
The downside to this kind of photography is that it is expensive. The basic material for photography will be a camera body, and a lens. A camera body (suitable for prosumer level photography) will range from fifteen thousand to eighty thousand pesos while a single lens will cost from five thousand to a hundred thousand pesos depending on the type of lens the person will buy. There are also camera kits that will include a camera body, a lens and other basic accessories that will range from twenty to a hundred thousand pesos. (Henry's Photo Supplies, 2009) The other possible accessories in photography will be the battery of the camera, memory cards to store the photos, flashes and lighting, filters, tripods and other types of lenses. Because these cameras come in digital formats, developing will not be necessary. Printing –costing from around three to forty pesos depending on size- will be immediate and more convenient. Prices of flashes, lighting and lenses will vary with every model and brand.
Photography by far, has been the formal method for image capture, and it is also the most used. Almost every image that is used in advertisements, magazines, newspapers and other related material are taken with the use of Photography. Now, as these cameras are getting cheaper, the number of hobbyists, amateurs and professionals are increasing.
In terms of sophistication, prosumer photography compared to lomography is much more complicated. In equipment, prosumer photography equipment also proves to be much more expensive than a plastic-bodied lomo camera although, it does not prove anything on which is better. For popularity, photography is much older than lomography giving it the advantage of time and service, although lomography proves itself to be faster in acquiring the interests of people. The two kinds of imagery cannot be compared when it comes to how artistic they are, since art is never appreciated in the same way for all of us. Some might consider lomography a cheap excuse for the lack of photography skills; some might say that photography is an overrated practice, and so forth. One thing is for sure; memories worth immortalizing as images are witnessed with light – something that photography and lomography need in common to produce images.
Mouse Potato 101 [Extended definition - Englcom essays 1/5]
Mouse Potato 101
During the 90’s, when the television was still the number one distraction for most of us, we held the remote and watched television for excessive number of hours. Sitting, lying or just plain slouching on the couch for long hours while watching the television, some wise-bearded-old-man christened us “couch potatoes”. A few years later, a device called the computer was introduced, promising to revolutionize our way of computing. Shortly after that, the internet was presented to us with all its possibilities to make better our communication with possibilities like streaming video and music, instant electronic mail, virtual gaming, real time online chat and other exciting features. With all those amenities, the internet is slowly becoming the next big thing after the television. Almost all the major labels and companies felt the need to grab a slice of the dot-com bubble pie. According to a survey that IBM – a IT company – conducted in New York city last 2008, results show that out of eleven respondents, only four chose the television over the internet giving the internet a much higher usage rating than the television. Nowadays, we can access almost anything in this new virtual environment with the convenience of a few mouse clicks. Inevitably, some of us are just too into the computer, that we just can’t limit the use of it. We humans because of our weird nature, spend more time using the computer, so excessive, that we were again labeled by this discontented-wise-beard-wearing AND updated old man as “mouse potatoes”. “Mouse potato”, now defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer”.
Now maybe some are now saying that they are not mouse potatoes. First, let’s see the stereotype of a mouse potato. People might describe a mouse potato as a fat unhygienic person that spends most of the day using the computer, and eats his meals in front of the computer; or a skinny geek that wears eyeglasses and braces, gasps on an inhaler and has no other social life other than his family and his fellow geeks. No! Mouse potatoes aren’t limited to those stereotypes anymore. A mouse potato can be everybody. Everybody that uses a computer for long periods of time –which is about two or more hours exceeding the amount of time that a person really needs to use a computer- in his own will, habitually. A mouse potato is anybody who is dependent on the computer and relies on it as long as the task is possible to do with the help of a computer. A mouse potato can be anybody. She can be the charming lady seated in front of you, those buff jocks playing basketball, or even your impossibly frigid teacher. A mouse potato can also have different attitudes in society which are also possibly affected or influenced by the usage of the computer and exposure to content; he can be socially inclined, confident and an extrovert, the sort that can be the star of any party and maintains the lively atmosphere with his charisma and appeal, or the high school prom queen adored by all the boys because of her charm and beauty, and envied by all the insecure and perhaps, mouse potato girls. In contrast, he could be the bashful introvert that doesn’t speak until spoken to or the childish attention freak that everybody finds annoying.
Let’s face it, a lot of us are now hooked into the computer, and are using it. Let’s classify ourselves into three major brands of mouse potatoes. First, there are the “noticeable kind” which are very vivid as mouse potatoes. They are the ones that are stereotyped as geeks, nerds or those who are least socially inclined. They are the ones who prioritize their social life with a low level of importance, although they are not necessarily antisocial. They usually utilize all the possible features of the computer and the internet that are not useful for the normal user. He or she might use features like blogging for some extra profit, time wasting – pointless survey sites and sites similar to peter-answers.com – a false tarot website that allows you to write your own prediction. Another type of mouse potato classification is the ones who you don’t expect as mouse potatoes. They are the more socially inclined people, they are the type that go clubbing, those who play a lot of physical sports and more masculine or feminine in his or her physique. They are the ones who utilize the computer practical and social networking purposes only. They usually spend excessive amounts of time fiddling with their Facebook, MySpace and other networking website accounts. They check their emails regularly, do most of their research on the internet, and sometimes watch videos for fun. The second classification although utilizes lesser features than the first, still uses computers for extensively long hours. The last classifications of mouse potatoes are those who seemingly combine the characteristics of both of the previous classes. They are those who balance the “geekiness” and the “coolness” of both parties. Sometimes they only utilize the useful aspect of a computer and sometimes, they also use it for leisure, entertainment, and for pointless and time wasting activities.
Being a mouse potato has effects, good, bad or even both. The effects of being a mouse potato is not limited to a person developing poor eyesight because of the over exposure of his eyes to the computer screen, or poor physique because of the lack of engagement in physical activities which is spent instead in front of the computer slouching, or even the under appreciation for social gatherings which can damage a mouse potato’s social life. The excessive computer usage can also take its toll on a mouse potato’s budget with costly electric bills. The computer can add up to five hundred to a thousand pesos for its electrical consumption alone. In addition to that, a postpaid internet connection will add about one to three thousand pesos for the total house bills. In addition to that, computer maintenance will force a mouse potato to shell out around five hundred to fifty thousand pesos annually or whenever he or she needs to upgrade or maintain the software or the hardware of the computer. On the flip side, the good effects of being a mouse potato include: having more friends and a larger network by becoming a celebrated member of the trendiest social networking sites or online games. A mouse potato can also be famous worldwide by expressing and exposing himself on the internet by means of streaming videos, music, and blogs. A mouse potato can also earn money by hosting advertisements on his webpage, acquiring knowledge from the available content on the worldwide side of news and other related material. There are certain effects that can be considered as good or bad depending on the mouse potato’s judgment, like saving money from illegal downloads of files, fast research, the spying possibilities of the internet, and the exposure to adult material.
To sum it all up, we can conclude that being a mouse potato isn’t a bad thing, nor is it a good thing. Nowadays, being a mouse potato is turning out to be a part of life because we are entering a new age of computers, an age when people will hold a mouse in their hand longer than any book they’ll read. It’s up to the mouse potato to decide his or her mouse potato fate Keep in mind that being a mouse potato is neither an insult nor a praise. It is a way of life.
During the 90’s, when the television was still the number one distraction for most of us, we held the remote and watched television for excessive number of hours. Sitting, lying or just plain slouching on the couch for long hours while watching the television, some wise-bearded-old-man christened us “couch potatoes”. A few years later, a device called the computer was introduced, promising to revolutionize our way of computing. Shortly after that, the internet was presented to us with all its possibilities to make better our communication with possibilities like streaming video and music, instant electronic mail, virtual gaming, real time online chat and other exciting features. With all those amenities, the internet is slowly becoming the next big thing after the television. Almost all the major labels and companies felt the need to grab a slice of the dot-com bubble pie. According to a survey that IBM – a IT company – conducted in New York city last 2008, results show that out of eleven respondents, only four chose the television over the internet giving the internet a much higher usage rating than the television. Nowadays, we can access almost anything in this new virtual environment with the convenience of a few mouse clicks. Inevitably, some of us are just too into the computer, that we just can’t limit the use of it. We humans because of our weird nature, spend more time using the computer, so excessive, that we were again labeled by this discontented-wise-beard-wearing AND updated old man as “mouse potatoes”. “Mouse potato”, now defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a person who spends a great deal of time using a computer”.
Now maybe some are now saying that they are not mouse potatoes. First, let’s see the stereotype of a mouse potato. People might describe a mouse potato as a fat unhygienic person that spends most of the day using the computer, and eats his meals in front of the computer; or a skinny geek that wears eyeglasses and braces, gasps on an inhaler and has no other social life other than his family and his fellow geeks. No! Mouse potatoes aren’t limited to those stereotypes anymore. A mouse potato can be everybody. Everybody that uses a computer for long periods of time –which is about two or more hours exceeding the amount of time that a person really needs to use a computer- in his own will, habitually. A mouse potato is anybody who is dependent on the computer and relies on it as long as the task is possible to do with the help of a computer. A mouse potato can be anybody. She can be the charming lady seated in front of you, those buff jocks playing basketball, or even your impossibly frigid teacher. A mouse potato can also have different attitudes in society which are also possibly affected or influenced by the usage of the computer and exposure to content; he can be socially inclined, confident and an extrovert, the sort that can be the star of any party and maintains the lively atmosphere with his charisma and appeal, or the high school prom queen adored by all the boys because of her charm and beauty, and envied by all the insecure and perhaps, mouse potato girls. In contrast, he could be the bashful introvert that doesn’t speak until spoken to or the childish attention freak that everybody finds annoying.
Let’s face it, a lot of us are now hooked into the computer, and are using it. Let’s classify ourselves into three major brands of mouse potatoes. First, there are the “noticeable kind” which are very vivid as mouse potatoes. They are the ones that are stereotyped as geeks, nerds or those who are least socially inclined. They are the ones who prioritize their social life with a low level of importance, although they are not necessarily antisocial. They usually utilize all the possible features of the computer and the internet that are not useful for the normal user. He or she might use features like blogging for some extra profit, time wasting – pointless survey sites and sites similar to peter-answers.com – a false tarot website that allows you to write your own prediction. Another type of mouse potato classification is the ones who you don’t expect as mouse potatoes. They are the more socially inclined people, they are the type that go clubbing, those who play a lot of physical sports and more masculine or feminine in his or her physique. They are the ones who utilize the computer practical and social networking purposes only. They usually spend excessive amounts of time fiddling with their Facebook, MySpace and other networking website accounts. They check their emails regularly, do most of their research on the internet, and sometimes watch videos for fun. The second classification although utilizes lesser features than the first, still uses computers for extensively long hours. The last classifications of mouse potatoes are those who seemingly combine the characteristics of both of the previous classes. They are those who balance the “geekiness” and the “coolness” of both parties. Sometimes they only utilize the useful aspect of a computer and sometimes, they also use it for leisure, entertainment, and for pointless and time wasting activities.
Being a mouse potato has effects, good, bad or even both. The effects of being a mouse potato is not limited to a person developing poor eyesight because of the over exposure of his eyes to the computer screen, or poor physique because of the lack of engagement in physical activities which is spent instead in front of the computer slouching, or even the under appreciation for social gatherings which can damage a mouse potato’s social life. The excessive computer usage can also take its toll on a mouse potato’s budget with costly electric bills. The computer can add up to five hundred to a thousand pesos for its electrical consumption alone. In addition to that, a postpaid internet connection will add about one to three thousand pesos for the total house bills. In addition to that, computer maintenance will force a mouse potato to shell out around five hundred to fifty thousand pesos annually or whenever he or she needs to upgrade or maintain the software or the hardware of the computer. On the flip side, the good effects of being a mouse potato include: having more friends and a larger network by becoming a celebrated member of the trendiest social networking sites or online games. A mouse potato can also be famous worldwide by expressing and exposing himself on the internet by means of streaming videos, music, and blogs. A mouse potato can also earn money by hosting advertisements on his webpage, acquiring knowledge from the available content on the worldwide side of news and other related material. There are certain effects that can be considered as good or bad depending on the mouse potato’s judgment, like saving money from illegal downloads of files, fast research, the spying possibilities of the internet, and the exposure to adult material.
To sum it all up, we can conclude that being a mouse potato isn’t a bad thing, nor is it a good thing. Nowadays, being a mouse potato is turning out to be a part of life because we are entering a new age of computers, an age when people will hold a mouse in their hand longer than any book they’ll read. It’s up to the mouse potato to decide his or her mouse potato fate Keep in mind that being a mouse potato is neither an insult nor a praise. It is a way of life.
Friday, April 3, 2009
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