The Indie Scene: Breaking the Glass

by Cedric Joshua Martinez

Independent Films “Indie Films” as defined by our bros in the asanda2filmstudies.blogspot.com (http://asanda2filmstudies.blogspot.com/2008/09/independent-films-definition.html) are films that are initially produced without financing or distribution from a major film studio.

Lately, Indie films in the Philippines are reaching out to the people as well as collecting numerous awards both here and abroad. Nevertheless, what are the possible reasons behind these? Here are my personal insights regarding the success of the Indie Films:

1. Indie films are not after the sales, they are after the story.

Most of the time, social issues and concerns are at the core of an indie film story which I very much different from the local mainstream movies. While the indies give us a glimpse of the reality, mainstream movies feed us with fantasy, imagination and romantic clichés.

2. They are limited in terms of budget.

Curious isn’t it? How does a limited budget contribute to the success of independent films? Simple. Independent filmmakers are forced to think outside the box. Thus, they are becoming more innovative in using the resources that they have, from the simple camera tricks, use of prosthetic up to the editing. They are discovering new and much more effective ways in making an indie film.

3. Indie Films are Independent

Being independent comes with many challenges, and perks. For filmmakers, this independence release them from the control of production companies and their standards. This gives them, especially the Director, much more control and opportunity to display what he or she would want to show to the audience.

4. Actors and Actresses work for the honor.

In spite of the low budget, we ask ourselves “Why is ___________ in this film? If I could remember __ has a very high talent fee.” The answer lies in the awards that they receive in the Philippines and overseas. Aside from which, they would also like to work with top directors like Brilliante Mendoza.

5. Indie Films give us the reality at the silver screen.

Philippine independent films give us insights and present to us the reality that is happening out there. And for me, that is the beauty of indie films. It is not only there in order to entertain us but to shake us up and open our eyes. By the end of every movie, questions are always being asked. What am I going to do know that I am aware of it? Am I experiencing the same thing? What can I do about it? This is the beauty of independent films, they are not just a work of art but more than that, they are stories of the people, our stories.

By Smashgroundz with No comments

Changing Habits, Keeping it Fresh Maintain a Proper Hygiene

by Jasper Noel Barba

Defense mechanism ba ang tawag mo dito! 

·    -   Deadly body odor (baktol)

·    -   Oily face (magrasang pagmumuka)

·    -   Sweaty under arm (masangsang na kilikili)

·    -   Dirty finger nails (nagalulupang kuko)

·    -   Bad breath (nakamamatay na hininga)

·    -   Sweaty foot/athletes foot (mabahong paa/kachichas)

A good hygiene is so much a part of our daily routines. We bathe, brush our teeth and wash our hands when preparing or eating food and handling unsanitary items. To keep those this article cares about health and safety tips, which might help you to maintain and change your daily habits when it comes to hygiene.

Remember having a clean and respectable appearance will attract positive energy and increase your self-esteem. Be cool smell good it is important to be clean and maintain a good hygiene than being the most attractable guy but smells like shit.

Maintaining a proper hygiene can help keep you healthy and the best way to avoid getting sick. It triggers feeling of arousal in girls; and gives you more confidence in front of people.

Here are some tips on maintaining a good personal hygiene:

1.       Shower everyday with soap/body wash

-          Dude, it is important to be clean, always clean your private areas (the hair traps sweat and can stink if not washed regularly.

2.       Shampoo and condition your hair as needed

-          Especially when you use a hairstyle gel because it attracts and traps dirt to you scalp.

3.       Use a lotion to smooth out dry skin

-          Applying some lotion will keep your skin moisten and healthy.

-          Applying sun block will protect your skin in getting burned.

4.       Use a proper cologne

-          An overpowering scent can be seen as vain, tacky or sexual desperate of course it is safest buy appropriate cologne it can subtly enhance the image we project.

-          It will mimic the natural smell that males produce and used lightly, it might arouse some females

5.       Make sure to clean and trim your fingernails

-          Keeping your finger and toenails trimmed and in good shape will prevent problems such as hang nails and infected nail beds. Feet that are clean and dry are less likely to contract athlete’s foot girls will especially notice if you have long, dirty nails. Girls don’t like that it counts a lot

6.       Use roll-on, not spray deodorant to prevent armpit odor

-          Instead of using “tawas” on preventing dark skin and stinky underarm why not use Antiperspirants deodorant to keep your armpit dry and free of odor.

7.       Brush your teeth and floss them

-          Ideally, you should brush your teeth after every meal. At the very least, brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. Brushing minimizes the accumulation of bacteria in your mouth, which can cause tooth decay and gum disease Flossing helps maintain strong, healthy gums. Be aware of the potential horrors of your own breath you don’t want your friends to cringe when you sit down next to them.

-          If necessary always keep a mouthwash on your bag or any mint candy

8.       Wash your face every day with face cleansers to prevent acne

-          It can help reduce your risk of bacterial infections such as trachoma (an eye infection).

-          Decreases of over populating pimples and dirt

9.       Wear socks when you wear shoes and put some foot powder

-          Common sense to prevent athletes foot

10.   Style your hair and use a good smelling hair product

-          Look good be artistic don’t settle down on one style and some products may cause your scalp allergic reaction.

Reminders:  Wear clean clothes everyday stay cool, look good and feel fresh being clean will boost up our confidence.  

Source:

http://www.wikihow.com/Have-Good-Hygiene-(Boys)

By Smashgroundz with No comments

Party 'Til Morning

by Jhuwen Balite

A Filipino man is no doubt one of the best beer drinkers in the world. They can withstand the massive effects of being drunk and doesn’t get affected by the “Hang over.” In Philippines, it is the beer and not the dog, who’s the man’s best friend. It is their escape route from the rude world. From the friend zoned guy, up to the tired husband, beer is the companion that any many of the bros can trust. It will listen to their endless miseries and will not comment anything bad about it.

That is why; a Filipino beer company introduces a fest that will rock the world of any Filipino beer drinkers, the San Miguel Oktoberfest. The Oktoberfest is an annual beer fest that makes our Bros happy and drunk. On September 28 at the Asena City in Macapagal Boulevard, Paranaque City, beer market leader San Miguel Brewery Inc. kicks off the country’s much awaited, grandest and biggest beer festival, the San Miguel Oktoberfest 2012.

According to SMB President Roberto N. Huang, This year’s “Beer Festival” focuses on the relevant elements that are sure to delight every San Miguel Beer customer who anticipates the Annual San Miguel Oktoberfest. The idea, Huang said, is to “bring to the customer what the customer really wants in a beer festival, without a fuss, and with variety of choices in one grand venue for celebration.

There are six tents to choose from for our bros, the tents are specifically organized based on what the customer wants and their preference on drinking their own glass of cold beer. There are also celebrities and bands that will rock the night of the attendees.

At the Oktoberfest night, nothing is for sure except for one, every bros will get rocked and drunk.

Sources:

http://www.sanmiguelbeer.com.ph/oktoberfest/index.php#about

By Smashgroundz with No comments

After Break-up Management

by Fil-maur Louis Nacion

Love is the most profound emotion known to human beings. For most people, romantic relationships are the most meaningful element in their lives. But the ability to have a healthy and loving relationship is not inborn. And in reality it really “ends”. When that time comes, what are you suppose to do bro? Cry, kill yourself or move on?

Just when you thought that the person on your wallpaper is just “wallpaper”, and you realize that as of last night you are now back to saying the words, “Table for one, please”, you’re single. But wait, before you go throwing your cell phone out of the window or doing something that you will soon regret, remember that there are ways to handle things properly. And here it goes dude.

First of all let’s establish one key point here, no matter how cheesy it sounds, you will fall in love again, TRUST me. I don’t care if your previous girlfriend was in FHM’s 100 sexiest women or the cover of Playboy magazine, you will go on.

First, I know, you thought you relationship would last forever and she said she had never met someone like you before. And I know, you made plans for next summer already. And basically, all was happiness until the lethal words “It’s not working out” were said and your heart dropped ten floors below or even fifteen.

Once you find out the relationship is over, the proper thing to do is say goodbye and be on your way. Impossible? Why should I do this? One, do you really want to convince them not to abandon you? No! They have already made up their mind. And two, there are many fish in the sea, go and get one.

Second, don’t sit around and wait, assuming they are coming back. I don’t want to say that people can’t break up and get back together, I don’t! But you have to set your mind that this part of your life is just another closed chapter in your long romantic history. I’m saying this because you can’t always assume that time will make someone change. And its quiet impossible to even try to change someone just for your own gain, right?

Lastly, the best medicine to being dumped is to bounce back with vengeance, with an even better you. I know we’re awesome but everyone can still improve, everyone can make themselves a better person when faced with something tragic in their lives. Sometimes a life-changing event is a slap on the back of the head that says, “Show them what you've got!” That is a sign of a mature adult that you are. Make her realize that it is her lose not yours. Stand up and show everyone that “I’m back, let the games begin”

SOURCES: 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/relationships 

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/loves-evolver/201012/breakup-etiquette-what-not-do

http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2011/03/04/breakup-etiquette/

By Smashgroundz with No comments

The Advent of the iPhone 5!

by Radel Llagas

The iPhone 5 was the most anticipated Apple handset launch since the iPhone 4. The 4S offered only an incremental, albeit antenna-fixing, upgrade, and the fifth-gen iPhone arrives just as many 4 users’ 24-month contract comes up for renewal.

However, in that time we’ve seen a seismic shift, with competing smartphones offering quality and desirability to match and even surpass the iPhone.

With the big boys tempting users away from iOS with the lure of a slick Android experience as found on the HTC One X and the Sony Xperia T or much-improved Windows Phone interface – step forward the Nokia Lumia 920 -  it’s crunch time (sorry) for Cook and co.

But wait a goddamn minute. Statistics don’t lie (usually) and, just as we were putting pen to paper, Apple announced that pre-orders for the iPhone 5 hit two million in 24 hours, spanking its previous record of one million in a day for the iPhone 4 and ensuring that many won’t see their new precious until October.

So, with it clearly hooking the gagging mouths of many, how does it perform as ‘the latest iPhone’ and, crucially, how does it match up against the superphone stars of today?

iPhone 5 Full Specs:

DESIGN

• Device type:  Smart phone
• OS: iOS (6)
• Dimensions: 4.87 x 2.31 x 0.30 (123.8 x 58.6 x 7.6 mm)
• Weight: 3.95 oz (112 g) the average is 4.2 oz (119 g)

DISPLAY

• Physical size: 4 inches
• Resolution: 640 x 1136 pixels
• Pixel density: 326 ppi
• Technology: IPS LCD
• Touchscreen: Capacitive, Multi-touch
• Features: Light sensor, Proximity sensor

BATTERY

• Stand-by time: 9.4 days (225 hours) the average is 20 days (470 h)
• Talk time (3G): 8.00 hours the average is 7 h (416 min)
• Music playback: 40.00 hours
• Video playback: 10.00 hours
• Capacity: 1440 mAh
• Type: Li – Polymer

HARDWARE

• System chip: Apple A6
• Processor: Dual core, 1000 MHz
• System memory: 1024 MB RAM (Dual-channel) / LPDDR2 (1066 MHz)
• Built-in storage: 16 GB

CAMERA

• Camera: 8 megapixels, Immobile
• Flash: LED
• Aperture size: F2.4
• Features: Back-illuminated sensor (BSI), Auto focus, Touch to focus, Digital image stabilization, Face detection, Geo tagging, High Dynamic Range mode (HDR), Panorama
• Camcorder: 1920x1080 (1080p HD) (30 fps)
• Features: Video calling, Digital image stabilization
• Front-facing camera: 1.2 megapixels
• Video capture: 1280x720 (720p HD) (30 fps)

MULTIMEDIA

• Music player:
• Filter by: Album, Artist, Genre, Playlists
• Features: Album art cover, Background playback
• Supported formats: MP3, AAC, eAAC, WAV, M4A (Apple lossless)
• Video playback: Supported formats:
• MPEG4, H.264, Motion JPG, MOV
• Speakers: Earpiece, Loudspeaker
• Streaming: Audio, Video

INTERNET BROWSING

TECHNOLOGY

• CDMA: 800, 1700/2100, 1900 MHz
• GSM: 850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz
• UMTS: 850, 900, 1900, 2100 MHz
• LTE: 700 MHz Class 13, 850 MHz, 1800 MHz, 1900 MHz, 2100 MHz
• Data: LTE Cat3 Downlink 100 Mbit/s, HSDPA+ (4G) 42.2 Mbit/s, UMTS, EDGE, GPRS, EV-DO Rev.A, EV-DO Rev.B
• nano-SIM
• Global Roaming
• Positioning: A-GPS, Glonass, Cell ID, Wi-Fi positioning
• Navigation: Turn-by-turn navigation

PHONE FEATURES

• Phonebook: Unlimited entries, Caller groups, Multiple numbers per contact, Search by both first and last name, Picture ID, Ring ID
• Organizer: Calendar, Alarm, Document viewer (Office 2007, Office 2003, PDF), Calculator
• Messaging: SMS, MMS, Threaded view, Predictive text input
• E-mail: IMAP, POP3, SMTP, Microsoft Exchange
• Instant Messaging:
• Games:

CONNECTIVITY

• Bluetooth: 4.0
• Wi-Fi: 802.11 a, b, g, n, n 5GHz
• USB:
• Connector: Proprietary
• Features: USB charging
• Headphones connector: 3.5mm
• Charging connector: Proprietary
• Other: Computer sync, OTA sync

OTHER FEATURES

• Notifications: Music ringtones (MP3), Polyphonic ringtones, Vibration, Flight mode, Silent mode, Speakerphone
• Additional microphone/s: for Noise cancellation, Video recording
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Gyroscope, Compass
• Hearing aid compatibility: M4, T4

§  Voice dialing, Voice commands, Voice recording

AVAILABILITY

• Officially announced: 21 Sep 2012

SHOPPING INFORMATION

• Accessories: Apple EarPods with Remote and Mic, Lightning to USB Cable, USB Power Adapter, Documentation

Judgement:

So, what to make of this latest upgrade. There’s no denying that the iPhone 5 is a lovely thing, and the best iPhone to date. It could well be Apple’s best-selling unit ever.

But a lot has changed in a year, and the current crop of Android superphones – and the incoming Windows Phone 8 handsets – have closed the gap. For nearly every “new” feature announced at the Keynote, there was a Samsung, Android, Windows, Nokia, Sony or HTC fan saying “my phone already does that.”

Apple’s competitors never been closer in terms of quality, function and aesthetics and from your feedback on our social networks we know how many of you are jumping ship to phones with a bigger screen and more features.

Given that iPhone 4S users can upgrade to iOS 6 and do just about everything the iPhone 5 can do, and that Android users can get similarly impressive handsets for less dosh, we reckon the smart money won’t all be going on a new iPhone this year, even if the mass market can’t get enough of it. It’s good, very good. But it’s no longer the best around.

iPhone 5 release date: 21 September 2012

iPhone 5 price: From P28, 566

Sources

http://www.t3.com/reviews/iphone-5-review.

http://www.phonearena.com/phones/Apple-iPhone-5_id7378/fullspecs

By Smashgroundz with No comments