Auto Tune - the secret of pop singers

The secret of pop stars in flawless recordings.

Auto Tune by Antares Audio Technologies is a downloadable software that can make everyone and anyone pitch perfect. It's the "Photoshop for human voice" according to a Time Magazine article.

Pop artists actually expect the music editors to run their voices in Auto Tune - like it's a natural part of the recording process. This seems like an economical solution to multiple takes on a song. Instead of recording a song or a clip of that song over and over again, people are saving time and valuable energy since it can be automatically corrected. However, these artists are also "saving effort" - there's no longer much need for being overly concerned about sounding good and sounding perfect because everybody can have a perfect pitch with Auto Tune.

From a fan's perspective, we probably wouldn't mind if you were fixing a couple of notes or so, but knowing that many artists most probably have lazy asses like the rich bastards that we know, I don't think you'd sound pretty on your own.

Did you know that Auto Tune can also do its thing in live performances? That's deception. I pay to watch and hear an artist sing and all he/she does is blabber and a box makes him/her sound good? That's not fair. That's not right. That's embarrassing.

I want to know who the real talents are and I want to know who the fakes are.

Treadmill Scooter WTF

Here's an out of this world contraption.



At first glance it looks like an ordinary, non-electric treadmill. For those who don't know how a non-electric treadmill works; it basically relies on the cylinders beneath the belt where you walk/run to keep the movement smooth, that plus gravity, which is why it's inclined.

Then you see the sets of wheels.



Notice the stands on the hind wheels to keep it stationary? Then you'd start thinking that the wheels might just be a convenient way to move the treadmill around - what if you had limited space and you wanted to put it in a (huge) closet every time you're not using it, right? Sounds reasonable...

Then you notice the set of hand breaks...



...and you realize that's just weird.

A treadmill scooter doesn't sound like the most wonderful equipment. That's like actually trying to replicate the Flintstone's mobile.

You know what's even funnier than that?


It doesn't really seem like it'll be more comfortable than a bicycle in any way. So much more expensive to at Php15,000.

How to Make Gulaman (a.k.a. gelatin)

Title: How to Make Gulaman (a.k.a. gelatin)

Materials:
Dried gulaman.
Water.
Vanilla (or cherry) flavor.
Sugar.

1. Cut the gulaman into smaller pieces. It doesn't matter how big/small as long as you can cram it all down the pan.


2.) Boil enough water to soak the gulaman. 1 gulaman strip = 2 glasses of water.


3.) Put the cut up gulaman into the pot of boiling water.


4.) Keep stirring until gulaman melts.
Then add the flavoring that you have chosen.
Add sugar according to taste.


5.) Pour the gulaman solution onto a flat container and let it cool.

the day my grandma forgot who i am

I went home to the province last weekend just because I wanted to see my family. I had a very lovely lunch of grilled steak and mashed potato with all four of them - my parents, my older brother, and my older sister, plus our niece who has been staying with us for almost a year now.

Since they already heard mass (yes, I came home Sunday and rushed back to Metro Manila the very next morning to work), I decided to call on Grandma because she usually hears mass in the afternoon. When I came to pick her up, she was still getting ready. Everything seemed fine and normal, she even asked me to get money from my Aunt so she'd have some during the offertory.

We went and heard mass together. Everything was normal until after. When I told her that we should go the other way on our walk back, she asked me who I was.

I tried to jog her memory but there's nothing there of me. In my last attempt to have her remember me, I asked Grandma to come home with me for a while so she could have some snack. I thought that seeing my parents would help. But still there was nothing. I didn't even look slightly familiar to her.

This is the first picture I took with Grandma where she doesn't she no longer knows who I am.

I hope she doesn't end up hurting herself while her Alzheimer takes a strong hold on her.

Love you, Wows!

I'll come and visit you every time I come home. Doesn't matter if you remember each visit or not. Doesn't even matter anymore that you don't know me.

Love Mattress for that awkward arm while cuddling

The Love Mattress is an innovation of Mehdi Mojtabvi.


It's the answer to any couple cuddlers' problem of that awkward arm!


The slats can be adjusted to be as loose or as tight as it would be comfortable for the couple. However, if my toes can fit in there snugly, then so can my pens. Would that mean I'd have to give up answering crossword puzzles on the bed? What about eating popcorn on the bed? Chips while watching a DVD?



The idea somehow seems like a rip-off from XKCD's Mattress comic strip:

My Famous Cousin

Somewhat famous :D



Meet Sherwin Resurreccion starring in a theater production of Lauren Yee's Ching Chong Chinaman in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Source and news link: http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/onstage/39510902.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUUsZ

Praying Mantis on my Salad

I've been in love with Goolai Salad since I was in college. It's a pre-packed salad with Mixed Greens (assorted fresh leaves except the bitter tasting Arugala) and a variety of fruits, seeds, chicken/beef with a packed dressing of either creamy fruit, creamy ranch/cilantro/parmesan, or (fruit) vinaigrette.

Last night after jogging, I had my usual after-jogging-special-vegetable-salad-dinner, a serving of Goolai Salad - sole Php145.00 in Rustan's Supermarket, Robinsons Pioneer Supermarket, Makati Petron Treats across Pacific Star.



It's a good thing that I rarely use my fork when I eat vegetable salad - I only use it to pick the fruits like ripe mango or sweetened peaches. Usually I eat the greens by rolling them into a stick and dipping it in the sauce. I don't like bruised fresh vegetables so mixing everything up with the dressing is a big no-no.

Last night's Goolai salad held a wonderful surprise!

Megan Fox admits SHE'S A HE

Megan Fox, the top 1 hottest woman of 2008 admits that she's a man.



This is no publicity stunt, people. The official report is in.

Megan Fox was born Mitchell Reed Fox in Rockwood, Tennessee. He assumed the name Megan Fox well into her early age of 13 where he started an acting career.

She-man Fox's interest on acting and dressing up as girls when he was young was supported by his parents. Fox's parents were so supportive that they wanted to give him a sexual reassignment surgery for his 16th birthday to help him boost his career.

Well now we know why Megan Fox is hot. Too hot. Too hot to be real.

Sorry boys, it's all fake.

Philly Cheesesteak

It's a new place in Rockwell. The place looks cool and we've been waiting for it to open to give it a shot.

I tried the American Cheesesteak. The 8-inch sandwich costs Php380.00 It has beef, onions and cheddar cheese.

I expected something that will out do Subway Sandwiches in every angle. Philly Cheesesteak's bread is definitely bigger, but that's not really want we came to eat, not a huge bread! We came for the beef and the cheese, and they somehow delivered it fairly well though not for the right price.

Starbucks also offer good sandwiches. For breakfast I had Caramelized Onion and Beef, costs P140. It has caramelized onion, beef in sauce, and cheese. Sounds a lot like Philly Cheesesteak but for more than half the cost! It was pretty good too. Almost better since it's even cheaper.


I wouldn't go back unless the meal was for free, or unless they cut their prices in half.

Starbucks sandwiches and Subway are currently the two contenders of best sandwich in my hall of fame.

Fall Out Boy Live in Manila

Fall Out Boy performed live in Manila on February 13, 2009

Traffic was hell due to several reasons: Friday night, Payday night, Valentine's Day tomorrow night, Concert night, and it's a Manila night so what's new?

This is the second time I've watched them live. Both times, MahabangKwan bought the tickets for me.

Although the tickets are generally, considerably cheaper than when they were in Manila first in September 21,2007, the audience was less. Around two years ago, Patron VIP seats cost Php10,000, this year there were no Patron VIP tickets sold, instead, only patron for Php4,700.

As usual, Pete Wentz being the face of the band, worked up the crowd. Patrick Stump stuck to his forte - being an awesome vocalist. The performance was amazing as expected from Fall Out Boy.

The front band, Hey Monday, had 40 minutes to convince me that they're worth putting in my MP3 player. Unfortunately, the band failed miserably. Not only does the vocalist have an annoying high pitched voice akin to Avril Lavigne, the lead guitarist has a stupid hair cut that no body should sport.

From the looks of it, most of the young audience - probably comprised 10% of the audience with an average of 12-14 years old, actually came to the concert for Hey Monday instead of Fall Out Boy. A sad, sad revelation of how the Filipino's taste on music degrades through the younger generations.


After Hey Monday's performance - Thank God I survived that - the crew removed every equipment on the stage except for the drum stick. At 9:30pm, Fall Out Boy performed on a nearly empty stage with the only accessory of a "Fall Out Boy" black backdrop. They left the concert aesthetics to their music, to the dancing lights (that terribly ruined any attempt to video record the concert from the audience's point of view), and cool lit-up guitars on their performance of their new album's single, I Don't Care.

It was an awesome night except for the *young adolescents* [edited on Lent 2010] who kept on standing up, fixing their shirts, fixing their collars, touching their hair, glancing around at the too-young ladies on the other side. Such "pa-pogi" aura was totally crushed when everybody saw you raise your hands awkwardly in an attempt to look like punk fans, for Hey Monday nonetheless. You're supposed to stretch your hands up, not look like you're being arrested. And you were supposed to that an hour after your first attempt because that's when Fall Out Boy started. These guys, probably along with other thick-heads, went down to the Patron seats but were eventually told off by the guard to relieve them to the people who actually hold the tickets with the right seat numbers. Asses.


Here's the line up of the songs in the Concert:

1. Thanks for the Memories

2. Thriller

3. A Little Less 16 Candles, A Little More "Touch Me"

4. American Boy

5. Sugar We're Going Down

6. This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arm's Race

7. I Don't Care

8. Beat It

9. Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet

10. Nobody Puts Baby in a Corner

11. The Take Over, the Break's Over (next upload)

12. I Slept With Someone In Fall Out Boy And All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me

13. Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes

14. Grand Theft Autumn

15. America's Suitehearts

16. Dance, Dance

17. Saturday

Red Kimono Buffet - not worth it

Since my boyfriend is treating me to the Fallout Boy concert, I decided to be a good girlfriend and treat him to dinner. We didn't want to squeeze in with the rest of the love birds during Valentine's Day itself so we had our dinner early on the same week. We had our pre-Valentine's Day date in Red Kimono, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City.

Having decided that we were going to have sushi, I asked my friends which restaurant they recommended. We wanted to try a Japanese restaurant with a conveyor belt but forum discussions gave bad reviews about the restaurants that I had in mind. Instead, we had sushi buffet in Red Kimono - that was the plan, although that's not all the "buffet" entails.



Red Kimono buffet (currently at Php535.00 per person) allows you to order anything on the buffet menu, which is complete with appetizers, soups, chicken/pork/beef viands, maki, desserts and rice/fried rice/rice toppings. Unlike other buffets, you are encouraged to share because orders are taken 'per table' - simply put, you can all order whatever you want, share your food with each other, as long as each of you pay the buffet price. In addition to that, you are required to order at least one fried rice per person, or one Kamameshi (chicken/beef/mixed) rice for one to two persons.


The good stuff:

**The 'ala-carte' buffet service is very convenient and allows you to relax and plan your meal well because you hold a copy of the buffet menu with you. The waiter assigned to you is almost always there to get your order, and the speed of service is satisfactory.

**There is variety in the menu, at least three different kinds of every category so you won't feel like they're holding back on you.

**The (bottomeless) iced tea (Php65) is heavenly. My glass was always full because our waiter attended on us well. Be sure you don't drown yourself because you might not have enough space for the Sukiyaki.

**They serve the maki before they serve the Kamameshi rice. That means that you at least get to taste something somewhat good before the bland fried rice. Yakitori (barbeque chicken) goes well with Mixed Kamameshi rice.


The bad stuff:

**You can't control how much they serve you. An order of Crunchy Maki is always eight pieces. That means that you never get to "try" something out, you just have to "eat" a whole order of whatever it is that interests you. The Kamameshi rice was noted to be good enough for two, but it's actually good enough for three. And since there's only two of you finishing it, there's almost no space left for Sukiyaki. We literally felt dizzy trying to finish that rice.

**The rice you're *required* to order messes up the meal. When I eat in Dad's buffet, I never get rice because it's a waste of stomach space. To think that the Red Kimono buffet is only a hundred pesos cheaper than Dad's Ultimate Buffet, they should at the very least, leave the required rice out of the buffet mechanics. We'll be force feeding ourselves with four more pieces of every kind of maki anyway, so why bother with the rice? That's a cheap blow.

The terrible stuff:

*****After stuffing myself with Sukiyaki - because left overs meant each of you pay double, I was too full and too dizzy to have dessert.


What you should do:

If there's only the two of you, you might want to skip the buffet and just order ala-carte. You can review the menu and try to estimate how much it'll cost you to have single orders of whatever you want. This is good because you won't have to worry about left overs and you can even take them home if you wanted to. If you're into the kind of buffet where you eat small quantities of everything, then skip Red Kimono and hop back to Dad's Ultimate Buffet.

variety is the key to any successful buffet and Red Kimono killed its variety by serving too much of anything for one person. Red Kimono buffet is generally good for at least three people with normal appetites. That will ensure that you don't get tired of one order because there's three of you sharing eight pieces of maki, or a bowl of Sukiyaki.

All in all, it was a good experience that I will never repeat.

Just in case you were wondering if what we ordered was good enough for the buffet price:
1. Crabstick Rolls.............................Php160.00
2. Crunchy Maki..............................Php180.00
3. Spicy Tekka Maki..........................Php160.00
4. Mixed Kamamechi Rice.................Php190.00
5. Beef Sukiyaki................................Php150.00

Total.......................................Php740.00

Megan Fox-Michael Jackson look-a-like

Yahoo! shows a candid image of Megan Fox. Cropped image below.



But I thought Megan Fox looked like:

Source: http://images.psxextreme.com/wallpapers/ps3/megan_fox_01.jpg

And not:

Source: http://www.aolcdn.com/music-photos/michael-jackson-300a011807.jpg

Danag and other types of Aswang - Filipino folklore

"Danag" was mentioned in the popular novel Twilight by Stephenie Meyers. If you're interested on the novel, or if you're interested on what I think about the novel then here's a REVIEW.

Looking up "danag" on Google will yield unsatisfactory results: most of the links refer to the gossip of having a Filipino film version of Twilight to be entitled Danag - which is just stupid because "twilight" is "takip-silim" in Filipino and as mentioned in the novel, danag is a Filipino mythological creature most similar to the Western vampire.

But why did I have to look it up? I'm Filipino, I should know that. But I don't. Because I've never heard of it. I figured it's probably not Tagalog (a.k.a. Filipino, the national language, also pertaining to a majority of Filipino people whose primary language is Tagalog).

Further research proved fruitful, however.
I found a PDF file of a fictional story on the net:

B1 Gang Mysteries
Case File No. 10
Aswang sa Hating Gabi
by Joey E. Alcaraz

It presented types of aswang, which the more general term of the somewhat "vampire" in the Filipino folklore.

1. Bampira (Vampire)- It is very much alike the vampire of the West except that instead of sharp fangs, it has multiple, long tongues. It is also known as Amalanhig, Danag, and more appropriate for the Tagalogs, Mandurugo.

2. Manananggal (Viscera Suckers) - Grows wings and detaches its upper half of the body, from the waist up, from its lower half to look for victims, pregnant women are its favorite. Its favorite parts of the body are the heart, lungs, liver, and intestines. Also known as Abat, Buruka, Aswang, Manananggal.
The Manananggal attacks by settling on the victim's roof top while the victim sleeps. It then punctures the roof to create a small hole where it slithes its thread-thin tongue until it reaches the body of the victim below. The tongue then enters the victim's body to consume its internal organs, and if the victim is pregnant, then the baby in her womb is also eaten.

3. Kiwig (Werebeast) - Similar to the Werewolf of the West, a Kiwig shapeshifts on midnight but usually takes the form of a black dog or a big boar, instead of a wolf. Also known as Malakat.

4. Mangkukulam - Takes revenge on people by making ragdolls of its victim and physically hurting the victims by hurting the ragdolls. It can also order its minion insects to enter the victim's body and eat its internal organs. Also known as Mambabarang, Manggagamod, Mamumuyag.

5. Balbal (Carrion eaters; ghouls) - Steals the bodies of the dying to eat them. Also known as Busaw, Segben, or Wirwir.

6. Kantanod - Would appear like an ordinary person and acts like an ordinary person until it catches the scent of a pregnant woman. It then could not help itself but follow the pregnat womant to her home where he will sit outside the house, smelling the scent of the baby. When it leaves its post, the baby would also be gone, a mass of blood in its place.

25 Random Things

Tagged by Gene Gacho
---

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you.


1.) Last year I started on Earning Online . I have a Google Adsense account that has earned my blogs exactly $9.64. Let me tell you that unless you have a huge blog niche or unless you're selling stuff online, "passive income" wouldn't get you anywhere in a year - you need $100 to encash. I also participate in online discussions in http://www.mylot.com and earn at least $10 a month through that. I have tried link sharing, image sharing and everything else except Paid To Click sites because I don't want spam in my mail.

2.) I automatically open 5 browsers when I turn on my laptop or work PC: (1) Yahoo Mail; (2) Gmail; (3) Hotmail; (4) Plurk; (5) Blogger: Things We Love to Hate

3.) I often think I should have taken Psychology instead of Computer Science. My pscyhology tests tell me so. People tell me so. My strange ability to interpret people's reactions tell me so.... Maybe I can train myself to be a human lie detector like Tim Roth in Lie to Me.

4.) I remember people's promises like they were carved in stone. If someone said I'll call you, I expect a call within a week. If you said I'll treat you to Starbucks then I expect an invitation to go out for coffee. If you said I won't go then I expect you to stay. If you break your promise even though it was a small one, you're automatically on my list of "people who can't keep promises and I shouldn't give your word much credit".

5.) Number 4 just showed you how inflexible I am. Another somewhat-reasonable-but-not-entirely-healthy characteristic is I plan e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g. about the coming week. I know what I'm going to do this weekend because I planned it. A day is either "taken" or "free".

6.) I wouldn't buy something (even though I really want it) *just because it's over priced*. I wouldn't support a store in that manner.

7.) I downgraded my phone last year (and actually spent on it myself, instead of keeping the more high-tech, free phone) because I wanted a "sexy phone" ~ something that doesn't bulge when I put it in my pocket.
...then I ended up having five cellphone charms that are altogether heavier than the "sexy phone".

8.) I like reading fiction novels: Harry Potter, Eragon, Twilight (I didn't like it but I HAD to read it. Wanna know how crappy it is? Read. ), and am planning to read Inkheart trilogy. I tried reading LOTR but I can't take the pace. And romance novels: by Judith McNaught, Jude Deveraux, Nicholas Sparks.

9.) I think Paulo Coelho thinks about sex and masturbation too much. It shows in 11 Minutes and Veronica Decides to Die. I don't know why a guy is writing about how women feel about sex and masturbation. It all seems so perverse... and insulting for women.

10.) I like my gifts wrapped so I can tear the wrapping paper. It has a Christmasy and a Birthday-y feel.

11.) A birthday party is not a party without a birthday cake. I don't care what you say. There HAS to be a cake.

12.) I prefer a good cake over a good ice cream: Goldilocks braso trumps any ice cream (including Rocky Road, my favorite).

13.) I prefer fresh fruits over shake. I'd rather chew than slurp.

14.) I used to dance. Yeah. I did. No, seriously. There was only one class for our batch in high school (we were the last one-class-batch species of TMS) and ANYBODY that showed ANY kind of potential, no matter how embarrassingly small, HAD to dance. I danced for four years after practically making myself invisible in grade school.

15.) I had boy-cut hair from Grade 2-6. Then had a "Dyesabel" hair by fourth year HS. Kept it that way until I cut it ear-length-short when I started working.

16.) I only hate one thing about being petite: I have a very small calorie requirement of 1,300 a day. That means that if I eat 3 Krispy Kreme Lemon Cheesecake donuts then I can't eat anything else. 1,300 calories is also equivalent to 1 1/2 classic Cinnabon Roll.

17.) Goals: build a private school for poor people. Yeah, that's discrimination. Why not? Poor people are discriminated from expensive private schools, right? Maybe I'll let some rich people in if they pay 100x my intended public-school-priced-tuition-fee. And I want a ranch. I have NO idea why. Maybe some psychologist can tell me what that represents.

18.) I always cry when I laugh too hard. And when I can't express myself - which happens a lot.

19.) Tetris has been my favorite game since grade 2; I've never been able to perform a t-spin.

20.) I'm stupid in English especially Spelling. I used to fail every spelling quiz I had in grade 5. But that didn't stop me from being one of the top students of the batch. But I also don't know how I made it on the top list - I never seriously studied in grade school. Maybe they "expected" me to be smart because my sister had that reputation and they sort of projected it on my grades even though I wasn't really performing that well.

21.) I hold grudges: I still think my high school science teacher is terrible for tutoring a couple of my classmates. (If you didn't know, that's against the school rules especially if he's tutoring students who are vying for honors AND he's the one making the tests). Plus he made me cry...then I made life miserable for that two of us. I act polite when we meet :)

22.) If you haven't figured out for yourself yet, I'm passive aggressive according to my Psychologist boss. Just because I'm not talking, it doesn't mean I'm agreeing with you.

23.) I hate leaders who can't lead: government officials who steal tax payer's money, organization leaders who are all talk but no action, priests who have wives and kids, parents who aren't kind to their kids.

24.) Hair straightening chemicals are supposed to be effective for 6 months, they only keep my hair somewhat straightened for 2 weeks.

25.) This is the longest, self-centered blog post I've ever done.

________________________________________
Tagging:
1. Gene Gacho
2. Migs Martinez
3. Rachel Tanjuaquio
4. Diane Lee
5. Melai Prado
6. Charise Cayabyab
7. Joie Galang
8. Charleen Cervantes
9. Irene Pineda
10. Hazel Ang
11. Charise Alvarez
12. Rachel Guzman
13. Karen Santiago
14. Brittany Araneta
15. Franz Galicha
16. Marc Chua
17. Raymond Solis
18. Debbie Antonio
19. Charissa Mendoza
20. Liza Vila
21. Sheena dela Cruz
22. Pauauee
23. Marielle Sicat
24. Mariel Martinez
25. Mikey Gomez