Mad World...

Don't be afraid to see what you see. 

Ronald Reagan 

Call me "senti" or whatever, but this song just sweepingly makes me realize the message of it. I've been humming this back in 2009 when my ex introduced me to the lyrics and melody, i sort of kinda appreciate it but the harmony of the song slowly faded in my memory. Currently at that time, it was revived by American Idol's Adam Lambert. I knew it beforehand that someone popularized the song back in the past, it has never occurred to me though who's the artist behind this hit, until just now...

Gary Jules.

If you listen intently, notice how he articulated the word "funny". There's a kind of a slight thwang on it, in contrast to Lambert's rendition.

As per the video, i just couldnt figure out the words (or are they really trying to form words?) being emphasize thru man made formation of the sorts. And then 'till now, it doesn't make sense to me what are they trying to do.

If you've got an idea, leave it on the comments.

~mAc

Random thoughts

If you ever need anything please don't hesitate to ask someone else first. 

Kurt Cobain 

I haven't blog here at macDosage for three days in a row, it's not that i ran out of topic but i just don't feel like sitting infront of my screen for the past days.  (i'm done reading Tom Harper's Book of Secrets, yey! Finally).

Now that the climate here is on the transition period, where summer time is almost on its end, winter is trying to creep in so slowly, i could now feel a light frigidity of the running water in the early mornings without turning on the heater. I delved up my fingers once and for all to let out what's going on inside my mind.

There's a lot actually, i'm bombarded with so much info nowadays due to my prolific reading on my google reader cum feeds(my subscriptions alone are barely scrolled and read), twitter trends, newser, nytimes' popular posts, not to mention facebook friends' "what's on your mind?" status messages, email and the never ending maze at work; plus my start-stop reading of digital books before i go to slumber. This has left me filled with infinite fullness of thoughts that i seem to forget small details recently like doing my TODO list and laundry. 

I guess i'm feeling lousy a little bit... not minding the time, somehow enjoying every second that counts. Feeling elated at times, and has been happy for the consistency i'm trying to muster. It's like trying to indulge more in letting go of the imperfections that comes along the way, somehow dawning on me to accept without mind-boggling regrets about things that's happening as i move on further on the path.

A friend of mine took me to a fruit shop recently to quench our thirst. I totally wish that the store is nearby in my place for me to become a loyal and solid customer. Remember that i blogged about Mama Noorah's fruit shop before? This time, the specialty fruit store is solely catering to delicacies out of real Fresh fruits. Good heavens!!! The quava shake is indescribable!

My passion for fruits has increased further, although i've long been a fruit shake aficionado back in the homeland, i'm feeling a lil bit nostalgic remembering the halved- opened coconut shell with smooth flesh of buko inside, topped with mixed fruit, milk and crushed ice. Oh Whoa! I really can't remember now, what's the name of the stall inside the SM malls.

While sipping thru my shake, I was imagining of sailing thru life after all these years. I'd like to be consistent with simplicity and minimalism. Sometimes less is more...

~mAc

Riceless Regimen

Rice is great if you're really hungry and want to eat two thousand of something. 

Mitch Hedberg 

I started my feat of not eating rice on occasional basis last Ramadan season this year. During that one- month long regimen, i barely included rice in my food intake, 4 to max of incidents (if my memory will not fail me) -  probably i have consumed this cereal grain - Oryza sativa s a.k.a. RICE. My reservoir of carbohydrates then were purely from fruits and my periodic eating of pasta cuisines. Sad to say, as soon as Ramadan had ended this year, i started my rice intake again.

I can see the obvious that i lost weight after executing the planned diet. The weighing scale smiled so wide telling my current weight. The experience is flauntingly contented, i felt the literal meaning of the "minimalist concept", sending my body physique to elation. And yes! my stomach is as flat as the horizon.

It has been emphatic that as soon as i have started this rice intake in just a week, my abdomen immediately reacted so profusely, drawing out unwanted and unnecessary bulge again (sigh!). I have indulged further, not minding my carbo intake without burning them (cuz i had reprieved myself in doing my 30-minute work-outs everyday, like a criminal of guiltless enjoyment).

Before i knew it, i stepped on the brake and reflected once again to stick to the planned diet and my routinary 4 times a week work-out. (thanks for the motivating article i read about rice, it's dangerous to your health).

The link above strongly recommends to abstain from eating rice, or at least to a minimum per meal. I do agree with it. The cavemen were raw fooders, imagine the time when fire wasn't discovered yet. They are taking in raw, uncooked food - Must have been the reason why the people in the olden days have longer life span. Think of Methuselah - the grandfather of Noah. This guy lived the earth for 969 years.

~mAc

Innuendo

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. 

Winston Churchill 

Carelessness of thoughts, imminent and recurring
Shove away those snafu feeling
Let me sustain thee, colliding fire
The rendezvouz of unhinged barrier

Oh come, submission
Extinguish the trumpet of the demon
Thyself appear in sobriety
Let me congest with utmost honesty

Elusive consistency, hear thy cry
As supplications for sanity and vividness
Of purity and freedom in the senses
May be prolonged to eternity unrest

Ever-guiding light, please admonish
Plow the darkness set unleashed
Forever burn for your luminance
To guard me with your countenance





~mAc

Elderly: love them or hate them?

"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. "

Confucius 

It's for sure, being old is relative. When does grumpyness actually start? 

For someone who is at the age of early 30's, he could think and perceive that those who are in the range of 70's and above are considered old men.

When i was younger (teenage years). i thought of 40+ age above are kinda oldish. When you spew old age in a discourse or even just in a casual conversation, it mostly depict negativity. "Ahhh, matanda na yan, di na niya kaya pa" (Ahh, he's old now, i bet he can't do it)... Someone would remark instantly.

Despite the norms, i hardly feel uncomfy dealing with the peeps older than my age. Might be on conversation, negotiations or simply firing up a talk to a total elderly stranger, (say im walking in the park). One reason could be me being raised by my grandmother. And yes, to top it, it brings enjoyment and enlightenment to me being in the company of the elderly.

Although I have my set of friends rampantly, i noticed that most of 'em compose in the age group older than mine. I could easily complement with them and i  could not make myself walk away with their talks.

The company of the old brings wisdom (may it be the kinds of Solomon or the senior citizens in the neighborhood). Everyone has their share of knowledge and experience worth taking note of. 

Here are top 5 benefits to pay close attention to in mingling with people 2 decades (or more) older than your age:

- you get to learn the virtue of being an attentive listener. Sometimes i am too engrossed with their stories, i barely interrupt during their talks.

- you'd definitely learn to mature. Development 

and growth must not be dragged as old age approaches, and taking it from them is a sure win to learn from.

- you'd learn empathy and compassion. just by listening to their funny experiences would make you squeal in delight, and could cut you deep by their stories of sorrows and failures.

- you'd get a better, bigger picture. It's like standing on top of the shoulders of giants. In most ways, there's a surety that you'd always relate to whatever they talk esp if you're knotted in a problem solving situation. 

- you'd appreciate the essence of having stayed on this earth for a whiie. So true, whilst the glory of the youth is their strength; the beauty of the old is their grey hair. 

Each of us cannot avoid old age, unless you cannot feel time, or even if you could not, the body will always draw towards wrinkles, sagging of skin and whitening of the hair. Yet, our physique might weaken and our countenance conveys old age; all the more that our spirit be filled with gladness and love. 

~mAc

How To Type Upside Down with Backward Texts?

Dogs never bite me. Just humans. 

Marilyn Monroe 

Ever saw those kind of posts that projects UPSIDE DOWN and must be read BACKWARDS in facebook, twitter, you tube and the likes? The one you're spotting below is for real...  ;)

I'm no baloney here, i got this tip from Edralin like 2 months ago. If you're looking something to spice up your post on Facebook once in a while, then you must have to try this.

how to type upside down?

There are other websites that offer this sort of magical trickiness, but the link above is simple - you don't even need to read the message on how to do it. Just type in the upper box, copy the flipped words in the lower box and paste it on your favorite social network. 

I was speculative way before i knew this simple illusory feat, all i thought was, it involved some kind of ASCII alternative punching on the keyboard. Nay! Fortuitously, i never had to think of going through memorizing those ALT keys on the keyboard. 

Don't forget to bookmark the link above.

YM app for the iPhone now offers video and voice calls

I can't contain myself not to release what's in my head about this new update from yahoo messenger app for the iPhone.

yahoo messenger ver 2.0 for the iPhone

I just updated my old version yesterday and i'm impressed by its new features.

It now allows video calling which is a plus for the users of iPhone 4 due to its front-facing camera. In contrast for the 3GS users, you could still use it, however, the other party will obviously see the output of the single camera on the back. Needless to say, you can flip the back part of the iPhone so your chatmate could see your face.

I tested the call feature too. I still can't believe it, (although Skype has this kind of feature for the iPhone), the purpose is well enacted and simply justified. I tried to call my friend who was online on her laptop, realistically, the reception is intelligible and crystal clear.

Magically, i noticed that this app carries a blazing speed whenever you open it. previous vers were quite slow in authenticating to get into the "online" status. Now, the difference compared to the older version is truly evident. Multi-tasking is at its finest, you press the home button and the app disappears, but technically, it's still running on the background, allowing to receive notifications you sure wouldn't want to miss.

Barriers gone and unbarred, im so happy now that at the expense of a smartphone, i can call and video chat with my ym buddies and yep! windows live buddies who are using their laptops or desktops or iPhones online. Just a one buzz a way, and you're good to go.

If you haven't downloaded yours yet. Get your fingers swooshing with the App Store to check for updates and it should DL automatically after you entered your pw.

note: requires iOS 3.0 or later

~mAc

Top 2 Free iPhone app of the week

the best things in life are free

I promised before to post about apps that could tickle the wild side of imagination... Here are my top2 picks.

1. Sex Facts 

2. Female Orgasm

It's for you to judge. I'm almost done reading the two, i'd tell that both are purely educational and eye-openers. It's one way to broaden your knowledge and horizon, besides the fact of trusting your guts and instincts. Then again, eXperience is still the best teacher.




note:
(these apps are selective of your location/country when downloading, some countries would not allow it, there are work-arounds just incase your country doesn't allow it to DL. i'll explain how to do it in my upcoming posts.)

Rolltop: the killer of Ipads and Laptops

Don't ever take a fence down until you know why it was put up. 

Robert Frost

Prinsesa emailed me asking about my views re rolltop! What the heck is that? t'was my reply in the netmail i sent her just hours ago. Only to get amazed and struck by this roll top thing research i've done in a minute. Thanks Gizmodo and Youtube for the inputs.

So...

Goodbye Ipad, Ciao Laptop and netbooks... Welcome Rolltop. Hang on tight! this is still just a concept  but deep inside me it's saying that this isn't far from reality anymore. Maybe a few years from now, this OLED flexible display is just another must have gadgets for everyone. Check the vid for a blast of awesomeness!

~mAc

HTML5 : born to please

I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble. 

Helen Keller 

I was gasping with awe while experiencing the future of the web by actually playing around with this interactive chrome experiment. (if you'll remember, i blogged about ie9's focused usage of html5 last week, well it was only this time that i got the idea of what this html5 has to offer). 

If you are a keen observer while using your browser, say you wanna watch a youtube video or anything that requires playback, sometimes you get to have this pop up message telling you to update your Flash version or giving no Flash installed notification. That is because, most of our browser nowadays are still plug-in dependent to Adobe Flash or Microsoft Silverlight (these are third party browser plug-ins that enables video playback amongst browsers such as chrome, ie and firefox). Lo! and Behold, for this kind of dilemma (installing plug-ins) will soon be over with the birth of html5, it would be then intrinsic to our web browsers to deliver this kind of feature making the complex structure into a simple one.

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

That link above allows you to experience visually the horizon of html5. Not only that, ever thought of doing a drag and drop capabilities on the browser seamlessly without any third party extensions of plug-ins enabled? this is not impossible anymore with the newest html.

This image below is a doodle on a browser itself.

Another hard to resist part of this progress in technology is the ability of the web browser to display a customized screen size in video playback. Yup just like VLC where you can size and resize your screen ratio. With the web, you can actually move to the length and width you wish to.

Below are sample outputs from the wilderness downtown experiment.

If you wanna find out more about the application and visual effects of how html5 and javascript could hybrid our browsers, then take a peek with this link:

http://www.chromeexperiments.com/

And topping my favorite from the list of experiment entries is the video below. As they say, awesome is an adjective that qualifies an inspiration.

~mAc

Differential Equations

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. 

Maya Angelou  

of all the things that outcries my tune
is the emblem of my singing rune
to dance in the flames so hot
bearing this shy type heart


but i know, its never going to happen
the crazy, madness, bursting zen
for the angels are at guard
those demons won't do no ward


ninety-six are those forgotten
grumpiness, when is the start?
is it through feelings that squirted?
or 'tis old age that vibrated?








~mAc

(i hope im not too blunt here. riddle me please. whatever you thought about it, keep it to yourself)

iE9 - unleash a more beautiful web

He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.

Sun Tzu 

I'm beginning to love Internet Explorer 9 as my days of usage is counting up. Sometimes less is more, ie9's minimalist appearance is wayyyyyy attractive than to Google chrome's minimalist theme. Microsoft has made a true revamp from what has been the trademark of ie since its advent on the version 6, where clutter is always the x-factor, most especially to those branded PCs where toolbars for antivirus and search engines are always incorporated to internet explorer.

internet explorer 9's fresh cut

google chrome's late night theme

(click the image to have a larger thumbnail)

Cheer up ie aficionados! Although ie9 is still on its beta version, it seldom crashes (based on my experience usage of 2 weeks now). A Plus on this newest version was 

the power of the browser's address bar to serve as search box redirecting to whichever is your default search engine(just like Chrome). If Bing is your default search engine or Google; this browser flawlessly return search results upon typing keywords (or searches) on the address bar itself. Not to intensify the fire that Bing is advancing as a search engine, trying to compete closely now with the big G.

The tools menu has been simplified as well, and yes the Internet Options tab is still there. Big bonus though is the addition of Safety Browsing (aka incognito mode in Chrome) and not say the least, a download manager has been imparted too. (yey!). Another cool about iE9 is its focus on HTML5 - the ever growing mark up language for the web.

When it comes to speed as a browser, i'd still choose Chrome for it's super savvy speedo delivery in loading up a website (could it be probable that since  i mostly use google services such as reader, mail, blogger, buzz, etc; the loading of pages is much faster? yep! i can feel the difference when i load up my blog from Chrome and from iE9, leaving the latter a lil bit late yet the obviousness is simply felt. I think it has something to do with caching.

You have nothing to lose when you try this iE9's beta. It's definitely worth a try to put some spice on your routinary browsing experience with chrome or firefox.  The tag line for iE9 is - "unleash a more beautiful web". so if you fancy clicking a beautiful and impressive browser. Go ahead and click the link below.

DOWNLOAD Internet Explorer 9 Beta.

~mAc

Reflections on the Social Network

"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee." 

Muhammad Ali 

My first social network site that i truly have nursed and love from the beginning is Friendster. I was hooked to it during its highest peak of fame. Time flies when i'm logged into it, clicking pictures and profiles, checking out who has viewed my profile, updating my shout out, uploading pics and incessantly staring at the screen with countless finding and inviting acquaintances, friends and human beings that seem attractive and tugging in my perspective just by looking at their photos staring back at me in return. The law of diminishing returns has its say, proving once again that as you use a service over and over again, the tendency of its effectiveness will decline after you achieve a certain level of result. Thus, tending me to deactivate and totally abandon Friendster. 

Then came Twitter, it was a flop at first use on my part. It wasn't a click on the starting stage of my usage until just recently that i came to realize and appreciate the beauty and significance of having a twitter account. Ironically, i only have 34 followers and i'm only following 30. I really don't care about the numbers. I became cautious of who i follow now since i don't want to get pissed off and dis-entertained by such annoying tweets. Really! it's so unnerving and unpleasant to see on my timeline of  those unnecessary tweets from people. No offense meant but receiving a 10-30 tweets a day from one person is just so unacceptable, not to mention that some are just being well-off or worse being bland and tasteless on what they are tweeting. Now imagine if you are following 20 persons with that same kind of tweetitude ethics, they are now flooding your timeline with garbage with unintelligible it's none of business shout outs from their profiles. So, without any guilty feelings, i had to drop some of my followers. It was kinda hard of course, it's like having no heart at all. But doing so means freeing some space on my bucket, filtering the flow of data into a much sensible one especially in the case of information overload.

The unavoidable Facebook, i couldn't count now on my fingers how many times i have deactivated and reactivated my fb account, this i perceived at times as a waste of time, but it's like a metaphor of plunging myself into licking my favorite ice cream flavor during the summer. I recently liked Mark Zuckerburg's fb page (of course im talking about here the like button from facebook). With the advent of the movie The Social Network (which i'm so eager to see), it defines more of my intense grip in spreading and nurturing my social network presence, thus i created a page for my macdosage blog. Which i'm requesting you to Like it just in case you're reading this post. (ehem!)

On the lighter side of things, dull moments are killed when i'm into facebook, reality check that is. Please negate me thru the comments below if you disagree. While this thing is so immense now into the daily activities whenever we are surfing the net, we must not forget that privacy still matters. The trend, if not the majority now i'm seeing on facebook is that, their personal identities are so much into the open. I learnt this by clicking people's profile that aren't even my friends, (prolly only Friends of Friends), and yet i can see their personal phone number with matching specified addresses and locations, those glaring photos geotagged and those pics that must have been for the eyes of their loved ones only, are now being exposed to whoever the user is (that's quite alarming, you don't want a stranger snooping at your personal stuff, don't you?).  Of course, each of us has its own prerogative. 

But come to think about it. Privacy still does matter. And it's a big deal.

~mAc

Brave heart

Beware the barrenness of a busy life. 

Socrates 

One of the most stunning, death defying stints i've seen on the tube so far. This adventurer cum director has one hell of a courage. Letting not only his countenance but whole being almost piped in to the crater of a volcano is purely one heck of pushing thru the limits. 

I'm trying to put myself in his shoes, yet it weakens my endurance when it comes to close contact heat. I could easily be burnt. (weh! literally and figuratively hehehe).

Take a look at this vid...

After my eyes being glued on that reality adventure, i can't help thinking beyond his courage, what if a mistake was made, out of a sudden his grip got loose on the rope and he spiraled downward into the fire... the magma eating him, chomping his wholeness in an instant, could it be like hell in this earth? Scary!

~mAc

Cure for the Itch

(this isn't Linkin Park's lyrics)

"A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age. "

William Shakespeare 

Many times i longed for our bodies entwined
In the deepest passion the brain can mime
to hold and touch you so eagerly
that my body aches for thee

Many times i visioned a steamed action
So wanton that coals could melt
That neither water could suppress
Nor dampness could try to recess

And so this time has come
The glorious sparks of thunderous fireworks
of mixed scents to lead a core
where flames of love has to bore

Insanely i indulged further
reaching, arching and fearlessly enjoyed
the ecstasy it brought
the bliss it showered and sought

Alas! i felt numbed and oozed into nothingness
For the tiresome delicacy i tasted
That left my breath almost unchased
That left my mouth dried and unquenched

And then i slowly turned
i could hear the creaking on my bed
and the mattress got into disarray
And so i drew myself up, instantly!

Thinking that somebody must be watching us
I rummaged my face with disbelief
I pinched my arms to reality...
In my dismay... i woke up,
it was only just a dream...













~mAc

Mama Noorah

"All styles are good except the tiresome kind. "

Voltaire 

It was a Sunday, 3rd of October, my friends and i went to check in at Mama Noorah. Our guts are crying to be filled with grub. Although our neighboring eating houses were KFC (nah! nakakasawa na), Hardees (we dont feel like eating hamburgers at that moment), Friday's (di kaya ng budget) and Applebees (quite expensive) which were all a walking distance from our villa, those four above were ruled out and Mama Noorah had our choice, simply because it's affordable.

As per my buddy Roger, this is just one of their many branches in the Kingdom, it was my first time to dine here, and so my always scrutinizing eyes went popping out by the fruit displays almost  everywhere, artistically designed and passionately decorated amongst the racks and stands with mirrors. (i didn't take shots of it though) but reality wise, the house is almost filled with fruits ranging from oranges, bananas, etc. I couldnt take my eyes off the shakes being made real time - pomegranate, orange, banana, kiwi, strawberry and mixed fruit shakes that left my tastebuds aching. ( i learnt later, that Mama Noorah is best known for its fresh juices)

We settled for a broasted chicken. I'm not really sure why it was called broasted instead of roasted. 

If Jollibee has it's inevitable gravy to match the chicken joy, i realized here that garlic gravy is the partner of chicken. I admit, this garlic thingee is more addicting in complementing the chicken's tender-juicy flesh and cripsy skin.

I think, (i'm not really sure), this one below is a variety of Dhal - topped with olive oil. I learnt that dhal is quite healthy as a source of protein.

Not to say the least, Kuboos (arabic bread) is everywhere here in the Kingdom. Most of the time, a sub for rice. Best eaten when it's hot!!!

We went out from the resto burping. And with smiles. (Next week ulit daw)







~mAc