Coldplay in Glastonbury 2011

If you're a constant visitor on this blog, you would deduce that the author is a big (if there's an adjective for bigger than monstrous, then consider that) fan of Coldplay. Their latest album is shaping up to be as beautiful as the previous ones. But what i'm posting now are some excerpt of their live act from the recently concluded Glastonbury Music Festival 2011.

Imagine a multitude of music lovers and hitchers  packed together with a number ranging from 150,000 - 200,000, i couldn't measure how the euphoria would be and the elation seems unthinkable or too true to feel. The Glastonbury Festival is a British Music Festival originated back in the 1970s where the live acts are performed at Worthy Farm in Glastonbury Southwest England.

Coldplay is by far the ultimate best band alive surpassing U2s fame and successes. Being a headline on a Glastonbury Musicfest is indeed a great achievement and laurel on the cap of Coldplay. They have performed three times (back in 2002, 2005) and this year-2011 of which all  were headlines. They've led the opening in the infamous Pyramid stage last Saturday, June 25 2011 with MX/Hurts Like Heaven from their new album.

MX/Hurts Like Heaven

While i was glued on my screen watching these shared videos on Youtube, i can't help both being wistful and inspired. It's still one of my goals and one of my un-executed plans to be in a Coldplay's concert, yet.  i'm running out of time already. I'd truly enjoy seeing one of their acts while i'm still in the early adulthood, screaming out loud and singing with them their songs that were epitomized as an epic.

In My Place

This was their first single that I've seen on MTV back in the days. It has captivated me ever since. The magic is still there, whenever i play it on the iPod or just simply watching like this:

Yellow

Chris M. here never faltered to entertain, while Jonny Buckland is still the simple and profound lead guy on the guitars. Will Champion is so into it that the drutms are have no disconnect to the rhythm, & Guy Berryman, the bassist is unmatched.

Lost

Major Minus

I was thinking that this song was their encore, but as you can feel and see (esp if you've known this song for ages), it was almost heartbreaking. What more if you're watching it live and you're a part of the throng singing these magical lyrics. The audience seem can't get enough of it. I couldn't just imagine once again the high-spiritedness gathering slowly through the heart and mind as you indulge deeper in the meaning of this song.

The Scientist

MAC

of Made in China

I have nothing against China, infact  the name is kind of ubiquitous already. If you were like me who got caught off-guard once because i remarked "Made in China?", then hold your fire. We are not alone in the society.


I've asked my mentor once about the evolution of the derogatory Made in China thingee, he expounded that the history of it all came from the fact about being low-quality both in produce and service. I have reflected sometime that if this has been the case eversince i came to wit about all these fuss, and yet, the image has neither changed nor improved at the least, then somewhere along the line is at fault.

The baffling stuff if you'd see the logic here is, the way it was able to maintain that trademark after all these years. Despite the bad publicity, not to mention it's spreading like wildfire. That Made in China philosphy is now a never-ending talk of the tongue when it comes to the attitude of buying applicable to almost all consumer goods available in the market. There is no denying that when a gadget falters, someone would blurt-out "is that Made in China?".

I could not resist myself asking the salesman one time when i was buying an angle grinder, he cautioned me immediately that the grinder i'm eyeing for is made in China, giving an implied effort in my subconscious to think twice before heading to the cashier. My 80/20 decision about taking the product which was made in china came spiriling downwards leaving me buying the Bosch which was made in Germany.

The same is true when i had a customer once raising his voice why the iPhone he bought got some Chinese characters scribed from the back of the phone, with the message "assembled in China".  It made me think that not only Filipinos have this mentality but accross continents, the Made in China pun seem like a disease that is so contagious.


Seriously, if you're reading this, you might be checking your watch, your gizmo, your laptop or even your clothing if it has this brand on it. You may feel awkward and sullen, with catastrophic worrying that sooner or later, the product would die on you suddenly without even reaching the product's warranty life.

It may seem sad and a full-frontal blow to China about the never-ending saga of these disparaging thoughts on their products, but the effect is totally positive when it comes to consumerism. How come, more and more people could not resist buying at all - these made in China stuff? Awesomely, when it comes to product availability, a lot is an understatement, actually, almost all stores nowadays compose their goods as made in China.

It's inexpensive! - this may be the magnetic banner why consumers feel at ease in resorting to China made materials. Or is it really? The "no choice" impediment could also be the reason, as i've said earlier, outlets nowadays are bombarded with China products, and these are widely available to the average consumer - and they are the ones who take a larger cut on the pie when it comes to consuming.

The trend is not going to stop, i suppose it's going to intensify, with the rise of China as the next superpower in the world. It's safe to say and it's not surprising for their "slowly but surely" way dominion in the trade. I'm wistful at the thought that in the future, the remark about Made in China would still linger, would still echo as a negative compliment to the minds and hearts of every individual consumerist.





MAC

Random Acts of Kindness (II)

My post before about random acts of kindness quite struck me level-headed with the scenario i've had in my mind - which i couldn't shrug-off lately. I was thinking if being kind is really a human-nature? Was it part of our nerve-producing attitudes ever since the beginning of time?

So, when's the last time you've practiced random acts of kindness? Or when's the last time you've unwillingly shared-out your innate skills or knowledge per se, without the tinge of remorse and regret upon knowing the impressive outcome from where you've extended the help. Sometimes, we barely notice that we are jealous already and yet, most of the time, this jealousy is overshadowed by the overwhelming effect of inspiration once we get to know the results of what we've done. In spite of the uber positive aftermath which could have been our very own crowning glory, the happiness tries to linger, soothing and extending through our senses, telling with satisfaction that we've done it, although the reward isn't directed verbally at us. There is no disconnect or whatsoever, but a feeling of euphoria where the only need to un break the questioning is the profound atonement of sharing your own knowledge and wisdom.

Maybe, it's what you call learning through sharing. You learn when you impart what you've known; the knowledge get enhanced as you try to deliver and share. The more application you do on that acquired knowledge will further you in the perfection of that skill. Maybe it's that effect that keeps us sharing, that keeps us generous and compassionate, no matter where we came from, no matter how our own cultures raised us, and no matter how we have arrived to what we are today in time.





MAC

Cone-ing / Coning / Whatever that is!

This post was inspired because of licking an ice-cream, seriously! In actuality, i saw this viral vid from Newser and CNN windows desktop app. If you've got a glimpse of planking viral videos before, and if uh!, you found it eye-popping, just out of curiosity's sake, then Cone-ing is definitely a must-see, or a must-experience thing to do.

Cone-ing, as the verb implies (sounds like sleazy thought), has something to do about cones, and speaking of cones, you'd imagine the twirls and soft coldly smoothie ice-creams from macDonalds or Jollibee. This in mind, cone-ing is eating the coned ice-cream starting from the bottom of the cone, instead of the old-fashion way -- licking the twirly creams on top. Or, so they say, in a manner where  you eat upside down.

Below's the vid from the originator of this viral trending craze which has started in Australia.

It would be a messy thing to do, rest assured no matter how many tissue papers you've got, cuz the ice cream is sticky and would only worsen when you wipe it with tissue, not to mention, super softy tissues.

For more videos of certified coners, hit the link below.

http://cone-ing.com/

The Script - Talk You Down

If you're tired of Gaga, Black Eyed Peas and Bieberific music, get a hands-on to The Script. The two songs below are some of the most played tunes on my playlist, may it be on the iPod or iTunes Player. Yet, i still couldn't compare it to Coldplay or New Radicals.

It dawned on me at this age that music is like a wine, it's a like a bottled poetry that you can't get enough of once it's opened.

Talk You Down is by far my most admired and listened to song of The Script. It's bringing me the youthful years of adoration for music and alternative addiction back to the memory lane. One thing is for sure. It's like a medicine, a distraction to the ordinary, and a quencher for thirst.

MAC

Google Guitar Homepage & Website

If you were one of the unlucky few who hadn't experienced strumming, flicking, jerking, & ruffing the interactive Google Guitar which went on live as big G's doodle logo last June 9th, then you're in for a treat cuz El Goog has decided to sanctify an html page just so, fans could still play and record their ingenuity in playing the virtual guitar.

Honestly, i didn't care whom Google is trying to commemorate on that day when i saw and accidentally flicked the unreadable Google logo, only to find out later that a sound came out from my laptop after flicking the strings. It was a guitar! (aha my brain got frozen for a delayed response). Sending me back to nostalgia about the interactive PACMAN Google logo.

To get amazement and profoundness enliven, i checked these Youtube uploads from those who painstakingly recorded their tunes. And just so below are my favorites.

Reports show that Google's pageviews and page impressions that day were spiking high in an unusual stagnancy, beating the day when pacman interactive went live from the Google homepage.

I'm thankful for Twitter because i was able to find out the permanent homepage for the Google Guitar. You could check it out here if you're still itching to create one of your tunes out from the famous virtual instrument. Tell me Google, what's your next interactive Doodle? I've subscribed to your RSS already. Yeehaw.

MAC

The Diminishing Skill of Handwriting

Graphology^ - the study of handwriting, especially as an indicator of the writer's character or disposition. Ain't it wondrous to know then that you could actually  tell partially   the character of a person based on his handwriting? It may seem potent and palpable to judge from that point but sad to say, almost everyone of us, adults primarily do not hone our handwriting skills anymore.

We are glued to our computer terminals all day long dribbling our fingers on the keyboard, nonetheless, tapping onto our smartphone's touchscreens or using the QWERTYs on our Blackberry devices. Seldom do we pick up a pen and write at least multiple sentences or even paragraphs, we may at times use the ballpoint on those occasions where we just need to sign a document and scribble our signatures. It was all true! Our handwriting skills are deteriorating... at these times of digital age.

They said, your handwriting is an important part of your personality. But how far are we going up in enhancing this skill? We may have drilled it a lot during our elementary days where the teacher would assign a five-page handwritten letter of an essay,  yet those were the days.

Call me a romantic but i still find that magical feeling whenever i'm using a pen & paper for my love letters. There's something distinct between the two that tries to convey the warmth or coldness, or whatever theme you may want to communicate in a letter.

Maybe i'm just being so indulging about writing that i still carry my hardbound notepad/planner/diary all-in-one, it dawned on me now that it was actually a double purpose in honing my writing skills, both mentally and physically - that is, practicing my cursive handwriting. Despite the tablets and smartphones  (OneNote app) lying around my palm, i feel empty-handed whenever i don't bring with me my blackbook (planner all in one) and my pen. It serves as my armor and bullets ready for a war and at times of meditative learning.

The most significant question that's in my mind right now while writing this post is, "Is it really important to practice handwriting at these times of the digital age?".  I'd say yes, but everyone is not required to do it. My theory is, as long as you are not neglecting this kind of skill as an art of expression, then you will never lose it, for it has been instilled and acquired in our minds, all you have to do is revive it from time to time. Don't let it rust and don't let the sharpness become blunt.





MAC
^defnition from wordweb

Favicon for Blogger Users now available in Blogger Draft

Hats off to the software engineering team from El Goog's blogger platform. The big G has finally granted one of the many blogger's wishes -  to easily customize the faviCon on the blogspot. It's that one tiny icon that appears on your browser's tab that links and symbolizes your blog page or website. This has been my impending project for months but i just couldn't crack out the hell of the html code. Silly though may it seem, i discovered just now that Photoshop couldn't save a .ico file, as i was trying to create one. Good thing, there are online tools like www.favicon.cc to supplement my immediate need of creating that minute icon.


I tried mine and voila!, it reflected immediately.

faviCon

on the side note, if you're a blogger user, make sure you're logged in to draft.blogger.com so that this feature is visible. Only then you could activate your own faviCon.






MAC

Gizmo (1)

I went to delve into your deepest of roots

But you swayed and said not yet

Slowly I unearthed your secrets

Oh yeah it wasn't at all unraveled

Your powers aren't enough you said

Then I became addicted to your games

Of endless nights my hands have swelled

In pressing, touching and tapping

On Your hardened glass of skin

Illuminating my eyes to see more

Of Your beauty and desirable effects

That I couldn't resist no more to let go of you

That even in my sleep it's You that I hold on to

As I wake up in the morning, You're the first thing

That my hands would seek

Slowly, stirring you to stop whispering into my ears

About your sound that disturbs my early morning dreams

And then with my finger I set you to snooze

But you were persistent you wanted me to touch

And so ive no choice but to satisfy your urges

To finally turn off your alarms of reminders

But then I couldn't thank you just enough

For shedding the news from the outside world

As I sat and drink my tea, you flash your daily digest

Giving me perspective to the world of unrest

You even skillfully showed the latest updates

Of how to feed you and be the best of your health

I heeded on to your request, and I told you to just wait

That tonight we'll do it then

And so throughout the day you are with me

Either I'm holding you with my hand

Or You're at close to my legs

And at times when I have to hear someone else

You never faltered to be so close to my ears

And transfer the thoughts and mimes

No matter how long the distance is

And I felt you hot at times, but I never cooled you

Instead when you are about to get drained

I plugged you deep for your revival

And you got soaked in energy once more

Ready to give, ready to deliver

Your most capable aura of a shiver

You know, I never wanted for you to be alone

And so even I'd just go for a pee

I'd snatch you from your cradle and bring you with me

To the restroom I'm still holding you tight

And tapping, checking if everything's alright

Thanks for the mail fetch and the FB notes

Im not to forget the text message you've showed

That bring my lips to a smile

And so you blushed and I wiped to make you shine

Then your white sister came in a rush one day

I was surprised I got awestruck and dumbfounded

To her beauty and her enormous flare

You seemed jealous but you never confronted me

Instead I felt you waited further for affection

But it seems I could no longer match on what I feel

I was thinking of something irrationally

Yet my mind said I couldn’t really replace you

I thought you wept that night…

But you felt at ease again when I unlock you

And be enthralled once more to what are you

Cherishing every moment on what you could offer

To quench my need and love for being you.

mac

(iPhone5  is coming soon)

iBooks 1.3 (enhanced iBooks in shaping its potential as a supplemental gateway to learning)

If you own an iDevice especially the iPad2 or the iPhone4 whilst iBooks app isn't installed, then you're losing a lot from your kewl gizmo. iBooks is awesomely created for those who, in their entire existence couldn't live a single day without reading and munching words directly from their "shiny smart toy".

It's imperative really to install the iBooks app in your iDevice either you are a bookie bookworm or not. Consider the possibilities of an infinite learning system through books and .pdf manuals. iBooks has been one of my top 10 fave apps that i blogged last year. To intensify the need for this app, i heard that it will be an integral part of the upcoming iOS5 just like Twitter as the social networking app for all iDevices.

In the meantime, let's take a look at this latest update from iBooks 1.3. Believe it or not! it will support audio this time. Ain't that sweet? The future of digital books is actually coming into a full 3D mode, at first it was all pure text, now, as per Apple per se, some books will have their own narrator, so it would be ala podcast style or audiobook style.

Go and grab your updated version from the app store now.

How to Create a US iTunes account? (part 2 - credit card not required)

If you're new to the iOS ecosystem, what is the first and foremost element that you're going to set-up? Whether your iDevice is an iPhone, iPod Touch or the iPad, your apple ID is your watershed and gateway to a plethora of iOS applications. Technoklutz and smartphone enthusiasts have long been agreed that one major edge for the iOS platform compared to the Android Market is the gazillion choices for apps.

There is a part 1 of this article which i've posted here on my blog, but that was applicable when you're setting up via iTunes on a PC. Now, we're going to show how much more comfortable in setting up a new iTunes account using your, say, iPhone...

1. If your Apple ID is currently signed in, Go to
           SETTINGS > STORE > and then sign out from there.

2. Once you've signed out. Launch your APP STORE application and choose to download a free application. (eg) Demotivation Pics

3. It will then prompt you to Create a New Apple ID (see image)

4. Hit the Create a New Apple ID and you're on your way in creating a new account. The default would be United States. DO NOT change this.

5. After you hit next, you will get enthralled by the Terms and Conditions

6. Make sure to  hit "Agree" otherwise...

7. Then it will prompt you now to enter your email address, your desired password, and the security question. I would suggest for you to use Gmail.

8. Up next would be your mode of payment.  The default is VISA but make sure to tap it so that you could change it to NONE.

9. Now, this is the tricky part - Your Billing Information and Billing Address. Given that you've selected NONE as your mode of payment, and remember that your store location was set to United States (remember step 4?), you must then provide a valid US address.

10. This is just an expanded fill in the blanks continuation part of step 9. Please make sure that the address is for real and existing in the US. The City, State, and the Zip code should all be matching.
ps: if you don't have a relative in the US, try asking el Goog

11. Another tricky part is the telephone number. This must be matching also with the United States City and State you've entered previously.

12. The rest is pretty self-explanatory. Just hit on next, and next and next until you get to the page where an email has been sent to your email address, please check your email and verify it.

After completing the process, go check your inputted email and verify your account by clicking the link. Once verification is completed. Relaunch your APP STORE and get wild in installing free applications without spending a cent.

Inevitably, you would still want to buy those paid applications such as the iDisk or your favorite Angry Birds full version, if this is the case, then please go back to SETTINGS > APP STORE and update your Billing Info by inputting your credit card details and the matching address where it was registered.

My deepest thanks to Froilan for shedding the light here, cuz all i thought was, you could not create a US Apple ID account using the iPhone alone. Now it was even easier.

Symmtime: A wonderful timezone, clock tool for call center people

I'm a sucker for clocks when I was working in a call center. It was a requisite tool for me in order to quickly tell what is the current time in a specific time zone in the United States.  This would make life easier for me to synch to my customers whenever we talk about weather and state conditions of the present situation.

In lieu to this, it would be embarrassing when you blurted out that it's 2am at the moment (because your mind dictates the real time you're currently in, +8GMT) where in fact, it's actually 2PM Eastern Standard Time, in Albany, New York.  That is just one of the drawbacks when it comes to assisting customers who are coming from different time zones. You must be adept in identifying which state belongs to the correct time zone such as PST, MST, CST and EST. This way, you will at least have an idea on how to inject rapport   at a given time of the day where the customer is currently at. (you wouldn't want to ask for an exercise regimen in an after lunch break).

To solve these rising consequences of time zone differences, I would advise for you to download the Symmetricom Windows application. (normally versed as Symmtime)

These are some of the obvious benefits (that you can use while working or will serve as your Clock app for your personal computer)

·         Easy Customization, you could line up as many time zones as you wish

·         A full plate of Time Faces and Fonts, you may want to choose a digital clock or an analog looking clock

·         No internet required, this is a major plus point. Some websites hosts free time zone and clock checking, but renders useless when there is no net available.

·         Free, this app is absolutely free and doesn't include hidden/malicious sw content that could ruin your operating system

I have been contemplating how this simple and innovative app has been with me over time, and i must say that 

it was pretty utile, functional and downright had the touch of being a minimalist.

You may download the app here.