Sunday, February 27, 2011

most commonly used passwords online

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workaholic





a pit-pat on the screen
with eyes blinking
adjusting
slowly
to the white
light
of LED

coffee spilled
on some notes
with scribbling
marked as
urgent
while
a mobile phone
alarm
beeped incessantly
showing
time
to be way past 10pm

cool air
penetrating
through drone
like sounds
of airconditioning
while the road
outside
seemed to
grow
more silent
by the minute

a man with his
head
on the table
amidst clutter
and spilled coffee
was suddenly
awakened by
the ringing
of a phone

a broken
promise to
be home
by nine

the shrill sound
of a siren
on the background
drowned
by the words
of a woman
a doctor
telling him
the missus
met an accident
while he
was busy
with paper
now
meaningless

as the screen
showed a pit-pat
with eyes blinking
tears
and a realization
that its now
too late
to keep
a promise






Saturday, February 19, 2011

My Top Ten Online Photo Editing Sites



There have been a proliferation of online photo editing sites lately. From the simple ones where you can adjust contrast, size and brightness to the quirky ones where you can insert your photo on pre-existing pictures, here's my own list of the funny, the weird and definitely the most fun sites on the net. Just a word of caution though, click one of the sites and you'd find yourself hooked. Just make sure your chair offers some good back support and your pc or laptop is not overheating yet. :)


1. Photo Face Fun
More than a hundred pre-existing photos where you can insert your own face or someone else's. If you want to be a star but just don't have their acting skills nor their faces, just insert your picture here and voila, an instant movie poster alongside hollywood's brightest. The site is divided into categories such as advertisement, art, cars, celebrities, drawings, faces, fashion, frames, galleries, holidays, posters, media, vintage and a whole lot more. You can choose your own facebook avatar.

Here's one sample with my niece on a quentin tarantino film.

And my sister and her beau drawn on colored pencil


Oh, and I do hope my brother loves being Wolverine too...hehe

2. Picnik
Now this one is a photographer's and an amateur's photo editing site and when they say its a picnic, it really is. Here you can edit contrast, turn a picture into lomo, even adjust the focus and the blur all with just a click of your mouse and a few tweaks. You can even add your own copyright seal to make sure no one steals that picture perfect shot you've got. Some features are premium though with a corresponding fee. Nonetheless, the free ones are worth your time too.

Here's an example of a picture of me and my friends shyrell, anjie and russiel goofing around with the before and after shot. I edited it using lomo, duo-tone, and added some text and a dropback shadow.


3. Photo Funia
The site is somewhat similar to photofacefun.com but what makes this site different is that there are other options aside from just inserting your face on the picture. You can turn your picture into that which is similar to the pictures used at currencies. The site is divided into effects and lab. The effects part is similar to photofacefun, whereas the lab part is a whole new world of its own where you can create your own diploma, create your own lego portrait and even swap faces. Curious? check my examples below to get started.

For example, you can graduate even though you haven't even stepped on that stage.

or command a ship and replace Johnny Depp as a Pirate

4. Big Huge Labs
As per their tagline, Helping you do cool stuff with your photos since 2005, you do not need to be an expert to try photoediting at this site. Make your own poster, jigsaw puzzle, hockneyizer, movie poster, calendar, motivator, and even your own trading card for free. If you want your pictures to be in high resolution though, you'd have to pay them a premium price. But what is usually charged at picnik.com, such as frames and jigsaw puzzled pictures are free to use on this site. I love the jigsaw and the Andy Warhol technique used in pop-art poster.

Jigsaw billboard at China?

Or Polaroid Overload?


5. Funny Photo Zh
Now, this one is what I call an all in one site. You can touch up, smart fix, edit filters, cartoonize yourself, make your own avatar, and even do everything else at photofunface and photofunia. The only catch is that some of the page is in japanese and you'd have to do the trial and error thing to get it right. Nonetheless, if you're looking for some great avatar for your forums, this one is definitely worth the language translation. :)

here's an example of my beau's brother, Mark Cayago as a blinking Navi

6. Flamingtext
I have been using this since 2000 when I was still in highschool. Now, ten years later, this continues to be one of my top picks for logos and text banners whether it be for email signatures or for powerpoint presentations, this site lets you customize text in a professional way.



7. Hollywood Hair Virtual Makeover
Every girl wants some hollywood glam every now and then. Every girl wants a good haircut and some flawlessly shiny locks. Now if you're like me, who's afraid to risk it out before going to the salon, this site allows you to upload your picture and use the model's hairstyle to see if your dream style matches your face or not. This is basically a make-over without regrets. Just a word of note though, the site takes quite awhile to load, but your look afterwards would definitely be worth the wait.


8. Moronface
If number 7 was Beauty, now its your time to turn into a Beast or a Moron for that matter....kidding. Oh and did I mention this one is good for some sweet old revenge to that friend who tagged your ugly pic on facebook too?

I just hope this kid grows up to be the next top model :)


9. My Heritage
Do you want to know if you resemble your mom or your dad more without DNA testing?
Or is it possible you have a twin brother or sister who is at Hollywood? This site matches your photo with the closest match, whether it be your dad or your mom, or even Brad Pitt, it's our time to brag about those genes.



10. Pizap
After searching about your lineage and trying on hollywood style, how about a game of basketball with the president Barack Obama while Lady Gaga, Eminem and Michael Jackson are singing? Or perhaps you'd want to include Michael Jordan himself playing with Manny Pacquiao? Whatever your whim or craziness, pizap has the clip, the avatar or the picture for you.



oh, and before I forget, you can tweak up other people's pictures too. hmmm...perhaps Doodle would be a much better word for this one.



So there you go. My top ten Online Photo Editing sites that would surely take up a lot of your time. There's more than 50 out there but these are the ones that I use every now and then, they come highly recommended but are highly addictive too.

Keep on smiling and editing everyone! Cheers!









Friday, February 18, 2011

Looking Younger Memoirs-1: Avocado Magic




Everyone wants to stop time from showing on their faces. Even those who say "bah humbug" still end up staring at the mirror and wondering how those lines, spots, and everything else that wasn't there when you were three managed to show up now. Yes, you still might have the same size of eyes since you were one, but your skin has began to manifest the years. Why did I choose to write about aging and our obsession to stop it? Blame yahoo and the television screen. :)

photo by" Tom Hussey for Novartis


And so I have decided to compile what I have seen and remembered from my childhood days about alternative remedies and methods to look younger and feel better.


I am starting with memoir number 1, The Avocado.


I was a kid when I first saw an attempt to stop time from catching up. I opened up the fridge looking for some avocado to mix with some ice and milk when I found out there was none left.

Turns out my aunt, used it all up.
The green mashed up mixture was splattered on her face while she slept at the couch. She looked like Princess Fiona of Shrek minus the ears...kidding.

The naive kid then asked her aunt why her face was eating her snack. She pinched me on my chubby cheeks and told me, she needed the pinkish glow for a date later in the evening.

Confused, I left her alone and decided to rummage the fridge for something else. The search ended up with just ice, some peanut butter and a pack of dried fish.

I figured playing Power Rangers was a much satisfying option. After countless fake battles with the rangers (I was Rita Repulsa: the villainess)
we were surprised to hear my aunt screaming.

I ran and saw her rinsing the green goo out of her face as if it was the most revolting thing on this planet.

She got her pink glow alright, she got it from a bunch of angry ants which feasted on her face while she overslept.

But for those of you who want to try it out for themselves minus the creepy crawlers, here's
what I remembered from my aunt a couple of eons ago, oh, and don't worry, this one does work.

My Aunt's Recipe
Mix 3 tbsps of mashed or blended avocado with 3 tbsps of honey until smooth. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a little bit of coconut oil or olive oil to smoothen it up. Mix well. Wash your face with warm water (got this from my other aunt who told me it opens up the pores. Pat dry with a soft towel using upward strokes then apply the mixture using a brush or using your hands. Spread evenly and rinse with cold water (to close the pores and lock in moisture) after 20-30 minutes.

But if you still are doubtful of my aunt's mixture, here's one from expertvillage taken from youtube.




do not forget the following:
Use only ripe avocados. my aunt used raw ones which lead to too much green stuff caking and falling off her face leading to a barrage of ants and bite marks afterwards.

Other Beauty and Medicinal Uses of avocado for personal experimentation

Experiment 1: Instead of cucumber thinly slice avocados after removing the seed and place below the eyes. Let stay for 20 minutes
claim:removes puffiness and dark undereye circles

Experiment 2 To lessen irritation and swelling from skin allergies, wipe the skin of the avocado to the affected area. Leave for 5-10 minutes then rinse.
claim: natural cure for allergies and inflammation including dermatitis

Experiment 3: Mix eggwhite, 2 tbsps of oatmeal, 1 tbsp of calamansi or lemon juice and a quarter of an avocado until smooth. Use as scrub for the hands.
claim: smoother and softer hands. removal of dead skin cells

For those with oily skin, substitute the honey from my aunt's mixture with egg white.
For those with dry skin, substitute the egg white with egg yolk.

For those with dull hair, blend the avocado together with 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil or olive oil, 1 egg yolk, and and spread evenly on your hair, cover with a shower cap for 20 minutes and rinse. Here's a cool vid from bubzbeauty at youtube on how to make the mask.




My nutritionist and vegan aunt also told me last 2005 that there are a lot of nutrients,mainly phosphorus and some B vitamins that could be found on avocados. If you want a cheap facelift, she told me this fruit was the cheaper alternative and at 2-3 times a week, its better than having botox. It increases skin elasticity and at the same time the oil moisturizes and reduces inflammation which later on leads to wrinkles and lines.

With the onslaught of photoshopped and chemical laden creams in the market nowadays, why not give this fruit a try then go out and brag how you did it naturally?

Just don't forget to check the area for ants first. ;)






Sunday, February 13, 2011

Train - If It's Love Official Video





dedicated to my grandearico... (",)
through thick and thin
through laptop movie sessions
and even through camels and desert storms
if its love
and we decide that its forever
no one else could do it better.

happy valentines ga!

and to everybody else,
through blood diamond chocolates
through roses of every colors and shapes
through tears and laughter
may you also
know
and feel
that you are loved
and you should
know it better

happy valentines everyone!

Friday, February 04, 2011

rules to live by (guide for the year of the rabbit)


saw this at one of the forums at financemanila.net while trading stocks this morning. It was posted by antediluvianist.
It made me laugh, think and at the same time realize more facts about life itself than what I already know.

I just thought this is something worthwhile to share.
:)


First, do not end sentences in a preposition often.

If anything can go wrong, it will – Murphy’s Law

One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory – Brown’s Rule

If you don’t need it and don’t want it, there is always plenty of it – Murphy’s Law of Supply

In America, it’s not how much an item costs, it’s how much you save – Paulg’s Law

Don’t believe everything you hear or anything you say – Murray’s Law

Marriage teaches you loyality, forbearance, selfrestraint, meekness, and a great many other things you wouldn’t need if you had stayed single – Townsend’s Law

It doesn’t matter if you win or lose… until you lose – O.J.’s Law

Assumption is the mother of all screw-ups – Wethern’s Law of Suspended Judgment

There are no answers, only cross-references – Weiner’s Law of Libraries

To err is human, but to really f*ck things up requires a computer – Law of Unreliability

Once you give up integrity, the rest is easy – Evan’s Law

Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich by promising to protect each from the other – Ameringer’s Axiom

When a politician gets an idea, he usually gets it wrong – the 5th Rule of Politics

No matter what goes wrong, it will probably look right – Scott’s First Law

Murphy’s Law always hits at the worst time – Lanning’s Law

Things get worse under pressure – Murphy’s Law of Thermodynamics

Sometimes it takes several years to recognize the obvious – Sy’s Law of Science

If you are in a hole, stop digging – 1st Rule of Excavation

There is no issue so small that it can’t be blown out of proportion – Ruckert’s Law

The degree to which you overreact to information will be in inverse proportion to its accuracy – Weatherwax’s Postulate

The item you had your eye on the minute you walked in will be taken by the person in front of you – Cafeteria Law

Nothing is as temporary as that which is called permanent – Jose’s Axiom

Nothing is as permanent as that which is called temporary – Corollary

Free time that unexpectedly becomes available will be wasted – Sandiland’s Law

The one who does the least work will get the most credit – Shapiro’s Law of Reward

No matter how often a lie is shown to be false, there will remain a percentage of people who believe it to be true – Law of the Lie

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you’ve got it made – Glyme’s Formula for Success

Never replicate a successful experiment – Fett’s Law of the Lab

Accuracy is the sum total of your compensating mistakes – Wingfield’s Axiom

As soon as you’re doing what you wanted to be doing, you want to be doing something else – Law of Living

There’s no time like the present for postponing what you don’t want to do – Hecht’s Law

Whichever way you turn upon entering an elevator, the buttons will be on the opposite side – Gluck’s Law

If credit can possibly go to someone else, it will – Kovaleski’s Dictum

If you don’t do anything, you can’t do anything wrong – Cameron’s Law

It is impossible for anyone to learn that which he thinks he already knows – Plutarch’s Rule

The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because they are generally the same people – Chesterton

A little inaccuracy can save a lot of explanation – Munroe’s Teaching Principle

You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive – Grandpa Charnock’s Law

Man is always ready to die for an idea, provided that the idea is not quite clear to him – Eldridge’s Law of War

If you don’t care where you are, you’re not lost – Rune’s Rule of the Road

The probability of someone’s asking irrelevant questions requiring lengthy responses increases in direct proportion to how tired you are of the meeting. – Bowlby’s Law

:) oh and may i add something else?
Learn the Rules then Break Some. hehe...cheers!