Teen Wolf

I don't blame MTV for trying to cash in on the current vampire and werewolf craze, considering its audience is the same that gives Twilight every award known to man at every MTV Movie Awards.  

Basing the new series loosely on famous 1985 movie Teen Wolf seemed like a good way to gain an entirely new audience, as fans of the Michael J. Fox film might give it a shot.

Although I was born in the year the original movie came out, I have seen the Wolf perform his patented two-handed block and tomahawk slam more than enough times to call myself a fan. But aside from a couple of general ideas, mainly a few character names and the fact that Scott is both a teenager and a werewolf, the new MTV series does not have much in common with the film  on which it's supposedly based.

Intensified Roar.  Scott in his debut as werewolf. 

In no way is that a negative, however, because if you were to recreate the fun-loving 80s romp through high school that Fox and partner-in-crime Jerry Levine so marvelously did back in 1985, you might end up with something like TBS's Glory Daze.

The new Teen Wolf is much darker, and much scarier, than its predecessor. Sure, there are still the moments during lacrosse practice, or in the halls of school, that don't contain the presence of wolves and hunters, but they still give off a very horror/suspense type vibe.

After one episode, it seems to all work for the most part. Now, it's not perfect television, but Teen Wolf shows promise in being an exciting and interesting story that we have sort of seen before. It may be a great show to escape to this summer.

So let's take a look at a couple of our main players: This jury is still out on Tyler Posey. His Scott McCall is not Scott Howard, and I don't think that is necessarily a good thing. Although he was easy to make fun of, Howard was a fun-loving kid who was easy to root for. McCall, on the other hand, seems overly morose.

I do, however, like that his new wolf abilities make him smooth with the ladies. Yeah, he's also better at lacrosse, but that move with the new girl and the pen? Stud! It keeps things more realistic that he doesn't go full-wolf before he is able to compete at high levels, but it does leave less room for laughter at watching a hairy wolf kill at lacrosse.

Then there is Dylan O'Brien, who was given the impossible task of trying to compete with Levine's version of Stiles. The dude was so good that he inspired Tampa Bay Buccaneer Greg White to legally change his name to Stylez G. White. Once again, if you are from a more recent generation and are not familiar with the original movie, go check it out, if only for the unintentional comedy.

But O'Brien shows some promise after one episode. He's not nearly as cool as the original Stiles thought he was, but he is just as goofy in the role. Stiles is there for comic relief, and with how dark and ominous the rest of this show seems to be, he will be needed at times.

Speaking of the darkness, the twists and turns of Scott waking up in the middle of nowhere, wrestling with his maker in the woods, and getting shot with an arrow by what are known as "hunters," show promise for the action side of things. There seem to be plenty of avenues that this first season may go in, and it all starts with the new girl's father.

As soon as Allison mentioned her father, I said "The HUNTER!" If you figured that out before me, good for you. Even if you didn't realize it until he stepped out from behind the car, I hope it gave you as much of a creepy feeling as it did me. With the new love of Scott's life being the daughter of the werewolf hunter that is sure to be coming after him, things could get very tricky in the near future.

How To Tell If Beef Is Fresh

How To Tell If Beef Is Fresh: "Video : This video provides some basic insight into determining whether or not a cut of beef is fresh. The butcher explains basic concepts of beef preparation and some visual and old factory cues regarding selecting a fresh cut of beef. Beef."

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

There are filmmakers whose work is characterized by thrift, efficiency and devotion to the subtleties of cinematic expression. And then there is Michael Bay, whose films are symphonies of excess and redundancy, taking place in a universe full of fire and metal and purged of nuance. I’m not judging, just describing, and since today’s theme is bluntness, I might as well come out and say that “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is among Mr. Bay’s best movies and by far the best 3-D sequel ever made about gigantic toys from outer space.

Incomparable movie of the Year: TRANSFORMERS:DARK
OF THE MOON

I apologize if this sounds like faint praise, but let me provide some perspective. The second of Mr. Bay’s “Transformers” movies, “Revenge of the Fallen,” released in 2009, struck me as not only the worst movie of that year — measured in raw box office dollars, it was certainly among the most popular — but also as irrefutable evidence that our once proud civilization was in a state of precipitous decline. Perhaps my own enjoyment of “Dark of the Moon” is further evidence. I can’t decide if this movie is so spectacularly, breathtakingly dumb as to induce stupidity in anyone who watches, or so brutally brilliant that it disarms all reason. What’s the difference?

But this is not about me: it’s about the war between Autobots and Decepticons, rival tribes of extraterrestrial fighting machines — literally! — capable of assuming the shape of motor vehicles. Though a computer-enhanced actor briefly appears playing President Obama, no Transformer is on hand to thank him for rescuing the auto industry.

Speaking of which: in the series’s latest bit of tongue-in-cheek revisionist history, it is disclosed that John F. Kennedy fast-tracked the moon landing not to beat the Soviet Union in the space race, but rather to secure a site where a giant Autobot vessel had crash-landed after a big war on Cybertron. (“Transformers” scholars will recall that the Hoover Dam was built for similar purposes.) The actual Buzz Aldrin shows up to confirm that the giant leap for mankind of July 20, 1969, was actually a small incident in the endless Autobot-Decepticon war, which will, in our own time, lay waste to much of the city of Chicago.

Plot summary is unnecessary: the script, by Ehren Kruger (who joined the franchise with “Revenge” and here proves himself to be a crucial asset), is its own Wikipedia. Everything will be explained, as the cameras swirl and jump, and the music (by Steve Jablonsky) rumbles and blasts.

“Drop the bridge!” someone will say, referring to one of the drawbridges that span the Chicago River. A few seconds later you will see the bridge dropping and, just in case you are uncertain of what is going on (maybe you were texting your friend, who sneaked into “Bad Teacher” with hopes of hearing Cameron Diaz swear), someone else will say, “The bridge is dropping!”

So you don’t have to pay terribly close attention if you want to grasp the basic political and military issues. The Autobots like freedom, the Decepticons do not, and mankind — or at least American mankind, which also likes freedom, as well as the cars and guns that symbolize it — is on the side of the Autobots. But there are traitors, both human and metallic, which makes things complicated in the sense that more exposition is required, and plot twists need to be handled with screaming instances of narrative torque.

But that’s all fine. Really, it is, because Mr. Bay’s lax notions of coherence and plausibility — I’m sorry, I mean his utterly nonexistent notions of coherence and plausibility — are accompanied by a visual imagination that is at once crazily audacious and ruthlessly skillful. Live-action 3-D has been, at least since “Avatar,” a briar patch for filmmakers and a headache for audiences.

“Dark of the Moon” is one of the few recent 3-D movies that justify the upcharge. Mr. Bay clearly enjoys playing with the format, which is also to say that he takes it seriously. A lot of glass and metal comes flying at your head, and you feel surrounded, plunged into a universe governed by new and strange laws of physics. Nothing you see makes any sense at all, but the sensations are undeniable, and kind of fun in their vertiginous, supercaffeinated way.

All the kinetic, explosive fun in the world — which is a rough reckoning of how much Mr. Bay has tried to fit into “Dark of the Moon” — would become tedious if there were not also some other sources of enjoyment on hand. Luckily there are, in the non-anodized, unshiny forms of Frances McDormand, John Turturro, John Malkovich and Ken Jeong. They help make the movie, from time to time, actually funny. It’s not Noël Coward, and it’s not “Bad Teacher,” either, but “Dark of the Moon” is leavened by a sense of its own ridiculousness, and Mr. Kruger has written a few pretty good jokes. Or perhaps left some evocative blank spaces in the script next to Mr. Turturro’s name. His dustup with Bill O’Reilly would be great television, and is pretty good, er, cinema.

Mr. Turturro and Ms. McDormand (who plays a snappish government big shot, as you will know within her first five seconds of screen time) may be the only parts of the movie you want more of. But “more” is Mr. Bay’s watchword, and so you will get a whole lot of everything else. An Autobot with the voice of Leonard Nimoy. Shia LaBeouf running around and shouting at people. Annoying sidekicks (apart from Mr. LaBeouf, who is his own annoying sidekick). A bunch of muscly dudes with big guns who are not robots. (Two of them are Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson.) A bunch of muscly dudes who are.

And a girl, on hand to be rescued, fought over and filmed from behind at a low angle as further testimony to the aesthetic power of 3-D. The previous girl, Megan Fox, was fired because of her mouth, and this one, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, has been hired for the same reason. (Why aren’t there any female Autobots or Decepticons? Is that a dumb question?) The robots and cars are soulful, but her character is purely mechanical, a token of reassurance for viewers reveling in a spectacle of cosmic, brutal, heavy-metal homoeroticism. As I said before: I’m not judging, just describing.

“Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). Much of Chicago is wiped out. And where did those toys learn all those bad words?

TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON

Opens on Wednesday nationwide.

Directed by Michael Bay; written by Ehren Kruger, based on Hasbro’s Transformers action figures; director of photography, Amir Mokri; edited by Roger Barton, William Goldenberg and Joel Negron; music by Steve Jablonsky; production design by Nigel Phelps; costumes by Deborah L. Scott; visual effects supervisor, Scott Farrar; produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy and Ian Bryce; released by Paramount Pictures in association with Hasbro. Running time: 2 hours 14 minutes.

WITH: Shia LaBeouf (Sam Witwicky), Josh Duhamel (Lennox), John Turturro (Simmons), Tyrese Gibson (Epps), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley (Carly), Patrick Dempsey (Dylan), Kevin Dunn (Ron Witwicky), Julie White (Judy Witwicky), Ken Jeong (Jerry Wang), Alan Tudyk (Dutch), Glenn Morshower (General Morshower), Lester Speight (Eddie), John Malkovich (Bruce Brazos), Frances McDormand (Mearing), Leonard Nimoy (Voice of Sentinel Prime) and Bill O’Reilly (Himself).

NANO MUSICS

Body



The new Nano has the same body as the 4th generation, but there are definite changes afoot. The screen takes a bump from 2 inches to 2.2 inches—a jump that may sound tiny but is surprisingly substantial. If you're used to the old 2-inch screen you'll definitely notice and appreciate the extra space for navigation. The resolution goes from 240x320 to the oddball 240x376. Though wider when viewed lengthwise, the new screen still isn't 16x9; even widescreen videos will be slightly letterboxed due to the unconventional size. Aside from the added real estate, it's also noticeably brighter and sharper than the previous model. It may still be too small to watch a two-hour movie on, but it's a pleasure to use for everything else, including shorter video clips.
Unfortunately, that larger screen comes with a caveat: The click wheel is even smaller than earlier Nanos. If you found the previous Nano's click wheel slightly thinner and harder to hit than you prefer, this will be even worse. If you had no problems before, then the slight decrease in size shouldn't affect you much. I personally found it too small, and my thumb sometimes hit the area around the controls instead of the control itself. This is especially true when the Nano is docked.
The anodized aluminum finish is also a little different—there's an added step in the process that makes it shinier and brighter than the previous generation's comparatively subdued matte finish. Oddly enough, it actually feels slightly lighter than the last model, though no less solid—this is an extremely durable player. It doesn't bend under pressure from any angle and a nerve-wracking fall onto a hardwood floor had no adverse effects. However, I found that sharp metal objects like keys will leave scratches, while the previous matte Nano showed no scratches under similar abuse. One bit of bad news: People who hated the sharp corners of the last Nano will have to put up with them for at least another year.
Features


Did I mention Apple crammed a bunch of new features into the iPod Nano 5G? And that the most notable—and most thoroughly leaked—is a video camera? Here's the rundown:
The big selling point of this Nano is that the video camera theoretically puts it in a position to compete with the Flip, Creative's Vado, and Kodak's Zi6 and Zi8. Steve Jobs said so himself. But is it true? Well, yes—and no.
Like the Flip-class cameras, there's no optical zoom, and it can't take still shots (very few of these new camcorders can). Also, there's no on-device editing, just the option to delete what you shot. It too has video output, but only if you buy the right cable.
But the Nano is limited to VGA resolution—640x480—far less than that of current HD pocket cams which hover in the same sub-$180 price range. Casual videos meant for YouTube may not need more than VGA, and Apple sort of makes up for it by adding creative video filters, similar to those found in iChat and Photo Booth. These aren't just for fun, they tend to cover up the limitations of the video itself. On the other hand, if you're shooting your baby's first steps, or anything meaningful, no matter how short, you might end up regretting that you didn't shoot in HD.
That being said, it's a remarkably high-quality camera, as good as standard-def pocket cams like the Flip Mino (which I used in the comparisons below).
When you hold the Nano, you discover that the lens is placed in an awkward location—the lower right corner of the device's back. You can rotate it and the accelerometer will adjust, so it can actually be held in any way you choose, but the natural motion is to turn it 90 degrees counterclockwise (so the screen is on the left and the click wheel on the right), which leaves your fingers right in the lens's way. You get used to it, though. It's annoying but not a dealbreaker
In video-camera mode, you can bring up those creative filters—cyborg, security camera, film grain, tunnel vision and more—by holding down the center button. They fit right in with the idea of the Nano as a quick-and-dirty camcorder: You wouldn't want your serious short film to have a red, pulsing cyborg filter, but it's really fun for 30-second clips. Speaking of which, the only limit on video length seems to be the remaining memory in the Nano itself.

MILO MARATHON COME AND JOIN US!!!

Rules and Regulations

A non-refundable entry fee plus one (1) MILO® sachet empty pack must accompany each accomplished and signed Official Registration Form. RUNNERS WILL RECEIVE THEIR RACE SINGLETS UPON REGISTRATION AND SUBMISSION OF MILO® SACHET.

Entry fees for Provincial Races:


21-K Half Marathon Elimination Race - P 500.00

10-K Run - P 500.00

3K Kiddie Run & 5-K Fun Run - P 100.00

Entry fees for Metro Manila Races:

42.195-K Elimination Race - P 500.00

21-K Run - P 500.00

10-K Run - P 500.00

3K Kiddie Run & 5-K Fun Run - P 100.00

*P 10.00 from the registration fee will be donated to the “HELP GIVE A CHILD A PAIR OF SHOES” advocacy.

NOTE: REGISTRATION IS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS. RUNNERS SHOULD WEAR THEIR MILO® MARATHON SINGLETS DURING THE RACE OR THEY WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO RUN.

Children who are 7 to 12 years old on RACE DAY are qualified to join the 3K Kiddie Run. They are required to have their entry form signed by a parent/guardian. They must also submit a photocopy of their NSO birth certificate or current school ID.

Participants in the 5K race categories who are below 18 years old must have their entry form signed by a parent/guardian.

Runners in the 10K, 21K & 42.195K race categories must be 18 years old on race day.

SCHEDULE OF RACES

Laoag

July 3

Iloilo

September 18

Dagupan

July 10

Bacolod

September 25

Olongapo

July 17

Cebu City

October 2

Tarlac

July 24

Tagbilaran

October 9

Manila Eliminations

July 31

Cagayan De Oro

October 16

Batangas

August 21

Butuan

October 23

Puerto Princesa

August 28

General Santos

October 30

Naga

September 4

Davao

November 6

San Pablo

September 11

Manila Finals

December 11

Participants may claim their Official Race Packets (containing the official race number with timing chip attached, safety pins, and route map) upon complete registration. Race number with timing chip attached is non-transferable.

The reverse side of the race number must be duly filled up. Participants must wear the assigned race number on his/her chest. Participants not wearing a race number will be taken off the course by the race marshals.

Pets, bicycles, motorcycles, vehicles and any other wheel-run objects are not allowed on the course other than the official race and medical vehicles.

Participants being paced during the race by a person who is not officially registered in the 35th National MILO® Marathon and accepting assistance from non-race participants will be disqualified.

Participants who begin before the actual start time of his/her race category will be disqualified. Participants who do not start within 10 minutes from respective flag off will be disqualified and may not be allowed to start. No result will be given to disqualified runners.

“Gun Time” will be considered to determine the winners. Elite runners are advised to stay in front.

Participants must retire from the race immediately if asked or requested to do so by any member of the organizing committee. Race officials, marshals, medical staff, and security officers have the right to pull-out any runner found not physically fit to continue the race.

Runners in the 21K provincial elimination races will have two ways to qualify and compete in the 42.195K national finals:

Male finishing the race within 1:15:00 and female finishing the race within 1:35:00 will qualify and get an all-expense paid trip to Manila. It is their responsibility to contact the race organizer on or before November 15, 2011 to coordinate their trip to Manila. Those who will not compete in the national finals forfeit all their privileges.

Runners finishing the race within the specified age-bracket and time below will qualify. All expenses related to their participation will be shouldered by the qualifier.

Qualifiers are entitled to the following:

free registration fee

free ticket to the carbo loading party

free running singlets & shorts

METRO MANILA QUALIFIERS in the 42.195K race AND PROVINCIAL QUALIFIERS in the 21K race CAN NO LONGER COMPETE IN ANY OF THE ELIMINATION RACES. They will not be accepted even in the shorter distance races. They may only compete in the full marathon national finals.

ALL WINNERS IN THE 21K, 10K, 5K, AND 3K RACES (top 10 male and female) CAN NO LONGER COMPETE IN ANY SUCCEEDING MILO® MARATHON ELIMINATION RACES. However, they (excluding the qualifiers) can compete in the 21K, 10K, 5K, and 3K races of the national finals.

The organizers reserves the right to reject any entrant or disqualify any participant who is suspected to be under the influence of alcohol or having taken banned substances and any participant who is found to have misrepresented himself/herself. If his/her identity of eligibility is challenged, it is the responsibility of the participant to prove who he/she really is. Participants found to have been dishonest are immediately disqualified and subjected to disciplinary sanctions by the race organizer.

Any qualifier in the 42.195K who decides not to join the race is prohibited from competing in the other race categories of the national finals (i.e., 21K, 10K and 5K run).

Each race category has an official cut-off time.

42.195-K Race
     6 hours after official start of the race
21-K Race
     2 ½ hours after official start of the race
10-K Race
     1 ½ hours after official start of the race
5-K Race
     1 hour after official start of the race
3-K Race
     1 hour after official start of the race

In order to ensure timely re-opening of roads to normal traffic, the organizers will designate time limits at specified distances. Runners failing to reach these specific distances within the times specified must stop running and board the official vehicle. They are automatically disqualified and will be taken directly to the finish venue.

Distance Time Limit

21K Race at 10k 1 ½ hours

42K Race at 21K 3 ½ hours

at 32K 5 hours

All protests related to results must be made in writing and submitted within one (1) hour after the end of the race to the race organizer. A non-refundable protest fee amounting to P5,000 is required. Verbal protests will not be entertained.

The organizer may change without prior notice any of the rules and regulations that they deem necessary to ensure the success of the race.

The organizer’s decision is final.

Trophies , medals, and cash prizes will be given to the top 10 finishers of the seventeen elimination races and the national finals.

PRIZES

3-k Kiddie Run

Boy’s and Girl’s Divisions:

Champion: P1,500 + Trophy 4th Place: P250+Medal

Runner-up: P1,000 + Trophy 5th–10th Place: P150+Medal

3rd Place: P500 + Trophy

5-K Fun Run

Men’s & Women’s Divisions:

Champion: P2,500 + Trophy 4th Place: P500+Medal

Runner-up: P1,500 + Trophy 5th–10th Place: P250+Medal

3rd Place: P1,000 + Trophy

10-K Run

Men’s & Women’s Divisions:

Champion: P5,000 + Trophy 4th Place: P1,000+Medal

Runner-up: P3,000 + Trophy 5th–10th Place: P500+Medal

3rd Place: P2,000 + Trophy

21-K Run

Men’s & Women’s Divisions:

Champion: P10,000 + Trophy 4th Place: P2,000+Medal

Runner-up: P6,000 + Trophy 5th–10th Place: P1,000+Medal

3rd Place: P4,000 + Trophy

Note: All 21-K Finishers within the cut-off time will receive a finisher’s medal and loot bag.

42.195-K Metro Manila Elimination Race

Men’s & Women’s Divisions:

Champion: P50,000 + Trophy 4th Place: P10,000+Medal

Runner-up: P30,000 + Trophy 5th–10th Place: P5,000+Medal

3rd Place: P20,000 + Trophy

42.195-K National Finals

Men’s & Women’s Divisions:

Champion: P300,000 + Trophy 4th Place: P30,000+Medal

Runner-up: P150,000 + Trophy 5th–10th Place: P10,000+Medal

3rd Place: P75,000 + Trophy

Note: All 42.195K finishers within the cut-off time will receive a finisher’s medal, a loot bag, and an exclusive finisher’s shirt.

Bonus Prizes for Local Runners:

P50,000 bonus for the first runner who breaks the 2:15:00 invisible time barrier

P20,000 bonus for the first runner who breaks the 2:18:53 men’s course record of Eduardo Buenavista

P20,000 bonus for the first female runner who breaks the 2:48:16 women’s course record of Jhoan Banayag

Finishers in all categories within the cut-off time will receive a certificate of finish.

WINNERS MUST BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT TO RECEIVE THEIR AWARDS DURING THE AWARDING CEREMONY.

RESULTS WILL BE UPLOADED TWO (2) DAYS AFTER EACH RACE. VISIT WWW.MILO.COM.PH.

Start of Races

42k (Manila only) 4:00 AM

21k 5:00 AM

10k, 5k, 3k, 5:30 AM

Side Events

Biggest School Delegation Competition:

•To join, schools must submit their entry forms at the same time.

•Students must indicate the name of their school on the entry form and submit a photocopy of their school ID for the current school year (front and back).

•To qualify on race day, a minimum of 50 students must finish the race.

•Top three schools in each area with the most number of students finishing the 5-K Fun Run and the 3-K Kiddie Run will win the awards.

•In case of a tie, the winning school will be determined according to the best time recorded.

First Prize: P 10,000 worth of sports equipment

Second Prize: P 7,000 worth of sports equipment

Third Prize: P 5,000 worth of sports equipment

Inter-school Running Competition:

•To join, school teams must have at least 25 student runners competing in the 5K fun run. They must submit their entry forms at the same time

•The Team may be composed of elementary, high school, or college runners

•Winners will be determined through the average/aggregate time of the team’s first 25 finishers.

First Prize: P 10,000 worth of sports equipment

Second Prize: P 7,000 worth of sports equipment

Third Prize: P 5,000 worth of sports equipment

Cheer Dance Competition:

•There will be three divisions: Grade School, High School, and College Division

•Each division will have a separate set of winners who will receive cash prizes and plaques as follows:

First Prize: P 7,500.00 cash + plaque

Second Prize: P 5,000.00 cash + plaque

Third Prize: P 3,000.00 cash + plaque

Consolation P 2,000.00 cash + plaque

•Each team must have at least a minimum of 25 cheer dancers, and a maximum of 50 including props men. Any excess beyond the maximum number of participants will merit a point deduction equivalent to the total excess number of participants.

•Cheer dancers must show coordination, spirit, gracefulness, flexibility, and energy while doing their stunts, gymnastics, and dance routine. Participants are encouraged to use MILO® labels as props.

•The cheer should:

a. Boost the pride of the marathon participants

b. Communicate the importance of getting into sports

c. Show how MILO gives the energy athletes need for sports

•Performance: Time limit will be a minimum of three (3) minutes and a maximum of five (5) minutes. Time will start on the first move made by the team or from any participant. Each team will be given 2 minutes to enter and 2 minutes to exit. An excess of five (5) seconds or more will merit a five (5) point deduction on the performance score.

WINNERS MUST BE PHYSICALLY PRESENT TO RECEIVE THEIR AWARDS DURING THE AWARDING CEREMONY.

•Pyramid-building and stunts will be allowed up to two levels only for safety reasons. Violation will merit a five (5) point deduction from the total score.

•The Organizer’s, through drawing of lots will determine sequence or arrangement of performance. Participating teams must be at the venue before 6:45 AM for the drawing of lots. Late comers will be disqualified from the competition but they can still perform as guests.

•Contest will start at exactly 7:00 AM. Cued music CDs must be submitted to the musical operator during the event proper on or before 6:45 AM.

•Decision of judges is final and non-appealable. Absolutely no participants/contestants’ representative shall be allowed to contact in any manner whatsoever any judge with the intention of questioning the BOARD OF JUDGES announced decision.

•The contest shall be open only to FOUR (4) teams per division. The selection shall strictly be on a “first come, first served” basis.

•CRITERIA FOR JUDGING

Performance 40%

Creativity 30%

Showmanship and audience impact 10%

Costume 15%

Props ( with MILO® labels) 5%

TOTAL 100%