Google Unveils Google+ (Google Plus)

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Google unveils their latest networking site - Google+ (Google Plus) – perhaps hoping to penetrate the social networking market.

google

They failed with Orkut. Not even made it with Google Buzz. (Okay, I signed up for both.) But would they make it this time with Google Plus?

Google aims to give us a better-than-Facebook experience by breaking down Google Plus into several hubs like:

+Circles – your contacts
+Sparks – online sharing (perhaps much like the "share" option in Google Reader)
+Hangout – where you can, well, hangout LoL! like share your location or have multi-person video conference. Yay! Cam to cam anyone? Haha!
+Mobile – send messages, pics, and videos using your Android (as the app is only limited to Android, but an iPhone App is said to be coming soon.)

But anyway, don't get too excited yet because (1) Google Plus sign-ups, as of the moment, are limited to invite only; and (2) it is currently limited to US residents only.

You can read more about Google+ (Google Plus) by clicking here.

Don't forget to follow Profound Bliss on Facebook and Twitter :)

Vain!

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It seems that Blogger won't upload pictures to its servers. I thought it's a problem with Windows Live Writer (which I use) so I logged in to my Blogger account to create a post the old fashioned way (thru an internet browser). But alas! Blogger still won't upload the pictures.

Anyway, Resty (Princess' dad) slept over last Monday. I was actually surprised when he called up and said he's here in the country. I eventually learned that he cut his vacay short due to some "technical glitches."

He brought with him a big bottle of Jose Cuervo. It was my first time to drink tequila. I was already numb when we finished the bottle.

The presence of Resty actually reminds me that I should be at least a little vain. I'm turning to look like his assistant with all the sun I get from mountain climbing.

Solution: I should get him to climb with me so he'd look ulikba as well.

And speaking of mountain climbing, I've been surfing TNF's website as of late. Been looking for a daypack with hydration system. And here are my picks (just picks, I still have no cash to spend):

TNF Animas 12 (bladder included) - $95-$99 (mall price here: P5690)
TNF Gunnison 18 (bladder included) - $115 (mall price here: P6590)
TNF Enduro 30 (bladder NOT included ) - $99

Well, for now, my Hawk daypack would do.

Princess After Bath

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I give Princess a bath every 4 days (as per instruction by the vets) and she was scheduled to have one last Friday. But Typhoon Falcon made it rain until Saturday and (again, as per instruction by the vets) I couldn't bathe her when it's raining.

Good thing the sun came out last Sunday.

Here's a short vid of her after the bath:

A Rainy Mt. Talamitam Climb

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Longing for a solitary climb, I searched the internet for a dayhike destination near Manila - a mountain that would be accessible, not exceeding 800 MASL, and that I haven't climbed before.

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I couldn't find any other mountain that fit those classifications than Mt. Talamitan in Nasugbu, Batangas. With an elevation of 630+ MASL and with a jump-off just along the Tagaytay-Nasugbu Highway, Mt. Talamitan is a friendly one for someone without a company. And although there are talks about how two parties "battle" for the "management" of the mountain, I didn't really care. I've been going around long enough to know that internet articles could be so exaggerated than the actual situation itself.

I woke up a little late that Thursday morning of April 28th. Perhaps knowing that it's fun climb made me underestimate the climb. I was at the Alabang Bus Terminal by 9:00 AM, forgetting there's no Nasugbu-bound buses there. But, of course, I knew there's always a way. A driver approached me and asked where I was headed. He told me that I should hop on his Batangas City-bound bus and he'd drop me off at the diversion road. From there I could ride another bus going to Nasugbu. I was so clueless without a map, but I asked if that was the only alternative and he said yes.

Okay, so much for being fooled but I was able to reach the diversion road, got on a Nasugbu-bound bus, dropped at Palico, and rode another jeepney headed to Nasugbu town that would pass by the jump-off in Sitio Bayabasan.

But it was almost 2 PM that time. I immediately asked around for Sir Nick or Bro. Ted's house. People looked quizzically at me since I was alone and in climbing clothes. That, or because they didn't know whose house to give me directions to. One man gave me directions to Bro. Ted's house, and while walking, I saw an old woman coming from a sari-sari store and heading towards the direction I was headed. I asked for Bro. Ted's house and to my surprise, she shook her head as if I had asked her a question she didn't wanna hear. Anyway, she walked so fast and in the distance, I saw her stopped by a fence and talked to someone. She was still there while I passed. She looked at me and the man inside the fence as if the two were talking about me.

I had a hunch it was Sir Nick inside the fence, and that hunch was confirmed when I was able to talk to Bro. Ted after my climb.

Anyway, I reached Bro. Ted's house (which was actually his mom's house). It serves as registration area, at least to those who choose him over Sir Nick. But in all honesty, I didn't choose anyone. I knew about the dispute but since I didn't really know them personally, either of them would have been okay. It's just that people seemed more willing to give directions to Bro. Ted's house.

registration

I arrived at the place, which you wouldn't miss because of big signs, and asked for Bro. Ted. He wasn't there unfortunately and I was greeted instead by his brother Sir Paul, and his mother Ma'am Nelia. They were quite friendly and accommodating. I found out that I was the only mountaineer who arrived that day, perhaps because it's a Thursday and there's actually a Low Pressure Area threatening hard rain.

I asked for a guide and they gave me a kid named Christian. Two of Christian's cousins, though, joined us. They're from Bicol and were only in Nasugbu for vacation and they haven't been to Mt. Talamitam yet. Well and good, I had three little guides for the price of one.

The kids were all polite, but the two from Bicol were kinda shy. The first part of the climb was quite easy, but became more difficult when we reached the barren part of the mountain. And yea, barren. Really sad to see the mountain so bald.

It was already 2:05 PM when I started trekking. It was so hot and sunshiney when we started that I thought the forecast of rains arrived too early. But an hour into the trek, I was surprised when it began thunderstorm-ing and soon after that, dark clouds gathered so fast making it so gloomy. Was a good thing I brought my poncho (thanks to the forecast) cuz it rained so hard that made us stop walking. It was just sad that the three kids with me didn't have anything and they were shy to share my poncho. Anyway, I found it so hot with the poncho on so I just took it off when the hard rain turned into drizzle, and continued with the climb.

We reached the summit at 4:05 PM. The final assault to the summit was so slippery and so steep that I paused at least twice, sitting on big rocks and enjoying the view of Mt. Batulao in the distance.

The view from the summit was spectacular. Aside from Mt. Batulao, Pico de Loro was also visible on the other side. It stopped drizzling after a while and the sun peeked a little and cast a golden yellow on that part of the mountain. I was ecstatic cuz that meant good pictures. But half of me wished I had a better camera.

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(That's Christian in red shorts next to me.)

I brought with me 2 instant pancit canton and since I knew two hours of climbing made the kids hungry, I gave them the noodles to cook with the camping stove I always bring along. I had no more water, though, and we actually used the rainwater the kids collected using their mineral water bottle when we stopped due to the hard rain.

I bonded with the kids. We talked about school and stuff and I mentioned the name of Sir Nick in passing. They were quite mum about the subject of Sir Nick and the mountain but somehow said that the old man wasn't really the one appointed by the town mayor to be in-charge of the mountain. They furthermore said that Sir Nick keeps the registration money from mountaineers all to his own.

We decided to leave the summit 4:18 PM. The rain had stopped completely but it left a cool breeze blowing to make our descent comfortable. I ran with the kids – cuz it is easy to run downhill. LoL! But the kid in me (which came to an abrupt stop when I entered high school) came out. I was breathless when we stopped running because we didn't wanna be chased by a couple of cows roaming freely.

It was less than an hour when we got back to the registration area/the kids' house. I was kinda pleased the Bro. Ted was already there. Anyway, he's Iglesia ni Kristo, the reason for the "Bro." We talked after I washed up. I had no spare shorts/pants with me so I just removed the legs of my convertible and acted as if I wasn't soiled. LoL!

We talked for more than an hour. He seemed to have a lot of things more to say but decided to stop when Ma'am Nelia reminded us that the last trip of buses going to Manila was 8:00 PM. Bro. Ted would have walked me to the Tagaytay-Nasugbu road but a friend of his passed by. He with his two sons would be going where I was headed so he just asked them to take me to the waiting shed.

Wasn't he so nice? He actually invited me to sleep over. I just refused because my Nanay would be so depressed if I spent the night somewhere else unplanned.

No buses arrived, though. It was a few minutes before 8:00 PM when Bro. Ted's friend (whom I forgot the name of) stopped a jeepney full of mangoes and made me ride with them up to Tagaytay. From there, I was able to ride a Baclaran-bound bus.

It was freezing cold in the bus especially that a few hours ago, I had been in a wet climb. I sat at the back cuz I was afraid I would smell. LoL!  But really my shorts was so dirty I regretted not bringing an extra pair.

Got home at around 10:30 PM with a little smile on my face thinking I had successfully done it again – climbing alone (or with guides, if you'd rather).

How to get to Mt. Talamitam:

- ride a Nasugbu-bound bus and drop-off at Sitio Bayabasan in Barangay Aga
- you'll find yourself in a narrow road that is actually Sitio Bayabasan, walk until you reach the registration area/Bro. Ted's place (second pic above)
- register and ask for a guide.

View the rest of my Mt. Talamitan album by clicking here.

You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter.

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55-Foot Sea Monster

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So sea monsters really exist? A 55 feet long, 4.5 tons sea creature has washed up on a beach in Guangdong, China. It's already decaying so it cannot be positively identified. It is tangled in ropes that it is theorized to be caught by fishermen but let it go due to its size.

According to marine biologists, it is a balaenopterid based on its throat grooves. And because it really doesn't look like 55 feet in pictures, Scott Baker (Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute) says it could be like one of the Bryde's whales.

Check out the sea monster's picture here.

Typhoon Falcon

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After Typhoon Egay, which made my Mt. Kalisungan climb very difficult last June 8th, another Low Pressure Area (LPA) has entered the country. PAGASA says it will be called Typhoon Falcon if the LPA develops into a tropical depression.

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The weather bureau expects the LPA to turn into a tropical cyclone by Tuesday afternoon. It is reported to be stronger and wider in scope than Typhoon Egay.

So hard to go backpacking when it's raining. And I'm planning to go to Buntot Palos tomorrow, that is, if it's not raining so hard. Google says water level in Buntot Palos gets incredibly high when it's storming.

photo: pagasa.dost.gov.ph

Max's Chicken-All-You-Can is Back!

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Max's Restaurant is bringing back the much-awaited Chiken-All-You-Can Promo for one whole month. It actually already started last June 10 and will end July 10, 2011. Have an unlimited serving of Filipino's favorite home-cooked chicken, from 6 PM to 10 PM daily, for only P199.  Chicken is served with a glass of ice-cold Pepsi which you can upgrade to bottomless for an additional P28.

cayc2

A "show stopping performance" by the restaurant's employees will also be witnessed every 6 PM as a sign that the promo is already activated for the day.

P20 money coupons will also be given away for every P200 spent during the Chicken-All-You-Can promo. A maximum of three accumulated coupons per transaction may be used to purchase any of the restaurant's products within a year after the coupons are issued.

photo: maxschicken.com

What Keeps You Up So Late?

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The reason why I didn't wanna go to the games folder of my phone is that I knew I'd be addicted once I did. And yes, I love cellphone games.

jungle zuma

And Jungle Zuma is the reason why I've been sleeping at dawn as of late.

Basically, the game is about balls and colors. LoL! Hitting a series of at least two balls of the same color with a ball of that color (redundundant?) will make it disappear, and therefore, making your line of balls shorter. You have to keep the line short and make all the balls disappear before they reach the hole at the end point. If they did get to the hole, that's the end of your game.

Kaadik!

How Much is That Doggie in the Clothesline?

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This made me so angry and sad at the same time last night:

poor pup

How could anyone do such a thing to a cute little puppy? And worse, take a picture of the poor pup and post it on a social networking site!

This picture was found in someone's Facebook account and was immediately reported to the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). Although the Facebook user already apologized, I think it is not enough. Making fun of an animal to the point of hurting him is beyond comprehension. And yes, the Facebook user said he did that just for fun.

My heart melted after seeing this in the news, and immediately hugged my 4-year-old shih-tzu.

I really hope no dog, or any other pet for that matter, gets into the hands of heartless people.

June 20, 2011 is a Special (Non-Working) Day!

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Dr. Jose Rizal's 150th birthday on June 19, 2011 will be celebrated by the whole nation, as he is the national hero of the Philippines. And although President Aquino has stopped the "holiday economics" started by the former President Arroyo, he makes Rizal's birthday an exception.

Since June 19 falls on a Sunday (and a lot of celebration activities have been prepared especially in Rizal Park), PNoy declares the following day,  June 20, a non-working holiday as well.

Last April 26, 2011, President Aquino signed Proclamation 154 which makes June 20, 2011 a special (non-working) day throughout the country.

The proclamation:

MALACAÑAN PALACE
Manila
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES
PROCLAMATION NO. 154
DECLARING MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2011, AS SPECIAL (NON-WORKING) DAY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY

WHEREAS, Sunday, June 19, 2011, marks the 150th birth anniversary of Dr. Jose P. Rizal, our national hero;

WHEREAS, to give all Filipinos the opportunity to commemorate Rizal’s patriotic deeds and sacrifices for the country, rekindle their admiration and respect for him, and to celebrate this milestone with appropriate ceremonies, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) requested that Monday, June 20, 2011, be declared as special non-working holiday instead of June 19, 2011, which falls on a Sunday.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BENIGNO S. AQUINO III, President of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare Monday, June 20, 2011, as special (non-working) day throughout the country.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

Done in the City of Manila, this 26th day of April, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven.

No More Smoking in Starbucks

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no smokingAt the height of the MMDA's non-smoking campaign, Starbucks Philippines has also decided to make their branches non-smoking zones effective June 27, 2011.

And yes, we're referring to the outdoor smoking areas of Starbucks. No more smoking even if you choose to sit outside.

Thumbs up to Starbucks. I'm sure this move won't affect their sales, and it might make other coffee shops follow suit.

Nokia's Two New Dual SIM Phones – X1-01 and C2-00

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I'm so fond of my Jejehone because of its dual sim feature. Imagine carrying just one cellphone but having both my Smart and Globe in use at the same time. Also, it's so useful especially that I'm on prepaid. I can reply on my Globe contacts using my Smart SIM whenever I run out on load on my Globe or vice versa, and that's without the hassle of holding two phones (because the contact's number is on the other phone). And that comes to another point – one phonebook for two SIMS. Great, no?

But you know, these dual SIM phones that are in the market today are said to be not as durable as compared to the phones from the better-known brands. I'm actually so careful with using my Jejephone cuz I don't want my 4k to go to waste after just a few months.

And then the better-known brand (read: Nokia) has come up with two new dual SIM phones – the Nokia X1-01 and the Nokia C2-00!

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Nokia X1-01 (left) is a dual SIM music phone! How cool is that? It has FM radio, MP3 player, microSD card slot expandable up to 16GB, and a flashlight. What's more, it's priced at no less than P1,990!

Nokia C2-00, also a dual SIM phone, comes equipped with a VGA camera, FM radio, Bluetooth, USB, and an MP3 player. It also has a microSD card slot that is expandable to up to 32GB. Not really bad for the suggested retail price of P2,990!

You can find them in some mobile phone stores now and in more stores as Nokia makes it available nationwide.

This is great, I'm thinking of getting one for Nanay.

Is June 13 a Holiday?

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June 12 is fast approaching, and it is a Sunday. Will the holiday be moved to the nearest Monday just like they have done with other public holidays in the past?

The Palace has this to say:
“We have holidays that were moved to the nearest Monday but there were also some not moved primarily because these celebrations are meant to stay on that day. June 12 was not moved.”

I am glad. The essence of celebrating a certain holiday disappears somehow when you move it to another date. It's just like how you feel when you celebrate your birthday not on the date itself. Parang kulang na.

Anyway, I went to Luneta with some friends on Independence Day many years ago. We even brought food and had picnic inside a gated park of which I can't remember the name of anymore.

I wanna do it again this year. Sana lang the weather cooperates on Sunday.

The New Globe Tattoo Tonino Lamborghini Makes Me Drool

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I'm on PLDT MyDSL, but I keep a Globe Tattoo prepaid and a Sun Broadband dongle that I've flashed so I can use it with Globe or Smart. I go out a lot and most of time, the places I go to don't have wi-fi so I always bring along my dongles.

But watching the new Globe Tattoo TVC makes me wanna acquire the new Globe Tattoo Tonino Lamborghini Stick. It boasts of speed of up to 10 MBPS and if it's true, it would make a lot of difference on accessing the internet on my laptop in areas without wi-fi.

Moreover, the Filipino-Swiss car racing champion Marlon Stockinger is the Globe Tattoo Tonino Lamborghini's image model.

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Marlon is currently racing for Atech GP in the 2010 Formula Renault UK season, and he is the first Filipino to win a formula race in Europe. With his speed, he is the perfect image model for Globe Tattoo's fastest broadband (that is, again, if the speed they claim is true).

Globe Tattoo Tonino Lamborghini is available through Globe Postpaid that costs 2,199 pesos a month.

Now, should I? Or should I not? But then perhaps I'll just wait for more netizens to give their reviews first before getting one.

To know more about the product, visit http://tattoo.globe.com.ph or visit a Globe store.

Watch Marlon Stockinger's Globe Tattoo TVC after the jump.

Pirates!

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I watched Pirates of the Caribbean last Wednesday, June 1st, and that's almost 2 weeks after it premiered. Was supposed to watch it with my sister's kids May 26th but something came up that day and I wasn't able to join them.

ticket - pirates

I wanted to watch it in IMAX but it was really impractically expensive so I just opted for a conventional cinema. I just hate it when a kid starts banging the back of my seat from either joy or boredom.

Have always loved Johnny Depp's Capt. Jack Sparrow. He was such a treat to watch, and Depp's portrayal was a genius. I remember reading somewhere that the director didn't really want Depp's portrayal especially that the character looked gay at times when he was supposed to be a playboy pirate. But the actor had to fight hard for what he believed was a fit interpretation of the character.

Penelope Cruz's Angelica Malon, on the other hand, is a great new addition. Lovely accent. But she really still looked like a woman on the scenes where she disguised as Jack Sparrow.

Sam Claflin's character, Philip, was a breath of fresh (face) air. His "love affair" with the mermaid (who was interestingly named Syrena) played by Astrid Berges-Frisbey added the needed romance in the manner that the characters of Jack and Angelica failed to give.

The "catch a mermaid" scenes was my favorite. The creatures were beautiful and dangerous at the same time. The choreography was superb I didn't know anyone who could swim that fast. But, of course, we know it's mostly CGI.

But is Blackbeard really dead? I'm quite sure he'd be bargaining with death in order to come back to the next installment. LoL!

And yeah, Penelope's character will still be in the next movie most probably. If you stayed long enough until after the film credits, I'm sure you saw how she found the Capt. Jack Sparrow voodoo doll that originally belonged to Blackbeard.

Anyway, why is it becoming a trend to put a scene (that promises a sequel) after the film credits? Thor also had that. Perhaps they do that so people would sit through the entire credits? Ohcomeon, people aren't interested who did the stunt doubles or who the drivers were (unless you're doing a study about that).

I only stayed, though, because I wasn't able to see these two movies from the beginning and I had to repeat. But how about those movies I didn't sit through till after the credits? Oh darn, I must have missed a lot.

"Jig"

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Jig is an upcoming film about dancing. I'm just not sure if it's gonna be shown locally.

Those closest to me know how I loved dancing when I was a teen but eventually faded from the scene when I was separated from my group. But if I could do it all over again, I would still be dancing up to now.

No regrets, though. No regrets.

Plot Summary:
Jig is the remarkable story of the fortieth Irish Dancing World Championships, held in March 2010 in Glasgow. Three thousand dancers, their families and teachers from around the globe descend upon Glasgow for one drama filled week. Clad in wigs, make up, fake tan, diamantes and dresses costing thousands of pounds they compete for the coveted world titles. A year of incredibly hard work for just a few tense minutes on stage. This feature length documentary was given access for the very first time to the little known world of competitive Irish Dancing. With financial backing from BBC Scotland and Creative Scotland, award-winning filmmaker Sue Bourne went behind the normally closed doors of Irish Dancing and found a remarkable world. Wonderful characters of all ages from across the globe... Ireland, Holland, Britain, America and Russia. "JIG" discovers a world of dedication, hard work, obsession, passion. Success and failure. And astonishing talents pushed to their limits in the quest for perfection.

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