It's A Good Thing: Quotes

Whoever Richard Kemph is, he sure got it right when he said that "quotes are nothing but inspiration for the uninspired." Although I am not exactly uninspired this morning, some quotes I read today sort of helped in putting some things into perspective.

The September Issue

No, this isn't about that film that I'm sure everyone in publishing is waiting (and will probably dress up) for IF it gets released in cinemas. There's another thing to look forward to in September (well, aside from by 30th birthday). I attempted to read the book, which Paolo recommended, when I was in the mood to "return" to the classics but Oscar Wilde and I didn't mesh well. Casting that Prince Caspian guy seems like a good choice. I couldn't think of anyone else to play him. He has the hair for it and Colin Firth is always great in period films, or roles which allow him to play a stuck up Brit (no offense) with a stiff upper lip sort of way.

Learning experience

I don't know which program it's from but its true - you really do learn something everyday. Just today, I learned that there's a small ramen resto in Ortigas Home Depot that has big servings at small prices; some models do have brains (and sometimes fake boobs), can sing and paint ; and that it was a good decision to not buy that blue D&G dress shirt yesterday - even if it was on sale. Here are more shnazzles I've learned: 1) Blue M&Ms held mend spinal injury. No, its not a placebo effect but brainiacs have discovered that the colouring in the candy has medical benefits: "The compound, Brilliant Blue G, can block a chemical which makes injuries worse by causing inflammation and destroying cells. This 'secondary spinal cord damage' can often cause more problems than the original wound. Researchers found that treatment with Brilliant Blue G reduced the size of the lesion and also improved recovery.

But there was a dramatic side-effect on laboratory rats used in the experiment, whose skin temporarily turned bright blue. The dye also needed to be injected into a vein very quickly after a trauma to be effective - within 15 minutes. However, it was able to significantly reduce secondary injury, with injured rats being able to walk again, although with a limp. Rats that had not received the solution never regained the ability to walk. Researcher Dr Steven Goldman said: 'Our hope is that this work will lead to a practical, safe agent that can be given to patients to decrease the secondary damage that we have to otherwise expect."

2) Some people can Facebook to death

In a macabre new twist to hit the internet, various sites are offering users the chance to send email greetings to loved one from beyond the grave. Sadly the user will not be around to witness their site as it only goes live when the website is alerted to the subscriber's death. They are also able to obtain passwords for internet banking and other e-documents.

3) Milk really does the body good

Drinking milk could cut your chances of dying from heart disease and stroke, say scientists.

Contrary to reports that milk harms health, they claim consumption could reduce the risk of succumbing to chronic illness by as much as a fifth. They found milk protects against developing most diseases, apart from prostate cancer, and can cut deaths from illnesses by 15 to 20%.

4) There's a new job in town

Companies such as Pizza Hut are entrusting their brands with students on OJT by putting them in charge of their official Twitter accounts. 'Twinterns' are usually young graduates because they pretty much know the ins and outs of today's fast paced and ever changing tech world.

Alexa Robinson, 22, hit the headlines when she became Pizza Hut's first official 'Twintern' in June. 'Luv my new job!', she gleefully tweeted in her first message to the general public. Her role has been a success and boosted Twitter followers of Pizza Hut from 3,000 to 13,000 in a matter of weeks.

5) There are signs of being rich and it just ain't $, £, ¥, or € In today's extremely pretentious world, you can no longer tell if someone is rich or riche. But author James Palumbo can. In his book, Tomas, he pours the dirt about a world obsessed by reality TV and the "bloated bankers, Russian roubles, salacious socialites and filthy footballers" that rule over it. He also shares pointers on spotting those with real dough and those that just simply, eat dough. The Look: "For the boys it's diamante-encrusted t-shirts or white shirts with oversize collars, anchor sized watches and sunglasses worn at all times ... but especially at night. For the girls it's micro-cocktail dresses, giraffe stilettos and bazooka breasts. Underwear, however expensive, is frowned upon." The Laugh: "Rich people laugh a lot because it shows how successful and care free and fun to be around they are. A rich laugh is either a high-pitched, head-turning 'Ha! Ha! Ha!' or a hysterical, I'm-having-so-much-fun 'He! He! He!' or a satisfied, consciously inappropriate guffaw 'Ahhaha! Ahhaha! Ahhaha!'"

The Language: "The über-rich talk mainly about the two subjects that interest them most, themselves and money ... me etc ... more etc ... money etc ... my etc ... mwah! " The Life: "High-net-worth individuals are creatures of expensive habits, and a busy day is mostly made up of bars, cars and beaches, smoking, shopping and eating, and a lot of unnecessary shouting."

The Luxury: "There is no end to the exhaustively extravagant ways the rich have devised to publicly dispose of their cash. From magnums to Old Masters and jewels to jets, they have an unshakable dedication to the art of expense."

Of course, he could be wrong. Maybe he's just bitter.

6) One pill to rule them all

Who cares about being unplugged from the Matrix or continue being blinded by reality? As long as you can stay 10 years younger, go for it.

A miraculous 'elixir of youth' which could extend the human life span by more than a decade is being developed by scientists. The anti-ageing pill was created from a chemical found in the soil of Easter Island - one of the most remote and mysterious places on the planet. In tests on animals, the chemical increased life expectancy by a staggering 38%. The drug, rapamycin, is already used to suppress the immune systems of organ transplant patients.

7) Peter Piper picked the right pepper

Red peppers are ripened green peppers. As such, they contain more nutrients - a red pepper contains twice the Vitamin C of a green one, and ten times the Vitamin A. One cup of raw, chopped red pepper gives 100 to 150 per cent of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C and 80 per cent of Vitamin A.

They are also a rich source of plant chemicals lycopene, beta-carotene and zeaxanthin - pigments that give peppers their red and orange colours - and contain folic acid, potassium and iron.

So peppers can help tackle a range of diseases and conditions, including arthritis, cancer, fertility, cardio diseases, and blindness.

8) OJ is bad

Yeah, OJ Simpson is too but researchers warned that Orange Juice can be so acidic it can strip off your teeth of its enamel. Fruit beverages can cut enamel hardness by 84 per cent causing teeth to erode more than previously thought.

Dr Yan-Fang Ren, of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York, said the acid in orange juice 'is so strong that the tooth is literally washed away'. Dr Ren and his team made the discovery after studying the effects of over-the-counter teeth whitening products.

He found the effect of six per cent hydrogen peroxide, the common ingredient used for teeth whitening, was 'insignificant' compared with acidic fruit juices.

9) Lose weight, you should go kiddie

The Shortening teaches the Kiddie Cart diet - "Most supermarkets have those scaled down shopping carts; take one the next time you have to do the groceries. They'll fill up easily, it'll necessitate your focusing on quality food items, you'll bring home less grub. Simple, less spoilage, better for hand-to-mouth proportion. Being smaller, you'll need less, anyway."

10) Twitter is actually fun,Google Reader makes my morning blog ritual much easier, and Blogger refuses to follow my layout.

Wedding march

With both my sibling's wedding preparations under way (none of which I know nothing much about), I'm left wondering whether being left alone at home with my folks is a good thing or not. Rico shared this video in his Twitter (aka the new Facebook, according to me) of an interesting way on how the entourage should march down the aisle. If this happened in both weddings, my parents (and probably some of their guests) would probably flip. Or maybe not.

Powerless

My tube of superglue always disappears when I need it the most. I guess that means I can't stare at my Twitter tonight.

It's A Good Thing: Beabi

With the recession looming over everybody all over the world - well, except the Arabs and Russians who have been splurging on super yachts, artwork at Basel, ostrich egg-sized diamonds, and customized Airbus 380s - living a more frugal lifestyle makes more sense. After all, do you really need all that excess now?

In this sorta-almost hard knock of a life, it's always good to come across a store that sells quality shnazzle at very affordable prices.

Tucked away in an aisle in the ground level of Greenbelt 5 (it's near Marks & Sparks and Raoul) lies yet an "undiscovered" treasure trove of practical things.

At first glance, Beabi may appear like a section of Muji, what with all the little pouches, bags, and atomizers that the Japanese brand peddles until you notice that the merchandise comes in more colours other than Muji's typical black, grey, and white that you realize it isn't.

Paolo spied this sturdy looking black tote (a steal at P1,295) that has several pockets on the outside and even more in the inside.

It even has a removable divider so that the stuff you dump inside still gives you an inkling that you're an organized person. It ain't a Louis Vuitton Tadao but it still does the trick!

Beiba also sells little mesh pouches, travel toiletry sacks, light totes, coin purses, and wallets.

L-ugh-gage

In Air Babylon, Imogen Edwards-Jones wrote about an expose about well, the airline industry - dishing out what happens behind that check in counter, up in the air, and while you are sleeping in your seat.

Cops in JFK did a lil expose on their own when they decided to spy on whether airport staff snooped around other people's luggage or not. What they discovered wasn't entirely shocking (they obviously have not heard of Manila's airport crew). Two jerks were caught stealing a laptop and a cellphone from a luggage planted by the cops. As if that wasn't bad enough, they even switched tags with other pieces of luggage. I mean, cmon, something as big as a laptop just CANNOT go bermuda triangle on you. Why do they even bother stealing other people's shnazz? Are they poor? (Did I hear someone say yes?)

Airlines should hold their own crew responsible for the luggage of their passengers. Plane tickets don't grow on trees, ya know. Well, unless you're high up in the media food chain, have loads of moolah, or are travelling on a sponsored trip.

It's just like mall carparks - they should be held responsible for any damage/theft done inside the parking premises. I don't see the point in paying for fake security.

Goodness Gracious

We all know that sometimes life just sucks. But despite all the shnazzy things that happen to you in a year, month, week, day, or hour, there's always something that is bound to pop up and make you realize that life really ain't all that bad.

This entry is to introduce a new section called It's A Good Thing. It won't be about frustrating topics like how everyone is suddenly now a fan of Michael Jackson or the traffic snaking down the SLEX because those are never a good thing.

It's A Good Thing was inspired from the Queen of Obsessive Compulsiveness, Entertaining, Cooking, and Other Domestic Stuff aka Martha Stewart who used to always end her shows with her showing something useful or practical. `Cause, hey, at this world where you're pretty much surrounded by idiots, it's comforting to know that there's a smart idea or two out there for you to smile about.

I spotted my first Good Thing when I was coasting along EDSA (and avoiding every pothole) last night. It's never good to go to bed either hungry or with an empty stomach. Fastfood was too unhealthy for a really late night meal and Mini Stop and 7-11 doesn't exactly offer belly busting meals. It was the sign of Pan de Manila all lit up that made my tummy rejoice.

At Pan de Manila, you can enjoy a wide range of bread made the traditional way—baked inside a brick-oven. The result is soft, chewy goodness in a crusty shell. Aside from bread (spanish bread, ensaymada, pan de coco, loaves), they also sell a variety of jam (mango, coco, guava, triple berry), spreads (peanut butter), and bottled sardines at really affordable prices. Pan de Manila is open 24 hours so you can head there anytime you need a lil filler for the belly. It's a good thing.

Things that make you go Huh

Alexander isaQueen's Fall/Winter 2010 Menswear, Velcro Bustier.

Yes, this is a guy. And I spotted him walking along Tordesillas earlier, probably

werking it. werk.

The gayest billboard on the strip of EDSA. They recently changed it - to

what Paolo said - something even more gay (as if the "frantic fuschia" wasn't enough).

I think this could have worked if it was Raymond instead.

In da club - of St. James the Great in Alabang

First position in ballet - The balls of the feet are turned out completely.

The heels touch each other and the feet face outward, trying to form a straight line.

Apparently, he needs more practice. Lisa Macuja ain't going to be happy.

Blazed

Sometimes I wish climate in Manila was like San Francisco where its perpetually cool so I can wear blazers all day long. For Dior Homme's Spring/Summer 2010 Collection, Kris Van Assche makes it a lil more bearable to don a jacket with this sheer blazer. I wonder if Silk Cocoon can do something like this. Check out the entire collection here.