Archive for July, 2007

Crop Circles goes 3D?

Recently I read the newspapers about a new crop circles appeared at Wiltshire, UK. Report said that this circles was unique because it has 3D elements in it. Because the pics at newspapers does not clearly shown how 3D it was, so I go to Internet to check and “wow”! It was really 3D! It depicts a corridor-like graphic, and the vanishing point is at the center of the circle. More angles here.

I had been fascinated about crop circles since small. It was something like mystery mix with inspiration, mind-boggling creation. The mysteries of crop circles was still remained unsolved, although I watch several documentary about crop circles are actually made by human. But, from the old circles, now actually some of them is very huge and mathematically precised superb beauty circles! I wonder human actually can do that? Some more is have to do it overnight (prevent being catched)? Who knows.

Below are some collections of crop circles. If you ask me which I like the most? Yes. It’s the first one below: the great Milk Hill crop circle.

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3 Ultra High Res Transformers Pix.. & more!

Hi everyone, here are the 3 ultra high resolution of 3 transformers model rendering – Optimus Prime, Bumble Bee and Megatron, thanks to a friend of mine who provide the source. Those three pictures are really high res, at least 4500px, so might make your computer slow while viewing it.

Yesterday, I watched the movie too. I think the movie is not well made… too much parody’s from other movies like Independence Day, Armageddon, Matrix… and even the chasing scene in front looks like trailer footage of “Need For Speed Most Wanted”. There is just a little adrenaline rush in this movie, the special effects scene was too short and in the end there, the robot fight scene is total chaos. I give it a B-.

Not to say disappointed but it can be better. I think this story was like celebration of web technology. Ebay, Youtube-like scenes, Witwicky (heard like Wikipedia) and the Optimus Prime said “We learnt this over the World Wide Web”. Haha. But, the art of transformers are wicked!

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ERIKA – “FREE” Single Lyrics

Yesterday, Sawajiri Erika just debuted with the name ERIKA with the maxi single FREE. I already listened to the song and watched PV of FREE & FANTASY too. I would say FREE is just so so only, but FANTASY is quite good. Even I think Time to go home is a nice piece too. Wow, I just checked the Oricon chart, this single is topping the daily single ranking for two days in row! That’s pretty encouraging!

This single gets no.1 spot in the first week of release despite just selling for a mere 50,287 copies. She already had a no.1 single previously when she released “Taiyou no Uta” under Kaoru Amane. She became only the second solo female artist in Oricon’s ranking history to achieve #1 with her first two singles!

Read more for the lyrics of the 3 songs & listen to it.

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Places to Watch J-dramas Online

I still remember last time, I watched J-dramas through television, because got no money to buy VCD box. But now, web technology and broadband help us to get to watch the latest J-dramas that is currently aired in Japan. Well, normally I go to some site and *ahem the drama, but actually, there are some sites that offer online streaming of J-dramas.

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Where to get Quality Free Fonts?

Where to get Quality Free Fonts?

Since the early age of human race, communication is playing the vital role, either using body language, eye signal, or by using drawings. Then, to make communication better, human invented symbols then refined to become text. In the past, books were hand written, and thanks to Johannes Guternberg’s first printed book “42 Line Bible” by using movable type, books can be publish easily. Now in modern age, typefaces were transformed into digital format or “font”. Although David Carson once declared “The end of print”, but for me text and print is still important.

There are so many free fonts for download over the net but, only quite a few that provides quality, here are some of my selection.

Fontleech

This site provides nice free fonts from different font foundry from around the world. Must visit.

Fontleech

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7 Reasons to watch J-dramas.

Since I was 15 years old, I am a fan of Japanese Drama. Although I had been stop watching for a while, but thanks to Densha Otoko, it brings me back to the “dark side”. Since then, I been continuing watching J-dramas until now. J-dramas already is playing an important role in my life, and there is 7 reasons why I like J-drama so much, and why you should watch too.

1. Depicting real-life situation, with a twist.

Everyone who watch should know that, J-dramas’ story normally depicting the daily life of a Japanese. For example, the story of a working class, a lawyer, or even a patient etc. So, I feel that Japanese drama is very “real”, and this makes the actors and actresses act in a very natural condition too. With a twist means something that makes the story more interesting. For example, there is a lot of small little cute sound effects in Gokusen 2, or in Haken no Hinkaku, when the heroin is walking on the crowded street, suddenly the wind start blowing hard and make a path for her to walk, hahah.

2. Delivering message, or reflect the current society.

In every J-dramas, there is a message to tell to the audience. Sometimes the message is so strong and it might change a people’s perception or teach them the right way of solving problem. For example, in 14 Sai no haha, the story is about a 14 years old girl get pregnant. This is reflecting the current society because, you can read a lot of news about underage girls get pregnant, and it happens around the world.

While in “Proposal Daisakusen” that just ended, is about a guy who going back to his past to chase back his love ones who he never confess although he got so many chance to do it, and the girl is getting married to another guy. But he failed everytime he went back, so he decided not to look back to past anymore but what is in front of him. This tells us that, we should appreciate every moment of our life, and must live our life without regrets.

3. It’s short and compact.

Normally a J-drama will have about 11 episodes, unlikely other country dramas that might run up to hundreds. This is very good because it makes the storyline more compact and every episodes is exciting, and most important: NOT DRAGGY. Sometimes the dramas so good that I hope that they can make it longer haha.

4. Well presented in a package.

Normally a great j-dramas will come with a nice theme song, insert song or ending theme and original soundtrack. This will really enhance the story. For example, in “1 litre of tears”, the theme song “Only Human” by K, is really touching and the insert song “Konayuki” by Remioromen is also very nice. Or in “Densha Otoko”, the background music is superb and well blended. These musics makes the audience can feel the feeling of the scene more easily.

5. School life dramas brings back my memories.

I like J-dramas that talks about school life, especially high school. I had been “jealous” about how interesting the Japanese high school life (not to mention their uniform). Their school have so many celebrations and events, I think that is just so cool. And the enjoyment, the friendship, the happenings just make me recollect all the memories of my school life, it is just so nostalgic. I missed my school life but no regret because I enjoy my school life!

6. Interesting, wide range of storyline.

Japanese dramas is so rich in terms of the story telling! Unlike the others, which is so boring because the story is so repetitive and predictable. But in J-drama, you can expect and unexpected. Heard from my friends who had watch “Karei naru Ichizoku” that, the story is so twisting and you can never expect how the story will go. Or in “LIAR GAME”, the story is very exciting and unpredictable too. This is why J-dramas outshine the others.

7. Idols, Idols, Idols!!

Yeah, when new drama comes in, the first to concern is who is gonna act in that drama?? Not just cute female, even male I also concern. Remember last time I watch dramas like “Beautiful Life”, “Beach Boy”, “Gal Circle” etc.. just want to see how they charming and pretty they are. The more idols in it the better, hahaha. For example, I like Toda Erika and Yamapi a lot, so the dramas that have them sure I will watch.

So these are my 7 reasons to watch J-drama. Actually there is one more, that is because I have a bunch of friends who like to watch J-dramas too! With them, my J-drama life will not be lonely! I would say that is really greatful because I met J-drama. I will continue to watch for the rest of my life! J-drama banzai! Wah, first time write so long article.

Trash the Wedding Gown!

Let me ask you, what normally a brides do with her wedding gown after wedding ceremony? Keep it nicely in a box or as treasure that pass from generation to generation? Well let me tell you the latest trend: TRASH IT. This trend was started by a Las Vegas photographer John Michael Cooper, and then it started to get more and more popular.

He was freaking bored with the cliche wedding photography, so he started to convince his clients to get wild and extraordinary. According to him, the fashion photography often put “pretty people into ugly scene”, so he wants to apply that into wedding photography too.

There is even a website dedicated to it: TrashtheDress.com, created by Mark Eric to highlight his dress trashing experience & became a place for other photographers to share their trashing too. Here is the manifesto of the site:

Go ahead, you know you want to. Trash it. Get it dirty. Get it wet. Roll around in the mud. Drench it in the ocean. Totally trash it.

Why? … Why not? You’ve made a commitment to your husband. He’s your one and only true love, right? Then you’ll never need the dress again. And no, your daughter won’t wear it in 20-30 years. So you have two choices:

1) Suffocate it in plastic and throw it in a closet
2) Show your husband how committed you are by trashing the dress, and get some great fun pictures while you do it!

According to Associated Content, Trash the Dress phenomenon has been touted as a way for women to celebrate their wedding without becoming obsessed by it. For some, the images are a cathartic release of wedding-related stress. Maybe they want to keep their memory through photography only, the wedding gown symbolizes their past and has no meaning to them anymore.

Although it gets a lot of criticism, but it actually attracted the alternative crowd that is seeking for individuality expression. For me, I think the trash the dress phenomenon is creative and make sense. Why make sense? Wedding gown is a dress that you wore once in lifetime, so what for keeping it and it actually lose its functionality after the wedding ceremony.

So, instead of keeping, why not seeking out a way to “get rid” of it by doing something creative, like what the manifesto mentioned above? I just run through those photography showcase, and it actually not bad and more meaningful, like “Oh yeah, by this photography, I’m become mind-free and cherish the rest of my life with my love one”.

I absolutely support this. But not sure in Malaysia will have this trend or not. More pictures below, credits to NYTimes and trashthedress.com.