Movie Review for "The Day After Tomorrow"

Director: Roland Emmerich
Written by: Roland Emmerich
Runtime: 124 min
Rated: PG-13 for intense situations of peril.
Starring: Dennis Quaid, Jake Gyllenhaal, Emmy Rossum, Ian Holm

Along with the several million other spectators across the globe I trekked to my nearest UGC cinema to see the by-now-quite-notorious-movie "The Day After Tomorrow" which came out in cinemas here on Wednesday (Notice they didn't put "Starring:..." on the posters... I wonder why? =). Since it was a movie directed by Roland Emmerich who had already directed the likes of "Independence Day" and "Gozilla" I figured that it would be a large-scale thrill-filled on-your-edge movie. I wasn't dissapointed. Dennis Quaid did a good job playing the climatologist and caring father Jack Hall who finds out on a trip to the Antarctic that the weather is about to change-- drastically, and for the worse. Obviously his words fall upon deaf ears, including those of Cheney-look-alike vice president (played by Kenneth Welsh). Luckily theres also Terry Rapson (Ian Holm), another climatologist who comes to his rescue with the first of the several people who come to back him up, and soon enough the weather starts going amok. Hail falls on Tokyo, (why is it that all Japanese actors in foreign films have a wierd way of speaking Japanese??), hurricanes start whipping up across islands, and several tornadoes ravage Los Angeles (not without much fanfare). Oh, and theres also Jack's son who's on a decathalon trip to New York when Manhattan itself comes under a tsunami that swallows the city and leaves its people stranded in the public library (which, I having visited, looks nothing of the sort, and does not even face a street as it does in the movie. Its main entrance faces the side of 42nd street, not up Fifth Avenue. But I'll have to check into that). A huge freezing storm sets in, freezing New York and eventually forcing the President (who looks incredibly like Al Gore, or at least someone who looks like a president, played by Perry King) to evacuate everyone in the Southern states. And where do they head to? Mexico! The most hilarious part of the film was seeing everyone crossing the Rio Grande the wrong way and hearing that the Mexican government allows the American exodus as part of a negotiation of the US forgiving "all Latin-American debts". Then, inevitably Jack Hall sets out to New York to save his son (and the girl his son happens to like, as well as a few other people). There are a few heart-wrenching moments, but then again theres always this thought in the back of the mind that everything in the movie is sort of expected before it happens, which is the sad part. I'm giving this movie a rating of four stars of five, primarily because the movie effects were breath-taking and dynamic, the topics are a great thing to start a dinner conversation, and because Dennis Quaid hasn't quite lost his flair after all these years. Its just too bad that things seem to go just a tad too well in this movie. Oh, and the only "foul" word is bastard, as quoted by the English in their helicopters (whose engines freeze in the storms) on their way to evacuate the royal family from Volgard castle. Its worth your money to see this movie.

Murphy's Laws
Nothing is as easy as it looks. (boy do we all find that out the hard way)
Everything takes longer than you think.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.
If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong. Corollary: If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen then.
If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway.
If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop.
Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse.(especially if things are bad in the first place.. for chemists: entropy?)
If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.
Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.
It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious.
Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first.
Every solution breeds new problems.

Murphy's Law of Thermodynamics
Things get worse under pressure. (especially me)

The Murphy Philosophy
Smile . . . tomorrow will be worse.

In nature, nothing is ever right. Therefore, if everything is going right ... something is wrong.

Oh, and if anything, Murphy must've been a sore pessimist, although you could say that he was also a realist...

Sorry about the lack of posts recently. Been a hectic week. Anyways, just letting you all know that I've come up with a beta version of the International Weblogger's Day website. The beta version is found here, so if you don't mind putting a comment or two about what you think of the site (and how it can be improved), I'd be grateful. In regards to spicening up the site with more colours, I don't think I'm going to go for it because 1) I can't choose the right colours and 2) They never seem to fit well. Plus, I like it simple. I like life simple. Don't we all? And yet somehow or another we manage to make life as complicated as it can be. Irony of ironies...

One more thing. Pity I did't post this earlier (because now it makes me look as though I copied Answer Seeking Girl, which is in a sense true). Rites of Spring is a blog well worth reading, especially because his words are spell-binding, and because he has a way with seeing things in a perspective like no other... (and the random images are great.. spent 5 minutes pressing Reload to see all of them) When I look at his blog and then at mine and compare his philosophy with my Chinatown views, it kinda makes mine look primitive eh? well no one's comparing anything here I guess.

Went to Paris' Chinatown in the 13th arrondissment for some shopping with the family.. it was really interesting seeing how you seem to enter a whole new place with a different culture. it was all a blabber of chinese, thai and a conglomerate of french and some other asian languages.

A ruffle and a scuffle as shelves are stacked high
With instant noodles and dried pickle sauce
Wonder Tea and Best Quality dumplings
The women scrutinising the nutrition label
As though they were some jeweler looking
At diamonds through horn-rimmed glasses
"Pah-don" as the men push the crates along
Rumbling on the littered floor with boxes
The rows of duck thats hung side by side
A chop "Pah-don" chop chop "Mershi"
It's Chinatown here, Little Saigon there,
Outside its Paris, inside its another world

I was going to get a shopping cart at the Chinese supermarket "Paris Store" because my mum was literally emptying the shelves with all the food she wanted to buy when I realised I didn't have the 1-euro coin to "free" the cart (You know how they're all chained together and you put in a coin, slam a protuding part in and the cart releases the chain). So I asked this guy in a suit with shades and yellow flowers in one hand if he has 2 1-euro coins to trade for my 2-euro coin, and he replies he has only one. So I say well let's see if I have any change and I start counting and he stops me in the middle and says "It's okay no need to worry" and pats my arm and I say well no I can't do that but he continues to say its okay so I hand him what I have and mumble a thank you... When I have the shopping cart free I look around and he's already gone... and it just occurs to me then that he had never looked me in the eye.. and then I just realise he might have been blind and selling the flowers...

A while back I posted an entry on a variety of web browsers including Opera and Mozilla. This time's gonna be a review on a variety of peer-to-peer (P2P) software that you can download to download and share music from other people. Unfortunately I can't find stats on how many percent of people use what software, but apparently 35 million Americans use P2P software, which ultimately amounts to 29% of Internet users!

1) WinMX 3.31: At 752KB to download, WinMX is by far my favourite program to use while searching for music. (If you're here to prosecute me on grounds that I have illegally downloaded music, please refer to musicunited.org for details on why I don't fit in the category). WinMX, developed by Frontcode Technologies, is quick to load, rid of ads or bundleware (spyware and unwanted software that are installed with the program). You find the songs you want with no hassle, no fuss, and it's a relatively quick download from any peer. However, your choice might be somewhat limited, because it's not the top-downloaded program on the Net. Kazaa is.

2) Kazaa 2.6.3: You can debate on how to pronounce its name, but you can't omit the fact that it's extremely popular. As of this post, over 1.9 million people have downloaded Kazaa. And yet I've only downloaded it twice before ultimately resorting to uninstalling it. Why? Because at 7MB (a hundred WinMX's if you would) it's a big thing to download, and because on my slow computer it takes decades to load, not to mention the website and the annoying banner ads. It's not exactly my top pick, although undoubtedly you get the biggest choice in downloads.

3) LimeWire 4.0: LimeWire was a nice surprise in the sense that it's midway between WinMX and Kazaa. It's not as big as Kazaa and therefore doesn't take long to download, and there's just one ad for upgrading the software. The plus aspect of LimeWire is that it's incredulously fast. The song selection is not spectacular, but its good enough to find the latest hits. The GUI (graphic user interface) and the skin is pretty sleek too, not to mention the fact that it's also a cross-platfrom software (meaning you can use it on your Mac as well). It's on a different track too (the Gnutella network) which means that you are in the realm with most Mac P2P users.

4) eDonkey2000 v0.53: eDonkey (often referred to as eD2K) is nice and fast, another leeway between WinMX and Morpheus. It's not as slow to load as Morpheus, and its choice/range of selection of songs is widespread. There's one banner ad but it's hardly noticeable. The interface sorta reminds you of a Mac computer browser. At 918KB, its a nice bargain in terms of size too.

5) Morpheus 4: Morpheus isn't exactly top of the line either, sadly. It's reputedly got connections to iMesh and Kazaa networks, giving you more choice of downloading songs, but I found that hard to believe. Its nifty how some Matrix-souding woman says "Morpheus" when you load the program, but that's not exactly the whole point, either. The download is bundled with other software too and it takes a bit to load. The plus side is that it's also reputedly declared legal by a U.S federal court, which might settle some jumpy nerves you might have while downloading music.

For lack of better ideas (I'll come up with some soon enough) I decided to go on a quiz frenzy at Quizilla.com, with all the relatively interesting quizzes. Not that they're to be taken seriously. Anyways, heres a result of a few that I took, for laughs or for not. I answered truthfully, mind you.

What Color is Your Brain? Take it

Gold!
At work or in school: I like set routines and organized ways of doing thingsl rules and directions are a great help to me. I prefer to stay on one topic at a time. I need to know what is expected of me, and I always want to know if I am on the right track. I like subjects that are useful and traditional, such as business, accounting, history and government.
With friends: I prefer people who are careful with their money and who make plans ahead of time. I like my friends to be loyal, dependable and on time. I am serious about love and show it in many practical ways.
With family: I like stability and security and enjoy traditions and frequent celebrations. I like to spend holidays with family members, and I plan ahead for such gatherings.

How Old is your Inner Child? Take it

My inner child is ten years old! (This scares me)
The adult world is pretty irrelevant to me. Whether I'm off on my bicycle (or pony) exploring, lost in a good book, or giggling with my best friend, I live in a world apart, one full of adventure and wonder and other stuff adults don't understand.

What Sign of Affection Are You? Take it

You're a hug from behind - you like to feel what the other person is feeling and see things how they see them. you tend to be serious and emotional.

Which Weird Latin Phrase Are You? Take it

Non curo. Si metrum non habet, non est poema. "I don't care. If it doesn't rhyme, it isn't a poem." You are a type A personality. You like bright things, you don't call in sick to work, and you have devastating opinions about art.

What Movie do you Belong in? Take it

You belong in the movie Tarzan! You are a very curious and well-mannered person! Big things are always happening to you. You can adapt quickly to any situation and you are very loyal to the ones you love.

A lyric to Kathy... if she ever reads this blog:

Come up to meet ya, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are
I had to find you, tell you I need ya
And tell you I set you apart
Tell me your secrets, and nurse me your questions
Oh lets go back to the start
Running in circles, coming in tails
Heads on a science apart
Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh take me back to the start

I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart
And tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start
Running in circles, chasing tails
Coming back as we are

Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I'm going back to the start

I like my Church. Well not really. I mean, I like the atmosphere and the pastor and all, but theres always the element of being left out. I know no one is left out when it comes to God, but then again I sometimes realise that I'm not too familiar with the Church I go to, and there are some aspects of more "familial" Churches that I miss. It's all made so that prayer (like the Our Father and The Apostles' Creed) is the only channel and means through which we can talk to Him. While it is unconditionally true that prayer is often the best way to communicate with Him, I know that He is also here to talk to us in a more direct sense...

Ascension is on Thursday and I have school off, but the dreaded Headmistress forces us to go to school on Friday too. typical, typical. well, not much in the mood to right much today, so I guess I'll leave it at that.

I passed by Answer Seeking Girls' (ever-pensive) blog yesterday and found about audblog, a cool service that allows you to post an audio to your blog by using a phone. Its pretty cool (although you all know that I'd never allow myself to do it, just for the fear of hearing my voice.) *cringes* Anyways, I got my mp3 player at last, and to say the least, its been a long wait thats ultimately worth it. Let's just hope the police don't start shutting down every single peer-to-peer file-sharing program/site. *uninspired and lazy, the author of this blogs decides to end the meagre post here* miss ya'll ! (hey how was the junior-senior dinner? *cringes yet again, for reasons only Mackie would understand*

An interesting socio-anthropological discussion in today's entry: a division between East and West you've probably haven't noticed before (unless you've read my previous entry on a very similar matter), and it has to do with numbers (oh no, screams everyone). Calma. Its much more easier than you think. First off, a question:

How many plates/cups/forks/knives come in a standard set?

If you answered six, then you're correct. How about coffee cups? Six too? It would be if you lived in the West. It wouldn't, at least, in premodern Japan. Not surprisingly, a premodern society (ie before the Great Wars) is a telling piece of a nation's history and culture. Because in Japan you would have five. And thats not the only example.

Whats interesting about all this is that odd numbers are surprisingly in use in Japanese society. A popular child's festival in early spring invites all children ages 3, 5, and 7 in what is known in Japanese as "shichi go san" (literally "seven five three"). A tea ceremony room ("chashitsu") has 4 and a half floor boards (made of straw and called the "tatimi", roughly the squared perimeter of size of a man). Haiku, Japanese poetry at its finest, uses verses with 7, 5 and 7 "syallbles" in each line. Horyuji, the world's oldest wooden structure built in the 8th century and located in Nara prefecture of Japan, was built in accordance with Chinese blueprints, one that had symmetry as its focal point. Upon the completion of the temple, however, the Japanese added one small temple in the south-west corner of the site, thus disrupting what one would see as a perfect harmony of balance. The main temple, with an intricate structure of sloping slates with floors upon another, has three floors altogether. Similarly, other temples have five such floors.

Western society, if I may make a generalisation of a sort, favours symmetry and even-ness to an unimaginable extent. Versailles doesn't have one end of the castle protuded crudely from the other, nor does the garden in front of the castle present even a small leaf askew. Beauty is seen in symmetry, just as small children who were tested found people whose faces were symmetrical more attractive than people without (Denzel Washington being an example). Buildings are symmetrical, and Western hospitals have no qualms about a fourth floor. The Japanese do, most notably because the number 4 can also mean "death", but it could be because of more subtle reasons.

Why would this be the case for Japan (and other Asian countries, except for China, which sees odd numbers as an evil omen) ? Is there some mentality that things that are not symmetrical and not even is preferable over another? Regardless of mentality, it is undoubtedly true that such oddities exist in Japan to this day. Some people explain that the Japanese favour a more "natural" and thus less "sharp" and precise way of things (as in the case of nature, when many things have five of a sort, like five petals in a flower and such). A typical example is that even numbers are divisible with no remainders, while odd numbers have a remainder, a part waiting to be completed, but will never be able to be physically accomplished. For all know that dividing 3 by 7 will get a number that, despite its repetition, will never (theoretically) end. Others suggest that odd numbers are circular (because of its repetition) and thus it represents a cycle, of which one is a part of. Japanese society stresses quite a deal the fact that there is no individual (even to this day). Rather, a person is part of another group of people, which is why a person is to have such respect for an elder, and teamwork has so few difficulties in Japan.

In fact, showing respect to a Japanese elder is not done by "Your Majesty" or "Your Highness" in the sense that the elder is elevated in status beyond their actual place with flattering words. Rather, you lower your own status (in effect by saying that you are nothing) which grants the most respect in Japan. It is in the same case when someone asks a Japanese lady if she is good at playing the piano. Rather than say "I'm good and I'm sure you'll enjoy listening if you can come to my concert next week", she would say "Oh, I'm not too good; besides I'm too shy to play". A Westerner would take her at her word; a Japanese listener would automatically realise that that humble gesture was the real sign that she is truly a good player.

In any case, I thought that the subtle difference between Western and Eastern society was interesting to highlight. While perhaps some of you might visit Japan and other Asian countries in the future, it would be even more interesting to take part in noticing such divisions, one that makes discovering foreign cultures all the more interesting. I for one prefer symmetry and see it more satisfying to the eye than something slightly askew. Akin to wanting to readjust a crooked painting. But while this may sound like a hasty five-minute generalisation made on a crowded subway ride, I am please to inform you all that I am not the first to come up with this realisation. I rarely ever am. lol.

So-so day today, especially since I got my SAT results back. For a first time taker of the evil test, I guess a 1310 isn't too bad is it? Well I hope to do better next time, especially with a 680 in math. I get my long-waited mp3 player tommorow! I just hope I don't come home only to realise it doesn't fit in my computer's USB port. I'd be really sad then, and you'll be notified of my dissapointment by an absence of post tommorow. Going back to today's discussion, today's Mute Point verdict is: "there's beauty in difference".

I guess Eclipse of Souls will not see the light of day anymore. Its gotten a bit redundant, and I guess I should seek fresher ideas for stories. Anyhow I promised to give a bit of insight into how the five installments shed any light to my personal life. "Eclipse of Souls" was indeed a futuristic tale modeled on my listening to the BBC's special reportage on North Korea (surprise surprise). It has several threads of the experience intertwined in the plot, with a character by the name of Jace a blurry representation of myself. He is a solitary character with a dim perspective on the future, just following the rules and guidelines until one day he comes upon something that upsets everything. In a sense he's a renewed person because of the so-called 'revelation', but then again he realises "Would it have been better if I hadn't known about this?" In this sense I think many people can relate to experiences they would have rather not undergone. (Note: Rest assured, readers, that this does not have anything to do with my Christianity). And what does the title of the story have anything to do with the character, who gives no indication the 'plurality' of the world "Souls"?. well thats for you all to find out. For those of you who were waiting for a new release, I apologise for the cliff-hanging end. Perhaps the sequel to the unfinished story may be published at a later date. If it does, I'll be sure to let everyone know. Until then, its going to be poetry for me. (All poems and stories are archived here)

The unharried wind whispers in my ear
Let yourself see the unseen tear
The shadowed being hidden among
All the masses, a note within a song
Listen to the breath of the sigh
Of a troubled mind; low betwixt high
The wind bemoans the senseless part
Of emotions from one spirit and heart
Let yourself see all this loss and hear
Says the wind as it whipers in my ear

Lately I've realised how "trust-less" people have become.. I mean I overheard today someone saying that "I don't trust anyone, not even my friends", and if that were true, that was definitely an eye-opening phrase for me. I guess I'm that naive thinking people automatically trust each other until something "untrustworthy" happens. So thats the verdict today: people are less inclined to trust others, and I guess its more so in this generation than the previous, and so on.. a sad world we live in eh? Whats life if you continually doubt the person in front of you? Anyways, other than that, life is normal, nothing really special, but I am looking forward to Friday when I get my SAT results back. (well actually they get posted online). enough about school. A quarter of my life is going to be spent at school, a half of it on work, so I'm gonna make sure that the other quarter is gonna be well worth it. =) Nyways, heres a nice poem that we're decyphering/trashing/tearing apart in English class.. really, do you think that the poet when thinking tHAt far when he wrote the poem? Our teacher can write a whole book on just the first stanza... I love the imagery of this stanza though. Really reflective, you just see everything before your eyes.. and plus, its a great advice for all of us isnt it?

From "Ode On Melancholy" by John Keats (ref: here)

...
But when the melancholy fit shall fall
Sudden from heaven like a weeping cloud,
That fosters the droop-headed flowers all,
And hides the green hill in an April shroud;
Then glut thy sorrow on a morning rose,
Or on the rainbow of the salt sand-wave,
Or on the wealth of globed peonies...

Reading bout love and flirting in my friends' blogs made me kinda lonely. I mean, okay I have a few good friends that happen to be girls that I socialise with, but there's really no one that I "connect with", I guess. Maybe I'm not making an effort, but is one supposed to make an effort? I doubt it. I know I gotta concentrate on studying and all, but in the back of my mind I know theres something I'm missing out, something I'm leaving behind that I might just regret when all else fails..

This is installment (week) 5. To read the previous installments of "Eclipse of Souls", click here.

... For an hour he sat there, furiously entranced in the flurry of words that sped from the pages and into his ever-questioning mind. His whole surroundings melted into obscurity, so much so that he failed to notice that by the time he had read enough, it was long past the time he was supposed to be back at work. There were too many questions, too many unanswered queries, and it all bewildered him. He knew that what the history books said were not accurate, but to what extent he failed to notice.

For what he vaguely recalled of what now became the distant past, he remembered the days when people were happy, unbound to their duties as Comrades in an all too unconfortably equal world. He remembered the smell of the brightly coloured trees in the air of spring, now reduced to mere gray ashes in a forlorn and hostile territory. There were the birds too, with their songs reverberating in the clear blue sky as children played joyfully on swings that hung beneath the branches. It was when the wind was a welcome feeling rustling the leaves as the trees waved in a dance, when the sun scorched the dry earth and the heat was almost unbearable. For now the clouds obscured the rays of the sun, and winter never seemed to end.

He hated himself for reminiscing.

He hated himself for having evoked the memories of which he had blocked out so effectively that he hadn't realised until now how much he had missed. Every moment that passed was now a reminder of how different life was before.

He did realise, however, that what the tides of time had effaced from the ink in the books, there was bound to be locked somewhere in the minds of the people around him, in the souls of those who lived the past, and the hearts of those who were determined never to let those memories go. And he didn't have to wait for long to find the person he needed.

Lousy exams. Lousy Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Okay, that's all the collegeboard will allow me to say. I'm censored; theres bound to be some collegeboard spy tapping my phones and spying on me from a car, ready to accuse me of federal breachment of copyright laws as soon as I utter: "On the exam, there was...". So much for the three hour exam for French. English Lang and Comp was okay. French, not okay. French, noooooo not okay. You can't force me into the seat for five hours and a half and assume that I was happy after all that. Five hours! Can you believe it? I bet the folks at colleboard'll get a heart attack finding out about that (it was supposed to be three). But its done. Its over. (oh, and my voice, I hate to hear it recorded. ow shucks. I just reminded myself of my voice. aaa! *goes mad*) One good thing: I didn't have class at all today. One bad thing: I finished the day half an hour later than everyone, stuck at school for 10 hours. but yipee! I get the results soon. Plus I have Gmail! (please note: reading residual effects of excessive excitement in this blog may result in contagious behaviour on behalf of the reader. The author assumes no responsability for such unnatural phenomena)

Credits: Arrigo, who got the idea from Googlism. Yes Mackie, what goes round, comes round. All comments in parentheses are mine, the rest are true searches on Google.

rio is good value (yup. 4 for $0.99. coupon found in most magazines)
rio is staying (I'm not goin anywhere... right?)
rio is a gamble
rio is for lovers (*whistles* ayup)
rio is a portable mp3 music player
rio is worth more than the club (I'm worth a lot, pal)
rio is 'captain fantastic' (huh?)
rio is not enough (nevaah)
rio is contagious (re: previous entry)
rio is accepting applications for the position of downtown manager
rio is an integral part of brazil
rio is upbeat
rio is raring to go (just where is another matter)
rio is still more vision than function (is that supposed to be a compliment?)
rio is one of las vegas' hottest entertainment destinations
rio is 2 miles on the right (of where...?)
rio is out on dvd (starring: Rio!)
rio is located on new york's lower east side at 156 rivington street
rio is located in the heart of san antonio
rio is an important manufacturing and service center
rio is town of two worlds
rio is a city of sun
rio is not happy (lol)
rio is the best deal for the money
rio is an independent
rio is made to go on the run (how appropriate)
rio is the cheapest car you can buy in america (riiiiggght)
rio is a way to increase attendance at your next event
rio is the final victory of fantasy over fact
rio is classically marked with 4 perfect white stockings and a tidy blaze (thats the best one! just don't ask me how they got 4 stockings)
rio is sold (whoa. price marked below)
rio is here (really?)
rio is walking by the beaches (you wish)
rio is cocke county's pride and joy
rio is jammed into what is probably the world's most beautiful setting
rio is more reliable than the lowly sportage (hmm.. )
rio is the fact that it never skips (I run!)
rio is one of the most fun
rio is a beautiful sight (holds stomach and laughs)
rio is up to $10 (here's the price)
rio is the 1998 westminster kennel club show winner (I'm a dog too?)
rio is cheap (did someone I know put this one up?)
rio is bounded on the east by the guanabara bay
rio is one of the world's largest tropical cities
rio is a single unified electronic patient record
rio is one of the prettiest places in the world
rio is available in sedan and hatch for the same price (is it)
rio is about the size of a pager (am I that small? *looks worried*)
rio is approximately 1 (uh huh how can I be "approximately")
rio is launching a new and official website
rio is an awful car (is it)
rio is upgraded (from...?)
rio is mottled powder grey on belly and paws (eww)
rio is in production (how many more?)
rio is perpetually swathed
rio is priced to be accessible to all companies (another auction of me)
rio is that the price to performance ratio is outstanding (...)
rio is available only in 5-door configuration (and I thought there were 4-door women eh?)
rio is licensed for 93 beds (add another 7)
rio is fabulous any time of the year (ayup)
rio is a cosmopolitan city that reflects the cultural shapes of lebanese (*scratches head*)
rio is a factory installed safety device that should not be tampered with (most peculiar)

The beauty of it all... thanks to Mackie I have Gmail! lol. I guess the hype lasts only until everyone else gets it. Until then, its kinda cool. Plus, no need for me to have to worry about that little green bar progressing across the side-bar every time I get new emails. No worry about having to sign in once every 30 days, (although rest assured I won't leave it empty for long). Just makes you kinda wonder how Google does it, eh? Anyways, the SAT exam was a killer, and the hard thing about it was that you don't have time to doodle like in the PSATs. Its sad that they hardly tell you about it, because in the PSATs you have lots of time, and suddenly the SATs become a stressful marathon to finish the questions. I omitted a few; better than losing points on wrong answers. American School in Paris is certainly a big school, and I'm really glad I didn't go there. I took the SAT there, but the place is just horrid. Completely reminds me of ASIJ, ASP's equivalent in Tokyo. Ever notice those lined tiles in the ceilings of many airports, those that allow you to see the pipes and all, with fluorescent light seeping through ? Exactly that. And amazingly big too. I dunno. Maybe my prejudice. But its certainly not worth forking up the dinero to go to such a school. EaB's good, thank you. Glad my parents discouraged me to go to ASP; I had wanted to go, with the curriculum including AP and all... but sometimes you parents know best, hard as it is in our youthful age to accept that. Somethings in life change from one decade to another (like fashion and music) but others, well, Yoda knows best.