Tit for Tat

Sometimes we get things not because we want them or because they're necessarily better... sometimes we just get things... just because.
Take my cable service, for example. A couple of months ago I had Destiny Cable on my TV. The reception was crappy (perhaps this was just due to my connection) but it had all the shows I loved. I had TechTV, a geeky tech and computer channel that gave me my fix of videogame reviews. Aside from that, the tech news and latest gadget reviews were far more informative and relevant to me than other stuff... including the tabloid-ish Fox News. Another thing I enjoyed was NOW Channel, a European channel that also had videogame and tech shows.
Finally there's the Discovery Travel and Leisure Channel, which contains my favorite Globe Trekker re-runs and food shows like Anthony Bourdain's A Cook's Tour.

When fricking AXN took their stuff and abandoned Destiny, I made a decision to switch to Sky Cable since I felt I could not live without my Alias and CSI fixes. Now, I have no NOW Channel. No Discovery Travel and Leisure. No TechTV. In return, I have the Star Network channels again (which is neat) and Cinemax. The Lifestyle Channel is a poor substitute for Discovery Leisure- the food shows are nowhere near as down-to-earth and visceral or as appetitzing as Globe Trekker or Cook's Tour, and it's not even on the whole day!

So this is how I stand. I lost all my fave shows and channels for good reception and lots of shows which I really don't need.

And about AXN... I only recently realized I could have access to Alias and CSI episodes quite easily without need for waiting for them to air on the action network. ARGH.

Oh well... at least the reception is impeccable. That counts for something.

From here on in, I'm gonna have to make sure the stuff I acquire and move into are for the better. One can't live with regret or indecision and expect to end up with the brass ring. Anyway, I don't think my decision to switch channels was wrong. It's just new. Now I have to get used to it. Like most things, you grow into them with time and experience.

National Book Awards

This evening, the National Book Awards will be held at Megamall's Megatrade Hall, honoring the past year's best local releases in publishing and literature. Of special interest to me is the Comic catergory, where two of my friends will be going at it head-to-head. One is of course Arnold Arre, two-time winner and now entered with his romantic-comedy graphic novel, After Eden. The other is Carlo Vergara, with his quirky superhero/heroine comedy adventure/drama, Ang Kagila-gilalas na Pakikipagsapalaran ni Zsa Zsa Zaturnnah. Carl was nominated the last time for One Night in Purgatory, a gay-themed graphic novel.
Good luck, guys. You're both winners in my book.

From Fighting Mummies to Zombies


Carlos Olivera (Oded Fehr) in action.

A familiar name to fans of The Mummy films has joined the cast of the upcoming Resident Evil: Apocalypse movie. Actor Oded Fehr (Who played the cool Tuareg warrior Ardeth Bey) will be appearing as Carlos Olivera, a mercenary working for the insidious Umbrella Corporation. With his familiar beard and moustache shaven, Fehr looks little like his previous onscreen characters. We'll be looking forward to seeing him kick zombie butt with Alice (Milla Jovovich) and Jill Valentine (Sienna Guillory) when RE: Apocalypse is unleashed in theaters.

Angel Musings


Hi, Marc! Long time no see!

After working on various side projects in comics that include a couple of comic anthologies (Hainaku 3 is already out and selling well, I am told. YES! The other, Cherry Blossom High, should be out in the next few months), I am finally back to working with my manga unica hija, Angel Ace. She's been a patient dear despite the fact that I have been fully occupied with other cute manga babes, all of which have their own charms and quirks.
Anyway, it looks good. The next issue of Angel Ace should be a BIG issue, even bigger than the original issue one which clocked in at 72 pages. There will be laughs, tears, action, cuteness, thrills, chills, an aerial battle AND the return of a certain cute little furball. Heh.
We're looking for a release within the next few months, perhaps in time for the C3Con (if there is one). I'm crossing my fingers on this one, as I do with everything else. It's all in the timing.

Closing up shop

Today I went to a production house to screen a TV commercial for client's approval. Of course, there was free food aplenty; Chili's chicken fingers, buffalo wings and fajitas for the taking. For dessert, there were two kinds of cake- honey and chocolate. Yum.
The next time I go to a production house for any TV production, it will be for a different agency, in a different place, for different people. Oh well. I'll be finishing up things into next week, and then it's time to move on.

Awaiting The Return

Yesterday I went off and bought my reserved copy of The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers region 1 dvd. I had put down a hundred bucks to ensure I got a copy yesterday, and it turned out to be not really necessary, as there were more than enough copies to go around. Anyway, I got it and brimming with glee went over to gloat at Comic Quest. Well, it's not really all that, if you consider that it doesn NOT come with audio commentaries or the much-awaited deleted scenes and new stuff. All of these super-special things will come with the coming 4-disc extended version set, in November. But anyway, as before, this disc is the theatrical version, and comes with featurettes, trailers, MTVs, Sean Astin's short film and best of all, previews of the extended TTT set AND the upcoming Return of the King.
THe ROTK preview came like the one in the Fellowship dvd; we come in at WETA studios and watch real-life hobbit and director Peter Jackson open up the show with some small talk. THEN it gets good. Suffice to say, The Two Towers was just the little leagues... Helm's Deep in all it's grandeur was nothing more than a skirmish. The coming battles in ROTK will feature thousands upon thousands of warriors; Saruman's 10,000 Uruk-Hai are like a recon patrol in comparison to the size of the force that Sauron will field against Minas Tirith. All of us; Vin, Carl, Jason, visitor Jay and me... were all slack-jawed and giddy with anticipation. It's going to be a long... wait... till... December... ACK. That's January for us poor fools in the Philippines. Unless a bootleg comes along... HA HA!!!

Real-life Caper

Today, while I was passing away the time at the office, a scant several blocks away downstairs, fifteen armed men were breaking into the main branch of Citibank. Yep, FIFTEEN. I mean, in the Die Hard movie, Hans Gruber only had like, twelve. These guys came and stormed over the guards probably (Guard: "Hey, my contract only goes up to five-man gangs. Go on ahead."), taking what available money was at the desks and within easy reach. They then withdrew, running smack dab into responding police units. Apparently, a short gun battle ensued, though no one was apparently killed or wounded. As of this writing, the gang's getaway van (a white L-300) was found, abandoned.

Perhaps someone watched too many viewings of The Italian Job or Ocean's Eleven. Damn. These things are exactly what we don't need right now. Aside from the big crimes, a teeny crime occured closer to home. My brother's secretary apparently got slashed with a blade on her scalp while coming to the house to work. She said she didn't feel a thing until she felt locks of her hair falling. Examination showed a small bald spot where a razor may have been applied. This, she said, probably happened on the jeep she rode, where two suspicious men sat behind her.

Criminals. BAH. If it were up to me, I'd have professional ninja take these scum out of circulation permanently, as they are caught in the act. Wipe them out. All of them. Grrr. VANISHING RAY!!!