REEL DEAL: Life of Pi - Suraj Sharma SPOTLIGHT

“LIFE OF PI’S” NEWBIE THESPIAN SURAJ SHARMA NOMINATED IN 18TH CRITICS’ CHOICE MOVIE AWARDS

From Oscar winning filmmaker Ang Lee comes “Life of Pi,” a breathtakingly beautiful story of a boy named Pi played by newcomer Suraj Sharma who is lost at sea with a Bengal tiger, following the loss of his family in a shipwreck .

Suraj Sharma who hails from India never expected a “Life of Pi” when he accompanied his brother to the movie’s casting call.  Born and raised in Delhi, India and raised by mathematician parents, it seemed that from more than 3,000 hopefuls who auditioned for the role, Suraj was destined to play the role of Pi, a mathematical constant transcendental number. 

Marvin Agustin considers 2012 a landmark year

The year 2012 is undeniably a landmark year for Marvin Agustin, for it is this year that he has been lauded on basically all his endeavors – as a TV/movie actor, entrepreneur, restaurateur, entertainment producer, and a society mover.

Before the end of the year, Marvin bagged two important entrepreneurial awards – the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the annual Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and being one of the recipients of the MVP Bossing Awards. These awards highlight the immense contribution of Marvin as a young entrepreneur, being one of the men behind one of the most successful food chains Sumo Sam.

These achievements were acknowledged by various brands’ support to Marvin by asking him to be their endorser. Currently, Marvin is the face of brands like Knorr, Carbtrim, Tupperware, among others.

HEALTHY LYF: Chikungunya virus on the move

DOH:  cases of dengue-like mosquito-borne disease now rising

Little did we know that aside from dengue, there are many other life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases that have hounded Filipinos for decades.  Though there is no vaccine available in the country to cure these illnesses, preventive measures are available to assure safety of adults and children alike.

Last October, the Department of Health (DOH) warned the public to take extra precautions against the chikungunya virus.  The DOH confirmed that there were 150 recorded cases of this dengue-like disease last month.  And last year, more than 1,000 cases of chikungunya were recorded in the country.

The origin

Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne virus first reported in Africa in 1952 and has spread in Asia, the Indian subcontinent, Europe and United States, infecting millions. Believed to be derived from an East African dialect that means “to be contorted,” chikungunya describes the curved posture of patients experiencing severe joint pain.  

XSTIG: Huawei Ascend G600 and Ascend D1 quad XL

Huawei, a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider, today unveiled the Huawei Ascend D1 quad XL, its flagship quad-core Android 4.0 ICS smartphone, and the HUAWEI Ascend G600 smartphone, dual-core Android 4.0 ICS successor of the popular Huawei Honor.  

“Huawei Device strives to combine what we know people want in a smartphone with our experience in delivering against those expectations. As part of our Ascend series of best-in-class smartphones, the Ascend D1 quad XL and Ascend G600 allow consumers to experience speed, long battery life and exceptional mobile entertainment in a high-quality, lightweight package. In addition, our more than two decades of experience has allowed us to optimize the Ascend smartphones’ network search algorithm and its base station auto-search technology, improving the speed of the phone’s signal detection to further extend battery life,” said Johnson Ma, country manager at Huawei Device Philippines.  

Ascend D1 quad XL - Turbo-charged performance dynamo

The Ascend D1 quad XL is a turbo-charged all-rounder, combining good looks and performance with an exceptional audio visual experience. Combined with its ultra-powerful 2600mAh battery, it delivers an impressive 15 hours of talk time and 500 hours of standby time. The Ascend D1 quad XL keeps you on-the-go with 30% more battery power than the industry average by adjusting power consumption according to usage needs.

Powered by Huawei’s HiSilicon HI3620 quad-core 1.4GHz processor, the Ascend D1 quad XL offers a mobile cinematic experience like no other, with its high-definition 4.5-inch, 1280 x 720 Toshiba screen providing crystal clear images even under direct sunlight. The Huawei Ascend D1 Quad XL is a feast for all the senses, with Dolby® Mobile 3.0 Plus sound enhancement and Audience earSmart™ voice processor for a superb audio experience. 

Welcoming The New Year With With Sky Lanterns at Light Up NUVALI

The New Year is upon us and ending 2012 should be something unique and significant. And I won't pass on the opportunity to try out this. On Rizal Day, December 30, We went to Nuvali, the premiere eco city in Laguna which is now becoming a popular place for people and nature, conducted their annual Sky Lantern event which will light up the Laguna sky. It will be my first time to fly these lanterns and also make a wish for 2013 and beyond.

Nuvali is also the perfect place for Sky Lanterns as it would be hazardous to fire when done in the urban area. And with the multitudes of lanterns flying up is a great sight to see as they appear like stars floating up to the sky. Which also reminds you of an animated movie which also had their annual sky lanterns. The lanterns are also specially made to prevent fire incidents with eco friendly materials. 

Well Well 2012! Where Have You Been 2013?

For the last post of the year, I want to first send a big THANK YOU for everyone who made my 2012. Yes you, the one who are reading this year-ender post. To all of you who have in one way or another have touched my life.

And I am very happy where I have ended 2012 with a more than I expected and with a lot of wins more than the fails. Going back to school, winning raffles, receiving things from friends and  events. These things affirmed my faith, boosted my morale and even pushed me to be a better person.

I do admit that there are still down times of sadness and sickness, but most of them actually provided an opportunity for recovery. RECOVERY, yes this is the word that I would describe 2012, as 2011 was one hell of a year and almost drove me crazy.

Behind The Disney Magic: Making The Pieces Fall In Its Perfect Place

Every year, hordes of Filipino families make the beeline to the Smart Araneta Coliseum to watch the latest Disney on Ice show. This year, from December 25 to January 3, 2012, expect the lines to get even longer because Disney on Ice presents “Princesses and Heroes”, a beautiful show that recreates defining moments when eight Disney princesses’ wishes are fulfilled with the help of their devoted princes. Ariel, Cinderella, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Tiana enter a world where heroes and hearts prevail.  

But beyond the awesome and precise skating, the adventure of this ice-spectacle is magnified many times over because of the equally jaw-dropping sets.