Will someone shut the Mayweathers up?

I was listening to a radio program where they played a snippet from an interview with Roger Mayweather, Floyd Jr.’s uncle where he basically accused Manny Pacquiao of using performance enhancing drugs.  Nothing new, really.  But it gets weird when they start talking about what kind of drugs Manny is supposedly using.  Apparently, Filipinos are brilliant chemists, able to manufacture a drug that makes one bulletproof and increases ones strength up to 3 times more than normal people.

Wow, right?

Here’s more.  Apparently, Filipinos have been using the stuff for over 500 years, from the time we were fighting American soldiers (which is amazing, given that the US isn’t even 300 years old, nor was the Philippines even a country at that time).   And its undetectable from standard urine tests. .45cal bullets bounce off Filipino soldiers when they are on it, so that explains Manny’s seeming invincibility in the ring.

Wow, again.

Here’s the YouTube link:

He calls the drug “A-side” meth.  Amazing that he has all this knowledge about drugs, isn’t it?  Makes you wonder if he’d consent to urine tests.

Shouldn’t they just stop talking already and just try and salvage what career Floyd can eke out fighting mediocre fighters?  They’ve blown it with Manny with their insistence on the Olympic testing regimen.  The argument’s been written about before, and by different people expressing different opinions.  But, for clarification’s sake, Manny was perfectly willing to do the urine tests (contrary to Roger’s accusations that Manny was not willing to do that), and was willing to do the blood tests right after the fight, which would not have been enough time for any drug to leave his system.  However, Manny is deeply superstitious, particularly with anything that can affect his pre-game routine.  And before you scoff, that’s something some people take pretty seriously in the Philippines.

It’s actually just embarrassing for the sport to have people like this who make noise, and then when things don’t go their way, make more in the hopes of reversing what they initially messed up in the first place.  So, if Shane Moesly is going to be fighting Floyd, then please, give him that one defeat he’s just so terrified of so he can finally just get back to the business of competing.  Then maybe we can have a sensible, mature, Pacquiao-Mayweather fight.

Except that no one would care about it anymore.

i, i, ican’t. really. even more now.

I rarely comment about tech here, since I’m no expert.   But I’ll make a rare exception for the ipad, the newest fangled thing from powerhouse Apple computers.  I’ve been hearing about the rumors of the development of this thing for two years now, mostly from my brother-in-law, who has been eagerly awaiting its arrival.  Well, with Apple big cheese Steve Jobs presenting it, it’s finally out.  And, after hearing about all its functions and capabilities, I have one thing to say.

I don’t get it.

It looks like a very, very big ipod touch, which is, well, weird.  And, from how it’s described, it isn’t what I was expecting.  I was expecting a tablet Mac, more like tablet PC’s.  Instead, apparently, it’s more like a large Kindle, or a game machine, or, well, an iphone/ipod touch.  I appreciate the larger touchscreen, since viewing media will be just so much more enjoyable.  And the potential for games using the excellent accelerometer of Apple sounds like a lot of fun.  But really, a planner?  A photo album?  What would make anyone get it other than it’s being new, which lasts about 3 minutes?

I don’t really want it.  Why not build it with the capabilities of a full laptop?  I don’t think it would take sales away from the Macbooks, since those are still going to be the workhorses of their line.  Why saddle something that could be so much with, well, so little?  It could do so much more, really.  I’ve heard some promising things from developers, which hopefully will turn the machine into something more than just an inflated ipod.

As of now, however, I’m not sold.

P.S.

I just heard that Apple will not be equipping the ipad with Flash media capabilities.  That kills things even more since about 70% of media in the net has some sort of Flash application with it.  So exactly what can be done with the thing? And why does it seem to be turning into a New Coke scenario for Apple?  (Look it up, whippersnappers.)

Image from Apple.com

A truly, truly literary graphic novel.

The book first came into my notice courtesy of various reviews, claiming this book, which I’d never heard of, to be the best graphic novel of 2009.  The next thing that made me sit up and pay attention was the name of the author: David Mazzucchelli, someone who I’ve admired since his work with Frank Miller in Batman: Year One.  For those who’ve never read it, a lot of that book made its way to Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins.  It took some doing to get a copy, since all 18000 copies were sold out, and I must thank my brother-in-law for taking the time and effort to hunt it down in New York – thanks Micole!  I’ve read it and I’m completely floored.  It is brilliant, challenging, beautiful and creative and it blew me away.

The book is Asterios Polyp.

There are no superheroes here.  No utility belts, no fancy cars.  The women are not buxom amazons.  The men are not muscular or even impressive.  The art is a surprising departure from his work in Batman, this one being much, much more cartoony.  But it offers a reading challenge similar to reading Milan Kundera.  It is a novel of ideas, a künstlerroman, a novel about the growth and development of an artist and his self.   It is all this, done with a very conscious effort to create an experience that is just as much about the art as it is about the story.

I read in one review that it took Mazzucchelli a decade to make.  After reading it, I’m surprised at how quickly he finished it.  It covers love, growth, aesthetics, philosophy, Greek mythology, and adult romance.  What amazes me is that it does everything  in such an accessible way.  The novel itself is dense; it will need second or even third readings just to see the other things it reveals.  But it makes things so much friendlier when one is not faced with daunting paragraphs of prose.  Pictures tell thousands of words indeed.

True to its being a Novel of Ideas, it also presents ideas in, and at, play, often interacting visually with the text to present even more information.  I found myself hearing bells ringing as associations with literary theory kept popping up in the narration, which would bring a huge smile to my face.  I was constantly amazed at the depth and at how well the graphic medium held up to the demands of such an ambitious undertaking.

Heck, just holding the book tells one how special it is.  The jacket for the hardcover covers only the center area of the book, leaving one to see the bindings of the book behind it.  Peel the cover back, and one gets to see Asterios embossed on the cardboard sections of the cover.  And then there’s how he uses the art.  Look below for an example.

The book pushed the envelope far beyond what I imagined graphic novels could do.

Yes, I realize I’m gushing, but I do think the book deserves a read.  And a buy, to be honest, though you’ll have to wait for the second print run; the first’s sold out.  But believe me, it is truly worth the read.  It’s a good book, graphic or other.

A Holmes for the times.

It is always a treat to watch a good movie.  Sherlock Holmes was, for me, such a film.  It wasn’t perfect, mind you, but it was good fun. It was an adventure starring one of my favorite characters of all time, the vaunted Sherlock Holmes.

A lot of my friends have commented on the film basically saying that it wasn’t Holmes at all but Iron Man doing a Batman impersonation.  And I did see those elements in the film.  Some went so far as to say that the Holmes and Watson that they knew and loved were not there, replaced by buffed up, hipper but dumber versions.  I beg to differ with that.  I think that the revisionist Holmes and Watson Guy Ritchie decided to show are precisely the characters people would want to see, for better or worse.

It is still Holmes that Robert Downey so dysfunctionally portrays, one who struggles with a mind that is always threatening to run away from him.  It is a Holmes that needs substances just to keep him on a keel, even or not.  Interestingly, it is also a Holmes that realistically infers how a real person would behave, since substance abuse is part of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s description of Holmes.  Instead of more insidious and non-politically correct substances (cocaine, if I believe, was the original drug of choice for Holmes), this Holmes just drinks, well, anything.

The greater transformation from type is Watson.  From a bumbling, rather clumsy lackey, Watson here is given more depth, something which the character earns in the later stories of Doyle.  He is portrayed by a slim and tough Jude Law, something which is apt, given that Watson is a war veteran.  His relationship with Holmes is more as an equal, a brother or, as some would like to suggest, a lover, of sorts. He is a foil of a different sort, acquiring a lot of the characteristics of the typical Holmes, in order to give Downey a chance to change his Holmes into something different.

The movie’s visuals are impressive, and the moody palette of the lighting helps bring Victorian London to realistic light.  I could almost smell the horse dung on the streets as the shot introducing the Baker Street residence came to view.  The wisecracking, contrary to what other reviewers have said, was not distracting, but was rather a cementing of a relationship that needed to be clearly defined for the audience, and what better way than by bickering?

The weakest part of the story was the plot, which was not much of a mystery.  Nor was the solution completely rational or logical, which is an interesting feat for the eminently logical Holmes.  But it did contain a great number of action scenes and clever turns (those slow motion play-by-plays of Holmes planning his attacks were fun), which served to keep me entertained enough to ignore the weakness of the story.

I think Robert Downey Jr.’s portrayal of the addled, obsessive, slovenly Holmes is right for this addled, obsessive, slovenly time.  The more commonly known Holmes would have been stodgy and boring for most people.  They were going for a Holmes for this age, and they got it right, ticks and all.  Jude Law’s Watson was also on the money, a person struggling with problems of his own, but doing it as a soldier would, tight-lipped and stoic.

Welcome another franchise.

Hopefully they do better stories with Moriarty coming in.  The potential for fun adventures that bring people along on a mystery is a wonderful prospect.  Imagine movies that make you think!  Wow… novel concept indeed…

Something I’ve never seen before about something I’ve heard before

It has been about an hour since I left Avatar back in the IMAX theater.

Wow.

Perhaps, that, more than any other word best describes what I just experienced.  The movie is an incredible feast for the eyes, with the lush greenery of the planet Pandorum literally popping out of the screen and floating all over the place.  Director James Cameron takes full advantage of 3D technology to create environments where I was just absolutely immersed in.  Even in crowded meeting areas, I had the urge to jostle the fictional character standing just a little too close, or there is the urge to brush errant foliage away when in the middle of the Pandorum jungle. Bugs fly by everywhere, or flecks of ash from a fire float lazily by, just a little closer than one would think.

Everything in the film looks good, from the technology of the humans to the animals and plants in the jungle.  Which should prove to be good for merchandise sales.

Then, there are the Na’vi.  The CGI based characters can perform perfectly, bringing out emotions as well as any human actor can, and definitely better than any human actor can in prosthetic make up.  I’d say Cameron was right to wait, given the sheer quality of the emotive expressions done by the characters.  Finally, these characters can act. The range of emotions they are capable of presenting are definitely the most nuanced of any CGI performance I’ve seen.  I really can’t fault the film for its technical achievements.  Heck, give the guy another set of Oscars for that.

It isn’t perfect, however.  The story is perhaps the most predictable one Cameron has written.  It’s a “gone native” story, filled with clichèd character types.  Mankind is again the bad guy, our greed and brutality showcased in various character stereotypes: Giovanni Ribisi plays the callous corporate executive excellently, as does Stephen Lang as the Marine Colonel who just drips cartoony menace from the first scene.  Sam Worthington’s Jake Sully is an endearing, bumbling hero, it just irks me that in these films, the hero is also presented as an idiot.  Sigourney Weaver’s Dr. Grace Augustine was, well, gruff but ineffectual.  There was an impression of these people playing types rather than people, and their wooden portrayals matched well with the acting of the CGI actors.

My beef with these kinds of stories is that it feels like I’m sitting in church listening to my parish priest dictate to me all my character flaws and I end up guilty, even if I actually am not the person (or type of person) being referred to.  While the commentary on imperialism is noted and even appreciated, must it come as a generalized situation?  Must we all become the evil humans?  Avatar feels preachy where District 9, which also discusses similar themes, was more terrifying and, quite frankly, more provocative.

Criticism of the corporate environment has been an overarching theme for James Cameron, something which I do appreciate.  But the portrayals can be better; things aren’t as simple or as easily solved as he makes it seem.  People are not simply brutal or greedy or callous or shortsighted and the simple-minded aren’t always the best people for the job.  The native, the simple, the non-technological is not always better.  Nature is not always better either.  I can appreciate the need for a simple plot to ensure that the narrative is solid, which gives more room for the technical portion of the movie.

But still.  Easy is not solid.  And Avatar’s plot was easy.  It wasn’t lazily written, but it wasn’t carefully written either.

But, you know what?  He’s planning a trilogy for this and well, as thin as this plot was, I’ll be lining up for the other two, just to watch those incredible visuals again.

All images are from Avatarmovie.com

Breaking Silences

I’ve not written lately and I think that’s because I couldn’t find anything to say.  It started with the ugliness that was the Maguindanao massacre and it just sort of carried on from there.  That event struck me dumb, and up to now, that’s about all I could say about it.  But , in the interest of writing, I’d like to move on.  And that means facing what struck me dumb in the first place.  So, as a way of facing this thing, let me give a shot at commentary on it, with your kind discretion.  If one can struggle to find a silver lining in all of this, is that it finally brought to the forefront something that has been happening in the provinces for decades.  The Ampatuans are not new, nor are they unique.  In almost every province in this country, there are dynasty families.  And while not all of them are as thoroughly thug-ish, they all have power inordinately associated with their names which are routinely abused, sometimes by people who don’t even belong to these families.

Dynasties are inevitable with us, I think, since we tend to think in families anyway.  But it would be wise to remember that dynasties are never permanent, and not everyone in a political family’s tree is good, generous, or even competent.  Just because someone is an Aquino, or a Roxas, or a Marcos, or a Recto, or a Binay, or any other number of famous names out there, their names do not guarantee any sort of quality except for the memory of the achievements of the people who built the dynasty.  They should be seen as candidates, and they should be judged on what they can do for us all, not on what their namesakes have done in the past.

If anything, a political name should be additional pressure on the candidate using it, since he or she has to live up to the legacies such names carry.  If anything, their platforms should be clearer, sharper, and be better done, simply because more should be expected of them, not less.

And yes,I’ll be writing again.  Thanks for the time.

A hero we can be truly grateful for

from barriosiete.com

I often read and watch a lot of stuff which talks about heroism.  Comic books, adventure tales, video games, movies and television shows all talk about heroism and bravery and, for the most part, I enjoy coming along for the ride.  Of course, these heroics don’t belong in the world we all walk around in.  There are bigger problems which can’t be solved by wearing spandex and a mask.  In a world where sports figures and show business personalities are turned into heroes or heroic icons by so many, oftentimes the meaning of true heroism becomes lost in all the hype and marketing.

The recent CNN Hero of the Year focuses its attention to heroes , the kind we actually have in this world and no, they do not wear spandex or have any superpowers, or even athletic ability.  Though I would argue that their ability to see what is needed and then act on it places them on par with some of the greatest superheroes out there.

Efren Peñaflorida, a Filipino who has dedicated himself to teaching our poorest children out of a pushcart,  just won the award and I cannot help but be filled we pride and admiration for someone who is actually doing some of the most noble work anyone can do.  Since high school I have been taught that the only true way out of poverty requires education, since that opens up opportunities for work and for further education.  Efren’s work, borne out of his own experiences growing up in the slums of Metro Manila, gives these kids the education they need and, a lot of times, desperately want.  Him and his volunteers (some of whom he actually  reached out to and have now joined him) operate pushcarts that, when re-assembled, become classrooms for slum children.  They also give these children baths and teach them proper hygiene which, in their lives, is a matter of life and death.

He deserves the honor and support that CNN will be giving him.  While $100,000.00 is a lot of money, I’m sure he’ll need more.  More than that, he deserves help.  Hopefully his story can help us all think of more ways to improve people’s lives in concrete ways.

You can view his story here:  http://edition.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/wayoflife/03/05/heroes.efren.penaflorida/index.html#cnnSTCText

Yes, I write about comic book heroes and science fiction.  But I also live in a world where children either beg or are used by others for money.  Superman isn’t much use here.  Efren, however, is just the hero we need.

Thanks, dude.  You’re my hero, too.

His site is: http://dynamicteencompany.org/

Atomic Robo – a must read

I’ve talked about comics before; stuff from Marvel and DC comics have been getting more compelling lately, thanks to the arrival of new writers and a changing awareness of who the audience is for these comics.  Well, Atomic Robo, published by Red 5 comics and done by the creative team of writer Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener, gives anything published by these bigger firms a run for their money.

It’s a comic dedicated to going back to something that’s been missing in a lot of comics out there: Fun.  They’re so dedicated to it that part of the manifesto for Atomic Robo is a promise of No Angst, which, as someone who grew up on angsty comics, is a welcome relief.  No brooding, no worrying about some sort of personal baggage, no waffling over morality or ethics.  While yes, angst and angsty characters are pretty much standard fare for comics since the 60’s, it gets nice to get away from the “soap”-ish nature of comics.

Enter Atomic Robo.  It’s just pure fun, action and adventure, a bit like the Indiana Jones films, only with an oddly charming robot as lead.  Robo makes one realize that characters don’t need baggage to work.

So far, they’ve released two volumes of trade paperbacks, chronicling about 10 issues of the run and, I must say, they have been wonderful.  The art by Scott Weneger is brightly colored and is not incredibly detailed, but it works really well for the stories they tell.  It’s actually a lot like Hellboy’s creator Mike Mignola’s work, only set to brighter lighting.  Brian Clevinger’s work is funny and fast paced, and one quickly catches on that the lead character, while a robot, is also one  helluva funny guy.  Also, the science fiction conventions and concepts fly fast and furious and the breaking of timelines in the storytelling makes for some fun reading.   Think of World War 2 capers mixed in with scifi adventures in other timelines, some happening today.  Now think of all that all done by a pretty much indestructible, sarcastic, and intelligent robot.

It helps that he’s drawn in a way that makes him instantly friendly; he looks like someone to root for.

If you are a comic fan who just wants adventure, fun, a good read, and no heavy emotional baggage attached to the stories, then Atomic Robo is an excellent choice.  Look for it now in your nearest book/comic stores!

Dear Manny Pacquiao

Dear Manny (newly minted GOAT),

Congratulations!  You’ve done it again!  You’ve proven just what hard work, dedication, and discipline can achieve.  You remain an inspiration for all us Filipinos who have followed your career (which is, basically, everybody).    Your achievements have instilled more pride in us Filipinos than anyone else has.  We will probably always love and respect you, though there are things that can ruin it for you.

Freddy Roach has said publicly that you probably have just a couple of fights left in your career (because you’ve beaten everyone already).  You’re probably thinking about what you’ll do after the boxing thing is done.  Well, as a citizen of the country that kisses the ground you walk on, may I make a suggestion?

This politics thing.  Yes, you are surrounded by all those leeches, er, I mean crooks, no, no… politicians, yes.  That’s it.  Despite what they are telling you, you are really better off being out of it.  I mean, can you imagine yourself in a barong tagalog, sitting in congress, sleeping, whoops, er, debating with your fellows about the current bill on the docket?  I mean, how many times can you listen to laws changing street names before you just have to get out and hit someone?

I’m sure they are telling you that you can do a lot of good in politics.  I’m telling you that you can do more outside of it.  All these guys telling you this want you on their side, because, well, who wouldn’t want to be on your side?  You’re Manny Pacquiao!  You’re already a legend.  You have money, you have an enormous following, you can kick anyone’s ass, and you have a great family, though you may have to let your mom know that showbiz can be just as screwy as politics, the main difference being the people there are prettier.

The danger about going into politics is that you will end up with enemies; they will damage your reputation, they will attack you for being “just a boxer”, for not knowing anything.  Sometimes, you may even get the same from your friends.  Why?  That’s how politics is.  Your rivals don’t face you in the ring, they’ll hit you when you aren’t looking.  And your fists won’t be able to save you from that.

The fact is, Manny, you already know how you can help Filipinos: teach.  You have a skill that everyone has honored.  Your boxing can help the country and our countrymen by turning Philippine boxing into a source of excellent Filipino athletes.  Teach what you know.  Take a page from Eric Morales’ book.  He put up a gym/school aimed at developing young Mexican fighters.  Train others.  Have Freddy Roach help you set things up, I’m pretty sure he’d love to train another fighter.  Have your wife manage the funds and keep that Michael Koncz guy away from your stuff.  Imagine if you became the father of an entire generation of world-class boxers?  Or the guy who inspired a nation to take up your values?  Congress just isn’t the way, man.  Don’t listen too much to those people around you, listen to those who care deepest about you.  Listen to us, the people.

Just don’t record any more albums, dude.  That’s sucks more than the politics thing.

No doubt, Noynoy’s here.

The upcoming Presidential elections here in the Philippines is shaping up to be something I never, in my wildest imaginings, thought it would be: fun.  I think, after the endless scandals and Senate investigations, all of which led nowhere, by the way,  the upcoming elections, particularly their media ads, are proving to be an enjoyable diversion to me.  Just watching how the candidates are positioning themselves through their statements and their press releases, then reading between the lines, makes for fascinating reading.  It’s gotten me back on newspapers after years of aggravation.  I’m enjoying politics again.

The media “public announcements” in particular have been very interesting.  Manny Villar’s commercials have been very prominent, emphasizing his humble roots.  Francis “Chiz” Escudero has been going “Obama-ish”, with his calls for change.  Gibo Teodoro has been visible, but can’t seem to cement his message, which focuses on his credentials.  Then there is Erap’s Arthro ad, which makes fun of himself, a strange way to convince voters.  In all, however, it’s been pretty standard fare, with a smattering of celebrities and some carefully rehashed, generic, messages hiding behind slick (or sloppy, as the case may be) visuals.

And then this came out:

It has to be the best one of the bunch so far and, at least for me, announces Noynoy Aquino’s media power better than any amount of money spent by any of the other candidates on their ads.  It not only carries unheard of amounts of “star power”, it also pushes all the right buttons, from patriotism, romanticism, and even some good old sentimentality (those Cory and Ninoy banners were perfectly placed).  I was wondering when his camp would come out with something and was completely blindsided by how well this one came out.  If there was an announcement of just how much Noynoy’s camp had up their sleeves, this is it.

Will it win him votes?  I honestly don’t know.  I myself am waiting for his platform before making any decisions, though I must admit that this ad is making me more eager to hear about what he wants to do.  In any case, there’s some serious media muscle behind that friendly, slightly benign, face.

I can’t wait to see how the other candidates react to this!