The Boy Katindig Jazz Competition Is On!

Calling jazz enthusiasts who want to be recognized for their music. This is your chance to shine! 


FYI, deadline for submission has been moved to June 15!

Press Release:

The Philippines’ most popular contemporary jazz icon, BOY KATINDIG recently announced a jazz competition in his name -- The Boy Katindig Jazz Competition: a Songwriting and Jazz Band Competition. It is open to Filipinos and other nationalities residing in the Philippines and to any band configuration with at least three members playing jazz in any of these forms: big band, jazz blues (not blues rock), contemporary/smooth, Dixieland,/New Orleans, electronic, funk/groove, fusion, Latin/world, straight-ahead/ mainstream, modern jazz, African, vocal, Brazilian, free improve/avant-garde, classical, R&B/soul.

“We are doing this to encourage creativity, originality & progressiveness in the jazz performing arts,” says Katindig. “We want to discover new artistes who transcend traditional & contemporary ideas. It's time for the renaissance of original Filipino jazz,” he added.

While there is no age limit, an entrant under the age of eighteen (18) should have written parental consent to participate. All members of the group must be unsigned, meaning they shouldn’t have any existing artist management contract, record label contract, or product endorsement contract.

Deadline for submission of entries is May 31, June 15, 2012. Qualifying rounds will be held for the Top 30 from June 4-6. Semi-finals for the Top 9 will be on July 3,10 and 17. The Grand finals for the Top 3 will be on July 28. Visit the official Facebook page for details and contest mechanics.

For application forms, inquiries and other information, contact KoolKat Productions Manila at koolkatprodsmanila@gmail.com. For media/press partnerships and corporate/organizational sponsorships and marketing tie-ups, contact Cornucopia Entertainment at cornucopiaentertainment@gmail.com or 0906.485.1330. For artist/celebrity participation, contact Veda Productions via olivedejesus@vedaprod.net.

Based in the US for 25 years, jazz pianist Boy comes from the famous Katindig clan that pioneered Latin Jazz in the Philippines. His father is the renowned jazz pianist and arranger Romy Katindig.

Boy studied classical piano at 9, continued on to Yamaha School of Music and was eventually mentored by Ernani Cuenco. Boy was the youngest to join the legendary Circus Band. After the release of his first single “Don’t Ask My Neighbor,” he formed the Boy Katindig Band in 1978.

Boy was signed up by A & W Records International under the Horizon label (of the Villars) with his first four best-selling records: “Midnight Lady” in 1978, “Aftermidnight” in 1980, “Love Fusion” in 1981, and “In My Inner Fantasies” in 1982.

He moved to the US in 1984. Then he produced “In Time” (1990) featuring jazz luminaries, among them, Abe Laboriel, Brandon Fields, Russell Freeman, Gerald Albright who played his original compositions. He produced “Journey to Love” in 1993.

In 1995, Hawaii-based Michael Paulo of the Al Jarreau Band discovered him and took him in his label Noteworthy Records. He toured with Pauline Wilson. He produced “Groovin’ High” in 2005 and became the resident tour pianist of smooth jazz artist Paul Taylor. He also performed with Eric Marienthal & Regina Belle.

Boy is a recipient of numerous awards, some of which are Best Instrumental Composition for “Midnight Lady” by Himig Awards; Best Jazz and Best Performance in Jazz Composition for “It’s Still September” – both from the Cecil Music Awards Foundation; Best Vocal Jazz Composition and Best Vocal Performance for “Capture the Changes” (sung by Jacqui Magno); and Best Jazz Group for Boy Katindig Band which was granted by the Aliw Awards Foundation for three consecutive years. The most recent would be the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philippine Association of the Recording Industry’s (PARI) 23rd Awit Awards in 2010.

Among the more popular songs which he composed include “Away From You” which was performed by Jennifer Ramos, and “I’ll Always Stay In Love this Way” which was revived by Luke Mejares, Jed Madela, Nina and even Lea Salonga.

History Reimagined in “ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER”

I already saw the trailer of this movie and found it quite weird but interesting. Let's see how the movie fares when it opens a month from now ...

Press Release:

Based on the bestselling vein-thumping mashup novel by Seth Grahame-Smith, Timur Bekmambetov directs while Tim Burton and Jim Lemley produce “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.”

Dubbed as a revisionist tale of the 16th US President’s life as a politician by day and a vampire hunter by night, it stars Benjamin Walker as the iconic commander-in-chief and Dominic Cooper as his mentor. The film also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Mary Todd Lincoln, Jimmi Simpson as Josh Speed and Anthony Mackie as Will. Alan Tudyk takes on the role of Stephen A. Douglas, while Rufus Sewell is the film’s chief antagonist vampire Adam.

“It was an adventure, like I'm entering a new world I had never been before and I wanted to explore it,” Bekmambetov says of his attraction to the project. “I wanted to meet these unbelievable characters, Abraham Lincoln, his friend, Will, his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, his enemies and his friends. And I wanted to go with him through his journey.”

And what a journey it is, as we follow the young Abraham Lincoln from his childhood right on through to some of the most important speeches of his Presidential career. But as much as we might know the central character from history lessons and his portrait on the $5 bill, here his journey has been reimagined and heightened for a modern audience. Was there more to his lifelong struggles?

It’s safe to say that ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER is no ordinary period piece. Anthony Mackie, who plays Lincoln’s trusted confidant William H. Johnson, reveals that it’s more than just the truth which is being bent for our entertainment. “I think there are many different aspects of Timur’s ability in this film,” he enthuses. “I think if you just look at how far he’s bending the truth you know you’re also going to see that in the camera work and the acting.”

For the actor though, the film’s story is an accessible introduction to a chapter of world history that shouldn’t be forgotten. “The story of Abraham Lincoln and everything that was happening in the mid-1800s in America is so popular that we know the turn of events,” he says. “We know the dates, we know what happened. Timur has given us a different way to look at it and he’s putting people in the position to go back and refresh themselves about what happened. You get a cool story in a new and funky way.”

For the actor tasked with bringing Abraham Lincoln to life, Ben Walker, the President is such a complex character that little embellishment is needed to find an accurate portrayal. “When you really look at Abraham Lincoln and his legacy and his life, you realize how truly complex and complicated he was as a man,” Walker says. “You recognize how complicated were the issues that he lived for and that lends itself to playing him. It gives you some wiggle room too when you get to the point where you’re reinventing American history.”

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” opens June 27 in cinemas from 20th Century Fox to be distributed by Warner Bros.

A Call for Shakey's Junior Pizza Masters

I wish there was something like this when I was a kid! I would definitely have bugged my mom to let me join! :)

Press Release:

This summer, Shakey's challenges kids aged 7 to 12 years old to become Shakey's Junior Pizza Masters. A first of its kind in the country, this summer program will immerse kids in our world-renowned tag of fun, family, pizza.

This ground-breaking undertaking aims to expose kids to the essence of what Shakey's is famous for: pizza! It will also introduce the kids to Shakey's other iconic products, as well as learn about the fabled secret recipes.

The 7 day program will run from April 30 to May 8 at Shakey's Quezon Avenue. Registration is ongoing at Shakey's Eton, Shakey's Loyola, Shakey's Matalino, Shakey's North Edsa, Shakey's Tomas Morato and Shakey's Quezon Avenue until April 29, 2012. Slots are limited to 100 kids only with a morning or afternoon session of your choice.

By the end of the summer course, the new Shakey's Junior Pizza Masters will be experts in making the Shakey's world famous brick oven baked pizza. The kids will be trained in Basic Pie Making, Pizza Construction and Dough Tossing. They will also undergo hands on in-store exposure like Order-Taking, Hands on in-store experience, Basic Sanitation and Utensils Familiarization.

The training fee of P750 is inclusive of notebook and pen, apron, meal stubs for 7 days and a graduation shirt. The graduation on May 8 will be made more exciting with a Dough-Tossing Demo among the first-ever batch of Shakey's Junior Pizza Masters plus lots of fun games and prizes.

Let your kids have a more meaningful summer with the Shakey's Junior Pizza Masters workshop!

For inquiries, log on to www.shakeyspizza.ph or Like Shakey's on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ShakeysPH. You may also call 839-01-51/09175985759 Look for Ms. Debi Labarda or Ms. Eymare Bacasmas for more details.

Join Manila Ocean Park's Aqua in the City Party!

P300 for the entrance fee sounds like a good deal!

Press Release: 

What's so great about a heat wave? It's the perfect excuse to come up with a summer pool party! On April 28, dress up in your best summer fashion and have a fantastic time at Manila Ocean Park. We are bringing out all the elements to make AQUA – the coolest event by the bay area. Swim and groove the night away as the sun sets at 5pm onwards. See pumped-up performance from top local bands Silent Sanctuary, Tanya Markova, Moonstar 88 and more. Have some refreshing drinks at Liquid Pool Bar and Lounge and listen to the pulsating beats of house music and club DJ. Be part of the grand launch of Brand magazine - the newest hip publication in town. 

Check out over 5,000 breathtaking marine life species at the Oceanarium and marvel as you see live penguins for the first time in Trails to Antarctica. Meet adorable South American sealions in the Sealion Show and be mesmerized with graceful dancing fairies of the sea in Jellies Exhibit. At nighttime, a fusion of laser lights, water screens and other special effects are the highlights of the spectacular AQUA Musical Fountain Show. 

AQUA is an event you can't miss since this is the introduction of the latest technology to make Manila Ocean Park the first high-tech theme park in the country. The park has recently launched instant information download through mobile phone and other digital enhancements for guests' ease of access and convenience. Avail of an e-wrist tag that lets you access Facebook and Twitter in real time. You can post status updates and share to your friends while having fun in different attractions. 

Ticket price is P300 inclusive of entrance to AQUA, 2 drinks and e-wrist tag and will be sold at Manila Ocean Park. For details, visit www.manilaoceanpark.com or call 567-7777 loc. 151 and 155. 

AQUA is presented by Ensogo Philippines, Flawless, Brand Magazine, 105.1 Crossover, Hotel H2o, Liquid Pool & Lounge, Zenyu Eco Spa, Makan Makan Asian Food Village and Quix!

MYMP and FAITH CUNETA visits Harrison Plaza on April 29

Heads up MYMP and Faith Cuneta fans!

Press Release:

Polyeast Records presents two of your most favourite OPM artists as MYMP and Faith Cuneta will be performing live at the Harrison Plaza on April 29, 2012 Sunday at 5:00 pm. 

With the band’s founding member Chin Alcantara who formed the band in 1996, MYMP is back with their sixth studio album called The Unreleased Acoustic Collection. The band is now signed with their new recording label Galaxy Records, and continues to do shows around the Philippines and abroad. With MYMP’s new vocalist Juliet Bahala, the acoustic band will be performing songs from their latest album including their latest single “Sway”, originally popularized by New Zealand singer-songwriter Bic Runga and other covers that have become your radio favorites. 

Other MYMP songs are remakes like “Someday We’ll Know”, “Buses and Trains” and “Breakout” to name a few. The other new members of MYMP are: Jeff Lima (drummer); Hannche Bobis (keyboardist), and Ibey Haber (bassist) under the new management of Maria Teresa Tinio. 

As one of OPM’s finest singers and known for her Telenovela theme hits, Faith Cuneta breaks free from her signature songs in high notes and venturing a little further from her adult contemporary nest. She just released a sleek collection of contemporary OPM revivals titled Twist Of Faith. 

Faith will be serenading her guests at the show with singles from her latest album like “Dito Sa Puso Ko” (originally by Ogie Alcasid); "Paano Kaya" (originally by Jessa Zaragosa); her own version of "Gulong ng Palad" (Eva Eugenio and Eugene Villaluz), remake of "Paniwalaan Mo" (Boyfriends); "Sa Isip Ko" (Agot) and others. Faith’s latest hits includes “Di ko Na Kaya,” (“Endless Love 2”), “Pag-ibig Ko’y Pansinin” (“Stairway to Heaven”), “Pangarap Na Bituin” (“Jewel in the Palace”), “Ikaw Lang Ang Mamahalin” (TV5’s “Babaeng Hampaslupa”), “Hiram” (TV5’s “The Sisters”) and her latest hit “Bukas Na Lang Kita Mamahalin” from TV5’s “Glamorosa.” She was also responsible for the voice behind GMA Asianovela themes like “Di Ko Na Kaya”; and her own version of Sharon Cuneta’s ”Pangarap na Bituin.” 

Enjoy an afternoon with hits that you never get tired listening to and experience live performances from OPM’s finest acts at the Harrison Plaza on April 29, 2012 Sunday at 5:00 pm brought to us by Polyeast Records. Buy their albums at the show and get a chance for an autograph signing and meet-and-greet session.

Join Your Favorite Marvel Super Heroes with “Marvel’s The Avengers” Promotion at Jollibee

Bring Home the Excitement of this Year’s Biggest Movie “Marvel’s The Avengers” with exclusive collectibles available with purchase of select Jollibee Meals 

Press Release:

April 2012 – Super Hero fans of all ages are in for an exciting treat from your favorite fastfood chain, Jollibee, with the launch of a special “Marvel’s The Avengers” promotion. Collectible items including toys, mugs, and comic books featuring your favorite Marvel Super Heroes from the highly-anticipated film including Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye will be available at Jollibee locations. 

A bucket of fun with “Marvel’s The Avengers” 

Treat the Super Heroes in your life to the limited-edition Jollibee Chickenjoy Avengers Bucket, with 6 or 8 pieces of your favorite crispylicious and juicylicious Chickenjoy in a reusable bucket emblazoned with images of your favorite Marvel Super Heroes, available starting April 11. 

Enjoy the six-piece Chickenjoy bucket at the same affordable price of only P335. Add P60 to get three sides of rice and three regular-sized drinks, or P140 for three Jollibee Spaghetti and three regular drinks. 

Satisfy big-sized Chickenjoy cravings with the eight-piece bucket at only P425. Make the langhap-sarap feast even grander by adding P70 for four rice sides and four regular drinks, or P170 for four Jollibee Spaghetti sides and four regular drinks. 

Cool toys that double as tumblers 

For fun-seeking boys and girls, the Jollibee Kids Meals Marvel’s The Avengers Super Hero Showdown items and special comic books make for the perfect adventure companions. Bring home the Defense Launcher that doubles as an Iron Man tumbler. Clip the disk embossed with Iron Man’s chest plate emblem in place and then push the buttons on both sides to send the shield flying into the air. You can also grab the Thunder Spinner which also works as a Thor tumbler. Simply thread the ripcord through the hole in the lid, pull back and release, and watch the Thor disc zoom across the room. 

The Marvel’s Avengers Super Hero Showdown toys also have a handy dome lid where you can keep your secret stash of power snacks to keep you fueled for every possible adventure each day. For Marvel enthusiasts, you can also choose to take home the special Avengers comics. Be the coolest among your friends and score a customized comic book featuring Jollibee in an action-packed adventure alongside Marvel’s The Avengers Super Heroes and a re-printed copy of the 24-page Avengers: Earth’s Mightiest Heroes comic book. 

Collect the two limited-edition Marvel’s The Avengers Super Hero Showdown toys and the two comic books starting April 24. Choose among the Yumburger Meal (P80), Spaghetti Meal (P80), 4-piece Chicken Nugget Crunchers Meal (P95), and one-piece Chickenjoy Meal (P99). 

Not your ordinary mug 

Action-loving teens who do not want to miss out on the Marvel’s The Avengers craze should get their hands on Marvel’s The Avengers Hero mugs. Available in black and blue, these awesome mugs are specially designed with line-art images. Pour your favorite hot beverage and watch as the formidable team of Super Heroes magically reveal themselves. 

Grab The Marvel’s The Avengers Hero Mugs for only P55 starting April 22 with every purchase of a Jollibee Burger or Sandwich Value Meal. 

Only Jollibee offers the most exciting collectibles inspired by the coolest summer movie. These special Marvel’s The Avengers collectibles are available for a limited time only, so hurry to the nearest Jollibee branch now and complete your collection! 

“Marvel’s The Avengers” opens in cinemas on April 25, 2012.

O&B Launches Open 4 Business Online, Low-Cost Business Applications on the Cloud

Press Release: 

MANILA, Philippines, April 19, 2012 --- Orange & Bronze Software Labs (O&B) announces today the launch of Open for Business Online (O4BO), which provides SMEs with low-cost business applications in a single subscription service. 

Currently, it provides subscribers access to four critical business tools: Liferay, a portal and collaboration software; OpenBravo, a web-based ERP; Pentaho, a business intelligence solution; and Jackrabbit, a content repository. 

O4BO is a product conceptualized by Michael Oliver, a technology veteran with over 40 years of experience with industry giants like Sperry, Sun Microsystems, SAIC, Network Systems Corporation and Open Text. As an advocate and expert on cloud computing, Oliver recognized the need for an integrated service that will allow data sharing between applications and come with out-of-the-box features. 

“We decided to develop Open for Business Online because we saw the potential of bringing feature-rich applications to businesses who might not otherwise be able to afford them”, says Oliver. “The high cost of maintaining servers or the manpower to support them hinders enterprises from acquiring business tools that are mission-critical to their operations.” 

The company tapped Orange and Bronze Software Labs (O&B), a Filipino software firm, to develop the product. O&B immediately recognized its potential and offered to incubate the company. 

“We incubated O4BO because we saw the potential of leveraging cloud technologies to drive down costs,” says Calen Legaspi, CEO of O&B. “Our team built O4BO using programming best practices backed with robust infrastructure - a multi-tenant server provided by our partner Corent Technology and the IBM SmartCloud.” 

A proponent of Agile Software Development, O&B specializes in Java development with a focus on Spring. The company is the first and only SpringSource partner in the Philippines, and after SpringSource’s acquisition by VMWare, is now also a VMWare partner for the vFabric line of products. O&B employs over a hundred developers specialized in Spring and vFabric technologies in its Manila headquarters. The company is a known start-up incubator in the country, with a product line-up that includes Haybol.ph, MilObjects, and Aprubd, among others. 

O4BO chose O&B for two reasons: the proximity with the CEO and founder Michael Oliver, and the history and credentials of the company. 

According to Butch Landingin, CTO of O&B, O4BO is beneficial to businesses because of the application of true multi-tenant technology from Corent Technology. “This allows the 4 applications O4BO will be hosting to operate from a single instance on the IBM SmartCloud for the lowest possible cost of delivery, which will be passed on to customers.” 

With an introductory price of US$12.49 per month per organization after a 30 day free trial, O4BO has begun accepting subscribers to the service. Visit www.open4businessonline.com to subscribe and to get more information. The next few weeks will see the addition of OpenBravo ERP, Pentaho Analytics and Reporting, and the JackRabbit Java Content Repository.

Surprise Your Mom with Krispy Kreme's Flowery Treats this Mother's Day!

These are sooooo lovely!

Press Release:

This Mother’s Day, show your mom how much you care by getting her a box of Krispy Kreme’s flower-shaped doughnuts.

That’s right! On its 75th birthday, Krispy Kreme honors every mom by releasing its first-ever flower-shaped doughnuts. Made especially for all mothers out there, these melt-in-your-mouth treats come in three fun and festive colors that are sure to bring a smile on everyone’s face—pink, yellow and white.

Krispy Kreme’s flower-shaped Mother’s Day doughnuts are only available from April 13 to May 31, 2012. So hurry and go to a store near you. Grab a bouquet before they wither away.

21 JUMP STREET Holds Sneak Previews on April 23 & 24

I, regrettably, wasn't able to attend the press preview of this movie due to conflict of schedules. But I heard from my friends who did get to watch that it is hilarious! Must find time to catch this soon ...

Press Release:

The breakout comedy of the year “21 Jump Street” from Columbia Pictures will have special sneak previews in selected theaters everywhere on Monday and Tuesday, April 23 & 24.

Starring the hilariously dysfunctional duo of Jonah Hill (“Moneyball”) and Channing Tatum (“The Vow,” “G.I. Joe”), “21 Jump Street” is the big screen re-imagining of the iconic '90s detective TV series which famously launched the career of superstar Johnny Depp.

In the action-comedy, Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) were enemies in high school who became unlikely friends in Police Academy. While they may not be the best cops on the beat, they have a chance to turn it around when they join the police department's secret Jump Street unit, run by Captain Dickson (Ice Cube). They trade in their guns and badges for backpacks and use their youthful appearances to go undercover.

Trouble is, teenagers today are nothing like what they were just a few years ago, and Schmidt and Jenko discover that everything they think they know about being a teenager, from sex to drugs to rock and roll, is all wrong. More importantly, they both find they are still dealing with all of the adolescent problems they didn't address in their own teen years - and both will have to confront the terror and anxiety of being a teenager again and all the issues they thought they had left behind.

Opening across the Philippines on May 9, “21 Jump Street” will be distributed in the Philippines by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.

Join the “Cortal SQR Run and Fly Away from Pain” Running Event this May

Calling runners who love running for a cause!

Press Release:

Cortal SQR, the pain reliever from Pharma-Rex Inc. that gives the safest and quickest relief from body pain through its advanced formulation of Ibuprofen and Paracetamol, invites everyone to join the “Cortal SQR Run and Fly Away from Pain” running event.

For the benefit of the academic scholars of the AMY Foundation, the fun run will be held on May 27, 2012 along Roxas Boulevard, stretching from the cities of Manila to Pasay City.

Participants will not just get the opportunity to be part of a fun physical workout and help send scholars to school, but they will also get the chance to win round trip tickets from ZestAir! Two round trip ZestAir tickets to prime domestic destinations will be raffled off among the participants of each of the categories. Prizes are two round trip ZestAir tickets to Cebu for the 5K participants, two round trip ZestAir tickets to Puerto Princesa, Palawan for 10K runners, and two round trip ZestAir tickets to Boracay for those who registered in the 15K run. Tickets are transferable and redeemable within a prescribed travel period but are non-convertible to cash.

Registration fee is PhP 500 for 5K, PhP 600 for 10K and PhP700 for 15K. The registration fee is inclusive of a Race Pack and a Singlet Kit and a Loot Bag. A Finisher Medal is included for the 15K Run. Interested parties may register from April 15 to May 24 at Toby’s Sports Trinoma, Toby’s Sports Megamall, Runnr Bonifacio High Street, Toby’s Sports Parksquare and Toby’s Sports Mall of Asia. But if participants register from April 15 to 30 with a receipt of 30 pieces of Cortal SQR purchased from any drugstore within the same month, they can get a discount of PhP 200 from the entrance fee.

For more information and online registration, please visit and like www.facebook.com/cortalsqr or contact PEP Squad Events and Marketing Services Inc. at 519-7010 and 519-8980 or www.pepsquadevents.com.

Randy Ortiz Puts His Spring/Summer Collection At The Mercy Of Stains

I would have loved to have seen this when it happened! I hope Champion stages another run in one of our supermarkets here in Alabang :)

Press Release:

How else do you show a detergent’s prowess without drowning in the flood of ads that every brand puts out? How do you demonstrate an action that can’t really be seen?

In the early morning of March 18, 2012, Champion detergent and Super 8 supermarket were preparing for a different kind of Sunday shopping. Super 8’s biggest and newest branch on Visayas Avenue in Quezon City had an unusually busy prep for opening. Bright lights were being installed, cameras were being set up and gorgeous models were being made up.

A flash fashion show was about to happen right smack in the middle of payday weekend grocery shopping.

The task was to communicate that Champion detergent protects your precious clothes from stubborn stains by easily washing them away. The idea was to turn supermarket aisles into a fashion runway and have models attack each other with ketchup, mustard, cheese and mayonnaise.

To demonstrate how Champion detergent protects from stains, the models would wear tailor-made plastic clothes over designer threads. No less than Filipino designer Randy Ortiz would risk his latest Spring & Summer collection. To make sure that the stunt would look and feel like the real thing, the country’s top fashion show director Jackie Aquino would call the shots.

At around 3:30 pm, the first of two runs happened. Just as shoppers were busy filling up their carts, Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger” blasted out of specially-installed speakers. From the back stock room, the models made their way in between aisles and strutted their stuff in front of the stunned crowd. Before the song’s second stanza, cellular phones were already out and people positioned themselves for the best shooting angle. After a few turns on the catwalk, the models coyly took out their plastic bottles and started blasting away at each other with condiments usually reserved for your favorite sandwich. The run ended with a final pose that showed the models wiping away the stains with a Champion bar.

After enthusiastic applause from the audience, the models stylishly made their way back to the stock room. The lights were dimmed and everyone went back to ticking off their grocery lists.

The second run happened an hour after and catered to an even bigger crowd. Not even the rain stopped the after-mass crowd from doing their Sunday groceries. This audience was even more alive and moved closer to the models as they were doing their walk. Luckily, none of them were hit with stray sauce. The Super 8 cashiers and grocery baggers got in on the act by filling the big warehouse with their catcalls and cheers. In the end, the shoppers posed for pictures with the models.

Just as the crew was getting ready to pack up and the models were getting out of their clothes, it was their turn to be surprised. Shoppers who caught just the tail end of the show were asking for one more run. They just had to give in to the request. So, an unexpected third run ensued.

As the lines in the cashier stalls got shorter and the shopping came to an end, it was clearly a successfully disrupted day. Champion got its message across in a truly unique way and Super 8 became the very first supermarket to ever hold a fashion show.

“PROMETHEUS 3D” – Creating Shaw and Meeting Her Maker

After seeing Noomi Rapace play a gypsy in Sherlock Holmes, (I haven't seen The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo yet), I'm looking forward to watching her in Prometheus ...

Press Release:

There has been a lot of speculation that “Prometheus” is a prequel to Scott’s highly acclaimed earlier film, Alien. The director wants to keep the story under wraps so that audiences view the film without preconceived ideas.

But he has admitted that there are links. In “Prometheus,” the mission is funded by Peter Wayland (Guy Pearce), the ageing head of a huge corporation. The action takes place 30 years before the story told in Alien.

Leading the Prometheus expedition is the character of Elizabeth Shaw, played by Noomi Rapace. From director Ridley Scott, who delivered the likes of “Thelma & Louise” and “Alien,” we can immediately expect a strong character to inhabit Shaw's spacesuit. And at the hands of Rapace, best known for her work in the tremendously-popular Swedish Millenium series, she comes alive as a new action heroine for the 21st Century.

Many characters evolve before actors are cast to play them, but not so Shaw, who was developed and refined in close collaboration with Rapace. Says Ridley Scott: “I find most of my inspiration from low-budget movies now. If we aren't watching movies, we close ourselves down. And there's a great output, suddenly, of Scandinavian films. More than a year ago I saw “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” because I'd heard it was successful. I was absolutely taken by it. Noomi was this very special little punk actress who I thought was definitely the real thing. Then I heard that she was in town in Hollywood, and I just called up her agent and said I’d like to meet her. She walked in and was a very elegant woman. I suddenly realised that I was dealing with a real actress, who can literally change her spots.”

Scott says that the approach to Shaw was intentionally very different from the approach to Sigourney Weaver's character, Ripley, in ALIEN. “We were determined to come in from a different direction because Sigourney was a kind of non-specific junior officer in ALIEN,” he explains. “What was she doing onboard? You think she’s going to die in the first act. Whereas Shaw, in this one, is a scientist that comes from the direction of, not just pure science, but actually of faith. Therefore she believes the foothold of everything is bound in the idea that we were created by something. Otherwise we’re such an accident of biology. We’re mathematically impossible, unless there was something pushing it around.”

Rapace says Shaw is more feminine than Ripley. “She's a scientist, an archeologist. I think that Ripley was way harder from the start, because she was alone. Shaw starts this journey to get with Holloway, and she loves him. They’re a team and they’re doing this together.”

Logan Marshall-Green plays Holloway. “They are a team,” he agrees. “If she’s the brains, he’s the legs. I wouldn’t go so far to say muscle but he’s the legs. He’s the one who leaps before he looks and sometimes it hurts them as a team but a lot of the times it’s helped them. He takes a lot of chances and so far so good. This mission is one of the chances.”

It's an attraction of opposites, he says. “As much as we're a team, we actually differ in our philosophies as to exactly what we want or we believe. She's the believer. I'm the scientist. I'm the skeptic. For lack of a better phrase, we complete each other. I think its what’s drawn the characters together romantically as well. It’s just this kind of respect - full respect - but my skepticism matched with her beliefs, her faith.”

Executive Producer Michael Ellenberg summarises: “These two are brilliant expert archeologists and anthropologists and they identify a series of connections on Earth that seem to suggest there may be not just life on other planets, but that life on Earth might have had something to do with this other life, and that maybe they're our creators.”

Rapace reveals that Shaw goes on a journey as the film progresses. “In the middle of the movie, something happens and she becomes harder and she becomes more like a warrior,” she shares. “She has to cut off some emotional ties to be able to survive. I think she goes from being quite innocent and full of hope and belief and going into something that is a bit darker. I think that all Ridley’s women are quite tough or they can stand up for themselves and they’re quite good at fighting back.”

Costume designer Janty Yates confirms that Rapace had a big hand in her character's costume decisions. “She always wants to be in a flight suit,” Yates laughs. “On the first day of shooting, we put her through so many different looks and so many very, very spacey looks, very, very modern looks, very French looks, very Japanese looks, all sorts, to try and get her to look timeless. And then she just said, 'Ridley, can I wear this?' He went, 'Yes, alright!'”

For Rapace, building Shaw meant building a backstory. “She lost her father when she was quite young,” she shares. “He was a missionary and a Christian. I think if something dramatic like that happens in an early age, it’s like you have two options. I think you can lose faith and you can go quite dark and you can start to think that everything is a punishment in a way. The other way, because she was a loved kid and he gave her the gift of belief and faith, is that she can just hold onto that and there’s a purpose with everything.”

Marshall-Green says he's had fun working with Rapace. “I rate my experience with working with actors on their work ethic,” he says. “Nobody has a better work ethic than Noomi. We got kind of thrown in to it together. We had to really show a history of being romantically and professionally linked. And I think she and I both had our eyes on the exact same prize, and hopefully it shows.”

The relationship between the two characters is, he reveals, absolutely integral to the film's themes. But rather than create it explicitly, he and Rapace have tried to imply it by infusing it with idiosyncratic detail. “Did she just feed him a frozen space raspberry?” he laughs. “Yes, she did!”

But bringing out the character's physicality also took a lot of training of Rapace's part. “When I did “The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo,” I did a lot of martial arts,” she remembers. “I was doing kickboxing and tae bo because I wanted to be aggressive. This has been different because now I’ve been doing more running to be able to go on for a long time instead of having quick energy. I was thinking I want to be like an animal. I’ve been trying to train my body to make my body work for long so I can do long sessions.”

Embark on man’s bravest mission to a beginning that leads to an end in “PROMETHEUS 3D” when it opens June 7 in cinemas nationwide!

Kaspersky Lab Appeals To Global Programmers To Help Fight Duqu

Press Release:

Kaspersky Lab, a leading secure content and threat management solutions developer, appeals to the programming community to solve the deep mystery in the Duqu saga that sparks theories that it was launched as a way to conduct high-level cyber-espionage and sabotage.

Duqu is a sophisticated Trojan that was created by the same people who created the infamous Stuxnet worm. Its main purpose is to act as a backdoor into the system and facilitate the theft of private information.

In an effort to find out Duqu’s intentions and where it would be going, security experts from Kaspersky Lab ask the vast programming community worldwide to share in the analysis of Duqu.

Kaspersky Lab Chief Security Officer Alexander Gostev said that the help of the programming community would help identify how Duqu was made and to track down its creators. Doing such would prevent attacks that would use it as a weapon.

The big unsolved mystery of the Duqu Trojan relates to how the malicious program was communicating with its Command and Control (C&C) servers once it infected a victim’s machine. The Duqu module that was responsible for interacting with the C&Cs is part of its Payload DLL.

After a comprehensive analysis of the Payload DLL, Kaspersky Lab researchers have discovered that a specific section inside the Payload DLL, which communicates exclusively with the C&Cs, was written in an unknown programming language. Kaspersky Lab researchers have named this unknown section the “Duqu Framework.”

Gostev reveals that Duqu has been found to be using either a totally new or an unknown programming language, unlike most malware that were developed by traditional programming languages like C++ or Visual C++.

Having such a different programming language already points out to the type of sophistication in creating the Duqu malware, which in turn reveals the high-level programming skill sets used by its creators.

According to Alexander Gostev, the creation of a dedicated programming language demonstrates just how highly skilled the developers working on the project are, and points to the significant financial and labor resources that have been mobilized to ensure the project is implemented.

“Given the size of the Duqu project, it’s possible that an entirely different team was responsible for creating the Duqu Framework. With the extremely high level of customization and exclusivity that the programming language was created with, it is also possible that it was made not only to prevent external parties from understanding the cyber-espionage operation and the interactions with the C&Cs, but also to keep it separate from other internal Duqu teams who were responsible for writing the additional parts of the malicious program,” Gostev says.

So far, the majority of Duqu infections have been found in Iran. However, it does not stop its creators to target other newly-industrialized countries, especially those in Asia where many industries are already adopting technology in their business, since the country has already become a major hub for IT outsourcing services.

The Philippines, for one is already a major hub for IT outsourcing services. The spread of Duqu in the Philippines could have dire effects on its multibillion-dollar outsourcing business.

UP Diliman Students Finalists In INDRA FUTURE MINDS, An International Competition

Good luck students! Make the Philippines proud! :)

Press Release:

The University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman will represent the Philippines in the final phase of the second edition of Indra Future Minds, an international university competition, sponsored by Indra, the premier IT company in Spain and a leading multinational in Europe and Latin America.

Winners of the competition shall be given the opportunity to join Indra in the subsidiary of the country of the student’s choice upon completion of the student’s degree, with a travel allowance every month for one year.

The UP Diliman team consists of Erwin L. Soleta, taking up Bachelors of Science in Electronics and Communications Engineering (BS ECE), Maria Katrina E. Volante, also a BS ECE student, and Benedict Ivan A. Andrade, taking up Bachelors of Science in Industrial Engineering.

Indra Future Minds started with a virtual phase last February 15, 2012, ending last March 15, 2012. During this period, two teams of different countries worked together using an online platform to come up with a proposal for the challenge assigned to them, and a video showcasing their proposal.

The teams have to solve different challenges based on real projects of Indra, for example, the design of a cloud computing solution, the design of a simulator to optimise water management, or a project involving unmanned vehicles (UAVs).

The UP Diliman team teamed up with students from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) – Telecos of Spain, under the team name AEOLUS. Their team was assigned to work on a project for the implementation of the UAV Pelicano, the unmanned aircraft system being developed by Indra. The two universities worked together to propose an innovative solution for an automatic landing system for the unmanned aircraft.

Two groups (four university teams in total) were then chosen to compete during the final phase. Together with UP Diliman and UPM Telecos, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) – Industriales (from Spain) and Facultade de Tecnologia de Sao Paulo from Brazil were chosen to compete in the finals phase to be held in Madrid, from April 26-27, 2012. Indra will sponsor travel and lodging expenses, with each student in the finals receiving an iPad as well.

The chosen groups will compete on site and will be organised into their original university teams. They will again have to solve challenges related to Indra’s projects. The team with the best solution will be chosen by a panel of judges as the winner of the competition.

The videos produced during the first phase are now uploaded in Indra's website. Viewers of the uploaded videos can then vote for their favourite teams or preferred solutions. The voting period will last up to April 25, 2012. The team with the video having the most numbered of votes will receive a special prize.

You may vote for the video of the UP Diliman team (under Team AEOLUS) in this link: http://www.indracompany.com/en/tu-carrera-en-indra/videos/aeolus-0. All you need is a valid email address to submit a vote.

Talent management in Indra

As a technology, innovative and global company, Indra seeks to offer students an international experience using virtual tools.

For Indra to attract, retain and manage the talent and diversity are key elements to innovation and sustainability and therefore a strategic priority. The company maintains relations with around 150 universities and research centres mainly through Chairs, agreements and R&D+i projects in order to attract professionals and gain access to new technologies to become an international benchmark in terms of enterprise-university technology transfer.

Indra's good practices regarding talent management have helped the company to become one of the leading companies in sustainability worldwide. The company appeared listed for the sixth consecutive year in the Dow Jones sustainability index.

Indra

Indra is the premier Information Technology company in Spain and a leading IT multinational in Europe and Latin America. It is ranked as the second European company in its sector according to investment in R&D with over € 500 M during the last three years. In 2011 revenues reached € 2.67B and the international market already accounts for 50% of the revenues. The company employs more than 36,000 professionals and has clients in more than 118 countries.

JAY PARK Live At Megaworld Lifestyle Malls This May

Fans of Jay Park, prepare for his visit next month and get to meet him in person! He is on the cover of Orange Magazine TV which is giving away 5 Jay Park CDs and 5 Meet and Greet passes here.

Press Release:

Get ready to be transformed as Korean Pop superstar JAY PARK shakes up Manila from May 4 to 6 to promote his first full-length album “New Breed” under MCA Music (Universal Music Philippines).

Catch him live at the following venues: May 4 (Friday), 7pm at Eastwood Mall Open Park; May 5 (Saturday), 7pm at Venice Piazza at McKinley Hill and May 6 (Sunday), 4pm at Lucky Chinatown Mall which are Metro Manila’s premier themed lifestyle centers, owned by Megaworld Corporation. Enjoy sweet serenades from MCA Music’s teen acoustic-pop duo/YouTube sensations Krissy & Ericka and Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart SABRINA who will also perform in these series of mall shows.

Those who will buy Jay Park’s album “New Breed” during those dates will get to have their copies signed by Jay Park himself!

Working with top U.S. producer Rob Knox, rap group Dynamic Duo and other top artists to bring you the freshest sounds in R&B and Electronic hip-hop, Jay Park opens up his world like you’ve never seen before.

The album’s title track ‘Know Your Name’ is an addictive blend of hip-hop, pop and Euro dance, taking the listener on a hypnotic journey. And with Jay Park’s trademark hard-hitting lyrics and catchy chorus, “Know Your Name” is sure to be 2012’s biggest hit.

Totaling 15 tracks, this album is sure to catch the eyes and ears of listeners. With tracks ranging from R&B to dance, electronic hip-hop to Euro dance, listeners will hear sounds they’ve never heard before and meet a brand new Jay Park.

Are you ready to see a completely transformed, idol-turned-musician, Jay Park? Then head on to your nearest Megaworld Lifestyle Mall from May 4 to 6 and grab a copy of “New Breed”. An album that will grab the hearts of listeners in Asia and the world, Jay Park’s “New Breed” has already begun.

Jay Park Live in Manila is presented by MCA Music and Megaworld Lifestyle Malls in cooperation with Eastwood Richmonde Hotel – the official residence of Jay Park in Manila, Red Box (Rock Dine Roll), media partners- MYX – The official music channel partner, 97.1 Barangay LS FM Tugstugan Na!, Sparkling Magazine, Gadgets Magazine, Orangemagazinetv.com, Yahoo Philippines, Juan Manila Express, Businessworld, HerWord.com, Manila Concert Scene and BND Hair Gallery Salon (For inquiries call 632- 4943270 or +639434035633).

To get the latest updates on Jay Park, visit MCA Music's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mcamusic. “New Breed” is also available online at www.mymusicstore.com.ph.

The 1st Philippine Toastmasters Corporate Summit Happens on April 19th

Press Release:

Need to boost your confidence? Preparing for a business presentation? Leading a team?

Speak with confidence and unleash your leadership abilities with Raju Mandhyan and Dr. Dups de los Reyes in The 1st Philippine Toastmasters Corporate Summit on 19 April 2012, Thursday, 1:00 -5:00 pm at the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center, Makati City

Speakers' Profiles:

Raju Mandhyan

Toastmaster, Author, Business Coach and Trainer in the areas of Communication Skills, Creative Thinking and Leadership. Former engineer, entrepreneur and Chairman of the Philippine India Council of the Philippines Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

He has spent 30 years in the Philippines of which 18 were spent in international trade and exports while the last 12 years have been spent in human capital development and business consulting. Currently, he also produces and hosts a TV Talk Show called ExPat Insights where he highlights and applauds good work done by foreigners in business and society here in the Philippines.

His work can be seen in the following websites:

www.mandhyan.com

www.expatinsights.com

Here are links to some of his talks:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvv-u5hOPs4

http://youtu.be/9QZ_tWmP8RU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrX_SeaXv1U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QM6DD4VVzrk

Dr. Dups de los Reyes

Dr. Rodolfo “Dups” de los Reyes has been designing and conducting training programs for corporate clients and convention groups all over Asia – Pacific, and has been writing guidebooks since 1981 and is now publishing his new books and new editions as well.

His training programs comprise four categories:

• Personal growth and motivation

• Communication (written and oral)

• Salesmanship and customer service

• Leadership and management

His published books now total of 10 titles. Until this year, he has written books on four learning areas:

• English proficiency

• Public speaking and presentation skills

• Business writing

• Salesmanship

Related link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BskqHtbBbM

Registration Fee is Php 500 only, with a 10% discount given to students.

To register, please call or email:

Nette Soriano, 0917.503.1051, nette_soriano04@yahoo.com

Katrina Letargo, 0917.518.9572, Katrina_letargo@yahoo.com

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About Toastmasters International

Toastmasters International is a world leader in communication and leadership development. Our membership is 270,000 strong. These members improve their speaking and leadership skills by attending one of the 13,000 clubs that make up our global network of meeting locations.

The Toastmasters program offers many benefits that help people in all walks of life. As a result of participating in Toastmasters, you will: Increase your self-confidence; become a better speaker; become a better leader; and communicate more effectively. http://www.toastmasters.org