I have to confess… I’m a fan of Jet Li movies. This has come about mostly because of Hero, but as of last Saturday I also liked Once upon a time in China. I watched part I and the first half of part II while I was babysitting for my buddy Stricky-Strick.
I think it’s not so much because of Jet Li, although I think he plays his parts convincingly, speaking in a language I don’t understand at all. I just like the nationalist undertones in those two movies. I imagine what it would be like if we put out movies like that, in my mind it would not be quite the same. I guess to me I always have a soft spot for underdog tales, and to me America is no underdog, whereas the setting of these movies places the cast in underdog-type roles.
So maybe it’s not so much I like Jet Li movies, but rather movies where the underdog works hard and topples the de facto alpha dog/faction just because they want it bad enough.
Hmm… story of my life, really.
It’s the modern-day wild wild west, where anything and everything goes. For the most part, anyway.
Internet advertizing has become something of a booming business. So much so that there are companies out there that build websites specifically to draw traffic to other websites, or websites that either directly or indirectly advertize other websites and companies. There are companies out there willing to spend their ad budget to pay for *any* kind of exposure, no matter how tiny.
My new ad hatred is this highlighting of random words in an article that I’m trying to glean information from. You’ll see a word that’s underlined right in the middle of your article, and when you put your mouse over it you see a small google-style ad. It’s… stupid.
But I guess it’s nothing new really. Ads on TV, ads *in* my shows and movies (I Robot, glaringly blatant product placement example for converse and whatever company that built the DVD player they used)
The reason I write about this seemingly out of nowhere was because I just logged onto–and out of–friendster. I really have no idea why I try to use the service anymore, and I am beginning to ponder the true meaning behind the website. Back in the day it was all about connecting people. Today you log in and I am pretty damn sure more than 50% of every page is adspace. I log in to look around and BLAM some ho-ho in a bikini is trying to sell me TRUE.com love. Disgustafucktifying. I just want to shed a tear for the future. I guess the internet will become shittier before it gets used properly.
I suppose “properly” is subjective, though. My ideal is that the net becomes a medium where we share ideas that benefit all people, instead of benefiting the asshole who wants to make a quick buck by selling sex or penis enhancement pills, or the jerk who wants to write virii to inflate his own e-peen (That’s “internet penis” for those who don’t know). Sometimes I wish I could scrub it. At least I know there are networks out there that are actually being used to safely exchange information and are not being invaded by avaricious businesspeople as another medium of advertizement.
Oh, so here’s what I originally wanted to post. I was thinking of building a type of low-traffic pull service for websites who wanted a uniform networking interface similar to friendster. But then I realize I’m already doing that by building my site up and putting links to other people, albeit in a not-as-sexy manner as the OG BACK IN THE DAY friendster and not today’s friendster.
As soon as days magically have more hours added to them I’ll keep developing this site, but until then a little bit here and a little bit there will be all I can do.
-TJ
in 5 billion pt font. My joy knows no bounds.
December 29, 2005. It’s morning in the Philippines and Kulet is already in Manila, in the same city as my family. I start sending text messages to their phone: “Is she there yet?” “Heard anything?”
At around 3PM +8 GMT they finally see each other. Kulet came with her cousin, I will call her “Ate C”, who is somewhat of a guardian type figure to her. In any case it’s like green lights all around. They both liked my family, they thought we were really nice and in fact Kulet is asking me that when I come over in the future to bring my sisters to visit as well.
There are more details to this as well, but I won’t know the majority until I see my family next time. My dad took a bunch of pictures according to let, so I should see a bit of what their meeting was like.
You’ll find out as I find out. 
-TJ