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Saturday, August 30, 2008

VMware Workstation v6.0.5.109488 Incl Keygen-TBE

Here we have this great application that allows us to run multiple operating systems on the same computer. If you prefer the linux edition, guys from TBE released also VMware.Workstation.v6.0.5.109488.LINUX.Incl.Keygen-TBE so enjoy the application in your preffered OS.

Description: Discover the true power and flexibility of your desktop or laptop computer with VMware Workstation. Reduce hardware costs by 50% or more by running multiple operating systems simultaneously on a single PC. Automate and streamline tasks to save time and improve productivity.

Features:
* Host legacy applications and overcome platform migration issues
* Configure & test new software or patches in an isolated environment
* Automate tasks for software development and testing
* Demonstrate multi-tier configurations on a single PC

Release Name: VMware.Workstation.v6.0.5.109488.Incl.Keygen-TBE
Filename: tbevm
Size: 309.13 MB
OS: WinAll
NFO: Here
Links: Homepage, Wikipedia
Download: Torrent

Source: ZeroSec

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Smallville S07 DVDRip XviD-ORPHEUS

Season 7 finished airing a few months ago in the US, finally we get the DVDRips to enjoy without the TV watermarks and advertisements.

Quality: Great as usual for a DVDRip, if you haven’t already downloaded the HDTV rips, I’d recommend downloading these.

Synopsis: Smallville revolves around a young Clark Kent (Tom Welling) learning about his powers and how to manage them. He’s joined by his girlfriend, Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) and friends, Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack), Lois Lane (Erica Durance) and Jimmy Olsen (Aaron Ashmore) as well as his cousin, Kara (Laura Vandervoort) and former friend, Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum). Providing support is Lionel Luthor (John Glover).

Genre: Drama | Sci-Fi
IMDB rating: 7.9/10 (13,782 votes)
Starring: Tom Welling, Michael Rosenbaum, Allison Mack, Erica Durance,

Release Name: Smallville.S07.DVDRip.XviD-ORPHEUS
Size: 20 Episodes, 350 MB Each
Quality: XviD, 624 x 352, VBR MP3
Runtime: Roughly 43mins Per Episode
Filename: smallville.s07eXX.dvdrip.xvid.orpheus.avi (XX = Episode Number)

TV Rage: Here
NFO: Here
Samples: Sample
Download: TorrentSearch, UsenetSearch

 

Source: ZeroSec

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Top 25 Torrent Sites

As of September 2008.

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I decided to compile a list of Top 25 torrent websites to the current date, which means almost the beginning of September. I’ve seen similar lists few years ago but noone really updated them anymore and there were some new players on this field as well, so here’s the actual version. The list includes only public websites, which allows you to download torrents without registration or ratio requirements.

All the numbers are based on Alexa rating. While Alexa struggles to provide exact numbers for smaller websites, it’s quite accurate for big sites like these on the list. I looked for actual rating of each website and also added the rating which the site held back in March 2008. The rating expresses the popularity of the website on the whole internet, so number 69 in case of Mininova means it’s the 69th most popular website on the world. The last column is obviously the percentual change between these two dates.

Some interesting results can be interpreted after analyzing this chart. Mininova still remains the world’s most popular BitTorrent website, but their position was even stronger half a year ago. The Pirate Bay which secured the second position actually improved a bit. The third place is occupied by Isohunt, which remains on the same level.

The biggest movers are fifth Demonoid (which was basically offline in March), meta indexer Torrentz.ws and Onlytorrents.com at 18th place. On the other hand, torrent sites which experienced the biggest outflow of visitors are Torrentspy (shut down due to court order), relatively unknown GamesTorrents and also myBittorrent.com. Our partner site NewTorrents.info holds the 19th place.

Source: Rlslog

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The Spiritual World 2008 PROPER DVDRip XviD-SFF

Asian horror flicks are great. Hollywood has always kept their eyes on good Asian thrillers to remake and make crappy. Just make sure the one you download has subtitles included.

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You don’t have a chance to see a movie from Thailand on RLSLOG every day, but this propered dvdrip from group SFF has been spread quite a lot and the horror movie itself doesn’t look bad either. The audio is obviously Thai but there are English and Chinese subtitles so you will not have any problems to understand the story. The previous released had mono audio, therefore the proper. Full screen image on 1 CD with mp3 audio and an average video bitrate.

Ming is an ordinary girl who can contact the dead since she was young. It has been fifteen years that she tries to escape from a mysterious ghost that keeps following her. She meets a young doctor named Budd who visits her to find out the reason behind the death of his father. He believes that his father was murdered. The arriving of Budd brings back the terrible memory in the past of Ming life. Now she is going to face the truth that is more terrible than the ghosts.

The.Spiritual.World.2008.PROPER.DVDRip.XviD-SFF

1 CD, 700 MB, ssf-tsw-proper
101 min, 560 X 304, 821 kb/s, mp3
Details, NFO, torrent soon

Source: Rlslog

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Speed Racer DVDRip XviD-ARROW

Long, tiring but ultimately rewarding day at the end. So before I sleep, let me just post a couple of recently released movies. (still trying to cool down from all that initial tension and adrenaline anyways)

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A nice little surprise from group ARROW has just been pred few seconds ago: a dvdrip of a family movie Speed Racer! It’s been more than a month from R5 rip of this flick and you can get it in an even better quality now. Great image and AC3 sound on 2CDs.

Hurtling down the track, careening around, over and through the competition, Speed Racer (Emile Hirsch) is a natural behind the wheel. Born to race cars, Speed is aggressive, instinctive and, most of all, fearless. His only real competition is the memory of the brother he idolized-the legendary Rex Racer-whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill.

Speed is loyal to the family racing business, led by his father, Pops Racer (John Goodman), the designer of Speed’s thundering Mach 5. When Speed turns down a lucrative and tempting offer from Royalton Industries, he not only infuriates the company’s maniacal owner (Roger Allam) but uncovers a terrible secret-some of the biggest races are being fixed by a handful of ruthless moguls who manipulate the top drivers to boost profits. If Speed won’t drive for Royalton, Royalton will see to it that the Mach 5 never crosses another finish line.

Genre: Action | Family | Sport
IMDB rating: 6.5/10 (15,638 votes)
RT rating: 36%
Directed by: Andy Wachowski, Larry Wachowski
Starring: Emile Hirsch, Nicholas Elia, Christina Ricci

Release Name: Speed.Racer.DVDRip.XviD-ARROW
Size: 2 CD, 1400 MB
Quality: 1049 kbps, 384 kbps AC3, 656×272, 2.41:1
Runtime: 130 minutes
Filename: arw-sr.dvdrip.xvid

Links: IMDB, Homepage, Trailer
NFO:
Here
Torrent:
soon at NewTorrents

 

Source: Rlslog

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Friday, August 29, 2008

Eraserheads Reunion Concert

A huge marketing plot from the get-go.

At first, rumors spread from the eheads' newsgroups.

Then people wanted more info so they gradually leaked some details, like the month and location (Aug at the CCP open grounds).

Then payout talks, like each band member was getting paid 10M for a night's worth of performance.

Then it was clarified that 10M was for the whole band already.

Then, the firm paying them, Marlboro. But since a law was passed that tobacco companies can't do ads anymore , it was kept at rumor level... with full deniability.

Then tickets. People started asking how to get tickets. They said it was going to be a "free" concert, only passes are needed and those passes are not for minors (for "security/safety" purposes according to Ely Buendia). It was then leaked that you'd have to sign up with Marlboro's mailing list in order to get yourself on the "Red List". Once there, you are apparently eligible to be considered for free tickets.

Then yesterday, I found out that Marlboro backed out as the main sponsor due to some legal gibberish and now tickets are for sale at 1,300+ each. A co-worker showed me his. And that it would now be at the Fort open field.

Nice tactic from Marlboro to get everybody to sign up with them.

 

[Update] 2008.09.01|09:33p >> Here's a vid from youtube (aileenapolo)

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The Love Guru DVDRip XviD-DoNE

Watched this when the screener leaked (what did you expect, it had Jessica Alba!). Here's the dvdrip. The humor gets repetitive and borrows a lot from the other Mike Myers movies.

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Back in July, we got a DVDSCR of this ridiculous flick. Finally, the DVDRiP has arrived for you all to enjoy with no property texts or such. Subtitles are included with the release.

DVDR: The.Love.Guru.NTSC.DVDR-SCREAM

Synopsis: In the comedy “The Love Guru,” Pitka (Mike Myers in his first original character since Austin Powers) is an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by gurus. He moves back to the U.S. to seek fame and fortune in the world of self-help and spirituality. His unorthodox methods are put to the test when he must settle a rift between Toronto Maple Leafs star hockey player Darren Roanoke (Romany Malco) and his estranged wife. After the split, Roanoke’s wife starts dating L.A. Kings star Jacques Grande (Justin Timberlake) out of revenge, sending her husband into a major professional skid — to the horror of the teams’ owner Jane Bullard (Jessica Alba) and Coach Cherkov (Verne Troyer). Pitka must return the couple to marital nirvana and get Roanoke back on his game so the team can break the 40-year-old “Bullard Curse” and win the Stanley Cup.

Genre: Comedy
IMDB rating: 3.6/10 (8965 votes)
RT rating: 14%
Directed by: Marco Schnabel
Starring: Jessica Alba, Mike Myers, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco

Release Name: The.Love.Guru.DVDRip.XviD-DoNE
Size: 1 CD, 717.38 MB
Quality: DVDRiP, 608 x 256, 993 kbps, 128 kbps @ VBR MP3
Runtime: 87 mins
Filename: the.love.guru-done

Links: IMDB, Homepage, Trailer
Samples: VCD Quality, Video Sample
NFO: Here
Torrent: New Torrents (Soon)

 

Source: Releaselog

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Next Avengers Heroes of Tomorrow 2008 STV DVDRip XviD-DOMiNO

I downloaded this because I thought the plot was interesting when I saw the preview back then from some other Marvel flick I watched. Don't get too excited, it's like watching some extended cheesy series on Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network.

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Hi guys! Finally, here we are! I hope you will enjoy our new site :) Well, about this release, here we have a decent family animation movie. Not a top movie, but maybe your kids will enjoy it;) This release is nuked: “scenebanned_stealing.sources_this.time.from.BULLDOZER” but it wont affect your viewing experience.

Quality: Great, as usual for a DVDRip

Synopsis: After five of the eight active Avengers died facing Ultron, Tony Stark takes their children - James Rogers, son of Black Widow and Captain America; Pym, son of Giant-Man and the Wasp; Azari, son of the Black Panther and his unnamed bride; and Toruun, daughter of the absent Avenger Thor - to a refuge hidden in the Arctic Circle. He raises them for nearly thirteen years before Ultron discovers their existance. Stark learns from the Vision (another survivor) that Francis Barton, son of Hawkeye, is also alive. Stark then stalls Ultron long enough for the kids to escape, and is ultimately captured.

Genre: Animation | Action
IMDb rating: awaiting 5 votes
Directed by: Jay Oliva
Starring: Tom Kane, Dempsey Pappion, Aidan Drummond, Brenna O’Brien, Fred Tatasciore, Noah Crawford, Adrian Petriw, Guy Michelmore, Jay Oliva, George P. Rizkallah

Release Name: Next.Avengers.Heroes.of.Tomorrow.2008.STV.DVDRip.XviD-DOMiNO
Filename: domino-newavengers
Size: 1 CD, 708.67 MB
Quality: XviD | 640 x 352 | 23.976 FPS | 847 KBPS | AC3 | 384 KBPS
Runtime: 78 minutes

Links: IMDb, Homepage, Trailer, Wikipedia
NFO: Here
Samples: #1, #2, #3, Video sample
Download: Torrent

 

Source: ZeroSec

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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

The Promotion 2008 LIMITED DVDRip XviD-AMIABLE

OK, since I mentioned the movie The Promotion on my previous post, here's some additional info about it.

Good, funny, well written movie.

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AMIABLE brings us a Limited comedy that I have actually never heard of with some bigger names in it. John C. Reilly being one of them, who is definitely a very funny guy. Quality is what you can expect from a DVDRip. Hopefully this is funny!

A war of wills takes place between two men who want to run the same grocery store in this offbeat comedy from writer and director Steven Conrad. Doug (Seann William Scott) is a seemingly ordinary guy who works as the assistant manager of a supermarket near Chicago. When the owners of the market announce they’re opening a new branch near Doug’s neighborhood, he applies to become manager of the new store, and both he and his wife (Jenna Fischer) assume he’s a shoo-in to get the job. But Richard (John C. Reilly), a gregarious recent hire at the store who has relocated to Illinois from Canada, announces he’s also applying for the management position, and a keen rivalry develops between Doug and Richard even as they strive to act like friends on the surface. As the competition grows between the two, their personality flaws become increasingly evident — Doug’s short temper, Richard’s history of drug abuse — and when Richard’s wife (Lili Taylor) leaves him, the contest starts taking an uncomfortable turn.

Genre:  Comedy
IMDB rating: 7.4/10 (434 votes)
Directed by:  Steve Conrad
Starring: Seann William Scott, John C. Reilly, Fred Armisen, Jenna Fischer

Release Name: The.Promotion.2008.LIMITED.DVDRip.XviD-AMIABLE
Size: 1cd | 700mb
Quality: DVDRip - XviD | 640×272 - 23.976 | English / Spanish - mp3 (subs included en/sp)
Runtime: 85 minutes
Filename: the.promotion.2008.dvdrip.xvid-amiable

Links: IMDB, RT, Trailer
NFO: here
Torrent: Search

 

Source: Releaselog

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Elegy LIMITED R5 XviD-COALiTiON

The R5 from COALiTiON has just been pre'd... can't find the new write-up yet so I'll use the one from yesterday for PreVail's CAM release. I'll just update this when it becomes available.

Also, I have not heard about this movie. But limited movie releases prove to be a good watch sometimes (like the one I just saw, The Promotion).

[Update] 8:14 AM Fixed.

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COALiTiON delivers a R5 quickly after the Cam was released yesterday. This film seems to be getting decent ratings, and with Penelope Cruz and Ben Kingsley, it has to be somewhat good. Enjoy this great quality romantic drama!

Driven by Isabel Coixet’s visually assured and deeply observant direction, ELEGY charts the passionate relationship between a celebrated college professor and a young woman whose beauty both ravishes and destabilizes him. As their intimate connection transforms them-more than either could imagine-a charged sexual contest evolves into an indelible love story. With humanistic warmth, wry wit and erotic intensity, ELEGY explores the power of beauty to blind, to reveal and to transform.

Genre: Romantic | Drama
IMDB rating: 7.2/10 (682 votes)
Directed by: Isabel Coixet
Starring: Ben Kingsley, Penélope Cruz

Release Name: Elegy.LIMITED.R5.XviD-COALiTiON
Size: 1cd | 701mb
Quality: R5 XviD | 624×336 | mp3 48.000khz
Runtime: 108 minutes
Filename: coa-elegy-xvid

Links: IMDB, Trailer
Samples: 1, 2, 3Video Sample
NFO: here
Torrent: Search

 

Source: Releaselog

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The Mummy Tomb of the Dragon Emperor R5 LINE XviD-ALLiANCE

I have decided to post noteworthy scene/p2p releases here. You can usually search for the torrent using plain ol' google or your favorite private or public torrent tracker sites.

Remember it may take some time for the release to bubble up to the public trackers. So if you can't find it on The Pirate Bay or Mininova, be patient for it will surface soon enough.

[UPDATES]
08.27|07:39a >> Just did a quick look and previewed it, if you can't wait for a dvdrip release, this will do.

08.28|05:51a >> Started watching it last night, it was bad enough that I opted to just work instead. I'll try to power through with watching it this weekend.

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ALLiANCE pre’d this about 10 minutes ago. After numerous Screeners, we finally have a really nice copy, it is on 1cd, video is very clear and nice, and the audio is crisp and clear!

Rick is joined in this all-new adventure by son Alex, wife Evelyn and her brother, Jonathan. And this time, the O’Connells must stop a mummy awoken from a 2,000-year-old curse who threatens to plunge the world into his merciless, unending service. Doomed by a double-crossing sorceress (Michelle Yeoh) to spend eternity in suspended animation, China’s ruthless Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 warriors have laid forgotten for eons, entombed in clay as a vast, silent terra cotta army. But when dashing adventurer Alex O’Connell is tricked into awakening the ruler from eternal slumber, the reckless young archaeologist must seek the help of the only people who know more than he does about taking down the undead: his parents. As the monarch roars back to life, our heroes find his quest for world domination has only intensified over the millennia. Striding the Far East with unimaginable supernatural powers, the Emperor Mummy will rouse his legion as an unstoppable, otherworldly force…unless the O’Connells can stop him first.

Genre: Action | Adventure | Thriller
IMDB rating: 5.3/10 (15,455 votes)
Directed by: Rob Cohen
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah

Release Name: The.Mummy.Tomb.of.the.Dragon.Emperor.R5.LINE.XviD-ALLiANCE
Size: 1cd | 700mb
Quality: R5 XviD | 640×272 | mp3 48.000khz
Runtime: 104 minutes
Filename: alli-mummyr5-xvid

Links: IMDB, Trailer
Samples: 1, 2Video Sample
NFO: here
Torrent: Search

 

Source: Releaselog

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Parking Perfection 2

Classic parking flash game. Gets really frustrating as you only have one shot and if you fail, you start over from the beginning.




[EDIT] Had to rehost the game, previous host was unreliable.
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Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Canon EOS 50D

This was rumored early this year. It is rumor no more. It will start shipping October at the retail price of $1,399 for body only and $1,599 with kit.

image

Specs:

  • New DIGIC4 Chip
  • 15.1 megapixel CMOS sensor (with 1.6x crop factor)
  • ISO 100 all the way up to 12800
  • 9-Point Autofocus
  • 6.3fps Burst Mode (approx 90 JPG/16 RAW images in a single burst)
  • 3" LCD screen with Live View and Face Detection (up to 35 faces)
  • HDMI Output
  • etc...

Now, excuse me as I try to auction off my liver...

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Jason Mraz - I'm Yours

I know, I know... you're probably sick of this song and I have posted it already on my now outdated multiply site, but indulge my OC-ness, this is for the site's consistency.

I have two versions on my library, one is the album version and the other an acoustic from the EP (with some minor lyrical differences). I like the acoustic version better.

 

First up, the album version...

Jason Mraz - We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things

Artist: Jason Mraz
Album: We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things
Track: 02
Title: I'm Yours
Year: 2008
Lyrics:

Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
and now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love
Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing
We just want big family
And It's your God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love loved

So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
So I drew a new face and laughed
I guess what I'm saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanity and just go with the seasons

It's what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm yours
Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find the sky is yours
So please don't, please don't, please don't
There no need to complicate
Cause our time is short
This is, this is, this is our fate, I'm yours

Download

 

Next, the EP version....

Jason Mraz - We Sing [EP]

Artist: Jason Mraz
Album: We Sing [EP]
Track: 01
Title: I'm Yours [From The Casa Nova Sessions]
Year: 2008
Lyrics:

Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill
but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
and now I'm trying to get back
Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
Nothing's going to stop me
but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn
to win some or learn some
But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart
and you'll find love love love
Listen to the music of the moment
Dance and sing
we're just one big family
And it's your God-intended right
to be loved love loved love loved

So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

Do do you, do you, do,
do you want to come?
Scooch on over closer dear,
I'll whisper in your ear
Oh yes love, love love love love love
Love you love, love you love

I've been spending way too long
tricking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards
just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and I laughed
I guess what I'll be saying
Is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanities
and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue

And I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm yours

Come on open up your mind
and see like me (I won't hesitate)
Open up your plans (No more, no more)
and damn you're free
Look into your heart (It cannot wait)
and you'll find that the sky is yours (I'm sure)

So please don't, there's no need
(There's no need to complicate)
There's no need to complicate
(Our time is short)
'cause our time is short
(This is our fate)
This is, this is, this is our fate
I'm yours, I'm sayin' I'm yours

Download

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Monday, August 25, 2008

Oasis - Stop Crying Your Heart Out

I have just finished watching the chick flick Made of Honor. This song stuck (as it did before with the movie The Butterfly Effect). Here I go again with soundtracks. Hehe.

...too lazy to look harder for the official vid, this one is the acoustic by Noel Gallagher, Liam sings the album version but since Noel wrote the song and it sounds cleaner than the other vids, I chose this one. Love how he says, "you may clap" at the end... classic Gallagher!

hehe, di rin ako napakali, hinanap ko din...

Artist: Oasis
Album: Heathen Chemistry
Track: 04 of 11
Title: Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Year: 2002

Heathen_Chemistry

Lyrics:

Hold up
Hold on
Don't be scared
You'll never change what's been and gone
May your smile (may your smile)
Shine on (shine on)
Shine on (shine on)
Don't be scared (don't be scared)
Don't be scared (don't be scared)
Your destiny may keep you warm
Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
Get up (get up)
Get up (get up)
Come on (come on)
Come on (come on)
Why're you scared? (I'm not scared)
Why're you scared? (I'm not scared)
You'll never change
What's been and gone
Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
Cos all of the stars
Are fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see them some day
Take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
We're all of us stars
We're fading away
Just try not to worry
You'll see us some day
Just take what you need
And be on your way
And stop crying your heart out
Stop crying your heart out
Stop crying your heart out

Stop Crying Your Heart Out - Oasis

Download

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Saturday, August 23, 2008

davao: day 5 & 6

After that beating we took the day before, here we are again for a second serving.

But before that, here's some inspiration...

20080818070200_P8182255_Olympus FE-180 20080818070238_P8182256_Olympus FE-180

OK. Now we can check out breakfast. Hehe

20080818063916_P8182251_Olympus FE-180 20080818063908_P8182250_Olympus FE-180

For the past few days I have been the last to wake up and get ready in the morning, but today was no ordinary day... nagtatampo si Rommel. Hahaha. It wasn't till later when TJ realized this at the meeting place at Croc Park while surfer dude was dressing Rommel's wound with... BETADINE. That was it, that was why he didn't feel like coming with us this morning, why he was the last to get up and why we almost had to drag his ass out of the house. Last night Rommel was asking TJ to buy some Betadine but failed to do so.

20080818070115_P8182254_Olympus FE-180

Anyways, back to today.

Here's my morning dose of flower appreciation.

20080818070006_P8182252_Olympus FE-180

On our way to Marco Polo

20080818073247_P8182257_Olympus FE-180 20080818073627_P8182258_Olympus FE-180 20080818073803_P8182259_Olympus FE-180 20080818073856_P8182260_Olympus FE-180

A glimpse of Davao Chinatown and some Langka Taho (thanks Tala) a little further down, we were there...

20080818073947_P8182261_Olympus FE-180 20080818074014_P8182263_Olympus FE-180 20080818074047_P8182265_Olympus FE-180 20080818074052_P8182266_Olympus FE-180

Did some shots inside and a short while later, we got the call... it was time.

20080818074317_P8182268_Olympus FE-180 20080818074353_P8182270_Olympus FE-180

This is my Rommel impersonation. Hahaha

20080818074927_P8182276_Olympus FE-180 20080818075011_P8182279_Olympus FE-180

And this was our bass thumpin' ride

20080818075418_P8182281_Olympus FE-180 20080818075508_P8182283_Olympus FE-180

Yep, we were going white water rafting... or as they call it here, Wild Water Rafting.

20080818082226_P8182285_Olympus FE-180 20080818082525_P8182286_Olympus FE-180

Here's what we need: a ticket and a waiver. Don't you just love waivers. Signing them gives the little adrenaline-junkie in you a quick fix. Like, I'm signing a legal document which states that what I'm about to do next must be dangerous enough that there is a possibility I might die or seriously get injured... also I can't blame anybody if in case this happens... wild!

On to gears.

I am a fan of the life jacket...huge fan! In fact, if and when I get rich, I'll buy loads of stocks from the life jacket industry as a sign of gratitude for all the fun it has brought to my life on the water. But this has got to be the worst looking life jacket I have ever worn (aside from the undoubtedly retireable ones in Galera where the floaters are shooting off from the vest because it's badly torn in several places so you'd have to physically hold on to it). You will see this horror later... and the helmet... arghhh. Is it too much to ask that they keep us safe while looking good at the same time? Anyways, you have been warned.

OK. First up, some briefing about the next briefing to happen on site. Placed our stuff on the provided lockers. Then we hit the road.

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And since I'm in a complaining mood. The driver obviously has no idea about gradual acceleration and deceleration (sayang sa gas at di kami makatulog ng maayos sa byahe, dami ko bukol). It was about an hour before we got there.

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The guides said that brown waters meant rougher rapids. Yey!

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We have JR as our guide. Cool guy, a valiant effort to capsize our raft but we were just too heavy (Mimi kase may karga ng 3 days worth of processed food! hahaha). I asked for the best spot with the most thrill. TJ and I got it, no one wanted to swap with us anyways.

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First drill was how to pull someone in. So we all had to take turns getting into the water. When JR signaled for me to go first, I tightened my vest and took the plunge. The water was cold and deep but the worst part was being pulled in by means of grabbing your vest. It had straps going around and under my legs positioning it on both sides of my jewels so TJ's jerk hurt like hell.

Here's a visual (obviously not us). See the massive wedgies this maneuver creates? Now imagine having those straps at the wrong place pulled up as hard as humanly possible. If you're a girl you won't be able to relate.

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But  after getting comfortable with the water (also it was extremely hot that day) I never passed up a chance to get off the raft and swim around. Also JR taught us how to pull yourself up onto the raft using the ropes on the side so no more nut crushers.

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Ok then, on to the 13km course along Davao river. Pictures first then vids after, I coudn't remember the exact order as I was pretty occupied with paddling and screaming with joy.

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They had to cut off some bamboo hanging over the river ahead so we parked somewhere and ate lunch... and do some camwhoring

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This looks excruciating...

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hehe.

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OK, back to the course

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Shown here is some sort of mini cave with water dripping all over the ceiling. JR said this is potable spring water. There was a bat and some mucous looking thing hanging from the same ceiling. This I notice only after tasting a few drops.

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Enough rest...paddle!!!

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The guys in Kayaks are our safety nets. They push ahead waiting and catching people downstream or stay back and watch over a known tricky rapid. They scout ahead for unknown obstacles. And they also take our pictures and videos (actually Japs Cuan is tasked with this). We love you guys!!!

Next break was for the waterfalls.

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hate the vest. hate the hat.

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There..better. Photo by JR.

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Here are the other guides. The one on the center is Dax/Daks not sure... but he was kind enough to give us a lift from Croc Park to town (plus some enlightening financial tips along the way) when he saw us waiting for a taxi. Nice guy!

Back to rafting...

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That was the last obstacle, the suck 'n drop... but as our guide rocks, he offered a do-over. He dragged the raft back into position and asked us to walk back. And while this might look like manageable waters... the current was really strong. After assisting Ria across I tried to do Bryt next... she got carried into the current and I was too. I was pulling as hard as I could but I had nothing solid to hold on to... good thing Japs Cuan (that's what we called the photographer coz he looks like him) was around and pulled Bryt over.

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Pity we didn't have pictures of us drifting. This was where you get off of the raft and just drift/float with the rapids. You become your own raft!

Like so

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I love drifting! Even after being sucked in and held underwater for a good 5 secs. by a powerful undercurrent I didn't notice, getting hit hard in the ass by a large rock, and ingesting a lot of this chocolatey water... I still love it!

And nope, we didn't get thrown over by the rapids. Except for Chai and JM, twice. Hahaha. I envy you!!!

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This was indeed an awesome experience... HIGH FIVE!!! hahaha

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Off to the showers then head home.

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Here are the vids

After a quick regroup at the house, we were heading out again.

But first... damage report from peers. Hehe. I ended up having additional scratches on my legs and arms. More souvenirs!!!

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We had an intense day so we need an intense meal...(kamay ni Rommel yun, gutom na)

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Then wandered around the lovely People's Park. Where security was tighter than our airports (they were going to confiscate our yosi and lighters and I believe them, I saw all the confiscated stuff. Good thing ours were newly purchased and still sealed so they allowed us to deposit them for claiming later).

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Then we went durian hunting. Along the way Mimi saw this dog and started petting him... he obviously liked it. you horny dawg you... ahahahah

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Instead of cheap durian we were able to find cheap marang, a fruit that tastes like langka but looks like an atis inside. We were wondering what people were doing near the fruit stands converged on tables like they were tambays having a normal ginbulag session. But they were not, instead they were happily chatting while eating durian with a bottle of Coke. Now, that's something you only see in Davao!

On our quest for cheap durian and free wifi for Bryt (work work work), we ended up at Torres. Not to drink this time but for coffee and deserts only (and free wifi, hehe). Plus Mimi got a fix for her days old craving for mango crepe. See her napping in contentment below... along with the boys.

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After barely 2 hours of sleep in lieu of an early flight...

GOODMORNING DAVAO and FAREWELL for now... I have a feeling we'll be back. weluvit here!

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Again, this trip would not be possible without our primary sponsor:

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Thanks to Ria for the accommodation and the tour! You were our guiding star.

Thanks to the financiers! You were our rock.

 

Hehehe.

 

Now, vacation is over... back to work.

 

Remaining pics and vids: (same password)

Day 5: Part 1 of 3 (95.78MB)
Day 5: Part 2 of 3 (95.78MB)
Day 5: Part 3 of 3 (20.19MB)
Day 6: Part 1 of 1 (26.54MB)

 

EDIT: [20080826] Some typos, grammar checks and minor clean up

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