Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Featured Personality

Internet Action Star

Ramon Bautista. Hindi na ako magpapatumpik-tumpik pa. Maaaring nakita mo na ang mukha niya sa kung saan-saang music video. O sa mga palabas at patalastas sa telebisyon. O sa mga pahina ng magasin. Madali namang matandaan si Ramon Bautista eh. Aminado siyang ang tanging yaman lang niya ay ang kanyang pagkamagandang lalaki. Medyo mahaba ang mukha. Makapal ang kilay. Medyo kahawig ni Luis Manzano. May nakakalokong ngiti. At ma-appeal sa chicks, pati na rin sa mga boys.



O maaaring narinig mo na siya sa radyo. Dati syang DJ sa ü92.1 FM. The Brewrats ‘yung pangalan ng programa nila ni Tado at Angel Rivero. Wala pare. Kung nakikinig ka sa kanila dati, hahanap-hanapin mo iyon. Hahagalpak ka naman lagi sa katatawa at sasakit din ang ulo mo sa pag-iisip nang malalim.

Nagtapos sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas sa Diliman si Ramon Bautista sa kursong Mass Communication, BA Film. Naging kaklase niya doon ang ngayo’y tanyag na direktor na si RA Rivera.

"Gumagawa-gawa kami ng mga short film. Si RA Rivera nga ang direktor. Pinasikat niya ako at pinangakuan niya ako ng kasikatan,” sabi ni Ramon sa isang interbyu.

"Naalala ko, nilagay niya sa mga music video ni Dan Michael, yung master magician, dun sa Internet. Napanood niyo na ba yun? Dun nagsimula ang lahat."

Ang Dan Michael Master Magician ay inilabas sa MTV noong 2004 kung saan bumida si Ramon. Si Dan Michael ay hango sa personalidad ng street magician na si David Blaine ngunit ang palabas na ito ay mas nakatuon sa pagpapatawa sa halip na sa salamangka sa pagkat hindi naman nga tunay na nagmamadyik si Ramon. Sa katunayan, nagkakamali pa nga ito sa kanyang mga tricks ngunit wala siyang pakialam. Bumenta ang palabas na iyon kaya isinilang ang The Ramon Bautista Show.

Ramon Bautista with guest Raimund Marasigan
in the defunct The Ramon Bautista Show.

Sa palabas namang ito, na syempre si Ramon Bautista pa rin ang bida at si RA ang direktor, ay ibinibisita nila ang mga sikat na miyembro ng banda. Minsan tinuturuan ni Ramon kung paano maggitara ang mga sikat na’ng gitarista. O mag-drums ang mga beteran na. Kahit hindi naman talaga siya marunong. Ang palabas na ito ay para sa katuwaan lang at pumatok din ito sa tao dahil sa angkin nyang talentong magpatawa kahit walang effort at sa carabao English.

"Mahiyain ako nun. Sobra. Andiyan lang ako sa isang tabi, walang pumapansin," sabi ni Ramon nang tinanong siya kung pinangarap niya noong bata pa na maging sikat. "Pangarap ko po talaga maging astronaut kaso lang, walang spaceship dito."

Hindi man siya naging astronaut at nakarating sa kalawakan, narating naman niya ang tugatog ng tagumpay. Nang dahil sa mga palabas niya sa telebisyon ay naging in demand siya. Ang unang beses niyang karanasan sa paghohost nang live ay sa PULP Summer Slam noong 2007. Hindi niya malilimutan ang pangyayaring iyon sa pagkat doon niya unang nakita na marami na pala siyang fans. Astig e, no? Ni hindi daw siya nakapaghost kahit birthday party man lang ng kanyang pamangkin tapos biglang ganun.

Naging in demand din siya sa mga patalastas. Matatandaang nakipagpalistuhan siya sa dakilang Filipino rapper na si Francis M para sa Nescafe. Siya rin ang mukha ng Hapontukin ng Enervon. Sumayaw-sayaw siya gamit ang kanyang McSaver Moves ng McDonald’s. Sumayaw din para sa Smart Bro SurfTV. Sinayawan si Guji Lorenzana para sa Seiko, ang wallet na maswerte. Sumakay sa kotse para sa Petron. Sumakay sa kotse na Mitsubishi Adventure. At nangampanya para sa Ako Mismo at marami pang iba, pati nga sa COMELEC!

Enervon, COMELEC, Mitsubishi Adventure,
Nescafe, McDonald's, Seiko Wallet TV Ads.

For the Ako Mismo Advocacy

Tinagurian din siyang Man of the Year ng UNO Magazine para sa isyu nila noong Nobyembre 2010. Sa isang panayam sa kanya sa Kababayan LA, naitanong sa kanya kung ano ang reaksyon niya ukol sa pagkilalang iyon. Ito ang kanyang nasabi, “Siguro napakagandang lalaki ko lang talaga. Tapos maraming tumitiling mga chicks sa ‘kin.”

Cover of UNO Magazine, Nov 2010


Tunay talagang napakamahiyain ni Ramon Bautista. Lumabas na rin siya sa music video ng Dear Kuya ng dating bandang Sugarfree at ng Ayoko Na Sa ‘Yo ng Jeepney Joyride. Panuorin mo ‘yung bagong music video ni Yeng Constantino na “Siguro.” Naroon rin siya, sabi sa ‘yo eh. Browse ka sa YouTube, palaboy-laboy lang siya doon.

Ramon Bautista with Yeng Constantino
in the making of "Siguro" music video

Benta rin sa mga indie at short film si Ramon. Kamakailan ay naitampok din ang kanyang talento sa pamamagitan ng isang mock-umentary para sa Nestle. Kasama rin siya sa mga pelikulang itatampok sa Cinemalaya ngayong taon tulad ng Rakenrol, ni Quark Henares, kung saan gumanap siyang isang music video director na nagngangalang Flame Tigerbluden at ng San Lazaro, ni Wincy Aquino Ong, bilang si Limuel.

Kasalukuyan siyang host ng isang mock newscast at political satire na “May Tamang Balita” sa GMA News TV. Nagbibigay ito ng kakaibang pananaw sa pagbabalita at sa mga ibinabalita sa pamamagitan ng komedya. Kasama niya rito sina Sheena Halili at Maey Bautista.

GMA News TV's May Tamang Balita hosts

Sa mga panahong hindi siya nagpapatawa o wala sa harap ng camera, ginugugol ni Ramon Bautista ang oras niya sa pagtuturo. Nagtuturo siya ng Documentary Film at Post-Production sa UP Film Institute. Natanggap na propesor si Ramon nang mailabas niya ang kanyang maikli at animated film na “Makina” na tungkol sa pagkagahaman at ang dokumentaryongMga Bangkang Papel sa Swimming Pool ng Kumukulong Arnibal” na tungkol naman sa paggawa ng pelikula. Umani ito ng mga parangal sa loob at labas ng bansa. Kasalukuyan niyang tinatapos ang kanyang Master’s degree sa Film. 

Ang dami mong nalaman tungkol kay Ramon Bautista, no? Huwag ka nang magtataka kung makakasalubong mo na lang siya sa mall, naka-leather jacket, nakapamewang at pinaliligiran ng chicks. Kasi sikat sya. Oo, ‘yun na ‘yon. Ang lagi niyang payo sa mga estudyanteng nakakasalamuha niya, “gawin mo kung ano ang gusto mo at kung saan ka sasaya. Pero huwag ‘yung puro lang saya, dapat meron ka ring disiplina dahil baka paglaki mo maging taong grasa ka.”



Ramon Bautista. Sabi nga niya sa kanyang Bio sa Twitter, siya ay isang “Internet action star.”



I-follow sya sa www.ramonbautista.tumblr.com

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Joy Foods!

Vanillalove Cupcakes
(Vanilla Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting)
Is your sweet tooth craving for some sweet delights but you just wouldn't want to buy from your local bakeshop or candy store? Well, this next recipe proves that it's easy to make your own sweet treat. After baking, share some with your sister or girl friends. Nothing beats the joy of bonding over sweets. Enjoy!
Vanilla Cupcakes
Yield: 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 20 to 24 minutes
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
½ cup sour cream
1 large egg , room temperature
2 large egg yolks , room temperature
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.
2. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour cream, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until smooth and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl with rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour pockets remain.
3. Divide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cupcake tops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from tin and transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature before frosting.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Yield: Enough to frost 12 cupcakes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2½ cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1. Using the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the butter on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.
2. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Whip at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed.
You can store any unused buttercream in the refrigerator in an airtight container; let it come to room temperature and then give it a quick whip in the mixer before using.
(Cupcake recipe adapted from Cook’s Illustrated; Frosting recipe is a Brown Eyed Baker original)
Visit their site www.browneyedbaker.com

The Joy of Flying High


Photo by Nicole Castillo.
Taken at the Hotair Balloon Festival at Clark, Pampanga.
Visit her at www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1356874593

Thursday, July 7, 2011

The Joy of Doing the Unusual Stuff

Center street Plank. Photo by Angelo Fan.
Taken at Diversion Road, Batangas City.


"I learned this planking when my friend, Enzo, posted this to his Facebook profile. Then I searched about it. I enjoyed viewing planking pictures online. I know others may think it's STUPID. Hmm, I agree with them, but for me it's STUPID but at the same time I see it as an art. Being a fan of the arts, whether visual or martial arts (Haha!) uhm, being a fanatic of arts especially photography, it keeps my mind flowing. I need to be creative again (how I wish I am creative), it lets my creative juices flow. I need to be unique. I got to think of ways on how I can be different, but different not in a way  to just catch attention from others (KSP-kulang sa pansin, ika nga). The excitement and enjoyment I felt was so great and the fact that I'm doing it with my friends made it so much better and more fun. I got to be planking more!"
- Angelo Fan, 23, Photographymeister.


Planking, also called as the lying down game, is an activity consisting of lying face down with arms on both sides and your feet together, toes pointing at the floor. There are extra points if you plank on unusual places such as roofs, top of vehicles, on tree branches, on billiard tables, on shopping carts, on another one’s shoulder, on top of a camel’s hump, on an escalator, on your bathroom floor (if you fit there and if you dare).

On your lawn, on your neighbor’s lawn, on your neighbor’s lawn while they’re having barbecue, on your neighbor’s lawn while they’re having barbecue and a pool party at the same time, on your dining table while everyone else is having dinner. The list goes on and on. The body must seem as stiff as, well, a plank, as the name suggests and the participants must have their picture taken and posted online.

The game was said to have originated way back 1996 but gained momentum ten years after when two UK teenagers, Gary Clarkson and Christian Langdon, created a Facebook page and posted pictures of them doing the extreme lying down. The term “planking” was coined in Australia in 2008 by a New Zealander named Paul Carran and from there commenced the online craze. People started to rigidly lie down on their faces on the most bizarre locations and eventually have their photos uploaded on the Internet.

"People generally think you're mad," as creator Gary Clarkson puts it. "That's sort of the point."

However, this fad, despite the fact that it is being done just for fun, has claimed its first victim last May 15. In the early hours of Sunday morning, 20-year-old Australian Acton Beale fell seven storeys to his death from the balcony of an apartment block in Brisbane. He and a friend had been performing planks on their journey home from a night on the town. Friends of Beale blame Carran for his death, saying the game is fatally irresponsible.

One of Beale’s friends posted a message on Carran’s YouTube clip from 2009 saying, “Your video killed a friend of mine. You seriously should take this down.” When asked if he feels like he has blood on his hands, Carran said not at all. “I laughed at first, because you think it’s a joke. You think, how does your video contribute to the death of somebody. It’s not like anybody, or me personally, made him do it.”

On a lighter note, many people still see planking or extreme lying down as harmless and done just for a bit of fun. Everybody wants to have fun, yes, and as long as you stay safe, there will be no problem. It is not a wise idea to risk your safety just to show others that you’re brave or you’re cool by doing this unusual stuff.



Do:

  1. Ensure complete physical control. Planking is a mastery of the mind and body so only attempt when you are in the right frame of mind and rested.
  2. Choose appropriate planking locations. The mastery of planking is a result of many contributing factors; NOT where it is done.
  3. Have someone with you so they can take multiple photos from different angles; and can brush you off after you finish your plank.
  4. Plank responsibly and spread the good word.

Potential areas for planking:

  1. In your university exam room after you forgot to study the night before.
  2. In high-pressure situations where people expect an answer from you immediately.
  3. In hostage situations to "defuse the tension."
Plank responsibly!

Visit the official site www.facebook.com/OfficialPlanking
Another site I found www.iplanking.com

Monday, July 4, 2011

Joy Foods!

EGG-IN-A-HOLE

The classic egg-and-bread tandem has never been this scrumptious. It's a surefire hit for your tastebuds during breakfast. Enjoy your meal! :D




Makes 2 servings

  • 4 whole wheat bread slices
  • softened butter
  • grated Emmental or cheddar cheese
  • diced red bell pepper
  • chopped chives
  • 1 egg


1  Preheat oven to 350ºF. 

2  Prepare 4 whole wheat bread slices. Cut a hole in the center of 2 bread slices using a cookie cutter or the rim of a glass.

3  Lightly brush all sides of the 4 bread slices with softened butter. Place the uncut bread on a baking tray and top each with a cut bread slice. 

4  Sprinkle generously with grated Emmental or cheddar cheese, diced red bell pepper, and chopped chives. 

5
  Break 1 egg into each hole. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and egg is set.

*Recipe from www.yummy.ph

The Joy of the Extreme





    Photos taken at San Jose, Mabini, Batangas.