Description: 5 Emotions

*Also posted at edu20.org

Expectant - Still rejuvenated from my morning bath, I eagerly march up the cream-white stairs, anticipating a new phase of social interaction. I try to exert extra force to my step, the heavy foot falls it creates drowns out my heightened heartbeat. My increased breathing interval distracts me; it takes me a moment to collect myself and slow it down. Reaching the top of the stairs and striding through the towering doorway, I remind myself that every newcomer here probably feels nervous too and nervousness distracts me. I straighten my posture and try to maintain an air of confidence and approachability as I near the newcomer’s meeting area.

Smug - I gleefully rub my hands together as I contemplate on the fact that having gone through this activity before enables me to apply advantageous prior knowledge. Smirking, I silently declare that I will emerge the victor. The fine line between confidence and arrogance is blurred as thoughts of superiority cloud my mind.

Stale - I grow weary as the day slowly progresses. Time always seems to inconsiderately slow itself down whenever I find myself in an uninteresting situation. I adjust my sitting position again; the chair I am on, which had been pretty comfortable at first, now feels like a rough stone slab. With a blank expression, I constantly look at my silver watch, silently wishing my persistent glances would magically speed up time and end this dull state of inactivity.

Disgust - I speedily retreat from the cramped, crowded room in which I had regrettably spent the better part of my day. I lift my finger to press the elevator button; I apply enough pressure before immediately retracting my finger due to the sticky feeling the oily surface of the button gives me. As I wait for the elevator to reach my floor, thoughts of all the seedy denizens who could have used this elevator dance in my head. From the “fat guy with a bad case of body odor” to the “fatal farter”, I was imagining each of them leaving traces of their dastardly smells and/or marks (especially in the case of “the booger dude”) in the elevator. I had just finished thinking about “the long-haired-dandruff-covered-didn’t-bathe guy” and was now dwelling on “the dirty couple” when I hear a clatter of old metal parts as the elevator doors open. A foreboding stench of musty, processed air seeps out. I forcefully exhale in a vain attempt to clear my lungs of the unpleasing air. I peek into the newly opened hole in the wall before me. I raise my eyebrows in disbelief as I note the dirty floor, walls and ceiling; plus the creepy dim lights. Listening carefully, I could hear the cables creaking; the cables from which this grimy metal box was suspended from and from which my life would be hanging from. Calling what was in front of me a “poorly maintained elevator” would be an understatement; “dirty deathtrap” is more like it.

Relief - I burst through the main doors and smile as a refreshing gust of wind greets me. The peaceful expanse before me comforts my tired psyche. I am thankful that even for a little while, I can leave the dreary, plain halls of routine instruction. Slowly, I tread down the cream-white steps and note that they aren’t as cream-white as when I first laid my eyes on them, they look more dirty-white to me now. At the last step I close my eyes, take a deep breath and exhale slowly, grin, and stroll towards my car.

Repost: BP oil spill summary

*Already posted this at edu20.org. I'm reposting it here just in case.

Juan Suarez ABCA 2

ENGLONE - Summarization

The BP oil spill is America's greatest environmental disaster to date. Its true impact will take months to emerge. Experts say the depth of the spill coupled with the chemicals used to break it down before it surfaced, pose an unknown threat. Louisiana is affected the most, as it is closest to the oil spill. Sheets of oil have reached wetlands and wildlife nurseries. Oil debris has also reached Mississippi and Alabama. Livelihoods are affected as the U.S. waters in the Gulf of Mexico are closed to fishing. Traveling oil plumes are a major threat since they can be hundreds of meters deep and several miles wide. The disaster has already taken--and is continuously endangering--human and animal lives. Heavy marine life casualties are yet to be reported. The oil spill, if left unchecked, may radically alter the food-chain.

First Look: Captain America Costume Design

- IO9.com

"We're still more than a year away from the big screen adaptation of Captain America, but today we get our first look at how the first Avenger will look on celluloid and, eventually, in the Sega-published video game.

Ain't It Cool News gives us our first glimpse at Steve Rogers in full Cap gear, a conceptual costume design that doesn't stray too far from the Ultimates version of the character, for better than worse. Chris Evans, better known as the Human Torch from Marvel's Fantastic Four movies, will be donning the stars, stripes and vibranium shield for the 2011 film, battling the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving) and Arnim Zola (Toby Jones) for patriotic purposes.

It's been more than three years since Sega signed on to create games based on Captain America, Thor and the Hulk, during which time two middling Iron Man games and a so-so version of The Incredible Hulk were released. Let's hope Sega, which has undergone some unfortunate changes since then, will be able to do justice to Mr. America here.

Captain America: The First Avenger is slated for a release in July 2011."
-Kotaku.com

----
Looks great. I especially like the shoulder and upper arm parts(pauldrons?).

Also, here's an alleged full view of Thor's armor (THIS illustrates his full armor but there is a real movie still of him on the net, search for it):

-IO9.com

Opinion: jejemon

My prejudices propose that I do not appreciate the existence of the social epidemic, "jejemon".

I have researched on what "jejemon" means using these sites-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jejemon
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=jejemon
http://uncyclopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Jejemon
- and I'd like to post a few excerpts which support (and maybe fuel) my opinion:

"...using Jejemon are(is) said to cause deterioration of young Filipino students’ language skills." - Wikipedia

"...anyone with a low tolerance in correct punctuation, syntax and grammar (is a jejemon)...they can not express themselves...as good as an average person" - Urban Dictionary

"Through social networking sites and text messaging, they usually brag about their useless lives, claiming that they "hang around at Starbucks", or that they are cutting classes to drink and gamble."
- Uncyclopedia

(Some may claim that these sites are unreliable and unofficial, but since I was unable to find any official scientific data on the subject, these sites ARE the most reliable sources for information regarding "jejemon" as of now.)

I (arrogantly) proclaim to myself and to all that "jejemon" is another one of those petty activities certain deprived individuals indulge in as vain attempts to quench their infinite thirst for that feeling most of crave yet so few of us truly achieve; the feeling of being special...gifted...extraordinary.

The practitioners of "jejemon" may consider themselves skilled up to some obscure, purely fictional degree of usefulness, but I doubt they have the mental capacity (probably due to their upbringing and environment) to realize how unproductive--and counterproductive--their practice is.

"Jejemon's" place is within the lowly ranks of sexting and low-class fraternities; things I bitterly associate with weakness.