World Press Photo Exhibit: Free at your nearest mall!

Sometimes window shopping and just simply hanging out in the mall brings a lot o surprises. Especially if you happen to just visit it once a month, or even once a week. Everyday, there's something new to discover at the mall. So naturally, if one has always been a mall-hopper, there are some things that might not be as surprising to them. Anyhow, as I was browsing the mall, carrying my tea latte, I was not so surprised to see a grand piano in the middle of the hall (as I said, mall hoppers are rarely surprised). But what caught my eye were these gigantic pictures situated just around the area where the piano was placed. At first, they looked like paintings, some vaguely looking like out of this world concepts. But as I peered closer, I found that these were not paintings but actual photos taken during late 2008 and early 2009. With the wonderful piano music floating around serenely (the song, by the way, was "Love Story"), I decided to look closer at the photos that were being exhibited.

The exhibit is from a non-government organization called World Press Photo. In their online gallery, the photos are the winners from their annual press photography contest. Never have photographs been more compelling. It is a simple yet profound look at how the world is today. Such photos evoke strong emotions and, while these may simply be one-dimensional things, they certainly tell a wonderful story. Looking at the pictures makes one feel like a child who opened their first book which is undoubtedly filled with different photographs. Unfortunately, this fairytale rarely ends in a happy ending.

Hopefully, more people come to see the exhibit before it is shown to another country. Here are the malls where you could catch the exhibit.

The Block, SM North Edsa
Sun 09 Aug 09 - Exhibition open for public
Mon 10 Aug 09 - Official opening
Wed 19 Aug 09 - Last day of exhibition

Mall of Asia
Thu 20 Aug 09 - Exhibition open for public
Thu 20 Aug 09 - 18:30 h. Official opening
Sun 23 Aug 09 - Last day of exhibition

EXHIBITION VISITING HOURS
Monday - Thursday : 10:00-21:00
Friday - Sunday : 10:00-22:00

Thanks to Dennis Rito and his photography blog for the schedule.

MentalFloss : Trivia Extraordinaire

With a tag line of "Where knowledge junkies get their fix", Mental Floss certainly has a lot to offer not only intellectuals but all individuals. Mental Floss is a magazine first, then a website second, as the editors still focus on the magazine subscription. Anyway, this website dishes out fantastic trivia that are just wonderful to learn.

Here are some of the wonderful things to try in this website:

• The Daily Lunchtime Quiz Archive
• 5 Questions
• The Amazing Fact Generator
• What's The Difference
• All The Great Lists
  

Rest assured that post-website browsing, you are sure to be amazed by all that you know.

Time's Top 10 Best & Worst Lists of 2008

With 2008 long gone, leaving with it numerous memorable things, TIME decided to put out 50 lists about what was good, bad, and ugly last 2008. Their Top 10 Everything of 2008 has been categorized into four (4), namely: News & Science; Arts & Entertainment; Business, Tech & Sports; as well as Pop Culture.

Here is a brief throwback to the year that has just gone.

Viral Videos
Nuff said.

Movie Performances
Female top 1: Kate Winslet (The Reader). Male Top 1: Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

Awkward Moments
Late US President Bush tap dancing, The View panel using the N-word, Sarah Palin and the Turkey pardon, Two people parachuting into wrong stadiums, US President Obama accused of being an impostor.

Editorial Cartoons
Nuff said.

Religious Stories
A pastor mediating between McCain and Obama, the Papal visit in the US about the sex scandal of the Church, Tibetan monks rallying, Extraterrestrials already redeemed.

Oddball Stories
A pregnant man, a virgin shark mother, divorce via a game, fishy pedis, and breast milk ice cream, anyone?

News Stories
Bankruptcy filing of Lehman, Obama's win of the presidency, hostage taking in Mumbai, pirates still at work, China's scandal re:melamine, double disaster doled out by nature.

TV Series
The Shield, Mad Men, The presidential election, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (starring Neil Patrick Harris), The Wire, Breaking Bad, Lost, Battlestar Galactica, Architecture School, and CHUCK!!!!

Fashion Faux Pas
Vogue editor looking like a ram, Miz Jackson's horrible uniform from space, Gwyneth Paltrow shows off her undies, and Madonna's muppet-inspired concoction of a dress.

Fashion Moments
High (sky high) heels by Gwyneth Paltrow, Lace by Miuccia Prada, Michelle Obama's bargain dress, Mrs. Sarkozy (nuff said, right?), SUPERmodels return from hiatus, and the "boyfriend jeans".

Late Night Gags
Sarah Silverman's anniversary song to Jimmy Kimmel, Tina Fey as Sarah Palin, Late Night Smackdown with Colbert-Stewart-Conan, John McCain's Letterman snub, and Joel McHale's spaghetti cat.

Fleeting Celebs
Joe the Plumber, made known by his confrontation of Obama.
Ashley Dupre (Kristen), with Former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer (Client 9).
Levi Johnston, brief relationship and baby-daddy of Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol.
Trisha Walsh Smith, internet divorce lady.

There are still more at the site. Happy searching!

Travel and Leisure: Lots a Lists

Most of us dream of a wonderful vacation. Depending on the person, each person has a goal to do or see in their destination. Travel and Leisure "The World's" lists are very unique. They have an array of wonderful subjects that will keep you occupied for hours.

Travel and Leisure is a website that focuses on hotels and resorts across the globe. That being said, they also have a lot of other articles that will pique the interest of many. Some of the lists has a brief introductory word while others jump right into the slideshow. Here are some of the lists that I found in the website.

• World's Coolest Buildings
• World's Highest Hotels
• World's Quirkiest Adult Camps
  
• World's Wackiest Theme Cruises
• World's Craziest Party Towns
  
• World's Greatest Flea Markets
  
• World's Most Unusual Hotels
  
• World's Most Remote Hotels
• World's Most Notorious Hotel Rooms
• World's Most Spectacular Waterfalls
• World's Most Romantic Places to Propose
  
• World's Most Pristine Forests
• World's Strangest Animals
  
• World's Strangest TV Shows
  
• World's Strangest Spa Treatments
• World's Strangest Museums
  
• World's Strangest Restaurants
• World's Strangest Bars
  
• World's Strangest Hotel Mini-Bar Items
• World's Strangest Souvenirs
• World's Strangest Ice Cream
  
• World's Strangest Candy
• World's Strangest Liquors
• World's Strangest Street Food
  
• World's Strangest New Year Traditions
• World's Strangest Festivals
  
• World's Strangest Hangover Cures
  
• World's Strangest Sports
• World's Scariest Roads
• World's Scariest Runways
  
• World's Best Hotels for Celeb-Spotting
  
• World's Best Tented Camps
• World's Best Treehouse Hotels
  
• World's Best Free Stuff
• World's Best Holiday Light Displays
• World's Cleanest Air
  
• Hotels Haunted by Celebrities
• Most Exotic Spa Treatments
  
• Most Over-The-Top Honeymoon Suites
• Best Affordable Romantic Hotels
  
• Best Hotel Hot Tubs
• 10 Top Meditation Retreats
  
• 10 Scariest Thrill Rides on the Planet
• Great Botanical Gardens of the World
• Coolest Underground Travel Spots
  

Note: Philippines is mentioned in: Strangest New Year Traditions, Scariest Roads, and Strangest Ice Cream.