Marco Online

Battlefield Vietnam

Well, I've added an additonal blogger to my list. "G H O S T" is a Blog site dedicated to my First Person Shooting Games interest. G H O S T is a sniper who favors the M40 sniper rifle in the Vietnam War. Check it out and guess who he is.

What's Hot in Tibet?

Well, aside from junk, "One man's garbage is another man's treasure" (like an ex-lover?), there are other things in life that are free and at the same time hassle-free in acquiring it. I'm dead serious! If you have not received a "treasure" in life, here is the next best thing to a McDonald's freebie.

Smoking?

Burning the Midnight Oil - Ran Out of It!

For the past few days I've been sleeping around 4am, hey I guess even 5am. Heck, a few days ago the sun was coming up.

I've been crazy busy lately. I've basically got four different design projects being worked on and their deadlines are all the on the same day! People think designers can design a piece of art with a blink of an eye. Well, where have these people been.

It's really tough. Most of the time, or can I say majority of it, you have to think real hard about the design - well I have to. I do some branding design. The most common and typical elements are - research competitors, request and use the demographics or marketing plan, think of the budget, and mock-up high quality protoypes. There are many sub-categories, but these are the basic and essential requirements.

Now, the elements of a good designer is aesthetic ability. But, the elements of a smart designer is understanding the market and client. Since I've been working in the design field - I'm pleased that employers and clients see me as the later. What makes it difficult, they expect more. Or even leave a lot of responsibilities.

Well it's fine, but the problem is time. Time is cruel. It can make you wait or make you move in haste. Anyway, the most stupid thing I've done recently is read 270+ pages of White Wolf (David Gemmell) yesterday - around 1:30am. I spent a few hours reading - I should have just rested.

ZZzzzz

The Difference Between Men & Women

Thanks MJ :)

Accident?: Sometimes You Can't Trust Mechanics With Your Car

That's why when I go to the car shop, I just wait even if takes hours. It's hard to trust mechanics these days. Read this, it's about a modded Civic - from a car enthusiast forum. I'm just quoting him:

"2100lb stripped 4 door Civic DX, JRSCed B18c1. Well he got his pulley kit (8psi, new belt and a lot of other stuff). The best he could pull when his S/C wasnt working (belt slipping) was a 15.3 (he really cant drive for shit). So he got the pulley upgrade and took it back to the track. His best time was a 13.2 (the car was good for mid-low 12s). He said that the car was either going to kill him or put him in jail He got skerd of the car and sold it. Well the guy that bought it went to have the clutch replaced. The mechanic decides he was going to take the car for a test drive. He rear ends a car going about 120 down Gray Hwy, went THROUGH A BRICK WALL and then ended up in someone's living room (the car too). He killed his friend that was with him and he is now in jail.

Dont speed guys, it kills."

By the way, the car had a 5 Point Harness seatbelt (for racing) and they did not use it.

Too Young For A Lesson in Animal Reproduction

See what happens when this kid tunes in to Late Night Discovery Channel?

Japanese Signboard & Yakult

Gio sent me this Japanese signboard pic:

Recycling that Yakult bottle:

Yum.

Dawn of the Dead

Check this upcoming horror movie...

Appleseed 2004 Trailer

I'm a huge fan of good anime especially movies. I love to watch but not to research on what's new and notable. Gio my buddy - he's sort of a historian/fanatic when it comes to anime, updated me with possibly the hottest anime movie to come out this spring (unfortunately - it's going to be in Japan only, or even UK) -APPLESEED! Anyway, news has been around since 2002 but now it's coming out!

If you recall Ghost in the Shell, the creator of that anime/manga is Shirow Masamune. Prior to GITS he did a number of different titles such as Dominion Tank Police, Galhound, and more - including the popular Appleseed. Of course it's all about mechs, blazing guns, cool moves, and hot chicks. But, the most inspiring part is the art and style.

Shirow Masamune created Applessed in the early 90s. He is one of my favorite artists. Now, they're coming up with the 2004 movie! They did animes in the 90s but of course that won't do this justice. You have to see this CGI - with cell animation overlapped. It's soo smoooth! Hey and if you think it is sort of a Matrix run off, wrong. The Wachowski brothers were also inspired by Japanese anime and manga, even before Matrix. Thus, Matrix has some influences of the Jap anime culture.

Now, all I have to do is find a way to get an Original/English Subtitled/DVD version of this.

Here is the link to the trailer:

Appleseed 2004 Trailer: Download file

Other info:

Official site
Soundtrack