Heroes Season 3 : Spoilers!

I've already watched the 1st and 2nd episode of Heroes season 3; I'm really excited and can't wait for the next epsiode. I must say that (Tim) Kring and (Allan) Arkush have redeemed themselves for the not-so-good second season.

Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert! If you haven't watched it yet (or your name is Tony Redgrave, lol), please do not continue below.

Episode 1 : The Second Coming

• Future Claire and Future Peter face-off, Claire seems to have become 'different'
• It was Future Peter who shot Nathan at the final of Season 2 (somehow I had an inkling it would be someone from the future)
• Nathan miraculously re-animates from the dead, and believes he's an angel
• Linderman returns
• Sylar returns (hoo-ray!) with only telekinesis however (all his previous acquired powers are gone), & he's on a mission to get more powers
• Sylar acquires Claire's ability, but Claire doesn't die
• Present Peter is trapped inside the body of a guy named Jesse Murphy, Future Peter is currently disguised as Present Peter
• Mohinder develops a power-in-a-syringe vaccine that is able to give powers to a normal human being
• Mohinder develops a power, super-strength, agility
• Matt Parkman is transported to a desolate area (Australia/Africa?) by Future Peter
• Niki Sanders is Tracy Strauss? Another personality?
• Hiro meets his match, a speedster by the name of Daphne Millbrook
• Future Hiro in Season 3 looks much cooler than Season 1, Future Ando shoots him with red lightning from his hands, killing him
  
• The world is threatened by a 'formula' that the Company once developed half of the formula has been stolen by Daphne
• Angela Petrelli finally reveals her powers, dream-pecognition
• Angela knows Present Peter is actually Future Peter

7 of the 12 villains

Episode 2 : The Butterfly Effect

• Bob Bishop is killed by Sylar, Sylar acquires his abilities
• Elle and Sylar face-off at Level 5 of the Company, their duel causes the villains to escape
• Elle survives Sylar's attack, but is disposed from the Company by Angela
• Villains who escaped; Jesse (Present Peter), Knox, Flint, The German
• Jesse's power = sound manipulation
• Knox's power = incredible strength obtained from a person's fear towards him
• Flint = pyrokinesis (blue fire, probably related to Meredith Gordon)
• The German = magnetism
• HRG who was detained also escapes
• Matt Parkman is stranded in Africa, and meets a native that can paint the future
  
• Claire's biological mother, Meredith, has been asked to look after the Bennett family by HRG
• HRG embarks on a mission to hunt the escapees
• Hiro begins to distrust Ando after he sees the future
• Hiro and Ando head to Daphne's house in France embarking on a mission to save the world
• Mohinder becomes ala Spider-Man; climbs walls, heightened senses, super-strength
• Mohinder and Maya sleep together
• Mohinder's power-in-a-syringe shows side effects
• Nathan is the only person to be able to see Linderman
• Tracy (Niki) has the power of cryokinesis
• Angela is in charge of The Company now
• The biggest spoiler of them all; Sylar is Angela's son!

That's all I have for now. Stay tuned for the next epsiode's spoilers; Episode 3 is called 'One of Us, One of Them'. ^_&

7 Most Quiet Places on Earth

I was reading Forbes Traveller yesterday, and happened to chance upon an interesting article. Well, as the title of this post suggests, yes; it highlights the now atypical locations that offer us peace of mind and getaway from the hustle of life.

I've picked out quite a few; I hope that these pictures will be able to offer you serenity as it did me.

Loch Lomond

Briefly; Its name inspired a traditional song that captures the romantic spirit of Bonnnie Prince Charlie (phew, that's a long one, lol) . The name loch, gives away its identity as a Scottish lake; the only sound you’ll hear here is the soft “moo” of a highland cow.

Cape Cod

Briefly; Known as the 'Promontory of Vinland' by Norse voyagers, it was a landmark for the early explorers. Quotes F. Murray Schafer, "The ocean rumble, is the sound which above all others gives us the most delight."

Gobi Desert

Briefly; A rain shadow desert formed by the Himalaya range blocking rain-carrying clouds from reaching it. A landscape where the horizon is so big you can see the curve of the earth, the only thing you might hear is the rustle of feathers on the 10-foot wings of lammergeiers—if you may, vultures—as they float endless circles.

Muir Woods

Briefly; Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, CA, Muir Woods is a park which caters to pedestrians for outdoor activities. Home to some of the world’s largest trees, redwoods over 200 feet high, John Muir—founder of the Sierra Club—became a conservationist when the sound of a stream rushing by stunned him. Instant conversion. Wow.

Hawaii National Volcanoes Park

Briefly; Hawaii is said to have been named for Hawaiʻiloa, the legendary Polynesian navigator who first discovered it. Inside the cones of volcanoes on it's Big Island, scientists have actually measured zero sound levels. No sound at all.

Hoh Valley

Briefly; One of the few temperate rain forests in the world, and also among the largest. The Hoh is home of the “One Square Inch Project,” a fight to preserve just a single inch of landscape from human sound. "Keep that one inch quiet", says founder Gordon Hempton; and the silence will radiate out for thousands of acres.

Anza-Borrego

Briefly; Quotes park intepreter Michael Rodriques; "Anza-Borrego is only four hours from 20 million people; yet there’s no place where you’ll find solitude like this. This is a place where you can experience quiet—real quiet.”

A Devil Hunter's Mid-Autumn Festivals

With the Mid-Autumn's festival round the corner, I happen to see every night my neighbor's kids playing with lanterns, clearly enjoying themselves.

I reminisced when I was just their age; sweet, innocent kid I was back then. Grandma used to tell me stories about Chang'e and Houyi, as well as the origins of the mooncake. I used to beg her to tell me every year, and Grandma would go, 'Haven't I told you already last year? My oh my... you're more forgetful than I am', and would begin her story with a smile.

After the story, I'd go play lanterns with my brothers and cousins, who would come to my house for that rare opportunity to play with fire, legally. Back then there wasn't any electronic lanterns that we have today, we just either had the colorful paper ones or those bigger ones made with wire, shaped according to your favorite cartoon character or animals, etc.

My brothers and I, being the elder lot; called ourselves 'The Mint Men'; as we had the right to hold matches and candles, we'd quickly replace our cousin's lanterns with fresh candles when theirs looked dim. We had a mantra, 'The Mint Men, risking their lives to save YOUR tang-lung', before replacing the candles. Our cousins used to stare at us blankly whenever we said that, and beleaguered us to hurry 'save' their lanterns.

And sometimes, we'd go burn some wax into the anthills and do all sorts of crazy stuff. Come morning, with candle wax all over the floor, my mother would ask us to remove the wax with a scraper. 'If the floor isn't clean, you're not allowed to play anymore next year', she'd go.

Then, as I grew older, I stopped playing lanterns, instead I went to parks with girls to watch the lantern parade, and after that I'll bring her to do stuff that people do during dates. I remember every year a different girl, and Grandma would shake her head everytime when she heard of my diversity in girls.

Looking back, it's been many years since I last celebrated Mid-Autumn's with her, so I've decided that I'll do so this year. I'll pester her again to tell me the stories she used to tell me, while slipping back into my role of a 'Mint Man', this time 'rescuing' my nephews and nieces lanterns from 'dying' out.

Have a wonderful Mid-Autumn's Festival, everyone.