Commenting on HP 7 (Not violently!)

Well, as a promise to myself, here is another blog article/commentary. Hmm... What to blog? What to write? The four Christmas parties I attended this year? My participation in two running events? Our climb in Mt. Pundaquit (Anawangin)? Well, let us just reserve these topics for the new year or January blog of mine. Ha ha ha.

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I will just be blogging about a movie. Yes, a movie! I watched the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1) just recently- before the Christmas break. Well, I was a ecstatic at start. Excited perhaps that this is the first part of the last movie installment of Harry Potter series. JK Rowling's writing is superb in the last book of the series. Well, enough for the book already! I am writing a blog for the movie. There was high expectations for the movie. At the start, it was good. But somehow, in the middle and towards the end, the "pacing" of the movie somewhat slowed, relying much on sounds and effects to awe the viewers. The book may have been given more justice if attention was given to other details on the book. These may look minor details on the cinematic standpoint but these could have given the movie more impact as what others may say "mas may kurot ang story" or you can feel more the story if these details were given a bit of emphasis or created as a part of the movie or these may not make the movie look a too abridged or summarized version of the book's first chapters.

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There are many of them. Here are just a few: The "Potterwatch" program was reduced to merely a radio program Ron was listening into, enumerating the deaths caused by Death Eaters. In the book, it provided the three somewhat a happy relief hearing the voices of "River", "Rapier", and "Romulus" on the radio showing support for their cause and Harry Potter. How about Harry Potter's contending with Hermione how the three hallows fit with the ring (how it may had the resurrection stone), the cloak (Harry's), and the elder wand - Dumbledore's that is. Or how was it that the Sneakoscope deleted in the scene? And the burial of Dobby? This is how the book pictured it. He was taken inside the Shell Cottage - where Bill and Fleur stay. Harry used a spade to dug a grave for him instead of using magic to give him a proper burial near the Shell Cottage. Harry even made his jacket more of a blanket to protect the elf's body. And this is where Luna closed his eyes and not in the ocean banks as in the movie. More importantly, Harry etched a marker for Dobby in a stone stating "Here Lies Dobby, a free elf". A touching series of events which could have put the emphasis on the story of the book.
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The movie is good in its entirety but if you look into it together with the book on which it is based, it somewhat too abridged, too summarized. As comparing it with other HP movies, it is good but still not good enough to earn my nod as the best of the series. HP 1 and 2 movies are rich in details that a first time viewer will understand the essence of the story contained in the book without even reading it. If I were to rate the movie, 3.5 out of 5 stars for the effects, sounds, and visuals, 2.5 for the vividness of the story details, 3 in its entirety. But if this is a prelude to the second part (which it seems to be as being too condensed on details for a three hour movie), i will give it a 4 out of 5 rating. Well, i hope the second part will not be too abridged and will concentrate more on presenting vividly the story details. (The movie is based on the book!)
I will be looking forward to the second part of this last movie installment. See you all in the movie houses!

The Real Essence Of Christmas

I am back after almost a month and a half of not blogging. I said to myself that I will write a blog article once in a month but it took me another month to write again another article. Well, it is the last month of the year 2010 and so as not being able to write last month, I will be writing two blog articles or "commentaries" or "stories" or whatever may fit, for lack of a better term.

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Christmas is one of the two most awaited events (or spectacles?) in the country. One being the new year. Christmas is over. December 25 had past. (The Christmas spirit still lingers as the Christmas Season is not yet over as others may contest?!) The Christmas this year is particularly simple and somewhat lackluster (again, this is for a lack of better term!). If compared to past years, many families (or some - as others may disagree) "obliged" to have simple dinner or noche buena which maybe a reflection of having financial setbacks and "challenges". Some families maybe saddened by a sudden change of atmosphere in the annual noche buena. Less extravagance. Less food. Less gifts. In a more appropriate term, "SIMPLE".

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Most people think of Christmas as a time for being thankful of your blessings. So they make the effort to have a ham, grapes, wine, and the like for noche buena. Most people even look more forward for gifts and "aguinaldos". Yes, Christmas is all about celebration and being thankful for the blessings we received for the whole year. But we are forgetting its real essence. We must must not saddened by "sudden" simplicity of our celebrations. Remember, Christmas is all about the birth of Jesus Christ. And His birth is NEVER about "extravagance" and "materialism". It is rather rooted upon simplicity. Yes, simplicity! In case you have forgotten, He was born on a manger in a stable full of animals. Today's yardstick of Christmas celebration was fanned by the media as countdowns, concerts, bazaars, tiangges, holiday sales and alike abound during the Christmas season. (For God's sake, it is not also about the MMFF!) Christmas' real essence is all about being with the family and being thankful to the Lord. Let us not teach the kids about aguinaldo and "bonggang" noche buenas, let us inculcate in them the real essence and importance of Christmas Day - that is being with Him and the family. Merry Christmas to all again! (well, the Christmas season is not yet over!) Enjoy the rest of the Holidays!

Sad News: Volunteer Nurse Gang Raped

Click the link:
http://www.gmanews.tv/video/67318/saksi-gang-raped-nurse-in-maguindanao-half-paralyzed-due-to-head-trauma

This is certainly a sad news not only for nursing but for the whole health sector. A nurse volunteer was gang raped in a secluded rural area of Maguindanao. This incident shows that Maguindanao is a dangerous place. But there is more to this incident. This is clearly a wake up call to the government, DOH, and the PNA. The nursing sector has been haunted for quite some time by lack of employment opportunities for registered nurses. Hundred thousands of nurse licensure passers are hoping to practice their professions. Some are forced to be volunteers just to be credited with some decent experience. Others even pay for so called "trainings" just to gain experience. This incident clearly states that the government and all other sectors involved must go out of their way and think outside of the box to find and develop means that can help create jobs and opportunities for nurses to practice their profession. We no longer need to relax and be cool on this matter. I hope that the time will come that no nurse will be forced to be a volunteer especially in an unfamiliar, unsecured rural area, like what happened in this incident. Do we need another incident like this to happen before all concerned take an active role in addressing the volunteerism and unemployment issues. Wake up call to ALL concerned! Act now!

Tapulao Conquered!

i am back! after a month long hiatus, im blogging again. well, its been a tiring last week of september for me. september 20, i am on 11-8 duty. the following day, 11-8 again. september 22-24, i attended a Basic Life Support/First Aid training in Buendia. Believe me, this training is tiring especially the part of having to do lifting and kneeling for the whole CPR return demo (doing it again after a year!) I have to do my initial packing on Wednesday for my scheduled Mt Tapulao climb (September 24-26). And the final checking of packed things is done on Friday, the last day of BLS training and also the day we are to leave (at about 11 pm) for Zambales. (Mount Tapulao is in Palauig, Zambales). At about 6:30 am, we started our climb. This is indeed a major climb. Ang daming assault ng climb na ito. Ang daming bato. Many episodes of going up and going down. It was tiring but satisfying that naakyat mo yung bundok na ganito kataas at kahirap ang trail. Nakakauhaw din itong climb na ito dahil hindi namin napansin at nalagpasan tuloy ang first water source. Tuloy tuloy sa second water source para makapagrefil ng tubig at makapaglunch. After that, 3-5 hours pa to the camp site. The applicants kept pushing through. I must admit medyo kinukulang na ko sa dulo papunta camp site. Pero I did not give up. I evaluated what happened sa climb. I need to improve my pacing. I am like a happy rabbit. Mabilis sa start , bumabagal na dulo. It is a good thing that nakakainspire ang TL. Her being strong willed enbled us to go on. Assault to the top is done the morning after at 6 am. At about 9 am, umpisa na ng pagbaba. Kasama ako ng TL sa mga unang dumating sa second water source. But again bumagal na ako in the middle. Sa kakamabilis sa first parts ng descend, i developed painful blisters sa paa. Well, i really need to improve my pacing - dapat malaman kung sang part dapat mabilis, kung saan normal lang, kung saan mabagal. Even though I must improve my pacing, I am very proud of having finished this climb. Mount Tapulao is one of the highest mountains in Luzon. Add to add that na lahat kaming applicants natapos ang climb whereas yung ibang seniors and guests failed to. (sorry po.) This climb is a learning step for all us beginning mountaineers of UP PGH Mountaineering Club. Kudos to all of us! See you all in the next climb! Until the next mountain to be conquered!

A day after the seige

well, it seems that the controversy stirred up by the hostage taking at the quirino grandstand will haunt us for quite some time. President Aquino was rather soft and naive in the actions he had taken after the incident. Come to think of it.. why did He not intervene while the hostage taking is happening? Isn't he the commander in chief of the country? the chief executive? Isn't it that the hostage taking is not just a simple police matter but one that concerns international security? Some people are joking that the new meaning of SWAT is "Sorry Wala Akong Training", which is quite evident in how the incident is handled. No training, no skills, no control. Much of the Filipinos seem to be not aware of the severity of the situation or the magnitude of its impact. It is quite evident in the videos wherein there are audible sounds of some people laughing in the background. Add to it the number of "usisero" near the hostaged bus. It seems to them that this is merely a headline news or showbiz news. Sadly, some Filipinos are not broadminded when it comes to a situation like this. Take a look at these pictures i found in the internet. This makes me angry and depressed that some Filipinos don't understand what just happened. The more bad news is that the Police also thinks that this is just a matter of photo opportunity. Guys, show some values and morals. It's time for a change. Isn't it what we have been advocating for so long?!

Unsafe Philippines once again!

This not a good day for the Philippines. Another policeman tarnished the "Philippine's finest" reputation. But to certainly a bigger magnitude. The Manila hostage taking is a depressing, embarrassing, and disappointing event rolled into one. The Philippines is again the "apple of the eye" of the rest of the world for being a violent and unsafe country. 8 hostages died in the incident which clearly reflects that the "negotiators" did not handle it well. The arrest of his brother heightened the tension of the incident. Why such a violent arrest? And what evidence is at hand to have him an accessory to the crime? To me, it seems (at least to what i have seen in the news), it is not clear why is he being linked to the hostage taking. Kudos to the police for further heightening the tension! (Did they take notice of the hostage taker's first demands?! the Commission on Human Rights thinks otherwise.) The "avalanche" of tear gas thrown in the bus made it difficult for the police to control the situation and come to think of it, maybe some of the victims were killed by some of the police themselves?!? (did they have a clear view of the bus when they are trying to get in or have they been confounded by the tear gas?) The number of hours required to end the crisis reflects the lack of training of the police force to handle such a situation. This crisis had put the Philippines once more on bad light. Also, the Philippine National Police is again under fire from the people for the way they handled the situation (The "torture" incident is still fresh from everyone's minds). Something should be done to further equip the PNP to handle such situations. Equipment and trainings as President Noy said. But this has been an old issue... I hope the President will ACT instead of just commenting.

Six Sacred Stones (Matthew Reilly)

this a book comment slash review to matthew reilly's book entitled "The Six Sacred Stones". this is apparently the second book to the trilogy of adventure of the main lead characted Capt. Jack West Jr. Wikipedia offers a summary of the book but I am not assuring its accuracy. The book seems to be boring at the start but as you read further you will be amazed of the adventures that the characters have undertaken. But the book is rather too much for a person not inclined or not much into history and symbols things. In comparison to Dan Brown's Robert Langdon Adventure Series ("Angels and Demons"; "The Da Vinci Code"; "The Lost Symbol"), the book is rather too technical in the use of history facts. The situations that the characters have been into are rather a little "far fetched", in the sense that it is somewhat improbable to happen in real life. (Dan Brown made his series enjoyable and simple to understand for the common person.) The book it rather lenghty, almost 600 pages. The book is a good read but you must have real patience to reach the good part of it. The first parts were not encouraging for you to read on. The plot is good but it could have been presented more simpler and easier to read on. I am NOT writing this blog to malign the book. Mind you, the book is indeed a good read. The only thing going against it is that the author tried to squeeze in almost all of the information and/or facts contained within his bibliograpy or "references". If I were to rate this book in a range of 1-5 stars, 3 stars for the good research.

Chicken a la carte, from Ferdinand Dimadura (2006)

Chicken a la carte, from Ferdinand Dimadura (2006)
(click on the link above)

Have you ever thought whatever happened to your leftovers? sa mga pagkaing inorder mo pero hindi mo nauubos? In a third world country such as ours, hunger is undeniably a problem that has been crippling the country for decades.

As defined by Wikepedia, Hunger is the most commonly used term to describe the social condition of people (or organisms) who frequently experience, or live with the threat of experiencing, the physical sensation of hunger. But hunger, in reality is just the tip of the ice berg, it reflects a bigger problem which is sadly the real life situation in the country. Many people in the country die of hunger and malnutrition. Many of us today do not realize that we are so blessed when we are able to eat in fast food chains. The current administration boasts of corrupt free 6 years. But will this be enough to solve the problems that plague the country? I hope the president really do have programs to address the country's problems, most of them are due to poverty (which includes hunger). President Noy and the rest of the country, let us do our share and see the bigger picture. Many people who voted for you includes those who are in this video. Let this serve be as your drive to serve the people.

TDS (Thesis Depression Syndrome)

thesis.... ito yung time na parang gusto mo na mag-give up dahil akala mo napakabobo mo sa mga ginagawa mo.... napakahirap.... pero pilit mong sasabihin sa sarili mo klaya mo yan! 9 units na lang... 6 for me dahil salamat i am done the proposal stage - after 2nd enrollement ng tw1! whew! Tw2, naku rejected ang revisions palagi kaya ayan naman ang pakirmadam ng kabiguan... mukhang 2nd enrolment na din mangyari sakin sa tw2..buti na lang modified ang fees pag re-enrolment (consideration kahit pano) pero sasabihin mo pa din sa sarili mo 6 units na lang.. tapos na! kaunti na lang at defense na (yikes!) lahat na nagawa ko para umusad.. kinausap ang sarili, nakipagtalo sa journal at book references pero mahirap talaga. isa lang dapat di bitawan, 6 units na lang graduate ka ng graduate school. mga kaibigan at kaklase, huwag tayong bibigay. kaunti na lang.. mga kakosa sa graduate school .. ang hirap maging student ng admin di ba? at lahat ng subject may journal reading, ang hirap makipagdebate sa professor ng ethics, ang pag-unawa kung bakit kailangan ireview ang curriculum ng schools sa ibang bansa, at huwag kalimutan ang classic na chapter by chapter review ng book (new edition) ni tomey! sa lahat ng hirap na ito, isipin na lang natin: wag tayong bibigay! go USTe! ;-)

ang hamon kay noynoy

sa darating na hunyo 30 ay manunumpa ang bagong presidente ng pilipinas.. si noynoy Aquino.. maraming ang naniwalang magiging mabait at matapat siyang president... ngunit tila may napansin ang iba.. malambot daw itong si noynoy (madaling madiktahan ayon sa ilan), baka maimpluwnesiyahan lang ng mga matatandang politiko sa bansa at hindi makagawa ng sariling desisyon para sa ikakabuti ng bansa. malaki ang hamon sa administrasiyon ni noynoy: uhaw ang pilipino sa pagbabagago... sana ay magawa niyang mapatunayan ang "maling akala" (?) ng iba. patunayan niya na kaya niyang maging matatag at di papadikta kung kanino man pero mas higit na importante na pagpapaunlad ng estado ng buhay ng ordinaryong pilipino. si noynoy ay hindi si ninoy at cory... pero sana ang kanyang agenda ay higit pa sa hindi pagigigng corrupt, sana ay mas mapagtuunan niya ang tunay na pagunlad ng bansa. crirtical ang unang 100 araw niya sa opisina, ang higit pa sa 13 million na naniwala sa kanya ay magbabantay sa kanyang mga hakbang gagawin.. patnubayan ka nawa ng Poong Maykapal Presidente Aquino.

muni muni sa bansa

minsan ako'y napadaan sa isang tahimik na recto avenue, sarado na lahat ng establishments... maunlad na nga ang pilipinas, sumasabay sa modernong panahon. pero kung iisipin modernisasyon ba ang sukatan ng pag-unlad? nagbaliktanaw ako sa lumang panahon ng manila sa internet, may isang bagay akong napansin. mas maganda ang panahon noon, pantay ang antas ng buhay..ngayon, moderno nga ang paligid, maganda ang "infrastructure" kuno, maraming "foreign investment", ngunit tila napabayaan ang mas importanteng bagay na ito: estado ng buhay ng ordinaryong pilipino. kapalit ng modernisasyon na tinatamasa natin at nakikita sa paligid, napabayaan ang estado ng buhay. ang ordinaryong pilipino na maaring maunlad kung 1940's o panahon ng kastila ngayon ay napabayaan at naiwan sa lusak. tila ba hindi naging maganda ang binigay na kalayaaan sa atin upang hawakan ang bansa...tila lahat ng pag-unlad ay nakasalalay lamang sa iilan. nakalulungkot isipin... di mo din masisi ang ilan kung mawalan ng pagasa sa ating bansa.. dahil ang tila ipinagmamalaking pagunlad ay di maiparamdam sa ordinaryong pilipino...