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A View on K-pop and OPM

By: Dofitas, Brian L. || 2017-000251       Langcauon, John Christopher T. || 2017-000292

We all have different sets of playlists, and our ears have different reactions to different types of musics, for example my friend here “JC” likes Korean pop music or as like what we like to call K-pop, he dances to it’s beat and he likes it very much. I on the other hand enjoy more on the sappy OPMs I like it, it gives chill to my never ending anxiety. Even though we both have different preferences in music whenever my friend plays k-pop to a speaker, I’m not even hating.

I mean who am I to resist different things. I like OPM as well, but having almost 90% of the songs related to love just makes me wonder if I’m gonna be sentimental for the rest of my life. That’s why I listen to K-pop, because every song is somewhat different from the other, it’s not like every song has to be about love, there are songs that talks about social issues, individuality, and many more,. Each K-pop group gives off a different vibe from the other. For example, there are girl groups that have cute concepts like TWICE, and there are girl groups that give off intense concepts like BLACKPINK. K-pop has various concepts, and its diversity is what I love about it the most.                                                                                                                     -JC

OPM also offers a wide range of varieties when it comes to genre I mean I’m just to exposed to love songs lol, I know I know, but hey isn’t that what Filipinos are good at? Being able to express their feelings towards expressive arts such as music. Also there are bands and artists in the OPM industry that gives fresh music vibes that has no relation to love or whatsoever. For example Gloc 9′s songs or even Bamboo. 

                                                                                                      -Brian

Just look at how this guy looks.*~*

If you’re talking about looks then take a look at this guy

or how about this guy

Ain’t good looking enough for you? Then sure, their looks might not satisfy your tastes (especially since you’re a male lol), but what if I tell you that these guys don’t just sing, but they also dance while singing in front of thousands of people, they act in front of the camera in their music videos, and they entertain fans by going to music shows and do interviews. At first, I just loved K-pop for the music and the catchy beats, but what got me into it more, are the other elements. The dancing, the music videos, and the music shows. I loved K-pop even more because of the other things rooted in their music, the various ways to entertain K-pop fans, and the amount of effort the idols put out.                                                                                                                      - JC

  Same here in the Philippines only they don’t produce quality content. If you want stunning visuals, dancing and can(somehow sing) you’re looking for artists singers. If I will say so myself I would rather say that OPM is meant to be heard because it’s made by the heart. Sure they don’t make me dance but at least they can move my soul and know I’m still a living human being. It’s like listening to a book and it let’s you escape reality or comfort you.

                                                                                                                    - Bri

Why are we even arguing like this? lol let’s just respect each others preferences whatever it may be.      

                                                                                                                     -Bri

I mean yeah, at this point we all just love the same thing, which is music. I’ll respect your opinion. And to be honest, I myself also like OPM, its just that it’s a type of music that I’m not fond to listen to all day.

                                                                                                                    -JC

Same same, I mean the time that you recommended me some K-pop songs, I actually liked them a bit, so yeah, K-pop is also cool in its own way. I think its because of my expressive self, that I love OPM the most in the music world.

                                                                                                                   -Bri

In the end, music will be music, they may have types that differentiate them from one another, in the end, its still what it is, no matter how different, how unique.

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Why Men Should Support Feminism

By: James Heramil || 2017-000264

What is gender equality, or in much specific term, feminism? others might say or think that it is about women standing up for their rights and that it is about women raising their power and dominating all over the world. Well, let me tell you that it is somehow true and somehow not. Why? Because feminism stands up for the equality of both genders. I repeat, not only women, but also men. The real definition of feminism is the equal distribution of opportunities, rights, and costs to both genders.

          According to Entitymag.com, 38% of the male population in America identify themselves as feminists and now is the time to increase it for the betterment of how the society perceives feminism. As a strong-willed man, I personally support feminism for it benefits myself as an individual and not as a man.

Throughout the years that we have grown, culture has embedded in our minds that we have our own gender roles. These roles include women being always the one who depend and serve for men such as requiring them to always do the household chores because this seems to be an activity that is feminine in the weak sense. Sometimes we take such things like this as the norm and not realize that it hurts the society because this is what we see most of the time. Through the processing of feminism within the societal beliefs, these hindrances to women may fade away.

On the other hand, let’s take a look on how feminism helps men. As a man, we are expected to act as strong and masculine as possible because it is believed that we are built to become leaders and head of the family as we grow. However, we all know that we have our own individualities and not all men are fit with this standard of the society. What if you are aware that you, yourself is a man but society keeps on telling you that it is not good enough to prove yourself? This just leads to the realization that patriarchy also hurts the society since a lot of pressure are put to men but in the end, it just becomes a barrier for them to express who they are. In courting women, men are usually expected to be the one who always adjust for the one they love just because they are the guys. Don’t get me wrong, it is okay to adjust for each other but sometimes it just reaches past your boundaries until your dignity is lost because again, we are men. Admit it or not, we sometimes get tired of these roles because we are being held back to be the person that we truly want to be.

As a human, we have our rights to be who we are whether men or women because we are our own and society cannot dictate nor define who we are by setting standards that are believed to be infallible. We are just mere human beings and none of us are incapable of making mistakes. Now that we know why feminism is not only for women but also for men, I invite everyone of you to join this fight because all of us will benefit from it. In order to change the perception of the society, be a feminist and be the change.

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The Revival of OPM

By Matthew Christian A. Quisao || 2017-000298

For almost a decade, it seemed like OPM or Original Pinoy (or Philippine) Music died, and I doubt that it’s because the songs that Filipino bands make sound band; I believe it’s just the underexposure of these bands to recent generations. If you would ask people nowadays what their favorite songs are, most of them would answer songs of artists from other countries, and if you were to turn the radio on (unless you are in an all OPM channel) most likely the song they are playing is of a foreign country.

I believe that music is one of the best representation of culture, for it  can represent the idealization, themes and religion that the country holds. With that in mind appreciating our countries music would somewhat mean appreciating our own culture. I am not necessarily telling you to stop listening to other countries’ music, I’m just saying try listening to music that our country made because artists here make it as good if not better than other countries.

I encourage you to give OPM a chance, here are some recent bands to try listening to:

BEN&BEN

If you are into love songs whether tragic or happy this is the band to listen to. Ben&Ben were originally just composed of 2 people, Miguel and Paulo Guico (the twins in the middle), but soon grew to be a band of 7. This band is one of the few bands I know to use some sort of ethnic instruments, in their case some ethnic percussion instruments, which is a bonus in appreciating our culture. If I were to suggest a song by this band it would be Kathang-Isip, which is a tragic love song.

IV Of Spades

Meet Zild, Badjao, Blaster, and Unique (left to right); Although composed of young individuals, their sound of music is reminiscent of the 70′s disco music. This band aims to bring back the retro sound in music, all of their songs have a funky tune to them that makes you want to dance so suddenly, and that is the reason that this band recently acquired attention. If I were to suggest a song it would be Hey Barbara for it has a catchy and groovy tune that I think you will like.

Autotelic

Autotelic doesn’t have a distinct sound because they always use different styles in making their music. They also would like to bring back the sound of the 70′s, 80′s and 90′s just like IV of Spades but a different side of it, they are more into the rock and pop , but their recent song Mapa, is a funk song. If I would suggest a song by them it would be Languyin or Laro, they’re both rock songs about love.

There are a lot more OPM bands on the rise like Fools and Foes, Sour Cheeks, Oh Flamingo, Carousel Casualties and bunch more to discover, and in all honesty I love them all, because each band brings distinct sounds of music. Remember that we shouldn’t let our culture die and replace it with other countries’ culture. OPM will be a step towards reviving what was lost for a couple of years, let us not let that happen again. OPM for me is the best way to our revive culture as Filipinos because of the fact that it is easily accessed by everyone. Let’s save our culture with our music.

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TECHNOLOGY REVIEW:Between Andriod devices and Apple devices

Created by Charlie Tomas //2017-000248

and Miguel Hassan // 2017-000246

Before we get started Android operating system start in September 23,2008 and the 1st version android release was Gingerbread. My technology review requires the reader to choose what type of phone will buy. This modern generation we had there so many new phones release different brand, different version and not all phones doesn’t have the same feature sometimes it depends on the brand. Android phone is power by operating system developed by Google where this based on modified version or Linux kernel which an open source software and primarily designed by smart phones and tablet. Advantages of using android is Cost Effective because users are tired of buying level phone prices what millennials want is phone that affordable for their budget. Widget is part of Android operating system which you can access quickly such as setting and also you change the default apps and games already input in the system.

Unlike App store most of the games needs to pay before to download it while android has already free apps and games that the user can download what they want to. Multitasking device usually those who work in a business company tend to open multiple apps or millennials switching different apps they want to open. IPhone Users needs to open the app to see the messages while android it will just like pop up in your devices. Android is better because You get a lot more storage than iPhone your not just rely on internal storage you can also insert Micro SD card to download movies, music, games etc.

Apple or IPhone devices is the most buy every year IPhone release new models. Like IPhone 6, IPhone 6+, IPhone 7 and 7+ and many more but let just discuss their advantages of iPhone users first advantages is Facetime which used by front cameras and enables video chat in high definition. IPhone Cameras is so advanced that why in taking picture iPhone provides high resolution Like IPhone 5 feature is an 8 –megapixel so this cameras give 40 percent faster in taking photos than older model. iCloud is an account for iPhone users only and what best is that if you have multiple apple devices you can sign in your account and all your apps games will be stored in your account. Siri is a voice activated virtual assistant which can help you finding anything and can locate an area lastly make a phone call.

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So I elaborate more of advantages of using Android devices now let talk about disadvantages of using android phones. Advertisement all apps and games are free in google play so whenever you play an online game you can see an ads in lower down part of your phone. Ads also my contain virus that can affect android phone performance and efficiently while you use. Gmail account or google account most of android phone requires an account to use the phone and the most worst thing can happen is that if you forgotten your email and password.

The disadvantages of using iOS devices are many such as poor battery performance, and the slowing down of system when an update comes. There are a lot of disadvantages when using iOS devices, some of them are:

* Apps in iOS takes a lot more space than Android apps.

* It is not open-source.

* It slows down after some time.

* Phone fix costs a lot.

* It is hard to find files on an iOS device.

* No Memory Card required, only phone storage.

* Old iOS Devices or Models can't update to the newest and updated version.

* When out of space, apps clear the data of the app by itself.

* Phone repairing has a chance to break your phone completely.

* Photos get blurry if you have no more storage space.

Overall, all the disadvantages of iOS is only when you have no more storage space or if you have completely destroyed your phone, you won't be experiencing these disadvantages because I know that you will be switching to a new phone before you experience the disadvantages.

Photo by:https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201296

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E-Sports More Than Just a Game

By: Christian Paul R. Duria || 2017-000203

E-Sports from time to time has truly progressed. E-Sports was not a trend during the past years, tournaments would mostly take place in a convention center or a compound.  Now they took things big and hold tournaments at arenas.

Even productions are taking it to a higher standard. Just look at this video.

The last League of Legends: Worlds took place at Beijing where a heart braking moment happned.

This gif showed the defeat of last years champion South Korean Telecom T1, all eyes were on them to bring back the crown three times in a row. This scene has showed us that even players behind the scenes of E-sports are very passionate about the game, and also now they are labeled as athletes. 

People who contribute to E-sports are one of the many few who followed it since it was a laughing stock until it became a huge media trend. Since E-sports has grown big some schools now offer E-sports or gaming course in their curriculum.  E-Sports has truly grown and proved itself worthy and screamed “It’s more than just a game.”  Competitive wise, it is really different.  So don’t see E-Sports as a little speck.

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♥THE BEAUTY OF OUR NATURE ♥

By: Rizzi Joy Pardiñas

If you enjoy exploring wonders of nature, Tanay Rizal has a lot to offer. Calinawan Cave is famous for its rock formation, stalactite and stalagmite. During the late 1800’s it became a hideout of the Katipuneros where they strategized against the Spanish forces. Near the Calinawan cave, the beauty of Daranak falls is located. It is one of the famous destination during summer season. The cold refreshing water and the tranquility of the place will rejuvenate every soul searchers. 

Refreshment

Away from the city, the oxygen that you inhale refreshes your body that you can feel the relaxation entering your body. Away from pollution and refreshing your body system. 

Exploring the cave requires no technical or special skill as the usual tourist trail is generally easy, you will be walking on dark pathways that are big enough for humans to pass through so bring headlamp or flashlight. These pathways lead to to some chambers and openings. Prepare to be mesmerized by the various rock formations, stalactites and stalagmites, some with freely flowing spring water and shining crystals. For those who are craving for more adventure, your guide can take you farther than the usual trails, to the parts of the cave that are less visited and seldom explored.

HEART ROCK FORMATION ♥

While exploring the cave. Youll see a hole on one of it’s way. You would not notice it once you pass its way. Here, you’ll see a heart shape hole.

STALACTITE ○

A stalactite is an icicle-shaped formation that hangs from the ceiling of a cave, and is produced by precipitation of minerals from water dripping through the cave ceiling.

DINOSAUR ROCK FORMATION ○

The dinosaur shaped rock formation is one of the amazing rock formation in the cave. Through the looks of it, it looks like a sleeping dinosaur.

THE SIGNATURE LOOK OF THE PLACE ○

Upon exiting the cave, you’ll walk through the open space in the middle of the cave exit. It is the one of the best spot to take a photo. 

While we go to our next destination which is Daranak falls, we spotted a picture taking spot in which you’ll see how many trees produces the relaxing air in Tanay. 

DARANAK FALLS ○

One of the flagship destinations of Tanay and is a popular summer getaway for locals and tourists from in and out of the country. A favorite location shooting area of most local and international movies and advertising outfits in the country, Daranak Falls nestles calmly at the foot of the Tanay mountains, preserved with the natural vegetation, complemented with enchanting waterfalls, ponds, and rivers cascading through elaborate tropical trees and plants.

Daranak Falls is a 14-meter high falls, which is a famous destination in Tanay Rizal. Both locals and foreigners go to this place to take a quick dip and marvel at the beauty that nature has to offer.  This is what it looks like. It is very enjoying and relaxing. You can feel the atmosphere, the beautiful and wonderful atmosphere this place have. 

Close to the 14-meter falls is a mini falls. Under the raging water is a spot in which you can take a sit and let the water fall on your back and feel a massage like relaxation.

The Daranak falls has very clean water stream and is perfect for a summer getaway. They offer life vest for the falls has some deeper part. Its water is so refreshing and is perfect to be a follow up destination when you go to Calinawan cave.

This place is perfect for family bonding, friends, and for the adventure seekers. These 2 places is a perfect match because when you go to Calinawan cave, the muddy ground can’t be avoid. Before you exit the Calinawan cave it’s surely that you’ll get messy. But the Daranak falls is a perfect fit because its just a 20 minute drive and is perfect for swimming. You’ll also enjoy your way to these places because the environment here is so healthy and the people that live here are so friendly.

Tanay Rizal isn’t that far, so why not take a day off and enjoy your day in the Calinawan cave and Daranak falls!

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Comedy in the Philippines After the Events of Dolphy’s Goodbye

By: Domer Toribio ||  2017-000240

Hi my name is Domer Toribio, and you have known me as the class clown. Today I will show you or shed some light about comedy here in the Philippines.

First let define comedy, comedy is a type of genre which focuses more on humor. Films usually like these has a happy ending. Here in the Philippines we have alot of comedians here, and I’m not talking about Vice ganda, I’m talking about the memorable ones.

Dolphy  was one of the greatest comedians in the Philippines, rather he was the king of comedy and I liked a lot of films that starred him. One of my favorites was Home along da riles and I never stopped laughing from start to finish. It’s kinda sad that we lost one of the greatest comedians of all times here in the Philippines. We lost one of the greatest comedians here in the Philippines, and somehow, I felt that the Philippines will soon be facing a crisis that we will have no more original content and will heavily rely on social trends and jokes that doesn’t even make sense. Like okay, act stupid infront of us surely we will all laugh. No, it’s not like that. Don’t see us as morons who are hunger for other people’s stupidity. Don’t worry I will save us all from this crisis, just wait and see. You’ll see me in your televisions not on Animal Planet, or Discovery channel. I will save the Philippines from this crisis trust me.

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The Blind Side: Movie Review

2017-000257                                                          Caragdag, Francis Manuel S.

PLOT SUMMARY

The Blind Side is a true to life story of a homeless man named Michael Oher portrayed by Quinton Aaron. Michael was someone who lived in the not-so-good part of state which eventually led to him being taken by Family Services because of the struggles he’s had with his drug-addicted Mother.

The story goes on with a coach having an interest with having a big guy like Michael in the football team and then he gets enrolled into the private school. Until one cold night, Michael was seen by Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock) walking down the streets on the way to the gym where he has been living. As a sign of emphaty, Leigh then asks if he wanted to come and stay with them for a while. And everything else after that is just amazing.

ACTING

I have to say that the acting in the movie was really well played especially by Sandra Bullock because her character really made me feel like she was just someone who wanted just wanted to help a person in need, to accepting Michael as a part of their family.

I also like the acting by Quinton Aaron because in the first scenes, he was just so shy and cringy about everything yet his character develops throughout the movie making him comfortable with the family and the football team.

SCORE

All I can say about the score is that the song Chances by Five For Fighting suited the film well because Michael was going through a hard time and with the struck of luck, he didn’t let his chances slip.

OVERALL

I would recommend this film, mostly to the youth, because it truly is inspiring. The film shows the value of family, contentment, and the mindset to never give up with pursuing your dreams, no matter what happens. Life can be tough, but you can be tougher.

(image by 9GAG)

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THE IPHONE X!!!!!! 

By: Railey Flores 

Three months ago, the whole tech world witnessed the move that Apple had made. It made phone nerds loose their minds, it accumulated thousands of opinions, it made a lot heads turn. What was this move? It is was Apple going all-screen. In other words, they had removed the home-button. I’d say this move was similar to the ditching of the headphone jack.

 Apple, for some, made an incredible move but like I said only for some. Other people doesn’t like it. It’s because of the notch. That 3-inched slob of bezel bugs them. But I think Apple did it on purpose, I think that Apple will release the real deal in a year or two. What I meant with real deal is that there is no more notch or whatsoever. But I think the AMOLED Display compensated for it.

THE CAMERA.The camera is awesome. It’s like having a DLSR in your pocket. The primary-cam has an overall 24MP while the front-facing camera has a 7MP. It also shoots 4k which is like the holy grail of video resolution. A whole lot of superb resolution in one phone, right? 

Apple also added the wireless charging, not a new feature in the tech industry but it is better with Apple.

Another new feature is the Face ID. This feature let’s you unlock your phone by just looking at it. It doesn’t matter if you grew a beard, had a haircut, or eventually got old. It’ll still unlock your phone.

This iPhone will cost you too much. It ranges from PHP 50,269.68-PHP 57,817.68 (P64,490-P73,990 in Philippine Peso).It will literally burn a hole through your pocket.

Is it practical? Hell no.

Should you buy the iPhone X? If you currently have an iPhone 7 or 8 you shouldn’t really upgrade to the X. The 7 & 8 cameras is as good as the good the X’s camera. It also takes great pictures and also shoots 4k resolution. The only big difference here is the Face ID. Now, if you own the 6s or below and been holding to that phone for too long now and got some extra cash to spare and of course, an Apple die-hard fan then the iPhone X is perfect for you.

Generally speaking, I think the iPhone X is a beaut and I also want this phone but it is too price. I think this is one of the many reasons people choose android over ios. If Apple would’ve brought the price down then all the other android phone manufacturer has some real competition, not to mention Samsung.

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FRIENDS: A show about you and your friends in the future.

2017-000249          Juan Miguel Vicente B. Villocillo, Jr.

"So no one told you that life was gonna be this way. Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's DOA"

 Imagine yourself when you turn on your television and you start to flip through the channels looking for something worth watching for, when suddenly you hear those words on your screen and see six people dancing around the fountain, you know that you're gonna waste your time in the most sensible way.

  Yes my friend, I am indeed talking about the timeless show called "FRIENDS". I am pretty sure almost every person has heard, seen or even   at least seen a meme about FRIENDS as it is very popular and has been included in our pop-culture. For the rest of you who doesn't know what "FRIENDS" is all about, well it's basically just the lives and adventures of six friends. Set in 1994 in Manhattan New York, the show follows six friends: Ross, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, Joey and Rachel who are in their middle   20's and how they deal with the everyday problems of life from being unsuccessful to having quarter-life crises, from being financially broke to being broken. The show gave us a lot of scenarios that are still relatable with today's problems with lessons and  consequences on every action.

  The show spawned 10 seasons from 1994- 2014, and of course within the course of 10 seasons, we have seen the characters grow up from being rash decision making twentysomethings to being matured and ready to be parents in their mid thirties, take Chandler Bing for example. Chandler Bing was portrayed in the early seasons as a man who is desperate and needy for love but is so afraid of commitment as he was traumatized as a kid by his parents’ separating after learning that his father is gay; but after a few years, we finally saw him transform from being the one being always mocked at to being the first one settling down with his best friend and  eventual lover-turned-wife, Monica Geller.

After 24 years, FRIENDS is actually considered to be the BEST show around. Why? Because it has everything that anyone can actually relate to. They are seen as the role models of the millennials as they are currently living those same problems that the show featured. It tells a simple story about working hard, trying your best, getting successful and hanging out with our friends.

So, I suggest to you to turn on your television now and go to Warner channel or boot up your P.C and load it on your favorite streaming website now (Netflix has already all 10 seasons there, so that’s convenient). And if you want, call a friend and ask him or her to watch it with you and try to figure out who is who in your own circle of friends.

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Ang Larawan: Movie Review

1/8 of the entries for the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) 2017 is the musical film entitled “Ang Larawan” (The Portrait) directed by Loy Arcenas starring Joanna Ampil, Rachel Alejandro, and Paulo Avelino. This is a movie adaptation based on the 1997 stage play entitled “A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino” written by Nick Joaquin.

One of the most distinctive features that we’ve seen in the film was that it was a musical kind of film. This kind of film is rare to be produced especially in our country. This is the first time we, the authors, have watched a Filipino musical film and it was fantastically made. It is something that brought an immense impact to anyone who would watch it. We also recognized the star-studded cast of the film. Big names both from the music and film industry made their appearances in the film.

THE ACTORS WERE DAAANG REALLY GOOD

Props to:

Joanna Ampil and Rachel Alejandro for the role of Candida and Paula Marasigan. These girls are such a gem!!! They really did well and made justice to their role from the first frame to the last. Our personal favorite scene with them is “The Black-out Scene” (SPOILER ALERT!!!) wherein both of them thought that their electricity was cut off due to not paying bills and they were so afraid that their neighbors would see it. Our personal favorite song they sang was “Kay Sarap ng Buhay”. Their acting and voice quality was award-winning to the both of us.

Paulo Avelino who had our jaws dropped the first time he appeared. He did a great job being Tony Javier, boarder of the Marasigan sisters for them to get money from the rent he is paying. Considering that Paulo Avelino has no theatrical background, he did great as Tony Javier also he got the perfect face for the role.

Nonie Buencamino and Menchu Lauchengco ace the role for Manolo and Pepang Marasigan. The facial expression they had and their voice was so convincing showing the viewers what the characters are feeling. They portray their roles elegantly.

Robert Arevalo, Celeste Legaspi, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Ogie Alcasid, Nanette Inventor, Jaime Fabregas, and more great performers can also be seen in the film.

Watch the film and surely, you’ll see these performers perform smoothly. Totally worth the watch.

About the setting

The set is at the historical walls of Intramuros and the ambiance would totally take you back to Philippines past before World War II. Totally a must-watch and one of the masterpieces in the film industry.

The film showed a video quality wherein you will actually feel like it’s from circa 1940 plus, the cinematography is great and would really give you the feels back from time.

And of course the songs

The songs were originally written by Mr. Rolando Tinio, National Artist for Theater, and was beautifully rendered by the famous Mr. Ryan Cayabyab, an iconic original Filipino music composer. The choice of words was poetic and really heartwarming

All things considered, we would rate the film 9 out of 10. The musical film is truly a masterpiece and will remain a masterpiece throughout time. This is a new kind of film in the Philippine Film Industry that you will absolutely watch and keep wanting for more.

 Reference:

http://anglarawan.com/

DUMBRIQUE, Kyle MIRARZA, Mariah January 11, 2018

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Meme of the Month? Meme of the Year? Ladies and Gentlemen, Meet Ugandan Knuckles.

Memes. They are everywhere. They have influenced many like me heavily. They are the embodiment of witty entertainment that surpasses many others due to their: 1.) availability, 2.) cult-like following, 3.) and simplicity.

Every now and then, a meme is born that has the potential to take over. Take for example the freestyle by one of Michael Dapaah’s characters, Roadman Shaq/ Big Shaq, for a “Fire in the Booth” session on the BBC Radio that parodied U.K. gangster stereotypes, which quickly grew into what we now know as the song Man’s Not Hot. This song then gave birth to three great memes: the “man’s not hot” retort that has resulted into hundreds of pictures like these…

The hilarious exaggeratedly lengthy gunshot dubs in his rap...

And basically Big Shaq himself.

Now let’s talk about something new.

Ugandan Knuckles is a new meme that is slowly growing traction as it continues to influence more and more people, particularly in VRChat, a free game that seeks to create a community and socialize by chatting, talking to each other in different 3d environments. I discovered Ugandan Knuckles while I was browsing YouTube. And somewhere there in my Recommendations tab I found a cute litte native Knuckles video, titled “Ugandan Knuckles Tribe.”

This hilarious video documents a group, or more appropriately, a made up tribe of tiny, roughly made models of the actual Knuckles from the Sonic the Hedgehog game franchise…

… that did nothing but troll other users by constantly making clicking noises, sniffing those who used loli avatars, spitting on other players whom they did not like, asking over and over, “Do you know de wae?,” to bystanders, and, if unwilling, by following around their self-proclaimed “Queen,” all while doing crude impersonations of Ugandans. They basically just had fun pretending as Ugandan Knuckles while they continue to entertain others in their numerous videos in YouTube. The video made me laugh so much, I just had to know how the Ugandan Knuckles fad originated.

As I conducted my research, I found out that Ugandan Knuckles didn’t start out as “Ugandan Knuckles”, but as a 1-second interlude animation by a YouTuber  named Gregzilla, in one of his Kinda Reviews videos. He liked his funny work and later on uploaded a video last March 6, 2017, of the same Knuckles lip syncing to part of The Ink Spots’s song, “I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire,” which subsequently gave rise to the Knuckles Sings remix series.

Let’s skip to September 15th of the same year when DeviantArtist tidiestflyer uploaded 3D model based on Gregzilla’s work.

The same 3D model then resurfaced as a VRChat avatar when YouTuber named Stahlsby posted the first Ugandan Knuckles video last December 22, 2017, titled “ YOU DO NOT KNOW THE WAY.”

Garnering more than 2 million views on YouTube and as more videos are created about the Ugandan Knuckles tribes, the echidna has officially become an internet meme sensation.

The story of Ugandan Knuckles is still ongoing and lives strongly throughout the internet. And as the Ugandan Knuckles army continue to raid places in VRChat, let me leave you with this, “You do not no de wae. De Deval has not gifted you with Ebola. I am sorry my Brudda. Only de queen can save you now.”

Memes will live on long and strong. Ugandan Knuckles, a single strand of the continuous weave of meme culture, proves just that.

Jason Patrick C. Bueno || 2017-000275

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Graphics Cards: Explanation and Experience

By: Lester Calzo | 2017-000254

Graphics cards are very complicated pieces of computer parts as they do the graphics processing of the computer display. The power of the card depends on what the clock speed, memory bandwidth, memory type, power phases and the cooling solution provided by the graphics card manufacturer.

My experience with using graphics cards on a computer was around December 2015 where I got my first gaming computer as a gift because I had a “office only” computer back then. The computer was equipped with a GTX 970 graphics card when it was first built, and the gaming experience is great due to the power of the card itself. I also used the computer for other things such as photo editing before and it was also a good experience using the computer.

Some computers especially old ones need to be upgraded in order to match today’s standards and the graphics card is also one of the parts that can be upgraded in the long run such as in this case where a card cannot run a game smoothly or just does not run at all. You might consider upgrading it with another card to improve performance or make the entire computer more viable for a longer period.

           Since some games cannot run with the right specifications even though it is quite expensive to get a new graphics card, it may be worthwhile to upgrade or add another card to the system to boost performance. I have attempted to buy another graphics card similar to the 970, but some people say that the first 970 might be degraded enough that the first card might be inoperable before the second one does although this has been disproven.  

           But if the graphics card you own is too old, it might be a good time to buy a new one as the improved cards have obviously better performance than the last generation as I have done with the 970 being replaced with a 1080 Ti in April 2017. When I got my new computer first I was so excited at the power that it had when gaming with one of these card as it is one of the most powerful cards available in the market.

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Mobile Legends, a Mobile MOBA Game.

By: Jayvhones Oclarit | 2017-000234

             Mobile Legends is a mobile MOBA game that was released on July 14, 2016, published by Moonton, it is available on both Android and iOS devices. To achieve victory in this game, you have to destroy the nexus in the base of the enemy, the nexus is guarded by three towers in each lane, the game has three lanes which is called the middle lane, or mid, the top lane, and the bottom lane, or bot lane, the game starts and you have to go to a lane that is suitable for your hero or champion, Mobile Legends has so many champions and the developers’ is still releasing new hero or champions up to this date. The game itself features a lot of game modes, like Classic, Ranked, Brawl, and Custom.

The reason why I chose to review Mobile Legends because it is fun, challenging, a very famous game all over the world, and a very enjoyable game. From friendly and nice players to helpful and cooperative teammates.  The teammate you gets in a game helps you if you’re not that experienced or new to a hero, you can also communicate all over the world using Server Chat, it is used to befriend players and have a more fun experience while playing the game. When picking a hero, every hero has its own type, known as roles, roles matter in the game because without choosing the right role for your team, your team would be imbalance and would lead you to losing the game.

Some of the roles are Marksman, Fighter, Mage, Tank, and Supports, Marksman being the role where you shoot from miles away, Fighter being the role where you engage in a fight, Mage being the role where you are powerful by your abilities, Tank being the role where you are like a rock and would shield your teammates, and Supports being the role where you would heal or stun your enemy or teammates.

The game gets challenging because of items, items are part of the game, you buy items from the shop to increase the statistics of your players, to increase the damage of your players, it’s basically to make yourself strong for late fights, and you can use items to end the game quickly or have a 10-20 minute battle.

Overall, Mobile Legends is a MOBA game that is very challenging, hard to master, with friendly players and more.

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Inuyashiki , your neighborhood cyborg grandpa.

An anime review by : Lopez De Leon, Austin Pacifico, V.

Genre: Action, Drama, Seinen, Psychological, Sci-Fi

Plot Overview:

Inuyashiki is a Japanese science fiction manga series written and illustrated by Hiroya Oku. The manga debuted in January 2014 and ending at July 2017. It tells us the story of Ichiro Inuyashiki , an old man who's not appreciated by both the society and his family, seeing him as pathetic and weak. And worst of all, he was diagnosed with cancer with only a few months to live, he wonders if his family would even cry for him and goes off to cry himself out in the local park. As if he couldn't have been unlucky enough, he got hit by an extraterrestrial ship and have died as a result, along with a younger man. The extraterrestrial beings then restored them to life; not as humans, but dangerous machines. What would these men do with their newfound abilities and how would it change their fates forever?

Introduction

Imagine this, you're happilly enjoying your carefree or miserable life and all of a sudden, an inter-galactic hit and run happens, with you as the victim. Reborn as a robotic weapon, how would you use your new powers? would it be for the benefit of others? or yourself? As such, I will be going over the main components of this series and I'll keep the review format as traditional as possible (Like the reviews from myanimelist). I've watched a lot of anime and have given constructive criticism to some as a hobby, by a lot I mean like over 500 shows, so I know what I'm talking about. But then again, its your opinion that matters :). As much as I hate saying this, this will be a spoiler-free review because I'd like to persuade anime and non-anime fans to give this series a shot , while having the best spoiler-free experience as much as possible.

Story: 10/10

Inuyashiki boasts a unique story, with the old man as the protagonist and the younger one as the antagonist wherein usually its stereotypically the older one whos the antagonist and the younger one as the protagonist. Inuyashiki plays this twist like no other, with the old man as someone whos very kind and hardworking despite being despised by the people around him, with the younger one being a homicidal freak who only cares about the people he's close with. The story is a little rushed, but had a very good job progressing towards the conflict, climax, and resolution of the series.

Characters: 9/10

Ichiro Inuyashiki

This is our main character, the old man that i've been talking about non-stop, Ichiro Inuyashiki, yes that's right, his name is what the anime's title is based on and is our very own cyborg granpa protagonist. A good and caring father who does everything he could to provide for his family, only to be seen as a nuisance, he then starts of as a miserable man who doesn't feel alive and as his character progresses during the story, he becomes someone who feels alive by helping people. As a spoiler free review, I could only say that his character is what you really think it is, a kind man who cares for everyone.

Hiro Shishigami

This handsome young man is the secondary main character of the series and is the main antagonist, his name is Hiro Shishigami. Not much was shown about the background of Hiro during the first episode prior to being run down by an alien spaceship, but as soon as episode 2 kicks in, you'll get to know more of Hiro's personality from his friend, Ando, who is a side character. I can best describe him as the exact opposite of Ichiro Inuyashiki, someone who doesn't care about others and is someone who only feels alive when killing other people.

Side Characters:

As for the side characters, I wont be discussing all of them because it'll double the wall of text in this review, but as far as I can say, the side characters are the most essential parts of both main character's respective progressions.

Sound/Music 9/10

Usually, when we watch anime, we skip the opening part of the song for various reasons. When we first watch Inuyashiki, we are greeted by the opening song, plus points for that. I think it's very crucial to grab the audience's attention during the first few moments of the anime and it's the opening's job to prepare us on what's coming up, and inuyashiki's opening does that job remarkably. The opening really pumped me up everytime I watch a new episode and never have I skipped the opening even for single time, trust me, I think it's that good, to the point that I think it's one of the best anime openings of 2017. The ending song is peaceful, and the lyrics relate to what Hiro Shishigami is experiencing, which I won't have to spoil, it's not a bad ending song but Its better than most i've heard.

Here are the links for the opening and ending.

Man With A Mission - My Hero https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AFnF2E6nJDw

QaiJff - The Last Hero https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=0T49D73myWA

Animation 9/10

This anime has CGI animations, which I think looks horrible in anime, but the way Inuyashiki used CGI made me feel otherwise. They mainly used CGI for budget cuts and its alright, they did a good job in not making the CGI animation cringy and low quality.

Overall 10/10

Most of the time, I have moments where I feel sleepy and bored when I watch anime, yes, even the popular ones like Attack on Titan or Tokyo Ghoul. But I never got any of that feeling watching Inuyashiki. I really enjoyed watching this series. But sadly, I cannot further elaborate some parts of the review because this is a spoiler free review. So I hope you guys feel the experience yourselves and give this show a shot!

tl;dr this anime is great

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The Purge

By: Dale Holden P. Garcia | 2017-000193

The Purge election year is a great and interesting movie which give consideration to everyone to murder and do everything that will be legal for twelve hours and even the election candidates and government official are not exempted from this purge night.

This movie turns it genre to suspense when the alarm rang that notifies that people that the purge has officially started and every person that do not want to join the purging should be inside their houses and must be in a safe place. Even me got scared when I heard the alarm that notifies everybody because it is really creepy. It is the sound that when you hear it you know that there is something bad that will happen, so you’ll be scared.

           The day before the annual purge, two girls went to a convenience store and stole a candy bar but Joe Dixon the store owner caught them and told them to give back the candy bar, but the girl refuses to give it back until a lady came name Laney Rucker also called “Little death” (Pequeña Muerte). A minute before the annual purge. There’s a reminder on the news that reminds everybody that purge exempted nobody. And when the alarm rang that the purge began. All streets are cleared. The store owner seats at the rooftop to guard his store. Suddenly, a car covered with lights stopped in front of his store and it was the two girls who tried to steal a candy bar seeking for revenge, but Marcos shoot her at the ear and it cause them to leave. And in the house where senator Charlie Roan hide, an unknown group came to assassinate the senator. But Leo Barnes the personal agent of the senator and her pass through a secret door to escape from the house. Leo was shoot at his right shoulder. But a group of tourists that came from other country caught them and tried to kill them, but Joe and Marcos helped them. And Leo and Senator Charlie come with Joe and Marcos at the store. Suddenly, the girl who was shoot came back with a group to devastate the store and go for her candy bar. Laney Rucker came back to the store and killed all the people who tried to kill her friends. They ride a ambulance to safely go to the safe zone, but the group that supposed to kill the senator followed them. They found out that the bullet that is in Leo’s shoulder is a trace bullet. A gang member helps them to kill the armed people who are following them by using the trace bullet as a bait. In the safe zone, the senator found out that there will be an assassination of minister Edwidge Owens at the purge mass, so she begs them to stop the assassination to win the election fairly.

           Senator Charlie being hunted by everyone because of being a great threat to NFFA’s plans. The person who’s behind the assassination is her opponent from the election, Minister Edwidge Owen. Some of Joe’s words are offensive like what he says when he’s group is surrounded by a gang member he called them “negroes” in Filipino “negro” and he didn’t said it once but thrice that makes other people think that Joe is a racist. I know that this movie doesn’t taught too much moral lesson but to keep on fighting your opponent in a fairly manner. But we can’t regret that this movie is a great movie that entertain and caught our attention.

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The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall: A Timeless Story of Unimaginable Love

By Ronalyn Lourdez Olivares

Be on your guard and remember to keep your hand at the level of your eyes for The Phantom of the Opera will lasso you into its fandom of no return.

The musical had yet again made another comeback produced by the famous Broadway theatre around the year of 2012. It is to celebrate the 25 years of continuous success and undying support of the audience for the said longest-running hit by the theatre.

The Phantom of the Opera is based from a novel of the same title by Gaston Leroux. It is about a deformed masked genius who secretly resides in the underground cavern of the Paris Opera House. The mysterious man tutored Christine Daae, a rising young soprano—eventually developing an obsessive love for her. After her debut, the phantom insisted to the new managers of the opera house that she must continue as a lead singer. Defy him and they will have a piece of his murderous ways.

It has those heavy and dark elements, but those highly contributed to the beauty and uniqueness of the story. Furthermore, the show it not what it seems to be and has a lot in store for its audience.

First of all, is the music. Each piece was well-composed and fitting to the theme of the musical. My personal favorite is ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ because of its very catchy beat and rock-like vibe that gets me bopping and singing along every time. Sierra Boggess, the one who played as Christine, slayed the viewers when she held several high notes for a long duration of time around the end of the song. She must have practiced hard because her performance sounds so effortless. This Phantom of the Opera also highlights the dependent and obsessive relationship between the phantom and the soprano. Additionally, there are also other songs that I kept playing on replay and absolutely recommend which are ‘Music of the Night’, ‘Think of Me’, ‘All I Ask of You’, ‘Angel of Music’, and ‘Masquerade.’

The performers were also extraordinary and on point. Although the performer who captured my attention is the one who played the phantom, Ramin Karimloo. The phantom is known for his terrifying, dangerous and fragile personality and he gave the audience exactly that. Frankly, I tear up when it was his turn to sing after Raoul, the handsome suitor, and Christine’s duet because his feeling of sadness feels so genuine. The heart-breaking scene where the music box, with a monkey figurine, played ‘Masquerade’ and he sang along in tears because he felt kindness for the first time pulled at my heartstrings. His powerful voice and acting definitely gave the role justice.

I would also like to comment on Sierra Boggess’s perfect portrayal of Christine Daae. During the scene where she was performing ‘Think of Me,’ the shine in her eyes and enchanting voice conveyed the excitement and child-like joy the soprano was feeling during her debut. In addition, the development of the character was also prominent all throughout the show unlike in the other versions. Her version of Christine is one who was weak and dependent that gradually matured into a courageous woman—a woman that can look straight into the phantom’s eyes. She had proven with flying colors that she is one of the best performers of the character. With these two talented people—Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess combined, the show went to another level of being a masterpiece. The chemistry and compatibility of their voices had left hundreds to thousands of people in awe.

There were also other performers that did remarkably well which are Hadley Fraser as Raoul, Wendy Ferguson as Carlotta, Wynne Evans as Piangi, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry, and so forth.

The set design was also breath-taking—from the orchestra, costumes, props, and to the stage itself. I noticed that they used modern technology for the backgrounds instead of the traditional way which I find innovative. In my opinion, the most captivating set design is the underground cavern where the opera ghost lives. I was looking forward on how they have executed the boat scene since the stage devoid of water, and I was speechless for it had gone beyond my expectations. The lighting, mist effect, lanterns, the organ at the center were exquisite and the boat looked like it is smoothly floating on stage. A glorious setting indeed for the first appearance of the phantom.

The costumes were also well-thought and give an 18th century vibe. Each act was given such a variety of detailed dresses and suits from start to end. The best scene for an example might be the masquerade ball especially the phantom’s costume that seems to be inspired from Mexico. Moreover, aside from the costumes, the makeover of the phantom is worthy of praise as well for its disturbing and realistic look particularly the protruding brain in his flesh.

Overall, The Phantom of the Opera is an embodiment of artistic perfection, and this version has the best casting so far. I highly recommend it to those who are above the age of 13, because some elements—especially the phantom might not the children’s cup of tea. Moving on, this show has now become one of my favorites, and I will undoubtedly come back for more. If you are unfond of musicals, then this will change your point of view about the genre. The musical’s score, design elements and suspense will leave you at the edge of your seats. It is worth every penny and every moment of your life. And after watching, you will find it true that The Phantom of the Opera has always been there inside our minds.

Trailer: