#Talas Province

[transgenderer]

The Epic of Manas is a traditional epic poem dating to the 18th century but claimed by Kyrgyz tradition to be much older. Manas is said to be based on Bars Bek who was the first khagan of the Kyrgyz Khaganate. The plot of Manas revolves around a series of events that coincide with the history of the region in the 9th century, primarily the interaction of the Kyrgyz people with other Turkic and Chinese people.

The government of Kyrgyzstan celebrated the 1,000th anniversary of Manas in 1995. The eponymous hero of Manas and his Oirat enemy Joloy were first found written in a Persian manuscript dated to 1792–93.[1] In one of its dozens of iterations, the epic poem consists of approximately 500,000 lines.

The epic poem's age is unknowable, as it was transmitted orally without being recorded. However, historians have doubted the age claimed for it since the turn of the 20th century. The primary reason is that the events portrayed occurred in the 16th and 17th centuries. Central Asian historian Vasily Bartold claimed that Manas was an "absurd gallimaufry of pseudo-history,"[1] and Hatto remarks that Manas was

"compiled to glorify the Sufi sheikhs of Shirkent and Kasan ... [and] circumstances make it highly probable that... [Manas] is a late eighteenth-century interpolation."[2]

Changes were made in the delivery and textual representation[3] particularly the replacement of the tribal background of Manas. In the 19th century versions, Manas is the leader of the Nogay people, while in versions dating after 1920, Manas is a Kyrgyz and a leader of the Kyrgyz.[4] Use of the Manas for nation-building purposes, and the availability of printed historical variants, has similarly had an impact on the performance, content, and appreciation on the epic.[5]

Attempts have been made to connect modern Kyrgyz with the Yenisei Kirghiz, today claimed by Kyrgyzstan to be the ancestors of modern Kyrgyz. Kazakh ethnographer and historian Shokan Shinghisuly Walikhanuli was unable to find evidence of folk-memory during his extended research in 19th-century Kyrgyzstan (then part of the expanding Russian empire) nor has any been found since.[6]

While Kyrgyz historians consider it to be the longest epic poem in history,[7] the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata and the Tibetan Epic of King Gesar are both longer.[8] The distinction is in number of verses. Manas has more verses, though they are much shorter.

Manas is said to have been buried in the Ala-Too mountains in Talas Province, in northwestern Kyrgyzstan. A mausoleum some 40 km east of the town of Talas is believed to house his remains and is a popular destination for Kyrgyz travellers. Traditional Kyrgyz horsemanship games are held there every summer since 1995. An inscription on the mausoleum states, however, that it is dedicated to "...the most famous of women, Kenizek-Khatun, the daughter of the emir Abuka". Legend has it that Kanikey, Manas' widow, ordered this inscription in an effort to confuse her husband's enemies and prevent a defiling of his grave. The name of the building is "Manastin Khumbuzu" or "The Dome of Manas", and the date of its erection is unknown.

heroic levels of cope from the kyrgyz

[romances-not-tragedies]

ang bantay ko'y tala, ang tanod ko'y bituin

Summary: Miguel contemplates on the price he has to pay for his decision, and longs for a time free of complications.

Title and story inspired by this song.

**********

Miguel lay on the bed, willing for sleep to come to him. Yet his mind was still wired from his blistering conversation with the Manila police lieutenant and the Island detective. He had made it clear to them that he did not trust them for his own reasons.

He wished that he had a choice, one that did not involve stepping out of his hiding place and be killed before fulfilling what he had set himself to do.

He also wished that he was not stuck with a private detective who liked to appear as interesting as a piedra de China and a police lieutenant who hated his kind--and whose parentage he had suspected and tried to confirm since that fateful day in Cebu more than a decade ago.

Except he had been stuck between a rock and a hard place. He had to choose between two evils.

The silver lining in this ordeal, however, was that they had him sheltered in a room above a small restaurant. A migrant from Guangdong brought this quaint building once he had sufficient funds from hawking chicken mami in the streets. Despite the difference between their cultures--the owner from a Cantonese-speaking province and Miguel was mostly fluent in Hokkien--they had struck up a quick friendship. The owner had picked up on his distrust with authority and conversed with him after the Island detective and the police lieutenant had left earlier that night.

"You are not at ease, young man," the former teacher from Guangdong noted as they shared dinner. "You are suspicious of them." He meant both Jo Gar and Lieutenant Sadi Ratan.

Miguel nodded at him. "It is not that I am not grateful for their rescuing me from death. I am, but I suspect that my boss demanded them to find me and they would have me turned over to him. After my friend..." Miguel trailed, at loss for words as the pain of his friend's disappearance had stabbed him in the heart once more and how the police bungled up the investigation, causing his anger to flare in his heart once more. "My friend is lost, and I suspect it is because of my boss."

The owner had only nodded.

"Of course, you know of Lieutenant Ratan's reputation," Miguel pointed out. "He hates us. And I cannot trust Jo Gar despite his reputation."

"Oh dear, it is hard to decide what to do," the owner had only commented, his brows furrowing at the thought. "But what choice do you have, young man? If you want to find out who did it and keep your life with you, you have to deal with them regardless of what you feel, just as how they have to deal with you despite their opinions."

Miguel had nodded wearily. "It is never easy."

"Not easy, but who knows what the payback will be?"

"Goodness me, is this a quid pro quo?"

The owner shook his head. "Just being practical, young man."

The older of them had a point. It didn't matter what he or they felt with one another. And he had to do what needed to be done.

Yet it was not the only price he had to pay. He also had to pay the heavy price of leaving his family and friends behind.

Tears pricked behind his eyelids. It hurt his heart to stay away from his family and friends, but he had to. He could not risk them being caught in the whirling storm that the Thorntons were capable of. They could snap their fingers and--BAM! your life would be over. No, if any punishment would fall, it should fall on Miguel.

He sat up on the bed, let his tears fall. But he cried silently, not wanting anyone, not the owner, to see him crying. He did not want them to know the pain beating on him because he decided to do what was right.

He missed his home. He missed his family. He missed his friends. He missed the life he'd had before entering Thornton's real estate firm. He missed the life when Raul was still present in his life. Raul's absence had grown more pronounced as time went by, as opposed to what people blather about time healing all wounds.

(It was bullshit.)

And above all, he missed the carefree days when he could sleep knowing that he was secure, that he had nothing to worry about. That he was surrounded by his loving family and friends. And he missed his mother so much.

He thought about his mother, who would always sing him and his siblings to sleep. Her soft voice would waft within the room, a comfort when any of her children were upset or sick. She would sing songs in her native Cebuano, songs of love and assurances that everything would be alright, and some that would make them smile or laugh. Sometimes she would just hum the music of a song she'd known.

No wonder even his father would stop what he was doing and listen to her sing.

No wonder he fell in love with her back then and was still in love with her.

He wished that his mother would be by his side, let him cry on her shoulder to let out all the pain in his heart. She might not fully understand, but she would know when one of her own was suffering. He wanted to hear her sing her songs once more until he slept.

It's alright, anak, she would assure him if she were here with him, I am right here.

Tell us what is bothering you, anak. Let us help you.

I cannot, Ina. I cannot. But I will once it is all over.

He would have to face this alone. It was his price to pay, and it could cost his life.

But if he ever came out of the ordeal alive, he would make up to them for the rash decisions he had made, for the pain it had caused them. And maybe, just maybe, have a life that would let him be in peace in his waking hours, like how his mother's lullaby gave him peace in his sleep.

[intolerancecare]

Cherry me?

Here in the Philippines, If me and cherry arjun melojane and me are here same?

Tim yap said, if you want to be smart, surround yourself with people who are smarter than you. Who were they with? I was stagnant when I was around them. Bystander knowledge is very important. Table conversations are very important.

Melojane is a typical country lass who is excluded from household chores, bound to marry a filthy affluent husband. Just a wife if no professional background. Heir? If she's here, I'm seeing her as someone who is sweeping at their own backyard in the province. I'm not degrading her, just a fact. I don't have my own house. Oh, she convenes still, with filipinos only abroad.

Cherry from where? with who? BPO people? How proficient is she if she is a comp management grad?

Arjun? Mall sales persons?

You know Cherry said she is Sarah G. Then Sarah sang Tala, still want to associate her with a politician's daughter? A brief former classmate of mine. Heir line Cherry?

One of my college classmate Perry said our friend Jessa is bright. Have you met her Je? I call my brother je too, He has a Samsung tab also. Maybe friends are included in the theory of relativity. Did they bring me to rehab to remove the attractions?

You are not effing B cherry, even if those gossip mongers like you.

[bongboyblog]

Decoding আমার সোনার বাংলা

The National Anthem of Bangladesh and cultural anthem of all Bengali-kind.

About the song:

"Amar Sonar Bangla" (Bengali: আমার সোনার বাংলা, lit. 'My Golden Bengal', pronounced [amar ʃonar baŋla]) is the national anthem of Bangladesh. An ode to Mother Bengal, the lyrics was written by Bengali polymath Rabindranath Tagore in 1905, while the melody of the hymn was adopted from the Baul singer Gagan Harkara's song "Ami Kothay Pabo Tare" (আমি কোথায় পাবো তারে) set to Dadra Tala. The modern instrumental rendition was arranged by Bangladeshi musician Samar Das.

The word sonar literally means "made of gold", with "sona" meaning gold, and "amar" showing possession. It is used as a term of endearment meaning "beloved", but in the song the words sonar Bangla may be interpreted to express the preciousness of Bengal.

The song was written in 1905 during the first partition of Bengal, when the ruling British Empire had an undivided province of Bengal Presidency split into two parts; the decision was announced on 19 July by the then-Viceroy of India Lord Curzon, taking effect on 16 October. This divide of Bengal, being along communal lines–East Bengal and Assam having a majority of Muslims and West Bengal having a majority of Hindus–is claimed to have undermined India's national movement against the UK's imperialism and to have been politically motivated. Along with a host of others, songs such as this were meant to rekindle the unified spirit of Bengal, to raise public consciousness against the communal political divide.

Source: Wikipedia

In the next few posts, we'll be looking at the meanings of each word in the song and pay our tribute to the beautiful motherland.

জয় মা বাংলা! 🇮🇳🇧🇩

[lucciluvr]

hiii love! how are youuu? so, for the ask game: 7, 13 and 29! thank you bby! take care and drink waterr ❤

PRETTY, i'm doing alr <33 take care and hydrate yourself too ><!

7. three words from you native country that you like the most?

puta - fuck but better. you can use it to express any emotions 10/10.

paraluman - paraluman means muse, it's a noun but can be used to describe how beautiful a person is. I WOULD DIE IF SOMEONE CALLED ME PARALUMAN 😭😭😭.

tala - it means star tehee, i like it better that bituwin (also star). it just sounds prettyy <33.

13. does your country/family have any specific superstitions or traditions that might seem strange to outsiders?

I THINK SOOO, i mostly know about believeing in quack doctors (i went to one when i was kid, it worked though? personally i dont believe but my fam does) and superstitions about funerals and the dead. one of it is DO NOT EVER go straight home after coming from a funeral or burial, the dead will follow you. it's called pagpag and there's a lot more of pagpag ways. there's a horror movie about it, about people who didn't pagpag, and they all died.

29. does your region/city have a beef with another place in your country?

i... don't think so? i haven't been home for 3 years, i'm kinda disconnected but i haven't heard much HAHSHHAHAHAHA. filipinos just make loads and loads of memes about other cities or provinces lmaooooo

[rockislandadultreads]

Reluctant Allies: Enemies Team Up: a reading list

Steel Crow Saga by Paul Krueger

Four destinies collide in a unique fantasy world of war and wonders, where empire is won with enchanted steel and magical animal companions fight alongside their masters in battle. A soldier with a curse Tala lost her family to the empress’s army and has spent her life avenging them in battle. But the empress’s crimes don’t haunt her half as much as the crimes Tala has committed against the laws of magic... and her own flesh and blood. A prince with a debt Jimuro has inherited the ashes of an empire. Now that the revolution has brought down his kingdom, he must depend on Tala to bring him home safe. But it was his army who murdered her family. Now Tala will be his redemption—or his downfall. A detective with a grudge Xiulan is an eccentric, pipe-smoking detective who can solve any mystery—but the biggest mystery of all is her true identity. She’s a princess in disguise, and she plans to secure her throne by presenting her father with the ultimate prize: the world’s most wanted prince. A thief with a broken heart Lee is a small-time criminal who lives by only one law: Leave them before they leave you. But when Princess Xiulan asks her to be her partner in crime—and offers her a magical animal companion as a reward—she can’t say no, and soon finds she doesn’t want to leave the princess behind. This band of rogues and royals should all be enemies, but they unite for a common purpose: to defeat an unstoppable killer who defies the laws of magic. In this battle, they will forge unexpected bonds of friendship and love that will change their lives—and begin to change the world.

Deception Cove by Owen Laukkanen

Former US Marine Jess Winslow reenters civilian life a new widow, with little more to her name than a falling-down house, a medical discharge for PTSD, and a loyal dog named Lucy. The only thing she actually cares about is that dog, a black-and-white pit bull mix who helps her cope with the devastating memories of her time in Afghanistan. After fifteen years — nearly half his life — in state prison, Mason Burke owns one set of clothes, a wallet, and a photo of Lucy, the service dog he trained while behind bars. Seeking a fresh start, he sets out for Deception Cove, Washington, where the dog now lives. As soon as Mason knocks on Jess's door, he finds himself in the middle of a standoff between the widow and the deputy county sheriff. When Jess's late husband piloted his final "fishing" expedition, he stole and stashed a valuable package from his drug dealer associates. Now the package is gone, and the sheriff's department has seized Jess's dearest possession — her dog. Unless Jess turns over the missing goods, Lucy will be destroyed. The last thing Mason wants is to be dragged back into the criminal world. The last thing Jess wants is to trust a stranger. But neither of them can leave a friend, the only good thing in either of their lives, in danger. To rescue Lucy, they'll have to forge an uneasy alliance. And to avoid becoming collateral damage in someone else's private war, they have to fight back — and find a way to conquer their doubts and fears.

Kingdom of Exiles by Maxym M. Martineau

Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life. If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.

Winter of Ice and Iron by Rachel Neumeier

In this gorgeous, dark fantasy in the spirit of Jacqueline Carey, a princess and a duke must protect the people of their nations when a terrible threat leaves everyone in danger. With the Mad King of Emmer in the north and the vicious King of Pohorir in the east, Kehara Raehema knows her country is in a vulnerable position. She never expected to give up everything she loves to save her people, but when the Mad King’s fury leaves her land in danger, she has no choice but to try any stratagem that might buy time for her people to prepare for war—no matter the personal cost. Hundreds of miles away, the pitiless Wolf Duke of Pohorir, Innisth Eanete, dreams of breaking his people and his province free of the king he despises. But he has no way to make that happen—until chance unexpectedly leaves Kehara on his doorstep and at his mercy. Yet in a land where immanent spirits inhabit the earth, political disaster is not the greatest peril one can face. Now, as the year rushes toward the dangerous midwinter, Kehera and Innisth find themselves unwilling allies, and their joined strength is all that stands between the peoples of the Four Kingdoms and utter catastrophe.

[jakepullsthetrigger]

I am the child of more than seven thousand islands, blessed with each of its own colour, stories, I am baptised with the rushing rivers of Cagayan, kissed by the breeze of the Mountain Province, embraced by the warmth of the Kanlaon; I came from the womb of Masalanta, cradled by Maria, by Sinukuan, by Cacao; I am the god of my own lands, the anitos and the encantos, progenitor of Tala, I weave the tales of Bulan and Adlaw, the moon and the sun; my mouth is not for anyone's conquest, but a refuge for the heroes of my own geography; the Mambabatok has its ink and its war songs in my veins; I chant, with the blood of the offerings, in the altars of my ancestors, that I am not for conquest; I am the moon eater, the earth shaker; the Bakunawa resides in my chest, hungry to devour whoever tries to change the names of my birth rights, of my lands, of the words that my ancestors whisper to the future children. I am the child of more than seven thousand islands, nurtured by the Diwatas and the Heroes of my lands, I am the gods of the sun and the stars and the sky. I am Bakunawa, the moon eater, the earth shaker, the devourer of the words shrugged in my throat - mahinhin, mahiyain, mapagkumbaba, mapagtanggap - Lo, and behold, I am mythology untold.

[grigori77]

Summer 2020′s Movies - My Top Ten Favourite Films (Part 2)

10.  BODY CAM – in the face of the current pandemic, viral outbreak cinema has become worryingly prescient lately, but as COVID led to civil unrest there were a couple of films in this summer that REALLY seemed to me to put their finger on the pulse of another particularly shitty zeitgeist.  Admittedly this one highlights a problem that’s been around for a good while, but it came along at just the right time to gain particularly strong resonance, filtering its message into the most reliable form of allegorical social commentary – horror.  The vengeful ghost trope has become pretty familiar over the past decade or so, but by marrying it with the corrupt cop thriller veteran horror screenwriter Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact) has given it a nice fresh spin, and the end result was, for me, a real winner.  Mary J. Blige plays troubled LAPD cop Renee Lomito-Smith, back on the beat after an extended hiatus following a particularly harrowing incident, just as fellow officers from her own precinct begin to die violent deaths under mysterious circumstances, and the only clues are weird, haunting camera footage that only Renee and her new partner, rookie Danny Holledge (Paper Towns and Death Note’s Natt Wolff), manage to see before it inexplicable wipes itself.  Something supernatural is stalking the City of Angels at night, and it’s got a serious grudge against local cops as the increasingly disturbing investigation slowly brings an act of horrific police brutality to light, until Renee no longer knows who in her department she can trust.  This is one of the most insidious scare-fests I’ve enjoyed so far this year, sophomore director Malik Vitthal (Imperial Dreams) weaving an effective atmosphere of pregnant dread and wire-taut suspense while delivering some impressively hair-raising shocks (the stunning minimart sequence is the film’s undeniable highlight), while the ghostly threat is cleverly thought-out and skilfully brought to “life”.  Blige delivers another top-drawer performance, giving Renee a winning combination of wounded fragility and steely resolve that makes for a particularly compelling hero, while Wolff invests Danny with skittish uncertainty and vulnerability in one of his strongest performances to date, and Dexter star David Zayas brings interesting moral complexity to the role of their put-upon superior, Sergeant Kesper.  In these times of heightened social awareness, when the police’s star has become particularly tarnished as unnecessary force, racial profiling and cover-ups have become major hot-button topics, the power and relevance of this particular slice of horror cinema cannot be denied.

9.  BLOOD QUANTUM – it certainly has been a great year for horror, and for most of the summer this was the genre leader, a compellingly fresh take on the zombie outbreak genre with a killer hook.  Canadian writer-director Jeff Barnaby (Rhymes for Young Ghouls) has always clung close to his Native American roots, and he brings strong social relevance to the intriguing early 80s Canadian setting as a really nasty zombie virus wreaks havoc in the Red Crow Indian Reservation and its neighbouring town.  It soon becomes clear, however, that members of the local tribe are immune to the infection, a revelation with far-reaching consequences as the outbreak rages unchecked and society begins to crumble.  Barnaby pulls off some impressive world-building and creates a compellingly grungy post-apocalyptic vibe as the story progresses, while the zombies themselves are a visceral, scuzzy bunch, and there’s plenty of cracking set-pieces and suitably full-blooded kills to keep the gore-hounds happy, while the horror has real intelligence behind it, the script posing interesting questions and delivering some uncomfortable answers.  The characters, meanwhile, are a well-drawn, complex bunch, no black-and-white saviours among them, any one of them capable of some pretty inhuman horrors when the chips are down, and the cast, an interesting mix of seasoned talent and unknowns, all excel in their roles – Michale Greyeyes (Fear the Walking Dead) and Forrest Goodluck (The Revenant) are the closest things the film has to real heroes, the former a fallible everyman as Traylor, the small-town sheriff who’s just trying to do right by his family, the latter unsure of himself as his son, put-upon teenage father-to-be Joseph; meanwhile, Olivia Scriven is tough but vulnerable as his pregnant white girlfriend Charlie, Stonehorse Lone Goeman is a grizzled badass as tough-as-nails tribal elder Gisigu, and Kiowa Gordon (probably best known for playing a werewolf in the Twilight movies) really goes to the dark side as Joseph’s delinquent half-brother Lysol, while there’s a memorably subtle turn from Dead Man’s Gary Farmer as unpredictable loner Moon.  This is definitely one of the year’s darkest films – by and large playing the horror straight, it tightens the screws as the situation grows steadily worse, and almost makes a virtue of wallowing in its hopeless tone – but there’s a fatalistic charm to all the bleakness, even in the downbeat yet tentatively hopeful climax, while it’s hard to deny the ruthless efficiency of the violence on display. This certainly isn’t a horror movie for everyone, but those with a strong stomach and relatively hard heart will find much to enjoy here.  Jeff Barnaby is definitely gonna be one to watch in the future …  

8.  PALM SPRINGS – the summer’s comedy highlight kind of snuck in under the radar, becoming something of an on-demand secret weapon with all the cinemas closed, and it definitely deserves its swiftly growing cult status.  You certainly can’t possibly believe it’s the feature debut of director Max Barbakow, who shows the kind of sharp-witted, steady-handed control of his craft that’s usually the province of far more experienced talents … then again, much of the credit must surely go to seasoned TV comedy writer Andy Siara (Lodge 49), for whom this has been a real labour of love he’s been tending since his film student days.  Certainly all that care, nurture and attention to detail is up there on the screen, the exceptional script singing its irresistible siren song from the start and providing fertile ground for its promising new director to spread his own creative wings.  The premise may be instantly familiar – playing like a latter-day Saturday Night Live take on Groundhog Day (Siara admits it was a major influence), it follows the misadventures of Sarah (How I Met Your Mother’s Cristin Miliota), the black sheep maid of honour at her sweet little sister Tala’s (Riverdale’s Camila Mendes) wedding to seemingly perfect hunk Abe (Supergirl’s Superman, Tyler Hoechlin), as she finds herself repeating the same high-stress day over and over again after being trapped in a mysterious cosmic time-loop along with slacker misanthrope Nyles (Brooklyn Nine Nine megastar Andy Samberg), who’s been stuck in this same situation for MUCH longer – but in Barbakow and Siara’s hands it feels fresh and intriguing, and goes in some surprising new directions before the well-worn central premise can outstay its welcome.  It certainly doesn’t hurt that the cast are uniformly excellent – Miliota is certainly the pounding emotional heart of the film, effortlessly lovable as she flounders against her lot, then learns to accept the unique possibilities it presents, before finally resolving to find a way out, while Samberg has rarely been THIS GOOD, truly endearing in his sardonic apathy as it becomes clear he’s been stuck like this for CENTURIES, and they make an enjoyably fiery couple with snipey chemistry to burn; meanwhile there’s top-notch support from Mendes and Hoechlin, The OC’s Peter Gallagher as Sarah and Tala’s straight-laced father, the ever-reliable Dale Dickey, a thoroughly adorable turn from Jena Freidman and, most notably, a full-blooded scene-stealing performance from the mighty J.K. Simmonds as Roy, Nyles’ nemesis, who he inadvertently trapped in the loop before Sarah and is, understandably, none too happy about it.  This really is an absolute laugh-riot, today’s more post-modern sense of humour allowing the central pair (and their occasional enemy) to indulge in even more extreme consequence-free craziness than Bill Murray ever got away with back in the day, but like all the best comedies there’s also a strong emotional foundation under the humour, leading us to really care about these people and what happens to them, while the story throws moments of true heartfelt power at us, particularly in the deeply cathartic climax.  Ultimately this was one of the summer’s biggest surprises, a solid gold gem that I can’t recommend enough.

7.  THE LAST DAYS OF AMERICAN CRIME – the summer’s other heavyweight Zeitgeist fondler is a deeply satirical chunk of speculative dystopian sci-fi clearly intended as a cinematic indictment of Trump’s broken America, but it became far more potent and prescient in these … ahem … troubled times.  Adapted by screenwriter Karl Gadjusek (Oblivion, Stranger Things, The King’s Man) from the graphic novel by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini for underrated schlock-action cinema director Olivier Megaton (Transporter 3, Colombiana, the last two Taken films), this Netflix original feature seemed like a fun way to kill a cinema-deprived Saturday night in the middle of the Lockdown, but ultimately proved to have a lot more substance than expected.  It’s powered by an intriguing premise – in a nearly lawless 2024, the US government is one week away from implementing a nationwide synaptic blocker signal called the API (American Peace Initiative) which will prevent the public from being able to commit any kind of crime – and focuses on a strikingly colourful bunch of outlaw antiheroes with an audacious agenda – prodigious Detroit bank robber Bricke (Édgar Ramiréz) is enlisted by Kevin Cash (Funny Games and Hannibal’s Michael Carmen Pitt), a wayward scion of local crime family the Dumois, and his hacker fiancée Shelby Dupree (Material Girl’s Anna Brewster) to pull off what’s destined to be the last great crime in American history, a daring raid on the night of the signal to steal over a billion dollars from the Motor City’s “money factory” and then escape across the border into Canada.  From this deceptively simple premise a sprawling action epic was born, carried along by a razor sharp, twisty script and Megaton’s typically hyperbolic, showy auteur directing style and significant skill at crafting thrillingly explosive set-pieces, while the cast consistently deliver quality performances.  Ramiréz has long been one of those actors I really love to watch, a gruff, quietly intense alpha male whose subtle understatement hides deep reserves of emotional intensity, while Dupree takes a character who could have been a thinly-drawn femme fetale and invests her with strong personal drive and steely resolve, and there’s strong support from Neil Blomkampf regulars Sharlto Copley and Brandon Auret as, respectively, emasculated beat cop Sawyer and brutal Mob enforcer Lonnie French, as well as a nearly unrecognisable Patrick Bergin as local kingpin (and Kevin’s father) Rossi Dumois; the film is roundly stolen, however, by Pitt, a phenomenal actor I’ve always thought we just don’t see enough of, here portraying a spectacularly sleazy, unpredictable force of nature who clearly has his own dark agenda, but whom we ultimately can’t help rooting for even as he stabs us in the back.  This is a cracking film, a dark and dangerous thriller of rare style and compulsive verve that I happily consider to be Megaton’s best film to date BY FAR – needless to say it was a major hit for Netflix when it dropped, clearly resonating with its audience given what’s STILL going on in the real world, and while it may have been roundly panned in reviews I think, like some of the platform’s other more glossy Original hits (Bright springs to mind), it’s destined for a major critical reappraisal and inevitable cult status before too long …

6.  HAMILTON – arriving just as Black Lives Matter reached fever-pitch levels, this feature presentation of the runaway Broadway musical smash-hit could not have been better timed.  Shot over three nights during the show’s 2016 run with the original cast and cut together with specially created “setup shots”, it’s an immersive experience that at once puts you right in amongst the audience (at times almost a character themselves, never seen but DEFINITELY heard) but also lets you experience the action up close.  And what action – it’s an incredible show, a thoroughly fascinating piece of work that reads like something very staid and proper on paper (an all-encompassing biographical account of the life and times of American Founding Father Alexander Hamilton) but, in execution, becomes something very different and EXTREMELY vital.  The execution certainly couldn’t be further from the usual period biopic fare this kind of historical subject matter usually gets (although in the face of recent top-notch revisionist takes like Marie Antoinette, The Great and Tesla it’s not SO surprising), while the cast is not at all what you’d expect – with very few notable exceptions the cast is almost entirely people of colour, despite the fact that the real life individuals they’re playing were all very white indeed.  That said, every single one of them is an absolute revelation – the show’s writer-composer Lin-Manuel Miranda (already riding high on the success of In the Heights) carries the central role of Hamilton with effortless charm and raw star power, Leslie Odom Jr. (Smash, Murder On the Orient Express) is duplicitously complex as his constant nemesis Aaron Burr, Christopher Jackson (In the Heights, Moana, Bull) oozes integrity and nobility as his mentor and friend George Washington, Phillipa Soo is sweet and classy as his wife Eliza while Renée Elise Goldsberry (The Immortal Life of Henrietta Jacks, Altered Carbon) is fiery and statuesque as her sister Angelica Schuyler (the one who got away), and Jonathan Groff (Mindhunter) consistently steals every scene he’s in as fiendish yet childish fan favourite King George III; ultimately, however, the show (and the film) belongs to veritable powerhouse Daveed Diggs (Blindspotting, TV’s Snowpiercer) in a spectacular duel role, starting subtly but gaining scene-stealing momentum as French Revolutionary Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, before EXPLODING onto the stage in the second half as indomitable eventual American President Thomas Jefferson.  Not having seen the stage show, I was taken completely by surprise by this, revelling in its revisionist genius and offbeat, quirky hip-hop charm, spellbound by the skilful ease with which is takes the sometimes quite dull historical fact and skews it into something consistently entertaining and absorbing, transported by the catchy earworm musical numbers and thoroughly tickled by the delightfully cheeky sense of humour strung throughout (at least when I wasn’t having my heart broken by moments of raw dramatic power). Altogether it’s a pretty unique cinematic experience I wish I could have actually gotten to see on the big screen, and one I’ve consistently recommended to all my friends, even the ones who don’t usually like musicals.  As far as I’m concerned it doesn’t need a proper Les Misérables style screen adaptation – this is about as perfect a presentation as the show could possibly hope for.

5.  SPUTNIK – the summer’s horror highlight (despite SERIOUSLY tough competition) is a guaranteed sleeper hit that I almost totally missed, stumbling across the trailer one day on YouTube and being completely bowled over by its potential, prompting me to hunt it down by any means necessary.  The feature debut of Russian director Egor Abramenko, this first contact sci-fi chiller is about as far from E.T. as it’s possible to get, sharing some of the same DNA as Carpenter’s The Thing but proudly carving its own path with consummate skill and definitely signalling great things to come from its brand new helmer and relative unknown screenwriters Oleg Malovichko and Andrei Zolotarev.  Oksana Akinshina (probably best known in the West for her powerful climactic cameo in The Bourne Supremacy) is the beating heart of the film as neurophysiologist Tatyana Yuryevna Klimova, brought in to aid in the investigation in the Russian wilderness circa 1983 after an orbital research mission goes horribly wrong.  One of the cosmonauts dies horribly, while the other, Konstantin (The Duelist’s Pyotr Fyodorov) seems unharmed, but it quickly becomes clear that he’s now playing host to something decidedly extraterrestrial and potentially terrifying, and as Tatyana becomes more deeply embroiled in her assignment she comes to realise that her superiors, particularly mysterious Red Army project leader Colonel Semiradov (The PyraMMMid’s Fyodor Bondarchuk), have far darker plans for Konstantin and his new “friend” than she could ever imagine.  This is about as dark, intense and nightmarish as this particular sub-genre gets, a magnificently icky body horror that slowly builds its tension as we’re gradually exposed to the various truths and the awful gravity of the situation slowly reveals itself, punctuated by skilfully executed shocks and some particularly horrifying moments when the evils inflicted by the humans in charge prove to be far worse than anything the alien can do, while the ridiculously talented writers have a field day pulling the rug out from under us again and again, never going for the obvious twist and keeping us guessing right to the devastating ending, while the beautifully crafted digital creature effects are nothing short of astonishing and thoroughly creepy.  Akinshina dominates the film with her unbridled grace, vulnerability and integrity, the relationship that develops between Tatyana and Konstantin (Fyodorov delivering a beautifully understated turn belying deep inner turmoil) feeling realistically earned as it goes from tentatively wary to ultimately, tragically bittersweet, while Bondarchuk invests the Colonel with a subtly nuanced air of tarnished authority and restrained brutality that makes him one of my top screen villains for the year.  Guaranteed to go down as one of 2020’s great sleeper hits, I can’t speak of this film highly enough – it’s a genuine revelation, an instant classic for whom I’ll sing its praises for the remainder of the year and beyond, and I wish utmost success to all the creative talents involved in the future.  The Invisible Man still rules the roost in the year’s horror stakes, but this runs a VERY close second …

4.  GREYHOUND – when the cinemas closed back in March, the fate of many of the major summer blockbusters we’d been looking forward to was thrown into terrible doubt. Some were pushed back to more amenable dates in the autumn or winter, others knocked back a whole year to fill summer slots for 2021, but more than a few simply dropped off the radar entirely with the terrible words “postponed until further notice” stamped on them, and I lamented them all, this one in particular.  It hung in there longer than some, stubbornly holding onto its June release slot for as long as possible, but eventually it gave up the ghost too … but thanks to Apple TV+, not for long, ultimately releasing less than a month later than intended.  Thankfully the final film was worth the fuss, a taut World War II suspense thriller that’s all killer, no filler – set during the infamous Battle of the Atlantic, it portrays the constant life-or-death struggle faced by the Allied warships assigned to escort the transport convoys as they crossed the ocean, defending their charges from German U-boats.  Adapted from C.S. Forester’s famous 1955 novel The Good Shepherd by Tom Hanks and directed by Aaron Schneider (Get Low), the narrative focuses on the crew of the escort leader, American destroyer USS Fletcher, codenamed Greyhound, and in particular its captain, Commander Ernest Krause (Hanks), a career sailor serving his first command.  As they cross “the Pit”, the most dangerous mid stretch of the journey where they spend days without air-cover, they find themselves shadowed by “the Wolf Pack”, a particularly cunning group of German subs that begin to pick away at the convoy’s stragglers.  Faced with daunting odds, a dwindling supply of vital depth-charges and a ruthless, persistent enemy, Krause must make hard choices to bring his ships home safe … jumping into the thick of the action within the first ten minutes and maintaining that tension for the remainder of its trim 90-minute run, this is screen suspense par excellence, a sleek textbook example of how to craft a compelling big screen knuckle-whitener with zero fat and maximum reward, delivering a series of desperate naval scraps packed with hide-and-seek intensity, heart-in-mouth near-misses and fist-in-air cathartic payoffs by the bucket-load.  Hanks is subtly magnificent, the calm centre of the narrative storm as a supposed newcomer to this battle arena who could have been BORN for it, bringing to mind the similarly unflappable turn he delivered in Captain Phillips and certainly not suffering by comparison; by and large he’s the focus point, but other crew members do make strong (if sometimes quite brief) impressions, particularly Stephen Graham as Krause’s reliably seasoned XO, Lt. Commander Charlie Cole, The Magnificent Seven’s Manuel Garcia-Rulfo and Just Mercy’s Rob Morgan, while Elisabeth Shue does a lot with a very small part in brief flashbacks as Krause’s fiancée Evelyn.  Relentless, powerful, exhilarating and thoroughly unforgettable, this was one of the true action highlights of the summer, and one hell of a war flick.  I’m so glad it made the cut for the season …

3.  PROJECT POWER – with Marvel and DC pushing their tent-pole titles back into late autumn in the face of COVID, the usual superhero antics we’ve come to expect over the main blockbuster season were pretty thin on the ground, leading us to find our geeky fan thrills elsewhere.  Unfortunately, pickings were frustratingly slim – Korean comic book actioner Gundala was entertaining but workmanlike, while Thor AU-take Mortal was underwhelming despite strong direction from Troll Hunter’s André Øvredal, and I’ve already made my feelings clear on the frustration of The New Mutants – thank the Gods, then, for Netflix, once again riding to the rescue with this enjoyably offbeat super-thriller, which takes an intriguing central premise and really runs with it.  New designer drug Power has hit the streets of New Orleans, able to give anyone who takes it a superpower for five minutes … the only problem is, until you try it, you won’t know what your own unique talent is – for some, it could mean five minutes of invisibility, or insane levels of super-strength, but other powers can be potentially lethal, the really unlucky buggers just blowing up on the spot.  Robin (The Hate U Give’s Dominique Fishback) is a teenage Power-pusher with dreams of becoming a rap star, dealing the pills so she can help her diabetic mum; Frank Shaver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is one of her customers, an NOPD detective who uses his power of near invulnerability to even the playing field when powered crims cause a disturbance.  Their lives are turned upside down when Art (Jamie Foxx) arrives in town – he’s a seriously badass ex-soldier determined to hunt down the source of Power by any means necessary, and he’s not above tearing the Big Easy apart to do it.  This is a fun, gleefully infectious  rollercoaster that doesn’t take itself too seriously, revelling in the anarchic potential of its premise and crafting some suitably OTT effects-driven chaos brought to pleasingly visceral fruition by its skilfully inventive director, Ariel Schulman (Catfish, Nerve, Viral), while Mattson Tomlin (the screenwriter of next year’s incendiary DCEU headline act The Batman) takes his script in some very interesting directions and poses some fascinating questions about what Power’s TRULY capable of.  Gordon-Levitt and Fishback are both brilliant, the latter particularly impressing in what’s sure to be a major breakthrough role for her, and the friendship their characters share is pretty adorable, while Foxx really is a force to be reckoned with, pretty chill even when he’s in deep shit but fully capable of turning into a bona fide killing machine at the flip of a switch, and there’s strong support from Westworld’s Rodrigo Santoro as Biggie, Power’s delightfully oily kingpin, Courtney B. Vance as Frank’s by-the-book superior, Captain Crane, Amy Landecker as Gardner, the morally bankrupt CIA spook responsible for the drug’s production, and Machine Gun Kelly as Newt, a Power dealer whose explosive pyrotechnic “gift” really isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  Exciting, inventive, frequently amusing and infectiously likeable, this was some of the most uncomplicated “cinematic” fun I had this summer.  Not bad for something which I’m sure was originally destined to become one of the season’s B-list features …

2.  THE OLD GUARD – Netflix’s undisputable TOP OFFERING of the summer came damn close to bagging the whole season, and I can’t help thinking that even if some of the stiffer competition had still been present it may well have still finished this high. Gina Prince-Blythewood (Love & Basketball, the Secret Life of Bees) directs comics legend Greg Rucka’s adaptation of his own popular title with uncanny skill and laser-focused visual flair considering there’s nothing on her previous CV to suggest she’d be THIS good at mounting a stomping good ultraviolent action thriller, ushering in this thoroughly engrossing tale of four ancient, invulnerable immortal warriors – Andy AKA Andromache of Scythia (Charlize Theron), Booker AKA Sebastian de Livre (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe AKA Yusuf Al-Kaysani (Wolf’s Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky AKA Niccolo di Ginova (Trust’s Luca Marinelli) – who’ve been around forever, hiring out their services as mercenaries for righteous causes while jealously guarding their identities for fear of horrific experimentation and exploitation should their true natures ever be discovered.  Their anonymity is threatened, however, when they’re uncovered by former CIA operative James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), working for the decidedly dodgy pharmaceutical conglomerate run by sociopathic billionaire Steven Merrick (Harry Melling, formerly Dudley in the Harry Potter movies), who want to capture these immortals so they can patent whatever it is that makes them keep on ticking … just as a fifth immortal, US Marine Nile Freeman (If Beale Street Could Talk’s KiKi Layne), awakens after being “killed” on deployment in Afghanistan.  The supporting players are excellent, particularly Ejiofor, smart and driven but ultimately principled and deeply conflicted about what he’s doing, even if he does have the best of intentions, and Melling, the kind of loathsome, reptilian scumbag you just love to hate, but the film REALLY DOES belong to the Old Guard themselves – Schoenaerts is a master brooder, spot-on casting as the group’s relative newcomer, only immortal since the Napoleonic Wars but clearly one seriously old soul who’s already VERY tired of the lifestyle, while Joe and Nicky (who met on opposing sides of the Crusades) are simply ADORABLE, an unapologetically matter-of-fact gay couple who are sweet, sassy and incredibly kind, the absolute emotional heart of the film; it’s the ladies, however, that are most memorable here.  Layne is exceptional, investing Nile with a steely intensity that puts her in good stead as her new existence threatens to overwhelm her and MORE THAN qualified to bust heads alongside her elders … but it’s ancient Greek warrior Andy who steals the film, Theron building on the astounding work she did in Atomic Blonde to prove, once and for all, that there’s no woman on Earth who looks better kicking arse than her (as Booker puts it, “that woman has forgotten more ways to kill than entire armies will ever learn”); in her hands, Andy truly is a goddess of death, tough as tungsten alloy and unflappable even in the face of hell itself, but underneath it all she hides a heart as big as any of her friends’. They’re an impossibly lovable bunch and you feel you could follow them on another TEN adventures like this one, which is just as well, because Prince-Blythewood and Rucka certainly put them through their paces here – the drama is high (but frequently laced with a gentle, knowing sense of humour, particularly whenever Joe and Nicky are onscreen), as are the stakes, and the frequent action sequences are top-notch, executed with rare skill and bone-crunching zest, but also ALWAYS in service to the story. Altogether this is an astounding film, a genuine victory for its makers and, it seems, for Netflix themselves – it’s become one of the platform’s biggest hits to date, earning well-deserved critical acclaim and great respect and genuine geek love from the fanbase at large. After this, a sequel is not only inevitable, it’s ESSENTIAL …

1.  TENET – granted, the streaming platforms (particularly Netflix and Amazon) certainly did save our cinematic summer, but I’m still IMMEASURABLY glad that the season’s ultimate top-spot winner was one I got to experience on THE BIG SCREEN.  You gotta hand it to Christopher Nolan, he sure hung in there, stubbornly determined that his latest cinematic masterpiece WOULD be released in cinemas in the summer (albeit ultimately landing JUST inside the line in the final week of August), and it was worth all the fuss because, for me, this was THE PERFECT MOVIE for me to get return to cinemas with.  I mean, okay, in the end it WASN’T the FIRST new movie I saw after the reopening, that honour went to Unhinged, but THIS was my first real Saturday night out big screen EXPERIENCE since March.  Needless to say, Nolan didn’t disappoint this time any more than he has on any of his consistently spectacular previous releases, delivering another twisted, mind-boggling headfuck of a full-blooded experiential sensory overload that comes perilously close to toppling his long-standing auteur-peak, Inception (itself second only by fractions to The Dark Knight as far as I’m concerned). To say much at all about the plot would give away major spoilers – personally I’d recommend just going in as cold as possible, indeed you really should just stop reading this right now and just GO SEE IT.  Still with us?  Okay … the VERY abridged version is that it’s about a secret war being waged between the present and the future by people capable of “inverting” time in substances, objects, people, whatever, into which the Protagonist (BlacKkKlansman’s John David Washington), an unnamed CIA agent, has been dispatched in order to prevent a potential coming apocalypse. Washington is once again on top form, crafting a robust and compelling morally complex heroic lead who’s just as comfortable negotiating the minefields of black market intrigue as he is breaking into places or dispatching heavies, Kenneth Branagh delivers one of his most interesting and memorable performances in years as brutal Russian oligarch Andrei Sator, a genuinely nasty piece of work who may be the year’s very best screen villain, Elizabeth Debicki (The Night Manager, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Widows) brings strength, poise and wounded integrity to the role of Sator’s estranged wife, Kat, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson gets to use his own accent for once as tough-as-nails British Intelligence officer Ives, while there are brief but consistently notable supporting turns and cameos from Martin Donovan, Yesterday’s HImesh Patel, Dirk Gently’s Fiona Dourif and, of course, Nolan’s good luck charm, Michael Caine.  The cast’s biggest surprise, however, is Robert Pattinson, truly a revelation in what has to be, HANDS DOWN, his best role to date, Neil, the Protagonist’s mysterious handler – he’s by turns cheeky, slick, duplicitous and thoroughly badass, delivering an enjoyably multi-layered, chameleonic performance which proves what I’ve long maintained, that the former Twilight star is actually a fucking amazing actor, and on the basis of this, even without that amazing new teaser trailer making the rounds, I think the debate about whether or not he’s the right choice for the new Batman is now academic.  As we’ve come to expect from Nolan, this is a TRUE tour-de-force experience, a visual masterpiece and an endlessly engrossing head-scratcher, Nolan’s screenplay bringing in some seriously big ideas and throwing us some major narrative knots and loopholes, constantly wrong-footing the viewer while also setting up truly revelatory payoffs from seemingly low-key, unimportant beginnings – this is a film you need to be awake and attentive for or you could miss something pretty vital.  The action sequences are, as ever, second to none, some of the year’s very best set-pieces coming thick and fast and executed with some of the most accomplished skill in the business, while Nolan-regular cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar and Dunkirk, as well as the heady likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, SPECTRE and Ad Astra) once again shows he’s one of the best camera-wizards in the business today by delivering some truly mesmerising visuals.  Notably, Nolan’s other regular collaborator, composer Hans Zimmer, is absent here (although he has good reason, currently working on his dream project, the fast-approaching screen adaptation of Dune), but Ludwig Göransson (best known for his regular collaborations with Ryan Coogler on the likes of Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther, as well as truly awesome work on The Mandalorian) makes for a fine replacement, crafting an intriguingly internalised, post-modern musical landscape that thrums and pulses in time with the story and emotions of the characters rather than the action itself. Interestingly it’s on the subject of sound that some of the film’s rare detractions have been levelled, and I can see some of the points – the soundtrack mix is an all-encompassing thing, and there are times when the dialogue can be overwhelmed, but in Nolan’s defence as a film this is a heady, immersive experience, something you really need to concentrate on, so these potential flaws are easily forgiven.  As a piece of filmmaking art, this is another flawless wonder from one of the true masters of the craft working in cinema today, but it’s art with palpable substance, a rewarding whole that really HAS TO BE experienced on the big screen.  So put your snobbery at post-lockdown restrictions aside for the moment and get yourself down to your nearest cinema so you can experience it for yourself.  You won’t be disappointed.  Right now, this is my movie of the year, and with only one possible exception, I really don’t see that changing …

[phgq]

Rescue chopper flies septuagenarian in need of dialysis

#PHnews: Rescue chopper flies septuagenarian in need of dialysis

MANILA – A 78-year-old woman who is in need of urgent dialysis was airlifted on board a military rescue chopper Monday morning.

Philippine Air Force spokesperson, Lt. Col. Aristides Galang said the patient, Cleofina Abad from Gonzaga town in Cagayan, was airlifted to the Divine Mercy Medical Center in Tuguegarao City on board a Sikorsky S-76.

Galang said Abad's request for a medical evacuation was forwarded to Joint Task Force Tala as several areas are still inaccessible for land transport.

Many areas in Cagayan province are submerged in floodwater due to the spilling of dams following weeks of rains from a number of typhoons that hit the country.

"And since our helicopters are also tasked for medical evacuation missions, the PAF responded," he said in Filipino.

The patient was accompanied by her husband, Rosendo, 82, in the flight to the hospital.

Meanwhile, a UH-IH helicopter of the PAF also conducted relief operations on Monday from the Cagayan Capitol grounds in Tuguegarao City to Alcala, Amulung, and Solana towns.

A total of 1,587.3 pounds of assorted relief goods were distributed to most affected areas in Alcala town, Galang said. (PNA) 

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Rescue chopper flies septuagenarian in need of dialysis." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1121953 (accessed November 17, 2020 at 12:18AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Rescue chopper flies septuagenarian in need of dialysis." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1121953 (archived).

[pyresol]

Puella Magi AU: Mahalia de la Cruz (Manila)

Name: Mahalia de la Cruz

Age: 18

Grade: 12 (6th grade of highschool)

Appearance: She has short black hair (similar to Daniella Mondragon from Kadenang ginto) with a pearl pin , dark brown eyes, slight fair complexion and has a slim thick body.

Family: The other eight rays, the Luzon provinces, the other NCR cities, and Maria and the three island divisions. 

Soul gem: Leaf of the Nilad Plant

Wish: “I just want littering to stop.”

Weapon: Remington Rolling Block Rifle

Witch form: Tala the Multo, the ghost whose labyrinth is the Manila City hall.

Notes: For your information, Magicatalia belongs to @nyotaliafan-pinkmermaid and Manila belongs to @artofsovi_. I hope you guys like it!

[the-twelve-guardians]

what is everyone's favorite color and favorite food?

Anitan Tabu: Hmm, let’s go in order, shall we? I’ve laid it out here plainly. Be lucky I didn’t have a riddle for you today~

Tala likes alimasag and the color orange. Oh, she says she also likes humba, aligue pasta, sugpo… Well, she likes to eat. You get the idea.

Mayari likes Bicol express and the color white. L-let’s… not talk about her.

Oryol likes chocolate and the color velvet. Befitting a love goddess, I suppose.

Lidagat likes sinigang and the color dark blue. Why would she like something that sour?

Lihangin likes burgers and the color light blue. I suppose when you’re always on the go (and don’t have any hands) burgers are the best way to go.

Mariang Makiling likes… Hmm, was she there when it was invented? I jest. She likes sampaloc candies and the color ochre.

Anitan Tabu: Hmm. Ha ha ha.

As for me personally, you’ll just have to guess~ I don’t think my favorite food would be appropriate to mention on this platform. I do like the color black, but that’s the Bakunawa’s color, so I’ll have to settle for very, very dark gray.

Mapulon likes sisig. Comfort food, I can agree. Oh, and he likes the color pink.

Ikapati prefers sinangag over all types of rice. Rice and harvest is her domain, after all. She says it not only tastes good, but is practical since it takes yesterday’s rice and makes it into something to look forward to at breakfast. Mortals are so quaint. Anyway, she likes the color gold.

Mariang Sinukuan likes… well, does she even eat anything? She’s always holed up in her library. What, Lihangin? ‘Knowledge’? That’s not even a food. Whatever. Sinukuan likes the color red.

Mariang Kakaw likes kapeng barako on rice! How odd. Apparently, it’s a practice in the Batangas province. In any case, she predictably likes the color brown.

Magwayen… oh dear. (shudders) Ah, it says here in my record that she likes… puto? Apparently. You’d think a death goddess would be a little more intimidating in terms of food preference. But, I digress. She also likes the color olive.

[francedpinazo]

THANK YOU 2018, NEXT!

Good bye 2018, Hello 2019!

Less than two hours before this year ends. I have to thank our good Lord for all the blessing he poured upon me, my family and my friends. He made me see life, he taught me lessons that I will store for life, he also showered me so much colourful confetti and felt them through my face. The victories and failures will totally be part of this year, ‘cause these are the sweetest. Thank God, I surpassed everything. This has been a busy year for me, I had to manage my time perfectly to meet every goal that I set. I’ve visited different places every month, I’ve witnessed different cultures, I’ve seen how beautiful this world is and gave myself time to recharge.

Basically we started the year right on January. Started to think of rewarding myself something that I dreamed of having when I was in high school on February. I rewarded myself a Fujifilm camera on March, also visited our relatives and had a quick side trip in Tagaytay City on the same month. April means summer, so we hopped on to Olongapo City to play in the biggest floating island in Asia (Inflatable Island PH) with my friends and I spent a day tour with my family in Vista Tala resort in Bataan too. It’s on my bucket list to visit a museum this year, luckily the National Museum of Natural history in Manila opened its doors publicly, I also had the chance to see the famous “Spoliarium” painting of Juan Luna, plus I tried Ice skating again at Mall of Asia. Let’s hop on to the 6th month, June. Summer never ends in this country, so a good friend and I took a long trip to San Juan, La Union which is 4+ hours away (by bus) from our place. We had an overnight stay catching good waves and sunset. That sums up a good half of the year. But stay this page cause I have to talk more of the travels I had ..

Moving on to the month of July, our relatives from the United States paid us a visit after 12 long years in America. We went on an island hopping in Coron, Palawan. I swear, it is one of beautiful places I’ve ever been. White sand beaches, preserved beautiful islands and infinite activities to do. It was my first time to snorkel, I was amazed how beautiful the life under the ocean is. We also had a quick jump off to Villa Escudero in Quezon Province in the same month.

August is my birth month, I turned 23.  My friends and I flew to Singapore. We finally saw the famous Merlion, Gardens by the bay and ofcourse the Marina bay sands hotel. We extremely went on the best  time of our lives and enjoyed most of the thrilling rides in Universal Studios. I swear (Battlestar galactica: Human vs Cylon and Mummy) were the best ones for me. It took my standards for theme parks really high. After Singapore, we travelled to Kuala Lumpur by bus on September. We’ve seen the current tallest twin towers (Petronas towers), Towers so silver really captivates eyes. We can’t get enough of it too.

From Local flight, to International flight, to another Local flight. This time, I left Luzon and I went to visit a huge province in Visayas. I went on a three day vacation last October in Cebu, mainly in South part. I challenged myself to try the famous Badian Canyoneering, Swim with the whale sharks in Oslob, visit the famous sand bar in Sumilon and go on City tour. I have to be proud of myself for surviving all the thrilling and sweat paving activities Cebu has given me. Indeed this province is historical truly rich in culture and tradition. Plus I’ve seen the famous Magellan’s cross and paid a visit in Sto. Nino de Cebu parish.

November took me to Tagaytay City (second time for this year) but this time it’s for a work related trip. I attended a three day seminar/training for Drug testing analyst to get a license and to allow me to perform drug test screening tests. *Hopefully I pass*. December is tiny whirlwind, I came back and forth to Manila to meet the goal I’ve wanted to meet, but unfortunately I didn’t meet the expectations. I’ve tasted salt water again in the last week of December and played again in the biggest floating island in Asia with my friends.

And that’s a whole year of travelling. Ah, I had so much travels and adventures. I couldn’t ask for more. I’m indeed thankful for this year. Truly grateful for all the experience that made me even stronger. I’m excited for what the next year will bring. For now, I have few plans to meet. But I’m praying that 2019 has so much in store for me. I pray that it’ll be life changing, I pray that it will take me to a whole new level.

As we open a new book, as we start to write down on the first pages of the three hundred sixty five leaves, may we treasure what has the previous years has taught us. May we embark new memories and challenge ourselves even more. May we empower ourselves, may we be enlightened to do better and may we embrace ourselves with positivity even more. Thou shall set the rocket to fly high and meet all the goals that we plan, all the dreams our hearts our dreaming and all the prayers that we speak. May the seed in us grow.

Let’s celebrate as we welcome a brand new year that will spark a light in guiding us. A year of light to the darkness go out of the way, a light to let the seed grow. I couldn’t wait for what 2019 has for me. May the stars align for me and may the heavens hear my prayers. To more travels, adventures, achievements, and learnings.

So where we up to next year? Do I see more passport stamp? Or Do I smell the ultimate American dream and start life abroad? Let’s see how the next year goes. “A goal without a plan is just a wish – Antoine de-Saint Exupery” I really hope and pray that the next time I’m writing down a year-ender post next year is I’m in the United States.

May all our dreams come true and may we achieve what our heart aspires. Let’s continue igniting the fire within us and never stop the fire burning! Swim deeper and fly higher! Keep soaring, Franced! Keep believing, ‘cause it takes time and courage for the cup to fill and be ready!

Thank you Lord for everything!

Thank you 2018, NEXT!

Happy New Year, Welcome 2019! Page 365/365

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[doomandgloomfromthetomb]

Pierre Sandwidi - Le Troubadour De La Savane, 1978-1980

This week, Bandcamp Monday takes us to Burkina Faso (formerly known as the Upper Volta) in West Africa. A terrific compilation of tunes from Pierre Sandwidi, Le Troubadour De La Savane is packed with buoyant synth-guitar-drum machine jams that will certainly brighten your day and put a spring in your step (William Onyeabor fans will approve). Turn it all the way up. 

A few details: Nicknamed “the troubadour from the bush”, Pierre Sandwidi stands as one of the finest Voltaic artists from the 1970s. He belonged to an unsung elite of Francophone artists such as Francis Bebey, G.G. Vickey, Amédée Pierre, André-Marie Tala, Pierre Tchana or Mamo Lagbema. His entire released output consists of less than ten 7 inches, two LPs and a bunch of cassettes. A man from the provinces, he always favored social engagement and carefully crafted lyrics over instant fame. His words and music challenged General Lamizana’s dreary presidency, which ruled the country from 1966 to 1980. 

[flairmagazineblog]

Rami Kadi;  The Fashion Leading Light

Worldly and courageous, always exploring new horizons when it comes to fashion. Rami Kadi finds women and their allure to have always been a reservoir for insight and inspiration for all majestic sculptures and compositions. Regardless of the spectrum or the province, writers, artists, and sonnet composers; all admired the embodiment of Les femmes. No question, anything can be kadi-fied, from haute couture to classic-glam, from 1960s Belle du Jour to modernism. In that sense, it’s a glorification of fashion over clothing, of style above transitory trends. What is it that the spectacular Rami is in charge of relieving us from? The restrictions themselves. For the first time in Egypt, we got the privilege of meeting the designer and having a heartfelt conversation full of passion, commitment, and originality during the debut of his current ‘RETROSPECTIVE 10’ collection. We accompany him on a voyage into the world of couture, the dreams, obstacles, and recollections of an early start, at ‘Walk of Cairo,’ themed after Carnaby Street in London.

How and when did you first realize you wanted to pursue a career as a designer? Frankly, I don’t recall when I wanted to do fashion. My mum used to tell me I was very young, around the age of three, when I first started to showcase some signs of interest in clothes. I remember playing around with her clothes, wanting to style her and see different looks, then I used to dress-up dolls and barbies in their glam-malibu fits and into colorful sparkly pieces. I loved art in all its forms, be it painting, drawing, or cutting pieces of illustrated designs and putting them together. It grew with me since then and you can say, I never stopped!  

Did you study fashion and design? And where? Indeed, I did the study for it. I graduated from ESMOD in 2018, applied to Starch foundation, a non-profit foundation founded by Rabih Kayrouz, Tala Hajjar, and in collaboration with Solidere that helps launch Lebanese emerging designers. They took me in and supported me ever since. 

When did you start your first collection? My first collection under my name was in 2011 when I opened my showroom in Beirut. 

Can you share with us more about your latest collection for the 10th anniversary? This collection is called ‘RETROSPECTIVE 10’, we took all the iconic pieces of Le Maison de Rami Kadi, FW ’21 collection titled, Dessiner le Vide. Pieces that were highlighted throughout this journey on the red carpet, celebrities’ most popular dresses, and eternal pieces. The Retrospective 10 collection consists exclusively of ten pieces. The designs mark back to revisiting milestone dresses and fusing the ideas and creativity to bring out something new. In contrast with the chromatic boldness that usually typifies Rami Kadi Maison de Couture, “Retrospective 10” bases itself on metallic colors such as gold, silver, platinum, and bronze. The designs of the collection were created upon digging into my archives and exploring the past ten years of work. Ultimately, the selection process was based on two key criteria: signature status and endorsement.

Why did you choose Walk of Cairo to showcase your newest collection for the very first time in Egypt? I was very impressed by the Walk of Cairo, how beautiful, luxurious and modern it is. Inspired by Carnaby Street, London, it is a unique place, such a mesmerizing space and I am honored to be celebrating my collection in Egypt – the city that is booming among the Arab countries. 

What was the most valuable thing you learned since you started your career? I learned various things along the way. Everything I learned was from my own mistakes throughout the journey, all the techniques used, the way we dye colors and fabrics, how we do the marketing and run a fashion brand. It wasn’t an easy road but I am so grateful to where it got me today.

Do you use computers and technology for designing? Or what kind of technique do you prefer for illustration? I do not draw. This is an only-must if I am requested to illustrate a customized dress for a client on the spot. When I create, it is entirely about what idea I have in mind, the way I mold it and fold the fabrics, and so on, but the drawing comes last when I create. I like to create my version of a mood-board or a vision board where I build layers of tones and fabrics in small details that add up to the bigger picture and vision. I find it an expressive way to interpret what I feel and see.

And how would you describe yourself if you were a piece of clothes? What would you be? Very modern, I love to always be up-to-date, stand out and follow sustainability and technology.

What was the biggest rookie mistake you made when just starting? Sometimes you get too excited or influenced by social media, you want to take the brand to a place where it doesn’t necessarily belong. Maybe invest all your time and effort into making this happen quick-paced. But, I learned that your happy place can be different from the others.

What is one trend you wish to bring back? If I can say the 50’s fashion. The way they strolled in elegance with their clothes flattering their accentuated waists. You can see in all of my collections that everything has a corset base and the shape of the waist is extremely important to me. 

What advice would you give to an aspiring designer who wants to make it in this industry? I think the most important thing I’ve learned and knew, to be a designer is not to be fooled by what the social media projects, the celebrities, the fancy world, the private jets are all in for a fraction of the picture. It’s extremely hard to get to what you want, I had to work for hours and hours, did everything from scratch with zero employees at first, whether it’s cleaning, pinning, sewing and stitching. Only then, this dream became a reality. You will find yourself more involved in the process like I was, and more experienced to manage a successful business.   

Which celebrity that you see as an icon, would you like to dress? I don’t have a specific name to say now. But Dita Von Teese comes to mind when we speak about an iconic woman. I already dressed her for Giorgio Moroder’s 2nd Anniversary in LA. 

Rami Kadi;  The Fashion Leading Light was originally published on FLAIR MAGAZINE

[rodneyartida]

Philippine Ports Authority urges pubic to postpone non-essential travel during NCR Plus bubble

The Philippine Ports Authority on Friday asked the public to postpone non-essential travels during the imposition of NCR Plus Bubble.

“Kami po ay nananawagan at nakikiusap po sa ating mga kababayan na magbibiyahe po at dadaan sa ating mga pantalan na kung di naman po essential at hindi po ganun ka importante ang ating paglalakbay ay ipagpaliban na muna po natin ito at hintayin po natin ang abiso ng pamahalaan kung kailanga luluwag muli ang pagbibiyahe,” Philippine Ports Authority General Manager Atty. Jay Santiago appealed to public during an interview with ABS-CBN News.

Under the NCR Plus Bubble, non-essential travel outside NCR, and its adjacent provinces Rizal, Laguna, Cavite, and Bulacan is prohibited until April 4.

Stranded passengers began to troop outside the gates of the Philippine Ports Authority and North Port Passenger Terminal in Manila since the start of imposition of the tighter quarantine protocols on March 22. The number dropped to 30 as of Friday, March 26.

“Sa tala natin kaninang umaga, nasa 30 na lamang itong nasa labas na hindi makapasok sa pasilidad natin sa north harbor primarily because wala silang documentation na dala-dala papuntang Zamboanga City,” Santiago said.

Santiago furthered that only APOR or authorized persons outside residence, stranded or returning residents are allowed to return in their respective provinces.

He added that passengers have to present complete requirements before they are allowed to board the ship.

“Nag abiso po yung ating region sa Western Visayas na meron silang moratorium na hindi sila tatanggap ng mga inbound passengers from March 22 to April 4. Sa Palawan, ang tatanggapin lang nila APOR. Sa Zamboanga, ang ni-rerequire nila na may negative RT-PCR result yung mga biyahero natin,” he said.

Meanwhile, those who will insist to stay outside the Manila North Harbor despite failing to present needed documents will be transferred to quarantine or holding facilities to avoid mass gathering.