Providence Videoke Bar

Rating:	★★
Category:	Other

I never got to find out as to whether what is known as "Providence" is the name of the actual videoke bar or the building where it is located. The place is apparently one of the more reputable videoke bars among the 20-35 year old middle-income earners of the Manila-Makati area.

From the point of view of a northern Quezon City resident, any place near Taft Avenue. (specifically the DLSU area) is already very far. It was for this reason that I expressed some reservations about going there for some after-shift unwinding. What momentarily escaped me was the fact that my work place was in the Makati Central Business District, which was a lot nearer to Taft Avenue than I imagined it to be. At 4 am, a taxi ride to the place from RCBC Plaza costs roughly only P55.00. Very accessible for those who are just wrapping up from a night-long bout of shift work from the CBD.

Due to my unfamiliarity with approaching Manila from Makati, I completely lost track of the side streets that the cab driver used in going to Providence. All I know is that the actual street is named Leon Guinto (which runs parallel to Taft Avenue) and, as already mentioned, the place is quite near DLSU.

The place looks somewhat classy from the outside, with generous use of neon signages and glass panels. Security is quite strict in inspecting bags for all walk-in customers - which, if you really think about it, is a necessity in any Manila business establishment that serves alcohol.

The interior though, is a disappointment. Anybody who thinks space maximization is a good idea should go to Providence to see its ugly side. Seemingly every nook and cranny has been converted into a room, with capacities ranging from two to twelve persons. What's worse is that these "rooms", with all their blaring videoke machines, do not have adequate sound proofing, and most of the walls are mere glass panels, which lessen a group's privacy.

The lack of hygeine is also a problem. To those who are fussy about bugs, you should be warned that roaches (of the smaller variety) are a bit of a problem for this place. Periodic fumigation of the premises is normally enough to solve this, but Providence looks like it hasn't had one for years. While the servers are helpful enough, they have this annoying mindset of doing too little when asked to clean a room up for the next set of occupants. In our case, we found out that the waiter's version of a "clean room" involved leaving the table unwiped, and with empty beer bottles of the previous occupants still visible in one side of the room. This makes one doubt the cleanliness by which the food was prepared - which is rather unfortunate because the food tasted quite good.

The videoke machines are those that are still operated with token slots - same as those one normally sees in tricycle terminals and roadside carinderias. They're easy enough to operate, and tokens are provided by the management for a certain fee. Some of the tokens they supply are duds though, so one needs to have them exchanged for working ones every now and then. Since the system is far from computerized, this is one videoke bar that still makes use of voluminous song lists that are only partly in alphabetical order.

One can easily observe that the reason why people patronize this place is the low price. I actually didn't get to see the price list for the food, drinks and videoke rates (I didn't spend anything as it was a birthday treat by an office mate) but I conclude it must be considerably low, because no person in their right mind would visit this place if it had regular prices.

Providence would probably rank higher in everyone else's lists, but personally, I don't mind paying a few more bucks for better service and nicer-looking premises. I'm ranking it 2 out of 5 stars.

Home again, drunk again, jiggety-jig...

Here's what happened the last 24 hours:

I got off my shift 4 am Saturday morning and proceeded to a videoke bar with my "Gunslinger" team mates.  It was Yvonne's birthday and she was treating us to a few drinks.  The name of the place is "Providence" (near DLSU) and you can read my review of the place later in the reviews section of this blog.

In the course of our merrymaking, I lost count of both (1) the number of bottles of beer I've consumed, and (2) the number of songs I sang.  I could distinctly recall counting five bottles, but I made the mistake of repeatedly joining a "bottoms-up" spree.  Any veteran drinker would know that the practice of pacing one's drinking to reduce the effects of alcohol impliedly forbids "bottoms-up" (which, in a manner of speaking, can be likened to leaping rather than pacing.)

As for the songs I sung, here are the ones I remember (in no particular order),

• Break it Down Again by Tears for Fears
  
• Day Tripper by The Beatles
  
• Somebody to Love by Queen
  
• Hard to Handle by The Black Crowes
  
• True by Spandau Ballet
  
• Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney
• Gold by Spandau Ballet

I'm still trying to recall if I should include Hey Jude and Goodnight Girl in the list, or if I'm simply recalling a prior drunken videoke session.  But never mind.

At the end of it, at around 8 am or 9 am, I managed to hail a cab, slept most of the way home, and overpaid the cab driver by around P100.00.  I don't regret it though.  I'm thankful that I arrived home in one piece.  And contrary to what you might think (and despite my anti-cab driver article a few days back) I do give extra bucks in appreciation if I'm impressed with a particular cab driver's service.

It must have been 10 am when I got home, and simply slumped on the sofa.  I woke up some 4 hours later with the noise of my nephews and nieces chattering and running around.  My attempts to stand up and remove myself to my room were met by a very bad hangover.

Slept again and woke up at around 11 pm to eat, to go online and post this blog.  I was a bit disappointed to see my sister and my godson using the internet to play with an online tamagotchi, but I let them be.  I just had dinner first in the hope that they'll eventually finish.  Which they did, after an hour.  In the course of that one hour, in my hunger, I ended up eating 2 cups of rice, home-style pork and beans (with chorizo slices), and 2 cups of  strawberry ice cream.

It's almost 5 am now and I just finished a whole bag of Tempura crackers while typing this blog.

I miss being healthy.  Seriously.

= = = = = = = = = =

photo credit: http://img.timeinc.net/time/daily/2007/0705/lgupta_0507.jpg

Chito's Guide to Urban Living # 2

Cinemas and Moviegoing

          The Philippines is known as having one of the cheapest movie admission rates in the world, and it is of no surprise that watching a movie is perhaps the most common leisure activity of the average Metro Manila inhabitant. With the mall craze reaching its peak in recent years, we are now seeing what is, in all probability, a world record in terms of the number of moviehouses per square kilometer in the third world. This condition has given this writer an opportunity to observe in detail the etiquette (or the lack thereof) of moviegoers in the metropolis.

First observation: mobile phones are the bane of moviehouses. While the invention of such has brought people much closer than ever, it has also given a great many people the opportunity to display boorish behavior towards others. Instances of answering cellphones or sending text messages during inopportune times are prevalent, and are most annoying when done in the moviehouse. 

          For sure, everyone has encountered the occassional scoundrel whose phone rings at full volume in the middle of an ongoing movie and, to the consternation of everyone, answers it in a loud voice instead of turning it off. This extreme example has, unfortunately, conditioned people to think that the lesser offense of "texting" is acceptable when in fact it shouldn't be. Newer models of cellphones generally have bigger panels and brighter backlights. This brightness contrasts with the darkness of the moviehouse, and proves irritating to the peripheral vision of nearby individuals.

          I personally find it too bothersome to make a fuss over someone near me who is using his/her phone to send text messages, but I do draw the line when it comes to people answering their phones.  The "firm but polite" manner simply doesn't work with these types of people, and it does help if one has a large, low voice (like I do), and a serious appearance and demeanor (again, like I do).  Usually, a simple but resounding "Pare, patayin mo iyan dahil nakakaistorbo ka sa aming mga nanonood." does the job.  I take care to use the word "amin" to add an all-against-one dimension in arguing my case.  A certain element of confrontation is necessary but never make the mistake of insulting them.

          I once went into overkill out of pure annoyance and ended up in an almost-fistfight with a man whom I embarrassed in front of his wife and two children.  It isn't worth it if one would end up making an even bigger disturbance, so if someone persists in using his mobile phone, better get the attention of cinema authorities and let them handle it.

Second observation: I really hate to ascribe negative behavior to people of a particular economic status, but it is a brute fact that instances of these are more frequent in lower-end cinemas than their more upscale counterparts. More concretely, one is more prone to observe instances of cellphone usage, loud talking and the deplorable practice of placing one's feet on the backrest of the seat in front of one's own (among others) in Ever Gotesco cinemas rather than, say, those in Greenbelt. Exceptions to the rule do exist of course. But the general trend is undeniable.

          Speaking of Ever Gotesco, I believe it goes without argument that among all mall chains in the metropolis, this comes closest to being the commercial equivalent of the anus.  If you value your moviegoing experience, stay away from Ever Gotesco cinemas.  If, on the other hand, you don't mind smelly cinemas, boisterous moviegoers, rampant cellphone usage, sticky floors and the occasional rat scurrying around, then Ever Gotesco is perfect for you.

          I was pleasantly surprised when I watched the latest Indiana Jones movie in Gateway Mall last weekend. Whereas before I encountered an average of 2 instances of cellphone (mis)use every time I watch a movie there, this time I encountered none.  Let's hope this is the beginning of a trend towards more cultured moviegoing.

Third observation: a positive development in modern Philippine moviehouses is the introduction of the system of devising seat numbers. It's easy enough to follow - one simply sits on the seat with the number shown in his/her ticket. However, some moviegoers still seem to find this system difficult to understand and continue the old practice of sitting wherever they want. This has made the usher's job rather more difficult because, in addition to guiding moviegoers to be seated, they have the additional task of asking those in the wrong seats to vacate them in favor of those who should be there in the first place.

          No data exists as to whether this similarly-annoying practice is brought about by dropping literacy rates, lack of comprehension, or simply a willful disregard for rules.  It must be one of these, or even a combination of all three.  Again, let's hope that this is only brought about by the relative novelty of the system, and that it will eventually disappear in the future.

Fourth observation: the younger generation of hot-blooded Filipinos is disadvantaged by the fact that it is far more difficult nowadays to engage in sexual play while viewing a movie. Moviehouses of vast size (such as those found in older SM malls) that previously allowed for adventurous couples to isolate themselves in a more secluded spot are slowly becoming a thing of the past. With the seat-number system, couples are now, more often than not, forced to sit near other people who may not look too kindly on certain liberties. The trend towards smaller movie houses (without "balconies") also means that seats are now situated nearer the screen - resulting to relatively better-lit surroundings than before.

          Of course, certain moviehouses in the seedier parts of the metropolis do exist where sexual activity is rampant.  But these are actually just fronts for prostitution, and will not be further discussed.  For the bigger malls, there has been an increased vigilance in preventing any sexual activity among audiences during movie showings.  SM, in particular, has been notorious (for good reason) in expelling couples from movie houses who have been found to be too intense in going beyond mere physical contact.  Personally, I've seen a big decrease in instances of observable sexual play in moviehouses, so it's probably a good sign that those who still do so are doing a good job in keeping it away from prying eyes.

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          It's nearly impossible to achieve the perfect moviegoing experience in cinemas within Metro Manila, but it is possible to determine which cinemas generally bring one closer to the ideal.  Here's the general rule: if the cinema follows the seat-number system, then you can be sure that there will be less chance of negative behavior to disturb your viewing pleasure.  Moviehouses work best with rules and restrictions.  Rules make things more organized, and organization is something that the day-to-day operation of moviehouses needs.  If, however, it allows for free seating, then it's probably located at a lower-end mall that still designates between the balcony and the general admission area.  Then you can be certain that it's a likelihood you'll experience the worst about Metro Manila moviegoing.  Free-seating is a step closer to chaos, and the propensity towards "do-as-you-please" behavior is magnified.

Kosovo, Eastern Europe and State Sovereignty

          Not many are aware that over the past few months, an addition was made to the community of nations when the Parliament of the tiny Serbian province of Kosovo declared independence from Serbia. This was a widely-expected move, which nevertheless gave cause for a new showdown between the West and a resurgent Russia, over their overlapping spheres of influence in eastern Europe.

          But first, a brief historical background: Once upon a time, there was a country called Yugoslavia. The former Yugoslavia was a federation that included the Slavic nations of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia. Amongst these nations, Serbia was the predominant one, with Kosovo being a province in the southern tip of Serbia. The Yugoslavian state was an artificial creation that was indirectly brought about by the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the turn of the 20th century. Previous to this, eastern Europe was an area of dispute between three empires - (1) Austro-Hungary, (2) Russia, and (3) the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Still before all of those, there ruled the Byzantine Empire dating back to the middle ages. This long history of conquest in eastern Europe resulted to migrations of ethnic populations within conquered lands, and this in turn accounts for the present multicultural and multireligious mix in the regions - even within separate national borders. It was unavoidable then that these displaced populations, usually marginalized by the predominant population, would have aspirations for self-rule. In the 20th century, the communist regime of Serbian strongman Josip Tito (with the indirect support of the Soviet Union) did much to moderate the independence aspirations of each of the Yugoslavian component nations. This however was entirely undone when Communism fell in the last decade, and the Slavic peoples under the Yugoslavian umbrella began to take up arms and resist what was perceived as an increasing domination by Serbia. This degenerated to the bloody Balkans conflict that occurred in the 1990s and extended into the first years of the 21st century.

          While Serbian regimes adopted some resignation over the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, they reserved a vehement refusal for any notion of independence for Kosovo. The reason for this is that Serbians consider Kosovo as the ancient cradle of Serbian culture and civilization, and thus inseparable to the Serbian identity. It is perhaps the heavy-handedness of past Serbian leaders that fueled the discontent of Kosovo's ethnic Albanians (which account for over 90% of Kosovo's population.) The secession of the other Yugoslavian states encouraged them to demand for full-blown independence. This was no less helped by Serbian leaders such as Slobdan Milosevic, who have been accused of crimes against humanity in their brutal suppression of other ethnic groups within the former Yugoslavia. In the case of Kosovo, the use of violence of both Serbian and Kosovar sides, and the brutal one-sidedness of conflict, pushed NATO to intervene by means of devastating air strikes against Belgrade (Serbia's capital) to put a stop to the fighting. Later on, the UN entered the picture and enforced autonomous rule for Kosovo. For some years, this status quo was maintained, until finally, Kosovo simply declared independence upon realizing that the Serbian government was kept in check by NATO, the UN and world public opinion.

          Now for the bigger picture: Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, a power vacuum existed in areas formerly under its sphere of influence. In the case of eastern Europe, the resulting scenario gives us two pictures - (1) moves towards closer integration with the west, particularly the European Union; and (2) authoritarian rule within individual states, usually opposed to the west. The integration in the first scenario is economic, as much as it is political. The glaring disparity of economic conditions between eastern and western Europe was the impetus for some countries to seek economic integration. The intention is to share the wealth of the west that has long been hindered by enforced economic dependence on and by the Soviet Union. The political aspect of such integration, on the other hand, was brought about by the need to back up the democratization process by defense aid and cooperation with the west. A recent manifestation of this was the mad scramble towards NATO membership by former Warsaw Pact member-countries. The second scenario points to the fact that eastern Europe never really had a tradition of democracy. From ancient times, the area was ruled by authoritarian - and oftentimes despotic - rulers. The brief flowering of democracy after the fall of Tsarist Russia was quickly supplanted by the westward expansion of Communist Russia, and this is the reason why the norm is actually still oriented towards authoritarianism. The present-day incursions of western powers in this area, with its ideas of democracy and liberalism, is seen by the local rulers as an attack on their authority over their subject peoples. Thus, their resistance to the west.

          It is important to note that the two scenarios are not mutually exclusive, and could both exist within any eastern European state. In fact, it is more accurate to say that within each state, there are forces of integration and opposition with the West (in varying degrees from state to state.) This is the arena in which the West and the new Russia are now battling for influence. At first glance, there does not seem to be any difference between the east vs. west conflict during the Cold War and the one that is occurring today. After all, it's basically the same characters on each side - the US and western Europe on one side, and Russia with other former Soviet Union states on the other. There are however big differences. First, it is no longer a battle of capitalism vs. socialism/communism. For better or worse, that particular conflict was settled in capitalism's favor shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Today's Russia, while still a very formidable military power, is no longer the superpower that it was in the 20th century, nor is it an ideological bastion for socialism anymore.

          The eastern European states under the Soviet sphere of influence previously formed a buffer against the west which was strategic to Soviet socio-political interests. Russia's relative weakening after the dissolution of the Soviet Union left the west free to make bold incursions into integrating these states into its own socio-political framework. In many cases, the receptiveness to the west is not purely brought about by a willingness to adhere to any political or economic system. For the smaller nations that got absorbed by bigger/more powerful ones under Soviet-era power setups, there was a strong drive for national self-determination. This was capitalized on by the west in the form of promised assistance in establishing and strengthening democratic institutions, if they allow themselves to be integrated into the western framework. It could be argued that these same nations also capitalized on the west's willingness to support them politically in order to advance their own respective interests. In the case of Kosovo, this give and take scenario is evident. Kosovo is one of the poorest areas in Europe. On one hand, Kosovo would gain much in securing for itself a stable economy and recognition of its independence. In exchange, Kosovo's addition will result to a wider socio-political network of friendly countries for Europe, which will enhance commerce and security for the west. In addition, there might be another dimension to the immediate western support and recognition for Kosovo's independence - and this concerns Russia.

          By its nature, Russia's vast size and strength should be directly proportional to its preponderance over the region. This preponderance was realized (and in many ways exceeded) during both the Tsarist and Soviet eras, but was drastically reduced upon the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Racked by separatist conflict in Chechnya and internal problems in its bureaucracy, Russia was temporarily hindered from enforcing it's traditional sphere of influence, not just in eastern Europe but also in central Asia. The precariousness on Russia's status emboldened the west to make moves towards integrating as many countries as it can from behind the former Iron Curtain. There was a notion that Russia's troubles were only temporary, and that once it regains its former status, the opportunity to integrate countries formerly under the Soviet sphere would be lost forever . The observed intention was to gain an irreversible foothold in eastern Europe to check Russia's influence in the region - which has traditionally been at variance with western interests. Today, the former buffer is now peppered with states that are friendly to the west. By virtue of the foothold gained, the west would now have more leverage against Russia in case the latter resists moves towards further integration of eastern Europe. Kosovo is a case in point. Russia could do no more than protest diplomatically the dismemberment of its staunch ally when western states immediately gave recognition to Kosovo's independence.

          In addition, one way to indirectly weaken a dominant state is to destabilize its allies. The former Yugoslavia was a relatively independent and formidable ally of Russia under the Soviet bloc due to its core Serbian constituency. After the disintegration of Yugoslavia, Serbia remained a staunch ally of Russia. Any opportunity to destabilize or weaken Serbia was then welcomed as a strategic opportunity to further weaken Russia's hold on the states in its western frontier. This opportunity presented itself with Kosovo's unilateral declaration of independence. From Russia's point of view, the west's foreign policy thrust into eastern Europe is nothing more than state-level sheep stealing from its sphere of influence, taking advantage of Russia's temporary weakness following the collapse of the Soviet Union. Understandably the loss of the buffer zone to its former enemies is no less strategically harmful to Russia now, as it was then. During the Cold War, the bipolar power set up actually encouraged world stability in the sense that what happened on one side of the Iron Curtain had absolutely no effect on the other. With the eastward push of the west, any elbow room that Russia once had in advancing its own interests in the region is becoming smaller.

          Aside from Russia and Serbia, there are also other countries that oppose the recognition of Kosovo's independence on entirely different grounds. For example, Cyprus, Spain and the Philippines withhold recognition on the ground that it might set a dangerous precedent for the treatment of separatist movements within their own respective borders. The situation in Cyprus, for one, is very delicate. The entire island-nation has been divided evenly into two sides ever since Greek-speaking Cypriots attempted to have the whole country absorbed into Greece - thereby prompting Turkey to intervene militarily to protect Turkish-speaking Cypriots from forced assimilation, or even exile. If the Kosovo example were to be adopted as established doctrine (wherein the UN mandate was simply disregarded), it is argued that there will be intensified efforts of separatist groups everywhere that will threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their host countries.

          The situation in Kosovo is a test case on whether a new standard will be adopted in determining national sovereignty and international recognition thereof. It is a certainty that the ensuing debate will be affected (or even hindered) by the geographic location of the particular area that desires independence. For example, the strategic location of Kosovo makes it liable for the independence question to be sublimated to the clashing interests in the region of more powerful neighbors, such as Russia and the west. This level of interference will not be as disruptive in the case of a less-strategic area, such as the part of Sri Lanka held by the Tamil Tigers, or even the parts of Mindanao held by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. In any case, the ongoing dynamic between (1) clashing regional interests, (2) the eroding authority of the UN, and (3) the basic right of self-determination by minorities will likely prolong this debate. In the long run, however, we can expect the debate to expand to the larger area on the relevance of international institutions in the face of the propensity of all states - weak or strong - to take unilateral action without fear of censure or reprisal from those same institutions. At the end of it, it's likely that an entirely new international system will emerge which will be characterized not so much by the idea of a centralized world arbiter-government (like what the UN is now), but instead by movements based on the presence and absence of power and/or conflicts between powers.

          If this situation ever materializes, this is essentially a reversion to Bismarck's realpolitik that characterized international relations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Only time will tell though if this system will degenerate into the same political doomsday machine that preceded and ultimately led to the First World War. Incidentally, the spark that began that war occurred in the Balkans - exactly the same place where Kosovo is located.

Mid-year Wish List

1.  A DSLR - either a Nikon D60 (see photo) or a Canon 450D

2.  A 250 GB external USB hard drive

3.  A 4-day vacation in Batanes

4.  A day job

5.  A regular gimmick group

6.  A boxing gym near my home

7.  Absolute Sandman, Vol. 2

8.  Lower Box tickets to all Ateneo UAAP Seniors' Basketball games

9.  A broadband connection that does not bog down every now and then

10.  A boxed set of all Steely Dan albums

 

oh, and I almost forgot...

 

11.  A real Christmas vacation

detailed vs. concise writing

I do wonder if I will ever learn to write concisely.  I've always written articles that are detailed and peppered with adjectives just so I would clearly be understood.  I don't really know if this is a form of insecurity brought about by my long history of being misunderstood, but every time I set out to put an idea into words, I always end up writing more lines that I originally expected.

If you look at my blog and review entries so far, you'd see what I'm talking about.  In particular I realized the gravity of the situation when I got to compare my 10-paragraph review of Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull vis-a-vis a friend's 1-sentence review of the same movie.  It makes me think - will anyone ever read my review?  If people get curious about the titles of my blog entries, will they ever read beyond the 2nd paragraph?

It's funny but when I was a lot younger, I used to flunk writing exercises because I didn't see the point in adding more elaborate details after I have already expressed a certain idea.

My English teachers must be proud.

(And now I'm stopping this entry before it becomes another monster.)

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

(SPOILER ALERT: If you have not yet watched this movie, please be warned that the proceeding review contains spoilers.)

Please bear with me and my long introductions as I proceed with my review of this movie.

When I first heard that there will be a fourth Indiana Jones movie, I got a bit upset for a couple of reasons. First, I was of the opinion that even in the profit-crazed American movie industry, sequels generally stop at the third movie. Anything beyond that is akin to milking an old cow to the very last drop of milk that it can possibly give. With each sequel, there is a risk that postmodern audiences might view the movie as being an effort to make more money, rather than a showcase of filmmaking and acting.

There are only a very few movies that go beyond the second sequel and still leave the audience satisfied. It is because audiences naturally expect the next movie to be better than the one previous, and in theory, there is a limit on how you could improve on a movie using the parameters already set. This is especially apparent in the case of movies that have elements of fantasy. When filmmakers introduce an element of fantasy in a film, they have to moderate it in such a way that viewers can still manage to find it believable - more so if the setting is the planet Earth. These two opposite forces: (1) making each succeeding movie better than the previous one; and (2) moderating the fantastic elements, are enough to ruin a sequel if done in the hands of an inept filmmaker.

In the case of the Indiana Jones franchise, the first three movies made is an example of a good trilogy. It followed the same formula all throughout - a bit of comedy, witty dialogue, outrageous action scenes, and religious artifacts of great power - yet each sequel managed to both outdo the one previous, and stay grounded on the particular historical context so as to remain remotely believable. In addition to this, 2 of the 3 movies made use of Judeo-Christian themes (i.e. the Ark of the Covenant, and the Holy Grail) - something that Hollywood audiences could relate to (and in some cases, even believe in.)

This brings us closer to my review proper. By all indications back then, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was meant to be the final installment in the series. (Why else would the final scene in that movie show the protagonist and his allies riding into the sunset?) The term "Last Crusade" was taken by audiences, including myself, in its most general sense, and not in the old religious context of the Crusades being a journey of personal redemption (which, it apparently was). In terms of the immensity of divine power displayed, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" certainly had more impact, but the redemptive theme of "Last Crusade" was a lot deeper, and reverberated more. It was, as already mentioned, a fitting finale for the series that was characterized for the most part by light romance, comedy and lots of action scenes.

"Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was surprisingly not disappointing at all. Where one expects it to stick out as the odd man out, it was almost seamless in incorporating itself into the series. There were touching moments where photos of Henry Jones, Sr. (the father of Indiana Jones) and Marcus Brody (the comic relief ally in the "Last Crusade" ) were shown and it was mentioned that they already passed away. The re-casting of Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood (who was last seen as Indiana Jones' love interest in "Raiders of the Lost Ark") also helped a lot. There's also the scene in the Area 51 warehouse, where some storage boxes were damaged, and one of them was shown to contain the Ark of the Covenant. It can be remembered that in the first installment of the series, this was shown to be placed in storage alongside other unmarked boxes. Of course, aside from all these, there's still the hat, the whip, and Harrison Ford's "I have a bad feeling about this" line.

As I'm meticulous about historical accuracy, I gave this movie plus points for portraying the American 50s as it really was - varsity jacket-clad college boys, motorcycle-riding "grease heads", and - on a more serious side - atomic bomb tests, and the Communist witch hunts that characterized the McCarthyist era of the U.S. It can be recalled that after the Germans were utterly defeated after the Second World War, the Communist Russians soon after became the hated enemy. Consistent to the presentation of the enemies in the past movies, the Russians were perfect replacements for the Nazis - stereotypically militaristic, tough, and spoke with heavily-accented English.

(On a minor note, "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" rather underscores the fact that "Temple of Doom" is the weakest link in the series. It was the most detached installment in that it was the only sequel that could have stood on its own. Temple of Doom had a distinctly Asian feel to it, with most of the action occurring in China and India. If you took away "Temple of Doom", the remaining three movies would have made a much better trilogy than when it was when "Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" was not yet created.)

It's hard to come up with a more outrageous theme to outdo them all when the past installments had already portrayed divine power in its different faces. Thus, I think it was a brilliant idea for the producers to introduce aliens into the picture. Aliens, of course, are simply organisms that are extraterrestrial in nature, and are far from being gods themselves. However, the idea of aliens has always been uncomfortable for the religious establishment and is certainly in conflict with most moviegoers' personal religious beliefs. It is for this reason that it was a good choice for a theme to surprise and to amaze moviegoers. There have of course been many movies that explored the possibility that we owe our civilization to aliens. The novel sub-idea introduced here is the notion that some aliens actually stayed behind and were even archaeologists (which probably explains why the skull spoke to Indiana Jones - an archaeologist himself - and not to the villainous Russian psychic Irina Spalko.)

A brief digression: Perhaps it was largely unintended, but this movie also clarified the nature of the power of the Holy Grail that was depicted in the previous movie. If we recall, the quest for the Grail accompanied ideas of immortality for the wielder who drinks from it. Because Indiana Jones and his father both drank from the Grail, audiences were left thinking that maybe it made them both immortal. With the revelation in this latest movie that Jones, Sr. had already passed away, it confirms that the power of the Grail was something beyond physical miracles.

I'm rating this movie 5 out of 5 stars. It certainly could not be ranked among the best of the best. But it was a movie that intended to entertain, and it accomplished this excellently.

Chito's Guide to Urban Living # 1

Taxis

There comes a time in a young professional's life when one manages to breach the P20,000 net monthly salary bracket. One then finds oneself to be too "rich" for general public transport, but yet still too "poor" to purchase one's own vehicle outrightly. The compromise then is the ubiquitous urban contraption known as the taxi.

Surely, most Metro Manila commuters have heard the expression "kung nagmamadali ka, sumakay ka sa taxi" utterred by cheeky jeepney/bus drivers as a retort to any complaint by time-conscious passengers. This rather underscores the considerably higher costs of riding a taxi, which is out of reach from a large majority of commuters. Those who can afford it and have found taxis to be a necessity are generally of two minds on what they feel about this form of public transport.

I started riding a taxi going to work on a regular basis a few years ago, and I've had enough exposure and experience to consider myself an expert in taxi matters. The following is an enumeration on what I've observed and learned riding taxis in Metro Manila, which might prove helpful to those who are fairly new (or simply unfamiliar) to it.

1. The best drivers are the silent ones. Consider yourself fortunate if you manage to board a taxi with a driver who speaks less than 10 sentences in a 30-minute trip. Taxi drivers, you see, have become the barbero of the 21st century metropolis. Any story or anecdote they come across gets altered and exaggerated - almost completely unrecognizable from the original version. For example, news about another taxi driver who was held up in Quezon City eventually becomes "Yung isang drayber nga ng MGE, na-hold-up ng mga Muslim sa North Fairview. Limang saksak. Patay!" (Perhaps it's high time to call it kwentong taxi driver, instead of kwentong barbero.) They also become self-styled political and sports analysts whenever its election season, or whenever Manny Pacquiao wins a boxing match, respectively. Worse, drivers who are talkative use their "monologue" as an occasion to tell you all about their supposed hardships in life, trying to make you feel sorry for them, and hinting on why they deserve a +P10 or +P20 from you when it's time to pay the fare.

2. The fare is always rounded off to the nearest higher P10, or higher. For taxi drivers, exact fare means that if you arrive at your destination with P72.50 showing up in the meter, and you subsequently pay P80.00, then he will consider the transaction as concluded. You will no longer get your P7.50 change, as it seems to be a general rule among taxi drivers not to possess any denomination below P20.00. Sometimes, if you find yourself in rush hour with only a P100.00 bill as your smallest denomination and with the taxi meter showing P80.00 as the fare, you can abandon all hope of ever recovering your P20.00 change. It is in such situations where taxi drivers have perfected the art of prevaricating through their teeth by saying "Pasensya na ser, kalalabas ko lang, wala pa akong barya.", with matching head-scratching.

3. Whether the "TAXI" sign above the car is lighted or not has no significance at all. During my early forays into taxi-riding, I got utterly confused because I was under the impression that a lighted sign meant that the driver is taking passengers, while an unlighted sign means that the driver is off-duty. It was only later on that I realized being able to board a taxi has nothing to do with the fact that the sign is lighted, and everything to do with whether the driver feels like going where you are going. This brings us to the next point...

4. Taxis are the only form of public transport where the destination is negotiated. If your destination is another city or municipality which is not adjacent to your current location/city, then consider yourself fair game in the reptillian sport of destination-peddling perpetrated by most taxi drivers. It's basically the practice of padding the flag-down rate depending on the following factors, among others: (1) the weather; (2) the distance; and most notoriously of all (3) the traffic conditions. If, for example, a commuter finds himself stranded at around 7:30 pm on a stormy Friday night in the Ortigas area and needs to go to Paranaque, he would be chagrined to find out that the flag-down rate could go as high as +P200.  It is worth mentioning that one can beat a taxi driver in this game by agreeing to the proposed rate, and simply not paying it afterwards.  Just make sure that your destination is a place where the driver can't launch any harmful reprisals.  In my case, once I get off in front of my house within a well-secured subdivision, I pay the exact fare as the meter shows, and if the taxi driver reacts, I'll tell him "Pare, may reklamo ka?  Isumbong mo ako sa LTO."  The expression on their faces are priceless.

5. Taxi drivers' brains are motel databases. While drivers oftentimes pretend not to know a particular destination just to prolong the ride (and therefore collect more fare), they display an uncanny ability to know the location of every single motel in Metro Manila. The reason for this apparent expertise is the fact that all year long, motels have promos that reward taxi drivers just for bringing customers to them. A useful consequence of this is that they could also be on-the-spot resource persons for couples who want to do the deed but can't decide on where to proceed.  Imagine this scenario:

====================================================================

Taxi Driver : Saan tayo boss?

Guy : Manong, may alam ba kayong motel na maganda at malapit lang?

Taxi Driver : Oo naman, kung gusto niyo diyan tayo sa SOGO Cubao.  Maganda yung mga kuwarto.  Malinis pa.

Girl : Ay, Manong, nakakahiya naman kita ng lahat ng tao kung papasok kami.

Taxi Driver : Kung gusto niyo, dun tayo sa Pasig, marami kayong mapag-pipilian doon, tapos garage-type pa kaya discreet kumbaga.  Malalayo nga lang kayo ng konti.

Guy : Baka naman sa Victoria Court iyan.  Mahal doon.

Taxi Driver : Hindi, maraming affordable doon sa "Flower Lane".  Hindi tataas sa P400 short time.  I recommend Rosal.

Guy : (to Girl)  O ano, ok lang sa iyo sa Pasig?

Girl : (to Guy) Sige, basta I have to be home by 7pm ha.  I have to meet my groupmates for my thesis pa eh.

Taxi Driver : (to himself)  Ayos, dalawang bisita na lang may free oven toaster na ako!

====================================================================

Don't laugh, it's actually a quite common conversation between passengers and taxi drivers.

6.  MGE Taxi is the best taxi services provider out there.  One of the best pieces of advice I've gotten early on was this:  Given the chance to choose between an MGE and a non-MGE taxi, always choose MGE.  I'm sure I'm exaggerating, but the way MGE operates its business, it's like it's the only exception to the rule in terms of all the negative generalizations that one can attach to taxis.  Oh I'm certain it does have its own bad apples just like any organization.  But as a whole, MGE is fairly consistent in providing good service to commuters.  That means no padded flag-down rates, no faster-than-normal meters, no devious drivers, and they can even issue a receipt if you request it.  The only downside is that if you really need an MGE taxi (like the situation I described in #4), chances are someone already beat you to one because it is so much in demand.  MGE's exalted status has been cause for resentment among non-MGE taxi drivers, but this is not an issue for worry because MGE drivers themselves constitute a sizable bloc in the metropolis, being 700+ strong.

In closing, it would perhaps be helpful if one follows a few pointers when boarding taxis.  First, if you don't want to pay more than the fare indicated in the meter, then make sure that you bring enough change.  You don't want to be in a position wherein you are forced to pay the whole P200.00 note that you have for a mere P140 fare just because the driver pretends not to have change.  

You might also want to refuse whenever a driver tries to negotiate the fare with you if you are not in a rush or an emergency.  With each person who agrees to this illegal system, this emboldens unscrupulous drivers to perpetuate it.  If, however, you find yourself in a situation wherein a driver negotiates an increase in the fare after you have already boarded the cab, you can do either of two things - both of which have their risks.  You can do a tactic similar to what I described in # 4.  Again, just make sure that your destination is an area where the driver can't take any harmful reprisal on you.  Or, your other option is to simply be more firm yet polite in asserting the unlawfulness of what the taxi driver wants to happen. Don't be swayed if the driver plays the "naghihirap na kami" card.  They are a lot better-situated than jeepney and bus drivers.

Kamias

Dear Family,

I'm sure you have noticed that among the five of us (and by extension, the whole clan - even the ones staying in Australia), I'm the one who spends the least amount of time in Kamias. If feel that I owe you an explanation for my frequent absences in family gatherings of the past years held in the very first place we called "home".

Contrary to what you might think, I have fond memories of Kamias, and I do treasure them to this day. Remembering the early years I spent there is always a source of comfort and serenity for me. It was at a time when "sheltered" didn't have the negative connotation that it has now. Our first home was an enclave that was conducive to a growing child. The three of us young ones - Ate, Egan, and I - we could have a different adventure each day that we woke up, and we did. We had all we need. We had two dogs (Brownie and Mansi), one turtle (no name), some pigs in the sties (for sale), a large terrace, a huge pile of rubble, a "sand box", a wilderness in the backyard (where gargantuan kaimito trees covered the sun and banana trees grew wild), and all the garden snails we can get our hands on. Of course, the house itself was good for exploring. With 2 storeys, 10 rooms, and a dark basement, there was enough space to play hide-and-seek, tag, and even some amateur ghost-hunting.

We could climb up the rubble near the front wall of the house and imagine it was a mountain, or have a sand war in the improvised sand pit that was leftover in a forgotten construction project, or attach our towels around our necks with safety pins and pretend we were super heroes with our "capes" being blown by the wind at the terrace. I could even remember a New Year's day when Ate and I had a furious torotot exchange with the squatters' area children who were visible in the distance at the back of the house, just beyond the kaimito wilderness. Of course, we also had an ever-present Grandmother who never failed to give us kids treats. It was a fun and it was great growing up in Kamias.

Those days are long gone now. Which rather brings me to the point. The Kamias I remember was a suburban paradise. Now it has been reduced to a recipient of urban blight. One by one, the things that made the place magical simply disappeared over the years. The turtle was the first one to go - it disappeared some time in 1980. Then some buildings were constructed in the free spaces, occupied by tenants who lived in a nearby shack. In time, the buildings' walls were darkened by the pollution of the increasing traffic in nearby Kamias Road, and the tenants multiplied in number and became inebriated freeloaders who took advantage of Lolo's generosity. Trees were cut down, and more structures were put up. The final blow was when the wilderness in the back yard was cleared and sold to Meralco. From that point onwards, it became a ghastly place of metal and concrete. Lola's demise in 2005 was a mere afterthought in Kamias' decline.

You want to know why I don't like going to Kamias? Because, as it is now, the place is ugly, it's dirty, it's noisy, and its cramped. Whenever I go there nowadays, I can't help but compare it to the way it was. I could still clearly remember the fresh smell of the large pine tree at the front of the house, and the cool shade of the nearby and equally-towering santol tree, which always seemed to be in season. There used to be plants and trees where there are now contraptions and cemented pavements. The driveway where we used to run as kids looks a lot smaller now, and is perpetually stained by the used oil that seeps through the underside of the vehicles of the Aircon shop's customers. A thick wall now blocks the view of the former wilderness at the back, where one can see just a dirt road stacked with electric equipment and bulldozers. It's bad enough to look at as an adult, and it's a lot worse to observe as a child - even if that child is the one I used to be, hidden inside me. It's sad because my memories of Kamias is one of the very few good things that I have in my life, and actually visiting the place nowadays just depresses me the longer I stay. Each visit violates my good memories and I'm afraid that if I get used to its now-deplorable state, I would begin to forget how good life was back in those early days.

Everyone needs one special place where they could always retreat into when they get too stressed about the excesses of the 21st century. Most people are fortunate enough to have that place still exist as a physical reality. In my case, it only exists in images both in my memory and some old photographs. Photographs on paper are a bad way of storing memories because they fade and discolor, and so I much prefer the images in my memory. I'm afraid that by visiting Kamias now, these images wiil be eroded into oblivion. I don't want that. And so I stay away.

=====Chito

Absolute Sandman Vol. 1

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Books
Genre:	Science Fiction & Fantasy
Author:	Neil Gaiman

[This review is being written with those who are already familiar with the Neil Gaiman's Sandman mythos in mind. (So if you don't understand this review, that's okay.)]

At first glance, there seems to be very little incentive in purchasing Absolute Sandman Vol. 1. Before this, the Sandman series has gone through numerous printings - from the earliest individual issues format to the hard-bound/softcover multi-volume format - and has firmly established itself as the 10-volume masterpiece that we know today. It has come to be expected that any later editions will retain this format, each volume with a separate title and an introduction by an esteemed author.

The problem with the projected 4 or 5 volume Absolute Sandman series is that it completely disregards this format. For example, volume 1 contains the first three volumes in the regular run, but does not contain dividers that mark the titles of each sub-volume, nor does it contain the scholarly analyses that were made by the different authors (such as Peter Straub, Clive Barker and Stephen King) who made the introductions for each volume. For those long-time Sandman fans who have read the series over and over again, the commentary has become a necessary part in understanding the universe occupied by Dream and the rest of the Endless.

There are, however, plus points in the "Absolute" volume. The most salient of which is the major effort to overhaul the atrocious coloring that the earliest issues were accomplished with. In particular, the dark and dreary "Preludes and Nocturnes" was given a new look that, while enhancing the liveliness of the scenes, nevertheless did not take anything away from its "unrealism". The issues that compose "The Doll's House" had much better coloring in the original run, but was nevertheless re-colored to fit the work done with the immediately previous issues. One could imagine that when it gets to the point of "Brief Lives", Delirium's eye colors will finally get the correction that it will need.

The physical appearance of the book is also worth mentioning. While previous editions already came in hard-bound format, the present Absolute series is the best-looking hard-bound series yet. It retains the gothic theme that the early series was known for and it is designed with symbols associated with Dream to fit the overall feel of the Sandman series.

The paper used for the pages is also of sturdier and glossier quality, unlike in earlier editions - both hard-bound and softcover - where the pages easily tore and yellowed/discolored as a consequence of age. The oversized format also complemented well the "larger than life" character of Dream.

Had this been a series where they retained the 10-volume format instead of the "Absolute" format, then it would have been the perfect edition ever. As it is, collectors would have to make do with the unsatisfactory re-categorizations of the issues. Just to be clear, the "Absolute" series is a good volume, and excellent in many ways. It's just that it's missing a crucial element that Sandman fans are already very familiar with.

4 out of 5 stars.

Iron Man

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Action & Adventure

Watching Iron Man didn't go as bad as what I expected it to be. While the movie was indeed nothing more than a moving comic book, it was sufficiently entertaining to make one's moviegoing experience satisfying, at the very least. For me, it was able to accomplish this due to a number of factors:

1. The special effects were excellent. Given that the hero in the movie owes his "powers" to his technological prowess, it should only be expected (or required) that there be a near-flawless execution of scenes that include special effects. One mark of good special effects is if there is an element of believability in it. In this movie, the producers did well in presenting a "prototype" Iron Man armor prior to showing scenes that involve the red-and-yellow suit that we all recognize today, as well as scenes that show the experimental stages of the components of his suit. This transition enabled viewers to find credible some outrageously unbelievable feats of Iron Man (e.g. flying beyond the speed of sound, outmaneuvering modern USAF fighter jets, being hit by a tank shell and still managing to stand up, and shooting terrorists with target-seeking bullets...to name a few.)

2. There was no intention to insert drama in the movie. Only a very few movies that involve comic book characters have succeeded in introducing a dramatic element. The fact that a great many of them did not succeed in doing this is sufficient proof that it isn't all that necessary in movie adaptations of comic book stories. Maybe sometime off in the future, when there's an Iron Man 2, they might risk a foray into some drama. After all, in Marvel Comics' most recent crossover "Civil War", the character of Tony Stark has been made out as a pro-government villain, and has indirectly caused the death of Steve Rogers (a.k.a. Captain America). But then, for this first movie, the producers probably asked themselves, "How much drama does an inebriated billionaire playboy, who goes out as an indestructible killing machine, really need?" Sometimes, making an entertaining movie involves the least amount of drama.

3. The casting was good. I'm saying this on the sole fact that they chose Robert Downey, Jr. He was an excellent choice, and gives a good contrast to how an orphaned billionaire heir is supposed to act (as opposed to DC Comics' own billionaire hero - Batman.) He's like 80% of the movie, and his antics and mannerisms thoroughly took the attention away from the special effects. As a villain, I've never seen Jeff Bridges as devious, although it might have helped that he shaved his head and grew a mean-looking gray beard for the part. On the downside, Gwyneth Paltrow was obviously overqualified for her role as Tony Stark's personal secretary. The insertion of a romantic element between her character and the boss' character was also a waste of film. It's absence would not have had an effect on the movie. Terence Howard's character was another disappointment. As an accomplished actor (with an Oscar nomination to boot) he didn't deserve to be in a movie that made him out as the token black guy. If the romantic element was not necessary in Paltrow's case, for Howard, his very character was of the same nature.

4. The hidden scene at the end of the credits. Comic book fans have been waiting for the time when the movie industry would be ripe for a major crossover involving comic book characters. The hidden scene showing Samuel Jackson as Nick Fury inviting Tony Stark to be part of the "Avenger Initiative" was a boost to the movie, and it just made all those who missed that part want to watch the movie again. This scene enlarged the plot a hundred times by making it clear that Iron Man, and all other movies created (and still to be created) about Marvel characters occupy just one universe, making it possible for a single movie to be created with multiple characters present.

Out of 5 stars, I'd give Iron Man 4. It's a good movie as far as entertainment value is concerned. The fact that it lacked some depth is actually a good point because it avoided following ineffective formulas that were adopted by previous (and less-successful) Marvel films. Sometimes, when one goes to the movies to see a film about a super hero, one simply expects lots of action and some humor, if possible. Iron Man lived up to these expectations, and that's why it's the box office hit that it is today.

on Jesus

Right.  So I was working the late shift some nights ago and I got a forwarded email that was in effect chain letter.  You've probably gotten something similar in the past.  It enumerates people like John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe, etc. who, by their words, offended God in some way and died horrible deaths afterwards.  The intention was to show a causality between their words and their respective manners of death.  And true to any chain letter, it includes a mantra-like declaration on one's devotion to Jesus, and asks one to forward it to 10 or more people in a few minutes in order to experience a "miracle" the next day.  Since I had some time in my hands, I thought it proper to send out my reply.  This I'm about to share now:

============================================

This is an interesting forwarded message. 

 

I won't dispute the facts stated.  However, I don't believe there is a connection between (1) the lack of belief of those mentioned celebrities and (2) the bad things that happened to them.  There are many cases wherein far more terrible things have happened to virtuous people who never uttered anything against God.

 

No offense to Berns (who forwarded this to me), but to my mind, forwarded messages like these give one a slightly erroneous view of God.  It furthermore gives the impression that causing miracles to happen is as easy as forwarding a religious message through email.  It's far more sensible to think that bad things happen to all people, virtuous or not (which is, in fact, the case.)  It is not God who causes these things to happen to people who attempt to offend Him.  These are caused by (1) bad decisions of people themselves; (2) the inherent imperfection of the physical world; and/or (3) a combination of both.  It is for this reason that history is rife with examples of good things happening to bad people, and bad things happening to good people.

 

If one were really concerned about making people conscious about Jesus (which seems to be the intention of the creator of the forwarded message), one should first be aware that one of the things Jesus did was to clarify that the bad things people experience do not come from God.  During His time, His fellow Jews believed that every single misfortune experienced by people are God's punishment for some wrong done either by the person himself or his ancestors.  Jesus set out to demonstrate that this pervading belief is but a flawed understanding of the nature of the one true God, and the place of the physical world in God's plan of salvation.  It is worth mentioning that what happened to Jesus is a lot worse than what happened to John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe, Tancredo Neves, and all other people mentioned in the forwarded message.  None of these people were betrayed by friends, tortured, and crucified like Jesus, yet Jesus never sinned against God or man.

 

In fact, Jesus is God Himself - the Word made flesh.  We always hear about Jesus saving us by dying on the cross, but we never stop to think exactly how He saved us by doing that.  Here's how: when God entered human history as Jesus, He showed that suffering - whether self-inflicted or caused by others - is a constant in the physical world.  And no one - rich or poor, sinner or sinless - can escape it.  But He showed us more than that.  He showed that the power of God's love for humanity transcends the limits of the physical world.  The story of Jesus' life, death and resurrection is a story of triumph over pain, suffering, and even death.  It demonstrated the complete mastery of God over the physical world, not only by suspending physical laws (by means of miracles), but also by showing us that even without miracles, even with the worst that the physical world inflicts on us, humanity - flesh and spirit - can rise above all that and stay true to God's love. 

 

The notion that bad things happen only to bad people is rather outdated by over 2,000 years.  Bad things happen to everyone.  They are not effects of God's displeasure, nor should they be the cause of us being estranged from God.  They simply exist as a given.

 

I do hope that what I've shared makes sense to you all.  If you wish, you can forward this to others.  No miracle will happen, though.  But you will perhaps help others attain a more sensible view of Christianity.

Macbook 2.1Ghz

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Computers & Electronics
Product Type:	Computers
Manufacturer:	Apple

I recently took the plunge and purchased a Macbook, which I've been wanting to buy for no small time now. As I'm a person very easily attracted to visual stimuli, what initially drew me to the Macbook is its simple and sleek all-white design. Back in 2006, when I first came across it, I had no inkling on the big difference between Apple-manufactured computers (henceforth to be referred to as "Macs" for brevity) and the rest of the computer world. I have, however, since become aware of the risks associated with Macs in this particular country. The risk-reward dynamic will be discussed in the course of this review.

Preliminary tests:

In its advertisements, Apple prides its Macs to be fully functional once "out of the box". I found this to be true on a number of points. First, there is no requirement to charge the battery for a specified number of hours before using. The battery has some stored power that will not be adversely affected if the user decides to use the Mac right away. The initial setup also is not a very complicated process. It simply documents the user information which the user can send via the internet at a later time. On this point, one noticeable thing about the Mac is that it immediately asks its user to connect to the internet upon the initiation of the setup. This, for me, underlines the fact that the Macs (or the Macbook at least) is primarily oriented towards internet connectivity more than any other function. This brings me to the next section.

Internet test:

I tested the Macbook's internet capabilities in two settings: (1) at home with my DSL connection; and (2) at an outside location that had a Wi-Fi zone (more particularly, Taco Bell in Gateway Mall, Cubao). In both trials, I found it very easy to connect to the internet. In both cases, it took me less than 30 seconds to connect upon pressing the power button of the Macbook. The Macbook's pre-installed Safari browser also has no marked difference with Internet Explorer nor with Firefox, so there's not much adjustment needed for those who are used to the two latter browsers. Downloading files though might pose a bit of a difficulty with those who are not familiar with the Mac OS X.

The Mac OS X (a.k.a. "Leopard")

For those who, like me, have worked with Microsoft's Windows operating system since first being educated on computers, the shift to Apple's own operating system (currently, the Mac OS X or "Leopard") can be downright disorienting. First, there is the absence of a "right-clicking" feature in the Macbook's trackpad, which in fact corresponds to the fact that right-clicking ("secondary clicking", in Mac terms) isn't really all that necessary in the Leopard. In addition, even double-clicking is not much used. The arrangement of the icons and menus are also very different from Windows, and it's unavoidable for one to first try to look for the "Windows equivalent " of a particular Mac function in order to gain a working understanding of Leopard. This, fortunately is just an adjustment phase that doesn't last long. After 48 hours of working with Leopard, I got the feeling that it is a lot less simpler to operate than Windows - an observation that other Mac users would agree to.

File transfers:

Aside from Leopard adjustment issues, a more serious difficulty would be the practice of downloading large files over the internet. As over 90% of the computer industry uses the ubiquitous Windows, most programs that facilitate the transfer of huge files are uniquely available only to Windows users...and most of these don't have a working equivalent for Mac users. A good example of this is the widely-used WinRAR file compression program. Although I was able to download a .rar file without difficulty, to my chagrin, I found that my Macbook did not have a program that can open it... and neither could I download a version of WinRAR that can be used in a Mac. However, being a very new Mac user, it might be that I simply haven't looked hard enough for these programs.

Conclusion:

Overall, I'd rate the Macbook 4 out of 5 stars. Although the download issues I've discussed in the previous section isn't strictly in the realm of Macbooks, it does have an effect on the experience of using a Macbook for the first time. But everything else is excellent. I like the look and feel of the Macbook. I find Leopard to be very user-friendly on a lot of levels - even something as simple as startup and shutdown, when done very quickly, adds to the user experience. I'd surely recommend the Mac to anyone I know. Of course, at P55,000.00 - although already "cheap" by Mac standards - this is already enough for one to buy a cheaper laptop under a lesser but respectable brand, AND still have enough money for another gadget - say, a digital camera. This is a big deal for most people - including myself. For the most part, the decision to purchase a Mac book is, as I already said in my very first sentence of this review, like taking a plunge. I only went by the advertisements released, some internet research, and the fact that I really liked the Macbook's appearance. But aside from that I didn't have anything else. I didn't know anyone who is a Mac user, and I haven't even touched one before purchasing one. It is perhaps with great relief that the Macbook that I purchased fulfilled most of my expectations.