A Tough Spot for Coaches

Within a span of days three head coaches were out of a job. To Paul Maurice, Bruce Boudreau, and Jack Del Rio, it's a lesson they need to learn.

The role of head coach, field manager, chief tactician, whatever you call it, is to make plays, prepare the players, and to psychologically strategize and scout the opposition before and after a game. The coach is responsible for the victories and defeats of his team. Coaching is a pressure-packed position, and often adds stress to the individual who takes this challenge.

The decision to fire a coach has to do with the following: lengthy losing streaks, lack of chemistry with players, owners' impatience, a new ownership, and poor starts and/or finishes. Add to that is the intrigue factor. Coaching a team is usually a dream come true for the individual hired to this position, but certain expectations are often set, either realistic or long-shot, which adds to the demands of the position.

For Jack Del Rio, his Jaguars finishing out of the playoffs the last four seasons, and another losing season looming, may have been the reason for his firing, but another possibility may have to do with a new ownership situation in Jacksonville, where owner Wayne Weaver intended to sell the team to Pakistani-American automotive magnate Shahid Khan. Mel Tucker will take over the team on an interim basis.

For Bruce Boudreau, a lengthy losing spell cost his job after four seasons. Boudreau took the Capitals to four division titles during his tenure, but failed to advance past the second round on two different occasions. This despite having one of the best players in Alexander Ovechkin. This season, the Caps began 7-0, but lost four of their last 13 to officially shut the door on Boudreau, who was the fastest to 200 wins. Dale Hunter, a former Caps player, was hired for the remainder of the season.

For Paul Maurice, his dismissal was the end result of the Hurricanes currently placing 14th in the Eastern Conference. Maurice, in his second go-round with Carolina, took his team to the playoffs in 2009 and upset the top-seeded Bruins in the second round. Since then however the 'Canes failed to make the playoffs two straight years, and after a poor start it was time to show Maurice the door. Inexperienced Kirk Muller took over for the season.

Earlier in the season, the St. Louis Blues hired controversial coach Ken Hitchcock, after firing Davis Payne, even though the Blues were in the top eight.

Owners feel impatient towards the need for immediate success. Their drive to win is usually the end result of such expectations. But in the end, sometimes patience pays off. Boston's sports teams, the Celtics and Bruins, showed why.

After a 24-58 record in 2006-07, Celtics ownership and GM Danny Ainge kept the faith on head coach Doc Rivers, and after adding Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to join Paul Pierce, the Celtics won 66 games and eventually the NBA title the next season. Even after blowing a 3-0 lead to the Flyers in the second round of the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli stayed on coach Claude Julien's side. The next season, the Bruins swept the Flyers and eventually won the Stanley Cup.

For every sports owner, patience is a reward for their hard work and continued faith. But sometimes the itch to win overwhelms the need of being patient. As exemplified earlier, not even a change on the fly may be the solution towards immediate victory. Good luck to the new coaches looking to change their club's fortunes.

'Til We Meet Again: Paul Maurice, Bruce Boudreau, Jack Del Rio

Tebowing

After Kyle Orton was waived by the Denver Broncos, the on-field playcalling duties were now entrusted upon Tim Tebow. And what a wise move for the Broncos. Tebow led the Broncos to a 4-1 record since becoming the everyday starting quarterback. And since a come-from-behind win at Miami on October 23, Tebow's ritual of kneeling down on one knee and bowing his head in prayer suddenly became social media news.

Tim Tebow in his now trademark in-game ritual.

A Broncos fan by the name of Jared Kleinstein posted a photo of his friends interpreting Tebow's postgame pose on his Facebook page. Soon after, Kleinstein's photo became a social media craze, amassing many likes within a week of its uploading and as a result Kleinstein created a website specifically to spread the gospel about Tebowing.

Jared Kleinstein's uploaded Tebowing photo.

According to Kleinstein on his website, Tebowing is: "to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different." Kleinstein's image caught Tebow's attention, and on his Twitter account he responded by tweeting: “#Tebowing – to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone else around you is doing something completely different. Love it!”

This pose will be talked about for a long time. The middle part of 2011 saw the popularity of 'planking' worldwide, and now by the end of 2011 we'll see the popularity of Tebowing around the world.

By the way, check out YouTube celebrity Ryan Parker singing about Tebowing to the tune of 'Free Fallin' by Tom Petty.

By the way, Tim Tebow is eligible to earn Filipino citizenship, having been born in Makati City through his American parents who were missionaries in Cotabato. So technically Tebow may be considered as a Filipino-American. And he makes yearly visits to the Philippines during the NFL offseason.

For more on Tebowing, check out the website tebowing.com.

A Game of Death

In sports, a physically fit body is important, as well as mental preparation and a high amount of psyche for a better performance. But there have been times that not even the fittest of athletes would leave the game standing on their own two feet, let alone leave with their hearts still pumping. That was the case in four key sports deaths that occurred during a game.

Ray Chapman

In 1920, Major League Baseball saw the loss of Cleveland Indians shortstop Ray Chapman due to a fatal hit by pitch by New York Yankees pitcher Carl Mays. While Doc Powers was the first batter to die due to a similar incident, Chapman's death became more publicized, eventually resulting in several rule changes, which include the prohibition of the spitball and the eventual usage of batting helmets.

Bill Masterson after collapsing during a game in Minnesota in 1968.

In 1968, ice hockey player Bill Masterton of the then-Minnesota North Stars died as a result of a checking hit by Oakland Seals' Larry Cahan and Ron Harris. His death eventually paved the way for the mandatory use of helmets in the National Hockey League, effective in the 1979-80 season. Checking, though, in some cases, remain legal hits which count as a statistic for NHL players.

Chuck Hughes after collapsing during a game in Tiger Stadium in 1971.

In 1971, National Football League player Chuck Hughes died of a heart attack during a game between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears. Hughes collapsed as he ran to join his teammates on the bench. It turns out Hughes's family had a history of heart problems which may have played a role in his death. The Lions later honored him by retiring his jersey no. 85 and also named the Most Improved Player award after him.

Hank Gathers after collapsing during an NCAA game in 1990.

While no NBA player died during a game, in the U.S. NCAA one particular on-court death has occurred. In 1990, Loyola Marymount forward Hank Gathers collapsed on the hardwood after performing a dunk during a game against the University of Portland Pilots. Gathers was declared dead on arrival hours later in the hospital, and in the autopsy that followed, doctors conclude that he suffered from a cardiac arrest. The closest an NBA player had come from dying during a game was Reggie Lewis, who collapsed on the Boston Garden parquet during a 1993 playoff game. It was discovered that Lewis had a heart problem while during a checkup, an ailment that eventually claimed Lewis's life several months later during an offseason practice.

Sports is indeed a game of death, temporary death that is. A loss means temporary pain and disappointment, a win means redemption and triumph. Win or lose, however, the health of an athlete is important, for any mistake may cause premature retirement, or worse, death.

Friday Spending

On November 24, a third Thursday in November, American families will once again roast their turkeys dabbed in cranberry juice, boil in clam chowder, mash some potatoes, and bake in pumpkin pies. Then they give thanks to God before they consume this dinner. It has been a part of the Thanksgiving tradition that began in colonial America, which occurs every third Thursday of November.

But on the night after, these families head on to various shopping malls and take advantage of discounted goods. This started the unofficial tradition of Black Friday, wherein traffic is at its most congested near shopping malls and parking space is minimal at best. Moreover, shopping malls receiving a lot of customers tend to make a lot of profit on this very occasion. Black Friday is considered the start of the Christmas shopping season, where families shop for gifts to give to their loved ones far away. Toys are usually the best sellers, because families tend to give children something to play to.

In the Philippines, there is also a Black Friday, though not universally recognized. Shopping malls often promote three-day weekend sales at several occasions of the year. This is made in the event of a surplus that urges malls to slash prices to as low as 50% off. Fridays are usually the peak of those three-day weekend discounts, with malls usually open until midnight.

During Super Sale Fridays, traffic volume is at its highest and parking space is limited. Department store cashiers would have to cope up with a long line of shoppers seeking to take advantage of the sale. Even though shoppers still have Saturday and Sunday to take advantage, Fridays are usually the most advantageous time during a weekend sale.

As Christmas approaches, expect a heavy volume of shoppers every Friday to take advantage of their 13th month pay and spend them for Christmas gifts to their loved ones. After all, a gift is a great way to please your loved ones.

On This Day: November 22

What happened on November 22? We know that 48 years ago, U.S. President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. But here are some of the other events that occurred on this day.

1858: Denver, Colorado was founded.

1943: Lebanon gains independence from France.

1975: Juan Carlos I becomes king of Spain.

1986: Boxing: Mike Tyson wins World Heavyweight Championship over Trevor Berbick.

1995: Toy Story was released to theaters.

2005: Angela Merkel becomes the first female chancellor of Germany.

Notable Birthdays:

Scarlet Johansson (1984)

Boris Becker (1967)

Jamie Lee Curtis (1958)

Billie Jean King (1943)

Notable Deaths:

Michael Hutchence (1997)

Mae West (1980)

John F. Kennedy (1963)

The Three Stooges' Shemp Howard (1955)

Anyway enough of the history lessons. We'll have more on the important dates in history soon.

No Basketball Anymore

Pinoys love basketball. Pinoys love the NBA. I am one of them. But for whatever reason, the NBA is nowhere to be found these days. What happened to the world's best basketball league?

Since July 1, 2011, the NBA has been off the world sporting map because of the lengthy lockout. It was a word war between the players and the owners, mediated my the league's braintrust headed by commissioner David Stern. The discussions involve the revised collective bargaining agreement, sharing of player revenue, and even parity among the big-city teams and mid-to-small market teams. The season schedule was released in August 2011, but with the lockout persisting, there is no choice but to cancel games. As of today, the earliest start to a new season would be December 15. But right now, team facilities were deserted, arena revenue suffered, and even postgame dinners declined and partying revenue was lost.

As a result, several NBA players moved to other leagues around the world. Prominent players who took their acts overseas include Deron Williams, Tony Parker and Andrei Kirilenko. While these players have opt-out contracts that would enable their return to their NBA mother teams once the lockout ends, in China, there is no such thing as an opt-out contract. Wilson Chandler and Kenyon Martin, among others, have no choice but to stay in China for the season. There has also been talk of Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade and LeBron James taking their acts overseas, but as of now there has been little progress regarding their intentions.

And speaking of Kobe Bryant, while the NBA lockout talks continued, he visited the Philippines twice; first as a Nike endorser, and then as part of the 'Smart All-Stars' team (Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant and Chris Paul included) that played against an all-PBA selection and the Smart Gilas team in July. In September, another Smart All-Star in JaVale McGee returned to the Philippines to conduct basketball clinics; he also entertained thoughts of becoming a naturalized Filipino for Smart Gilas, while Fil-Am coach Erik Spoelstra returned home for another round of offseason basketball clinics.

Since the lockout began, there is no known promotion and mention towards current NBA players relating to their teams, and the NBA.com website continues to promote its legends and their history. NBA TV and its Philippine counterpart Basketball TV currently air retrospective programs along with classic NBA games, in addition to providing the latest lockout news. Even the recent NBA Madness event in September saw NBA legend Clyde Drexler fly to Manila to promote the league, and the Basketball Without Borders program saw the likes of Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo conduct basketball clinics in Africa and provide charity work. The NBA has been of little mention since then, from print media and even online.

The only time in the history of American pro sports that saw the cancellation of a season even before it began was when the National Hockey League cancelled the 2004-05 season even before the start of opening day. Major League Baseball already had baseball games wiped out because of such labor issues, but a cancellation of the entire 162-game season never happened. They cancelled games in the summer of 1981, and then had the entire 1994 season stopped two months short of completion (cancelling postseason play as well), and did not commence the new season until early April 1995. The National Football League had a brief lockout from April to July 2011, but their 2011 regular season ran as scheduled. If the NBA were to end the season before it began, they may become the second league to do so, after the NHL.

With that in mind, we may declare that there is indeed, no basketball anymore. But while the NBA is not present, the other hoops leagues of the world (PBA included) would provide the alternative for any desperate hoops aficionado. There may be no NBA, but there is no reason to stop loving the game of basketball.

Lost in High Street

Last night I got lost at High Street. Not exactly Bonifacio High Street but it was still a misadventure to remember. Anyway here's my story, and some tips on going to The Fort on public transport.

I left Pacific Star Building in Makati Avenue at around 4:45 p.m. I took the aircon jeep from there to Gate 1 at Lawton Avenue. Bad move. I tried to board the jeep with the route "Guadalupe-Gate 3/Market Market", but all the jeeps I saw were full. I kept searching for decently spacious jeeps with that route in vain, before I walked my way from Lawton to J.P. Rizal all the way to the EDSA Guadalupe terminal.

I searched for a terminal with the Gate 3/Market Market route for several minutes, and after walking through the steep streets in Guadalupe, I found the Gate 3 terminal near McDonalds at the Guadalupe Commercial Center. I asked the driver about the MC Home Depot, which is near Mercato, and he said the closest way is to use a bus. So he dropped me to the bus terminal at Market Market. Next up I asked the conductor about a bus that passes through MC Home Depot, and he replied that there's a bus that traverses throughout Fort Bonifacio. I boarded that bus, but when I reached Crescent Holidays, I knew I was lost again. I asked the driver about MC Home Depot, and he replied that the bus had already passed the said establishment. So I went down in vain, still searching for answers.

So I walked my way to Bonifacio High Street and asked some of the guards on where MC Home depot is. To make the long story short, I walked my way from High Street, passed through several vacant lots, en route to spotting the giant San Miguel Beer bottles and found Mercato Centrale, where Ultimate Taste Test 7.0 was held. And I had fun with friends tasting some of the best food in the Metro. It was my first food trip experience, and I enjoyed it.

Now if you want to get around Bonifacio High Street or Market Market in particular, here are some tips on how to get to and from Fort Bonifacio.

From EDSA (from either Balintawak/Cubao/Ortigas or from Alabang/Baclaran/Bay Area):

• Using either the MRT or bus, drop by either Guadalupe or Ayala MRT stations. If at Guadalupe, board a jeepney that are bound to Gate 3/Market Market via the Guadalupe terminal near McDonalds at the Commercial Center. Walk your way from Market Market to Serendra to BHS. If at Ayala, walk to the McKinley terminal at Forbes Park and take the East Route bus to BHS.

From Rockwell Power Plant:

• Take the jeep bound to Guadalupe, then drop by P. Burgos near San Jose Street. Walk your way up the terminal near McDonalds and take the Gate 3/Market Market jeep. Walk through Market Market-Serendra to BHS.

From Ayala Avenue:

• Take the jeep bound from Washington to Ayala, then drop by the McKinley terminal. Take the East Route bus that will pass by BHS.

If you want to go to Mercato, for instance, just walk through BHS and turn right at 9th Avenue. Spot the white tent, and you've reached Mercato.

By the way, the 2nd installment of Bloggers United will be at the Treston International College, also at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City, starting at 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on December 3. It is sponsored by Bloggers United, the GMA Kapuso Foundation, Multiply Shopping, and Treston International College. To get to Treston, just board the jeep bound to Gate 3/Market Market from Guadalupe and then ask the driver to drop you by Treston International College.

Thank you to Mr. Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet for making the Ultimate Taste Test 7.0 a success.

Two Friends, One Cake and 20 Candles

Today is my friend Paola Malong's 20th birthday. Tomorrow will be the 20th birthday of another good friend of mine, Maita Piedra. It has been a thrill that I've been friends to the both of them since late in frosh year. Every time I see them I always say to myself, "Wow! Mukhang masaya na ko." And they seem to make me smile and feel comfortable with almost everything.

Maita and I have been a month removed from graduating in college, and the last time we spoke to each other was when we turned over our graduation attire and passes to the school. Yet I still felt as if we spoke to each other in spirit since then. Indeed I missed the days when we were sharing a lot of things such as school stuff and other works. I always thought Maita was a great friend, and a beautiful one at best, and to this day, even if we met occasionally, I still maintained that I found a friend who will make me feel comfortable even in pressure situations.

Paola has been my friend since late in frosh year, but I felt bad about graduating earlier than her. It was a regret that still hangs on my mind since that hot day in the PICC. Still I convinced her to finish strong and make the most of every opportunity. The reason why Paola didn't join us that October was because of her obligations as the editor-in-chief of our college yearbook for 2012. And she is also working on her thesis. Nevertheless, I feel happy for her, in that she is doing her best on both of them. All I hope for her is to be proud and work well.

To both of my friends who just blew their 20th candles, happy birthday. Hoping for more beautiful days to come.

Who Are You? Same Name, Different Game

Sharing a name with another famous individual has been a common analogy in the world of pop culture. In Part I of the segment, I'll share you some of the famous individuals who share a name.

Who is Michael Jackson?

We all know who Michael Jackson is. He is the singer whose signature moonwalk, his successful 'Thriller' album, and even the transition from black to white (vitiligo) were well-documented. But following his death in June 2009, several of his fans started placing flowers and condolence messages on the Walk of Fame star of another Michael Jackson, after the singer's star was fully filled with flowers. The other Michael Jackson was honored for his radio contributions in the Los Angeles area, and to this day continues to host a radio show covering various political and social issues. A third Michael Jackson, though not-so famous, played in the NBA for the Sacramento Kings for a brief time.

Who is Kevin McHale?

One Kevin McHale starred on the hit comedy musical 'Glee'. The other Kevin McHale is a basketball Hall of Famer best known for torturing opponents in the low post with a vast array of athletic moves as a member of the Boston Celtics. He now coaches the Houston Rockets and formerly coached the Minnesota Timberwolves, as well as provided analysis on TNT and NBA TV.

Who is Brian Wilson?

One Brian Wilson used to sing for the Beach Boys along with his brothers Carl and Dennis Wilson. He is the father of Wendy and Carnie Wilson (of Wilson Phillips fame), and had a number of great hits such as 'Surfin', 'Kokomo' and 'I Get Around.' The other Brian Wilson is the flamboyant baseball closer for the San Francisco Giants, whose beard has been garnering attention more than his pitches.

More on who's who coming soon.

A Month After Graduation

It has been a month since I graduated, and a lot of things have passed since walking to the PICC stage that October. For all that primal screaming and what not, I still had a lot to make up for the rest of 2011, as well as careful preparation for a career ahead.

Six days after graduation, I made my way to Fiamma to celebrate my newfound emancipation from a life of studying, learning and honing. I didn't drink much that night, but still had a lot of fun with old friends, complete with hip-hop music to dance to. Over the next few weeks, I started searching for ideal employment opportunities, something that I've been looking forward to since graduation. However because of a fear of 'burnout' I decided to put full-time employment on hold until early 2012; nevertheless I kept myself updated to any open employment opportunities.

To kick off November, I seriously began to pursue blogging as a hobby. This is where 'PopCornTure' was conceptualized. I had been a pop culture fanatic ever since late in high school, so I used my fascination to pop culture as well as my craving for adventure to create this blog. However, blogging wasn't a new thing for me. I had been writing blogs since senior year in high school, but most of its content have been personal and introspective. This year, however, was different. I finally realized the power of blogging as a way for disseminating information to other people. So I decided to create this blog as a way to open up and to teach other people about my views on pop culture, as well as my personal endeavors.

In addition, I had been working part-time for a website/magazine my fellow communication arts majors mates established several months ago. It was my way of preparing myself for greater adventures ahead in the corporate world.

Speaking of making up for lost time, I planned on attending several big events to expose myself for bigger adventures ahead. More on my experiences in the coming weeks.

As for school, I never missed life as we knew it. I still made my way to school on occasion to meet old friends who still study. It was a way to reconnect, reminisce and rekindle days gone by.

What's in store for me in the future? Who knows, I may end up as a journalist or as a successful blogger. Regardless, I'm hoping for the best.

11.11.11: Lanterns, Luck and Lapses

Today is a lucky day for all of us. November 11, 2011 is such an eventful day that many people opted to reserve lanterns in advance for Banchetto's wishing lanterns night. Unfortunately, at the last minute, the organizers at Banchetto decided to call off the event due to safety concerns.

Courtesy of Banchetto's Facebook Page

A lot of people were outraged at the last minute cancellation, a majority of whom have already reserved their lanterns in advance. Whether it's on Facebook or on Twitter, people ranted about the cancellation of the Banchetto event. The event, according to them, is a way of bringing out hope and prosperity in their future endeavors. Unfortunately, it seemed as though their luck had just ran out.

For me, Banchetto's plan was just a mere publicity stunt that had gone wrong. People spent their money to use their lanterns, make a wish and then fly them to the sky in a full moon night. Unfortunately, it didn't even translate into even gathering together and do these things in unison. It is clear that Banchetto didn't consider the safety and security of the participants who were supposed to be a part of the lantern event, as well as of the neighbors within its vicinity.

As mentioned in their Facebook page, Banchetto will still go on with the wishing paper activity and the 11-11-11 money technique. Then again, what more will people wish for if their wishes written on the paper disintegrated in a fiery fashion or take part in the money technique, which I believe, would only cause harm than good to their pockets.

Earlier today, at 11:11 a.m. (according to military time, compared to 11:11 p.m. which is 2311h), I simply lighted a candle in front of the Nomi Burgers Restaurant in Agno and uttered one wish, which is to bring prosperity, hope and positive vibes to my life. I was fortunate to do this because it's much safer than the lantern, and less costly.

11.11.11 is a lucky and eventful day for many. Let's be thankful for making this day memorable and amazing.

The Kid's For Real

Even though the Boston Bruins are near the bottom of the standings early in the season, one impressive young player is standing out so far as they attempt to defend their Stanley Cup title.

Tyler Seguin, the 19-year old wonder from Ontario and their first overall pick last year, is turning a lot of people's heads so far in the young season. After an impressive two-goal performance in the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Lightning, Seguin stepped up his play this season. As of November 9, he leads the Bruins in points, scoring 8 goals and dishing 7 assists. Seguin's performance has so far made up for the offseason losses of Mark Recchi (to retirement) and Michael Ryder (to Dallas Stars). The kid has a bright future ahead of him, and he'll only get better if he gets more ice time.

Tyler Seguin

Courtesy of Getty Images

Despite a three-game winning streak, the Bruins' slow start to the season has been attributed to its defense. Even though goalie Tim Thomas has been stellar, the opposition has dared taking on him shot for shot, and often times resulted in goals allowed. The Bruins have been unable to keep the puck with them for a majority of the time. Backup Tuukka Rask has just earned his first win of the season Monday against the Islanders, and if the goaltending needs an upgrade, Rask has to step up for the aging Thomas. Most pundits also attributed to the so-called 'hangover' that previous defending champions such as the Penguins and the Blackhawks suffered to the previous two seasons. Still, the season is so young so expect the Bruins to turn it around this month, beginning with a three-game winning streak to begin November.

Bruins games for this week: Nov. 10 vs. Edmonton, Nov. 12 vs. Buffalo, Nov. 15 vs. New Jersey, Nov. 17 vs. Columbus.

The Demise of La Dolce and the Rise of Istituto Culinario

Many years ago, OB Montessori (my grade school and high school alma mater) had a restaurant with an Italian theme. It was called Ristorante La Dolce Fontana, and it was inspired from Mrs. Preciosa Soliven's trips to Italy. It used to sell a select number of Italian dishes such as pizza, carbonara and spaghetti. They also sold brunch and lunch buffet meals during break times of 10:00-11:00 a.m. and 12:00-2:00 p.m. And later in my high school days they even sell maki. The venue is also home to important events such as press conferences and the grade school formal dinner. But after the class of 2011 called it a day, they decided to revamp the restaurant.

2008: Me, Nico de los Santos and Jill Garcia behind the La Dolce Fontana.

It would cease to exist three years later.

When I returned to the school in June 2011, what was once the shaded roof above the clay flooring, with a water fountain and a mini-garden lining up the entrance was now gone. All of a sudden, a cherished possession of my high school days has ceased to exist. Now it is undergoing a serious facelift. To make it official, the school placed a banner high atop the Annapolis side of OB Montessori to signify the birth of Istituto Culinario.

According to its Facebook account, Istituto Culinario:

"Is built on the strong foundations and solid reputation

of the country's first specialized school for the culinary arts,

the O.B. Montessori College Culinary Institute, established in 1995.

Istituto Culinario is committed to nurturing true Culinary Maestros~

professional, creative, and passionate chefs

through our curriculum based on classical cooking disciplines

and instilled via cutting-edge culinary instruction."

The institution also moves away from the Italian style to the French style of culinary approach. Aside from that, they have also been able to upgrade existing cooking equipment as part of a plan to modernize the facilities and to make it a little easier for the students to learn.

The newly renovated restaurant is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2012.

While La Dolce Fontana no longer exists physically, the restaurant will forever be remembered for its Italian food, its maki, and the hospitality that brings with it. The students will never forget working in this restaurant as part of a requirement in the Food Technology class, as well as providing a hands-on experience towards achieving eventual independence. La Dolce may be gone, but not forgotten. As for Istituto Culinario, best of luck for them in providing a high quality of culinary education to students and in creating a positive atmosphere towards the chefs, waiters and diners alike.

Andy Rooney, R.I.P.

Just a month after delivering his 1097th and final segment on CBS's 60 Minutes, Andy Rooney passed away last Friday due to surgical complications. He was 92. Rooney will be remembered fo

r his satirical, yet controversial commentary on various issues in the world, from the Iraq War all the way to the conquest of Libya, as well as the transition from communism (or totalitarianism) to democracy in the East.

For all of his success, Rooney had always downplayed his on-camera presence, instead he insists that he is a writer more than a television personality. Nevertheless, he will forever be etched in television history as one of the most reliable news personalities of his era, and one of the most opinionated. He'll be missed in the world of news commentary. R.I.P.

My Stand Against Filipino-Dubbed American Films

Recently I tweeted about the use of Filipino dubbing on American films that are aired on the big networks such as ABS-CBN 2, TV5 and GMA 7, which I staunchly declared 'sucks'. Here's the reason why: Filipino dubbers couldn't match well the accents used by the American actors. An American actor such as Brad Pitt can sound brilliantly and clearly, but if a Filipino dubber used his dialogue and placed his voice instead, it doesn't sound too well, or rather too deep and gravelly for a first-class Filipino with a deep knowledge of English. Of course the main reason the three big networks dub them in their native tongue is for the mass audience to understand, but then again, who wants to watch them anyway if they had already seen the films in a theater with popcorn on hand?

History says that the three big networks originally aired American films in their original form, without the use of dubbers. Yes we're talking about GMA 7's SNBO, ABS-CBN's Sunday Family Cinema, and ABC 5's (now TV5) The Big Night. Of course RPN 9 used to air movie blocks such as Saturday Night Playhouse and Sunday's Big Event back in their 90s heyday. But digital technology such as the use of torrents for downloading, 3D and piracy has made it difficult for them to air them originally. Not only that, internet has added the hype towards an upcoming film soon to hit theaters. In 2010, TV5 began airing American films through their 5 Max Movies in Filipino dubbing. Soon after ABS-CBN and GMA followed suit, thus shifting their attention to the C, D and E classes.

Here's the thing. The only reason they air them today is to fill programming hours on weekdays, mostly during the afternoon, somewhat boring at best. In fact TV5 airs too many movies (and reruns of now-defunct programs) in one week that what ABS-CBN and GMA do. The American films in Filipino dubbing don't mean a thing, because as I mentioned, they sound pretty bad and pathetic. I'm ok for Filipino-dubbed Koreanovelas, Latinovelas or Japanese anime so that they can understand well, but Filipino-dubbed American movies? They suck like eggs.

If you want to watch really authentic American films without going to theaters (if you're willing to endure the delay, of course), better hook up with a cable provider (e.g. SkyCable, Cignal or Destiny) and watch on Star Movies, HBO or CineMax, or download from torrent with internet connection from your Mac or your laptop. That's way better than watching sucky Filipino dubbing.

Cookies, Cream and Cheese

Remember when the Sesame Street character Cookie Monster says 'Me Eat Cookie' whenever his stomach craves for a bunch of cookies? That was exactly the case during one of my recent trips to Taft.

One such cookie that I stumbled upon is a home-baked one. Chewy, melt-in-your-mouth, and sweet is what I described of this cookie. But this cookie is neither baked in a well-known factory nor artificially enhanced for your palate. It is actually a venture of one of my friends in college.

Kyla Olives, my fellow communication arts batchmate who also majors in advertising, has been baking and selling these cookies since 2009. While not in the classroom to study nor in the field to practice or play, she devoted some of the free time to bake these concoctions for her friends. The cookies slowly gained a following among her friends and other peers, and soon after, even I got into the sweet stuff.

Kyla accepts orders through her online bakeshop in order to produce the exact number of cookies to be sold the following day. Originally she sells then by herself with the help of some of her softball teammates and other friends, but recently she decided to sell them at Food Channel inside the One Archers condominium. The cookies sold are: chocolate chip oatmeal cookies and peanut butter oatmeal cookies. The chocolate chip cookies are sold for P30/cookie, while the peanut butter cookies are sold for P35/cookie.

I have positively enjoyed the cookies because of its chewy texture, its sweet taste, and its melt-in-your-mouth feel. The combination of oatmeal and chocolate chips contributed to its sweetness; if you're trying the peanut butter variety, the flavor meshes similarly. The cookies are big enough to enjoy over and over again. As for the feel, it may be soft but chewy enough to the palate. The cookies are a delightful treat, even children can take a bite out of this. Here's my verdict: 4.5/5 stars.

November Rain.... 20 Years Ago

20 years ago, American rock group Guns N' Roses released the albums Use Your Illusion I and II. It was on UYI I where the song November Rain can be found. Contrary to popular belief, GNR did not release the single in November 1991. It was released nearly eight months later, in June 1992, at the time when grunge was starting to dominate rock radio. The song was about nine minutes long and contains an orchestral arrangement, Axl Rose's pianos, and Slash's lengthy guitar solos.

What struck the song, however, was its music video, which costs nearly $2 million in pre-inflation numbers. The video features not only the band (and the orchestra) playing in front of an audience, but also scenes of Axl and his storyline fiancee about to be engaged, then married, before the bride was presumed killed after a rain poured heavily and chaos erupted during the reception. The final scenes of the video include a funeral for Axl's wife and his dream sequence where his wife threw a bouquet of roses before it landed into her casket in front of Axl crying in the rain. In between, Slash played his guitar solo in front of an abandoned church in the New Mexican desert, which helicopter shots of him in between.

20 years later, I still played the song on occasion whenever rain falls in November, simply because the song carries a lot of poignant messages regarding the loss of one's love in a rather somber manner and the difficulties of moving on from it. Sometimes it makes me cry whenever I play the song. Regardless, 'November Rain' is considered one of the best breakup songs today, and one of the most poignant.