Resurrecting from the dark - breaking dawn of a new era of thoughts.

It's been three or more years since the last post on my blog was published. Too many life events have passed and too many changes happened too. As much as I would love to continue chronicling my thoughts, random ideas and a few insignificant reactions over things in my daily life, I would also be looking forward into shifting the focus of my interest from personal and emotional directives to a more serious, businesslike and my grown up and professional ideologies. Having said so, my personal opinion towards things will only be merely expression of thoughts and can be taken as general pointers and suggestions.
Here's to more insightful years of blogging, more ideas... more fun. Welcome to my life!

MY MEDIA KILLS MASS MEDIA

The role of advertising towards the death of mass media through the rising threats caused by the emergence of the new media technology.

The new age has come and it is happening now. The technological revolution of the media industry has taken place so fast, threatening the subsistence of traditional media that existed over a long time ago. Advertising throughout time has taken a significant role in utilising the benefits of the media as well as contributed to its development. However, on a fast changing world like today, every birth of a new technology is an endless marketing opportunity; from new product development, market leadership, to utilisation of its features for advertising and promotion. And as the traditional media is facing a challenge of possible extinction, advertising contributes to its fast degeneration as it continuously increase its evolutionary process of adaptation to the new media features, exploiting it to the possible maximum level in order to maintain and increase its competitiveness to constantly generate revenue and survive the various challenges in the fast-changing market. Advertising in its nature is known to be the most powerful and influential agent of change especially in the modern times that even the power of the media can be overruled. Its so-called “free-agent mentality” makes it control its own destiny (Berger, 2001 p.361), evolve, influence its media and apparently indirectly control its life cycle. Will advertising as the main lifeblood of the so-called traditional media take its toll to put these wonderful technologies laid to rest finally?

The Tri-Media

Thousands of years ago, when ancient Egyptians developed a writing system, advertising began through sales messages and wall posters made of papyrus. Roman and Greek civilisation were also proved to have used the same to communicate and deliver messages to a number of subjects. It took several centuries to innovate the technique when the Chinese discovered printing, followed by the invention of the printing press for mass production. In our world today, print media is one of the most popular means of communication, providing information and entertainment to a wide range of audiences. Most published media are mainly for sale therefore it is not solely dependent on advertisers to fund its production.

In the 19th century, the experimentation that lead to the discovery of radio technology began and it took nearly half a century to develop the medium that became useful and powerful means of communication particularly during the civil wars which was mainly used for propaganda and entertainment. And since radio was mainly used for political rather than commercial purposes, some relevant advertising has taken place specifically in the United States when the first radio commercial was aired by WEAF station in 1922. The golden age of radio broadcasting and advertising has set off, followed by the discovery of television few years later. Following this revolutionary breakthrough, the television, radio and print media triad has consistently dominated the world of communication technology until today.

Television has been considered as the most powerful medium of communication in the last half of the 20th century. In the United States, it remains the primary form of entertainment, saturating the entire household and has become a mainstay in the lives of most people, as well as to the rest of the world (Lee & Johnson, 2005).Considered to have the broadest reach and with its versatile audio and visual feature, the medium became one of the most effective means of advertising where companies are spending millions of pounds every year to market their products on television alone.
The wonderful feature of television has inspired the people of today to consider it as the new single important invention of mankind (Harrison, 2004). In spite of its innovative attributes and feature advantages, it co-existed well with other traditional media.

Threats on the rise

Most people may have thought television has replaced the wheel as the most significant invention of all times (Harrison, 2004), and that radio has maintained its existence despite of television’s revolutionary features and phenomenal popularity, as well as the printed media consistently making itself one of the most indispensable forms of communication that was never overtaken by any product of modern discoveries. The invention of computer systems paved the way to develop a sophisticated digital technology that opened the window to a more advanced stage of communication and information technology following the development of the internet. Digital age has commenced and television for example, has evolved through the development of High Definition Technology (HDTV) improving its feature to meet ever increasing demand for perfection by today’s generation. Satellite technology played a significant contribution to both radio and television providing a faster and efficient transmission.

In 2004, Electronic Paper Display (EPD) technology was introduced in the market, a device that is a thin as a paper, capable of downloading data electronically. Amazon’s Kindle and Sony e-reader are newly launched products, devices that allow readers to download the electronic book from the website and store the data to the handheld gadget. Amazon’s Kindle sales boost up to 500,000 units since its launching in 2007 making a market of $200 million worth worldwide (Fortune Magazine, 2009). This is leading to a further development of a technology that is believed to replace newspapers and magazines in the future. This is not the first instance that publishers struggled against the power of information technology. Giant online search engines such as Google and Yahoo has significantly affected the broadcast and publishing industries through offering commercial advertisements through any internet-friendly gadgets resulting to a massive loss of revenue and fast increasing threats. At the same time, the escalating issues of global warming and environmental degradation may trigger the rapid diffusion of this technology to favour the preservation of nature and save trees from being cut down for paper manufacturing. It is in fact being predicted that paper will cost more than electronic papers in the future (Copeland, 2009).

Unlike the printed media, television and radio industry evolved into a higher level of development. The improved satellite technology enhanced its transmission with more speed and efficiency providing audience the convenience and superior experience. The innovation from plasma, LCD screen to High Definition Television or HDTV has brought television to a higher stage of its evolution, the development of digital equipments to improve its production quality, and most of all, the opportunities of producing quality programmes to attract viewer’s ratings for the advertisers. On the other hand, although most broadcasting companies have stepped into a wide world of cyber space by making their relay available online usually in a form of media streaming, the threats to its survival is somehow eradicated. For example, BBC and ITV websites feature their programmes online for playback and even via live transmission. This made them satisfy the need of their viewers to manage their own time watching a particular programme or show rather than sitting in front of their television set within a specific time. Absolute Radio launched an online player application in 2008, spending £15 million for its campaign (New Media Age, 2008). According to its Brand Director Chris Lawson, the strategy was about following where the audiences go instead of expecting them to come to them. The cyberspace has become the new battleground for the broadcast media and mostly for marketing. As the people migrate to the worldwide web, the marketers follow.

As of 2007, more than 206 million users had registered for MySpace.com. Over 2.7 billion searches on Google are being performed every month (Fisch, 2007). Facebook, with 42.1 million members and other networking sites such as Twitter are significantly increasing making it a famous venue to place marketing campaigns.

Without a doubt, internet has become the most significant invention of mankind after the computer. It developed as an integrated medium where an individual can get everything he needs from information, entertainment and communication all in one. Most importantly, it offers a personalised and customised option for a more individualistic yet massive communication approach. It is more convenient indeed to sit down in front of a personal computer whenever is convenient, perhaps after work and before going to bed or simply just anytime you want rather than wait in front of a television set for the programme to be aired. It is a powerful medium that everyone in the planet is going after as a portal to an almost unlimited source of information at the user’s own pace. This has transformed the idea of a “mass media” into an individualistic “my media” communication (Spurgeon, 2009). It is where the vast audience is going and again, advertisers follow.

Considering this act of audience media migration and substitution, this instance is not as bad as the print media being potentially eradicated. Television and radio programmes made available online at the same time offers wider options to the audience. The only question is, if advertising serves as the lifeblood of the media, and with advertisers shifting to place their commercials online, how can the media produce quality programmes without the advertiser’s money?

Coke and Mentos rocket fountain video popularised over YouTube in 2006 earned an estimated $10 million worth of media exposure (Spurgeon, 2008). This amount of money could have gone to television, radio and print media company but then, it may only be within a specific country. After a year since YouTube launched, its worth scaled up to $1.65 billion as acquired by Google in 2006. Today it became a phenomenon creating opportunities for every product marketing in a massive extent for not as high as the cost of traditional advertisement placement. Furthermore, Google Inc. is planning to develop tools to make online video advertisements available on their websites (New Media Age, 2008) that could possibly create great impact on traditional mass media.

Internet made advertising less expensive, accessible, even more powerful and effective to penetrate the market globally. Advertising is known to exploit every medium to maximise all marketing opportunities by targeting its audiences, in return provides funding to sustain the media production. Where ever there are audiences, there is advertising. Television became the most powerful and effective marketing campaign in terms of proximity before the internet. Great shows and programmes were created; famous personalities were developed and spectacular entertainment ideas were discovered as well as billions of revenue has been generated with advertising money behind it. The Coke-Mentos campaign model introduces the idea of the audience capable of actively managing the media through demanding new features and options suitable to their individualistic lifestyle (Spurgeon, 2009).

The dramatic shifting of advertisement placement from the traditional media to the new one is bringing a serious issue on how the television and broadcast industry will continue to serve its purpose when its means of support is venturing out to another medium. As we are living in an exponential time (Fisch, 2007), everything goes quickly in a colossal form.

Advertising is everywhere and technology will continue to make it easier to be in every possible place. Interactive marketing on the internet has exceeded the wonderful feature of television where companies can track their customers on the web, engage on a dialogue with them and even anticipate their thinking just by their buying behaviour (Berger, 2001).

The advancement of human technology becomes unstoppable and uncontrollable; and the survival of the fittest lie on everything that is new, fast, easy and spontaneous. Television and radio sets may be replaced by computers; however the content as well as the quality may not be the same without advertising money to sustain the production. Advertising being the major financer is not just changing the face of the media in the future but taking it to its way to extinction. As internet becomes the new arena, will advertising cost as much as of the traditional media so it could continue to survive at its best? Or, will the media keep its survival and manage to evolve into a more versatile form until another powerful technology arrives? Will the cost to view a television show or listen to a radio programme be as expensive as paying a subscription because of lack of advertisement? Or perhaps, if traditional media survive this shift and attract significant followers could once again earn advertisers’ support? Only time can tell and it is not far from now.

REFERENCES

Berger, Warren (2001), Advertising Today, Phaidon Press; London, New York.
Briggs, Assa & Burke, Peter (2005), A Social History of the Media: From Gutenberg to the Internet (2nd Edition), Polity; Cambridge.
Chapman, Jane (2005), Comparative Media History: An Introduction (1789 to the present), Polity; Cambridge.
Copeland Michael (2009), The End of Paper? (article), Fortune Magazine, TIME Inc.; Accessed 21 March 2009 - Business Source Premier (EBSCO).
Fisch, Karl (2007) Shift Happens?, http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/2006/08/did-you-know.html
Harrison, David (2004), Arts: Encyclopaedia of Television (2nd Edition), Fitzroy Dearborn-Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.; New York, London. Accessed 21 March 2009- Emerald Insights.
Howell, Nick (2009), Contents need to be everywhere to reach its audience (article), New Media Age, Centaur Communication; London. Accessed 19 March 2009 – Nexis UK.
Kaye, Barbara & Johnson, Thomas (2003) From here to Obscurity?: Media Substitution Theory and Traditional Media in an On-line World.; Journal of the American Society for Information Science, Wiley Periodicals Inc; USA. Date accessed 19 March 2009.
Lee, Monle & Johnson, Carla (2005), Principles of Advertising: A Global Perspective (2nd Edition), Haworth Press, Inc.; New York.
Long, Danielle (2008), Absolute Radio launches online player (article), New Media Age, Centaur Communication; London. Accessed 19 March 2009- Nexis UK.
Megehee, Carol (2008), Advertising time expansion, compression and cognitive processing influences on customer acceptance of message and brand, Journal of Business Research; Elsevier Inc.; Louisiana. Accessed 21 March 2009- ScienceDirect.
Paisley, William (1993), Knowledge Utilization: The Role of New Communication Technologies, Journal of the American Society for Information Science, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; USA. Date accessed 19 March 2009.
Spurgeon, Christina (2008) Advertising and New Media, Taylor and Francis Routledge; London & New York.

THOSE WE LOVE THE BEST

Ok, lately I officially planned to make my blogs more academic rather than emotional and personal. Mixed with my art gallery on my website, I thought I want to feature my not-so clever ideas and leave my melancholic poet side. This might confuse whoever will read my blogs as I seem like losing my focus again but in the first place, Im not even sure is there is anyone reading these stuff so I think I will just carry on with my writing.

I remember this great poem that I use to memorise... I remember a few years back.

They say the world is round, and yet
I often think it's square;
So many little hurts we get
from corners here and there.
There is one truth in life I've found
while journeying east and west,
The only folk we really wound
are those we love the best.

The choicest garb, the sweetest grace
are oft to strangers shown;
The careless word, the frowning face,
are given to our own.
We flatter those we scarcely know,
we please the fleeting guest,
And deal full many a thoughtless blow
to those we love the best.

By Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Sometimes people neglect us, sometimes we neglect people. The ones that we care the most, and the ones who care for us. It has been said, "you'll never miss the water until it's gone", I am writing this thought because I dont want to miss any opportunities to express my love to those who suffered because of my carelessness. By means of writing here, the people around me, the ones I love so much... they may have thought I never cared at all, but I do... in fact I may have failed to show but I never failed to do.

THAT NAUGHTY TESCO AD.

When I first saw this TESCO television commercial, I thought it was nasty, the fact that it is directly comparing itself to its main competitor ASDA with its prices cheaper than the latter. Yes, it could be a healthy competition, mainly beneficial to the consumers. Im sure a lot of people were convinced that TESCO is surely "better" than ASDA as the commercial claims. This is one of the wonders of marketing, to make the people believe, influence and persuade them to buy or not to buy.

This is not the first time I saw a commercial in UK that is doing the same. Some advertisements for an insurance company, bank and some food products directly competing themselves against their rival on a paid commercial. Is it lawful? I asked myself the same question. But I couldn't care at all. and competitive markets such as the UK and EU surely have one of the best legal systems in the world. As far as I know, this has also been done in the United States. I remember in the Philippines, one of the advertising ethics is to advertise against a competing brand anonymously. Advertisers can not name the targeted brand, nor show any significant trademarks that can identify its competitors otherwise, litigation is always the end point. This is to protect the advertisers from any destructive propaganda against their own built brands.

Granting that the UK allows healthy competition such as this, as TESCO deliberately tells the whole world that they are way better than ASDA in terms of product prices and value, and that shopping with them means buying more than in ASDA; it is possibly impacting the latter's sales because of this campaign.

As for ASDA, I am concerned about thinking why don't they produce a counter-act campaign against TESCO? The baskets shown are piled up and only the topmost are filled. This is a picture of a more customers shopping at ASDA due to the number of baskets left on pile. On a creative point-of-view, ASDA can claim that because their prices are of true value, more customers are shopping that is why they have 709 baskets left on stack compared to 1020 empty baskets on TESCO. This could make it a healthier competition between the two.

FIRST DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MARKETER

This is an idea from nowhere. When sometimes you are relaxing on a lazy afternoon, or busy beating a deadline, sometimes when you are simply asleep and suddenly you wake up with the noises that’s irritating your brain, your mind is just too busy with ideas... this is where it is coming from and this is how it started.

Most of the time I am tired of writing about things, I had my blog site that is waiting to be updated. I only write there when I am feeling a celebrity, when I want to write about myself and what I feel, sometimes just my artistic and poetic expression. This time is more serious. With things that I get from lectures and never-ending reading of journals and articles and simply just my busy mind observing almost everything that is covered by my senses. That is me, a curious and out-of-the box thinking creature.

As I love my passion with arts and paintings in which this website is originally intended for, I am including personal reflections, maybe some interesting course works and just a daily opinion about things around to cover my business side, well marketing in particular. It is about me, what I am, and what I can do.

GREAT LEARNING, GREAT EXPERIENCE, GREAT FUN

After some time, I've been off my blogs although I never failed to visit. Time has run fast and before I know it, loads of things has come along my way. Where did I stop? I was writing about my dissapointment about the place for an MA Fine Arts course offered which was withdrawn later on and yeah, I've got to go with the course that was initially offered to me by the University of Northumbria in Newcastle.

The past few months were all fun and new experiences, without forgetting the never-ending problems coming one after another and so on. New people, different cultures, personalities, annoying attitudes, cheeky fun and great amount of pressures... all in nearly six months.

Everything seemed new to me, being out of academic environment for nearly 5 years? (God.. I never realised I'm this old!) and here I am, feeling like having a brand new life, fresh and promising. I've got good friends who constantly support me and my family who's always willing to catch me everytime I fall (lol). It is indeed a great learning experience, the cultures, the world of researches, strategies.. I'm starting to get tired of these terms but it's making sense to me; and great experience as well, having the good and the bad from every sides... yeah, great and fantastic as it appears but Northumbria University has a dark side too. Find out.

ART & BETRAYAL

When do I know if its over? When do I know if its the dead end? When do I know if its about time to end a dream and wake up to reality? How do I know if its real or still a dream?

I am an artist. In my soul, in my heart and in every bits of myself. Over the years, I carried on and off, went on a different track, succeeded.. hence, I wanted to satisfy my passion back to being an artist.

I always battle with myself and my self-criticising nature that's why most of the time I have my artwork end up in the bin or just simply shelved in forever. Definitely I wanted to be at par with other artists. I wanted to back up my skills with an academic foundation, something to establish my realistic confidence.

Does a University degree strictly make one a real artist? When you came from other field of studies, does it mean you can't become one like artistic intellectual? You can paint, you can create, you are more than able to use your imagination, you can think and conceptualise and futhermore, you are more than able to explore... but when someone says NO... do you need to think of the end???

NEGLECT & REGRET

I'd say goodbye for now, I know it will be long

before we see each other again

I know it will not be the same

as the old days when we were as free as the birds

but no matter what, you will always be my best friend.

I remember the days when we simply spend time

talk about stupid things and laugh like crazy

long time ago when I was fragile

you were there to cheer me up

You spoiled me like a pampered child

you treated me as your brother

you never failed to remember me even if I do

My heart is bleeding and my soul cries

regret is killing me, I wish I didn't neglect you

I know its too late, I am suffering the price

My bestfriend, I am now alone

I wish you are here so I would feel the same happy as I was

They say 'you'll not miss the water until it's gone'

and I do realise that now, I wish I could turn back the time.

My bestfriend, goodbye for now

we will see each other again in a distant future

my heart will never change even if your's do

I will always cherish the moment that we had

I wish I get over this pain of losing you.

THE LEGEND HAPPENED IN CHINA.. TODAY.

The recently held 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony has been remarkable, earning so much respect and amazement over its host country, China. Several media commentators have expressed their salute to this one of the most outstanding events in the history of the Olympiad, and China so far is the only country who exceeded the grandest Olympics hosting ever made.

This time, the once regarded 'The Sleeping Giant' has proved the whole world that it was never asleep and has been making history over thousand of years ago. Very rich culture and tradition, great nature and wonderful people... this country has taken its toll to shine over the whole world.

Despite of the issues and challenges behind, with the protest to free Tibet, the human rights offenses in China and other political issues that threaten to boycott the event, everything went successful and China once again tasted the sweet triumph.

Lets just hope that everything about these problems take within the right place at the right time. Olympics is for the whole world to celebrate unity .. should not be political in any way.

A CHALLENGE TO MY FAITH

I was watching a series of documentary about geological discovery of artifacts linking to Jesus Christ's possible remains as a suspected burial ground was uncovered few years back and believed to be the family of Jesus'... including his. This has caused controversy as it contradicted the Bible's statement having Christ ascended into heaven after resurrection, and furthermore linking to the idea that Mary Magdalene was married to Jesus as her ossuary(geologist believed) was found along with Jesus' (based on geologists' initial conclusion).

Following this, I was inspired to create another work that has a religious theme, not directly because I was greatly affected by the show but this has been one of my dream project. I usually dont plan my next artwork, I just carry on with what comes to my mind... so this is the outcome.

Having seen the result, my comissioner was amused and commended me for a very nice painting in-progress. He then suggested and offered to commision to do an art something extremely intriguing and I would say scandalous... to make a painting of Jesus and Mary Magdalene making love. I didnt agree on the idea despite of a big amount of money and opportunity to be recognised. I was once repremanded for painting a Madonna and Child naked.. (the art was shelved and never finished as I was asked to dress it up).... and I would never do the same offence again. Im not a very religious person but I was raised with a solid foundation of faith. I told my comissioner, God gave me the talent... I wouldnt do use it to destroy him no matter what.

ART ONLINE

These are my latest ongoing project, both are untitled and soon to be completed.

60cm x 60cm oil on canvas seascape

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40cm x 30cm oil on canvas, still life

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THESE IMAGES ARE COPYRIGHT PROTECTED

LIVING MY PASSION

I write, I compose, sometimes I sing... yeah, I do!! But this time I paint. I finally finished my latest painting (well... almost). This is my second version of "The Birth of Venus", which took me almost a total of three weeks to complete. Unlike the first one, this is more detailed and more realistic highlighting the use of light and shadow againts high contrast and bright colours.

The artwork is 16" x 14", oil on canvas mounted on a half-inch pine back frame and is expected to be completed this month.

Another completed painting is "Summerwind" which is inspired by fantastic summer view around Malton in North Yorkshire, 40" x 10" oil on canvas, unframed.

ART GALLERY II

"SUMMERWIND"

10" x 14" oil on canvas

July, 2008

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"SUNSET"
14" x 16" oil on canvas
July, 2008

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COPYRIGHT PROTECTED

http://www.teddyrabida.com/

LAKE DISTRICT ADVENTURE : My First English Exploration

This is my very first holiday in England. The sky went pissing down all the time though we were blessed by a single sunny, warm day that gave us the opportunity to climb up the Langdale Pikes, went out of track, got lost and made our own way back against wild grasses, bushes of ferns, thorny shrubs and trees... and finally had a couple of pints at The Stickle Tarn Tavern to treat ourselves for the long, strenous and full of adventure walk.

We visited the Aira Force in Ullswater where we took these magnificent photos despite of a gloomy cold weather and constantly pissing down. Ravenglass gave us a seaside view and at least an experiance to ride a mini-train where the view alongside was fantastic. Other than that, i found nothing extraordinary with the place but not forgetting a nice playground.

The way along Wrynose and Hardknott Pass was breath-taking and finally we missed to take photographs of the Stickle Tarn where I almost passed out while climbing up the rocky hills and cliffs but generally the view up there was absolutely worth it and rewarding.

Other attaction includes the Old English wallings on the fields, Im greatly fascinated by the way it's made.. they call it 'Dry Docking', the mountain goats, some rabbit (we didnt kill any, it was an accident), the money tree in Aira Force and stone bridges. Along with friends, Yut, Charlie, Moddy, Mark and, Eddie and with Iain.. the holiday went all lots of fun and excitement despite of the heavy rain.

A HUNDRED YEARS ECLIPSE

Tonight I've been to the future and back to the past

millions of images on my mind, just too hard to explain

God let me sleep

I feel strange in bed, with the one next to me

i want this night to pass as fast as it could

this is the longest night of my life.

GOD SAVE THE rICE AGE

Rice is coming to an extinction and human race is in serious danger. The effects of global warming has destroyed agricultural lands, flooding some parts and at the same time drought made the rest of it barren. Rice farming is being abandoned as a line of work as other opportunities such as city life and modernisation is being considered by agriculture workers. Plantations being developed into real estates and industrial sites, vast fields being converted as grasslands for cattle raising which literally provides more income than the traditional rice and crops propagation. Population expansion is in great demand of food for everyone, famine is being experienced in some parts of the world and its becoming a serious problem.

While the rest of the world are busy resolving the problems concerning the destruction of the ozone layer, here comes another world phenomenon. Food shortage is being suffered in places that were known to be the producers of the world. Countries like Thailand, Vietnam, India and Philippines were vast rice suppliers for decades and now are undergoing a serious dilemma… coping up with globalisation of trades by exporting rice throughout the world leaving no supply to its local consumers. These factors may result in great poverty.. . that may possibly cause war in the long run as nation will go against another fighting for survival. Competition amongst privileged and the less- fortunate ones may possibly rise creating conflicts and insurgencies.
People of today must see these reality and act to save the world. Human existence is at risk and if we don’t act on it now, the rest of the genius world will turn into history.

ROCK MISS WORLD, ROCK!

The recently concluded beauty pageant Binibining Pilipinas 2008 created upheaval amongst many Filipinos as according to some, judges’ decision seems a bit controversial. Foreign and local media highlighted the event focusing on the announced winner Bb. Pilipinas- World, Janina San Miguel and it’s being widely criticised on the internet.
This is one of the most anticipated events to most Filipinos along with Manny Pacquiao and other pinoy boxers’ match on an international arena as the delegates selected will represent the country to various worldwide competitions. This year’s winner for Philippines’ delegate to Miss World pageant extremely made her greatest breakthrough. A seventeen year-old, Mass Communication freshman is from the University of the East – my alma mater.

As I read some news clips on the internet about this and learned that one of the winners is a UE student, I went on further and to my dismay, saw several video clips at youtube about the controversial question-and-answer of Ms. San Miguel.

I can hardly believe that this situation did really happen and it’s just unbelievable as this could only be heard on common jokes about obnoxious pinoy English knowing that Philippines is one of the call centre capital of the world.
In my honest opinion, Ms. San Miguel did a great job as she finally made it to win the crown and she caused wakefulness to most of the Filipino people. In the middle of continuous political turmoil in the country, at least there are some other things that our people could divert their attention at. In addition to, this may have called the attention to improve our educational system as Philippines is not going far behind to progression.

University of the East and all educational institutions could play an important role on this particularly by improving its system to help students to be academically and socially prepared on situations like this. I could recall when I was at UE, 8 years ago, Speech classes were provided but it really didn’t help us at all. Our Speech Comm. Professor couldn’t even pronounce English words correctly and unbelievably most of us finished the course without understanding and learning the basic and Standard English Vowels and Consonant applications, which is very important in accent training and oral and conversational English. We were introduced to the Mock Radio facility for vocal modulation but never used it ever. Entirely, the whole speech class was in writing.

Philippines has a very promising future in Call Centre industry and many Filipinos are doing well with a call-centre career. Trainings are provided efficiently and this is becoming the starter to many Pinoy aspirants, in which they should have it in their high school and college courses. Few years back, there were reports about 2 out of 20 applicants for a call centre makes it and 1 out of 2 makes it to the final interview. Evidently, Filipino people are genuinely diversed people who could easily adapt to any learning advancement.

Janina San Miguel’s journey to win the Miss World crown is going further if Filipinos would take the situation in a positive light. This may be funny but not enough reason to make fun with, instead, why don’t we help each other to improve each and everyone? Foreign people doesn’t really care about speaking a perfect language, afterall, it’s the thought that counts and the person’s overall personality.

PINOY ULTIMATE SURVIVORS

Our TFC (The Filipino Channel, a local Philippine television network subscription made available worldwide, powered by ABS-CBN company) service was restored back after 5 straight months. Realising that we were getting out dated with Philippines’ current events and news, particularly the rise-and-fall of Philippine peso in the world market, we decided to re-subscribe to the service.

Unsurprisingly, after few days of watching, I went exhausted and sick of the program Wowowee which is being aired during noontime in the Philippines. This show is absolutely filthy I should say. Claiming that it is to help millions of poor Filipino family to have a chance of winning a cash prize at the same time having fun in front of the national television, this sounds fair enough but looking at the entire picture, it is indirectly putting the whole Filipinos to humiliation as its being viewed worldwide.
These poor people are extremely looking pathetic in front of the national television in exchange of a little amount of cash while the rest of the world is having fun watching them thinking that its cause is to provide charities to the less fortunate. The more desperate-looking you are, the more cash you’ll get seems to be one of its’ game agenda.
This situation maybe funny in some point, but I strongly believe that it’s not something that one should make fun with. It’s absolutely disturbing as you can see; these poor people are really trying hard to look miserable in order to win a prize. Remembering the tragedy of the Ultra Stampede few years back, several lives were jeopardised for the same reasons and yet, our poor people didn’t seem to learn their lessons at all. They cant be blamed, as this opportunity could basically provide them extra fortune regardless of how humiliating they may be as afterall, everyone may think, these are all for fun. But its actually not, in fact very sickening. In the law of media ethics, a responsible broadcasting is strictly observed. Basically, the main objective is to expose the truth for the awareness of everyone concerned, however, there are some limitations that should be considered for the welfare of the viewers and everyone involved. Looking at these helpless people perform to look silly to win a cash prizes is as bad as watching a bleeding crippled person, being asked to dance in exchange of help.
ABS-CBN is a powerful network equipped with talented people working behind the scenes and the show’s host Willie Revillame is an equally talented person with a distinct charisma, definitely this would keep the show at its best even if they slightly reformat the show’s concept a little bit.

Lastly, the Filipino people is capable of doing something more than dancing, singing out of tune, making fun of themselves and struggling for a couple amount of money, whether rich or poor. A typical pinoy with dignity and pride is a survivor for all times, and this is what the world wants to see.

NON JE NE REGRETTE RIEN

I won’t regret loving you, I never will
The risks I took and the fears I had
Its all nothing against your worth
The joy you give and the smile you bring
Your arms around me and the moments we shared

You and me against the world
The distance between us
The lonesome each time we go apart
I wont regret as everything is worth enduring for

I live with fears, that one day you maybe gone
When my life is in your hand and my happiness is in your love
But I wont regret my love as you’ve given me your best

If one day I get hurt, if it happen that I fail
I will still be thankful
For somehow you made me believe in love
I will not succumb in pain

When I die, I wont be regretful
My life went meaningful, you made it complete
You gave me love, more than I deserve
I could wish for perpetuity, but I wont regret.

No, no regrets.
When you live, expect death
And in love, there will be pain
For every hope, there is a fear behind
Don’t regret , all the things are meant to be.

_______________________

Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien

Non, Rien De Rien, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Ni Le Bien Qu`on M`a Fait, Ni Le Mal
Tout Ca M`est Bien Egal

Non, Rien De Rien, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
C`est Paye, Balaye, Oublie, Je Me Fous Du Passe

Avec Mes Souvenirs J`ai Allume Le Feu
Mes Shagrins, Mes Plaisirs,
Je N`ai Plus Besoin D`eux
Balaye Les Amours Avec Leurs Tremolos
Balaye Pour Toujours
Je Reparas A Zero

Non, Rien De Rien, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Ni Le Bien Qu`on M`a Fait, Ni Le Mal
Tout Ca M`est Bien Egal
Non, Rien De Rien, Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien
Car Ma Vie, Car Me Joies
Aujourd`hui Ca Commence Avec Toi Non Je Ne Regrette Rien

LA MôME

She came from nowhere, down to the streets of Paris and she had the world at her feet. With strong adoration to St. Therese of the Child Jesus, a child with so much hope but less fate, Edith became one of the world's most famous person. Her talent was the only weapon, with her love as her fortress and her entire life as the battlefield, she conquered and triumphed over the whole world. She died of a cancer, caused by alcohol and heroin, at the peak of her fame but her life was never wasted as she lived to the fullest of it. She is an admirable woman with a brilliant life and a legendary existence.

Edith Piaf was nobody to me until I've watched La Môme, a masterpiece by Olivier Dahan and starred by Marion Cotillard. The film tribute to the legendary Edith Piaf earned various recognitions all over the world and the most awaited and anticipated Oscars 2008.

Technically, La MôME is outstanding. The mileu is set perfectly with all the time elements of the early 20th century. The phasing is absolutely artistic as it jumps from one phase of her life to another and back, making us desire to watch it again entirely. One of the best parts of it is when she was lamenting over Marcel's death, transitioning to her coming out to the stage. Its very symbolic as her life went revolving around her lovelife and the desperation due to the loss of her love resulted to coming back to the stage to perform once again.

The portrayal of Edith's life on this film is marvelous and very moving. I've read one review about this, critizising the film's perspective as according to the critic, it focused on the bad story of her. I strongly believe that the film is very powerful, the element of pain and sorrow made it even more interesting. This picture showed us how Edith Piaf went with her life, with drug addiction, alcoholism and her illness, that afterall, everyone could tell at the end of the movie that she lived a wonderful life and remained adorable despite of everything. Million of people today knows Edith at heart because of this film. Her rise and fall became an inspiration to everyone to appreciate life, fate and of course, her legendary music.