27
Sep

On death, 1

My earliest memory of death and dying was when my paternal grandfather died. It was hazy at most, but I do remember some details about it. Like during the wake at Sampaloc, I know I was sick, covered by bedsheets, at the bed where my grandfather used to sleep.  Then I can also remember the burial itself, where I was hoisted above the coffin (some sort of tradition, where children were hoisted above the coffin, from one side to the other – it meant angels guiding the soul of the dead to heaven, or so I was told). The rest I can now remember because of the pictures.

I had twins for cousins, though they lasted only 2 days in this world. They were born premature – their mother slipped from the stairs, and they were born a month early. The coffins were tiny; I was shocked at how small they were. They were buried at the same cemetery where my grandfather was buried, at the family plot where my grandfather’s remains were to be transferred when my grandmother passes away.

A neighbor died from emphysema years ago. It was not a sad death, for us at least. He was mean and uncouth, thinking that his affiliation with his religion would save him. One time, the brother was to open the gate for my aunt when the neighbor’s dog treacherously bit him in the leg. I had to rush the brother to San Lazaro Hospital for anti-rabies shots.

The next day, mom went to the owner of the dog to have the expenses reimbursed. The old man exploded, shouting expletives at my mom. When I was to get out for school, he also shouted at me. Did not bother looking at him. Everything went downhill from there. When we had to open the gate, we had to bring an arnis stick.

When he died, I didn’t know what to feel. Should I be relieved? Should I be saddened? We sat down in the wake, and went to the burial. I was with my father when the body was brought to the cemetery. We were walking ahead of the hearse, as if we were angels of death delivering a lost soul somewhere. If only this was true, I know where to deliver his soul.

When my paternal grandmother celebrated her last birthday, I was not able to come. I knew then that she was suffering from a debilitating disease, limiting her movement, up to a point where she was bedridden for days. So when I saw a picture of her with all of her children, I was so shocked with what I saw. She was so thin!

Then she had to be confined for diagnosis and possible treatment.  I wasn’t able to talk to her doctors in deference to my uncles and aunts (and my father, of course), so I don’t know what’s ailing her. Asking relatives was futile – they don’t know, either. I remember the doctors wanted to do a biopsy, but her children refused.

So she remained there, bedridden, her left leg swollen for unknown reasons, nagpaltos. She got bedsores, she had a tube where osterized food can be delivered. Her blood sugar level fluctuated like crazy. One day the doctors had to inject her with insulin, on another they had to raise her blood sugar. They had to transfer the IV line when the arm became swollen.

She was so frustrated with everything. She couldn’t talk. She wanted to take off all those tubes and lines that we had to tie her arms up. Whenever we ask her if she wanted to go home, she always tried to get up, but she couldn’t.

Her children alternated in attending to her. Two people had to attend to her – she couldn’t be left alone, for she would take every opportunity to remove the lines and tubes. I got to get hospital duty one night, with her niece. It was not a nice experience. Whenever we doze off, she would move and attempt to remove the IV. Of course, we would wake up and stop her. You could really feel her frustration.

The months/days approaching Christmas was harrowing and scary. Stretches of time she was in intensive care. After she recovered, she was transferred to the regular ward. Then her situation would deteriorate, and back she was in ICU. Hours before Christmas eve was spent on the hospital. When we got home, we did not feel like celebrating, so we all went to sleep.

Several days later, she almost died. The doctors had revived her, but they told us that the next attack might be the final one. They asked if they wanted us to revive her when it comes. It was an excruciating decision.

The way they revived her made them decide. When it happened, they gave her lots of medicines, then they employed those electricity something. I think they had asked her about this, and understood. Even if she couldn’t talk, she nodded.

New Year’s Eve. My father went home, coming from the hospital. Her situation was grave. Even though the New Year was coming, we celebrated half-heartedly. We were looking for hope when we knew it was hopeless. The irony was not lost to us back then: when everyone was looking forward for the coming year, we were dreading its coming.

At 2AM, as we were about to call it a night, I got a text message from a cousin. Our grandmother was dead.

At the burial, I was puzzled. While everyone was crying, I wasn’t. Sure, there was sadness, but how come no tears were falling?

Then later on I realized why. The months that she was hospitalized served for me as times of gradual grieving. The inevitability of death had forced me to accept the fact. Seeing her suffer in the hospital bed with all of those IV lines and oxygen tanks and electronic monitors; seeing her trying to get up whenever we asked her if she wanted to go home; seeing her trying to remove all those contraptions; these things broke our hearts. Every day of her stay in the hospital was a day of questions, of sadness, of inevitable loss.

And now the specter of death faces our family once again, five years after my grandmother died. As I felt helpless back then, I feel helpless now. There are times you just cannot do anything; yet in the back of my mind I always ask the question: have I done everything I could?

My paternal aunt is suffering from end-stage renal failure. She needs to undergo a lifetime of dialysis; kidney transplant is out of the question for her. The family, with her consent, had decided to forego dialysis. She doesn’t want to ruin us financially.

Yes. We have condemned her to death. And it is a shame.

24
Sep

Enjoy superior picture quality and the latest technology: BD-P1500

Enjoy the amazing world of Blu-ray with Samsung

Everything about it whispers gently of elegance, from its sleek, sophisticated style and beautiful black design theme, to its state of the art, groundbreaking technology. Once again Samsung’s innovative development of leading next generation technology ensures that the world’s most exceptional visual clarity and richest sound quality are delivered, allowing the deepest range of emotions to be embraced, experienced, and enjoyed. Enjoy the very best that the 21st century has to offer; premium, precision technology and timeless style.

Full HD 1080p images of perfection

With the BD-P1500, Samsung have created a powerful Blu-ray player that delivers the highest quality images imaginable. With Full HD 1080p, the most inspirational home viewing experience is made available. 1080p/24Hz video out signaling mirrors that of the Blu-ray disc‘s original content, delivering picture perfect images. The BD-P1500 even up-scales conventional DVD content to 1080p through the single cable HDMI 1.3 interface; noticeably enhancing the picture quality of the DVD movie so that it appears more detailed, more vivid, and more real. By performing at a level that outperforms theater quality, the BD-P1500 unlocks a deeper range of emotions, and delivers the most richly rewarding viewing ever to be experienced.

Theater quality sound in your home

Samsung are known for their innovative development and use of leading technologies to further their explorations in AV excellence. With the BD-P1500, every effort has been made to make the consumers’ experience as inspirational as possible. The desire to create a sonic environment which rivals, or surpasses the theater has led to the creation of the most vivid, rich, and deeply emotional sound environment. Supporting Dolby Digital+, Dolby True HD, and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio decoding, superlative sound are made available. The most powerful surround sound environment will leave a more lasting impact upon the listener, allowing for a truer sense of interactive entertainment.

Premium style, precision design

Samsung are synonymous with sophisticated, superior product design. Their use of high glossy black design with soft blue lighting has seen Samsung establish themselves as a design innovator over the past 2 years. With a soft minimal design, organic curves, and elegance, the BD-P1500 continues this legacy. Its contemporary black design theme is an irresistible statement of excellence, passion, and precision that enhances each and every aspect of a home or lifestyle. Sensuously simple, yet premium, the BD-P1500 offers design matching that helps create the ultimate modern living room environment.

Anynet+, Ethernet, and backwards compatibility: complete comfort

For the lifestyle that is always on the go, Samsung appreciate the importance of leisure time. In order to facilitate maximum relaxation and unsurpassed comfort, the BD-P1500 is packed with convenient functions. Samsung’s own Anynet + technology allows the Blu-ray player to be connected to all Samsung AV products, enabling one remote control device to control the entire home entertainment environment. A new level of comfort, control, and convenience is born, leaving more time to appreciate the finer points of relaxation. Easy upgrade options are made available via the Ethernet port. This innovative facility enables new firmware to be downloaded, ensuring the very best in entertainment. While the BD-P1500 is at the forefront of Blu-ray technology, it is also fully backwards compatible, meaning that old favorites can be enjoyed time and time again. DVD and CD playback is enhanced to near HD quality; enjoy the past, experience the present, and embrace the future.

Enjoy the ultimate home theater environment

Take the step into the future of digital entertainment with Samsung. BD-P1450 is a revolutionary BD player with the most advanced, consumer driven features currently available. Experience a new world of wonder, a world in which digital dreams become digital delight. With unsurpassed image and sound, movies become more than mere entertainment; they become as lifelike and real as you could ever imagine. Share the delight with family and friends; the crisp clarity of sound, the perfect image integrity, the total immersion in a phenomenal home theater experience.

BD-P1500
>>1080p Full HD
>>HDMI version 1.3
>>BD/DVD/CD Playback >>Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC)
>>DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio, Dolby True HD, Bitstream out support
>>Dolby True HD, Dolby Digital+, DTS-HD High Resolution Audio decoding
>>Ethernet for Firmware Upgrade

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18
Sep

My P1,000 Morning Food Trip

It started benignly enough. I woke up earlier than usual to bring my Dear to her office in Greenhills, a mere 25 minutes away including mild traffic. On my way home I decided to look for Pasteleria Mallorca which I knew was somewhere along Sct. Fuentebella in Quezon City– also 25 minutes from my house but in the opposite direction.

Pasteleria Mallorca’s products are actually available in supermarkets– I’ve tried (and like) their lenguas de gato, palillos de Madrid, and galletas San Nicolas— but I’ve always wanted to visit their shop not only to buy their pastries but also to try their old-school ensaimadas, which are supposed to be the best in town.

So there I was, driving down the length of Sct. Fuentebella looking for a pastry shop, thinking it should stand out in what’s mainly a residential street. No luck. After seeing the same houses four times I decided to call it quits and go home. So as not to let my detour be a total waste, I thought I might as well pass by Estrel’s on the corner of Sct. Tobias and Sct. Limbaga.

Estrel’s, established in 1946, is actually famous for its caramel cake which is I should say really superb– it’s one of those cakes in which everything is actually good: cake, filling, icing, flowers, etc. But since I wasn’t in the mood for cake I decided to buy a box of food for the gods, at P360 for 20 pieces. They’re very delicious and you can tell they only use premium ingredients, but I find it quite pricey since I’m already happy with those generic versions you can buy in any supermarket. But if you want food for the gods that is worthy of, well, God, then do buy a box from Estrel’s. As for me, next time I’ll stick to the caramel cake.

Heading back home, I impulsively parked at Santi’s Delicatessen along Timog Avenue, unable resist rummaging though a well-stocked grocery. They did have a good selection of cheeses, canned goods, meats, sausages, etc., but I could find 90% of them in other supermarkets at a marginally cheaper price. I was also looking for some Russian sturgeon caviar which I can’t find anywhere in this country, and neither did I find it there. I ended up buying two links of pork cervelat, two links of veal bratwurst, and three links of Italian garlic pork sausage for a total of P295.40. This amount is actually enough for at least six meals so at around P50 per meal it’s a pretty good deal.

While on the Santi’s checkout line I met Mrs. Tess Morato-Lazatin, a daughter of Tomas Morato (yes, the street’s namesake). She mentioned that, as a hobby, she makes morcillas and chorizos and cooks made-to-order paella (10 people minimum), using recipes from her home in Spain. Obviously she didn’t have any products on hand so I got her contact info and I’ll surely order some chorizos when my current stock runs out, maybe even some paella if I feel like splurging. I mentioned I was in the area looking for Pasteleria Mallorca, and lo and behold, she knew where it is– 18 Sct. Fuentebella.

So back I drove to Sct. Fuentebella, looking for No. 18 which I’m sure I’ve seen before. And yes, I’ve seen it before– that green-gated house that looks like the other houses beside it with nary a clue that it makes Spanish pastries on site. Well they do have a sign on the gate, if a plastic-covered piece of paper with words you’ll only be able to read if you step off your car and walk up to it counts as a sign.

And there I was, at the first cause of my detour, the home-based factory of the Pasteleria Mallorca line of pastries as well as the Mega Mexicana line of tacos and dips (never knew they were made by the same company). First order of business was the ensaimada– they had none. They make them only during the afternoon, freshly baked at around 2:30pm. Sigh. I guess I’ll have to order some in advance then. But since I also went there for the pastries, particularly the lenguas de gato, it wasn’t a total let-down. Besides, they also had some frozen sans rival and tarta Madrid, but they were too much for me at the time. I ended up buying a jar of lenguas de gato (P210), a jar of palillos de Madrid (P135), and a pack of argellanas (P60).

So that’s P1,060.40 worth of various food stuffs bought on a whim. And it wasn’t even lunchtime.

17
Sep

Join the Nokia Kaleidoscope of Connections contest!

Can you produce a video on how you connect with others using mobile technology? In 2 days? In a day?

If you are up to the challenge, then this one’s for you. Join the Nokia Kaleidoscope of Connections contest.

CONTEST RULES

1. Your video must run for 1 minute and up to maximum of 5 minutes. Upload your video in the Kaleidoscope channel on Share on Ovi site.

2. The video must also be uploaded in your personal blog with a link back to the Ovi site.

3. The Blog where the video was posted and the specific link to the video post (that is, the Ovi URL) must be submitted here.

4. You can use any camera or cameraphone for shooting your video.

* Entries should be posted on or before September 15, 2008 (extended till midnight Sept 19)
* Announcement of winners will be on September 21, 2008 during the 2008 Philiipine Blog Awards awarding
* Videos submitted should not have been used in any other contest
* Videos should be General Patronage – No R-18!
* Videos submitted will be property of Nokia Philippines, Inc.

Game? Join now!

17
Sep

My privilege speech in support of SB 2464

I stand here today on a question of personal and collective privilege. Last July 4, 2008, you, Mr. President, had filed Senate Bill 2464, with the title “Anti-Obscenity and Pornography Act of 2008.” Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I find the said bill laudable, timely, and very much needed in order to maintain the moral fiber of the society.

However, I find the bill lacking. There is a growing malaise in our society that destroys our moral fiber, damages our youth’s sense of morality, and mutilates our country’s moral foundation. This malaise has not been addressed by this bill.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I therefore propose to insert the following additions to the said bill.

The bill defines obscene as follows:

“(a) “Obscene” refers to anything that is indecent or offensive or contrary to good customs or religious beliefs, principles or doctrines, or tends to corrupt or deprave the human mind, or is calculated to excite impure thoughts or arouse prurient interest, or violates the proprieties of language and human behavior, regardless of the motive of the producer, printer, publisher, writer, importer, seller, distributor or exhibitor such as, but not limited to:
(1) showing, depicting or describing sexual acts;
(2) showing, depicting or describing human sexual organs or the
(3) showing, depicting or describing completely nude human
(4) describing erotic reactions, feelings or experiences on sexual female breasts; bodies; acts; or
(5) performing live sexual acts of whatever form.”

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, I find the definition incomplete, specifically on actions that are deemed obscene by the said bill. For the malaise that I had talked about earlier is not included in this bill. Granting that the clause “such as, but not limited to” covers every obscene acts that human thinking can invent, is it not better form if we specify all obscene acts? Surely this will give little room for the judiciary to interpret this law, but we cannot have the spirit of this bill subjected to interpretation by a very liberal judge?

Saying that, I think that this malaise need to be be specified in this bill. I therefore propose to insert the following, with your permission, Mr. President?

* include “speaker” in the list of actors in an obscene act
* insert “(6) expressing political thoughts” in the list of obscene acts.

Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, our countrymen are tired of political speeches that meant nothing. These kind of speeches bring false hopes. Are not these speeches “contrary to good customs or religious beliefs, principles or doctrines, or tends to corrupt or deprave the human mind, or is calculated to excite impure thoughts or arouse prurient interest, or violates the proprieties of language and human behavior?” Are not political speeches delivered by government officials, appointed or elected, excite false hopes? Are not false hopes impure thoughts, because false hopes are untrue and impure? Are not political speeches of false hopes works to arouse prurient interests, expressing empty promises?

Our people are tired of holding empty bags, of hearing hollow words. It is high time we declare political speeches as pornography, and ban them immediately. Mr. President, distinguished colleagues, if we fail to insert this in the bill, we will appear to be hypocrites of the worst kind. History will then judge us harshly. The people will reject us with much joy. Our country’s morals will be in tatters. We must not allow these to happen. We must act now.

7
Sep

WordCamp Philippines 2008: Status Report

7 September 2008

To: Head of Logistics

Subject: Volunteer’s Status Report

—–

Arrived at De la Salle College of Saint Benilde‘s Augusto-Rosario Gonzalez Theatre 30 minutes behind schedule. The Head was not pleased. Started by helping out with the badges. Assigned to handle the sponsors’ badges at first, but was reassigned to the food instead. The Head was in charge of THE BADGE TO RULE THEM ALL.

Then the people started streaming in, and I saw myself holding a bar code scanner and scanning camper badges. Don’t ask me how that happened. I had to leave the sponsor badges to Rein. Afterwards, it was all a blur, until THE ONE came in. The Head shouted for volunteers to buy bottled water for THE ONE. The Head insisted that she gets to give the bottled water to THE ONE. But fate, and myriad issues along the way, intervened.

The Head of All Heads bellowed for bottled water to be delivered to THE ONE. But The Head was attending to another pressing matter, and so it was left to me to deliver the bottled water to THE ONE. And what an experience that was – to meet THE ONE face to face; THE ONE who created the blogging platform that I am using right now. I just hope now that I did not babble something stupid that time.

I wasn’t able to sit into any of the breakaway sessions. Was too busy with myriad details, like tending to lost sheeppointing campers to rooms and other menial tasks. Then we had to decide on how to distribute food from Chowking. I trust that the campers liked the arrangement. And the food. And the dessert provided by Spot.PH. Too bad drinks were not provided for. Kudos to the food gang – Fitz, Gwen, Jonel, and CSB student volunteers.

I made sure that I get to attend THE ONE’s State of the Word keynote. After lunch, I got to stay at one of the doors leading to the theater. While prizes were being raffled off, THE ONE went out and got into the VIP room. Looking for something, he approached me for some bottled water. I mumbled that I would hand him a bottle or two, and he said thanks. Gave him two bottles, but he got to drink just one, methinks.

Many are amazed by version 2.7 of WordPress. I find the user interface quite cool, though I have no beef against the current (and the previous) interface. One-click upgrade and plugin install? Count me in. Web hosts won’t be happy, though (security issues and all).

Then we planned on how to distribute the kits. I hope it went well. Kudos to the CSB student volunteers at the lobby for a good job.

After the Q-and-A with THE ONE, the campers just went nuts. Flashes from cameras left and right. That’s how the campers appreciate THE ONE’s work. Well, not only did I have a picture taken with him (thanks, Markku), I had his autograph. How shameless of me.

Seriously, WordPress has revolutionized blogging. If not for WordPress, I would still be blogging at LiveJournal. It is a useful, nifty software, and it’s beauty is in it’s openness. It is easily customizable and extensible, that it can fit any requirements. It led to some sort of blogging revolution here in the Philippines.

I had to skip the after-party due to fatigue, and the fact that I have been lacking in sleep for weeks now.

I can say that WordCamp Philippines is a BIG,HUGE, HUMONGUOUS success! Congratulations to the organizers for such a successful event! Congratulations to all the volunteers, the cogs in the wheel; cogs, maybe, but the wheels won’t turn without them.

I am attaching as appendices the reports made by campers and other volunteers.

Appendices:
* WordCamp Philippines 2008
* WordCamp Philippines 2008
* WordCamp Philippines 2008 : A Success!
* Thoughts on Wordcamp Philippines 2008
* Experiencing WordCamp Philippines 2008
* WordCamp Philippines 2008
* WordCamp Philippines , First Southeast Asia WordCamp
* WordCamp Philippines ’08
* WordCamp Philippines 2008
* WordCamp Philippines
* Matt Mullenweg Highlights from WordCamp Philippines 2008
* WordCamp Philippines Report
* Notes and photos: WordCamp Philippines, a success
* The First WordCamp in Southeast Asia — WordCamp Philippines
* A Goodie from Japan + some WordCamp Philippines 2008 afterthoughts
* WordPress enthusiasts meet for WordCamp Philippines
* LiveBlogging at WordCamp Philippines (6th Sept. 2008!)
* Live Blogging from Wordcamp Philippines 2008
* My WordCamp Philippines 2008 Experience
* the wordcamp in philippines
* WordCamp 2008 Philippines
* My WordCamp Experience
* My WordPress WordCamp Experience
* On WordCamp 2008 and Meeting Mr. WordPress
* Wordcamp Manila 2008, I was there!
* WordCamp PH 2008 and Afterparty
* For the love of WordPress
* Wordcamp Pilipinas Success!
* Wordcamp 2008: for healthy & wealthy blogging
* WordCamp Philippines 2008: Winners and Bloopers
* Live from De la Salle CSB… Marocharim is at WordCamp!
* Just got home from Wordcamp 2008; Meeting Matt Mullenweg
* Word Camp 2008 Philippines Success
* WordCamp, Meeting Matt Mullenweg
* Meeting Matt at WordCamp 2008
* Finally, Wordcamp Philippines 2008
* Toothache v WordCamp Philippines
* Wordcamp Philippines 2008: Aftermath
* Wordcamp Philippines 2008: I Got Wordcamped!
* Bakla Goes to WordCamp Philippines 2008
* My Wordcamp Philippines 2008 Experience
* Postscript to a Camp and a world premiere: WordCamp Philippines 2008
* WordCamp Philippines 2008: On Meeting Mr. WordPress, Web Standards, and Other Stuff

7
Sep

Cervical cancer is preventable

I had attended a forum about cervical cancer last August 29, 2008. Held at Mi Piace, The Peninsula Manila, bloggers were introduced to the facts about cervical cancer, some grim statistics, and some hope on preventing this cancer.

Dr. Ricardo Manalastas, professor at the UP College of Medicine and chief of the Infectious Disease Service in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Philippine General Hospital, taught us the basics of this disease and told us what we can do about cervical cancer.

This cancer all begins with the human papillomavirus (HPV). It is a common virus, and about 100 types, most of which are harmless. They do not show noticeable symptoms and will go away on their own. About 30 of these types infect the male and female genital areas. Even if there are no signs or symptoms, it can be transmitted to others.

High-risk types of HPV include types 16, 18, 31, and 45. If infection by these types persists, it can lead to cervical cancer and other cancers of the genital area.

Cervical cancer develops in the cervix, the part that connects the womb and the vagina. It develops when abnormal cells in the lining of the cervix begin to multiply out of control in response to HPV infection. Abnormal cervical cells can gather to form a lump called a tumor.  Benign (non-cancerous) tumors do not spread and usually are not harmful.  Malignant (cancerous) tumors, however, spread from their sources and grow into life-threatening cancer.

A WARNING ON THIS PICTURE: Graphic image. I have blurred this image. To see the clear image, clickity-click. You have been warned.

In 2002, there were 6,000 new cases of cervical cancer reported here in the Philippines, and 4,349 deaths due to this cancer were reported. Worldwide, cervical cancer is the second-most common cancer affecting women and the second-leading cause of cancer death in women.

Women who are in their 40s and 50s tend to get cervical cancer. Women in poor communities are in greater risk because they do not get to undergo cervical cancer screening like Pap smear. A Pap smear is a simple test that can detect abnormal or cancerous cervical cells. Dr. Manalastas emphasized on yearly Pap smear tests, since this could lead to less cervical cancer deaths. And since precancerous changes and early cancers of the cervix generally do not cause pain or other symptoms, a Pap test is needed detect cervical pre-cancers or cancers at a stage when they can be treated most effectively.

As the cancer progresses, one or more of the following symptoms may be noticed:

  • Abnormal vaginal bleeding:
    • Bleeding that occurs between regular menstrual periods
    • Bleeding after sexual intercourse, douching or a pelvic exam
    • Menstrual periods that last longer and are heavier than before
    • Bleeding after menopause
  • Increased vaginal discharge
  • Pelvic pain
  • Pain during sexual intercourse

There are several ways to treat cervical cancer. It can be treatable, but it can get expensive at the advanced stages of the cancer. For pre-invasive stage 0 (when the cancer has affected only the outer layer of the lining of the cervix), treatment may include the following:

  • Laser surgery uses a laser beam to destroy abnormal cells.
  • Cryosurgery destroys cancerous and pre-cancerous lesions by freezing them.
  • Loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) uses a thin wire loop (through which an electrical current is passed) to cut away an area of abnormal cells from the cervix.
  • Conization surgically removes a cone-shaped piece of tissue from the cervix.

For stages 1-4 (when the cancer has penetrated into the cervix and possibly to other tissues and organs), treatment may include the following:

  • Radiation uses high-energy rays to shrink tumors by destroying the cancer cells’ ability to reproduce.
  • Chemotherapy uses anticancer drugs which reach all areas of the body to kill cancer cells, including those that have spread to distant organs.
  • Hysterectomy can be performed two ways, depending on the extent of the cancer: 1) Simple hysterectomy is the removal of the cancer, the cervix and the uterus.  2) Radical hysterectomy involves the removal of the cervix, the uterus, part of the vagina and lymph nodes in the area.

Cervical cancer can be prevented if Pap tests are administered regularly. There is also a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer, but it can be very expensive.

Dr. Manalastas believes that the best form of prevention is keeping oneself informed. I agree.

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6
Sep

Deep Fried Everything and Azeri Cuisine


For my birthday my Dear gave me a deep fryer. I usually avoid deep-frying stuff to show some concern for my health, but I do like fried foods like everyone else so this was a welcome gift. I’d feel too guilty to buy myself a deep fryer, even if it would make a good addition to my galley gear. It requires at least 750mL of oil to start cooking– not exactly frugal, but it does go a long way.


So two weeks ago I finally used the deep fryer, frying everything I can put my hands on. I began with a lunch of deep fried sausages and eggplant. For dinner, I fried potato wedges, Vienna sausages, and some canned salmon. The following day, I fried some Thai-style chicken wrapped in pandan leaves bought from SM. After which I had to reluctantly throw away the oil– I don’t usually consume 750mL of canola oil for just three meals.


This week I tried my hand at making saciçi, that afritada-like Azeri chicken dish I had in Baku. I departed from the original recipe though– I used olive oil and butter instead of pure butter, I added a lot of garlic, and I cooked it with orange juice and slices. Also, I used bigger cuts of chicken and vegetables in my saciçi so I had to use more water while cooking; thus, the ensuing dish had a lot more sauce. It’s quite greasy due to the copius amount of butter, but the orange cuts through it a little bit. It was quite close to the saciçi I had in Baku, though I wish I used less water so the chicken and vegetables could’ve fried more. Next time I’ll use smaller cuts of chicken.

Finally, just saw a video on Azeri cuisine:

Now I’m officially looking for a good Azeri (i.e., Turkish) restaurant in Manila.  Any leads?

5
Sep

The Food Court Diaries 1: Squilliam Fancy… Insert Four-Letter Word

September 3, 2008
Mandarin Express
Food Court, Robinsons’ Galleria
“Fried calamares with beef soup”
Price: P76 + 8 oz. Coke

The gourmand would know better than to eat at the food court of a mall.  Granted that there are good places to eat at a food court (like, say, Pao Tsin), the best places to eat are still in those hole-in-the-wall eateries at side streets, or those swanky places where service water probably comes off the toilet.  Or you can cook your own food.  But if you’re a writer with an eight-hour job that gives you repetitive stress injury, and if you have to commute through the EDSA-SM Fairview route every damn day, you have no choice but to eat in food courts.

It’s my brand of emo.

I do need to point out that whatever redeeming value that there is in food court cuisine is canceled out by three important details:

  • Food is too expensive.
  • Food looks the same.
  • Food tastes like shit.

*     *     *

I make no if’s or but’s about it: I love squid.  I succumb to the androgyny of culinary lihi every now and then for a food best described as… well, phallic (don’t get me wrong, I’m straight, and my sexual preference is inclined towards women with mesmerizing eyes, shining hair… I’m getting ahead of myself).  In my search for my favorite seafood (and cheap West cigarettes), I found myself at Galleria with a canteen plate and squid “tempura” at a kiosk called Mandarin Express.

I always thought tempura was a Japanese thing, but you can’t argue with advertising.  For P76, this plate o’ food must be worth it.  Then again, I’m expecting too much from food courts.  I made some mental notes as the attendant prepared my obscenely expensive plate o’ food:

  • The squid was precooked.
  • The canteen plate was doused – literally – with what looked like sweet chili sauce.
  • The anemic-looking precooked squid pieces were re-fried for about a minute to get that crispy, golden-brown color back.

You probably already know where I’m going with this… more bullet-points:

  • Squid should be prepared and cooked fresh.
  • “Sweet chili sauce” is not sweet, it’s not made with chili, and it’s not sauce.
  • You never re-fry squid.

It takes strong jaws (which I don’t have), good teeth (which I don’t have), and a lot of patience (which I don’t have) to get around the… technicalities, of eating squid that tastes like crap.  I’m sure that the good people of Mandarin Express have great food, but this has got to be one of the more ridiculous squid dishes I’ve ever had.  It can be summed up with (you guessed it) three bullet-points:

  • Insipid (no salt here).
  • Very chewy (refried squid, what do you expect).
  • Inconsistent in texture (a cross between tofu and “Kapal-Gooms” tires by BF Goodrich).

Mediocre?  No, it’s well done, albeit a little too much.  At first I was kind of surprised at how, despite being overdone, the squid was still passably tender enough to cut with the side of a spoon.  Yet tenderness can be decieving; I swear I could have been chewing it all night if I had to.  Thanks to an ability to swallow a lot of things non-sexual (pride, words, the occasional piece of overcooked squid, among other things), I managed to choke down the squid.  But not without the terrific, manly broth that came with the order.

I’m sticking with the three peso-a-piece street snackage at Philcoa after this one.  Or green rice at Pao Tsin.

2
Sep

Samsung Launches Powerful Memory Camcorder with Longest Battery Life and High Quality Video

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. unveiled a powerful compact digital camcorder, the MX20, with its newly developed platform that enables higher video quality and longer recording times. The new MX20 also allows users to upload their files to iPod and YouTube without transcoding the files.

“The MX20 is the next-generation camcorder engineered for people who want to capture more vivid memories and easily share them on multimedia devices and the internet,” said Sang Ryong Kim, Senior Vice President of the Camcorder Business Team at Samsung Electronics. “Leveraging Samsung’s unique features with iPod and YouTube, consumers can keep more of their memories with ease.”

With its best-in-class semi-conductor chips and image processing technology, Samsung has developed a new platform offering high video quality, longer recording times and low power consumption for SD camcorders to meet customer’s demands. With the high performance of the new platform, Samsung’s MX20 features the longest battery life in its class – up to three hours.

The new MX20 is the first to apply H.264 CODEC to SD camcorders. Compared to SD camcorders using MPEG-2, the MX20’s H.264 enhances video quality and recording times significantly. In the “fine” mode, Samsung’s MX-20 camcorder can record up to 4 hours of footage using an 8GB memory card, 8 hours using a 16GB memory card, and up to 16 hours using a 32GB card. Samsung’s MX20 with H.264 more than doubles the compression ratio so that it takes less time to send video files via email or upload them onto the internet.

Focusing on high video quality, Samsung’s MX20 with its new platform is packed with powerful technologies such as 3-D noise reduction technology for smooth video, Samsung’s own edge filter technology for stunning video details and clarity, and color control technology for original and natural colors.

The MX20 features a powerful, world-renowned Schneider lens with 34x optical zoom and Samsung’s improved Hyper Digital Image Stabilization, which compensates for the images caused by hand-shaking for sharper footage. The MX20 also includes advanced face detection technology which can automatically detect up to five faces and adjust the focus and diaphragm to ensure better composition. The new model optimizes the video quality with a high-performance 680K-pixel CCD sensor.

The MX20 features a unique shooting mode that allows users to select a resolution and format that’s ideal for uploading videos to an iPod or YouTube. Unlike other camcorders, users can easily import the video to iTunes and play it on iPod or other personal media players supporting H.264 without having to transcode the files. By selecting the Web and Mobile mode, the camcorder’s resolution is automatically adjusted to 640×480 (H.264 / AAC / MP4) and optimized for use on iPod or YouTube.

For active users, the MX20 is fully equipped with powerful functionalities in a stylish compact design. The camcorder offers Samsung’s exclusive swivel hand-grip which effortlessly adjusts for regular and those hard-to-reach low angle shots. It also has an advanced 2.7 inch screen LCD which helps users frame their subjects and review footage even under strong sunlight.

The MX20 offers useful iCheck and iScene modes. iCheck allows the user to quickly check remaining battery life and memory capacity without wasting time and energy by powering on; iScene allows the user to select up to 10 automatic scene modes for capturing the best footage no matter what environment they may be in. Samsung’s MX-20 camcorder also features a memory card slot for SD/SDHC and MMC+ (up to 32GB).

The Samsung MX20, offered in black, white, red and blue will be available in September.

About Samsung Electronics

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. is a global leader in semiconductor, telecommunication, digital media and digital convergence technologies with 2007 consolidated sales of US$103.4 billion. Employing approximately 150,000 people in 134 offices in 62 countries, the company consists of four main business units: Digital Media Business, LCD Business, Semiconductor Business and Telecommunication. Recognized as one of the fastest growing global brands, Samsung Electronics is a leading producer of digital TVs, memory chips, mobile phones and TFT-LCDs. For more information, please visit www.samsung.com.

(Samsung press release)

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