Life ain’t saved by killing another

by: Lian Nami Buan

Have sex, abort later? It’s the same as eat unhealthily now, get a liposuction tomorrow. In a night when two people seemed to have ignored all the responsibility that a relationship entails, saying “no” would’ve been a much easier decision to make than, “should I keep it?.”

St. Margaret of Castello was born blind and disfigured, but disabilities and abandoment from her parents wasn’t a hindrance to becoming a woman of God. In the modern times, defective fetuses can be detected by ultra sound examinations. By all means, a mother can give up a disabled child even before she can give the child a chance to live. Had her parents not let St. Margaret be born, the world would have never been able to witness her miracles.

This was among the words of Ms. Jeannine Delos Reyes towards the gift of life that she and Prolife Philippines have been trying to preserve for 30 years. Prolife Philippines is a non-profit organization that offers counseling help to women going through pregnancy problems.

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Keeping your feet firm on the ground

by: Lian Nami Buan

New shoes take a while to hug your feet comfortably, and they say, many things can happen in a while. Like leave nasty foot skin cuts, cause trips because of loose fit, slows down runs or walks because of weight and grip. But we can always go barefoot, although there are only a few who are brave enough to venture the world without shoes on.

Trinoma and Gateway Mall houses Rest-toe-run, a shoe salon which sells Terra Plana, and Sanuk shoes; two footwear brands that can give you the feeling of walking barefoot and stylish look that sets you apart from the mainstream others at the same time.

Not only does these lines, priced 2290, offer wide range of designs that best fits all-around women, they also fight fashion piracy because no way can small-time cribbers produce shoes and sandals that has the same effect on the feet.

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Blue Green Madness

by: Lian Nami Buan

 In Basketball, the fight begins behind the ticket booths.

A day after the Ateneo Blue Eagles and the De La Salle Green Archers earned their respective University Athletics Association of the Philippines (UAAP) finals slot, fans found themselves in a needle hole trying to get their hands on those elusive tickets.

Even before the buzzer sounded in the Ateneo-UE Semifinals game that Jay Bondoc was watching, she already had sent messages to friends from Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU) asking if they could get her an extra ticket for the Finals. “It’s easier for them to get tickets because the final schools, I think, are given the most tickets by UAAP.” She is a junior student at the Far Eastern University, but remained a Blue Eagle fan at heart. To her and to the other one big fighters, nothing beats experiencing a Blue Championship live.

But she was just a single soul among the thousands that were as desperate for tickets as she was. Ticketnet started selling 9 in the morning of Monday, last September 15, a day after the semifinals declared Ateneo and LaSalle the championship contenders. The slogan ‘Tough Road to Glory’ is probably what the fans had in mind as they jump through fire rings to score tickets. Araneta Coliseum personnels reported that as early as 4 am, there already was a queue for the sales, most of them camped overnight to secure their purchase.

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Flying Super

by: Lian Nami Buan

Caught playing recently in the London 2012 Olympic Visa Party with Abba’s “The winner takes it all”, McFly is maybe the new Beatles, at least according to the Guiness World Book of record who hailed them the youngest band ever to top the UK chart with a debut album beating the record of John Lennon and company.

Although of course McFly would want a different identity, as what all the bands in the world would. But whether they admit it or not, being compared to the World’s most successful band of all times, let alone beat their record is one thing McFly cannot say no to. Besides, they root from the same land, spoke with the same accent, and perhaps rode the same tube trains on their way to the top. Four years of being in the music industry, McFly still has a lot to achieve. But if your country asked you to sing what seems like an anthem for the olympics, you know you’re on the right track.

It was their debut album “Room on the 3rd floor” that sealed the deal for McFly. All the following albums would reach no lower than number 6, and even then, audiences still requested for more. So they came up with an album, titled “Radio:Active”, and gave it free as a supplement for British tabloid, “The Mail on Sunday.” They have had seven singles which topped the UK chart in a span of 4 years. Truly, they, so far, has been doing the Beatles formula right.
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Definitely Not Stupid

by: Monica Dawn T. Palad

A 2-hour comedy/drama made produced in Singapore by Jack Neo in 2002, I Not Stupid is a simple and clever story covering topics discussing social problems of modern day Singapore ranging from Educational system to suicide while subtly we aving those social issues into its character’s dialogues.

The movie stars Terry, Boon Hock, and Kok Pin who are classmates in EM3 (A grade level for students who are not academically inclined with their peers in the normal level). The 3 kids came from different classes and each has a family dilemma of their own. Terry is a spoiled rich kid who has been raised by her mother to “Mind business of his own” and hasn’t been pressured by his parents to do well in his studies. Boon Hock, on the other hand, came from a very poor family and was having a hard time in helping to look after his parent’s small canteen and his studies. Lastly, Kok Pin, an inborn artist but overlooked by his parents because they want him to focus more on his Math and Science.
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The King of the Hermit Kingdom

by: Dharel Placido

They say he is the most bizarre fascist leader the world has ever seen. With his peculiar hair, predictable get-up and eccentric features, he is always the butt of the joke of many satirical comedy programs especially in the United States. Who really is Kim Jong-Il? How did a person like him, with unpredictable attitude, managed to control the world’s closest nation, North Korea?

Kim Jong-Il is potentially the world’s most dangerous man in power today, with evidences of nuclear machineries caught by the US intelligence in his territory. If his regime is threatened by any means, its neighbour South Korea can become a sea of fire in just a fraction of an hour.

Most of Kim Jong-Il’s people of about 22 million are starving yet his army is one of the largest in the world with almost half of the country’s money allotted for it. So how can Kim Jong-Il neglect his people and still get the highest respect and reverence from them? For one to understand North Korea’s cult-like culture, an understanding of its past and the ways Kim Jong-Il and his late father, Kim Il-Sung to pacify potential uprisings from its people are needed.
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Hopia like it

 by: Lian Nami Buan

If a jeepney ride could take you around the streets of Quiapo, a tour by foot in the seemingly eccentric home of the Black Nazarene can offer more than just sight-seeing. A turn from the optical street of quiapo, Paterno St., could lead you to the Chinatown Rotunda in front of the Sta. Cruz Church. And even amidst the scorching heat, the Chinese Pastry shops are just too tempting to pass up.

Many Chinese delicacies has become a big hit to the Filipino market, even tikoys are sold to genuine Filipinos during the Chinese New Year. And because we have always been negatively represented as Juan Tamad, the biggest sell-out foods among us are those that doesn’t require cooking, baking or re-heating. What better to give us that none-hassle merienda than the ready-to-eat hopias?

It was during the American Civil Occupation when the Chinese introduced the Fujian original cake, which will later be known as Hopia, to the Philippines. And ever since then, hopia has undergone a lot of recipe innovations to make it more fitting to the Filipino tongue. The pastry went through a lot of reshaping, reflavoring, and repackaging over the years, but as they say, nothing beats the original.

If one would take hopia back to basics, it could only go down to two words: Ongpin St. and Mongo.

Hopiang Mungo is the most popular kind of hopia, a flaky dough cake filled with sweet split mung bean paste while Ongpin St. houses four of the best, most popular shops that bakes Hopia Mungos.

Eng Bee Tin

Ongpin St., Binondo Manila

Welcoming customers upon the entry of the intersection between Ongpin St. and Gonzalo Puyat St. is Eng Bee Tin, a small stall cluttered among the shops it shares the building with. Perhaps the 1970 version of the store wasn’t quite as sharp-looking as it is now. They pack their hopias with tin foil wraps and stack them into cushioned baskets in a shelf to make it look as modern as it can get, adopting the look of American bakeshops.

A pack of 4 medium-sized Hopia Mungos are sold for 32 pesos. The molo wrap is unusually thin, so as to not add too much flaky taste to its filling. The mung bean paste has an authentic real mongo taste to it to balance the sweetness. And indeed, it wasn’t hailed one of the most delicious hopia brands for nothing.
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Beijing Olympics Hits and Misses

by Dharel Placido

In any Olympics, spectators never fail to see athletes stealing the limelight either by doping or smashing a record. The Beijing Olympics is definitely not an exemption. We have seen some of the most remarkable feats done by the athletes. We have also seen some who cried like a baby when he only got a piece of candy when he was aiming for a bagful. Here are the Top 5 hits and misses of the Beijing Olympics.

Hits

• “Here we come” - China

Coming up with the most expensive Olympic Games opening that resoundingly say, “Here we come,” China is definitely the biggest winner of this Olympics. China’s already thriving culture and economy have been boosted by the recently concluded Olympics which total cost amounts to an estimated 1.8 trillion pesos, more than the country’s budget for this year.

The Chinese people perhaps benefited the most from this event, when their morale and love for their country got a shot in the arm.

• 8 in 08-08-08

Without a doubt, USA’s Michael Phelps is this Olympics’ most successful athlete when he bagged a total of 8 gold medals.

The Baltimore native broke Mark Spitz’s record of winning 7 gold medals in a single Olympics which made him the “greatest Olympian.”

With an imminent stream of endorsements and a gained superstardom, the water wizard takes our second spot.

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Ninoy goes Pop!

by: Dharel Placido

When Andy Warhol made a vision of making Mao Zedong a pop icon it became a success. After more than two decades in our country’s history, our very own Ninoy Aquino says, “I can, too, become a pop icon!”

 Marking Ninoy’s 25^th death anniversary, the Benigno S. Aquino Foundation (BSAF), in partnership with various clothing and apparel line, launched the “iamninoy” campaign aiming to create awareness among the youth of who Ninoy Aquino is and how relevant he is for changing the Philippine society today.

Shirts of various designs featured Ninoy’s ever-prominent circa ’80 glasses like the one of Team Manila’s, which also comes in tote bags and button pins. Analog Soul, on the other hand, featured the face of Ninoy following the color pattern of the country’s flag and beside it was the hero’s immortal words “the Filipino is worth dying for.”
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Little Voice to Musical Hum

by Charlene Cunanan

In July of 2007, a Little Voice humming a Love Song was tuned to create a musical fusion.

It takes melody—whether slow or upbeat, genre—whether pop or rock, and especially lyrics—whether mushy or bitter, to make a song “Last Song Syndromic”. But in this age of music, that humming little voice is started to be heard.

Multi-talented singer-songwriter-pianist Sara Bareilles, offers a new and phenomenal sound that will surely answer this generation’s hearing pleasure with a string of beats and harmony and melody and power of her own musical spirit. 
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Name That Street!

by: Candice Tijam and Karchelle Francisco

Main building? Carpark? Quadricentennial Park? Who doesn’t know these landmarks inside UST? 

Yes, Thomasians have probably already familiarized themselves with the 15 statues on top of the grayish building somewhere in the middle of the campus or which among Benavides’ fingers is pointing to the sky. But who knows about Araullo drive? What about Osmeña drive?

 Would you believe that there are over ten street signs inside the campus? If you are a keen observant, you will notice that posts of these are everywhere.

• Ruaño Drive –which is near the entrance gate along A.H. Lacson Avenue, leads you to the streets along the Roque Ruaño building which houses the Engineering Faculty and Albertus Magnus building which houses the Education College.

• Araullo Drive – is occupied by the Engineering complex and the small field beside it.

• L. Ma. Guerrero Drive –is where the UST Hospital stands parallel to the Carpark and UST “Mall” all the way to the Antonio M. Velayo (AMV) building.

• Quezon Drive –directs you from España gate to the Dapitan gate wherein the Catwalk, UST Health Service, Tenoco Park and the St. Raymund’s building that shelters the Faculty of Arts and Letters and the College of Commerce, are positioned.

• L. Guerrero Drive and Singian Drive –points you to the Medicine building and the back entrance of the Pharmacy section of the UST Hospital.

• Albert Drive –displays the Tan Yan Kee Student Center, and Miguel de Benavides Library

• Villamor Drive –where the TARC building is located and the narrow passage leading to the Buildings and Ground

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Featurize Me: Nestor Cuartero

 by: Chienalee Garcia

Journalism juniors now have a reason to look forward to every Monday afternoon: their Feature Writing class taught by prominent writer, Nestor Cuartero.

A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas with a degree in Journalism, Cuartero also works for the Panorama Magazine. From his funny expressions to his helpful writing tips in class, Sir Cuartero is hard to miss. His valuable lessons prove to be of much help to his students especially now that they are struggling with schoolwork.

As a Journalism major, Cuartero was also a writer for The Varsitarian, which was weekly paper during his time. He says that presswork spelled fun time because despite the strict deadlines and stern editors, he enjoyed his work at the University’s student publication.

“I started out as a reporter when I was in first year, then became the Circle Editor when I was in third year, then eventually rose to being the Managing Editor come senior year,” he shares. “It was fun because my work at the Varsi complimented my schoolwork as well.”

Asked if he has noticed any similarities or differences between the Journalism majors he now teaches and his fellow students back in his time, Cuartero says that student journalists during his time were much more vigorous in writing. “Students nowadays lack that kind of vigor in writing. Although you seem to enjoy and benefit a lot more from these gadgets nowadays, writers of today exhibit less dynamism in their articles.”

Beautifully Haunting

by: Angelique Parungao

 Sophomore jinx doesn’t seem to haunt Christopher Nolan as his second take on the Batman series catapulted on the top of the box- office on the day of its release, making a new world record. Too much hype did not dishearten Batman fans and spectators alike when The Dark Knight, the most haunting of all the series was shown.

In this installment, we see Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale), the playboy billionaire by day and a caped crusader by night in the middle of making decision on whether or not to quit his responsibilities as Gotham city’s crime fighter. Adding the resurgence of his arch- enemy Joker (played by the late Heath Ledger) and the emergence of the “White Knight,” Harvey Dent a.k.a. Two Faced (Aaron Eckhart). With few twists and turns, including an end to Rachel Dawes (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and Wayne’s relationship, mobsters in Hong Kong, and the city’s failed destruction, we know that Batman won’t be retiring anytime soon. As typical as your usual super hero torn in between normal life and his duties, what actually makes The Dark Knight different from them is that it has the ability to make you sit on the edge of your seat, for several reasons.
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Clothed Meatballs

by: Monica Palad

Did you know that in China, Siomai or dumpling has different kinds?

In China, Siomai is served with the Chinese set of dimsums usually with a tea, but in the Philippines, Siomai takes a solo distinction with its typical sauce:  Chili flakes, soy sauce and juice of calamansi.

Fried, steamed, and served with rice are some of the ways to serve a Siomai in the Philippines. It is quite familiar in the Philippines that it became a part of the Pinoy street foods. One can order Siomai in different stuffing but the traditional base is always pork. Chicken, shrimp, and beef are introduced in the Philippines as one of the alternatives for the Siomai stuffing.

Cooked in aluminum or bamboo steamer, Siomai is popular among students and people on-the-go because it is easy to be consumed.

BrainYou looked for the most popular siomai stalls surrounding Manila’s largest university, the University of Santo Tomas.

Lopez Siomai

P.Noval street 

As prepared in the Lopez Cuisine, its standard filling is only seasoned ground pork wrapped in a thin yellow sheet of Dimsum wrapper. Displayed in a metal steamer, this siomai has a taste similar to traditional chinese dimsums. It is very meaty and juicy in taste, your money is worth the price.

Price: P30.00 for 6 pieces

Chambayan Siomai

P. Noval and Dapitan Street

The Siomai that tastes like a hotdog. Its standard filling is a mixture of ingredients, consisting primarily of seasoned finely grinded pork and small bits of carrots. Chambayan mixes vegetable meat and lard to the siomai mixture as to achieve the “hotdog” taste. The siomai wrapper comes in the traditional dimsum wrapper but also has a taste similar to pork skin when eaten alone. It is larger in size than the other siomai stalls around the university. It’s quick claim to fame? Chambayan has 12 siomai stalls positioned in the most populous areas around the university belt.

Price: P20.00 for 5 pieces
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Church held rally against artificial birth control

by: Dharel Placido

Firm in its decision to denounce the passing of the bill that will legalize abortion, prescribe artificial birth control methods, and promote sex education among children, the church held “Rally for Life” at the University of Santo Tomas last July 25. The event was also in celebration of the 40^th year of Pope Paul VI’s encyclical Humanae Vitae which was released at the onset of the proliferation of contraceptions during the 60’s.

Present in the event were Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) President Archbishop Angel Lagdameo and Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Rosales along with priests and religious from different dioceses and archdioceses and students from catholic schools all over the country.

The event was held at the height of the issue concerning the Consolidated Reproductive Health Bill whose principal author was Representative Edcel Lagman of Albay along with 40 other representatives. The church believes that the bill will create the “dream machine for the culture of death.
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