How do you make three million twins? Or a three-hundred foot high robot talk to a tiny winy man? C-O-M-P-U-T-E-R T-E-C-H-N-O-L-O-G-Y.
Thanks to computer graphics and the latest digital filmmaking software, anything is possible now in the silver screen. The technological advancements in film are surely a great addition to the silver screen mystique. This technology has brought many the excitement they never dreamed of in cinema.
It has made possible the once impossible feats, angles, shots, stunts in cinema.
Results: more excitement for the audience, more money for the producers and those behind the magic of the screen, more advances in cinema.
There are endless options for the men and women behind and on the scene. Thanks to digital filmmaking technology. This is a great blessing to the human race—it gives us moments of being superhuman. In and on the screen, only of course.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Distance Learning: Learning from a Distance
Learning inside the classroom is just an option. A university is now just a click away. There are now a variety of options for learning—formal or informal. Thanks to the advent of online technology via the ubiquitous Internet. While this opens up vistas of opportunities to learn and advance intellectually, it also has deep dark areas.
The biggest so far is dishonesty. Because of lack of student and teacher interaction, the student has more leeway to be dishonest. This is not a pessimistic view of online scholars. It is just that the medium for this type of learning allows for more chances of cheating.
Furthermore, regular class attendance is no longer a must. There is great value in regular class attendance and class discussion that is face to face. The emotions involved in an online class are greatly reduced; so is student-student interaction. Social education may be sacrificed for the sake of convenient online learning.
While the Internet offers great opportunities, the learning of our children must never be solely left to online institutions. Humans learn by interacting with fellow human beings. Learning happens in interaction—socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically. And that interaction is not just in pixels of hypertext; it happens in words, sounds, images, feelings—tangible objects and not just flashing computer screens.
The biggest so far is dishonesty. Because of lack of student and teacher interaction, the student has more leeway to be dishonest. This is not a pessimistic view of online scholars. It is just that the medium for this type of learning allows for more chances of cheating.
Furthermore, regular class attendance is no longer a must. There is great value in regular class attendance and class discussion that is face to face. The emotions involved in an online class are greatly reduced; so is student-student interaction. Social education may be sacrificed for the sake of convenient online learning.
While the Internet offers great opportunities, the learning of our children must never be solely left to online institutions. Humans learn by interacting with fellow human beings. Learning happens in interaction—socially, emotionally, intellectually, physically. And that interaction is not just in pixels of hypertext; it happens in words, sounds, images, feelings—tangible objects and not just flashing computer screens.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
reaction to REQUIREMENTS ELICITATION TECHNIQUES: ANALYZING THE GAP BETWEEN TECHNOLOGY AVAILABILITY AND TECHNOLOGY USE
The paper talks about requirements elicitation techniques and the relationship of its availability and use. There are many factors affecting this such as time, modes of transfer, the social system.
It gives a very insightful view on the process of developing software or technology. No wonder there are many “useless” inventions because of the lack of applying requirements elicitation te4chniques.
The paper gives me another insight into the frequency of technology usage among certain groups of people. It aided me in understanding why some people can use certain technologies while others cannot. Like me for example, although technology is available to me, I am still hesitant to use them. The paper has given an insight into my fear of technology and exploring the capabilities of machines.
Although it is customary for me to think and do things outside of the box, I am still trapped in the box when it comes to computers and cellphones.
I guess the paper is right. I need more time to adjust to the technology available to me. I must learn to love them if I were to survive in these rapidly swirling technological advancements of our age.
It gives a very insightful view on the process of developing software or technology. No wonder there are many “useless” inventions because of the lack of applying requirements elicitation te4chniques.
The paper gives me another insight into the frequency of technology usage among certain groups of people. It aided me in understanding why some people can use certain technologies while others cannot. Like me for example, although technology is available to me, I am still hesitant to use them. The paper has given an insight into my fear of technology and exploring the capabilities of machines.
Although it is customary for me to think and do things outside of the box, I am still trapped in the box when it comes to computers and cellphones.
I guess the paper is right. I need more time to adjust to the technology available to me. I must learn to love them if I were to survive in these rapidly swirling technological advancements of our age.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
What is Missing in Primetime News?
TV news is as we now it—big time. All eyes zoom in, all ears point to the television set as the primetime news airs with its loud and bombastic soundtrack. We eat in front of the television; we gather and socialize with and on the news. Fires, guns, riots, government decrees—we have all sorts and sizes. Come one! Come all! Primetime news is on.
News is to inform, to impart, to report. It presumes to be complete and encompassing on the subjects, people and events it covers. But sometimes, it still misses the point: the viewers are intelligent.
The presumption that the television is the “idiot box” may be true, as much as it may be false. A recent study by University of the Philippines – Diliman students found primetime news viewers know what is missing in their news—an in-depth and a more comprehensive coverage of international and local news.
One of the respondents said the he is always waiting for news from the Philippine countryside. News on Philippine television has always been focused on the seat of government, the center of commerce, the metropolis of Manila.
One of the respondents in the study referring to minimal coverage of international news, said in an interview, “feeling ko, siguro feeling ng network na it’s not interesting to the people” (I feel that the TV networks feel that international news is not interesting to the people).
Crime has often been the banner bearer of news. No primetime news program would forget to report on crime, crime and more crime. A respondent has said that there must be less coverage on crime in news.
News is not about crime. Crime becomes newsworthy because it shadows or reflects a social phenomenon. What the news programs can do is to use a crime story as a human interest point to hook in the viewers. Then it must report on the social conditions and circumstances that the single crime reflects. This is in-depth news reporting. Statistics will help reporters give a bigger picture of a single, remote act of crime. By so doing, the news programs now answer the viewers’ question: What has this to do with me.
Viewers of the “idiot box” are not idiots. They want more and deserve more from the current setting and reportage of primetime news. Unless there is a less focus on the mundane and the sensational, news viewers will remain idiots. Fault be on the TV networks.
News is to inform, to impart, to report. It presumes to be complete and encompassing on the subjects, people and events it covers. But sometimes, it still misses the point: the viewers are intelligent.
The presumption that the television is the “idiot box” may be true, as much as it may be false. A recent study by University of the Philippines – Diliman students found primetime news viewers know what is missing in their news—an in-depth and a more comprehensive coverage of international and local news.
One of the respondents said the he is always waiting for news from the Philippine countryside. News on Philippine television has always been focused on the seat of government, the center of commerce, the metropolis of Manila.
One of the respondents in the study referring to minimal coverage of international news, said in an interview, “feeling ko, siguro feeling ng network na it’s not interesting to the people” (I feel that the TV networks feel that international news is not interesting to the people).
Crime has often been the banner bearer of news. No primetime news program would forget to report on crime, crime and more crime. A respondent has said that there must be less coverage on crime in news.
News is not about crime. Crime becomes newsworthy because it shadows or reflects a social phenomenon. What the news programs can do is to use a crime story as a human interest point to hook in the viewers. Then it must report on the social conditions and circumstances that the single crime reflects. This is in-depth news reporting. Statistics will help reporters give a bigger picture of a single, remote act of crime. By so doing, the news programs now answer the viewers’ question: What has this to do with me.
Viewers of the “idiot box” are not idiots. They want more and deserve more from the current setting and reportage of primetime news. Unless there is a less focus on the mundane and the sensational, news viewers will remain idiots. Fault be on the TV networks.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Biz-Biz-Bizness News
What's new?
What's the news?
Business is news. News is business.
Business is a vital part of the newsroom. Without it there wouldn’t be any newsroom. Without news, there wouldn’t be any business.
There is a direct, interactive and mutual relationship between news and business.
The world and money revolve on business. It is business that started civilizations and kept them going for centuries. It is business that kept small villages alive and thriving. It is business that keeps our country afloat in the sea of financial crises and economic disasters of our day.
Thus, business is of public interest. It is essential to the public. And the public must know.
It is the job of the business reporter to report and report and report on business. He must not do it in business fashion, but in laymen’s terms and in ways understood by all.
It is a challenge to journalists to write on business topics. Business reporting requires more than just the inverted pyramid and some interview quotes. It calls for math, an understanding of economics and finance, and a mind capable of handling numbers and money and all the necessary values in journalism.
It is a higher form of journalism, if it maybe termed as such, since it calls forth both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Math is such a challenge for most journalists. Some would retreat at the sight of numbers. Some would scream. But for the brave few, they take the challenge and analyze the numbers and write it in a compelling way to get what the numbers are saying across to people. That is the challenge of business reporting—getting the numbers and analyzing them, and then tell the story they carry in words understandable by those who cannot read numbers.
For the brave few who do it, the economy of the country will always be grateful. Because of them, the nation knows what keeps it afloat in the sea of international debt, financial problems and poverty.
What's the news?
Business is news. News is business.
Business is a vital part of the newsroom. Without it there wouldn’t be any newsroom. Without news, there wouldn’t be any business.
There is a direct, interactive and mutual relationship between news and business.
The world and money revolve on business. It is business that started civilizations and kept them going for centuries. It is business that kept small villages alive and thriving. It is business that keeps our country afloat in the sea of financial crises and economic disasters of our day.
Thus, business is of public interest. It is essential to the public. And the public must know.
It is the job of the business reporter to report and report and report on business. He must not do it in business fashion, but in laymen’s terms and in ways understood by all.
It is a challenge to journalists to write on business topics. Business reporting requires more than just the inverted pyramid and some interview quotes. It calls for math, an understanding of economics and finance, and a mind capable of handling numbers and money and all the necessary values in journalism.
It is a higher form of journalism, if it maybe termed as such, since it calls forth both the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Math is such a challenge for most journalists. Some would retreat at the sight of numbers. Some would scream. But for the brave few, they take the challenge and analyze the numbers and write it in a compelling way to get what the numbers are saying across to people. That is the challenge of business reporting—getting the numbers and analyzing them, and then tell the story they carry in words understandable by those who cannot read numbers.
For the brave few who do it, the economy of the country will always be grateful. Because of them, the nation knows what keeps it afloat in the sea of international debt, financial problems and poverty.
Friday, August 27, 2010
P-Noy should have been there
The recent hostage-taking crisis in the country really shocked me. Why 11 hours? Why the silliness and seemingly comical techniques of the police? Why the rope to force open the door? Why the little car, not a truck to force open the door? Why did the police arrest the hostage taker’s brother? Why? Why? Why?
But the biggest question on my mind is why did the president do nothing during the crisis?
I am not for the movement that he resigns. I do understand why the Chinese reacted the way they did. They called for resignation because that is an integral part of their culture. I have lived with the Chinese for about two years in their native land and have learned their ways and their language. What happened to the president or what he did is, in Mandarin, very “diu lian.” He lost his face. His face fell. He threw his face.
And you step back when that happens. Or in ancient Chinese culture, you kill yourself. It is similar to the samurai or Kamikaze culture of the Japanese.
The concept of face is very strongly rooted in the Chinese culture. They would rather die than lose face. I understand why they reacted that way especially when there was no strong apology from the president expressing sincere grief. He was caught smiling in some photos.
In a Chinese perspective, the president is “makapal ang mukha.”
But I would rather have a president that other nation’s think to be “makapal ang mukha,” than to have no president at all.
I believe in the careful handling of the issue through proper investigation and prompt action. Prompt action could have saved P-Noy’s face. But the damage has been done. And in Chinese culture, the way you regain face is by submission, down-to-earth humility and a billion apologies.
Or you lose your face forever. Yes, by suicide.
But the biggest question on my mind is why did the president do nothing during the crisis?
I am not for the movement that he resigns. I do understand why the Chinese reacted the way they did. They called for resignation because that is an integral part of their culture. I have lived with the Chinese for about two years in their native land and have learned their ways and their language. What happened to the president or what he did is, in Mandarin, very “diu lian.” He lost his face. His face fell. He threw his face.
And you step back when that happens. Or in ancient Chinese culture, you kill yourself. It is similar to the samurai or Kamikaze culture of the Japanese.
The concept of face is very strongly rooted in the Chinese culture. They would rather die than lose face. I understand why they reacted that way especially when there was no strong apology from the president expressing sincere grief. He was caught smiling in some photos.
In a Chinese perspective, the president is “makapal ang mukha.”
But I would rather have a president that other nation’s think to be “makapal ang mukha,” than to have no president at all.
I believe in the careful handling of the issue through proper investigation and prompt action. Prompt action could have saved P-Noy’s face. But the damage has been done. And in Chinese culture, the way you regain face is by submission, down-to-earth humility and a billion apologies.
Or you lose your face forever. Yes, by suicide.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Hoopster Ain’t Smart: Think Again
Ok. Ready… now pass the ball. To 13. Make a low pose and form the tree. Fast now! The head! The head! Tighter grip. Go for the three D!
Couldn’t understand? Me either.
Imagine being in the heat of a basketball game, sweating and exhausted, the whole crowd booing against you, the 10 second shot clock pressure, the shame of losing the ball on the last few seconds of the game, the possibility of being blamed and shamed if the ball doesn’t go in.
Imagine being there and battling out all the noise, the boos and the yells from the crowd, the sweat and the exhaustion, the stretched muscle, trying to hear the coach’s commands and finding a way to execute them perfectly as ordered.
Playing basketball is not as easy as you think it is. It’s pretty intense stuff.
Imagine all this pressure from the hard court and you still have to think of the homework due midnight after the game at Araneta, the research paper due first thing in the morning, the midterm exam tomorrow afternoon. Welcome to a collegiate baller’s life.
University of the Philippines’ Carlo Gomez admits it’s hard to be a student athlete, especially in a university that lives for the zenith of academic excellence and where sports is considered second class.
But desire kept him going and got him to where he is now, playing in the most prestigious collegiate athletic basketball tournament in the country, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
Since he was a kid, Gomez already had a passion for the game. It has always been with him growing up.
When asked about the physical, mental and emotional rigors of collegiate basketball coupled with academic pressure and challenges, he shrugs off his shoulders and says he loves basketball. What else can he do, but play? It’s that simple.
Desire keeps him going.
He loves the game.
He lives for the game.
But his grades must be maintained, lest he becomes ineligible to play. So with a tired and exhausted body, he goes home to burn the midnight oil studying for exams and working on university papers. On the court he burns his rubber soles; on his study table he burns the midnight oil.
That takes a lot of spirit, stamina and courage to handle such stress and pressure. And it does take more than average intellect to handle such challenges and come off victor, winning a game and scoring good grades.
So after every rigorous practice or an exhausting match, he picks up his bag, changes to a clean shirt and goes home ready for another game on the hard court of his study table and books, scoring exams and dunking papers.
Couldn’t understand? Me either.
Imagine being in the heat of a basketball game, sweating and exhausted, the whole crowd booing against you, the 10 second shot clock pressure, the shame of losing the ball on the last few seconds of the game, the possibility of being blamed and shamed if the ball doesn’t go in.
Imagine being there and battling out all the noise, the boos and the yells from the crowd, the sweat and the exhaustion, the stretched muscle, trying to hear the coach’s commands and finding a way to execute them perfectly as ordered.
Playing basketball is not as easy as you think it is. It’s pretty intense stuff.
Imagine all this pressure from the hard court and you still have to think of the homework due midnight after the game at Araneta, the research paper due first thing in the morning, the midterm exam tomorrow afternoon. Welcome to a collegiate baller’s life.
University of the Philippines’ Carlo Gomez admits it’s hard to be a student athlete, especially in a university that lives for the zenith of academic excellence and where sports is considered second class.
But desire kept him going and got him to where he is now, playing in the most prestigious collegiate athletic basketball tournament in the country, the University Athletic Association of the Philippines.
Since he was a kid, Gomez already had a passion for the game. It has always been with him growing up.
When asked about the physical, mental and emotional rigors of collegiate basketball coupled with academic pressure and challenges, he shrugs off his shoulders and says he loves basketball. What else can he do, but play? It’s that simple.
Desire keeps him going.
He loves the game.
He lives for the game.
But his grades must be maintained, lest he becomes ineligible to play. So with a tired and exhausted body, he goes home to burn the midnight oil studying for exams and working on university papers. On the court he burns his rubber soles; on his study table he burns the midnight oil.
That takes a lot of spirit, stamina and courage to handle such stress and pressure. And it does take more than average intellect to handle such challenges and come off victor, winning a game and scoring good grades.
So after every rigorous practice or an exhausting match, he picks up his bag, changes to a clean shirt and goes home ready for another game on the hard court of his study table and books, scoring exams and dunking papers.
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