…is the greatest fantasy novel I ever read.

American author George R. R. Martin really caught my interest with the first novel of the Song of Ice and Fire series, which is entitled as “A Game of Thrones.” Reading the novel’s epilogue is enough for me to say that “A Game of Thrones” is a novel that will not waste my time.

“A Game of Thrones” flared up my interest and made me crave for the next two novels of the Song of Ice and Fire series, which are “A Clash of Kings” and “A Storm of Swords.”

The Song of Ice and Fire series centers about the power struggle in the fictional continent of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms that composes it. The series opens with the novel “A Game of Thrones” that are focused on my favorite clan in the series, who are the Starks who rules the northern part of Westeros in the city of Winterfell.

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After beheading a deserter, Eddard Stark and his sons discovered a dead direwolf with six pups. Each pups were given to each of Eddard’s children: Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Tommen and the bastard Jon. The direwolves have important role in the whole series.

“A Game of Thrones” ended at the death of Westeros’ king Robert Baratheon and the capture of the King’s Hand, Eddard Stark.

The “Clash of Kings” concentrates on the war between the different claimants of the throne of Westeros and the King in the North Robb Stark. Battle ensued between Tywin Lannister (head of the House of Lannister) and the troops of the Riverlands (House of Tully and its banner men) and the north men. Robert Baratheon’s brothers Stannis and Renly also declared themselves kings. In the end of this novel, Robb Stark and Renly were killed and Stannis was defeated in the battle in King’s Landing, Westerosi capital. King Joff, supported by the Lannisters is in a precarious position.

The third novel, “Storm of Swords,” focused on the characters Cersei, Jaime, Sansa, the Greyjoys, Sam Tarly and Arya. I don’t like much the third novel because I think the characters and their stories are lightweight compared to the stories of Bran, Daenerys, Jon Snow, and Tyrion Lannister. My only favorite in the third novel is Arya and her travel to Braavos. My favorite part of the novel is the exciting last chapters when Cersei was caught in her own webs of lies and deceit and captured by the High Septon (priest) and made to stand up of adultery.

The Song of Ice and Fire is a great series. I am looking forward to read the next book, “Dance of the Dragons.”

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I do not share the fondness of the majority of Filipino buyers to rubber shoes, especially the ones manufactured by Adidas, Converse, and Nike. Because of my almost heavy duty line of work, specifically when I work during fieldworks, I prefer to wear heavy duty shoes.

For almost three years, my UCLA hiking shoes served me well. It accompanied to many travels and walked hundreds of miles during fieldworks. Aside from those activities, I usually wear my hiking shoes even if I am just going to the office or stroll inside the mall.

So, when my hiking shoes decided to retire (finally), I did not hesitate to buy another heavy duty shoes as a replacement. I went to Marikina Riverbanks Mall and I bought the Vagono Steel-toed shoes.

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What attracted me to those shoes is the fact that it is steel-toed. I could easily use it in kicking the hell out of any person who will attack me. Well, that is not the actual reason why I liked that Vagono shoes. I just liked it because it is “steel-toed.”

Vagono Steel-toed shoes are made from Marikina City, which is the shoe capital of the Philippines. It is quite expensive because a pair of Vagono Steel-toed shoes costs 1,800 Pesos.

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However, looking at the quality of the shoes, I could say that my money is worth it. The Vagono Steel-toed shoes have all the specs that I need. It is high-cut (low-cut is also available for 1,200 Pesos). It has a hard sole, which is perfect for hiking and long walks. Also, the shoes are durable and I guess it could outlive my old hiking shoes.

Problems Encountered

The one thing that I discovered about Vagono's Steel Toed Shoes is that its sole was glued to the shoes and not stitched to it. Because of this, the shoes is not advisable to step on wet and puddled areas because the glue will not hold the sole and shoes together.

I made a mistake in walking on puddles and the sole was almost removed. Because of this, I sent my shoes to shoe repair shop to have it fix and sewed.

Vagono's Steel Toes shoes are expensive and I expected that the sole will be sewed to the shoes. However, it is not. This is why I am somewhat disappointed with this shoe.

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Visit Before the Eastern Sunset and read about my review of Red Ribbon’s Black Forest Cake

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Last Saturday, my brother brought home another Chef Tony’s Popcorn. This is the second time that my brother brought home this kind of popcorn. I am not complaining, but rather, I am glad that his pasalubong is Chef Tony’s Popcorn, even if we are not in the cinemas.

The very first puffed corn that I tasted from Chef Tony’s is the Dark Chocolate (with honey roasted almonds) flavor. At first, I thought that I will never like that kind of popcorn because it will be both sweet and salty. I am not fan of sweet and salty foods because I remember the boiled kamoteng kahoy (tapioca) that was both mixed with salt and sugar.
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Chef Tony's Dark Chocolate

The Chef Tony’s Dark Chocolate popcorn is just fine and suited my taste buds. The sweet flavor overpowered the salty taste that’s why I liked it.
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Actually, it is yummy. The photo is just bad. :-P

Last Saturday, my brother brought White Country Cheddar flavor, and I also liked it.

Now I wonder when my brother will bring home another Chef Tony’s Popcorn.

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What does a young child feels when she left her home in Asia and live in America? What are the hardships? What are the experiences? What are the happiness?

These are the questions that the book “In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson” tried to answer and this book presented the answer in a heartwarming and enjoyable way that made it one of my most liked books when I was in college.
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In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord.

The book is about a Chinese girl named Shirley Temple Wong. She and her mother left their close relatives in China and live with her father in USA. Through the eyes of the child, we saw how she struggled to be part of the new world. She tried to learn the new customs, made new friends, and became a fan of the baseball legend Jackie Robinson.

What I like about this book is that the author managed to tell the story through the child. The pretenses and the biases of an adult person were removed. USA is shown through the eye of an immigrant Chinese girl. The author let the character tell the story.

The book is warm and at some points funny. It is really hard to live in a new country, especially in the USA, but does doesn’t mean that there are no light moments. So whenever I want to have a quick read, I would just flip the pages of “In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson” and enjoy the story of Shirley Temple Wong.

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Visit Before the Eastern Sunset and read about kwek kwek, isaw and other street foods from the Philippines.

Image came from CEDU.

When I bought my second-hand Nokia 5610, I discovered that its battery is bloated and it can’t recognize any microSD card. I went to Nokia Customer Care Center in SM City Manila and they said that the cause of my microSD card problem is the bloated cellphone battery that prevents the memory card from being locked to the phone. The technician said that the bloated cellphone battery is a sign that it is over-charged and may explode if not replaced soon. He suggested that I hut a new battery to fix my problems.

The price of the original battery for Nokia 5610 is about 1,200 pesos. That is too expensive for my budget so I tried to find some alternatives. I discovered that there many batteries for Nokia phones that are not original Nokia batteries but at a cheaper price.

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1. Ask Around or Do Some Canvass

I discovered about the alternative battery for my Nokia 5610 by doing a price a canvass. I asked visited different shops and asked for available cellphone batteries. They usually offer the original cellphone battery, the “class A” cellphone battery, and the Lim Hong cellphone battery. I asked about the warranties and the prices for each battery so I know what is the best deal for me.

2. Investigate Through the Internet

Before buying, I do some little investigation using the Internet so that I will what is the reaction of some people on the battery that I am choosing to buy. Reactions of other buyers are valuable in knowing if the cellphone battery that you will buy for your is reliable.

3. Buy from Legitimate Shops

There are street vendors who sell cellphone batteries. Avoid buying batteries from them because they do not give warranty to the products that you bought. If the battery is defective, then you will find it hard press them for a replacement. I bought my batteries from a shop inside the mall so that I could easily visit them if the battery for my Nokia 5610 is defective.

4.  Ask for Discounts

Buying from a shop inside a mall does not mean that you could not strike any discount. Ask for discount. I bought my Lim Hong cellphone battery with a discount of 100 pesos from the original price.

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Image of BP-5M cellphone battery from After Market Cellular.

The cases of dengue already reached 7,000 last week and about 500 people died. According to the news, most of the dengue victims are children and infants. As of the moment, wards of government hospitals are filled with patients waiting to be healed. Because of this, the government stepped up its campaign to stop the dengue outbreak. We should also do something to prevent the outbreak of dengue and protect our family.

Here are some steps that you could do to stop dengue:

Dengue Mosquito.

1. Remove Stagnant Water

It is known fact that Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the carrier of dengue, breeds on stagnant water. Be sure to remove all stagnant water in your home to deny mosquitoes their breeding places.

2. Spray Insecticide before Nighttime

Dengue mosquitoes usually bite at dusk, so it is good to spray insecticide inside your house during these time to shoo away dengue carrying mosquitoes. Dengue mosquitoes may also bite during the day, but usually in the shady areas. However, be careful using insecticides because there are research that too much inhalation of insecticide is bad for the health.

3. Protect Your Skin from Insect Bites

School principals allowed their students to wear jogging pants in school so as to protect them from mosquito bites. You could also do that when you are at home. Also, you could also apply mosquito repellants on your skin so as to keep mosquitoes at bay.

It is also recommended to use mosquito nets when you are sleeping to keep mosquitoes away from you and your family while you are sleeping. Just make sure that mosquitoes can’t pass through your mosquito net.

4. Kill Mosquitoes with Bug Zapper

Electric bug zappers are available in the supermarket for a low price. This gadget can kill mosquitoes better than the regular fly swatter. I also recommend buying Imarflex Electric Mosquito Killer.

5. Rouse Your Neighbors in Making Your Community Dengue Free

Making your home dengue free does not mean that your family will be safe from dengue. If your neighbors have stagnant water inside their homes, then you efforts will be put to waste since mosquitoes coming from your neighbors houses will also visit your home. Thus, to ensure that every home will be safe from dengue, the whole must act collectively to make the whole community free from dengue.

Finally, if you notice that any of your family is having fever or showing symptoms of Dengue, then don’t hesitate to bring them to the nearest hospital. Always remember every moment matters when you have a case of Dengue.

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Picture of Aedes Aegypti mosquito from WikiCommon.
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Leaving the Philippines and working abroad is one of the most popular options of the Filipino workers when they are looking for a job. Thus, every day, hundreds of Filipino workers and professionals leave the country to find greener pastures abroad. Aside from that, hundreds of Filipinos are being victimized by illegal recruiters everyday. Some pay placement fees and in the end illegal recruiters run away with their money. Others are sent to jobs abroad with poor workplace conditions and abusive employers.
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Because of these, looking for a job abroad is not an easy task. You should always be alert and always put the element of doubt on all the promises and offerings of recruiters and recruiting agencies. Here are some of my tips that is useful for you when you are applying for a work abroad.

1. Study the Procedures Well.

The government placed various procedures and safety nets to protect Filipino workers when applying for an overseas job. A little study on the procedures will not hurt you and may even save you money because you will know if your recruiter is asking you to pay illegal or excessive fees. You could do this by visiting the website of Philippine Overseas Employment Agency (POEA) and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA)

2.  Investigate the Agency

Always keep in mind that there many illegal recruitment agencies and the government is not able to close down most of these recruitment agencies. Some of the recruitment agencies have standing case on the courts but are still open and taking in applicants. Before applying in an agency, a little investigation is necessary. First, visit POEA's list of recruitment agencies to know if your recruitment agency is in good standing. Next is google the name of your agency to see if there are feedbacks and comments from other people about the agency.

3. Be Wary of Door-to-Door Recruiters

Many of our kababayans are victimized by recruiters who come to the barangays in the province and promising great jobs available abroad. Be wary of such scheme because most of the time, these kind of recruiters always ask for advanced payment of placement fee and other fees and then run-away with the money you paid for. Trusting these kinds of recruiters are dangerous because they use fake names and fake address.

4.  Be Wise with Your Money

Recruiters that ask for large amount money is and abusive recruitment agency. If you studied the procedures when applying for an overseas job, then you will know how much are the fees that you must pay. Always hold your money tight.

5. Seek Help from OFW Organizations

There are a myriad of OFW organizations in the country. The most prominent is Migrante International. You could ask for help from these organizations, especially if you are victimized by a recruiter or a recruitment agency.

These are few of the thing that should always put in your mind when applying for abroad. Remember that there are always evil people who are always ready to trick us Filipino workers. Be alert, be wary, and always ask God for guidance so that you will not be victimized.

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Visit Before the Eastern Sunset and read about Reminiscing with #SentiSabado

In my personal blog, I lamented about how I lost my LG KU380 when it fell to Manila Bay. It is quite sad to lose to lose the phone that have sentimental value (I bought my LG from my first bonus at work).

Because of the incident, I have to buy a cheap phone which I will not feel that sorry in case that it got lost or fell in the sea. My need was answered by Cherry Mobile 1202i.

Cherry Mobile 1202i is quite cheap as compared to the phone of the same specs offered by Nokia. I bought my Cherry Mobile 1202i for 999 pesos.
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Cherry Mobile 1202i is a simple phone. It has colored screen, polyphonic ringtones and single SIM. It also comes handy because it has a flashlight like the same model offered by Nokia. It does not play MP3 music but it has a built-in FM radio application. I like its FM radio because it comes handy when I do not want to hear cheap soap operas shown on the TV inside the bus when I go home.

Cherry Mobile 1202i is a great buy. You got the same features as the Nokia phones of the same specs but with a cheaper price tag.

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Read my review of another Cherry Mobile Phone, which is Cherry Mobile D30.

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There are always drinking sprees whenever my friends have outings and gatherings. Our trip to Lucban for the Pahiyas Festival is not an exception. Since the morning of the festival, some of my friends are already thinking what they want to drink for the night. By chance, my friends discovered Antonov Vodka from a promo girl in Lucban.

It is my first time to drink Antonov Vodka that night and I have no complaint. The apple flavor is just fine and the vodka’s spirit is not that strong. Antonov Vodka is so light that I could even empty one bottle of it in just one swig. We had a good time drinking without any of us getting drunk. We finished about 20 bottles of Antonov Vodka.
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Antonov Vodka, apple flavor.

I like the apple flavor of Antonov Vodka but its peach flavor sucks. First, peach flavor Antonov Vodka’s spirit is stonger than the apple flavored ones. The peach flavor also does not enhance the taste of the vodka.

If my friends will look for vodka, then I will not hesitate to recommend Antonov Vodka. However, I will just recommend the apple-flavored vodka and not the peach-flavored one.

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Visit Before the Eastern Sunset and read about my experience with extortionists and the Budol-Budol Gang.

Image of Anotonov Vodka is from Totoo.com.

I always admire people who have the ability to get the price that they want for the products they are buying in the market. Haggling is a great skill and that is one of the talent that I wanted to have. My father is expert in haggling and many times he is able to buy fish and meat from the wet market at half the price. At People's Park, Tagaytay City, my girlfriend showed how good she is in haggling (or pagtawad in Tagalog) and that is one of the things at admire about her.

So how to haggle (paano tumawad)? Here are some tips:

1. Study the Vendors

If you go to the market regularly, then it is good that you study the traits of the vendors whom you are buying goods from. There are vendors who are very stingy and will not allow you to get discounts. There are some vendors who are generous and give their customers discounted prices. Always buy from vendors who give good discounts (as long as the quality is not sacrificed) so that you will build a good relationship with them. Buying from them regularly will make you as their friend and you will easily get discounts from them without much negotiation.

My father style is this. He has a mental list of generous vendors and he always buy from them whenever he goes to the market. He befriends them so that he could not be forgotten by the vendors. Aside from getting discounted prices, vendors also give him the best of their goods.

2. Act as if You are not Buying

When you are buying, never show to the vendor that you have decided to buy his/her products. Always make them feel that you are hesitant to buy their goods and your mind will change at any moment and you will go to other stores. By making them feel that way, the vendors will voluntarily offer you discounted prices to buy their products.

3. Buy Things in Bulk

The more items you buy, the higher the possibility that you will get a discount. This is what my friends did when we are buying souvenir shirts during the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban. We are 8 in the group and instead of one person buying on his own, we buy as group. We bought more than 20 shirts and the vendor allowed us to get a large discount.

4. Never Forget to Compute

Most of the vendors stick to the deal after you settled the discounted price. Some, however, will trick you and make you believe that you are paying in the settled discounted price, when you are actually paying for the undiscounted price. Be aware of this scheme and compute your purchases first before buying.

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So that’s my tips when haggling in the local markets in the Philippines. Hope my tips helps, happy haggling!


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Cubao, Quezon City had been one of the most visited places in the Metro. A long time ago, this area is packed with people because of its malls, like the Ali Mall, Isetan, CDO and Plaza Fair. There are also many movie houses and shops that have many patrons in the past. The presence of the Araneta Coliseum is also the reason why Cubao is always visited by many people.

Cubao also serve as the hub of many terminals of buses that ply to different provinces around the country.

Though, many commercial hubs around the Metro had risen, Cubao is still one of the most visited places in Metro Manila. Because of this, Cubao is one of the most attractive places for criminals like thieves, snatchers, and hold-uppers.

Always be Alert

When you are in Cubao, always be on alert on all people around you. Thieves don’t usually bother anyone who seems to be alert because they prefer a much easier prey. Thus, being alert is a big factor in keeping criminals at bay.

I have one experience when a group of people, which composed of about eight persons, climbed up the bus I am riding on in Cubao. After a few meters, all of them got down from the bus and some minutes later one of the passenger discovered that some of his belongings were stolen.

The lesson from this is that you should be alert when you are in Cubao Area. Always be alert of all the people that ride on your jeepney or bus so as to prevent being a victim of thieves.

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 Valley of Horses, Jean Auel

The Valley of Horses continues the life story of Ayla, which was started in the first novel Clan of the Cave Bear.

In the first novel, Ayla was condemned by his the new clan chief and her sworn enemy to be cut off from the clan. Shaken and depressed by the turn of events, Ayla had to leave his son to the care of her clan mates and journey on to live to place that is far away from her clan. In her journey, Ayla reached a valley and chose to settle their. She persevered and learnt to live on her own in that valley until he found another man, named Jondalar of her own race, who taught her that she is not alone and she could live again.

Once again, I was amazed by Ayla. Her struggle to continue leaving despite her being cut off from the clan is worth reading for. Her determination to live kept the story moving and the very thing that kept me interested in reading this novel. However, this book is not about Ayla only but is also about [Insert name here] whose story runs parallel to Ayla’s story. I found the story of Jondalar uninteresting so I skipped all chapters that are about him.

All in all, this novel is another good work from Jane Auel. My only wish is that she should have modified the story of Jondalar to make him as interesting as Ayla. Ayla’s character is too strong than Jondalar character.

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Visit Before the Eastern Sunset and read about my travel to Lucban for their Pahiyas Festival.

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The novel Clan of the Cave Bear is a unique saga written by Jean Auel that was set during the Ice Age at edge of the glacial ice in pre-historic Europe. If the setting is not enough, Jean made the plot of this novel to be also as unique as its setting.

The Clan of the Cave Bear follows the life story of Ayla who is of a different race than his adopted tribe. Ayla belongs to the race which is the predecessor of the Homo Sapiens while the tribe that adopted her is of the Homo Neanderthal race. Ayla was adopted by the clan after an earthquake that killed her parents. She was adopted by Iza, who was the clan’s medicine woman, and was taken in the clan through the help of Creb, who is the clan’s greatest shaman. Iza and Creb are siblings and they served as Ayla’s new parents.

The difference between Ayla and the clan is so much that clan members distrusted her at first. She was even considered ugly because her face is different from that of the women in the tribe. Through the help of Iza and Creb, Ayla begun to learn and love the tribe that adopted her. The clan, who believes in spirits, eventually accepted her because they believe that she is protected by great spirits.
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The Clan of the Cave Bear is great novel because of its uniqueness and the storytelling is not boring. Ayla’s character is interesting and there plentiful of conflicts that the readers can follow. The reader’s mind will also be filled with the imageries of the ancient flora and fauna and the tradition of the Clan, who worships cave bears. The other characters also give full color to the life of the clan.

Clan of the Cave Bear is an interesting novel. It is great from the beginning until its dramatic end.

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Go to Before the Eastern Sunset and read about my new blog post, A Grace of Friendship.
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Only few days are left before the Philippines’ big day for the year 2010. The 2010 Elections will be the most intense election that will occur in this country because it is the event where political titans will clash. The Filipino people will cast their votes with their thought on a better future and the solution to the grave problem that plague the nation.

The coming election is also the first automated elections and the COMELEC brags that the 2010 elections will be the fastest and most efficient election in the nation’s history. Because of automation, numerous polling precincts were combined and made into a cluster. Thus, the old precinct that the voter had grown familiar in the past elections may not be the precinct that he/she will go to in May 10.

COMELEC made a way for people who are always online to find their precinct for the 2010 Elections. Finding the precinct is done through COMELEC’s precinct finder.

Upon reaching COMELEC’s precinct finder path, you will see this form:

To find your precinct, all you have to do is to input the necessary information in their respective fields. Be sure that you placed the correct information before clicking the “Find Now” button. Voila! Your precinct number will come out in the screen.

If your precinct did not come out or that an error occurred, it is possible that COMELEC made so encoding errors especially your name have Jr, I, II, or Ma. (abbreviated form of Maria). A solution for this is you type your name with Jr. in different variations. You could place “Jr” after your first name. Or place it after the surname. You could also remove the period after “Jr” or replace with comma. It is just trial and error until the precinct finder releases your polling precinct on-screen.

If you still have problems, then I suggest that you go visit you municipal or city COMELEC office and find your precinct in their master list.

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Intramuros is the most historical places in manila, the capital city of the Philippines. The walled city serves as the settlement of the Spaniards during their colonization of the country. The city boasts of a fort (Fort Santiago), churches, old Spanish houses, and antique guns that were mounted during the times when the Spaniards are the master of Manila. One can also find inside the museum that showcases the places where Jose Rizal was interred before he was executed.

Intramuros is one of the top tourist spots in Manila and many people go there to relieve the history the history of Manila and the whole Philippines. The walled city is quite big and is tiresome to travel by foot. Would be visitors of the walled city need not to worry since there are many ways to tour Intramuros.

Go On by Foot

This is the cheapest mode of travel inside Intramuros and the most tiresome. However, there many people who prefer to walk when they are traveling. If you are that kind of tourist, then that is not a problem since Intramuros are pedestrian friendly. When touring Intramuros by foot, it is advisable that you carry a map of the walled city so as to plan the best path that you could take for the tour. It is also advisable to bring an umbrella to avoid being scorched by the midday sun.

Ride a Pedicab
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Pedicab is a bicycle that has a covered sidecar. This is an ingenious way of moving inside Intramuros. Also, the pedicab drivers in Intramuros know the ins and outs of Intramuros like the palm of their hands. For tourists, these pedicab drivers already have their route that they follow to tour their clients. Most of them have pamphlets about the tourist spots inside the walled city.

Pedicabs are hired for 100 pesos hour. You can go to interesting places for two hours while riding the pedicab.

Hire a Kalesa
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Kalesa is the Tagalog word for a horse-drawn carriage. You can ride a kalesa to tour you around Intramuros. However, this is more expensive than hiring a pedicab. Riding a kalesa will give you a feeling that you are traveling Intramuros in the same way that the Spaniards had traveled in it during their days in the Philippines.

Go for a Tour Program

There are many tourist and travel agencies that offer touring services inside Intramuros. This is the most expensive of all mode of traveling inside the wall city. However, the benefits are that the tourist will get a professional tourist guides that know the history of every places in Intramuros. You will ride on horse drawn carriages that are better than the kalesas plying around the walled city.


When going for a trip inside Intramuros, consider the options I have just given out and choose what is the best with regards to your budget and your time. The main goal is to enjoy visiting the place and choosing the best mode of traveling inside the walled city will help in achieving that.


Visit my article about Intramuros in Before the Eastern Sunset. Also, in that blog, I have a new blog post which is about my visit to the Minor Basilica of the Santo Nino in Cebu City.

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Photo of pedicab came from Kat's World 3.

In my other blog, I shared that I was forced to work under the intense heat of the sun in the past weeks because of a project assigned to me by my office.

Because of this, I had to look for lotions and sun block that will protect me from the sun. Vaseline Skin Lightening Lotion is one of the products I used as my skin protector.

Vaseline Skin Lightening Lotion has Vitamin B3 to help bring out natural fair skin, triple sunscreen to help prevent further darkening caused by sunlight, and yoghurt serum to moisturize skin.

Vaseline claims that this lotion is clinically proven for radiant, naturally lighter skin as early as two weeks of continued application on the skin.

Personal Experience

When I bought this lotion, my intention is to use it as a sun block. However, this lotion is not intended as a sun block and is not good at protecting skin from the Ultraviolet rays of the sun. Thus, I do not recommend this lotion as a sun block.

What I like about this lotion is that it eases the effect of sunburn. I had noticed that is smoothens my sun burnt skin after being applied with this lotion.

So for lightening skin darkened by the sun, you can use Vaseline Skin Lightening Lotion. However, I do believe that there are better whitening lotions in the market. I do not recommend this lotion as a sun block.

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Picture of Vaseline was copied from PinoyGoodies.
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Eldest is the second book of the author Christopher Paolini for the Inheritance Cycle. The first book is titled as “Eragon” and the book that followed Eldest is Brisingr.

The novel follows the adventure of the Dragon Rider Eragon and his dragon, Saphira. After the battle in the dwarves citadel of Farthen Dur, Eragon realized that he have much to learn so as to be able to defeat Galbatorix and assure the victory of the allied forces of the Varden, Kingdom of Surda, and the Dwarves.

The book opened and ended in tragedy. The first is the death of the Varden’s chief, Ajihad, and the lost of Murtagh to the enemy. The last tragedy is the death of Hrothgar, the king of the dwarves in the hands of the traitor Murtagh and his new dragon.

In the second book, Eragon discovered many things in the land of the elves and he also learned many things aside from magic that may become useful in his future battle with Galbatorix. The book also focused on Eragon’s cousin Roran and their odyssey from Carvahal to the battleground of the Burning Plains.

The second book of the Inheritance Cycle is as riveting and as interesting as the first book of Paolini. The focus on Roran is also refreshing since it adds new perspective to the story. So to Eragon fans there, this book is not a disappointment. Also, readers of the fantasy genre will also love the Inheritance Cycle of Christopher Paolini.

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The summer heat is on! And this summer heat is not the ordinary ones that we experience every year because of the El Nino that hit the country. Because of the El Nino, the country is experiencing a dry spell and many farms were ruined because of the drought. The extreme heat ushered in many health problems like heatstroke, sunburn, and other skin diseases.

The Department of Health warned the public to avoid being under the direct heat of the sun. There also studies saying that being exposed to the sunlight from 10 AM to 3 PM causes skin cancer. However, there are those times when we have to work under the sun. Here are some of the things that you could do to protect yourself when you have no choice but to stay under the sun.

Tip # 1: Cover Yourself

The best protection is to avoid being directly exposed to sunlight. This could be done by covering yourself up with umbrella and hats. It is recommended that you use umbrellas with thick cloth because the thicker the cloth is, the better it is in protecting you from the sun. Umbrella gives you the best protection because it covers not only your head but also your arms and nape.

If you prefer using headgears, then I recommend wide brimmed hats than baseball caps. Wide brimmed hats will protect your face and nape. It is also better to wear light colored clothes because these kinds of clothes are better in reflecting away radiation from the sun as compared to dark colored clothes. The more radiation are reflected, the lesser the heat absorbed by the clothes, thus the lesser the heat experienced by your body. White is the best reflector of radiation while black is the poorest since it absorbs most of the sun’s radiation.

Remember that Ultraviolet rays, sun’s radiation that causes skin cancer, can pass through clouds. So, even in a cloudy day, it is recommended that you cover yourself up.

Tip # 2: Use Sunblock

Sunblock is good to use in protecting exposed parts of your skin and will block the UV rays if properly applied. Sunblock lotions could be bought at the groceries or your local drugstores. Choose sunblock lotion that is SPF 30 and above. SPF is the rating used to show how strong the sunblock lotion is in protecting the skin. The higher the SPF value, the better the sunblock lotion in protecting your skin.

Tip # 3: Drinks Lots of Fluids

Sweat is usually produced when your body is exposed to heat. Sweat cools off the skin by absorbing the heat in the skin. The drawback of sweating is that we lose fluids that are inside our body. Dehydration is experienced when the body has less amount of fluid than what is required. The signs of dehydration are when we feel thirsty and when the color of our urine is yellowish.

It is recommended that you always have bottled water or fluid replenishing drinks like Gatorade at hand. Keep on drinking water so as to replenish your body’s lost fluids and prevent dehydration. Drinking water refreshes your throat and gives you a steady supply of sweat so as to keep your body feel cool.

Tip # 4: Protect Your Eyes

Extreme heat and sunlight is harmful to your eyes. Our eyes are also susceptible to the harmful effect of the UV rays. Thus, it is recommended that you protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. Also avoid looking directly at the sun.

Tip # 5: Don’t Go Out Between 10 AM and 3 PM

Sun’s heat is the greatest between 10 AM and 3 PM. Because of this, it is recommended that you avoid going out, as much as possible, during these times.

These are the some of the tips that you could follow to protect yourself from the harmful effect of the summer heat. Follow these tips and you will be fine.

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Earblock, known medically as Barotrauma, is a phenomenon experienced by a person when the airplane descends from a high altitude to lower altitudes. It usually occurs when the plane is landing to the airport. As it lands, the pressure inside the plane increases until the eardrums can’t bear the difference of pressure inside and outside the ears.

People having earblock experience deafness and pain inside the ears, specifically at the eardrums. Earblock is usually felt in small pressurized airplanes. It may also be felt in large commercial planes, albeit milder than in smaller planes.

There is no medicine to remove the pain accompanied by earblock. The only solution is to equalize the pressure in the inner ear with the pressure outside so as to ease the tension experienced by the eardrums. Here are some of the ways to combat earblock while the plane lands:

1) Yaaaaawn

Yes, yawning is not just being done when you are sleepy. It has other purposes and its main purpose is to equalize the pressure inside the ears with that of the environment. When you yawn, sometimes you may hear a popping sound inside your ears. That sound is caused by the air rushing to your ears from the Eustachian tube, otherwise known as the auditory tube. This tube connects the inner ear with the pharynx.

2) Pinch Your Nose then Blow

If yawning can’t ease the earblock, the next thing you can do is to force air to your inner ear. To do this, you have to pinch your nose and blow hard through it. The air will have no place to go but to pass through the auditory tube and enter the inner ear. You may feel uneasy doing this but it is the best way of easing the pressure for your eardrums.

3) Chew Gum

As the plane lands, it is suggested that you chew bubble gum to prevent earblock. Chewing makes the muscle around the auditory tube to move so as to allow the opening of the tube. The air will easily enter the inner ear and normalize the pressure.

Reminders

Be careful when doing the above techniques to ease earblocks, especially the second suggestion. Do not blow too hard or you may break your eardrums. You will know that you blew enough air if your ears feel much better and your hearing returned to normal.

It is also suggest that you refrain from chewing gum while the plane is ascending to higher altitudes. The reason for this is that the pressure in the inner ear will decrease, as the pressure inside the plane decreases. When this happens, it is more likely that you will experience earblock when the plane descends.

See a doctor if pain and deafness persist after following the suggestions mentioned above.

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Picture of Ear taken from Wikimedia Commons.

 Map of Litex Area

Litex is the area that is located at the intersection of three roads. These roads are the Payatas Roads (formerly Gravel Pit Road), Batasan Road, and the Commonwealth Avenue. Payatas Road pass through Barangay Payatas then along the La Mesa Watershed and ends in the town of Montalban (Rodriguez) in Rizal Province. The infamous Payatas can be seen when you pass the Payatas Road. This road is used by many people who live in Montalban and other areas near the Montalban-Quezon City boundary but work or study in Metro Manila.

Batasan Road, on the other hand, leads to the House of Representative.

Litex is alive 24 hours a day due to the fact that many people pass through this area. Consequently, Litex is filled with pedestrians and street vendors that hogged the sidewalks. Thieves and snatchers prowl this area and look for unwary commuters that brandish their cellular phones.

When passing or commuting through Litex, make sure that your valuables are well hidden. Never bring your cellphone out in this area especially when the jeepney runs slow due to heavy traffic. The congested streets and the slowing down of jeepneys are the opportunities waited upon by snatcher to snatch up their targets.

You should also avoid wearing valuable earrings when you are in Litex. Many girls got their ears torn because thieves snatched their earrings away.

As much as possible, avoid Litex and Payatas Road during late nights because many criminals board public jeepneys to hijack the jeepney and steal everything valuable from the passengers.

When you are in a car, it is safer to roll up the windows and lock all doors.

Remember, when traveling and commuting, you can never be too careful. Be extra cautious when you are Commuting Danger Zones and that includes Litex.

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Map of Litex Area obatined from Google Maps

Portable and easy to use, these are some of the advantages that the broadband plug-it modems have over other means of having an internet connection like DSL or Antenna modems. Because of this, many people are now having their internet by buying broadband plug-it modems from internet service providers. Smart Telecom, Globe Telecom, and Sun Telecom are all offering broadband plug-it modems.

 

Plug-its work by receiving and transmitting broadband signals to and from the telecommunication towers of internet service providers like the way cellular phones receive signal. However, the problem is that indoors, the signal deteriorates and the internet speed get slow. Walls usually blocks broadband signals causing its deterioration. Other obstructions like roof and trees contributes to the deterioration of broadband signal.

Here are some of my tips to make the signal that your plug-it receives stronger. For each of the tips, you will need USB Extension Cord. This cord could be bought from shops that sell computer parts and accessories like CD-R King. A cord with a length of 3 meters usually cost about 100 pesos. USB extension cords with signal booster are not required.


Tip #1: Take It Outdoors

As I had said, the walls of your house contribute to the deterioration of broadband signal. To solve these, your plug-it modem must be placed outside of your home. This could easily be done if you are using a laptop computer since it could be taken anywhere. For desktop computers, the solution is to buy a USB extension cord and place your broadband plug-it modem out through the window.

Just make sure that the plug-it modem will not be too exposed to rain or direct heat of the sun. Leaving the plug-it modem too exposed to the elements may cause it to malfunction.



Tip #2: Place It on Higher Elevation

Since trees and roof of houses also blocks broadband signal, a good solution would be to place the plug-it higher than these obstructions. For my plug-it modem, we used a pole to prop up the plug-it modem above the roof of our house. I used two 3-meter long USB extension cords to connect the plug-it modem to the USB port. This solved the problem of weak signal that we are experiencing when we are connecting to the internet.

To protect the plug-it modem, we created a housing using ice cream plastic container, plastic jar, and Styrofoam bowl. The ice cream container serves as the outermost roofing to protect the plug-it modem from rain. The Styrofoam serves as the insulator to protect the modem from the extreme heat of the sun.

These are some of the things I did to get a strong signal for my internet at home. I know that there are more tips out there to make the broadband signal being received by your plug-it modem stronger. I hope that this tips helped you.

Do have more tips? Please tell me by leaving a comment. Thanks!

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An Unholy Alliance, Susanna Gregory

This is a whodunit novel set in the backdrop of the Middle Ages, right after the time when the whole Britain is reeling from the effects caused by the plague. The setting is Cambridge after the Black Death ravaged the city.

Matthew Bartholomew is just a doctor, who shocks his colleagues with the unconventional medicine he learned from an Arabic teacher. But when an unknown monk was found dead inside the chest containing the university’s precious documents, Matthew Bartholomew got tangled up in a murder case that involves not just the whole university but the whole town. The murder of prostitutes, the rise of demonic cults, and the sudden disappearance of a University chancellor are few of the mysteries that Matthew Bartholomew have to unravel.

An Unholy Alliance is a unique book because it is set during the Middle Ages. The setting made the novel unique since most of the whodunit or mystery novels have setting in the modern age. There are so many mysteries in the novel that will keep any readers interested. The storytelling is good and the characters are interesting. Susanna Gregory got the atmosphere of that era and the characters conform to the setting.  In the end of novel, Susanna Gregory convincingly resolved all the mysteries and problems and created a satisfying ending for an interesting whodunit novel.

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Of the gaming console makers of the world, I see Nintendo as an innovative and creative company. My proof is the Nintendo DS.

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Just when most of my friends and officemates are buying Sony PSPs to while their time away, I chose to play games with Nintendo DS. It is agreed that the features of Sony PSP are great. However, Nintendo DS is cooler. What made Nintendo DS cooler? The answer for that is its two screens.

The first screen is like your regular screen where you can play the usual games, just like in Sony PSP. The second or the lower screen is a touch screen that could be used as additional screen or a touch pad to add more interactivity in the games.

The touch screen made the Nintendo DS better than the Sony PSP. Because of the touch screen, Nintendo was able to place more creative games in Nintendo DS that will appeal from youngster to adult gamers.

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España Boulevard, which other people call as España Avenue, is one of the worst roads in Metro Manila in terms of traffic. This short stretch of road starts from the end of Lerma Street, which is known by commuters as Morayta, and ends at Welcome Rotonda, which is the boundary of Manila and Quezon City. Popular bus stops for this road are Blumentrit, San Vicente Street, Lacson Avenue, University of Santo Tomas, and Morayta. Buses and jeepneys from all over Metro Manila use this road.

Vehicular traffic in España Blvd. is heavy any time of the day. Commuters experience heavier traffic during rush hours which are the hours around 8 AM and 5 PM. Normally, the traffic is bearable since it takes about 30 minutes to reach both ends of España Blvd. By 5 PM, the traffic in España is compounded by the traffic in Quezon Avenue. Worst traffic usually happen during and right after heavy rain since España Blvd is easily flooded.

Thus, during heavy rains, commuters are recommended not to pass through this road. For many times, I experienced long hours of being trapped inside the traffic in España Blvd. During these situations, buses and jeepneys are forced to take the side streets to no avail. Thus instead of suffering from irritation, the wise steps for commuters is to take other route that will bypass España and reach their destination faster.

For commuters going to Fairview, Commonwealth Avenue and similar places in Quezon City, it is advised to take the LRT 3.

Manila to Fairview, Novaliches, Commonwealth Ave and similar places in Quezon City:

Step 1: Go to LRT 3 Recto Station

Step 2: Go up to second floor of the station and buy LRT card from ticket booths or dispensers. Buy ticket that will take you either to LRT Cubao Station or to LRT Anonas Station.

Step 3: Put your card in the card slot to get pass the train entrance. Don’t forget to take your LRT card after you passed through since you will need it when exiting the station later

Step 4: Go up to the third floor of the station and board the train there.

For those who want to go down to the LRT Cubao station, take the following steps:

Step 5: Go out of the train at Cubao Station then go down to second floor of the station.

Step 6: Put your card into the card slot to exit the station then go to Gateway mall.

Step 7: Pass through Gateway Mall, then to Ali Mall to reach EDSA. To avoid getting lost, it is advised to follow the large crowd walking from LRT to MRT station at EDSA.

Step 8: Upon reaching EDSA, navigate through MMDA pink fences and choose the bus that you desire so as to reach SM Fairview.

For those who go down at LRT Anonas Station, take the following steps:

Step 5: Go out of the train at Anonas Station.

Step 6: Go out of the station. The exit that you should choose is the exit on the side of Saint Joseph’s Church.

Step 7: Walk to the back of the church. There you will find jeepneys that are going to Fairview and Lagro.

For commuters going to SM North and Trinoma Mall, it is advised to take the LRT 2

Step 1: Go to LRT 2 Recto Station

Step 2: Go up to second floor of the station and buy LRT card from ticket booths or dispensers. Buy ticket that will take you to LRT EDSA Station.

Step 3: Put your card in the card slot to get pass the train entrance. Don’t forget to take your LRT card after you passed through since you will need it when exiting the station later

Step 4: Go up to the third floor of the station and board the train there.

Step 5: Go out of the train at EDSA station.

Step 6: Put your card into the card slot to exit the station then go to the MRT Taft Station. Navigate your way towards the station. You may follow the crowd toward the station since many LRT riders take the MRT, but be careful since there are also many people who walk toward the MMDA footbridge. If you reached the footbridge, you could either go back or just cross EDSA and walk to the station on the pedestrian lane.

Step 7: Buy MRT card, and put your card in the card slot to get pass the train entrance.  Don’t forget to take your MRT card after you passed through since you will need it when exiting the station later.

Step 8: Go down the ground floor and board the train there.

Step 9: Go out of the train at North EDSA Station, walk towards Trinoma Mall exit to exit the station.

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"Eragon" by Christopher Paolini, Knopf

“A boy and a dragon and a wonderful, but dangerous, set of adventures”

Those are my words for the book Eragon that I have just finished reading recently. Eragon is a poor farm boy who luckily found a shiny stone in a magical forest near their hometown. Food for the table that would last for the whole winter, these are thoughts of this poor farm boy as he carried the stone back to his dilapidated house. The stone is more valuable than food, however, as a dragon came out of the stone and chose Eragon as its rider, opening up a new life and opportunities for to become the person who will save the world or continue its destruction.

This book is the latest of the novels in the genre of fantasy that I had read. Though very far away from the works of J.R. Tolkien, this novel is quite refreshing to read and will keep the readers in turning the pages until the end. Novels in this genre are flooding the bookstores and some of the characters and creatures seem to repeat from one fantasy novel to another. In spite of this, Eragon managed to create its own unique world that are different from the other ones in other fantasy novels. Although some of the creatures like elves, dwarves, and humans are still present. One of the villainous creatures in this book are called Urgals, which somewhat represent the Orcs of Tolkien's novels. What set this book apart are its plot and the possibilities that may arise in this novel.

So if you are hungry for a fantasy novel, then Eragon is recommended for you.


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Once in a while, when I get bored in office I play the usual desktop games on my office computer. The games that I usually play are spider solitaire, space cadet pinball, and the classic minesweeper. Recently, I discovered this cool game from my officemate. The name of the game is “Pocket Tanks.”

Pocket Tanks is a simple game and anyone can easily learn the basics of the game in few seconds. The game is a battle between two tanks that fire at one another with various cool missiles. Each missile has their special effects and power. Each tank gains score by hitting the opponent tank. The tank that has the higher score at the end of the game wins. It is a turn based game and the game ends if both of the tanks have no more weapons at their disposal.

Weapons

The weapons in pocket tanks can be categorized into three, namely, (1) weapon that cause destruction, (2) weapons that bury your opponent, and (3) weapon that remove the earth or terrain in the game.

The first category is composed of missiles that cause damage to the enemy tank. The damage will come into the form of scores being added to your tank. My favorites in this category are the Chain Reaction, Pineapple, and Napalm for the great damage that they bring. Homing Missiles and the Heat Seeker hunts the enemy even if it not well targeted by your tank.

The weapons in the second category include the Magic Wall, Dirtball, and the Dirt Slinger. The last two weapons are my favorites in this category because I use it to bury the enemy tanks. Burying the enemy tank is useful, especially if it has no weapons of category three. The enemy will be forced to incur damage when it tries to use category one weapons.

Dirt mover and Earth Mover fall to category three. These weapons remove the earth that was used to bury the tank. Earth Mover, in particular, is also useful in clearing the terrain where the enemy tank is located so as to disorient the enemy when the position of your tank is already on target.

Techniques

The game is played by approximating the trajectory that should be used to hit the enemy tank. The trajectory is made by selecting the right angle of the trajectory and the power for your weapon. For the first salvo, I usually use the Homing Missile to gauge the angle I should use in hitting the enemy. Homing Missiles are no-miss weapons. After that, I pummel the enemy with various weapons so as to increase my score.

Another technique that I use is hitting the enemy with Pile Driver. This weapon creates a pit where the enemy tank will fall, making it ideal for the Hailstorm weapon to create maximum damage.

If the enemy has no weapon like the Earth Mover or Dirt Mover, then I use the Earth Pile and Dirt Ball to trap the enemy and make it damage itself with its own weapons.

Other Good Things

Pocket Tanks can be downloaded for free from Blitwise. The free version has no time limit for the play unlike the games downloaded from Popcap. The Pocket Tanks free version already has assorted weapons that can fill your boring time in office.

If you are bored playing against the computer, then you can also play against your officemate via two – player or via LAN. The game can also be played via different difficulty levels, from level one up to ten.

Pocket Tanks is developed by Blitwise. Full version is also available for purchase. The full version has additional 30 weapons that have more interesting and wacky effects. To download the free version or buy the full version, visit Blitwise now.

The Verdict

Pocket Tanks is a nice game to play to while away time or to remove office boredom. The game is challenging enough to at least wake you up. Thinking of strategy and the best trajectory also makes your mind ticking. So if you are tired of Spider Solitaire or Minesweeper, then Pocket Tanks may be a good game for you.

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You could download Pocket Tanks at the website of Blitwise.

The rainy season is getting nearer and with it is the season of mosquitoes and flies. Because of this, the threat of illness due to these bugs are on the rise and parents will once again be more concerned about the protection of their children against the diseases like malaria, dengue, dysentery, and cholera. One way to protect yourself and your family is by killing these pests using flyswatters and flypaper.

However, there is a better way of killing these bugs and that is by using the Electric Bug Zapper.

The Electric Bug Zapper is a simple tool that uses electricity to kill insects. It is shaped like a tennis racket with the head acting like an electric fence. Any bug that will be hit by the racket will be zapped and burst. If fully charged, this gadget is strong enough to kill a fully grown house lizard but weak enough not to electrocute a person. Anyone touching the racket head will be zapped but the electricity is not too strong.

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This device is ideal to use when insects tend to swarm in one place, which is usually the habit of mosquitoes. The broad face also increases the chance to hit the target insect, as compared to the normal fly swatter. You also spared of the messy way of dealing with insects, as compared to the fly swatter because the insect tend to burn, which means that they do not leave any entrails.

Where to Buy and How Much

The Electric Bug Zapper could be bought at any public markets, just look for shops or kiosks that sells products for 100 pesos and below and you will find this gadget. I had bought mine at the Commonwealth Market. I heard that some malls, specifically the Ever Gotesco and Robinson Malls, have this product.

The price of the Electric Bug Zapper is around 100 pesos (about 2 dollars). Be reminded though that vendors tend to overprice their products and they sell this gadget for 120 pesos. Just try to haggle with them so as to lower your price. Prices at the malls is higher than those at the public markets.

Safety Reminders

Electric Bug Zapper is not a toy and it uses electricity so keep it away from children. Touching the racket head causes an electric shock that may surprise the kids more than adults.

This gadget is directly plugged in the wall sockets to be charged. Just be sure to unplug this device before you sleep. Overcharging may cause the rechargeable batteries inside to explode.

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Read about ways to keep your family safe from mosquitoes. Read my tips on how to keep your home dengue free. Also, read about Imarflex Electric Mosquito Killer. 

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Last weekend, I finally got the chance to taste a pizza at Sbarro. One of my good friends told me that she found Sbarro’s pizza as delicious. I took her word since she is a pizza fanatic and had eaten on the different restaurants serving pizzas. Before Sbarro, I have already tasted the pizza offered by Pizza Hut, Shakey’s Pizza, Dominoes Pizza, Greenwich Pizza, 3M, and other small time pizza companies.

Sbarro Restaurant

Sbarro is not only limited to pizza but also have other food like pasta, lasagna, salads, and desserts. Their branches could be found on major mall throughout Metro Manila. The branch that I visited is the Sbarro that is located inside SM Megamall.
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Unlike in Shakey’s, where the waiters and waitresses will come to give you the menu and take your order, you have to go the counter and tell the Sbarro crew your. The set-up is very much like in the local fastfoods like McDonalds and Jollibee, sans the long queue.

The Food

I was surprised that the whole pizza in Sbarro is quite large. A slice is just enough to fill my hunger. Even the serving of coke is large than the ones offered in other restaurants.

I ordered a slice of Hawaiian pizza for me, and a slice of Pepperoni pizza for my friend who is with me. The Hawaiian pizza is good but the Pepperoni taste better.  A slice of pizza cost 110 Philippine pesos, which is not bad considering that the food is good. I did not order their pasta or lasagna so I can’t make a review of them here.

The Verdict

Sbarro is a nice restaurant and their pizza is nice. Because of this, I will definitely place Sbarro to my list of nice restaurants in Metro Manila. My good pizza fanatic friend is not mistaken in telling me that Sbarro’s pizzas are delicious. However, I still believe that Shakey’s pizza is better.