The Wonders of Google

Synthesis . . .

Google is a very effective search engine. And in my own honest opinion and based on my experience, I will unhesitatingly say the Google is actually the best one there is for me. No nonsense whatsoever. 

The people living in this digital and information era are no doubt a very fortunate bunch. Yes, I cannot even imagine how the world was back then - when you'd have to scour through mountains and mountains of books, venture to many libraries, etc, just to get the information needed in an assignment or so. That is one hard work. 

Good thing, with the emergence of the internet, we can find what we need in a matter of seconds. The negative side of it, though, is this: with so much information available these days, whenever one would make a search, thousands and thousands would appear. Until in the end searching in the internet will seem like no easy job at all.

Google has foreseen this and was able to make searching the internet easier and less tiring to the users. Google is very effective easing the process of finding information in the internet, as I have mentioned earlier. The techniques are very useful, and the advanced search does make everything easier.

I am thankful to the filtering part, and the organization of contents to its various forms, either images, videos, etc. In a nutshell, and for the nth time, Google is very effective.

. . . . .

I am a BS DevCom student. And as such, I will be doing tons of research in the future. I have mentioned most of those that I consider relevant already - filters, advanced search, excluding terms and including the synonyms, and thus forth. All of those will be very important in the future. And even now, in our DEVC 11 (Introduction to Mass Media Writing) class where we would back up our field research with digital ones. The Google Scholar might be very helpful as well.

The Wonders of the Internet

Search results are not the same in every search engine.  There are some less known search engines that provide very little results. With Google, Yahoo!, and other more popular ones, though, the differences are very minimal. Still, there is no denying the fact that so much results could appear.

. . . . .

Word order in a search item does not matter. After all, the results don't necessarily show the order of the words. It would only provide the results that contain the words, but the order doesn't really matter.

. . . . .

The Palace of the Light of Faith

The Palace of the Light of Faith is the English translation of the Arabic phrase, "Istana Nurul Iman Palace." This magnificent edifice contains 1,788 rooms all in all, including 257 bathrooms. With the exception of the latter, there are 1,531 rooms. If I were to sleep in each of the room per day, it would take me 4.19 years to be precise.

It was fairly easy to find the answer to that question. For the purposes of clarity, let me demonstrate it step by step.

1. First, I searched the number of rooms in The Palace of the Light of Faith. I found what I needed almost immediately, but I verified it in three different websites to be certain.
2. I then deducted the number of the bathrooms from all the rooms.
3. When I finally knew the exact number of the rooms that I needed (that is, with the exclusion of the bathrooms), I divided it by 365, which corresponds to one year. Then the quotient to that is the answer.

. . . . .

In Google, what should you use to include synonyms of a certain word from your results (for example, "schools" in "top schools in the Philippines)?

Google is undoubtedly a very convenient search engine. And mastering the techniques and strategies in searching are very necessary skills that a person living in the digital age can be armed with. After all, with the seemingly unceasing strings of information being posted online every second, it is quite strenuous to seek exactly the things that you are in need of. Thousands, and even millions, of results could appear in your face. And instead of being of help, it could only frustrate you. After all, how in the world would you be able to dig through those mountains of information?

That's where some of the techniques would come in handy.

All right, let's take for example that you want to know the "top schools in the Philippines". The word "schools" is a bit vague, and it will most likely garner too much unnecessary results again. For effective searching, one has the option of changing the keywords or manipulating them, such as using the synonyms. In the example, here is what we could do put in the search bar: "top schools OR university OR college in philippines". Remember that when you are opting for the synonyms, put the word OR in between the words.

. . . . .

The sun rise in Nice, France today took place at 40 minutes after seven A.M. this morning. With Google, acquiring an information such as this one is fairly easy. All I did was search "sunset in nice, france" and I immediately got the answer I needed.

Image source: http://i432.photobucket.com/albums/qq49/precious_postcards/Brunei%20Postcards%20Swap/istana4.jpg

To this or to that?

My mind is a muddle. The first semester is nearing its demise, and yet I still have not fully decided as to which path to pursue. While I was already wholly determined and quite infallible during the beginning of June, my mind began to be more and more of a mess as the months flew by.

So what am I talking about?

Pretty much clichéd stuff – my uncertainty as to whether I should simply continue with DevCom or transfer to Diliman, the latter being the original plan. As you can see, BS Geology was my first course choice in UPD and DevCom in UPLB. Although by then I considered DevCom only as an option, there was, of course, a sensible reason as to why it was written in my UPCAT form. After all, I love writing – it’s something I can’t go on a day without, quite literally. I’ll give a brief overview, for the sake of clarity.

By April 2011, I was already completely prepared to jot down BA Journalism first thing the moment I got hold of the UPCAT form. Then weeks later, I learned that there actually was a degree in Geology. How I had rejoiced then! In actuality, it was the sort of thing that I fell in love with even as a child – sort of what I had been wanting all those years. I was utterly obsessed with the earth, if I might say. And I remember fiddling through the pages of earth science books while I was in elementary. After doing a bit of a research, I was firm and resolute: I would take up Geology, no matter what. And in UP, nowhere else.

Then came the UPCAT 2012 result on January 18, 2012. Honestly, albeit I was telling everyone that I definitely would not pass such a difficult entrance examination, I will admit that deep inside, I knew I had a chance, and I knew that UP was the only college that I would want to be studying in. But when I saw the following words beside my name, I cried very hard then: UP LOS BANOS – BS DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION.

What happened to my plans of studying Geology?

I was devastated. My only source of solace was that I could transfer the next academic year if I strived hard – and of course I knew I would; that need not be said. And although I already passed Geology on another university, I immediately put it out of the question since UP was all I want, regardless of the fact that I was offered a special scholarship there. Now I wonder if what I did was the right decision. But then again, I realized that I would forever be wondering and regretting if I did not study at UP, so it probably was the only proper thing that I could have done.

Thus the first semester started. I took up NASC2, and with the said course I became even more and more enthralled with the wonders of the earth; and when we attended a symposium wherein the PHIVOLCS director (who was a UP Geology graduate, I might as well add) shared his knowledge and expertise, my desire to transfer reached the extreme. And because of my excellent performance in the said course, I knew that I could study Geology – it was something that I loved, after all, so perhaps it ought to account for something.

But as I’ve mentioned earlier, as the months passed, I became really confused. Slowly, I was beginning to see DevCom in a new light. Having a more comprehensive understanding of it made me really appreciate DevCom and see its own glimmer.

Perhaps I should present matters in a more organized way.

Why I should pursue DevCom:

1. I love to write, that’s basically the root of all these dilemmas.

2. Yes, I am deeply in love with science. And in DevCom I can have the best of both worlds – study science and actually even write about it.

3. With DevCom I can also be an advocate of the environment.

4. The community visit that we had made me desire this deep inside me: that I wanted to help those people in the community in the best way that I could.

5. With some of the DevCom courses I can do the other things that I love – photography, video production, visual designs, and so on.

6. I like going to various places, especially those that are rarely visited – rural sites, provinces, etc. In short, I love traveling.

Some of things making me think twice:

1. I am not a good speaker. I tremble whenever I’d have to hold a microphone. I shudder at the idea of having to speak in front of a large crowd. My mind goes blank when I do have to address such a massive amount of people (and yes, for me 10 people is a massive amount). And even more so, I don’t think I would make quite an interesting speaker.

2. What jobs will I have after I graduate? In a certain online forum, I remember someone responding to my post with this: “I had several DevCom friends, and although it is easy to find jobs after they graduated, they had regrets because it was hard to find a nice paying job.” It is easy to question the legitimacy of this, of course. How much does a nice paying job correspond to? I don’t really aim for a six figure, but I do want to help my family and feed myself in the future.

In addition to that, I want to hear from an actual DevCom graduate – what the opportunities are, what the nature of the work is, etc, etc. You could say that there are the textbooks in DEVC, but I find those somewhat inadequate. I need to hear the words come out of an actual alumnus of the program.

3. The third point would be quite ridiculous, but I will honestly say that it bothers me. Many people have mentioned that I don’t seem quite fitting to be a DevCom student. That is, they find me too shy and quiet. Not that there is something I can do about my introversion, but it still makes me think twice. Do I really have to be garrulous, talkative, cheerful, sociable, etc, to be considered a true DevCom student? Or this: with my personality, can I be a development communicator?

Why I should pursue Geology:

1. This is a dream long hidden and desired inside me.

2. For the nth time, I am passionate about the earth and the environment.

3. When I grew up, I can vividly see myself having a career as a field geologist. And in fact, one of the reasons why I was so intent on taking this up was that I really wanted to study the seismic activities in the country – inform and make the people more knowledgeable about the said topic (i.e., its hazards). And also this country’s volcanic state.

4. Yes, I love to write. And I can still do that even though I am a geologist. On the other hand, I wouldn’t be able to experience the life of a geologist if I would pursue DevCom.

5. I have always wanted to have a science and math related degree – two things that I would always want to be involved in, two things that I would always want to remember. (A bit abstract, but I cannot wield it more appropriately into words.)

6. With Geology too, I will have an endless opportunity for travel.

Why I shouldn’t pursue Geology:

1. My one year experience here in UPLB would come to waste (Not what you might think; I really appreciate the learning and other things I’ve had, but I’ve heard that I would have to repeat first year, no subject credited. I am yet to verify this, though.).

2. Geology has multitudes and mountains of math and chemistry courses. I am quite fine with math, but I have only a few ideas about calculus, etc. since this was not a part of our curriculum, it being offered only as an elective. (Yes, the lamentable state of my high school is really a cause of alarm.) And also, our Chemistry was very poorly taught. That being the case, would I have a passing grade in those subjects? Or to be more precise, will I survive in this program?

Perhaps there are more reasons, but those are the only ones that I can think of now. I am seriously confused – I should have a firm decision as of the moment, but I swear I cannot decide. Admittedly, I’m not the kind of person who unceasingly seeks for an advice. I prefer to solve my own problems. Not that it was how I wanted the things to be, but I’ve already been accustomed with that manner of dealing with problems, and I am somewhat uncomfortable with disclosing my troubles to people, even to my close friends.

But now, well, it is quite obvious that I need some – if not an exact advice – a few words or insights. When I would ask some of my friends, all that they would say is that I follow my heart. My heart likes both, so how will that be? And while I am very grateful to my mom for being supportive in whatever course I would eventually pursue, it’s still not quite helpful since she’s not giving me some ideas.

I would appreciate some words from anyone credible – a devcom student, a devcom graduate, a geology student, a geology graduate – or just from anyone in general. Thank you. Oh, and by the way, if you took some of your time to actually read my rant, I offer you my deepest gratitude.

Lord of the Flies Movie

“Lord of the Flies” has this engaging storyline that made me feel multitudes of emotions simultaneously. Needless to say, I have no intention of making this sound like an actual review of the movie; rather, I will simply jot down my emotions – what I felt and what I still feel regarding the film that I saw.

On the first few minutes of the movie, I really began to have this sense of curiosity. I was then pondering, what would happen to these pitiful children stuck in a barren island? I instantaneously had this sort of admiration towards Ralph. I was utterly amazed at how he handled the whole dilemma, seemingly unaffected by the future horrors of their current situation. It hit me that it was pretty rare to meet a boy like him these days. On the surface, it appeared that the relationship of these boys was in perfect harmony; there being a leader, cooperation, and all that. But like most of my assumptions, I was mistaken, which I realized later on.

Of course, there was always an underlying enemy, a person who opposed our ways, in almost every day that we encounter new people; or more plainly stated, in a particular circle or group, there was always this one person who would dislike us. I wondered why that was the case. And quite accordingly, soon enough, it was shown that Jack had another side, that he had other motives. It was depressing that way: why would the people we regarded as friends inevitably turn their backs against us? When the separation of the boys took place, I thought about friendship, about our relationships with people. The symbolism in that aspect mirrored the reality.

I saw Ralph as this seemingly enigmatic kid, cool and placid on the surface and with a potential leadership. But Jack was the exact opposite. Why was he acting in such a disagreeable manner? We can only assume. But reading between the lines, there must be a reason. There was always a reason behind our behavior, so I’ve heard. But this should not be an excuse to act in a certain way we do, especially if it’s not right. The way our mindset translates into behavior still depends on us. On a deeper note, I have read, and I agree, that  Jack’s attitude embodied the most terrible aspects of human nature “when unrepressed or untempered by society.” [1]

When some of the kids caught a glimpse of a distant helicopter looming into view, even I, a mere onlooker, felt a spark of hope ascending inside me. Before I realized what I was doing, I was ramming my fingers incessantly on the wooden desk in sheer suspense. But the helicopter never listened to Ralph’s desperate calls. Events such as those are the kind that always leave us dejected, and worse, render us wholly hopeless. Even pessimism has its roots.

Soon enough, it became a battle of survival, quite synonymous in some aspects to Darwin’s natural selection or the “survival of the fittest.” It emerged in a subtle way, though, nothing but child’s play with just a few ounces of provocations and the likes. But I couldn’t quite believe my eyes when I found myself staring in Simon’s corpse, at the bloody remnants of his little body. What were those kids even thinking of? How could they kill a defenseless victim? Albeit it was just a stupid blunder, it was still murder. I couldn’t formulate the image of children ruthlessly piercing spears through Simon’s body with devilish fervor. And to think that Simon only wanted to say the truth, to shed some light on a misconception, on a ridiculous lie. The voice of truth was cut off by the harshness of human nature, of the beast that was slowly consuming the hearts of the other boys. Simon's death represents the loss of truth, innocence, and common sense. [2] I knew that even if the boy dared to speak out in his small voice, it would be futile. His death would continue. Boys committing murder. I knew then that that was the demise of child’s play.

I felt tremendously desolate when the boys left gradually to transfer to the other group, in the end leaving only Ralph and Piggy. Maybe those kids didn’t actually want to go to Jack’s group, but they did for survival and practicality, despite the fact that it was against their will. They had to do it; they knew that the other group was getting more and more powerful, that their chances of survival there were better. I guess that was a part of human nature for some people – doing things that we didn’t really believe in, making decisions although it was wrong, because we thought it could help us; or even worse, because we didn’t have a choice.

And things did get worse. The attitudes of those kids reached the extreme. The first death being an accident, you’d think that they had already learned their lessons and were sorry for the crime they had committed. But no; Piggy was heartlessly murdered. What was even going on in Roger’s mind (the killer) to be able to perform such an atrocious and abominable act? To have witnessed the death of his comrade, I could feel the fury of Ralph emanating. It must have taken most of his willpower not to saunter forward the group and initiate revenge. That must be very strenuous, to try stopping your emotions from overwhelming you.

Ralph was undeniably a very strong character. As I have mentioned, I really admired him, but I also felt a tinge of remorse because mature as he might seem, he was still nothing but a mere child. No one should have the misfortune of carrying tremendously heavy burdens and witnessing unsightly things at such a young age. If ever I see people like those, I’d have this urge at the back of my mind to help them in any possible way that I can.

Then there came this scene when Ralph was being hunted down. The twins were put to test. I was utterly terrified when the other boys began chasing Ralph. Although it was only a movie, my heart was hammering violently against my chest in fear. I thought it was his end already. But there was an officer waiting near the shore. The boys couldn’t proceed with their murderous intent. It seemed that up to that encounter with an older man, the boys had been living in their own world, with their own rules. But when they finally saw the man in military outfit, it was as though the reality once again assaulted their faces. It made them realized what they really were. They were children about to perform their third kill. And in the real world, children don’t normally go around murdering someone for fun.

References:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_the_Flies

2."Lord of the Flies: Analysis of Major Characters". Literature Study Guides. SparkNotes. Retrieved 2 February 2010.

Welcome, July!

The month has just started, but I have an instinct that I won’t like what’s in store for me this July.

I’m not simply making assumptions, of course. Well, partly, maybe. But could you blame me? Imagine, it’s only been twelve hours since the new month entered, and so far, things aren’t what I hoped they would be. If this is only the first day, then what more could plausibly happen in a period of the next thirty days?

Or maybe it’s just my perfectly screwed-up life?

I awoke to an assaulting scream. Not what you would suppose; just my family enjoying their time watching a game show. Things were definitely normal. Not even bothering to eat breakfast, I grabbed a book and started to read, oblivious to their ceaseless laughter and musings.

Who would have thought that within thirty minutes or so, things could actually have a sudden twist?

Before I even realized it, my heart was already hammering painfully against my chest in what could only be fear. My hands were quivering as I tried to steady my book. I threw an apprehensive glance to my father, wanting to yell but had no voice to do so. Or the strength needed. He raised my guitar, sputtering curses and phrases to my brother in sheer anger. His temper ascending, he even took hold of the nearby vase – enormous and expensive one our mother desperately saved money for to buy – and was ready to hurl it.

Minutes later, I was stomping my feet up the wooden stairs, dashing to my room, the book in my hand the only source of my solace.

I don’t know whose fault it was. My brother’s definitely. He was this big mouthed jerk who sputtered rude responses and utterly snarky remarks at the wrong moment, at the wrong person. Then there was my father, the easily angered, the short-tempered one. Then my mother, one who couldn’t close her mouth at times.

My father left without another word as I ran up my room. But even though I already closed the door, I could hear the shouting downstairs between my mother and brother, both of them throwing words and accusations at one another. I wanted to yell, “Just shut up! It’s done! Father left already!” But instead, I just drowned their voices by reading aloud.

I thought then, maybe I shouldn’t just go home during weekends. If this went on, then I’d rather spend my whole college life on the dormitory. At least there were no arguments there.

Why write?

I’ve always questioned myself why I am writing. Why write? That’s one thing that would pop in my head every now and then. I write multitudes of stuffs – novels, articles, short stories, plays, poems, fan fiction . . . and even on each of those, there was an even wider range of things. In fiction, I write in different  genres – science fiction, romance, fantasy, adventure, horror, dystopian, futuristic, historical. It basically encompasses anything. But why?

There are only five reasons that I can think of.

I write because writing is my passion.

I write because writing has become a part of me.

I write because I love it.

I write because it is the best way where I can express myself.

I write because it’s a hobby, even though no one reads my stories.

Oh, now I’ve thought of a perfect name for my blog:

The Teenaged Girl Who Writes Stories No One Ever Reads

Misery

I feel wretched.

I can’t help wondering why people like those even exist in this planet. A planet such as Earth which is already filled with hate, lies and betrayal. A place that acts much like a prison cell, entrapping you inside until you reach your bursting point, after trying to keep all the stinging sentiments to yourself. The inevitable misery, eh? Why, why do they have to subsist by your side when all that they’ll give you is pain? That sort of pain that cannot be removed by any method, the one that is etched on your heart for the rest of your life. Forever, in short. They aren’t doing things to you directly, and yet you can feel that the dark motive is there—it is pretty evident; they treat other people in such a charming sort of way, but if it is you, the treatment will be hideous. They won’t yell at your face, kick you or something equally blunt. But if you’re someone like me—a person who, most of the time, prefers to think than to speak—you’ll realize how pertinent every single details can be, that each action might convey a hidden meaning: one that will only cause you to sadden. I’m not being hit by paranoia, just so you know. If ever you thought of that, then I guess you don’t experience what I’m feeling. How lucky of you, then, if that’s the case.

I just don’t understand them, period. And I guess that they will never understand me too, because if they did, they would have been better individuals in my eyes.

They are the kind of people that just make you feel plainly miserable. The kind that hinders you to fulfill your aspiration.

Miserable.

I guess that’s the word. Forgive me, I can’t explain any better than that. Because if I even try, I’m afraid I just might say something unpleasant, which I try to avoid as much as possible if I can.

Oh, how wretched I feel right now.

I’m not talking about several persons. No, not one either.

I’m not going to tell. Go figure.