Hi. My name is Mae (Hi, Mae!) and I’m a Search Addict! The 12-step program does not apply in this case because I don’t want to recover from it.
I’m most fascinated with Google specifically as a search engine- its seemingly limitless power over the internet and how they came to be. Google has 100 and so products available and some of their notable services include: Gmail, Google Checkout, Picasa, YouTube, Google Gears, Blogger, Search, Adsense, Adwords, Apps, Docs, Gadgets, Lively, Knol, Orkut, Reader, Alerts, Base, Analytics, Goog-411, Friend Connect, Jaiku, Feedburner, iGoogle, and Google earth. The average internet user probably avail of at least 5 Google products! I use 11! How many Yahoo! do you use? I use 3!
In such a short time, they have become a global phenomenon that anyone who has access to the internet knows what or who Google is. In time, it will equate or even surpass iconic names like Coke (Coca-cola) and Kodak- the two being the most famous brand names in the world. Even in the most remote areas, in the outskirts of Asia to the borders of South Africa- people know Coca-Cola (Koka Kona)!
This fascination often leads to frustration as I become more and more dependent to this demi-god. They continuously dominate search and come as the number one search provider in the US commanding 62% share of the pie, according to the latest 2008 Neilsen Online Report. Yahoo comes in second with only 17.5%. Huge, huge difference!
Or is it too early to pass judgment?! I decided to try out Cuil (pronounced as cool) today. After over a week since going live online, I figured it’s the perfect time to check it- now that the hype has died down. I am extremely disappointed.
In case you have not heard the buzz, Cuil is a new search engine, supposedly bigger, better and more intelligent than Google search or any other search engines combined! It sounds like a really promising venture since the brains behind the site are former Google top employees and from other high profile companies. In its first 48-hours it boasted about 50 million searches from all over the world, not bad for a start-up company; Google apparently handles about 3 times more (150 million?!) searches per day. Read More »
What a way to kick off my Philippine vacation! While waiting for my luggage at the baggage area (which took forever!) at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, my tired but quick eyes saw Charice Pempengco across the baggage carousel! She and her mom were getting their stuff and nobody even noticed them! Well, it was one in the morning and everyone just wanted to get out of the busy airport fast. We were on the same Hong kong to Manila flight!
I rushed to their side and shyly asked if she was Charice! She politely said “opo” (yes). I felt so old for a while there. I congratulated her on her first US TV guesting at the Ellen DeGeneres Show last December 2007 and asked about her first trip to the United States. She said she was so happy for the opportunity and she enjoyed her stay very much. I asked if she visited New York and watched a Broadway show (my fave thing to do in New York!). She exclaimed yes, the show “Wicked”! I gamely sang a few lines of the song “Popular” from the musical hit which I saw twice already! She nodded and grinned. I thanked her for chatting with me and wished her luck on her singing career. Such a sweet kid!
To those unfamiliar with Charice Pempengco, her popularity in the Philippines grew when she became one of the finalists in a singing contest sponsored by a major TV station. She became a household name in the internet, thanks to YouTube user FalseVoice who was the first to upload a video clip of Charice singing Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”.
The video became an instant hit despite being called a fake by most viewers who couldn’t believe that such powerful voice could come from a 15 year old Filipina. The video and increasing worldwide prominence paved way to appearances in Sweden, South Korea and ultimately the United States.
The small talk wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t ask for a photo with her, so I did eye bags and all! It was really nice meeting you Charice! You are so polite, friendly, accommodating and very down to earth. Don’t lose that when you climb up to stardom! Now, I am a fan! Good Luck!
HAVE YOU GOOGLED “FILIPINA” LATELY? The internet over the years has become the most powerful source of information- more than books, other print media, tv and library. It gives limitless knowledge to the point of overloading one with too much data. As such, it gives access to any unimaginable topic, issue, news, anything at your fingertips. It can also mar reputations, make you want to throw up on the sick sites you accidentally come across, ruin companies, destroy lives.
Anybody can go to any search engines to search for anything one can possibly think of. Type a word, phrase, even a question and though won’t guarantee you will find what you’re looking for, it will supply however countless websites (by the hundreds of thousands of links) more than enough to divert your attention and focus on the searches found instead.
Imagine my surprise when I typed Filipina and or Pinay in google! I found some objectionable listings there. Go see for yourselves. Even this paid google ads in adsense on Filipinas is quite annoying! But BIG Thanks to the aggressive and massive campaign of concerned Filipinas, they were able to bring their own websites and other relevant, informative, responsible, refined sites on page one of google, yahoo, msn, ask jeeves among others. It wasn’t the case 2 years ago as I further probed, when the very word Filipina or Pinay would give out totally shameless views of what a Filipina is based on the websites available at that time. Filipinas were merely porn material, flirts, sexy, horny, and mail-order-brides- just for fun, dating and amusement!
I’m joining the concerned netizens and I would like to declare, assert, proclaim that I am a Filipina and proud to be one. If you are a proud Filipina, I urge you to make some noise in the internet. If you are a Filipina wherever part of the world you are, you can do something by being responsible with your actions online. Portray a decent image of yourself because what you do affects the entire Filipinas! True, the world wide web has no barriers, freedom of speech is highly tolerated here hence you can’t censor a website. This is not an issue of censorship or morality, it is providing a balanced look of certain issues- in this case being a Filipina.
Imagine you met someone who never met a Filipina before and doesn’t know anything about our country. He/she finds you interesting and would like to know more, goes online to see what’s out there. Heck, he/she won’t search for Philippines- won’t probably even remember the word let alone spell it. He’d/she’d search for Filipina; types it on google and the first 20 results links him/her to Filipina porn sites, Filipina mail-order brides, Filipina singles, Filipina flirts, hot and sexy Filipina. What do you think that person would conclude about you and Filipinas in general?!
It’s sad enough that we had to deal and we’re still dealing with Filipina representation in the world as domestic helpers, lazy bums and thieves. Being pictured as merely for fun and pleasure is unacceptable! Let opportunistic people who prey on helpless Filipinas by operating porn and Filipina trafficking come, we can’t stop them. BUT you can do something about it. By reading this blog, you already are. Step a little further by clicking on the links I’ve provided here, join forums, make comments, start your own blog (and link them to other Philippine websites such as this) talking not necessarily just about the Philippines and being a Filipina but by speaking your mind on personal issues that matter to you. In so doing, we project a Filipina definition that we are not only beautiful people but are decent, thinking individuals as well!
By having as many websites written by Filipinas and spreading it around, making as many hits or clicks as possible to the websites- we make sure that the search engines are unprejudiced in presenting all available websites about Filipinas and that the internet does not only belong to those who can pay to advertise their (monkey) business! Be proud of your heritage. Spread the word.
Is she the secret weapon of this musical comeback?
I am obviously biased here because we share the same Filipino heritage. However, when Les Misérables (The Miserable Ones) re-opened in November 2006, it initially advertised itself as a limited six-month engagement. Now ten months later, it has an open-run date and has scheduled shows all the way to January 2008. She wasn’t among the original revival cast, she came in 3 months prior to its supposed closing in May 2007. In that short time the role Lea currently plays had to be replaced not once but twice before everyone was comfortable with the character fit.
Although majority of the original cast are no longer in the show for various reasons, Lea maintains her role (7 months and counting) with the only two remaining original revival cast Adam Jacobs and Ali Ewoldt, who happen to be Filipino-Americans! It is a pleasant surprise that it is still playing in New York. I saw the musical in May this year and I was among those who weren’t totally impressed with this version. The critical reviews were rough. Learning that, I wasn’t inclined to watch until they especially singled out Lea Salonga to ’save’ Fantine’s role. It would have been really les misérable for me to sit through an almost three hour musical if I didn’t at least see Lea Salonga. Les Miz as it’s devotedly called has pretty good statistics to brag about- 16 years in New York Broadway, 22 years in London West End, ranks third as the longest-running show in Broadway history, and has been witnessed by over 54 million people in 38 countries and 21 languages since its first London performance in October 1985. The original Broadway production opened in 1987, garnering 7 Tony Awards, including Best Musical for that year. The Broadway production ended in 2003 after 6,680 performances.So, what’s missing with the current production? Why isn’t it getting fantastic reviews? For starters, it has only been three years since its last curtain call and now she is back. You haven’t missed her long enough yet! Majority of the critics say it is premature to revive her this early. And I agree because thousands of people share a great love for this show the first time they saw it.
I fell in love with the original cast soundtrack not having even seen the original broadway production. That’s how powerful the original production was years ago. This is the problem with revivals. It will always be compared to the original. And if you can’t surpass your predecessor then you’re in trouble. Next is, they are having trouble casting the right people. Mind you, top caliber theater actors have played the part and are playing the part but for various reasons, the cast keep changing. Thirdly, the current theater is smaller (by almost 300 seats) so the stage look cramped hence there are also smaller miserables ensemble visually obvious on the student revolution of 1832 scene which is the highlight in Act II. Not to be missed though is the revolving stage which was innovative and good to see! There is such fine detail in their props, and great lighting set the tone and mood on stage.
High expectations of the show is the typical downer from those who has seen the original version. I didn’t have any but I wasn’t blown away even with Lea Salonga’s presence. The first time I heard I Dreamed a Dream on CD, Fantine’s signature song- I had goosebumps and was teary-eyed because I felt all her pain and agony just from listening. Fantine’s life is the most unfortunate of all in this musical of vast and multi-faceted characters. I was looking for that same intensity from Lea and I didn’t feel it. “I Dreamed a Dream” if the performer nails it, is the most powerful ballad in the musical and is known to be a show-stopper- that’s when the audience are so moved and so affected that they just give the song a standing ovation as if on cue and thundering applause follows. That didn’t happen that night.
I was not convinced of her playing a sickly factory worker turned into a prostitute in despair. I wasn’t emotionally involved with her character that I couldn’t make myself cry even on her death bed scene. She dies in Act I and is seen again as a ghost with Eponine guiding Jean Valjean to eternity in the finale of Act II. The thing is, it has gotten emotional in Act II halfway through the end and I was crying myself out, grieving over Eponine’s untimely death, lamenting over the meaningful death of Gavroche and Valjean’s touching death- when all the major characters were reunited with him in the finale. Yes, almost all of them die in this poignant show.The two lead roles of Jean Valjean and Javert played by Alexander Gemignani (now replaced by Drew Sarich) and Ben Davis (took over the role from Norm Lewis and now replaced by Ben Crawford) respectively, weren’t a standout. Their singing were solid and almost perfect but again the emotions are lacking. They’re supposed to be two angry mortal enemies playing cat and mouse thru the whole musical and find forgiveness and remorse in the end but you don’t feel it.
Ali Ewoldt as frail and beautiful Cosette (the girl on the Les Miz emblem) and Adam Jacobs as handsome Marius were cute and almost believable in their portrayals. Somehow, I find Ali’s voice too sharp and high-pitched for a soprano range. Ann Harada as deceitful Mme. Thenardier was delightful to watch having seen her in Avenue Q as the original Christmas Eve. She’s so fun to watch onstage whatever role she’s playing!Mandy Bruno (took over the role from Celia Keenan-Bolger and now replaced by Megan McGinnis) as sweet, heartbroken Eponine and Zach Rand (playing alternately with 2 other child actors) as vagabond, street smart, Gavroche stole the show for me! These two characters though have short exposure on the show are pivotal to the entire story that I think any actor given the role are lucky in that sense because the characters are so notable and captivating in itself that it doesn’t matter who plays it. You are just simply absorbed and moved.
That’s what I felt the first time I heard Lea Salonga sang “On my Own,” Eponine’s signature song, over a decade ago. While I was watching the Les Miz revival, I wished Lea was Eponine again! She owns that song! No one can sing it better than her! “On My Own” has been sang and recorded by so many but nothing comes close to Lea’s rendition. If I may refresh your memory, Lea Salonga became the first Asian actress ever to play Eponine on Broadway in 1993, perform the same role in the London production, and in Hawaii, and was the one invited to play at the historic Les Misérables 10th Anniversary Concert at London’s Royal Albert Hall. Sir Cameron Mackintosh hand-selected the cast for that concert, and has come to be called the Les Misérables Dream Cast, assembling cast members from around the world. Lea Salonga, regardless of her performance when I saw her on stage that night, is onestrong, remarkable woman whom we saw grow as a child singer and actress back in the Philippines and into this fine, brilliant Sir Olivier, Drama desk and Tony Award Broadway winner! She is drawing the crowd to watch her in Les Miz. There is no question that the musical is a masterpiece otherwise it wouldn’t have this long staying power all over the word. It is without doubt close to our hearts and withstands time being originally written as a French Novel by Victor Hugo in 1862. 145 years later, his characters are as real as the poor, wretched ones being oppressed around the world to this very day. I’m just saying, you still need a star like Lea Salonga to pull people in it. It is a story needed to be told. And Lea Salonga might as well be the driving force of this present revival. I don’t know what her contract is with the show or whether she’d give up the role when something better comes up but meantime, catch her while you still can!Incidentally Philippine President Gloria Arroyo, took a break from her tight schedule last week (September 27) in New York to watch the matinee of Les Miz at the Broadhurst Theater. She went up the stage after the finale for picture taking with the cast and greet Lea Salonga, Fil-Ams Ali Ewoldt and Adam Jacobs.
