SIOMAIGAD 😮

                                                   

1. INTRODUCTION 
   
   

1. General Description of Siomai
   
   
   Shumai, which can also be referred to as pork dumplings, is a type of traditional Chinese dumpling normally served in bite-sized portions in a small steamer basket or plate, also known as dim sum. In the Philippines where it is spelled siomai, it often consists of ground beef, pork, or shrimp combined with extenders such as green peas and carrots, then wrapped in wonton wrappers and either steamed or fried. It is normally dipped in soy sauce with calamansi juice.
   
   
2. Recipe of Siomai 
   
   
   To make pork siomai, one would need ground pork, chopped water chestnuts or turnips, chopped carrots, minced garlic, minced onions, spring onions or leeks, an egg, sesame oil, ground pepper, salt, seasonings, small wanton or siomai wrappers, soy sauce, calamansi, and sesame oil. The first step is to mix all of the ingredients for the filling in a bowl. Next, arrange the wrappers in a tray and place an equal amount of ground pork in each. To close the wrapper, gather up the edges and fold to form the shape of a basket with the top part of the filling exposed, pressing lightly while pleating each side. Boil water and brush the steamer with oil. When the water gets to a rolling boil, arrange the siomai inside the steamer and let it stay for 15-20 minutes. Serve with soy sauce, calamansi, and sesame oil.
   
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   
   1. COMPARE AND CONTRAST
      
      
      Canteen Siomai
         
         The siomai in the canteen is a way for students to have a taste of Chinese food in school. I tried the pork siomai when I arrived to school. Where it is freshly cooked or steamed, so hot that it looks good. I went to school early to try it. Because I've noticed it gets different when school hours go by and The textures and taste of the siomai becomes different and we don't appreciate the true taste and totality of it because of course it has been cooked a few hours earlier and has waited. 
      
      
         The canteens siomai is your average dumpling but as I bit through it, it was crunchy, tasty and delicious! The pork siomai was real and didn’t taste fake and like cardboard. They served it hot and the pork inside was cooked to the right consistency and had all the right flavors that I expected it to have.
      
      
         It was good from what I had tasted so far. And including with its undeniably cheap of a price, it was able to satisfy me.
      
      

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      Chowking Siomai 
      
      
         Chowking is a fast food restaurant that is known for selling Chinese food, of course Siomai is included. I went to one of their branches in Megamall and ordered one Siomai. My expectations are high for knowing that I’m in a fast food restaurant that sells Chinese food. After 10 mins or so, I received my Siomai. Chowking serves you with a small long plate, where 3 pieces of siomai can fit. The calamansi is together with plate of the siomai. While the soy sauce is you serve it to yourself they’ll give you the bottle of the soy sauce. Lastly the Chilies, it’s on a small separate plate, where you can dip your Siomai.
      
      
         Based on my examining or reviewing; the smell of the siomai is not a completely shocking because it really does smell that it came from the steamer fresh and cooked. The smell of it is quite different when the soy sauce and chilies are included. Also, I think that the siomai is very well cooked because there are no any signs of unwanted either weird taste. Finally the texture, when take a bite you will know that it’s cooked and you chew them slowly knowing there are no hard piece of something or half it using a knife you can see it by yourself.
      
      
         Chowking Siomai for some people is worth it, it costs Php 32.00. It’s expensive for a 3 pieces of siomai, maybe because Chowking is famous. But I can see a lot of people are still buying it. Trying it is not that bad at all, who can’t say no to a free food right?
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      Hen Lin
      
      
         Hen Lin's pork siomai looks well and properly cooked, has no unnecessary colors that are different to what you expect from a siomai. They sell siomai based on the customer's choice - steamed or fried. I chose steamed, of course! I noticed how Hen Lin keeps their food hot and well cooked. They have a large steamer wherein the lowest section is for the newest additions to be cooked while the upper sections are to keep the cooked food fresh and hot.
      
      
         For take-out, which I did, Hen Lin serves their siomai in a box (for orders more than one) with the siomai securely and properly arranged for the size of the siomai fits the box perfectly. The condiments, such as soy sauce, chili, and calamansi are packed in a separate plastic bag. Just the right amount of soy sauce is packed in a plastic bag thinner than ice candy bags and securely tied up to avoid spills. Chilies are given in a sauce cup with a lid, and calamansi just in the plastic bag. The package of their siomai products is very conserving yet efficient. No materials are wasted, which I think is a good help to the environment.
          
         Upon smelling and inspecting the siomai, I knew there wasn't any foul scent therefore, the siomai is properly steamed. What you smell from the siomai is what you taste as well. The meat and other ingredients compl(e)(i)ment each other and does not any weird and unexpected taste in a certain portion of the product. The taste is spectacular and equally distributed in that small piece of siomai, making you crave for more. The texture of the meat once chewed lets you know that its cooked perfectly and no unnecessary chunks along the way. I ate everything and spit nothing!
      
      
         Although an order of 3 pieces is worth Php 33, I am more than satisfied with the siomai and would honestly pay more for what I got. I may also be paying for its popular brand being known for their great Chinese food but their products are delicious and worth spending extra pennies for.
      
      
      
      
      
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        Siomai House
        Given that Siomai House is a commercialized fast food chain, it's already expected that the presentation wouldn't be anything special. Instead, the packaging of the food will be critiqued. 
         The siomai was purchased from one of Siomai House’s food stalls located in a nearby grocery, and was taken home. At first glance, the siomai looked delightfully appetizing since it didn’t look burnt or undercooked. No weird flecks of foreign substances, dirt, and other things that musn’t be present in food—it was basically clean. But, unfortunately, it was packed in a disposable plastic bag, lined with a paper plate. Although it did look very aesthetically pleasing, the packaging definitely failed to do justice to the appearance of the siomai.
         After opening the poor packaging, it was time to dine. It didn’t smell sketchy or spoiled, and it was mild—just the right kind of appetizing. Though, it was a bit hard to identify the meat.
         At first bite, it was a huge let down. The siomai was bland, dry, and the wrap was too doughy. It wasn’t even warm enough to enjoy. Plus, identifying the meat would not come easy, but it was found that it’s made of pork. It lacked seasoning, heating, and oil. It had a different consistency, rougher than the authentic pork siomai. Fortunately, the soy sauce that came with it made it taste better, and the sauce wasn’t very salty, which is good (for the saltiness wasn’t sharp enough to dry the insides of the mouth). If it weren’t for the sauce, the siomai wouldn’t be very enjoyable at all. In short, it wasn’t delightful after all. Php 28 for 4 pieces of siomai isn’t a bad price, really. It’s actually fair given the taste and the ingredients that were used. There are more expensive siomai out there so this is sufficient.
        

Own your Body

Living the Suite Life

I.    INTRODUCTION

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is an America-based sitcom, which was first broadcasted on Disney Channel on March 18, 2005. With 4 million viewers on just the pilot episode, this paved the way for Disney Channel to have its most successful premiere in 2005. The series is the third Disney Channel Original to have more than 65 episodes, which ran for 3 seasons, after That's So Raven and Kim Possible.

The name is a play on words, wherein the use of homonyms is present. The creators used the common phrase “the sweet life” and applied it into the over-all theme of the show, which is based on the lives of the characters in the hotel, thus using the word “suite” to replace “sweet”.

The TV series was created by Danny Kallis and Jim Geoghan, who are also the show’s executive producers, together with Irene Dreayer and Pamela Eells O’Connell. It was written by Christian McLaughlin and Valerie Ahern.

II.  ELEMENTS

A.   STORY

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody centers on the life of twin brothers Zack and Cody Martin, who live at the Tipton Hotel where their mother, Carey, is a night singer and performer. The story also revolves around the lives of ditzy and idiotic hotel heiress London Tipton, and the sweet and smart candy-girl, Maddie Fitzpatrick. The Tipton is managed by Mr. Moseby, who often foils the twin brothers’ pranks and maniacal acts. But, Zack and Cody often think of creative and inventive ideas to get out of the situation.

This series is is a rather fun and humorous children's series, but is still enjoyable for both adults and children. It finds humor in any situation the characters were put in, especially when the twins start playing antics in the hotel.

Unlike most sitcoms, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody does not have a fixed storyline. Not all episodes are interconnected to each other, and no flashbacks are provided (excluding the final episode of the series). Each episode is an entirely new idea and story, thus having the viewers hooked, since they don’t know what to expect. This is also done most probably because it was intended as a children’s show, and the writers wouldn’t want to require the children to stay updated on the order of the episodes, and just want them to enjoy what is right in front of them without having to worry about the interconnectivity of episodes.

B.   CHARACTERS

Twin brothers, Dylan and Cole Sprouse are the main characters of this series. The two were very comfortable portraying their roles because the conversations with each other on set seemed very real, especially when they are in a conflict with each other, in light of the fact that they are real-life siblings, which means they wouldn't have a hard time acting when they are having conflict on the show because they might be used to having these kinds of arguments at home. The two can also be easily identified as to who is who, unlike in other shows where twins are also the main characters but they have identical traits.

The other cast members such as Brenda Song and Ashley Tisdale were remarkable, too, due to the fact that their facial expressions made their acting seem that they have the same personality of the character they are portraying. Kim Rhodes, who portrayed the twins’ mother, Carey, was there to always present the moral of each episode, but still manages to crack in a good joke or two.

The cast was successful in delivering all their lines and staying in character. They also had a lot of on-screen energy and work off each other really well, thus were able to make the dialogues believable, and there were no lags between them.

C.   SCRIPT

The Suite Life of Zack and Cody was intended for a younger audience, thus typical tween language was used. It is a comedy show with clean, lighthearted jokes. Although it avoids malicious and controversial lines, it is unavoidable for them to use “offensive” phrases, such as “You’re so stupid”, or “I hate my brother so much”, thus making it inappropriate for very young audiences.

   Over-all, the writing of the script was excellent, and all the dialogues ran smoothly. The writers never failed to surprise the audience with their sudden plot twists and ideas, which became the core of the entire show.

  Since it is a comedy sitcom, jokes are never out of the picture. The jokes and comebacks are well thought of and are delivered with expert timing. This sets the general mood of the entire series. But, since it is also a children’s show, morals are also presented. When this part of the episode occurs, it is usually Carrey or Mr. Moseby who delivers these lessons to the twins/Maddie/London. This is when the mood of the episode starts to get heavier and more serious, in contradiction to the lightheartedness of the entirety of the show. This shows that the writers are skilled enough to be able to manipulate the tone and emotions of the characters in order to deliver a lesson, but still keeping it within the storyline of the episode.

D.   MUSICAL SCORE

The opening theme song of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, entitled “Here I Am” by Loren Ellis and The Drew Davis Band, ends with the phrase "this is the sweet life, we've got the sweet life". It creates the idea that the main characters are narrating how they are currently enjoying their life within the Tipton Hotel. It has a very catchy tune and lyrics that can easily be remembered, which is the reason as to why it has stuck with the people who have watched the series. Once they hear the first few lines, it is impossible for them not to sing and hum along. Not only is the show timeless, but so is the theme song.

The transitions between scenes consists of happy, upbeat scores which help keeps the mood of the show up. Within each of the episodes you would hear the sound effect of a "laughing audience", which helps people appreciate and understand the jokes and innuendos imbedded within the episode. The laughing comes frequently within a scene which can sometimes be a little redundant and lessens the intention of the comedic interaction.

III.  CONCLUSION

If you’re looking for a feel-good TV series that can brighten up your day, then The Suite Life of Zack and Cody is for you. Age should not be a hindering factor if you’re considering to watch this show, neither do you have to worry about catching up on the story. Each and every episode gives you a fresh new story that will give you surprises and plot twists, and that is what will keep you hooked to the show, and making you want to watch more. It will make you laugh with its perfectly timed and excellently delivered jokes and comebacks, and will definitely make you feel that they truly are “living the sweet life”.

First Love: The Firsthand Experience

INTRODUCTION

          The film “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, also known as “First Love”, is a romantic comedy that shows what love is in the eyes of young people and how it affect their lives and inspirations. It was released on August 12, 2010 in Thailand. The lead actors are Pimchanok Luevisadpaibul as Nam, and of course, Mario Maurer as Shone. It was written and directed by Puttipong Pormsaka NaSakonnakorn and Wasin Pokpong and produced by Somas Tejcharattanaprasert and Panya Nirankol. The film’s original language is in Thai but due to its popularity, most provided subtitles and dubs in other languages including Filipino.

        Nam is a simple, average girl who secretly has a huge crush on Shone, a popular student who is older than Nam. With the support of Nam’s friends, she makes all the effort for Shone to divert his attention to her. 

        The story takes place in a small town (the credit shows that it was in Ratchaburi Province). It is very reminiscent of a country feel-good movie.

        This Thai movie effectively externalizes the concept of sentiment and youth in both the characters' and viewers' perspective.

COSTUME, PROPS, AND SET DESIGN

           From the film, the costume of the characters make the film appropriate to all ages for there were no revealing clothes nor explicit content. Simplicity is seen in their costume because of the standard school uniform, the pretty dresses used for plays or on occasions, and also the casual clothes, which perfectly reflects their modern day high school setting. 

          The props had contributed to the development of characters such as the recurring presence of Shone’s camera, which represents his love for photography. The simplicity of the props and chosen location had made it more appealing, well structured, and relatable to most viewers. The props present in the film had given it a background of an old-fashioned lifestyle. The absence of advanced technology had also added to the environment of a slow easygoing life.

Plot/Script Analysis

          Crazy Little Thing Called Love or First Love embodies the real life adaptation of high school and the futuristic reality of these characters, which makes this film relatable to all audiences. No matter how cliché or stereotypical the plot is (in terms of the characters and setting), the simplicity and entertainment catches the attention of viewers. What makes it a good story is that it captivates emotions and gets the viewers involved regardless of age.

          Besides the obvious comical part of the film, the underlying theme of mutual pining and eventual recovery is a certain tearjerker. This aspect of the movie definitely shared the main character’s pain with the spectators, as well as making them remember how a broken heart can come in different forms.

          The sequence of events that happened was adjusted adequately and creatively. The film’s genre of romantic comedy gives the plot a sense of resonance and tone when the finishing scenes are incorporated.

          To put a bow on this film’s engaging and charming plot, the romantic aspect is sided with the element of friendship. The importance of friendship and loyalty were shown through the protagonist’s friends, especially how maturing and personal choices can be a challenge in a group of equable people.

Overall this movie’s plot and script is refreshing in the sense that it takes you back to the memories of a crush, first love, and friends in school. This is an imaginative purpose in the part of the writers because although the story can be based from true-life events, the film has an independent quality on it, which makes it ingenious, engaging and clever.

CINEMATOGRAPHY

         In most of the scenes, the actors and the actresses were framed in a close up shot or view, especially when they are saying a line. The screen time enables the audience to fully see the emotions and expressions of the characters in a particular scene. 

        The camera focuses on the character who is involved in a particular scene which makes it better because confusion would be avoided, especially for non-Thai viewers. The camera rarely shifts its focus when a person is talking. 

         In the beginning of the movie, there was a voice over of the protagonist named Nam and she was saying a few lines in accordance to the narration of the story. While a voice over was being applied, the focus of the camera was being angled to the first setting of the story. This proves to be aesthetically pleasing not only on the way it was filmed, but also the way it was shown. We’d like to give a definite kudos to Reungwit Ramasudh, the cinematographer of the film.

SOUNDTRACK

       The genre of the Thai film called, “First Love” which is also known as “A Crazy Little Thing Called Love” is a romantic comedy. Due to its genre, the soundtrack best supports the whole point of the movie. Popular Thai artists and even the lead actress of the film itself sung the songs. The soundtrack of the film itself talks mainly about love. One similarity that is shown in each song is that someone in particular is longing to find love instantly. The film really produced a soundtrack that will really fit with the main idea. The songs prove the simplicity of the movie due to the tone of the song based on how the artists sung it. The songs are catchy and are soft not only for the ears but also for the heart.

CONCLUSION

           Despite the movie’s simplicity, it is overall effective and recommendable. It may be labeled as clićhe but the plot was effective for it does not just relate to the youth but it also takes people back to the memories of their high school days. It may had been produced in Thai but that did not stop the film from achieving success in the industry. The plot, soundtrack, props, and other elements had greatly added to this success. The film was great at presenting the value of simplicity, friendship, family and inspirations through the focused elements.

Face the Truth

History

Originally called “The Facebook”, Facebook was founded in the year of 2004 with its creators Mark Zuckerberg, and a few of his college roommates from Harvard University. Initially, Mark created Facebook to be used by the Harvard students but was expanded to other colleges, mostly universities in Canada and the United States. According to the creators, their core purpose is the personal engagement in an online space. Facebook allows its users to connect with other individuals through sharing of news and multimedia content. Facebook is an effective means of sharing information.

Statistics 

 

Since the launching of Facebook in the February of 2004, numerous people discovered and learned its purpose which led them to use the platform. By late of 2006, it was already available to everyone age 13 and older. A valid e-mail address and a phone number are also required to create and maintain the privacy of the account. As of the year 2015, with eleven years running, there are already 1.44 Billion monthly active users and 1.25 Billion mobile users. Though Facebook is an effective way to share information, there are downfalls. Most members depend on the blogs posted in their news feed, which can provide inaccurate information, or is sensitive to young audiences. It is advisable that Facebook should filter the different stories and reports which are being shared and posted to assure quality of the information that the users will apprehend.  

Layout

Individuals can immediately notice that Facebook is a communication-based site with just a simple glance at the layout. The design is constantly complimented with a simple dark blue theme. As of the year 2013, Facebook has improved the timeline into a single column, to allow the users to customize their account in order to ensure their comfort. Upon entering the home page, the organization is properly-put by constantly showing the navigation bar which contains the home page button, notifications, suggestions of friends to add or pages to like, and a personal space to update statuses. A button located near the top left corner can effortlessly direct the user to the homepage with just a click.  The search bar, which is placed at the left side of the navigation bar, is just as convenient since it lets the users to type and search any friend or public figure. A message bar, located at the right side of the layout can effortlessly see online friends, and is easily accessible to send messages. A notification panel is also located at the right side of the layout just above the message bar. The notification panel updates the daily activities of the user's friends. Text sizes are also visible allowing its users to properly understand and read the texts. Facebook should implement strict filtering to protect its users to see unwanted or inappropriate designs, links, or ads.

Navigation

Through simplicity, Facebook was made to be convenient. It was created to be  easy since it must satisfy one of the most basic criteria of a social media, which is to be user-friendly. Facebook's navigation bar contains the notification, messages, friend requests, home page, and settings buttons. Each button addresses the basic requirements of a social media, alerting its users in times of notifications from messages, friend requests, or group and pages notification. Facebook has been trying to implement customizable settings to make their user feel more comfortable with the privacy of their account. As of the year 2011, the site has been trying to improve the social media by trying to create usable options to its users in order to make Facebook unique from the other sites. These enhancements include video calls, permitting of sending files with a 25 MB memory per message, and improving the efficiency of the messages by allowing voice recordings.  

Conclusion

Over-all, Facebook is one of the best social media sites. Its layout is well-organized and simple, and the navigation is easy to use, which makes it user-friendly. Therefore people from various age groups are able to use Facebook effectively and efficiently. News and information about trending topics can be found on the site, resulting to millions of people to depend on Facebook to stay updated. Facebook keeps people in touch and connected, which contributes to their purpose of building new relationships. But there are certain features that Facebook can still improve. Although there is an age limit, young audiences are still exposed to inaccurate or sensitive information. It is advisable that they filter the different stories and information to assure the quality of information that the users will apprehend. Security measures for privacy must be intensified and promoted, since some members aren't aware of the different security features found in their Facebook accounts. But nonetheless, Facebook still is an effective means of sharing information.

References:

[1] Facebook Single Column Timeline Design Rolls Out | MariSmith.com. (n.d.).

Retrieved from http://www.marismith.com/facebook-single-column-timeline-layout/

[2] Facebook Review 2015 | Top Social Networking Site. (n.d.).

 Retrieved from http://social networking-websites-review.toptenreviews.com/facebook-review.html

[3] An Oral History Of Facebook | ClickHole. (n.d.).

Retrieved from http://www.clickhole.com/article/oral-history-facebook-2907

[4] Social Media and Young Adults | Pew Research Center. (n.d.).

Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2010/02/03/social-media-and-young-adults/

[5] How to Navigate the New Facebook Fan Page Timeline (Tip for Fans and Admins) | Handmadeology. (n.d.). 
Retrieved from http://www.handmadeology.com/how-to-navigate-the-new-facebook-fan-page-timeline-tips-for-fans-and-admins/

-Group 3