The City Government of Muntinlupa officially started providing at-home COVID-19 vaccination services for bedridden residents and individuals who are not capable of travelling to the city’s major vaccination sites.
Muntinlupa City Health Office recorded 84 individuals from Brgy. Sucat, Brgy. Putatan, and Brgy. Tunasan who were vaccinated in their homes for the initial rollout of the house-to-house vaccination service as of yesterday. The CHO expects more requests for at-home service in the coming days.
The local health office also launched a pilot drive-thru vaccination service to accommodate more vaccine takers and decongest local major vaccination sites.
The health workers assigned to do house-to-house vaccination services. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Mayor Jaime Fresnedi says the City Government, through the CHO and in partnership with the barangays, continues to expand the local vaccination program through the house-to-house vaccination services and installation of drive-thru vaccination centers. Fresnedi added that the City Government is targeting to finish vaccinating 385,000 eligible residents by November to achieve herd immunity.
A patient gets vaccinated while on a bed at home. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
As of May 24, a total of 41,443 residents received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, of which 15,394 have received their second dose. For those inoculated with their first dose, 22,011 received Sinovac, 12,994 were inoculated with AstraZeneca, 2,979 with Gamaleya’s Sputnik V, and 3,507 with Pfizer-BioNTech.
Walk-ins in the city’s major vaccination sites including Ayala Malls South Park, Festival Mall UGF Covered Parking, SM Muntinlupa, and Sucat Covered Court will not be accommodated. Only those who are registered online will be given schedule in the major vaccination sites and will be notified via SMS. For more inquiries, the public may reach the MunCoVac hotlines: 0956 358 9228 / 0915 805 5932 / 0915 806 7419 / 0960 588 5935 / 0960 588 5937 / 0998 249 4580.
Further, Brgy. Sucat has launched a raffle campaign for vaccinated residents to win 25 kgs. of rice in a bid to boost the local COVID-19 vaccination drive. 20 lucky vaccinated residents from the barangay will be randomly chosen in the raffle. Brgy. Sucat captain Raffy Sevilla added that the raffle is the barangay’s gesture to thank the residents for their cooperation in the government’s vaccination program.
Muntinlupa City has 12,695 confirmed cases with 11,703 recoveries, 651 active cases, 341 reported deaths, 119 suspect cases, and 1,971 probable cases as of May 25.
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The above details were from the official press release issued by the Muntinlupa Public Information Office. Some parts were edited for this website.
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Speaking of unfortunate events, I want to thank the many people who read my article about the May 17 launch of the Pfizer in Parañaque and I also want to thank those who took time out to write to me about what they witnessed or experienced during the said launch.
Going back to Parañaque crime news, the Manila Bulletin reported yesterday that a wanted man from Japan was arrested by law enforcers at a certain hotel in Parañaque. To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the said report. Some parts in boldface…
A Japanese fugitive, who is allegedly wanted in several countries for various crimes such as online fraud and extortion, has been arrested at a hotel in Paranaque City by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Immigration (BI).
In an announcement on Wednesday, May 26, the NBI identified the arrested Japanese as Watanabe Yuki, who is also known as Kenji Shimada and Shi Shimada.
The NBI said Yuki was arrested last March 17together with two other Japanese nationals identified as Tomonobu Saito and Kousuke II.
It said that Saito and Kousuke II failed to present their passports and Alien Certificate of Registration (ACR). Saito, on the other hand, has a summary deportation order. Both were turned over to the BI.
The NBI said Yuki is “an international wanted fugitive with Blue Notice in Interpol (International Criminal Police Organization).”
Google says “a Blue Notice is issued when Interpol grants a member country’s request for assistance with the following: seeking the location of someone connected with a criminal investigation, identifying someone connected with a criminal investigation, finding witnesses to a criminal act, and locating friends, relatives, or associates of offenders or suspected offenders.”
NBI Officer-in-Charge Director Eric B. Distor said that “subject Yuki was hiding in the country due to his involvement in various crimes in Japan and other countries, and he is also allegedly operating syndicate activities in the Philippines, such as but not limited to, online fraud and extortions.”
“Verification conducted by the NBI-STF (Special Task Force) to ascertain the veracity of the information revealed that subject Yuki is said to be the ‘Big Boss’ of the largest telecommunication fraud syndicate, whose international operations cover several countries including Japan and Philippines,” the NBI said.
It said that Yuki will be turned over to the BI which issued a commitment order against the Japanese “for undesirability (fugitive) and Illegal Entrant.”
The above reported ended by stating that Yuki has since been placed under the custody of the Security Management Section of the NBI (NBI-SMS) after being found positive for COVID-19.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What do you think about the Manila Bulletin’s crime news report? Did you notice something strange going on in your local community there in Parañaque City? Are the local police, barangay tanods, NBI operatives and BI operatives doing enough to secure your local community from criminals?
Do you believe that Parañaque City has something that attracts crooks and fugitives from overseas? Do you believe that Parañaque continue to be a safe haven for criminals, smugglers and murderers?
Have you ever heard about the Parañaque Renaissance?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
If you love the Transformers in hand-drawn animation and if you have a 4K Blu-ray collection to build up, then you should be happy with the news that The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray will be available for purchase in a few months’ time.
The said 4K Blu-ray release (which also contains the Blu-ray for 1080p viewing) is from Shout Factory, a company that is well known for releasing Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray discs of movies loaded with lots of extra stuff that make them very ideal for collecting.
The SteelBook edition.
So what exactly will you be getting with The 4K Blu-ray combo of The Transformers: The Movie? To put things in perspective, here first are the technical specs from the Blu-ray.com page…
Video
Codec: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: Native 4K (2160p)
HDR: Dolby Vision, HDR10
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Audio
English: Dolby Atmos
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Subtitles
English SDH, Spanish
Discs
4K Ultra HD
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD-66, 1 BD-50)
Playback
4K Blu-ray: Region free
2K Blu-ray: Region A (B, C untested)
The Autobots and Dinobots in a scene in the movie.
Now here is an excerpt from another page at Blu-ray.com that shows what you can expect from the new release.
Shout Factory will also issue two additional 35th anniversary editions of THE TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE —a standard 4K Blu-ray + Blu-ray combo pack, and a Blu-ray + DVD combo pack. THE TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE 35th Anniversary Edition 4K Blu-ray + Blu-ray combo pack includes the all-new 4K transfer of the movie in widescreen alongside the HD full frame version and new bonus material. THE TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE 35th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray + DVD combo pack features the movie in HD full frame on Blu-ray as well as a widescreen edition on DVD, alongside new bonus material. These configurations will be available for pre-order later this summer from Shout! Factory. (The SteelBook can already be pre-ordered at Amazon).
Under license from Shout Factory, THE TRANSFORMERS – THE MOVIE SteelBook and standard 4K Blu-ray will also be released in the UK this September.
Description: In the year 2005, the Autobots and the Decepticons are still locked in battle, but a deadly new force enters the fray–a giant killer planet known as Unicron. The heroic Autobots must fight for their own survival and to save their home planet from destruction. A classic of 1980s animation, based on the popular TV series.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
NEW 4K TRANSFER FROM ORIGINAL FILM ELEMENTS
New Feature-Length Storyboards, including deleted, alternate and extended sequences
New Fathom Events 30th Anniversary Featurette, including Stan Bush’s acoustic performances of “The Touch” and “Dare”
‘Til All Are One – A comprehensive documentary looking back at THE TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE with members of the cast and crew, including story consultant Flint Dille, cast members Gregg Berger, Neil Ross, Dan Gilvezan, singer/songwriter Stan Bush, composer Vince Dicola and others!
Audio Commentary with Director Nelson Shin, story consultant Flint Dille and star Susan Blu
Featurettes
Animated Storyboards
Trailers and TV Spots
Optional English and Spanish subtitles for the main feature
As of this writing, Amazon.com has a live page for those who want to order the SteelBook edition of The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray. You can also order it via Shout Factory.
Devastator and the Dinobots!
As a kid, I got to watch many episodes of The Transformers animated series on television. I eventually saw The Transformers: The Movie on home video and its presentation came with a lot of impact related to the deaths of several characters (including the most controversial death), the noticeable rise of on-screen violence and the more futuristic, sci-fi setting and environments.
Even if you are not a fan of The Transformers, this upcoming 4K Blu-ray release is a blessing. Even if you are not interested in the older, hand-drawn presentation of The Transformers, the animated movie itself should interest you as it has solid performances not only from long-time favorites Peter Cullen (Prime) and Frank Welker (Megatron) but also from Hollywood legends Orson Welles, Leonard Nimoy and Robert Stack. Think about that! Welles, Nimoy and Stack…Citizen Kane, Spock and the Unsolved Mysteries icons in this Transformers film!
For more on The Transformers: The Movie, watch this in-depth video retrospective by Oliver Harper. I highly recommend it and I also encourage you all to follow Oliver Harper via his social media channels.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Does the upcoming 4K Blu-ray release of The Transformers: The Movie excite you? If you saw the 1980s animated series of The Transformers, how many episodes were you able to watch? Were you able to watch The Transformers: The Movie in the cinemas back in 1986?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
Hey readers! Have you been driving along Skyway Stage 3 lately? In case you missed the news, the southbound Quirino exit of Skyway Stage 3 was officially opened this past Monday. To be specific, it allows motorists from Balintawak and Quezon Avenue to travel to Manila much faster and safer than before.
In a May 24, 2021 Facebook page post, San Miguel Corporation president Ramon S. Ang wrote: Together with the DPWH, we opened today the Quirino southbound exit of Skyway Stage 3. This will cut travel time from Balintawak and Quezon Ave. to Manila to less than 20 mins from the usual 1.5 hours. In the midst of the pandemic, we remain committed to delivering sustainable infrastructure that will ensure better lives for the present and future generations. This is the world we want.
The Quirino exit on the southbound lane of Skyway Stage 3 formally opened. (source – Ramon S. Ang Facebook page)
To put things in perspective some more, posted below is an excerpt from the Philippine News Agency (PNA) article about the same subject matter. Some parts in boldface…
San Miguel Corporation (SMC), through SMC Infrastructure, opened Monday the southbound Quirino exit of the Skyway Stage 3 elevated expressway to Class-1 vehicles, allowing motorists coming from Balintawak and Quezon Avenue to directly reach Manila within less than 20 minutes from 1.5 hours without traffic.
The opening was led by Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar and SMC president Ramon S. Ang.
“The full completion of Skyway Stage 3 will divert at least 75,000 vehicles away from EDSA or C5. This is a realization of President Duterte’s promise to decongest EDSA. Skyway Stage 3 is proof that the private sector and the government can work together towards a unified solution,” Villar said.
Ang said the opening of the Quirino southbound exit will greatly improve accessibility from Quezon City and Manila.
“With more private vehicles diverted to Skyway Stage 3 on their way back from NLEX (North Luzon Expressway), or coming from Quezon Avenue, to Manila, traffic on our major public roads as well as on streets usually utilized as ‘shortcuts’ or ‘alternate routes’, will be a thing of the past. This will redound to relief from congestion and faster and easier commutes for many of our countrymen on our major thoroughfares. We thank President Duterte and the government team led by Secretary Villar for all their support,” he said.
And said SMC will continue to deliver on its commitment to bring motorists quality infrastructure that addresses congestion and lack of accessibility.
“We remain dedicated to providing convenient and seamless travel for motorists to help decongest Metro Manila and enable growth in all areas that we reach,” he added.
SMC, which fully-funded and built 100 percent of the Skyway Stage 3, said the expressway now has 15 operational ramps.
These include Northbound entry/on-ramps — Buendia (Zobel) and Quezon Avenue; Southbound entry/on ramps –Balintawak, Quezon Avenue and Plaza Dilao; Northbound exit/off ramps –Quirino Avenue, Nagtahan, Quezon Avenue, A. Bonifacio, and Balintawak; and Southbound exit/off ramps –Quezon Avenue, E. Rodriguez, Nagtahan, Quirino and Buendia (Zobel).
Now here is a related news video for your viewing pleasure and learning…
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Have you traveled along Skyway Stage 3 and exited through Quirino already? If you did, what was the experience like? How fast did it take you to travel from Balintawak or Quezon Avenue to exit through Quirino? Is the southbound travel along Skyway Stage 3 even better now that the Quirino exit is open?
To all motorists based in Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Parañaque, how often did you travel along Skyway Stage 3 this year?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
The Department of Health – Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) has recommended an additional vaccination site in Muntinlupa City as one of the rollout areas for Pfizer-BioNTech and Gamaleya’s Sputnik V vaccines.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi and DOH – MMCHD exec Dra. Ara Jurao led a simulation activity for Pfizer and Sputnik V vaccines at Festival Mall Covered Parking area, one of the city’s major vaccination sites, yesterday.
Muntinlupa Mayor Jaime Fresnedi (left) talks to National Immunization Program Coordinator for COVID-19 in Muntinlupa Dra. Maria Rochelle Abat, Department of Health – Metro Manila Center for Health Development (DOH-MMCHD) execs Dr. Anthony de los Santos, Dr. Jose Castro, and Dra. Ara Jurao (L-R) during the City Government’s simulation activity for Pfizer-BioNTech and Gamaleya’s Sputnik V vaccines at Festival Mall vaccination site last May 25. DOH-MMCHD has given the go signal to use the major vaccination site for the rollout of the temperature-sensitive vaccines. Festival Mall Covered Parking area is the second major vaccination site in Muntinlupa to have been accredited for the rollout of Pfizer and Sputnik V. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Jurao lauded the planning and preparation of Muntinlupa City Health Office for the administration of the temperature-sensitive vaccines. She has given the go signal to use the major vaccination site for the rollout of Pfizer and Sputnik V. Muntinlupa awaits additional allocation from the national government as it maxed out the supply of Pfizer and Sputnik after reaching the target number of vaccine takers.
As of May 24, a total of 41,443 residents received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine, of which 15,394 have received their second dose. At least 3,507 members of A1-A3 priority group were vaccinated with Pfizer and 2,979 received Sputnik V.
The information desk at the new vaccination site at the Festival Mall Covered Parking Area. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Festival Mall Covered Parking Area is the second major vaccination site in Muntinlupa to have been accredited for the rollout of Pfizer and Sputnik V. Previously, the DOH has only allowed the rollout of Pfizer at Ayala Malls South Park while Sputnik V was only allowed to be administered at Ospital ng Muntinlupa and Asian Hospital and Medical Center.
Other officials attending the simulation activity were DOH – MMCHD execs Dr. Anthony de los Santos and Dr. Jose Castro, City Health Officer Dr. Juancho Bunyi, and National Immunization Program Coordinator for COVID-19 in Muntinlupa Dra. Maria Rochelle Abat, among others.
A look at the equipment and physical set-up at the Festival Mall Covered Parking Area. (source – Muntinlupa PIO)
Further, Muntinlupa CHO will continue to inoculate remaining members of priority groups using AstraZeneca and Sinovac Life Sciences’ CoronaVac. On May 11, the City Government received an additional 16,800 vials of AstraZeneca and 31,200 vials of Sinovac.
The public is reminded that walk-ins the city’s major vaccination sites including Ayala Malls South Park, Festival Mall UGF Covered Parking, SM Muntinlupa, and Sucat Covered Court will not be accommodated. Only those who are registered online will be given schedule in the major vaccination sites and will be notified via SMS. For more inquiries, the public may reach the MunCoVac hotlines: 0956 358 9228 / 0915 805 5932 / 0915 806 7419 / 0960 588 5935 / 0960 588 5937 / 0998 249 4580.
Muntinlupa City has 12,651 confirmed cases with 11,630 recoveries, 683 active cases, 338 reported deaths, 119 suspect cases, and 1,802 probable cases as of May 24.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Yesterday morning, a news report published by the Philippine News Agency (PNA) caught my attention as it was about crime that happened in Muntinlupa City. Specifically, it’s about almost P70 million worth of illegal drugs and the elimination two suspected drug dealers. The operation done by the law enforcers happened on Sunday evening.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the PNA’s article. Some parts in boldface…
Two suspected drug dealers were killed in a joint Philippine National Police-Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PNP-PDEA) anti-illegal drugs operations while some 10 kilograms of shabu worth PHP68 million were seized in Muntinlupa City Sunday night.
Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, identified the slain suspects as Jordan Sabandal Abrigo and Jayvee de Guzman.
Seized were three plastic packs of Chinese teabags containing an estimated 10 kilograms of suspected white crystalline shabu, one black Nissan Cefiro without plate number, two loaded caliber .45 pistols, and marked money.
Citing reports from PNP-Drug Enforcement Group director, Brig. Gen. Remus Medina, Eleazar said the operation took place Sunday evening in Katarungan Village 1.
During the operation, the suspects found out they were dealing with law enforcers, prompting the firefight.
No member of the law enforcement teams was hurt during the operation.
In his report to Eleazar, Medina said the suspects were members of the Divinagracia Drug Group led by Michael Divinagracia and a certain Jhonson, a Chinese national currently serving sentence at New Bilibid Prison.
The group is known to be drug distributors in different areas of the National Capital Region, Region 6 and other nearby provinces.
The drug syndicate also operates in different areas of Visayas and Mindanao using cargo trucks that travel via RORO from Batangas Port and received by their Muslim cohorts in the area, Eleazar said.
“I commend the joint effort of PNP-PDEA operatives for another laudable accomplishment as we continue to invigorate our anti-illegal drugs campaign to totally wipe out all forms of illegal drugs in order to realize our quest for a drug-free nation,” Eleazar said.
In addition, there is this GMA Network news video about the same operation post below for your viewing.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Muntinlupa City, does the above news make you feel safer? Did you notice anything suspicious happening in your local community? Are you thankful to the PNP-PDEA operatives for their recent operation here in Muntinlupa?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Last time around, SM Southmall and SM Center Las Piñas became the new locations for the additional COVID-19 vaccination sites in the City of Las Piñas and went on with the vaccination services of local residents who previously registered through the city’s system.
That’s not all, however. According to a recent report by the Manila Bulletin, the City Government of Las Piñas announced that it will add not one, not two, but FIVE more vaccination sites so that they can reach their target of vaccinating six thousand people per day.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the Manila Bulletin report. Some parts in boldface…
The Las Piñas city government will add five more vaccination sites to achieve its goal of inoculating 6,000 persons per day.
Vice-Mayor April Aguilar-Nery disclosed the plan of adding five vaccination sites in the next two weeks as part of the city government’s “Ligtas na Las Piñeros, Lahat Bakunado” vaccination program.
During the Bakuna Benefits segment of Angkas chief transport advocate George Royeca, Nery said the city currently has a total of 15 vaccination sites from 10 barangay covered courts, two hospitals — the University of Perpetual Help Medical Center and the Las Piñas Doctors Hospital, and three additional sites at the SM Southmall, SM Center, and Robinsons Mall.
The vice-mayor said the city government is planning to add five more vaccination sites since Mayor Imelda Aguilar wants all city residents to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The city also aims to inoculate 300 residents per vaccination site per day for a total of 6,000 persons per day.
Nery said the city government purchased 300 AstraZeneca and 200 Novavax vaccines to achieve the mayor’s goal of inoculating all city residents.
To date, a total of 40,000 frontline health workers, senior citizens, and adults with comorbidities have received their first dose of vaccines and 15 for the second dose.
If you do the math, the City Government’s plan of establishing new sites will push their current total of 15 vaccination sites to 20 vaccination sites. While the report published details sourced from Vice Mayor April Aguilar-Nery, there is no indication as to when exactly will the planned new vaccination sites be set up. No details yet as to where exactly will the five new vaccination sites be set up at. It would be nice, however, if all the five upcoming new vaccination sites will be established in airconditioned places so that it will be more comfortable for the patients, especially the senior citizens (and the less abled persons among them).
For the newcomers reading this, get to know the way to get registered by clicking right here. There are details and images with instructions included. The local registration process is still ongoing for all those who need to be vaccinated for COVID-19.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Are you a Las Piñas resident who is happy to learn that five brand new vaccination sites will be established within the city? If you were able to visit any of the vaccination sites located at the open-air, covered basketball courts in the city, was the venue comfortable enough?
Does this latest announcement from the City Government encourage you to get registered and line up for the free COVID-19 vaccine?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Welcome back, my readers, fellow Blu-ray disc collectors and fellow pop culture enthusiasts! Last time around, I informed you about the approaching June 15, 2021 release of the respective 4K Blu-ray discs of Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and In the Line of Fire (1993). If you missed that article (which contains lots of details and links), check it out now.
In this latest edition of Better than Streaming, I want you to join me in taking a close look at the Blu-ray disc of V: The Original Miniseries (1983) which was released on August 27, 2019 as part of the Warner Archive Collection. I bought this Blu-ray release only this year and I can confirm to you all that I had a great time replaying it from start to finish and in high-definition! Having seen V: The Original Miniseries on TV and video tapes in the 1980s and to its early digital form on DVD in 2001, the Blu-ray release is the best visual experience yet!
Going on with the Blu-ray release of V: The Original Miniseries, posted below is a new picture of my copy that I photographed for this article.
My Blu-ray copy of V: The Original Miniseries.
The cover really gives V: The Original Miniseries its own distinct look. A look that fans of V will instantly recognize and given the fact that it does not feature any pictures of the actors and only had images of the alien motherships (read: very huge saucer-like space ships that can carry thousands of people plus equipment) on the cover, I can imagine this Blu-ray release standing out when placed with many other Blu-ray discs on store shelves. The tag line on the top – Humankind’s Last Stand – adds punch to the cover.
When it comes to the technical specifications, it goes as follows…
1080p High Definition
16×9, 1.78:1
DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
Subtitles: English
Single disc – Region free
To be clear, the above specs were written on the back of the Blu-ray box and they refer specifically to the main feature…the 2-episodes of the miniseries totaling 197 minutes (3 hours, 17 minutes).
Speaking of the main feature of V: The Original Miniseries contained in the Blu-ray disc, it is entirely presented in one single selection. The two episodes are not presented as separate selections. It means that once you are done with watching the first episode, you only need to wait for the end credits to finish and just let the video play on with the opening credits of the second episode to start and lead further to the story. However, if you saw the first episode and decide to watch the second episode at a later time, only then will you need the remote control of your Blu-ray player to go through chapter selection (skip the chapters of the first episode) to start the second episode.
As mentioned earlier, V: The Original Miniseries was presented in 1080p high-definition and for me it is the best-looking form to date! If you want specifics about the visual quality (as opposed to the high-definition look of the mini-series), I can say that its visual aesthetics from 1983 are still intact but with added benefits due to the higher resolution and digital format. To put things in perspective, the level of visual details, the color-grading, the textures seen on the actors’ faces and the natural look of their skin tone are all improved over the 2001 DVD.
As this is a 1980s production, the film grain also made it and even though it intensifies or weakens as the main feature plays, it never was annoying to watch. If there are any weak spots on the visuals, it’s the fact that the high-definition state made the matte lines in key special effect shots (note: specifically in the scenes of people on the street looking up at a mothership above them) look very obvious and fake. As for other visual effects, the laser blasts look even better and the perfect timing on simulating on-set explosions (specifically the spots that got hit by the laser blasts) add a lot of punch to the spectacle!
The disc.
As for the extra stuff, I regret to say that V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray only has the exact same stuff the 2001 DVD had…the feature-length commentary by Kenneth Johnson and a behind-the-scenes documentary. Nothing new at all and this easily reminds me of the words describing this release – Warner Archive Collection.
To be clear about the extra stuff, I really find it very disappointing that the 24-minute behind-the-scenes documentary was presented only in standard definition and had a sub-par quality visually which kinda ruins the fascinating stuff of the production (Johnson and crew filming scenes, Marc Singer and Faye Grant being interviewed, etc.) shown.
The real meat of the extra stuff is the feature-length commentary of Kenneth Johnson. All throughout the two episodes, Johnson provided a lot of insight on the filmmaking, the creative concepts, the symbolism connecting the mini-series with the rise of the 3rd Reich in Europe, etc. I replayed the mini-series entirely with Johnson’s commentary turn on and it was really engaging as a viewing experience!
Conclusion
While the lack of new extra stuff somewhat hampers it, I still had great enjoyment with my Blu-ray copy of V: The Original Miniseries (1983). Its main feature and the Kenneth Johnson commentary are the best things about it and therefore make it worth buying. I can only speculate that if more V fans (plus the many people out there who have yet to discover V of the 1980s for their home entertainment and sci-fi craving) bought a lot of copies of this Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray release, the executives at WB could be convinced to release another Blu-ray of the 1983 mini-series with all new stuff involving the participation of Johnson, the other production team members and the surviving actors (note: it would be great to come up with brand new interviews with Marc Singer, Faye Grant, Jane Badler, David Packer, Blaire Tefkin, Robert Englund and others). It would be great to see pop culture convention footage related to V compiled not to mention an all-new feature commentary with the actors participating.
Overall, the V: The Original Miniseries – Warner Archive Collection Blu-ray is highly recommended! Fans of V of the 1980s will love it and all others who have yet to discover it will find something new and compelling to watch at home with this. Add this to your shopping list and your Blu-ray disc collection!
In closing this Better than Streaming piece, posted below for your enjoyment is the 43-minute YouTube video of the 2019 San Diego Comic-Con panel that had Kenneth Johnson and Marc Singer as guests focused on V.
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
The week of May 17 to 23, 2021 has not been good for the city of Parañaque as far as news coverage is concerned. First of all, the launch of the Pfizer vaccine in Parañaque was marred by very long lines, frustration and confusion (complete with information that witnesses shared with the Manila Bulletin).
On May 19, it was reported by GMA Network that a shooting incident happened in the city, along Airport Road in Barangay Baclaran to be precise. For transparency, posted below is the excerpt from the report…
A delivery personnel of a water station was shot by unidentified armed men in Paranaque City Wednesday morning.
According to Super Radyo dzBB’s Mao dela Cruz, the yet to be identified victim has been brought to the hospital for treatment.
The incident happened along Airport Road in Baclaran where the pedicab of the victim and empty water gallons were left.
Next is a more intriguing report (by Manila Bulletin) as it involved the presence and efforts of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Bureau of Customs (BOC). They entered a warehouse in Barangay BF Homes and found smuggled products related to this COVID-19 pandemic. Posted below is an excerpt from Manila Bulletin’s report. Some parts in bold…
Authorities discovered P70 million worth of alleged fake and smuggled face shields from China in a raid in Parañaque City on Thursday, May 20, as the government tightens its monitoring of counterfeit coronavirus disease (COVID-19) safety equipment that are flooding the market.
Joint personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and Bureau of Customs (BOC) found boxes of inauthentic “Heng De” face shields that were illegally sneaked in the country and stored in a warehouse in Barangay BF Homes.
The PCG said the smuggled face shields “did not pass the appropriate inspection” by the BOC.
“[It] may not be declared safe for use by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA),” it added.
The above report ended stating that the BOC will destroy the seized materials once accounting has been done. A follow-up investigation will eventually start to find out who is responsible with the smuggling.
Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction towards the shooting incident along Airport Road? Who do you think is responsible for the smuggling and storage of the seized face shields that were seized in the Barangay BF Homes?
Do you believe it is time for City Government, the local barangays and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Parañaque to renew their efforts to fight crime and secure the safety of the people?
With regards to COVID-19 vaccination, were you able to get vaccinated in Parañaque City in a smooth and orderly manner? Did you notice the local vaccination organizers allow walk-ins recently? Did the local vaccination organizers respond promptly to those who registered online?
Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
For more South Metro Manila community news and developments, come back here soon. Also say NO to fake news, NO to irresponsible journalism, NO to misinformation, NO to plagiarists, NO to reckless publishers and NO to sinister propaganda when it comes to news and developments. For South Metro Manila community developments, member engagements, commerce and other relevant updates, join the growing South Metro Manila Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/342183059992673
Bethesda’s upcoming sci-fi role-playing game (RPG) Starfield has been heavily discussed by gamers recently and it has been speculated that it will be released in 2022. The ugly thing is that there are certain gamers and Xbox-haters out there – who previously denounced that Xbox-Bethesda deal – who kept ranting that Starfield will also be released on PlayStation 5 (PS5). Instead of acknowledging the fact that Bethesda is now owned by Microsoft, and instead of realizing the fact that Bethesda’s contracts with Sony is for two games (temporary PS5-exclusives) have NOTHING to do with Starfield, they just rant with their distorted perception of reality.
Even though not so much information has been released, public interest in Starfield has grown as it is the next high-profile game from Bethesda Softworks.
Going back to Starfield, the highly anticipated game from Bethesda is exclusive to Xbox and PC according to Jeff Grubb of GamesBeat. Grubb has a record of being a reliable insider in the video games industry.
With confidence, Jeff Grubb confirmed Starfield is exclusive to Xbox and PC. Now it’s up to Team Xbox to confirm it themselves. Grubb’s reputation now hangs in the balance.
To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from Video Games Chronicle. Some parts in bold.
Bethesda’s sci-fi RPG Starfield will be exclusive to Xbox and PC and thus won’t release for PlayStation 5, it’s been claimed.
That’s according to GamesBeat journalist Jeff Grubb, who wrote on Friday: “Starfield is exclusive to Xbox and PC. Period. This is me confirming that.”
Speaking in a live stream video, the prominent games industry reporter went on to state that he believed the title would appear at E3 next month and likely release in 2022.
Starfield is the next big RPG from the creator of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, originally announced in June 2018 with a teaser trailer, following which director Todd Howard said it was a game he’s wanted to make “for a very, very long time.”
As you can see above, Jeff Grubb was not hesitant in confirming the Xbox-exclusivity of Starfield. His reputation is at stake right now, and time cannot move fast enough for Team Xbox to confirm at the 2021 E3 online event the exclusivity to the whole world. On the side of PlayStation, SIE CEO Jim Ryan does not know if Starfield is coming to PS5. The fact Ryan does not know adds to the anticipation of Starfield’s Xbox-exclusivity.
On May 17, 2021, Jeff Grubb wrote a piece titled Why Starfield won’t be on PlayStation 5 and to put things in perspective, posted below are two excerpts with some parts in bold…
Excerpt 1
Microsoft has no plans to release Bethesda’s upcoming space role-playing adventure Starfield on Sony’s competing PlayStation 5 console. That shouldn’t surprise too many people after Xbox boss Phil Spencer said in March that Microsoft acquired Bethesda to add exclusives to Xbox Game Pass. But I’ve separately confirmed that this situation applies to Starfield through sources familiar with the decision.
But some people keep asking about Starfield on PS5 because they don’t have insight into Microsoft’s reasoning. While Sony or Nintendo would certainly keep new acquisitions locked to their platforms, Xbox has a history of playing nice. Minecraft, for example, is still getting full support on PlayStation and Nintendo platforms. Microsoft even released the new Minecraft Dungeons game on PS5 and Switch. So why wouldn’t Microsoft do the same with Bethesda’s games?
The difference is that Minecraft is a platform unto itself with millions of active players and in-game transactions. And it’s platform like that thrives when it’s available everywhere.
I’ve asked Xbox for a statement, and I’ll update this story if the company decides to comment.
Starfield is most valuable to Microsoft as a means to grow Xbox Game Pass
Where Minecraft can exist as its own service, Starfield is about growing the Game Pass service. And even if Bethesda has ambitions to make massive, connected live-service games, it’s unlikely that anything will turn into the next Minecraft. So an effort like a blockbuster game release from the team that made The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is best if Microsoft treats it as an investment into a larger service.
Excerpt 2
Microsoft likely did investigate what its financials would look like if it made Bethesda games exclusive or not. In the end, it chose exclusivity. And yes, that means it will miss out on money from sales on PlayStation 5. But the point is that Microsoft doesn’t see that as losing money — it sees that as built in marketing for Game Pass. And then it also expects to offset many of those costs by building a deeper relationship with more players who then go on to play and buy even more games on Xbox platforms.So yes, Starfield is exclusive. And I would predict that Xbox would make this call for The Elder Scrolls VI and beyond.
As seen above, Jeff Grubb scored solidly on the points as to why Starfield is exclusive and why the logic behind Minecraft’s multiplatform availability cannot be applied to Starfield and other Bethesda franchises. It does not make sense to release Starfield on PS5, especially with Xbox Game Pass growing tremendously and offering its active subscribers the best deals in games. Bethesda games have already been added to XGP and Starfield will eventually add greater value to the service!
A leaked screenshot of what is supposed to be gameplay of Starfield.
As for the speculated 2022 release for Starfield, check out the details in the excerpt from the Windows Central Gaming article…
It seems that Starfield could be targeting a Q1 2022 release date, echoing similar rumors from across the net that the upcoming sci-fi RPG is closer than we might’ve otherwise expected.
The details come from an exchange between Grubb and Adeoye Jr, with Grubb confirming in a tweet prior speculation on Kinda Funny Games Cast that the game was targeting a Q1 2022 launch window.
There were some previous rumors earlier in the year that the game was targeting a Holiday 2021 launch window. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that the date got bumped slightly given the on-going pandemic.
Here is the related video for you to watch.
And here is Jeff Grubb’s related Tweet with others.
Can you wait for Starfield in 2022?
As much as I love to buy and start playing Starfield this coming holiday season, I just remembered that we are all still living in this COVID-19 (China Virus) pandemic and I can only speculate that the developers working on the sci-fi RPG have, most likely, not returned to working in their offices. Game development done at home is not the same as working in the main office. Knowing the reputation of Bethesda, they need a whole lot of time to not only complete their epic RPGs but also refine it to the best they could. The refinement will definitely include technical adjustments with the Creation engine. This pandemic is clearly hampering everyone from the consumers (who are struggling to buy Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X and PS5 consoles) to the people who make the video games.
As such, I would not be surprised if the Xbox-exclusive Starfield will be released in 2022. It could be released in the first quarter of 2022 but then Microsoft and Bethesda could decide to push it into the 2nd half of that same year. By 2022, there should be a lot more people owning units of Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X, not to mention at least 30,000,000 active subscribers on Xbox Game Pass.
If 2022 is indeed the planned year of release for Starfield, then Phil Spencer and Team Xbox should come up with something to boosting their lineup of new exclusive releases for the lucrative 4th quarter of this year. I speculate that Forza Horizon 5 and Halo: Infinite will be released in the 4th quarter which look strong but I think Team Xbox has to add a 3rd strong game with them. We will find out soon once Team Xbox makes the big announcements at the E3.
Before I end this article, let me ask you these questions: Are you looking forward to Starfield? Did the Xbox-Bethesda deal and the addition of Bethesda’s games into Xbox Game Pass convince you to subscribe? Did you buy an Xbox Series S or an Xbox Series X console because of the Xbox-Bethesda deal? Are you excited about Todd Howard’s ambition behind Starfield?
You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online. In ending this piece, here are some Xbox-related videos for you to enjoy!
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Thank you for reading. If you find this article engaging, please click the like button below and also please consider sharing this article to others. If you are looking for a copywriter to create content for your special project or business, check out my services and my portfolio. Feel free to contact me as well. Also please feel free to visit my Facebook page Author Carlo Carrasco and follow me at HavenorFantasy@twitter.com
