Tag: Carlo Carrasco

Better than Streaming: The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray coming out on October 26, 2021

Better than Streaming: The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray coming out on October 26, 2021

carlocarrasco

Welcome back, fellow geeks, film enthusiasts and Blu-ray/4K Blu-ray collectors!

What I mentioned would happen has indeed happened! Warner Bros. officially announced that James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is coming out on 4K Blu-ray on October 26, 2021 and the good news is that its visuals are native 4K! As of this writing, pre-orders have yet to start but you can visit the DC Comics movie’s Amazon page to anticipate it.

This is what the 4K Blu-ray combo box looks like.

Posted below are key details of The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray combo from its 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: 1.90:1

Audio

English: Dolby Atmos

English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1

Subtitles

English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Two-disc set (1 BD-100, 1 BD-50)

Digital

Digital 4K

Movies Anywhere

Packaging

Slipcover in original pressing

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region A

The back of The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray combo.

And here are details of the special features and technical specs…

  • DOLBY ATMOS AUDIO TRACK
  • Gag Reel
  • Gotta Love the Squad
  • The Way of The Gunn
  • It’s a Suicide Mission Scene Breakdown
  • My Guns Bigger Than Yours Scene Breakdown
  • Harley’s Great Escape Scene Breakdown
  • The Fall of Jotunheim Scene Breakdown
  • Starro: It’s a Freakin Kaiju!
  • Bringing King Shark To Life
  • War Movie Retro Trailer
  • Horror Movie Retro Trailer
  • Buddy-Cop Retro Trailer
  • Directors Commentary by Director/Writer James Gunn
  • Deleted & Extended Scenes
  • Optional English SDH, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, Castilian Spanish, Norwegian, Swedish, Teleugu, Hungarian, Tamil, Hindi, Italian, Greek, Romanian, Polish, Finnish, Danish, and Canadian French subtitles for the main feature

I personally am excited about The Suicide Squad 4K Blu-ray combo’s release. Where I am located at, local cinemas have remained closed since March 2020 and as I want the best possible home viewing experience, I deliberately avoided streaming. Definitely my money will NOT go to HBO Max nor HBO Go to watch The Suicide Squad (which has lots of scenes filmed with IMAX cameras and the IMAX footage is better viewed on Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray disc than streaming).

As of this writing, The Suicide Squad is the most exciting 4K Blu-ray release for the month of October. As far as DC Comics movies on disc format goes this year, I’m more excited for the James Gunn-directed movie than the recently released Zack Snyder’s Justice League 4K Blu-ray.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray (read my retro review), V: The Final Battle Blu-ray, Highlander 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad, Super Dimension Century Orguss Blu-ray, Unbreakable 4K Blu-ray and Injustice 4K Blu-ray.

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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

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

COVID-19 Crisis: Vaccine czar Galvez says national vaccination rate to be adjusted to 80-90% in the near future

COVID-19 Crisis: Vaccine czar Galvez says national vaccination rate to be adjusted to 80-90% in the near future

carlocarrasco

The other day, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr., announced in a radio interview that the COVID-19 vaccination target will be adjusted from the current 70% to as high as 90% according to a GMA Network news report. The purpose, unsurprisingly, is about achieving herd immunity but with adjustments related to recent developments such as the Delta variant and the Lambda variant detected in the Philippines.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the GMA Network news report. Some parts in boldface…

The Philippines will raise its COVID-19 vaccination target from 70% to up to 90% to reach herd immunity by early next year, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. said Wednesday.

In a radio interview, Galvez said the herd immunity target could be between 80% and 90% of the country’s 110 million population or roughly 90 million people.

“Nakikita po natin na yung herd immunity, yung concept na yun, dahil sa Delta variant, baka iangat po po natin ng 80 to 90%. Iyon po ang ang pagkakasabi po ng ating expert para maproteksyonan natin ang ating population,” he said.

(We might raise our herd immunity target to 80% to 90% due to the Delta variant. That’s what the experts told us in order to protect our population.)

Galvez said the government would try to vaccinate 77 million people before the end of the year.

“And then yung tinatawag natin na herd immunity na 90% is by end of the first quarter of 2022,” he said.

(For herd immunity, the target is to reach this by the end of the first quarter of 2022.)

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to what vaccine czar Galvez said about raising the vaccination target for the Philippines? Do you believe that the government will be able to vaccinate 77 million people before the year ends?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: Over 500,000 vaccinations in Muntinlupa City registered

COVID-19 Crisis: Over 500,000 vaccinations in Muntinlupa City registered

carlocarrasco

Yesterday, MunCoVac announced that the grand total number of COVID-19 vaccinations achieved in Muntinlupa City has exceeded the 500,000 mark. Muntinlupa is slowly but surely coming close to achieving herd immunity.

To put things in perspective, the following statistics released by MunCoVac were recorded as of September 8, 2021:

Total number of individuals vaccinated: 319,963 (note: 11,404 were vaccinated with 1st dose in Muntinlupa private companies)

Total number of individuals fully vaccinated: 192,360 (note: 597 were vaccinated with 2nd dose in Muntinlupa private companies)

Declared total of vaccines administered: 507,964

According to MunCoVac: As of yesterday, September 8, we have administered a total of 507,964 vaccines.

83% of the target population of Muntinlupeños have been vaccinated with at least one dose while 49.9% have been fully vaccinated, only a mere 0.1% shy to being halfway towards achieving herd immunity for our city.

Like their counterparts in Las Piñas City, Muntinlupa’s declared numbers just don’t add up. If you do the math, 319,963 plus 192,360 equals 512,323 total. There is a discrepancy of 4,359.

Residents of Muntinlupa City who remain unregistered and unvaccinated should make a move to get registered by learning the ways to do it. Those who are prepared (with personal information available) and willing to go through online registration for the free vaccines in Muntinlupa are encouraged to click https://vaccine.muntinlupacity.gov.ph/muncovac/

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a Muntinlupa City resident who remains unregistered for the free COVID-19 vaccines, what exactly is keeping you from getting vaccinated? Have you been waiting for a specific brand of vaccine to become available locally?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

A Look Back at Dazzler #2 (1981)

A Look Back at Dazzler #2 (1981)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic collectors, 1990s culture enthusiasts and fans of Marvel Comics! Way back in 1981, Marvel Comics had a successful comic book series launch with Dazzler #1 (read my retro review by clicking here) which sold over 400,000 copies and further sealed Dazzler as an advantageous addition for the company’s superhero comics franchise. Dazzler, a creation of a deal between Marvel and a certain record company, debuted in Uncanny X-Men #130 and got involved with the X-Men until Uncanny X-Men #131. Dazzler appeared with Marvel’s famous webslinger in Amazing Spider-Man #203.

Dazzler #1 ended with a brewing rivalry between the title character and Enchantress. With those laid down, here is a look back at Dazzler #2, published in 1981 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by John Romita, Jr.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Dazzler preparing for her big show at Numero Uno, a prestigious disco in the city of New York. Just before the show starts, a huge crowd of people are in attendance and among them are Wolverine, Peter Parker (Spider-Man), Captain America, Johnny Storm, Ben Grimm and Tony Stark (Iron Man) to name some.

Just as Dazzler appears on-stage and draws a frenzied applause from the audience, the revenger-hungry Enchantress slowly makes her moves to ruin the lady who outclassed her to be the main attraction of the club. Even with her desire for revenge, the Enchantress decides to use her magic sparingly on Dazzler. In the audience, Peter Parker/Spider-Man begins to sense something is about to happen…

Quality

This shows what this comic book is really about.

The way the story was told is disappointing. This is because the spotlight on Dazzler and her anticipated conflict with the Enchantress got overwhelmed by the amount of superhero filler on the narrative. To be clear, it is fun and interesting to see a mix of the varied superheroes of Marvel together but this comic book ended up being an all-star showcase (X-Men, Avengers and Fantastic Four members included) than a real, standalone Dazzler story. In fairness, Tom DeFalco showed how skilled he is with plot structuring and capturing the personalities and tropes of the different superheroes (note: unsurprisingly, DeFalco accurately captured Spider-Man’s personality and he went on to be a major force behind Spider-Man comic books) but that does not change the fact that this comic book should have been more about Dazzler.

When it comes to the conflict between Dazzler and the Enchantress, it was executed with no depth at all. Literally speaking, there is not enough meat to consume here and it the conflict really ended up looking very rushed. As if that was not bad enough, there is not enough justification to show Dazzler defeating a monster summoned by the Enchantress.  Considering how shallow the Dazzler-Enchantress match-up turned out, it’s no wonder why there is so much Marvel all-star filler in the script.

As for the late-stage attempt to shift the narrative back to Dazzler, it is rather over-the-top and unsatisfying.

Conclusion

You recognize someone in the audience?

Dazzler #2 (1981) is an example about a creative team’s lack of confidence on crafting a decent story to develop a new superhero and ultimately resorting to fill it with a mix of other superheroes involved which itself symbolizes desperation. This comic book is not really a Dazzler story but an all-star showcase with Dazzler becoming a minor character in her own monthly series.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Dazzler #2 (1981), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the regular edition costs $28 while the near-mint copy of the newsstand edition costs $60.

Overall, Dazzler #2 (1981) is unsatisfactory. Anyone who loves Dazzler or who wishes to discover more of her will be disappointed with this comic book.

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: Marikina City Mayor speaks out against national government over flip-flop related to extended MECQ for Metro Manila

COVID-19 Crisis: Marikina City Mayor speaks out against national government over flip-flop related to extended MECQ for Metro Manila

carlocarrasco

Someone had to speak out about the unpleasant surprise that affected us Metro Manila residents and stakeholders. This is about the most recent flip-flop that the national government committed regarding quarantine control over the National Capital Region (NCR) and Marikina City Mayor Marcy Teodoro slammed the national authorities which the Manila Bulletin thankfully magnified by reporting about it.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

Marikina City Mayor Marcelino “Marcy” Teodoro slammed the national government on Wednesday for its last minute decision to defer placing the National Capital Region (NCR) under the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) and retained it under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until September 15.

“Tingin ko, hindi lang mga negosyante ang nagalit, madami ding mga mayor ang nagalit. Dapat may kahandaan talaga at hindi magdulot ng kalituhan sa ating mga kababayan yung mga ganitong pangyayari (I think not only the businessmen were angry about the decision, even the mayors were also infuriated. There should always be preparedness in these situations to avoid confusion),” Teodoro said in an interview with DZBB Wednesday morning.

“Tandaan natin, Inter-Agency Task Force ito, IATF, naririto na lahat ng departmental agencies operating at the secretary’s level kaya dapat kung may mga pahayag, dapat maging malinaw ang mga ito. Pangalawa, yung mga guidelines, yung mga implementing mechanisms nito kung papano ipapatupad ay malinaw, at hindi lang sa malinaw, kundi napapanahon dapat ang pagpapatupad (Remember, this is an inter-agency task force. All departmental agencies operating at the secretary’s level are here, that’s why all announcements should be clear. Second, all guidelines and implementing mechanisms should be clear, and not just clear, but timely as well),” he added.

Teodoro said Metro Manila mayors, as well as the IATF, held a meeting yesterday regarding the quarantine classification of Metro Manila.

“Hanggang kahapon nung magmeeting kami ng umaga, nagsimula ang meeting ng alas nueve ng umaga hanggang alas dose, ala una, eh hinihingi nga namin yung malinaw na guidelines, pero wala pang maibigay sa amin. May naibigay na draft, pero hindi pirmado (Yesterday, we had a meeting that started at 9 a.m. and lasted until 12 or 1 p.m. We were asking for the clear guidelines. However, they did not give us any. They just provided us with a draft, and it was not even signed),” Teodoro said.

“Tapos, after two hours, eh nabalitaan namin na nagkaroon ng meeting ng mga alas tres ng hapon na nag emergency meeting ang IATF at hindi na nakausap muli ang mayors buhat noon (After two hours, we found out that the IATF held an emergency meeting at three in the afternoon, but the mayors were left out),” he added.

Teodoro said all the mayors were asking for are clear guidelines for the GCQ with granular lockdown system’s implementation because a lot of preparation are needed for it, especially in terms of manpower and logistics.

“Narinig nalang namin yung pahayag sa media na (extended na ang MECQ) (We just heard the announcement in the media that the MECQ was extended),” Teodoro said.

Wow! The details in the above excerpt are quite revealing! The Metro Manila mayors met with the IATF and the latter provided the local government heads an unsigned draft in response to the request for guidelines. Then the IATF had an emergency meeting leaving the mayors out. Something seems fishy and the Mayor of Marikina City had the courage to reveal publicly what exactly happened.

For the newcomers reading this, Metro Manila was supposed to revert back to general community quarantine (GCQ) as announced by the national authorities and then the flip-flop happened shortly after. As I mentioned before, businesses and their employees in the food-and-beverage sector as well as those in the personal care services sector have been negatively affected by the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) itself does not make life easier for them. And then there is the lack of an explanation from the national authorities about the flip-flop.

Already one local business was reported by CNN Philippines to have been affected negatively by the national authorities’ flip-flop. I encourage you to read the news article.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about Marikina City Mayor Teodoro’s slamming of the government over the flip-flop? Do you think the IATF is working hard right now to prepare for the next announcement on community quarantine in Metro Manila? Are the members of your local community ready for a potential granular lockdown like what happened in Parañaque City?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

Better than Streaming: Injustice 4K Blu-ray coming out on October 19, 2021

Better than Streaming: Injustice 4K Blu-ray coming out on October 19, 2021

carlocarrasco

Are you an avid fan of DC Comics and its superheroes? To be more specific, if you love Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Aquaman and the Justice League, there is something new coming in 4K Blu-ray format very soon.

I’m not talking about the Zack Snyder’s Justice League 4K Blu-ray release for the American market. I’m talking about the Injustice 4K Blu-ray which is set for an October 19, 2021 release and you can order it online right now. This new release is about the DC animated feature which includes voice performers Janet Varney as Wonder Woman, Justin Hartley as Superman and Anson Mount as Batman to name a few.

Coming out on October 19, 2021.

Posted below is an excerpt from the studio’s official description of Injustice…

Inspired by Injustice: Gods Among Us, NetherRealm Studios’ popular video game, and the best-selling DC graphic novel based on the video game, Injustice: Gods Among Us: Year One by Tom Taylor, the animated film Injustice finds an alternate world gone mad – where The Joker has duped Superman into killing Lois Lane, sending the Man of Steel on a deadly rampage. Unhinged, Superman decides to take control of the Earth for humanity’s own good. Determined to stop him, Batman creates a team of like-minded, freedom-fighting heroes. But when Super Heroes go to war, can the world survive?

Posted below are key details of Injustice 4K Blu-ray from its Blu-ray.com page.

Video

Codec: HEVC / H.265

Resolution: 4K (2160p)

HDR: HDR10

Aspect ratio: 1.78:1

Audio

English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1

French: Dolby Digital 5.1

Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles – English SDH, French, Spanish

Discs

4K Ultra HD

Blu-ray Disc

Two-disc set (2 BD)

Digital

Digital copy included

Playback

4K Blu-ray: Region free

2K Blu-ray: Region A

And here are details of the special features and technical specs…

  • HDR PRESENTATION OF THE FILM
  • Adventures in Storytelling – Injustice: Crisis and Conflict (New Featurette) – The storytellers behind the new Injustice animated film discuss how all the intense drama and unabashed action was brought to life.
  • DC Universe Movies Flashback
    • The Death of Superman
    • Reign of the Supermen
  • From the DC Vault
    • Justice League – Injustice For All, Part I
    • Justice League – Injustice For All, Part II
  • Optional English SDH, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, and Danish subtitles for the main feature

Personally, I never got to play any of the Injustice video games nor was I able to read any issues of the related comic books. Still, I find this DC animated feature interesting mainly due to its core concept. As for its 4K Blu-ray release, the extra stuff looks interesting although it remains to be seen if the animated feature’s visuals will indeed be native 4K or upscaled 4K. Here is hoping it will be native 4K.

For more entries of my Better than Streaming series of articles, check out my pieces on The Beastmaster 4K Blu-ray, The Transformers: The Movie 4K Blu-ray, Mortal Kombat 2021 4K Blu-ray, Space Jam 4K Blu-ray, V: The Original Miniseries Blu-ray (read my retro review), V: The Final Battle Blu-ray, Highlander 4K Blu-ray, The Suicide Squad, Super Dimension Century Orguss Blu-ray and Unbreakable 4K Blu-ray.

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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

If you wish to join a group of movie enthusiasts and talk about cinema, visit the Movie Fans Worldwide Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/322857711779576

COVID-19 Crisis: Several young people apprehended in Parañaque City for curfew violations

COVID-19 Crisis: Several young people apprehended in Parañaque City for curfew violations

carlocarrasco

Are you a resident of Parañaque City struggling with the COVID-19 situation and do you have anything to say about the way local authorities are managing your local community? Previously, the residents of Annex 35 within Better Living Subdivision made the news by complaining about the limited essentials while they were locked down and some of the provided food were spoiled. I wonder if Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Benhur Abalos is aware of the Annex 35 situation.

The other day, the Manila Bulletin published the latest about crime in Parañaque. Nine young individuals were caught by barangay personnel for violating the local curfew in Barangay San Dionisio. How exactly did they violate curfew? Read the excerpt below from the Manila Bulletin news report (which referenced ABS-CBN). Some parts in boldface…

Nine youths were arrested by patrolling barangay watchmen after they were seen playing computer games inside a shop in Paranaque City Sunday night.

According to a report, the youths aged 18 to 22 were arrested at about 11 p.m. in a shop located at 6087 Tramo I, Barangay San Dionisio. They were brought to the barangay hall.

The youths were issued a citation ticket for a fine of P200 each for violating curfew, according to ABS-CBN report.

The city’s Business Permit and Licensing Office, Atty. Melanie Soriano-Malaya, when asked about the incident, said that computer shops were not allowed to operate under the Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ).

Malaya said they were waiting for the report for them to verify if the computer shop has a permit to operate.

The above report ended stating that, in case the computer shop has a permit to operate, it may be revoked in relation to violating curfew. Take note, however, that the incident happened on Sunday night during modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ). By the time you are reading this, general community quarantine (GCQ) is in effect again all over Metro Manila.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction about this latest development in Parañaque City? Were you able to find anyone violating curfew there in your local community? Is there a computer shop or cyber café in your local community that operated during the curfew?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: MECQ in Metro Manila remains in effect until September 15 as GCQ gets deferred

COVID-19 Crisis: MECQ in Metro Manila remains in effect until September 15 as GCQ gets deferred

carlocarrasco

Remember what happened this past August when general community quarantine (GCQ) for Metro Manila was announced only to be changed suddenly into the stricter enhanced community quarantine (ECQ)?

Such an unpleasant radical shift after making a big announcement of GCQ (September 8 to 30) struck again today as the national government clarified that Metro Manila will remain under modified enhanced community (MECQ) which will last until September 15, 2021.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the excerpt from the Manila Bulletin news report. Some parts in boldface…

The switch to a general community quarantine (GCQ) along with the pilot-testing of granular lockdowns in Metro Manila won’t push through on Sept. 8 after all.

This, as members of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) appeared to struggle to come up with guidelines for the localized granular lockdowns a day before the scheduled implementation of the vaunted scheme Tuesday, Sept. 7.

“The [IATF] deferred the pilot implementation of the General Community Quarantine (GCQ) with Alert Levels System in the National Capital Region (NCR),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement to Malacañang reporters early Tuesday evening.

“Metro Manila’s current risk classification as Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) shall be maintained until September 15, 2021, or until the pilot GCQ with Alert Level System is implemented, whichever comes first,” he said.

In his virtual press briefing past noon Tuesday, Roque said he was instructed at the last minute not to discuss the guidelines of the granular lockdown pending additional inputs from local government units (LGUs).

An IATF meeting was held at 3 p.m. to supposedly iron out the remaining kinks of the pilot-testing, but it instead resulted to the postponement of not just the granular lockdowns but the downgrading of the quarantine classification in NCR from the current MECQ to GCQ.

Roque had earlier said that under rather granular lockdown set-up, the different LGUs in the metropolis would be placed under varying “alert levels”.

“Having said this (maintening MECQ classification), indoor and al-fresco dine-in services, and personal care services including beauty salons, beauty parlors and nail spas shall remain prohibited,” Roque said in the same statement.

“Religious services, on the other hand, performed through online video recording and transmission shall be allowed,” he said.

So there you have it! The national authorities announced one thing and did something else. By this time, a lot of people have heard about the GCQ supposed to take effect today. What is frustrating apart from the flip-flop by the national authorities is that the affected businesses, the unemployed and the faithful who had been waiting to worship the Lord on-site in church venues have once again been put on-hold. In short, the frustration and long wait continues. With MECQ for Metro Manila extended, it’s time to focus on the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) proposal. It is also time to pray to our Lord to enlighten our government officials to do better and avoid making blunders at the expense of people.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: Do you believe that the most recent GCQ announcement was badly done by the national authorities?

If you are a Metro Manila resident, do you trust your mayor or the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) or the IATF when it comes to making big, sweeping decisions that affect you and your family? Have you prayed to the Lord to enlighten all the government and community leaders so that they can do their jobs better and rightfully?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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

A Look Back at Dazzler #1 (1981)

A Look Back at Dazzler #1 (1981)

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Disclaimer: This is my original work with details sourced from reading the comic book and doing personal research. Anyone who wants to use this article, in part or in whole, needs to secure first my permission and agree to cite me as the source and author. Let it be known that any unauthorized use of this article will constrain the author to pursue the remedies under R.A. No. 8293, the Revised Penal Code, and/or all applicable legal actions under the laws of the Philippines.

Welcome back, superhero enthusiasts, comic collectors, 1990s culture enthusiasts and fans of Marvel Comics! Previously, I reviewed Uncanny X-Men #130 which was the first appearance of Dazzler who went on to become one of the most notable new characters of Marvel Comics in the 1980s. After appearing in Uncanny X-Men #131 and Amazing Spider-Man #203, Dazzler became more prominent among all of Marvel’s superheroes as the publisher launched an all-new monthly series featuring her. There is more to that than meets the eye, however.

In his article titled “Dazzler and Me”, Danny Fingeroth wrote: Marvel decided to tray an experiment with the relatively new “direct market” – comic book shops. It was decided that Dazzler #1 would only be available in comic book shops, not at traditional newsstands.

Dazzler #1 sold over 400,000 copies.

Even the top-selling comics of the era sold perhaps 250,000 copies. So, the first issue, anyway, was a major hit.

Apart from the confirmed commercial success of the comic book, it is a wonder if it is still good to read by today’s standards. To find out, here is a look back at Dazzler #1, published in 1981 by Marvel Comics with a story written by Tom DeFalco and drawn by John Romita, Jr.

The cover.

Early story

The story begins with Dazzler running away from four armed men who had been following her since she left the disco. She finds herself corned at the dead end of an alley as the men approach her. While pretending to be reaching for her make-up in the bag, Dazzler grabs and activates her portable radio which plays music. With the music turned on, she uses her power to convert it all into a dazzling display of light and color which makes the men disoriented.

While swinging nearby, Spider-Man notices the display of light but before he begins his approach, Dazzler makes her move to knock two men out. Another man fires his gun and his bullet ricochets until it hits the portable radio stops the music and Dazzler’s lights altogether leaving her vulnerable once again…

Quality

This page alone establishes Dazzler as a person struggling to make ends meet.

As far as telling a Dazzler story goes, this comic book is the complete package and it’s got very solid writing! Apart from showing what happened to her after her appearances in the Uncanny X-Men and Amazing Spider-Man series, this comic book formally introduces Dazzler in her civilian identity as Alison Blaire and thanks to efficient writing, it also reveals threads of her past and how her mutant powers manifested. Not only that, readers will get to see the title character as a typical person who is struggling to make ends meet even though she does her best with entertainment as a career.

Strangely, the focus on Dazzler is relatively light in content and the result is several pages of Marvel universe-related filler which shows several other characters like Captain America, Iron Man, Storm, Wolverine and others present with little to no connection with the title character. The X-Men scene is a nice touch as it will remind readers about Dazzler’s first interaction with them.

As a teenager, Alison Blaire’s power begins to manifest during this particular event in her life.

To build-up the first challenge for Dazzler, this comic book has the Enchantress as the villainess and ironically it also had some room of character development for her. Clearly this was done not only to build up anticipation for the next issue but to make readers root for Dazzler some more. In retrospect, the Enchantress would later emerge as an important figure in 1984’s crossover storyline Secret Wars.

Conclusion

The scene involving the X-Men is a nice touch as it connects with Dazzler’s previous interaction with them.

While it is indeed a product of the early 1980s carrying influences from the 1970s New York club scene, Dazzler #1 (1981) is still fun and engaging to read. Clearly this comic book is a must-have for anyone who loves Dazzler and it should be entertaining enough for geeks who love the 1980s and the Marvel-related crossovers of the time. Very clearly, this comic book succeeded in introducing and developing Dazzler as a person (as opposed to being a super hero) and the background story established fits in nicely with the character’s first appearance in Uncanny X-Men #130. Very clearly, there is a lot more to Dazzler than her unique super power and her disco look.

If you are seriously planning to buy an existing hard copy of Dazzler #1 (1981), be aware that as of this writing, MileHighComics.com shows that the near-mint copy of the comic book costs $70.

Overall, Dazzler #1 (1981) is highly recommended!

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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

COVID-19 Crisis: Las Piñas City inoculation count now over 630,000

COVID-19 Crisis: Las Piñas City inoculation count now over 630,000

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Recently, the City Government of Las Piñas announced that over six hundred and thirty thousand people were vaccinated for COVID-19.

To be more specific, the official count as of September 3, 2021, was 636,312 in total inoculation. As for the breakdowns, 397,420 patients were vaccinated with the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine while 247,567 patients got vaccinated with the second dose.

As before, the numbers of first dose and second dose do not add up to match the declared inoculation total of 636,312. Do the math, 397,420 first dose patients plus 247,567 second dose patients equal 644,987 in all.

To put things in perspective, posted below is the official visual reference released by the City Government on their Facebook page on September 5, 2021 and this includes the types of patients who got vaccinated.

Any Las Piñas resident who has yet to get registered for the free COVID-19 vaccines can learn the ways (4 methods) by clicking here. Anyone who is ready and willing to register online can click bit.ly/LasPiñasVaccination

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: If you are a resident of Las Piñas City, are there still people in your local community who have not yet been vaccinated? If you have been vaccinated within the city, would you encourage the unvaccinated members of your local community to get registered to avail of the free COVID-19 vaccines?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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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