The Pacific is coming this 2009

I loved Saving Private Ryan and Band of Brothers. And with the upcoming new mini-series from HBO titled THE PACIFIC, I'm super excited since it Steven Speilberg and Tom Hanks are back to produce it.

Here's the info from HBO's website: THE PACIFIC is an epic ten-hour miniseries is executive produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and Gary Goetzman, the creative team behind the Emmy®-winning 2001 HBO miniseries "Band of Brothers."

THE PACIFIC is produced by HBO Films in association with Playtone and DreamWorks Television. The production was based at Melbourne Central City Studios in Melbourne, Victoria, with filming taking place in and around Melbourne, where U.S. troops camped in 1943, and multiple locations in Far North Queensland. Kary Antholis, senior vice president, HBO Films, is the executive in charge of the project.

THE PACIFIC is scheduled to debut on HBO in 2009. The miniseries tracks the intertwined odysseys of three U.S. Marines - Robert Leckie (played by James Badge Dale), Eugene Sledge (Joe Mazzello) and John Basilone (Jon Seda) - across the vast canvas of the Pacific. The extraordinary experiences of these men and their fellow Marines take them from the first clash with the Japanese in the haunted jungles of Guadalcanal, through the impenetrable rain forests of Cape Gloucester, across the blasted coral strongholds of Peleliu, up the black sand terraces of Iwo Jima, through the killing fields of Okinawa, to the triumphant, yet uneasy, return home after V-J Day.

Carl Franklin (HBO's "Rome"), Jeremy Podeswa (HBO's "Six Feet Under"), Tony To (HBO's "Band of Brothers"), Tim Van Patten (HBO's "The Sopranos") and Graham Yost (HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon") will direct episodes. Writers and additional directors will be announced as they are confirmed.

In addition to James Badge Dale ("The Departed"), Joe Mazzello ("Without a Trace") and Jon Seda ("Kevin Hill"), actors featured in THE PACIFIC include (in alphabetical order) Akos Armont, Jon Bernthal ("The Office"), Joshua Biton ("National Treasure"), Adam Booth ("Doctors"), Simon Bossell ("Hotel de Love"), Laurence Breuls ("Ghost Rider"), Tom Budge ("Last Train to Freo"), Linda Cropper ("McLeod's Daughters"), Brendan Fletcher ("Tideland"), Eamon Farren ("The Outsider"), Leon Ford (HBO's "Tsunami: The Aftermath"), Daniel Frederiksen ("Stingers"), Scott Gibson ("Lucky Number Slevin"), Joshua Helman, Ashton Holmes ("A History of Violence"), Andrew Lees, Rami Malek ("The War at Home"), Martin McCann ("Closing the Ring"), Ian Meadows ("Home and Away"), Toby Moore ("Joanne Lees: Murder in the Outback"), Rohan Nichol ("All Saints"), Henry Nixon ("Happy Feet"), Keith Nobbs ("The Black Donnellys"), Annie Parisse ("Law & Order"), Sam Parsonson ("Love My Way"), Jacob Pitts ("The Novice"), Rupert Reid ("The Matrix Reloaded"), Mitch Ryan, William Sadler ("The Shawshank Redemption"), Gary Sweet ("Down in Splendor"), Anna Torv ("Young Lions"), Sandy Winton ("Two Twisted"), Dylan Young and Ashley Zukerman. Additional actors will be announced as they are confirmed.

THE PACIFIC is based on the books "With the Old Breed," by Eugene Sledge, which was hailed by historian Paul Fussell as "one of the finest memoirs to emerge from any war," and "Helmet for My Pillow," by Robert Leckie (recipient of the Marine Corps Combat Correspondents Annual Award), as well as original interviews conducted by the filmmakers. Continuing the World War II oral history work begun by his father Stephen E. Ambrose (author of the book "Band of Brothers"), Hugh Ambrose serves as a consultant on the miniseries.

Helping out Miriam students on a project

I was interviewed for a school project by Miriam College students about writing and publications. Cheers to Mikka, Karissa, and their group mates for the graciousness. I heard from the students that the project was well received. The interview was done at Cibo in Gateway. I had minestrone soup by the way.

Basically, they wanted to know what were my influences in writing, how I went about writing, how stories are put to bed in publications, and what advice i could impart to Communication majors.

Cheers!

Great time. Great taste. Great experience.

While at school, I split time contributing to the Philippine Daily Inquirer and working at McDonald's. I wanted to get some experience in a fastfood chain since it was a dream to eventually put up my own restaurant one day. When I was interviewed for a position, I was hired as a manager trainer which I refused. I felt that there was more to learn from working the nitty gritty and doing the grunt stuff than starting from the top. People thought I was crazy when everyone wanted to be a manager and I didn't want. I said that I didn't need the money but I needed the experience.

I was eventually "demoted" and was sent to work at McDonald's New Frontier (since it was the closest one to school and the Katipunan branch wasn't open yet) where I received three consecutive monthly awards. I worked the opening shift and went to class in the afternoon which was actually wrong because it left me tired later on.

It was an experience that I would draw on later when I was living in New York and did the odd-job circuit. I made some good friends who I still speak with to this day and most recently we held at reunion at Shangri-La EDSA.

Go Go Chiaki

Yup. She captivated me in Kill Bill. Now Chiaki Kuriyama will appear as Ling Xiaoyu in the film adaptation of Tekken.

Word is she's been studying English so she'd break out in Hollywood.

Go Go Yubari will make a perfect match for Darth Rick.

My Family's New Year's Celebration

This New Year's celebration was the most fun we've had in years. Guess everyone's getting older and we all chose to have a blast after all these year's of chatting and drinking. Hahahaha.

I haven't been into firecrackers or fireworks since I was in high school. After that I hated them and preferred to stay indoors where I'd catch up with everyone and watch football on TV. Yeah, I know that sounds real lame. This year I was real excited to go after having missed the Christmas Party. It sure was real nice seeing my family. Seeing the kids run about made us all think when we were all that rambunctious. Can't wait for the next reunion.

The pix by the way were taken by my cousin Michael.

Scenes from home

Pictures from my parents' home. A star that serves as a light in the garage, wind chimes, and my folks' Jack Russell terrier, Jill.

Tokyo Cafe

In Japan, restaurants that serve American food are called family restaurants and it seems that they are becoming pretty popular over there. Now they're bringing that style of food here in the Philippines. Check out Tokyo Cafe. I tried the one at Mall of Asia and it's pretty good.

What a life!

When I got the DVD series of Friday Night Lights, there was a promo flyer inside for Life Season One. I had seen the adverts for this series before and took some notice of it since it starred Damien Lewis who I thought was superb in Band of Brothers (and Dreamcatcher). I waited for the entire season one to finish before I decided to get the DVD. I guess that's swell because it saves me the trouble of waiting for next week's episode.

The problem with getting the entire season is I'm forced to do nothing else but watch! Hahahaha. I spent a couple of days watching the entire run of Battlestar Galactica! Talk about being totally irresponsible.

Life is not only original in terms of its story and its main character Charlie Crews (Lewis), but the main sub-plot of trying to piece together the crime that framed him is really riveting. And it doesn't hurt that Sarah Shahi is one of the prettiest women you will ever see.

The DVD is comprised of three discs with all 11 episodes. Disc Two contains the featurettes that are way too short! Show us more, guys!

But do yourselves a favor and watch one of the more original series to come along in a long time.

One of my favorite U2 songs. What fantastic lyrics.

Take these shoes
Click clacking down some dead end street
Take these shoes
And make them fit
Take this shirt
Polyester white trash made in nowhere
Take this shirt
And make it clean, clean
Take this soul
Stranded in some skin and bones
Take this soul
And make it sing

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist no
Take this mouth
So quick to criticise
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, Yahweh
Still I'm waiting for the dawn

Still waiting for the dawn, the sun is coming up
The sun is coming up on the ocean
His love is like a drop in the ocean
His love is like a drop in the ocean

Yahweh, Yahweh
Always pain before a child is born
Yahweh, tell me now
Why the dark before the dawn?

Take this city
A city should be shining on a hill
Take this city
If it be your will
What no man can own, no man can take
Take this heart
Take this heart
Take this heart
And make it pray

A recipe for success: JSEC and a world of experience

A recipe for success
JSEC and a world of experience
by rick olivares

A new dish on the menu “I can’t cook,” admitted Camille Co (IV BS Mgmt) with unabashed honesty. “But I love to eat. Putting up Fiesta Atenista has given me a reason to try.”

“I can’t cook either,” seconded Zerge Zandueta (IV BS Mgmt) of Noodle Nook. “Prito prito lang. But there’s something about food that is almost a top of mind choice for a business. After all, people love to eat and they have to eat.”

The John Gokongwei School of Management Student Enterprise Center not only puts students inside the kitchen of food stalls but gives them a taste of the pressure cooker that is real world entrepreneurship.

Christian Mendoza (III AB IS) thought that putting up a food stall with some friends was a piece of cake. During this past summer, he’d wake up early on a Saturday morning, defrost the food and ingredients, slice vegetables, prep for opening Kebab House at JSEC and put out his best smile for customers. “I knew it wasn’t easy setting up your own business, but experiencing it first hand while at school gives you a better appreciation for a lot of things especially what you don’t learn inside the classroom,” he remarked of his initial foray into entrepreneurship.

Harvey King (III BS BM) of Buddha Bean Café agrees and points out that even simple matters such as division of labor between partners is something that cannot be taken lightly. “Basically, it’s about working with people,” he pointed out. “You deal with employees and learn how to understand them, to treat them, and to work with them. And there are your partners, and your customers. Each one you handle differently but with the same amount of care and concern.”

Mendoza’s partner at Kebab House, Enzo Macinag (III BM) relates a story of an abrasive customer who complained non-stop for 15 minutes as she waited to be served due to a long queue. “I was at the back helping out with the food and I could hear her complain,” related Macinag who comes from a family that is in the food business. “I first let our staff deal with her but when it got worse, I was the one who now had to face her. I must admit that I was about to blow my top, but I’m glad that I didn’t. By the way, I’ve seen her buy food again so I guess the food and well, us not confronting her in a like manner must have left a good impression somehow. But at that time, I asked myself, “how did I get into this?’”

When JGSOM Dean Rodolfo Ang sent out invitations to the students of the Loyola Schools for proposals for stall in JSEC, King and his partners interestingly drew their inspiration from day coffee shops in Hong Kong. “We wanted to do something different that you don’t see too much of even in the malls. That way, you generate some interest because people are always willing to try something new.”

Zandueta and his partners also looked at what was available along Katipunan Road and decided that noodles were something decidedly different.

For Substation’s Bianca Silva (IV AB IS) and Jo-Anne Salazar (IV BS Mgmt), they admit to cramming about their proposal. “We thought about a lot of different types of food,” said Silva. “Initially it was rice meals – but that’s nothing different from what you’ll get elsewhere here in school.” “We even thought of Persian food which we all enjoy,” interjected Salazar. “But we eventually settled on sandwiches… subs. And we make sure that we have different kinds of sandwiches that will cater to everyone whether you’re a meat lover of a veggie.”

The ingredients of change
The challenge of modern education is to make the classroom teachings more relevant. Arguments against traditional classroom teachings is that it’s too steeped in textbook theory rather than reality. And all the student entrepreneurs in JSEC admit that one of the key learnings not found in the classroom is human relations whether it is with the hired help or the customers.

“It adds to what we learn in the classroom,” affirmed Paolo Bernardo (III BS LM) of Blue Aquila which serves Italian food. “It – to steal a line from Jerry Maguire – completes your education. So maybe if you decide to pursue it after college, you know what to expect and its do’s and don’ts.”

In order to help themselves better understand the nature of entrepreneurship, the students have enrolled in subjects like finance and leadership among others. “It enhances your options,” chipped in Mendoza.

Zandueta confirms that he and his partners Mica Cariño and Bradley Pineda also sought the guidance of their parents (and Mica’s in particular) for their business. “After all, they should know a thing or two about work and business.”

In fact, in addition to parental advice, almost all the student-entrepreneurs had to borrow money from their parents to help put up their businesses. Some like Macinag, who comes from a family that dabbles in the food and restaurant business says it’s a natural progression for them to get into it. “You can say that I eventually learned how to cook (he helps with the sauces of his food offerings at Kebab House).

William Mallari, the Director for the Loyola Schools Bookstore and JSEC says that more than human relations, students also learn proper forecasting, logistics, and setting priorities. “These are hardcore truths and learnings for them,” said Mallari who worked for a long time in the United States in supplying five-star hotels and restaurants with food and their other requirements. “It is something they have to learn as they go.”

There were some 50 proposals sent to JGSOM before they were pared down to 20 of which they were ranked in terms of the viability of the submission as a franchise in the student-run mall. Added Mallari, “We’re looking for a different sampling of cuisine yet at the same time we look at how they intend to run their business. There are also many things to consider such as how their quality control, cleanliness and packaging. We make it clear that they cannot serve leftovers and that the health of everyone is paramount.”

Currently there are 11 food stalls and one print shop that can be found in JSEC. “That’s all we can accommodate for now, but we are definitely looking at expansion in the future,” added the director.

“It’s a rare opportunity for the students,” summed up Ang of this experiential lab that other schools are beginning to copy. “It builds better businessmen and it makes for a great head start into the world.”

Cooks in the kitchen
One of the student-entrepreneurs biggest challenges was dividing the labor between themselves. “You can’t just be a partner because you’re simply a friend,” explained Fiesta Atenista’s Marianne Abella (IV BS Mgmt). “Everyone has contributions from chipping in for the capital to the assigned tasks. We look at each other’s strengths and capabilities per day responsibilities since they all have classes.”

Substation’s partners all divvy up the work amongst themselves from store inventories to outsourcing meat products in Alabang where all three partners live. “We also learned the value of being a suki,” laughed Salazar. “You get good service from your suppliers.”

”Everyone at some point will have disagreements or even arguments on who is not pulling their weight,“ said Zandueta. “So it’s really important to define roles and set responsibilities.”

“Your day-to-day presence is also important because if your helpers see you waffling with your responsibilities then they either slack off and the quality of your food declines,” stressed Macinag about being immersed in all aspects of the business. “After all this is why you got into the business, right?”

“Aside from setting up roles, you have to be flexible enough to adjust your menu, organization, and yourself because there will always be flaws in the system,” pointed out Mendoza. “You cannot foresee everything such as the weather that can hamper sales to late deliveries so just make sure that you can quickly adjust.”

Taste test
Greg Camacho (IV BS Mgmt) takes a particular interest in how customers purchase food from Pinoy Bora Burger. “If they wolf it down, then I’m happy,” he exclaims. When they don’t finish it, I feel bad and I go back and look at how we prepare our products so people will really like them.”

“One time, one of our staff informed me that we have this customer who will come to our stall like two or three times a day,” laughed the bespectacled Camacho who got the idea for Pinoy Bora Burger while munching on one along the famous island getaway’s white beach. “Customers like that make all the hard work, sweat, and frustrations worth the while.”

King says that he’s seen customers make their satisfaction known in their Yahoo Messenger status and that really warms his heart. “That helps spread our stall to others,” he said proudly.

Not all the challenges have the appetite in mind. One --- Hyperjet Computer Services is tucked almost unobtrusively on the right hand side of the mall and it not only has to compete with being lost in the shuffle but for visibility. “It’s a disadvantage,” agreed Louie Yazon (IV BS ME) one of the stall’s proprietors. “More so since all the previous stalls in that spot didn’t do well. Tagong tago. Our proposal was initially about Mexican food but our second choice was a print shop. So we ended up with the latter.”

With all the requirements of a student in college and the basic photocopying services unable to immediately cope with everyone’s demands, Hyperjet was put up. “The problem is a lot of students have their own laptops nowadays so they can burn their own stuff,” related of his shop’s challenges. “So we’re forced to get clients from the outside. We have to be pretty aggressive or else we’ll be lost out especially with us having to pay rent and electricity.”

The student-entrepreneurs also learn how to promote their food stalls by taking part in various school events, offering summer delivery service (as long as its in the college), or promotions such as loyalty cards or eating contests.

“Your creativity and aggressiveness is really tested here,” said Mallari of this experiential lab. “All in all, it’s a great opportunity for everyone.” Any last learnings?
“Yeah,” deadpanned Mendoza with finality. “There’s a proper way of slicing vegetables pala.”

He should have given it to Horace!

I love Sesame Street! And you should too! Proud alum here, effendi.

Since I'm on the topic of Sesame Street, who are the people in my neighborhood? The people that I meet each day?

There's Musk-kles, Alice the Goon lite, Lola Chismax the neighborhood tsismosa, Gwaping and his 15-year old maid, the Mystery Girl on the ledge, Doña Rollers, the neighborhood bum, the cop who takes advantage of his being a cop although he has a son who's queer, there's Ball Breaker, Gomez II, and maldita. They should turn this street life into a soap thingy.

The Kings of the Underground

They may not be as active as other bands album-wise, but Versus will always be one of my favorite bands of all time.

I read somewhere that there was this predominantly Fil-Am band from New York City that made some great music and put on a fab live show so I just had to check them out. Since the internet wasn't in full swing, I checked them out the old-fashioned way.

That was the time of Secret Swingers and the year was 1996. And since then, I was a fan of the band.

I didn't know of many Filipino Versus fans and for awhile it was only Diego Castillo of Sandwich who I conversed with.

It wasn't easy tracking down their albums because indie still was a dangerous word and much like a secret society. Whenever I would travel, I'd always make it a point to look at the "V" section of record stores. I looked in Hong Kong, China, Thailand and in the US. I eventually got almost all of the discography save for Let's Electrify and Drawn and Quartered.

But that was part of the fun -- the search. I didn't find most in New York, I bought one in Philadelphia!

As a fan, I was also lucky enough to catch them perform live twice in the US.

It's been years and when the band -- minus Fontaine who had to fly back to NYC -- came over along with their brother outfit Plus Minus -- I wasn't going to miss the show at Magnet for the world.

Set list:
Play Dead (from Hurrah)
Mirror Mirror (from The Stars Are Insane)
Dumb Fun (from Two cents Plus Tax)
Underground (from Two Cents Plus Tax)
Blade of Grass (from The Stars Are Insane)
Double Suicide (from Secret Swingers)

Great great show and it was so nice to meet other Filipino Versus and Plus Minus fans.

Rick vs. Richard

I've been a fan of Versus, an indie rock predominantly Fil-Am band based in NYC for over a decade now. I've been fortunate enough to watch them sometime in the early 2000's and am darn excited to have another opportunity to catch them when they play in Magnet, Bonifacio High Street this November. I spoke with frontman Richard Baluyut sometime last week and this is what he had to say.

Rick: We're you -- the Baluyot brothers born in the Philippines or in the USA? If you were born here in the Philippines, was it tough adjusting to a new life in America? Was music an outlet for that adjustment?
Richard: The Baluyut brothers were all born in the USA. Our parents emigrated in the mid-sixties, and shortly thereafter the wonderful gift of Richard was bestowed.

Rick: You guys are huge hockey fans, right? Still rooting for the Red Wings or have you switched loyalties to the Rangers and/or the Islanders? Mets or Yankees? Knicks or the Nets?
Richard: The three of us from Detroit (James, Patrick and Richard) are Red Wings fans of course, but living in New York, also like the Rangers. And I love the Mets. Never heard of the Yankees however; are they a lacrosse team?

Rick: Was the toughness of breaking into a wider audience been an effect on the hiatus of Versus? It's been several years since Hurrah came out. Any plans for a new album?
Richard: Versus' hiatus had nothing to do with music. I decided to move away from New York for a while, but now that that I'm back there will be a new album, of course!
















Rick: Is the November trip going to be the first time Versus will perform in Manila? If not when was the last time?
Richard: This will be Versus' debut in Manila. The Baluyut brothers have not visited the land of our ancestors for about 15 years.

Rick: You've put out quite a number of albums, more than many of your contemporaries during the 1990's. To what do you attribute your staying power?
Richard: Actually we only had 4 albums, which I don't consider a lot (but we do have a number of EPs out as well). Some of our contemporaries are up to album #10!

Rick: What music or bands and artists is Versus into now?
Richard: I'm into Alicia Keys, Grizzly Bear and Goldfrapp at the moment. But we were inspired to play music by the Manila Express, wedding band extraordinaire from Detroit.

Rick: After this tour, what will the band be doing other than eating or catching up on zzzs?
Richard: We'll be wondering why, after an Obama victory, nothing has changed at all.

Cool Reads

I picked this up at Fully Booked. It's a riches to rags story of Michael Gates Gill, a former top executive at J. Walter Thompson who was retrenched because of his age after a long and distinguished service at the ad agency.

His losing his job couldn't have come at a more inopportune time as his kids were going to college. His misfortune led to a divorce and he found himself down to his last few bucks on the streets of Manhattan when he was offered a job at Starbucks my chance.

It's a light, nice, and insightful read although there are times when he retraces his steps that take away much from what is happening. But that's not much when you know that the story is being adapted to film with Tom Hanks playing the lead role.



Oh, that's Mr. Gill serving a hot drink. He still works in Starbucks.

The book by the way costs under Php 500 at Fully Booked.

The latest issue of one of my favorite magazines. I don't know man but the stories seem to be a little contrived lately but it's still better than a lot of what is out there.