The Group Two - Final Group Project: BIG DATA

Documentary About Imelda Marcos: Reaction Paper

Documetary About Imelda Marcos - Reaction Paper

2013-17819

I first knew of Imelda Marcos during my Sibika class back in grade school. Her name was repeatedly mention as I studied history in higher years of primary school all the way until high school. The thing is, I've only read about her. I've never really seen or heard her. The first time I actually saw her was when we watched the documentary about her in our STS class.

While watching Imelda talk and move about in the film, she reminded me a lot of my Aunt. When I relayed this information to my father, the only thing he said was "Well, that's because Imelda is my sister's idol."

They were similar because they were both:

• An Elitist. In the film, you could easily see Imelda's prestige life. She lives in a house that is luxuriously furnished, wears fancy clothes with different brooches to suit each style and talks in a way that seems like her only purpose in doing so is to impress people by not speaking the native language. It was even mentioned in the film that Imelda would continuously have parties and karaoke sessions in a yacht with people she invited.
• Enthusiastic. Imelda Marcos was highly optimistic. She was a happy-go-lucky person who always saw the brighter side of things. At the time when she was brutally stabbed by a bolo, she just made a joke about the weapon being ugly. She said that if she was going to die, the murder weapon should be neatly tied with a pink ribbon. When his husband, Ferdinand Marcos, was in his death bed, she sang him a lullaby with her beautiful voice. Imelda Marcos is a very strong woman to be able to hide all her pain and cover it up with smiles.
• An Altruist. Although Imelda was always full of herself, she never hesitated to help others who she deemed was in need. One can't deny that the first lady has played a major role in the betterment of the country during the Marcos reign. She had several projects including the building of hospitals, which further helped those in need.

A lot of people dislike my Aunt because of her attitude the same way some people hate Imelda Marcos. But, just because some people have negative values doesn't mean they can't be of help to our society. Imelda may be one of the biggest contributors to our country, but people can't see this because they stop learning more about her when they see her attitude.

Blade Runner

I wasn't able to watch the screening of Blade Runner on campus but luckily, I was able to download a copy of the Final Cut quite easily.  The only differences it had with the Director’s Cut were just revisions on some of the aesthetic, audio-syncing, and continuity problems/aspects encountered in previous versions. Also, some lines were altered. It’s surprising actually how many versions this film has.

Moving forward, I was pretty excited to watch the film since I’m a big fan of ‘80s films plus it stars Harrison Ford and is directed by Ridley Scott. Enough said.

The film is set in what is apparently the year 2019 in a Los Angeles that looks all dark and congested, like the look/feel that films like Pacific Rim and the recent remake of Total Recall went with. It portrays the sort of underbelly of society which shows that it hasn't really changed that much other than the fact that there are flying cars around them.

It starts off like most films by establishing the conceptual foundations needed to understand all the things that are about to happen in the film. But as Decker, a blade runner tasked to “retire” Replicants on sight, gives chase to the four escaped Replicants (artificial humanoids with a limited lifespan created for entertainment and off-world labor), that’s when things become dragging, and a bit confusing. The remainder of the film was just Decker tracking down these Replicants on the loose. Apparently, in the Director’s Cut and Final Cut, Decker’s explanatory voice-overs were cut out of the film which had me thinking, would the inclusion of those have helped the film to make more sense? Regardless, the film basically continued as this bizarre Replicant hunting trip. Like when Decker finally engaged with the female Replicant, Pris, their fight scene could have made much more sense if Pris hadn’t decided to do flips towards Decker from all the way across the room to continue the fight. That stunt gave Decker a pretty big opening to take her down and down she went. It was ridiculous, honestly.

Keeping in mind that this came out in between the 2^nd and 3^rd Star Wars films, it could have done much better. Still, the technologies used in this film, both actual and hypothetical, are commendable to say the least.

The Rhetoric of Cancer

by Averil Santos

2013-25246

      In BBC's podcast documentary entitled "The Rhetoric of Cancer," Andrew Graystone, using narrations and interviews, explores the language surrounding cancer. Throughout this podcast, he constantly uses military and war metaphors in order to address and approach this disease. It revolves around the choice of fighting back this antagonist-like disease. 

        Cancer is a class of disease characterized by the out-of-control cell growth. Not one, not two, but 100 types of cancer exists and each one of them is classified by the type of cell it affects. Cancer harms the body when damaged cells divide uncontrollably and form lumps of tissue called a tumor. Well, I think cancer can be considered a mutation. Mutations happen all the time and we can see it everywhere; it's natural. 

        Andrew Graystone mentioned that our society should stop treating cancer as our enemy. When somebody dies, it is inevitably described as “after a long battle with cancer”. It is as if the word processor sees “died of cancer” or “died from cancer” as a negative. Like what Mr. Graystone said in his podcast, cancer cells are already a part of him therefore he must learn how to live with it. 

Time Enough at Last

The eighth episode of the sci-fi series The Twilight Zone is basically just one big irony.

The story begins by introducing the bookish Henry Bemis and his rather dreary life brought on by his wife, who sees reading as something that’s pointless and ridiculous and will stop at nothing to prevent Henry from doing so, and the strict boss he has at his bank job who’s only interested in efficiency and not education. So naturally, Henry would try to sneak a peek at anything he could read every chance he got, like how he goes into the bank vault every lunch break to go read his book. This particular habit of his is what saved him one day when the earth gets wiped out by a nuclear event which shook him unconscious in the safety of the vault. When he came to and realized that no one around him had survived the blast, he considers committing suicide until he sees a library. Like the “suffocated” bookworm that he is, he’s ecstatic about his discovery and proceeds to organize his ambitious reading list for the months to come only to be made useless when his glasses accidentally broke.  Quite a tragic turn of events, yes, and I think that’s just part of the message/idea of the episode. That message, I’m guessing, is that whoever you are, life rarely works out the way you want it too. Take Henry Bemis for example, a relatively decent man who wanted nothing more but the freedom and time to read his beloved books and after surviving the blast and discovering the library, it was like he was finally blessed with the two things he’s been wishing for only to be taken away by a cruel “plot twist” that was thrown his way. Life really is just like that I guess.

A Scientific Symphony

A Scientific Symphony

Carl Roma 2013-13861

The arts and sciences have always grown simultaneously with the progress of human civilization. These two inseparable concepts are the backbone of man’s culture and society from the ancient times to the present. However, these parts of human life are two sides of the same coin, one taps into the infinite span of a human being’s creativity and imagination to create amazing and awe-inspiring masterpieces that withstand the tests of time and continue to enrapture those who experience it while the other is derived from the never ending quest for knowledge and man’s understanding of the secrets of nature, enabling the progress of technology and civilization itself into the world we know today.

Although most assume that arts and sciences go together like fire and ice, it’s actually the other way around. The arts have always relied on science for inspiration for new creations like music and films while science relies on the arts to gain fresh, new ideas that can be made into reality. The influence of science in the field of music for example, shows how the two interact at a closer degree. Musical compositions ranging from classical orchestra pieces like “The Planets” by Gustav Holt to more familiar ballads and pop songs such as “Fly Me to the Moon” by Frank Sinatra and probably even “E.T.” by Katy Perry have ideas that are inspired by science, and in some cases science fiction. Another art form that has been in close relationship with science is film. The sci-fi genre along with numerous adventure and fantasy movies have their roots based on scientific concepts and theories and we all know how popular these become, I mean, have you seen the line during Star Wars? Science has also been influenced by the arts, wild and strange ideas that are thought to be science fiction may actually be reality through science. Sci-fi concepts like anti-gravity and time travel that were thought to be pure fantasy are actually closer to the real than you think.

Man’s history has been written through arts and sciences; how they affected each other and most of all, how they affected society. The legacy of mankind is seen in every discovery, composition, invention, masterpiece, edifice, and film in which our culture and our very lives are imbedded within. No matter what happens in the future, we can be sure that the arts and sciences will go on, in an everlasting scientific symphony. 

IMELDA

Besides her impressive shoe collection and being famous (or rather infamous) for being Ferdinand Marcos’s wife, I’m pretty much clueless when it comes to Imelda Marcos. Watching a documentary on her gave me an interesting look into this sort of “origin story” of hers.

Apparently, she was quite the catch back in the day. Ferdinand took notice and after a week of what could only be called a whirlwind romance, the two got hitched. To be honest, I was quite skeptical with most of the film’s content, although I still did try to be open-minded while watching. So when they got married less than 2 weeks after they first met, the first thing I thought of was that it was ridiculous. Second, I bet it was just a political move by Marcos. As Marcos rose to power, apparently, so did she. She was making all of these international trips, meeting and making meetings with foreign executives like she was the President of the Philippines. I mean, yes if you’re married to the president of the country, you get certain privileges and a particular level of authority but honestly, I think she was just enjoying her status just a wee bit much.

Another thing I found sketchy was the assassination attempt on Imelda. I mean, it was either a really poor attempt by an incompetent assassin-wannabe, or it was staged. Because honestly, if the guy really wanted to take out Imelda, he would have been better off had he targeted a more sensible body part to attack. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying I wanted the guy to succeed, I’m just saying it doesn't quite make sense. I mean, I’m thankful for the fact that Imelda had numerous structures (particularly the CCP among others) built for the country (which lead to her being tagged as having an “edifice complex” which I think was pretty clever for whoever came up with it).

After watching the documentary and seeing all of the things that have happened in her life, one thing that stuck to me the most was when she was drawing these symbols near the end of the film. there were too many symbols and combinations of symbols to remember (hence the time lapse). And so, the last thing I remember thinking as the film ended was, "Wow. This woman is delusional."

Rhetoric of Concer

When we think cancer, we automatically see it as a negative thing and that's only natural since it IS a disease and has claimed numerous lives after all. And the way people usually handle conversations regarding the disease, as Andrew Graystone has stated in the podcast, is by using military metaphors and treating it as an enemy to be fought by the patients. People always say, "Oh you can do this.", "Be brave.", "Stay strong and you'll get through this.", "You can fight this." We always view the situation of having cancer as being in some sort of war against the disease and when people do succumb to it, the general conclusion is that they have "lost the battle".

I think how cancer has been handled by our culture all these years is the reason why we see it as an enemy or some sort of invading force that's meant to be fought. But as Andrew Graystone says, the cancer cells are a part of him, like the cells are just another part of his body. He doesn't necessarily have to like these cells but he believes that he has to learn to live with them since he doesn't want his body to be a battleground for some sort of civil war between him and his body. I understand his views on how we should see cancer, to be at peace with the reality of having it. But I for one have no problem seeing it as something that SHOULD be fought. From all the cancer stories I've heard so far, there is clearly a struggle, an effort to "beat" the disease not only by the patient but by their friends and family as well. I firmly believe that for any situation, if you have a fighting chance, you never give up. You keep going. If being at peace with your current predicament help you, then by all means, heed Graystone’s advice.

All the time in the world

All the time in the world

The story is about a bookworm Henry Bemis. He had a passion for reading and was often scolded for it. His wife sabotaged his books and was on the verge of losing his job, he still continued to do what he loved. His hobby of reading lead him going to the basement, while he was reading he came across an article which said that there was a bomb capable of total annihilation. when the bomb set off he went around to discover that he was the only one left.

 He walked around and saw a library filled with books, he got everything and sorted everything out. He then thought since he had all the time in the world, he could do everything he wants without being told off. Then his needs started popping up, like where to get food and other stuff. When he accidentally tripped and broke his glasses, he started crying and then he realized that having all the time in the world isn’t enough when you’re the only one left.

I think the moral of the story tells us that not everything can be done alone. He wanted to kept doing what he wanted. It tells us that we should learn to manage our time, it shouldn’t always be about fun, we have to set time for our priorities. Even if science has made our life easier, it could also make life a lot harder. There are different countries with weapons of mass destruction, it shouldn’t come to a point that if everything is gone that’s when we’ll make up for what we lost. We should always limit ourselves to what we have to do and what not.

Rhetoric Of Cancer: Rxn Paper

Cancer has been a big problem in the medical world, a disease that can only be treated but further research for the cure for cancer is still in progress. There are 200 different known cancer that affect humans. Medical researchers have discovered a way to prevent cancer, such having the right diet and basically living healthy.

In a podcast made by a victim of cancer “Rhetoric of Cancer”,he was looking for further knowledge and information to further treat his disease. He looked for other people such as doctors, medical researchers and other cancer patients that could help him.

Other victims feel that once you have cancer, it’s all over. But he did not stop there and inspired the other victims that battled cancer. He shared the same experiences with them and accumulated certain information about cancer. They need to have a strong personality and keep on with their life. Things could still be done with or without cancer.

Since there is no known cure for cancer, victims have been panicking. The loss of motivation is common since some victims think that their time is short. There are some studies that were made to inspire their morality and accept what they have. They were taught how to deal with the current situation and undergo a process that would treat their disease by means of proper nutrition.

Although cancer is a frightening disease, it has inspired some people to help and use their lives productively. It taught people how to value what they have and to be contented. It teaches us to overcome our differences and make good. There are better things to life than just sitting down waiting for your time, more things can be done. We should just help out cancer victims and raise awareness for the prevention of cancer

Nightfall - A Reaction Paper

In a nutshell, Nightfall tells the tale of a distant universe, in a planet with 6 suns, about to experience darkness for the first time.

On a planet called Lagash, a group of scientists warn the public of an impeding doom. A darkness that would swallow a world that has never experienced darkness before (6 suns, so, yeah.). In this world, "night" does not exist.

The darkness is going to be caused by an eclipse, as discovered by the astronomers. They discovered this while investigating an anomaly in the orbit of the planet Lagash. They have just recently discovered the Law of Universal Gravitation, and realized that the anomaly is caused by a moon, hidden due to the fact that it is always bright due to the 6 suns. The eclipse will occur when the sun Beta is at max distance from Lagash, and the moon at minimum distance. This occurrence only happens every 2049 years, and the eclipse will plunge the world into total darkness.

This actually coincides with the belief of a religious group, known as the Cult. The scientists considered the Cultist's beliefs, that at the end of the cycle, the world will be thrown to darkness, and entities known as "stars" will appear, and take the souls of men to bind them to the Immortal, leaving behind empty shells of beastly creatures. The scientists managed to prove the existence of the darkness with the eclipse. The going mad part, is attributed to the psychological effect of darkness. It is theorized that, because the population is not used to darkness, it will drive people mad. The psychological effects of the eclipse would destroy their civilizations. However, this caused conflict between the Cult and the scientists, with Cult, feeling that explaining the emergence of "Stars" as a natural phenomena would take away its sanctity. They considered this blasphemy, and during the eclipse, rounded a mob to attack the scientists. The story ends with the world plunged into the darkness, the scientists trying to record the emergence of stars, while the mob slowly tears away at their observatory.

It is interesting how Asimov wrote the discoveries in this story. The scientists postulated that the law of gravity would've been discovered and understood faster had there been only one sun that the planet revolves around in. (Pretty much a description of the world we live in now.) There is also that mysticism that surrounds the discovery of stars by the people who have never experienced darkness before. I find it funny that the vision of a starry sky would drive the people of Lagash mad, while we regard it with such an adoration for its beauty.

Darkness is such a normal phenomenon for us, since we spend half of our lives in it. Asimov imagined a world so close, yet radically different, and gave us an account of what will happen, and how people will function in such a scenario.

It is also interesting to note how these natural phenomenon shaped the religious beliefs of the people of Lagash, and how religion conflicts with technology and scientific discovery.

Asimov is one hell of a science fiction writer.

Imelda Marcos

Imelda Marcos

A woman of controversy and known for her thousand shoes, she is the first lady of our former president Ferdinand P. Marcos, she had an idea of beautifying the Philippines to her vision.

Some works she had done was to control the birthrate of the Philippines by the means of promoting the use of “rubber”. She also dwelled in to bringing up the confidence of other women by publicizing her way of beauty and elegance.

She helped campaign her husband with his election and served as his Public Relations Officer, On the victory of the presidency of Marcos. Imelda began holding positions in the national government that allowed her to travel the world and gather art work and real estates to her demise.

Before she became the first lady of Marcos, she started joining pageants and had the title “The Rose of Tacloban” she then went to manila and lived with her aunt that took care of her. She was courted by a lot of men. In 1950 she worked in a music store as a singer to attract customers. then Imelda later on joined a beauty pageant known as “Miss Manila” where she placed second, unsatisfied by the results she then went up to one of the judges and requested a recount. After contesting the results she was just named as the “Muse of Manila”. This led her to become local supermodel with her pictures appearing in local magazines and newspapers

Time Enough at Last?

“The best laid plans of mice and men...and Henry Bemis...the small man in the glasses who wanted nothing but time. Henry Bemis, now just a part of a smashed landscape, just a piece of the rubble, just a fragment of what man has deeded to himself."

Henry Bemis, a book-loving bank teller, is always reading at work. This causes him to shortcharge and annoy some of his customers. His boss wasn't too pleased, and he was told off. He reasoned that he reads at work, because it is the only time that he gets to read, considering that his wife forbids him to read.

His passion for books and reading is mocked by both his boss and his wife, considering reading as a waste of time, reserved for children. His wife even went as far as to play a cruel joke on him, asking him to read from a poetry book, only to find that all the pages have been blotted out with ink.


Desperate for a time and place to pursue his hobby, Henry spends his lunch break reading at work, making sure that he is out of his boss' sight. He goes down to the bank's vault, thinking his reading will not be disturbed.

Once inside the vault, huge explosion shook up the entire bank, causing debris to fell and knock him unconscious. He wakes up to find rubble everywhere: He is the last person alive on earth. He was the sole survivor of an H-bomb attack.

Being alone, his will was shattered. He managed to find resources to keep him alive. But with no one to share life with, what is his reason to live? Loneliness and despair consumes our protagonist, almost to the point of suicide when he stumbled upon a revolver.

He found his reason to live, when he found the public library somewhat intact, and the books still readable. The library was full of books he could read, with no one to tell him off, or interrupt him. Finally, he has the time and the place to pursue his hobby.

In an ironic twist, as he bends down to pick up his first book, he slips and accidentally breaks his glasses. He is virtually blind without them. The film ends with our protagonist weeping, surrounded by books he will never be able to read, even now that he has time enough at last.

This episode of the Twilight Zone tackles the dangerous side of science: When science and technology is used for weapons development. The H-bomb was a real scare back in the day, and rightly so. It is a weapon capable of much destruction and misery.

Imelda and Herself: A Reaction Paper

by CALIMLIM, Noli R.

2013-11406

The lady of the controversial thousands pair of shoes. The “First Lady” of former President Ferdinand Marcos (and its dictatorship). But how do we actually know the “Iron Butterfly” except from these overrated traits and idioms?

Directed by Ramona S. Diaz and was released first in 2003, the documentary film Imelda was attempted not to be publicized by the protagonist herself  for she thought it will not make her image pleasant. This kind scenario just shows off not her kindness but vanity, the real Imelda Marcos.

The film showed three points of views about Imelda, namely – from herself, from the people close to her, and from the people who got affiliated with her politics.

For her, she was no other than the kind one, convincing herself that she actually does everything for the good of the people and for the betterment of the country. She tries to relive her own created world full of narcissistic idea for she believed she acquires such level of beauty. The view of people close to her was kind of directed into two sides, either doubting the things she can potentially do or continued to defend and support her about different issues thrown to her. However, the people who got involved in her life because of politics strongly disagree from what she actually thinks of herself.

The film also showed off most of the notable works of Imelda, the establishment of impressive buildings around the city. People tend to insult her having edifice complex especially for hospitals leaving the idea that these buildings was truly useful for us up to present. As one of the leading hospitals, it has served patients continually with the best physician available in the country. A center like the Cultural Center of the Philippines was also put together by her a still functional for holding events and ceremonies up to now.

It may be unnoticeable at first glance, I do believe that the Marcos regime has did a great part in making our country a great one, but then, this noble might be easily neglected upon making such ruthless acts.

Perspectives About Cancer

                Cancer is one of the many diseases that cause many deaths. The bad part is that it is very difficult to cure and many are still researching on how to completely defeat cancer. It is said that all of us have cancer cells in our body and if it is triggered by carcinogens, which is everywhere in today’s society, it will grow as the unwanted cells in our body that keeps growing until it forms tumors and complications.

                The documentary ‘The Rhetoric  of Cancer ’ was made by a cancer patient aiming to know and gather information on what to address cancer because he himself had a hard time on figuring out how to treat his cancer. He approached different persons involved in cancer like doctors, researchers, patients, and priests.

                On others, they treat cancer as an enemy to be defeated. It is like they have a civil war on their own body. They don’t want cancer to exist in their life. For the research companies, they want to find a way to defeat cancer and discovering the cure for it. For some patients, it is a fight with one’s self. They need to have strong emotional commitment as to not let cancer rule their life.

                In another point of view, since there is no cure for it yet, living and dying with it is a struggle. But others just accept to live alongside it. It is part of the body and uses the same bloodstream. There are parts of the body that they like the most and others not much. Just learn to love the body and take good care of it as it is part of their life.

                For those who study it, they use metaphors to simplify their fight with cancer as they study what protein to take down that causes cancer from the rest of thousands of other proteins that do normal vital processes. The cell is not something like a bad one or a good one. It is like a system that does different processes. He thought of it as a symphony of different tunes and when one goes out of tune, that is the cancer cell but the musician should find a way to restore it to the way it used to be.

                Cancer can be inspiring in its own way. It teaches people how to value their life more and to not take it for granted. It may be a natural part of life that has its purpose on being there even though it gave so much pain and struggles to many people. Maybe its not that bad of a thing but a natural part of the journey of life and how the world goes. We could at least help the cancer patients and make them feel that no matter the difficulty in life, they are not alone.

Rasty Rastrullo

2013-41010

All the Time in the World Rxn Paper

                 The 8^th episode of Twilight Zone season 1 was entitled ‘All the Time in the World’. The story revolved around the bookworm Henry Bemis. He was very fond of reading to the extent that it seemed that it was the most important thing in his life. Even though his wife doesn't like it and his position in the bank is at stake, he still pushed his interest at the very end. But who would've known that that hobby saved him from mass destruction because of the H-bomb told to be a great nuclear weapon capable of total destruction. He was the only one who survived. He decided to commit suicide until he saw a library. Now he has all the time in the world to read to his heart’s content but the ironic part is when his glasses fell disabling him to see clearly.

                I think the film tells the viewers that there is a balance in everything. Considering Henry, since he wants to devote all his time to reading, he doesn't perform well to his other responsibilities so there is a trade-off. Even if those other responsibilities were taken out because of the nuclear explosion, he still didn't able to read as much as he pleases because of his broken glasses in the end. Too much of everything is bad so it should be balanced for a more stable outcome. Also in the field of science and technology, it showed the balance of the results in it. Even though science has provided us with many good things for an easier life, it can also lead to tragic things like the development of the fearsome nuclear bomb.

                On the time that it was made, different countries are developing their nuclear weapons so different people are in fear because of the destructive power that those may bring. It was adapted in the episode to show what the nuclear weapons may do. If the show were to be adapted in today’s scenario, the catastrophic event that will happen is the rise of technology up to the point that computers will want to take over. It may seem very science fiction but at the current rate of development I think that machines can gain such intelligence that should be utilized for our benefit. We should be careful on what we do and know our limits.

Rasty Rastrullo

2013-41010

Tick Tock Says the Clock

by Averil Santos

2013-25246

"That's not fair. That's not fair at all. There was time now. There was all the time I needed...! That's not fair!"-Henry Bemis

What would you do if you have all the time in the world to do whatever you want? I'm sure you'd take advantage of that opportunity. Twilight Zone's 8th episode in their first season was entitled "Time Enough at Last." It revolves around a bank teller and an avid bookworm, Henry Bemis. While doing his usual reading inside the bank's vault, he sees a newspaper headline which reads "H-Bomb Capable of Total Destruction." All of a sudden, an enormous explosion violently shakes the vault knocking Bemis unconscious. A few moments after that, he regained consciousness and fortunately, he was able to recover his glasses required for him to acquire his sight. He sees the entire city destroyed and he finds himself alone. Suicide eventually succumbed his mind. It was unsuccessful for he changed his mind when he sees the ruins of a public library. He realized that he has all the time in the world to read all the books without interruption. Unfortunately, he stumbles and his glasses shatter. Without his glasses he was virtually blind. 


This episode of 'The Twilight Zone' emphasizes the common quote, "Be careful what you wish for." If I were to focus on the scientific elements of this episode, I can say that "Time Enough at Last" tackles the negative impacts of technological advancements. This thing called the 'H-bomb' has a similar counterpart in the real world. Nuclear weapons used in wars can be an example. I guess this episode implies that behind every glorious positive outcome science may bring to us, a consequence always follows it. Science can not only be used for the improvement of our lives but it could also be used for our destruction thus, we should use it wisely. 

Science's Sonata: A Reaction-Concept Article About Science and Music

by CALIMLIM, Noli R.

2013-11406

Music evolves as listeners, performers, composer s or simply how “people” favor some musicala variations over another. Perception, innovation, selection, creativity and preferences are some factors that may be considered how listeners shaped this kind of evolution with the aid of science itself.

“Science inspires music as music inspires science.”

Proofs are of music pieces that have been enduringly famous, powerful and influential, widely played and recorded repeatedly. Two of the legitimate example of this statement is ‘The Planet’ by Gustav Holst and ‘Fly Me to The Moon’ written by Bart Howard respectively.

As Science Inspired Classical Music: The Planets

Originally titled “Seven Pieces for Large Orchestra” and written between 1914 and 1916, The Planets (suite) has seven movements named after a planet of the Solar System and its corresponding astrological character:

Ø  Mars, the Bringer of War

Ø  Venus, the Bringer of Peace

Ø  Mercury, the Winged Messenger

Ø  Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity

Ø  Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age

Ø  Uranus, the Magician

Ø  Neptune, the Mystic

Ignoring the astronomical concept (which is why Earth is not included): each movement is intended to convey ideas and emotions associated with the influence of the planets on the psyche.

The Vice-Versa: Fly me to The Moon

At most fifteen years before NASA deployed its first land on the moon, originally titled "In Other Words", Bart Howard wrote fly me to the moon in 1954 which has become a popular standard of jazz genre often featured in popular culture.

Its message may sound romantic but upon frequents recordings from a normal song up to instrumental version soon became associated with the Apollo 11 Moon Landing Mission.

Franks Sinatra’s version of this song became "the first music ever heard on the moon" when played on a portable cassette played by astronaut Buzz Aldrin after he stepped onto the moon.

In conclusion, we can say that music is collective. The smooth flow of harmony conveyed with science will always serve as a mirror of one’s heirloom even if continually evolves day by day.

Works Cited

"Fly Me to the Moon." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Dec. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.

"The Planets." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 03 Dec. 2014. Web. 12 Mar. 2014.

The Flight of the Iron Butterfly

by Averil N. Santos

2013-25246

"Iron Butterfly," that was the title given to the former First Lady Imelda Marcos. Why was she given that title? The reason is simple. On the surface, Imelda was glamorous and graceful; almost similar to a butterfly but underneath all that glitz and glamour, she possessed a cold and hard as steel attitude towards the well being of her people.

At the height of their power, Imelda Marcos became one of the richest women in the world in the 1970s. She is an avid collector of luxurious things; from clothes to jewelries. Who wouldn't forget her more than one thousand pair of shoes? Her lavish lifestyle was very well known in the Philippines and it was ironic how she and her husband were living this way while their country was suffering financially and politically. Perhaps her beauty and somewhat celebrity status overshadowed her behaviour and over-looker her illegally funded extravagant lifestyle. In the end, all these extravagance were somehow put to an end when they were toppled by the People Power Revolution in EDSA. After their overthrown, the couple ultimately fled to Hawaii leaving behind the Malacañang Palace which was reportedly containing mink coats, hundreds of gowns, handbags and her almost 3,400 pairs of shoes. She and her husband, the late Ferdinand Marcos, were accounted for being the two of the world's biggest thefts. 

"I have a different way of thinking. I think synergistically. I'm not linear in thinking, I'm not very logical." she said. Indeed, she had a very different way of viewing things. She is determined that she haven't done anything wrong. If you think about it, not all of Imelda's demeanors brought a negative impact to our country. If you look past her flaws and mistakes, you would soon realize that somehow her actions and behavior was beneficial. Though, it doesn't change the fact that she and her husband were still thieves. 

Evolution of Video Game Controllers

Whenever people discuss the history within the gaming world, or simply just look back at gaming, the conversation usually veers towards the games or the consoles, not so much towards the controllers that the gamers use. But these days, that doesn’t seem to be the case anymore. With the recent release of next-gen consoles and their respective controllers, I’d like to take a look back at the humble beginnings of all the advanced video game controllers that we’re all used to now.

For the intents and purposes of this article, I’d like to just focus on the groundbreaking console controllers that made the most impact on the generations of controllers that came after them. Also, I will be using an infographic made by design website Pop Chart Lab (which coincidentally is also the inspiration for this piece) as an overall guide for the progression of video game controllers through the decades.

The Evolution of Video Game Controllers
Featuring 191 species and 12 genera over seven decades of gaming
(via PopchartLab.com)

When we try and think of the oldest video game controller we know, what usually comes to mind is either the NES controller or the Atari 2600 controller which maybe due to the fact that they are quite iconic when people think about old school or “retro” gaming.

 

(via Wikimedia Commons)

Well, the very first video game controller was technically a button-and-knob device for the game "Tennis for Two" (gameplay video) developed by William A. Higinbotham at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in 1958.

Control devices for "Tennis for Two" (via Google Images)

Higinbotham's rudimentary tennis video game, that was played on an oscilloscope (as seen in the video link above), eventually led to the now iconic "Pong". However, Pong did not really take off in popularity until the version by Al Alcorn and Atari since it was Atari who popularized home video games.1 

Atari's Home Pong console released in 1975 (via Wikimedia Commons)

These controllers had knobs to control the very simple movements in the game. In Pong's case, the up-and-down motions of the paddles on either side of the screen. An intersting feature of the Atari paddle controller was that it was designed to be used by two people, one on the right and one on the left. But what about relatively more complex directional controls?

In the early 1960s, a game called Spacewar was developed, the controls of which included clockwise and counterclockwise rotation, a thruster switch, and a torpedo switch. It was originally played on a large computer with all the buttons/switches on one board which wasn't an ergonomic design for how the game was played. So they came up with a control box which was more functional and easier to use.

A sketch of the original control box of Spacewar (via Google Images)

As Spacewar became more and more famous, numerous variations of the control box sprang up. Variations included buttons for all 5 functions (right rotation, left rotation, accelerate, hyperspace, and fire). These control boxes were the first generation of button-based controllers that proliferated into early arcades of the time, which offered multiple buttons that controlled the elements on the screen.²

With switch-based buttons on the rise, joysticks were soon to follow. Fast forward to the Atari 2600 joystick controller. The joystick now allowed for up, down, left, and right directional controls. It gave players better and easier controls sure. But as the games developed and got more complex through time, the joystick wasn't looking like the best controller design anymore. A necessary step back in the controller technology was needed. And so, the directional pad, or more commonly known as the "D-pad" was born.

Game & Watch - the Nintendo video game that led to the development of the directional pad.
(via Wikimedia Commons)

The D-pad first came into prominence from the Famicom controller (1983). The Family Computer, or Famicom for short, was released initially in Japan by Nintendo and was later released in the United States as the Nintendo Entertainment System or NES.

Famicom controllers featuring the D-pad
(via Wikimedia Commons)

The design trend of the NES controller stayed on for years and was sort of the basic template for the console controllers that came after it. That was until Sony came out with the PlayStation (1994) and its 14-button PlayStation controller and its subsequent versions with the DualShock controller which became the new "template" for console controllers that followed it.

 

The Original and DualShock PlayStation controllers

(via Wikimedia Commons)

Most of the modern day controllers descend from this model and feature two joysticks, the directional pad, and several other buttons.³

The design template of the DualShock has stayed on even after Sony and Microsoft released their next-gen consoles and their respective controllers.

DualShock 4 controller (via Wikimedia Commons)

XBox One controller (via Google Images)

These next-gen video game controllers now have features that are relatively mind-blowing if you compare them to their humble origins of knobs and switches. The PS4 controller has a built-in speaker, an output connector for a headset, a touchpad, a gyroscope, and even a SHARE button which allows players to easily upload their gameplay videos. Video game controllers have clearly come a long way. With technology always advancing at a rapid pace, who knows what our controllers will be able to do in 10 or 20 years from now?

References:

1) Lu, William. 2003. Evolution of Video Game Controllers: How Simple Switches Lead to the Development of the Joystick and the Directional Pad. Pages 10¹, 7², and 18³. http://www.stanford.edu/group/htgg/sts145papers/wlu_2003_1.pdf

2) Pop Chart Lab. 2013. The Evolution of Video Game Controllers. http://popchartlab.com/products/the-evolution-of-video-game-controllers

3) dancraggs. 2007. Tennis For Two - The second ever computer game.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2E9iSQfGdg

Rising with Magnets (STS individual project)

STS Individual Project

Carl Adrian P. Roma

2013-13861

THY

Rising with Magnets

Super heroes and their special powers have never ceased to amaze us. Young, old, or young-at-heart, everyone has their own super hero and/or super villain (for those with a darker side) who have enraptured our imagination. One famous super power is something that most of us dream to possess, levitation. Psychic powers, powers to control the elements, force field projection, and subatomic manipulation; these are but just some of the ways our beloved heroes and villains defy the clutches of gravity. Unfortunately for us, all these seem to need a really big stretch of reality to even be considered plausible, much less feasible. So does this mean we can no longer float in midair like our idols in the big screen? Is all hope lost? The answer is no! Thanks to modern science, there is but one way that we mere “ordinary” people can defy gravity. That’s right; it’s Magnetic Levitation or MagLev for short.

Magnetic levitation, put simply, is the phenomenon wherein an object, or sometimes an organism, is suspended with no other force other than magnetic fields acting upon it. Yes, you heard right; magnets are strong enough to make you fly. But wait! Before you go strap magnets to yourself, let me explain the basics of magnetic levitation.

First of all, there are a lot of different methods involving the concept of magnetic levitation but we’ll focus on the two that are the most understandable and the most realistic, through the use of superconductors and electromagnets and the through diamagnetism.

                The use of superconductors and electromagnets is one of the most popular ways to achieve magnetic levitation. Superconductors are materials that are capable of conducting electricity with absolutely no resistance. This simply means that superconductors do not allow magnetic fields to pass through themselves thus making them “float” on the magnetic field surrounding them. This video explains the mechanics of superconductors in further detail. Because of this property, superconductor technology would make for great ways of cheap transportation due to their non-reliance on other fuel sources. Unfortunately, these types of modern day superconductors have to be in extremely low temperatures in order to become superconductive making these superconductors very hard to create and maintain.

Fortunately, there are other kinds of superconductors that are feasible with our current technology; in fact, they’re already in use today. Instead of relying on super-low temperatures, these superconductors rely on electromagnetism and the repulsion of two electromagnets to enable magnetic levitation. The mechanics of this technology is further explained by this short video. This technology involves two sets of electromagnets that repel each other causing one to levitate atop the other. We can actually see this technology being used today in other countries like Japan and Germany in the form of the famous MagLev trains. These specialized trains use the concept of magnetic levitation to move at extremely high speeds. By floating mere inches over an electromagnetic track, the MagLev propels itself by a series of waves of magnetic energy produced by electrical generators in the track. This makes the train run smoother, quieter, and faster than other wheeled transport systems and because it doesn’t touch the track, it is mostly unaffected by weather. Another application of this great concept is in amusement park rides. Have you ridden one of those “tower drop” rides in popular amusement parks? Yes? Then there’s a high chance that your safety depended on the power of magnets. Most rides like these need a fail-safe way of bringing the ride to a stop, lest you become an ugly spot on the pavement, so they use a specialized magnetic braking system which solely relies on magnetic induction. This means that they’ll still work even in the most unfortunate of events such as a power outage so you can keep calm and ride all you want.

                 Now comes the fun part, I’m going to explain how you can experience zero gravity by just staying on the ground. It’s possible through diamagnetism as shown in this video . Put simply, a strong magnetic field around any object will cause that objects electrons to change course thus creating an opposing magnetic field. This force is pretty weak but, with a strong enough magnetic field, any diamagnetic object will be able to levitate. Water is an example of a diamagnetic material and thus can be levitated with a strong enough magnetic field. Researchers at the High Field Magnet Laboratory of Radboud University Nijmegen have successfully levitated a live frog using diamagnetism. Based on the principle of this kind of magnetism, humans can actually be levitated but the magnetic fields required for this would be enormous as well as extremely strong. This means that it is possible for humans to levitate but, sadly, it isn’t possible with the technology we have to date.

                The technology of magnets may not be applicable for human levitation but that doesn’t mean that it’s unusable. In fact, the technologies mentioned before are actually being used in today’s world. The MagLev train transportation system is a developing technology as of date and is constantly being improved to be able to replace other obsolete transportation systems in the world. Electromagnets and superconductors are used in different fields of science such as medicine in the form of MRI scanners. Finally, constant research on superconductors and magnets is opening new doors t oother applications of this great technology, such as more efficient power generation, new treatments for the medical field and the list goes on.

                Our dreams of levitating at our own will may not be realized today, but the future still holds many possibilities. With the rate of progress of science and technology in today’s modern world and the eager minds of those who push the boundaries of knowledge to the limit each day, it’s only a matter of time before a breakthrough is reached that will change everything. It may be the discovery of a room-temperature superconductor that would make spontaneous levitation possible, a new kind of magnetic levitation concept, or a way of producing an immense magnetic field, no one knows for sure. So, it’s not certain when you’ll get to levitate like your favorite hero but you can be sure that when that time comes, the world will be a different place.

References:

minutephysics, 2013. Magnetic Levitation. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqKeiiezqzc 9 March 2014

Radboud University Nijmegen Faculty of Science, 2014. Levitation. Retrieved from: http://www.ru.nl/hfml/research/levitation/ 9 March 2014

robochitti, 2011. How Maglev Trains Work. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaElPV0FWJ0 9 March 2014

Travis, 1999. What Is A Superconductor?  Retrieved from:

http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/113.web.stuff/Travis/what_is.html 9 March 2014

The Institut de Physique du CNRS, The Société Française de Physique et sa section Paris-Sud, The Réseau thématique de recherche avancée « Triangle de la Physique, 2011. All About Superconductors. Retrieved  from: http://www.supraconductivite.fr/en/index.php 9 March 2014

WOWLab, 2008. The Awesome Levitating Train. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHtAwQXVsuk 9 March 2014