One Ice Blended Grandé Mocha, with Whip

The smell of the freshly-brewed coffee, the ambiance of chatting friends, colleagues, businessmen around the room, the sound of the barista’s voice outcry your preferred coffee, the whizzing and pulsing sound of the blender, the soothing background music – you love the environment of a coffee shop, more particularly with its distinct aroma. Henry Ward Beecher once said, “No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odor to the nostrils.”

Admit it. You are one of those who often “chill out” in coffee shops.

If you are a college student, you visit a coffee shop near your university three, if not four, times a month. You’ve met your high school friends there. You’ve studied (with your iPod’s on) and did most of your home-works there. You and your thesis mates started writing your paper there. Most of the time, after school, you just want to sit down to your favorite spot, put out your laptop, sign in to your Facebook, Tumblr, or Twitter account, sip in a Latté, and unwind.

If you are a businessman or office man, you’ve met your potential clients in a coffee shop. You’ve signed checks, a document and other papers there. Sometimes, after work, you and your girlfriend or boyfriend, husband or wife, meet at the coffee shop. You’ve met up with a colleague there and bought Caffé Americano for him/her. During break, you go there to buy a coffee and drink some.

If you’re a regular, you’ve already befriended a stranger whom you’ve seen many times in that coffee shop. When you order for your coffee, the “barista” have memorized your name. (Speaking of barista, maybe you have or had a crush on one of them. It might be one of the reasons why you go there often?)

It was believed that coffee shops started during the 15^th or 16^th Century specifically in Turkey. It was legal in Turkey that time to divorce her husband if he could not provide her coffee. In 1530, the first coffee shop was built in Damascus. Coffee Shops became a trend in Europe especially when shops started to offer sweet pastries and various treats. Social upper-class businessmen where often seen there. Coffee shops are very prevalent nowadays and one of the most widespread is Starbucks.

“Coffee is the best thing to douse the sunrise with”, says Terri Guillemets. The thecouponcupboard.com cited guidelines on how will you order at Starbucks (but this might actually help as you in ordering to other coffee shops). They are as follows:

Step 1. Hot or Iced Drink. It was said in the website that the default was hot. So if you prefer iced, then your first word in ordering must be “iced”.

Step 2. Coffee Drinks Comes in 4 Sizes: Short: 8 oz. Tall: 12 oz. Grande: 16 oz. Venti: 20 oz. The iced drinks are actually 24 oz. in the venti size. The hot drinks are 20 oz. in the venti size. In Italian, the word "venti" means 20.

Step 3. Choose your drink beverage: First, Coffee a brewed coffee, featured coffee of the day, etc. Second, Latte an espresso and steamed milk. This is the base for several other coffee beverages when you add different syrups and vary the milk, including mocha and white mocha. Americano an espresso and hot water. This is a diluted version of espresso coffee, made popular in the US.

Step 4. Wet or Dry
For coffee drinks that include milk and foam, "dry" means more foam and less milk and "wet" means more milk and less foam. For even more dry, say "extra dry".

Step 5. How strong do you like your drink? Specify the number of espresso shots. Is it single, double, triple, or quad?

Step 6. Choose the type of milk or creamer: default, skinny, whole milk, organic milk, or soy.

Step 7. Extra directions

(For more details, you can visit the said site.)

Whatever it is that you love in coffee shops; you may now continuously enjoy more of your countless stays as you become part of its history with every Latté, and you will be more confident to order your favorite drink. Don’t forget to follow the guide: One Ice Blended Grandé Mocha, with Whip!

-Michelle Sto. Tomas

This article acknowledges its sources.

www.caferestaurant.net

coffeetea.about.com

Thecouponcupboard.com

Confessions of a Mass Communication Student

Bilang isang Mass Communication student malaki ang expectations ng mga professors sa amin. Isa na rito ang pagsasalita ng diretsong English at pagpaplano ng maayos na seminar o presentation sa loob ng aming eskwelahan. Hindi maiiwasang makumpara ang aming kurso sa iba.

Masaya at mahirap maging isang AB student. Nariyan ang mga samu’t saring scriptwriting, radio drama, TV production, layout designing, filmmaking, theatre at mga pananalistik tungkol sa mga Theories of Communication.

Minsan nga nasasabi naming ramdam ko na AB ako dahil sa isang professor sa aming departamento. Marami siyang ipinapagawa. Bawat araw na magkikita kami ay kinakabahan ako. Sabi nga niya “You hate me now, but you’ll thank me after your graduation.”

Tumatak talaga sa akin ang mga sinabi niya. Biruin mo, tuwing klase niya mag-expect ka ng quiz at recitation kaya dapat nag-aral ka in advance kun’di lagot ka sa recitation. Sabi nga niya, “I’m normal pag may quiz, at abnormal pag wala.” Ang tawag ng marami sa amin ay “gigisahin” ka kapag hindi ka nag-aral. Dapat nakapag-pa Xerox ka na ng notes nang maaga para hindi ka magisa.

May isang insidente nga na sinabihan niya kami na huwag masyadong mataas ang heels next week dahil tatakbo raw kami. Naisip ko may physical activity kaya kami next week? Sa week na iyon, pinatakbo nga kami para sa mabilisang edit ng mga news reports tungkol sa SONA ni PGMA. Lagi niyang sinasabi na “we need to beat the deadline.” Kahit na anong mangyari, dapat naming ilagay sa isip naming yan.

Nakakatawang isipin na na may kinatatakutan pa rin ang batch naming kahit na alam naming na matigas ang aming mga ulo. Malaki ang pasasalamat ko sa professor na ito kahit malakas ang kaba ko tuwing nakikita ko siya pero ramdam ko naman na isang AB student ako. Fourth year na ako at nagtuturo pa din siya as her last year sa batch namin. Masasabi kong masaya at mahirap talaga ang kurso namin. Makakakilala ka ng mga sikat na reporters, government officers at mga simpleng tao na magtuturo sayo ng mga experiences sa field mo. Kung tutuusin, walang madaling kurso kaya dapat hindi natin maliitin ang mga pinag-aaralan ng isang college student.

Ikaw? Ano bang meron ang kurso mo?

-Michelle Patingo

Highlights: P-NOY's Inauguration

These are unpublished photos during P-NOY's Inauguration last June 30, 2010

A P-NOY supporter stood up among the crowd.

Police Officers standing by for unnecessary situations.

P-NOY Supporters

An old woman knitting while waiting for P-NOY's arrival

V-NAY's supporters

Photos by: Joanna Marie Luna and Camille Nuñez

MY MOTHER

MY MOTHER
By: Staci Warren

My mother kept a garden,
A garden of the heart,
She planted all the good things
That gave my life its start.

She turned me to the sunshine
And encouraged me to the dream,
Fostering and nurturing
The seeds of self-esteem.

And when the winds and rain came,
She protected me enough-
But not too much because she knew
I’d need to stand up strong and tough.

Her constant good example
Always taught me right from wrong-
Markers for my pathway
That will last a lifetime long.

I am my mother’s garden.
I am her legacy,
And I hope today she feels the love
Reflected back from me!

This poem is from the book “Chicken Soup for the Soul.” I was really inspired by this poem. At first I thought it was just a simple letter of gratitude for a mother, thanking her for the gift of love and for caring for her children. The main idea of this poem really struck me.

I am a daddy’s girl. I have a closer relationship with my father compared to my mother. I have a lot more fun being with my dad rather than my mom. This poem made me realize that my mother is also a special one. A special someone who will give me values all throughout my life even without my father beside me.

When I read this poem, tears fell on my cheeks. I thought to myself, “Hey, you are lucky for having a mother beside you. Remember that not everyone is blessed to have a mother.” Some of the stories I often hear was that their mother died while giving birth.

I love my mom and I don’t want her to think that I neglect her patience, affection and care. She taught me to love and care for people that made me stronger everyday. I am a mother’s garden and I love the way she loves me.

-Michelle Patingo

P-NOY Deliver First State of the Nation Address

The entire nation bore witness when President Benigno Simeon Aquino III, also known as P-NOY, was inaugurated on June 30, 2010. After his inauguration, President Noynoy went straight to work. The next thing the Filipinos watched out for was his first state of the nation address. The SONA is one of the duties expected of the president. Usually, the first SONA is the most important and most crucial as it reports on the current status and plans the new administration for the country.

P-Noy’s first SONA was presented before a joint assemblu of the senate and congress at the Batasan Pambansa in Quezon City. Senator Juan Ponce Enrile maintained his seat as Senate President while Congressman Felician ‘Sony’ Belmonte was elected Congressional House Speaker.

Senator Enrile and House Speaker Belmonte were one of those who met the president when he arrived at Congress. President Aquino’s speech lasted for about forty minutes. He mentioned that the former administration spent Php 45.1 B this year, adding that 20 percent of the budget is nearly depleted. He also said that Php 1.4 B or 70 percent of the calamity fund had already been spent by June from which Php 108 M was received by the entire province of Pampanga. He noted that these funds were given on election month.

Anomalies and Irregularities

The president also cited anomalies in the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) about their funds. MWSS payroll was Php 211.5 M in 2009 and bulk of this went to additional allowances, bonuses and benefits beyond the 13th month pay. Its’ board of trustees got hefty allowances and bonuses that amounted to Php 2.5 M in a year but pensions of retired employees are still in arrears. Even the La Mesa Watershed wasn’t spared since housing was provided for top MWSS officials many of Arroyo’s Midnight Appointees.

Anomalies in the DPWH Road Users’ Fund were discovered. Ill-conceived projects also arose. According to President Noynoy, some Php 3.5 B was released for typhoon victims five days before her term ended. He found out questionable storm rehab projects. He also said that politics dictated NAPOCOR’s moves that taxpayers end up paying for its debt. irregularities in the MRT Project were also reported. There were also anomalies in the NFA regarding rice purchases. NFA’s debt reached a whopping Php 171.6 B in May of this year.

To stop these problems from happening, the president said that all projects will be scrutinized so that no unnecessary expenses would occur. Charges will be filed each week against tax evaders and smugglers. P-Noy reported that half of the extra-legal killings under his administration are nearly resolved. An executive order creating the Truth Commission will be signed with the week.

Investor-Friendly Philippines

The president stressed that investor confidence in the Philippines will happen under his leadership. He added that public-private partnerships will help solve the massive deficit in the country’s debt. In his speech, Aquino reported that private groups have shown interest in shouldering government infrastructure projects. Such agreements will also help boost funding for education and social services, as well as for the tourism and agriculture industry.

P-Noy’s administration is set to prioritizes job creation and giving assistance to the different industries. He called on local government to streamline their processes for entrepreneurs.

Priority Laws, Peace Talks

The administration will push for Fiscal Responsibility Bill, which will limit the spending bills only for appropriations that have identified a source of funding. President also said that the Procurement Law should be amended to avoid another NBN-ZTE scandal.
He also reiterated that an Anti-Trust Law is need to scrap monopoly and cartels that kill competition. He compelled Congress to pass the National Land Use Bill; amend the National Defense Act; and push for the Whistleblower’s Bill. There is also a need to review outdated laws to ensure harmony in legislation. His government further seeks to strengthen the Witness Protection Program.

The president promised not to repeat the mistakes of the previous administration regards to the Mindanao peace situation. Talks with the More Islamic Liberation Front will resume after Ramadan. To the CPP-NPA-NDF, the president encouraged them to present concrete solutions
as the government remains open to ceasefire and dialogue.

President Noynoy told the Filipinos that this is a time for sacrifice. To the media, he asked them to guard their ranks, be fair, truthful and elevate the level of public discourse.
Towards the end of his speech, he addressed the public to monitor their leaders and engage instead of complain. President Noynoy believed that the country’s fate is in the hands of God and of the people. His mandate is proof that Filipinos can still hope for change.

-Charmaine Ann Purugganan

Book Review: Fallen

“What if the person you love cannot be yours?”

Author Lauren Kate teases readers with the little question at the back of her latest book, Fallen.

Fallen is a good story for readers who wish to read something dark, gothic and romantic. This fictional love story involves Lucinda Price and Daniel Grigori, students of an old school called Swords & Cross located near in a vast and foggy cemetery.

Lucinda Price has something everyone might think was weird. Shadows lurk around her, making her life miserable. She meets Daniel Grigori, a mysterious and handsome guy in school. But there are still some things that must be revealed as Lucinda tries to investigate the life of her love.

The novel moves through the scenes quickly that any reader might end up reading chapter 1 to chapter 5 in one sitting. Lauren Kate keeps in simple and straightforward in describing the unfolding events.

If you are tired of reading something ‘vampire’, Fallen is a very good book to read for those who like something about heaven.

-Camille Nuñez

BPI: “Paulinians, SAVE for your Life”

On July 26, 2010, the Junior Philippine Institute of Accountants and Junior Finance Executives conducted the BPI on Call: Financial Wellness Seminar.

The seminar encouraged the students the value of saving and investment in the earlier time possible. The event taught participants how to create their own budget and savings plan.

“Being wealthy is the ability to continue your preferred lifestyle without actually working.” Said Mr. Eric Barroquillo, the workshop facilitator, Senior Manager of BPI Field Sales Department and a writer of Kerygma Magazine.

He added that only 2 percent of people currently enjoy their retirement. About 23 percent of Filipinos are still working in their retirement years, while 75 percent depend on the support children of support of children and relatives who work.

The seminar outlined five steps in developing a budget and savings plan. These includes determining your fund source, itemizing your expenses, setting aside a minimum fixed investment, living within the balance and monitoring your progress.

“You should have financial discipline. You should save before spending and remember that earnings less savings mean expenses.” Mr. Barroquillo concluded.

The seminar was held in the Founder’s Hall. St. Paul Manila was represented by primarily by the College of Business and Management (CBM) students.

Correspondent: Camille Nuñez