by Penny Angeles-Tan | Jan 12, 2012 | Product and Service Review
After months of deliberation, we finally decided to terminate our PLDT MyDSL and our PLDT landline. In the beginning, we were hesitating because:
- we’ve had our PLDT account for 40 years
- PLDTs My DSL was not so bad
In the past week or so, though, the service has gotten so bad that it was no longer forgivable. At first, I thought it was the wireless router so I switched to the regular router. But when even that didn’t work I tried connecting my laptop directly to the modem. For 10 minutes the connection was just ok. Torrents were downloading at 80 kbps, but shortly after the download dropped to 8 kbps and would not go back up.
I thought, maybe I just have to reboot the laptop and the modem, so I did. It gave me another 10 minutes of okay connection then zilch.
I tried calling their customer service hotline but it was always busy and I have not been able to talk to anyone in all this time. This makes me think that they must be having lots of problems with many subscribers at the moment.
Consider, if you will, that Sky has been wooing us for months to shift to Sky broadband. With this latest development, we decided to take Sky’s 15-day trial. If Sky performs as promised then saying goodbye to PLDT will be a no brainer.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 6, 2007 | Book Reviews
In the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony, I would have to say that For Love of Evil is my favorite book. I read this book a long, long time ago in paperback and it got me thinking about how we perceive people and deities.
We have to understand first that in this series, concepts like death, war, time, mother nature, fate, good, and evil are offices and the person holding the office was once human, and therefore, not infallible. In this book, the Devil was usurped by a good man, later called Lucifer.
For Love of Evil will most likely make the reader see Satan in a different light. Personally, I like this angle very much. A good wizard, becomes a priest, rises in the clergy, is seduced by a succubus, and in his doting age assumes the role of the Lord of Evil and turns hell into a rehab center. In other words, he is a good man doing a necessary function to maintain the balance between good and evil.
He tries to enlist the help of the other incarnations but because he is the incarnation of Evil, he is abused, sneered at, and at the very least, ignored. He is troubled by the nature of good versus evil and decides to end it all in a death duel with God.
This is a really exciting book. Actually, the whole series is exciting and will make you think. For Love of Evil is the 6th book in the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony. It was a great effort from Piers Anthony to humanize the devil. I don’t know if there are ebooks out there but you can definitely get the paperback version on sites like Amazon.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 2, 2007 | Book Reviews
Bearing an Hourglass by Piers Anthony is the second book of the Incarnations of Immortality series and focuses on the Incarnation of Time.
Of all the Incarnations, As a human, I think this would be the most difficult to adjust to. Being the Incarnation of Time means having difficulty having friends even with the other Incarnations as you don’t move in the same direction as them. Imagine living backward while everyone else lives forward. Knowing the future and yet not knowing what happened yesterday for everyone else.
This is a lonely existence indeed. So, how will any person last as the Incarnation of Time?
I still have this paperback, though our copy is quite tattered. If you would like to read this wonderful story by Piers Anthony you can grab a copy at Amazon in Kindle, paperback, and hardcover versions.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 1, 2007 | Book Reviews
On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony is the first book of the Incarnations of Immortality series that puts a spotlight on Death.
The Grim Reaper has compassion! That is a pleasant thought. And he only comes for those souls in balance. Other souls can make their own way to heaven or hell, depending on their “accumulated points” of positive or negative thoughts and deeds.
Somehow, death isn’t as scary a thought as it used to be. This anthropomorphism of the concept of death is unique for its time. It tells us that death is not a killer. He is just there to fetch souls.
When we (meaning my sisters and parents and me) read this book in the 80s we had quite a philosophical discussion. It also led to us actively seeking out the next books in the series.
It’s an old book so you might be able to find On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony at a thrift shop or you can just go to Amazon and get a copy in Kindle, Audible, hardcover, or paperback.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Aug 8, 2007 | Video reviews
Warning: The topic is meant for an adult audience.
A few months ago I downloaded this video called Turn Me On: The History of the Vibrator. Never mind why I downloaded it. That isn’t relevant to this post, hehehe. I finally got around to watching the video last night and, of course, I got to see thousands upon thousands of dildos and vibrators in all shapes and sizes. But I was surprised to discover just how interesting the history of the vibrator was going to be.
And then I saw online this movie starring Maggie Gyllenhaal called Hysteria. This movie shows us how the vibrator came about.
Once upon a time there were women who would be diagnosed with an illness they called hysteria. Symptoms would be fainting spells, flushed skin, enlarged genitals, sleeplessness and moaning (as if in pain). Turns out that what they labeled as hysteria was actually an arousal without attaining an orgasm.
It seemed that a lot of women back then couldn’t get off. Their families would bring them to doctors who would then massage their genitals for them until they get off. This was not a sexual act back then because there was no penis involved. For the doctors and patients it was a clinical procedure.
Strained hands and several patients later a doctor invented a device akin to a small rolling pin about 2 inches wide with a handle. From the photo it looked like the roller had little nubs all over it. The doctor would then use this contraption to stimulate the patient. Years later, the first vibrator was invented. It looked like a cork screw with a funky bend and on one end was a spinning disk. Scary .. but apparently effective. They discovered that vibration speeded up the “healing process” so that patients would be in and out of their office 10 minutes tops!
A gynecologist they interviewed said that a woman suffering from hysteria is just like a man with an unfulfilled arousal. When a man gets aroused his genitals get filled with blood. Once he ejaculates, he goes into paroxysm, the blood drains and he goes limp and he is fine. When a woman is aroused her genitals get filled with blood, too. Until the blood is drained (in other words, once she has an orgasm) she suffers from hysteria.
Here is a timeline I saw at bupipedream.com
- 1653: Doctors recommended the following as an ailment for hysteria: “…we consider it necessary to ask a midwife to assist so that she can massage the genitalia with one finger inside using oil of lilies, musk root, crocus or [something] similar. And in this way the afflicted woman can be aroused to paroxysm…most especially for widows, those who live chaste lives, and female religious…it is less often recommended for very young women, or married women, for whom it is a better remedy to engage in intercourse with their spouses.”
- Early 1800s: Doctors try other strategies for arousing women including rocking chairs, a swing, and vehicles that bounced the patient rhythmically on her pelvis.
- 1870: A wind-up vibrator is made available to both spas and physicians, but it has a tendency to run down before the treatment is complete.
- 1872: An American physician patents the “Manipulator” – a steam-powered massage and vibratory apparatus. He warns treatment should be watched to avoid over-manipulation.
- 1880s: A British physician invents the electromechanical vibrator for use as a medical instrument.
- 1900: Other physicians follow suit with contraptions intended to serve as vibrators. Articles and textbooks on vibratory massage technique praised the machine’s versatility for treating nearly all diseases in both sexes and saving physicians time and labor. These vibrators reduced the time of “getting there” from up to an hour to approximately 10 minutes.
- 1905: Convenient portable models become available, permitting house calls.
- 1900-1920: Vibrators were advertised in Home Needlework Journal as a health and relaxation aid with which “all the pleasures of youth will throb within you.”
- 1918: Sears and Roebuck & Company Electric Goods catalog advertises a vibrator attachment for a home motor that also drives attachments for churning, beating, buffing and fan operating
- 1920s: Stag films started using vibrators as props. Physicians realized that orgasm didn’t necessarily involve penetration. And once they connected “arousal to paroxysm” with eroticism, the vibrator’s era as a medical appliance ended.
- 1960s: Vibrator re-emerges and is openly marketed as a sex aid.
- 1970s: Medical authorities still assure men that a woman who does not reach orgasm during sexual coitus was flawed or suffering from some physical or psychological impairment.
- 1990s: research shows that more than half of all women, possibly more than 70 percent, do not reach orgasm by means of penetration alone.
Whether or not you actually use one or are contemplating using one, this is an interesting video. I recommend it to open-minded adults.
by Penny Angeles-Tan | Oct 29, 2006 | Yummy Reviews
Note: Because of the recent disaster of my site (March 3, 2016) I actually had to reconstruct my posts and lost a lot of pics. There are many pics below that I could no longer find as the flavors are also no longer available. 🙁
There are some types of food that we associate with certain activities. Hotdogs make people think of sports. Cake brings birthdays to mind. Cotton candy makes us all think of the carnival. But all will agree that popcorn and soda are meant to be eaten while watching a flick. Whether a movie or TV marathon … or just as pica-pica for a party POPCORN is definitely a hit!
Last night, October 28, we had a popcorn party here at my place. SEVEN FLAVORS of Chef Tony’s popcorn were spread out on the table just waiting to be eaten.
The original taste of caramel with the slightest hint of saltiness that sets the buttery, crunchy popcorn goodness in every bite. – from Chef Tony Brands
#1 – Original
Choosing the flavor I liked the best was so hard! I just liked them all! For conservatives, it is always good to go original. You can’t go wrong there. It’s your classic popcorn flavor without the mess!
#2 – Light
Those who are “watching their weight” will enjoy the light. It isn’t exactly guiltless ’cause it still has butter and sugar, but Chef Tony guarantees 50% less of both! I worried at first that it would contain artificial sweetener and I was relieved not to encounter the medicinal taste of Nutrasweet, Equal, or Splenda.
#3 – Cinnamon Butter
Opening the tub of Cinnamon Butter was surreal. The distinctive smell of cinnamon just wafts into your nostrils, and in my case, made me think of cinnamon rolls and coffee. I thought it tasted good, too, but perhaps on the sweet side. I like it but I don’t think I can consume a small tub on my own.
#4 – Pesto
Pesto, pesto, pesto! It makes me think of pasta! To complete the pasta experience, though, I would recommend the addition of maybe pine nuts or more basil into the mix. Also, I think it could afford to be less sweet and saltier. Nonetheless, I CAN finish a whole (small) tub on my own. I know I have in the past, hehe.
A sweet and salty blend of cheese with creamy Italian taste that is reminiscent of delicious Carbonara. – from Chef Tony Brands
#5 – Parmesan
When I heard that there was Parmesan flavor I admit that I was a bit apprehensive. I know that sounds weird, but … I just don’t like getting my hands dirty, hehe. I hate it when I buy cheese flavored popcorn and they pour on this powdered orange-colored cheese that just stains everything and is extremely messy. Dirty hands are a guarantee.
To my surprise, Chef Tony’s Parmesan flavored popcorn is nothing like that! In appearance, it looks a lot like the ORIGINAL flavor. And then you open the tub and the smell of the PARMESAN hits you. Every bite is a harmony of cheese and butter!
We loved this flavor so much that we almost consumed the contents of the tub in 5 minutes! This was while recording our comments, mind you. None of the other flavors went as fast! Hooray for parmesan!
Now it is time for some nuts!
A crispy Chef Tony’s Popcorn coated with light White Chocolate perfectly paired with whole Walnuts. – from Chef Tony Brands
#6 – White Chocolate Walnut
We now open the tub of White Chocolate Walnut. I have to tell you right now … I’m not a fan of white chocolate, per se. I’m more of a dark chocolate kind of gal. But I do love chocolate and I do love walnuts, and the way the flavors blended was just perfect!
You still can’t get me to eat white chocolate in bar form but on Chef Tony’s popcorn, I will eat it by the handful. The sweetness of the chocolate and the bitterness of the walnuts made an interesting contrast. I think this flavor is perfect to give as a gift.
#7 – Roasted Almond Mochachino
The aroma of fresh-brewed coffee joins a shot of chocolate for a crispy mocha-latey snack. Plus a bunch of whole almonds to top it all off. – from Chef Tony Brands
We are down to the last flavor for the day … Roasted Almond Mochachino. To say I was excited about this one is an understatement. From the name itself, I knew to expect something fun! Think about it, coffee-flavored popcorn … with whole almonds! How can you go wrong? I tried eating this flavor today while enjoying a cup of coffee and it was perfect!
Roasted Almond Mochachino is the perfect blend of coffee, chocolate, popcorn, and fresh almonds. Coffee lovers everywhere will definitely enjoy this flavor.
Some people say that the best food critics are kids. It isn’t true that they will eat anything. As a matter of fact, they are quite obvious when they hate something! There were 4 kids sampling the popcorn with us, and the youngest of the bunch was my nephew Gene. At a year and a half, he knows EXACTLY what he wants! He tried all the flavors, and did not turn any away!!! As a matter of fact, he came back for seconds and thirds! Actually, he DEMANDED for seconds and thirds, hehe. I’d say he ate about as much as a small tub full of popcorn.
Now to the packaging …
The labels are a mite confusing, and the color combinations don’t always work. The original design is good, though. But the background has a tendency to make me cross-eyed, especially the green and red combination.
The containers are top-notch! Most people don’t notice this but … his containers are marked 5 on the recyclable scale. This is good! If your plastic containers are marked 5 to 7 then that is definitely recyclable. Most plastic containers of foodstuff nowadays are rated a 1or a 3 and those are ideally just for one use. This makes buying Chef Tony’s popcorns not only a delicious decision but a practical one as well! We noticed, also, that the containers are “child-proof”. This is a good thing because it means that the container is airtight and will keep the contents fresh longer. Oh, and it means the kids can’t sneak a bite without our knowledge, hehe. Is there an easier way to open it?
How to open a tub of happiness
Conclusion …
Chef Tony’s popcorn is gourmet at an affordable price! It is the perfect date snack, the perfect viewing companion, and the perfect gift! If you haven’t tasted it yet, I promise you, you are missing out!
Chef Tony’s has 2 more flavors we didn’t get to taste: Macadamia Swirl and Caramel Pecan. Based on the seven above, these 2 are bound to be great! I can’t wait to taste them, too! Watch out for the Christmas flavors coming soon.
You can find Chef Tony’s outlets at Tomas Morato (Quezon City across the street from McDonald’s), Metrowalk (Ortigas Center near Pancake House), and Mega Mall Building A (near National Bookstore. For inquiries, you may call them at 0917-500-CORN.
Did we have fun? Was the popcorn good? ABSOLUTELY! I can honestly say, I haven’t tasted anything better! Kudos, Anthony!
Consider, if you will, that Sky has been wooing us for months to shift to Sky broadband. With this latest development, we decided to take Sky’s 15-day trial. If Sky performs as promised then saying goodbye to PLDT will be a no brainer.
Bearing an Hourglass by Piers Anthony is the second book of the Incarnations of Immortality series and focuses on the Incarnation of Time.
The Grim Reaper has compassion! That is a pleasant thought. And he only comes for those souls in balance. Other souls can make their own way to heaven or hell, depending on their “accumulated points” of positive or negative thoughts and deeds.
Strained hands and several patients later a doctor invented a device akin to a small rolling pin about 2 inches wide with a handle. From the photo it looked like the roller had little nubs all over it. The doctor would then use this contraption to stimulate the patient. Years later, the first vibrator was invented. It looked like a cork screw with a funky bend and on one end was a spinning disk. Scary .. but apparently effective. They discovered that vibration speeded up the “healing process” so that patients would be in and out of their office 10 minutes tops!
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