In recent times, the people in California are becoming increasingly aware of the necessary facts and information about their auto insurance quotes and policies. Accessibility of information contributes to this fortunate occurrence, thanks to the convenience and efficiency of the internet. However, the main reason why people are taking the initiative to thoroughly prepare themselves for such matters are based on the fact that recession is here to stay for quite some time, thus emphasizing the pressing need to cut costs and make ends meet in times such as these.

In the past, the various people seeking insurance coverage unfortunately find themselves in a situation where they pay for CA auto insurance coverage that they do not need because it is already covered elsewhere. Another situation is when they pay a huge sum for a policy that lacks the coverage they really need. Luckily, motorists of today are smarter, and they are aware and alert to the fact that their auto insurance coverage can still be customized to suit their specific insurance. Such modifications make it a highly likely for them to maximize policy protections and significantly lower their quotes and resulting costs.

The insurance presented to buyers have a policy declaration page that contains detailed, specific information about the coverage it offers. Going through these information opens up the possibility of identifying what changes can be made to lower auto insurance quotes or rates. The information contained in this section may use confusing terms, jargons and abbreviations that make it difficult to fully comprehend it. The best way to go about a difficulty such as this is to do research, and acquaint and prepare oneself with the basics of auto insurance. Once ready, carefully look through the coverage of the policy to be purchased and see what are already available. Such auto insurance policies either offer basic liability coverage, or the “full” coverage which is a combination of different coverage.

There a couple of coverage that a potential purchasers or insured motorists should be aware of. First is the basic liability coverage, and this provides protection to other people for whom the insured may be liable for as a result of an accident. In includes bodily injury, and property damage protection. Next is the uninsured motorist protection which compensates the insured’s medical injuries and vehicle damages caused by an uninsured driver during an accident. And then there’s the comprehensive and collision coverage which provides protection for the insured vehicle in situations involving theft, vandalism, fire and so on.

With these coverages in mind, the motorist should double check the coverage available to him. Any damages that exceed the limits of his coverage would have to be paid for. That’s why it is important to get a quote for higher coverage or protection.

Being mindful of all these allows the motorist to discern whether or not he is paying more than he should for the CA auto insurance quote he chose and purchased. That’s why, before making any final decisions, it is really important to compare the different auto insurance quotes available. This way, the best policy with the best coverage offered at the most reasonable price would be chosen and enjoyed.

Recommended Site: Free Auto Insurance Quotes California

The world has indeed evolved technologically. Education and training can now be done mostly through the use of a personal computer and through the internet. Elearning, as it is called, has become the backbone of so many companies to date. There is no turning back now. The old style classroom education or training seminars have almost reached obsolescence because of the dawn of elearning. Every company that wants to get an edge will have to deploy all the best, latest methods in order to get way ahead of the pack. The following is our own company’s story about how elearning became a pivotal tool to turning a very bad situation around.

At our company, we were having some problems regarding our employees. We needed people who had intensive Microsoft excel. The project required templates that required to full use of MS Excel’s capabilities. Now one might think that using excel is something that is so basic that does not need training at all. One would be wrong. There are so many functions such as formulas and design in Microsoft excel. It is true that they are relatively easy to learn however it takes some time and some training nonetheless. We had subject matter experts who had the expertise but they needed to write in their content directly into MS Excel and they did not have enough training or experience. There were some budget cuts because of the economic recession and we could not afford to find the right people for the job. Besides, hiring more people who were both experts in the subject and where also skilled in MS Excel would just be inane since we would not let go of our trusted employees nor can we afford the hiring process and the new salary. So the only option was to train them.

Of course training will also require a lot of money. First of all, we could not just pull out the employees since they were still working on the projects on their plate. They were also located in several locations. Our company needed them trained right away but they also had differing schedules. This was becoming a big dilemma. But then suddenly someone suggested elearning.

When we used elearning, it was one of the best decisions our company has ever made. We had contracted an elearning solutions company to help solve our problem. They had just the thing we needed. It was one of the best deals I have personally ever had.

Anyone who is familiar with Marxism may have come across the concept of alienation from work. Can this be applied to the call center Philippines workers?

The employee will most likely lose himself or herself in the process of labor. This is cannot be avoided because we live in a capitalist society. Any business that has this system of business cannot avoid a level of alienation which dehumanizes the worker in various degrees. Now, this may not be such a bad thing for a lot of people. Some people are content with how the system works. Of course most of these people are the employers. But inevitably, the worker does not have a say on this system, especially since this is the system that provides him or her with the compensation that he or she needs in order to survive. In short, there isn’t much choice for them. In any case, most of the time this alienation is not so damaging. Or is it?

But there are some that argue saying that the call center industry is even much worse than the traditional work situation. Alienation, for Marx stems from the fact that the worker is made into a tool, an automaton forced (in order to get money and survive) to do a specific task over and over again. The worker is alienated from the product of his or her work. Back in the day, the worker put his soul into his work in order for it to satisfy the customer. But for a worker in a factory, a specialized role, this joy or satisfaction is lost. As with a call center agent who is paid to help out callers, the satisfaction is also gone because there is no real human connection between them. In the end, the call center agent functions as a human tape recorder with feelings and with a slightly more complicated yet still formulaic processor to deal with queries again and again every day. The compartmentalize of the work makes the employee a cog that does not care about anything else other than the completion of the task at hand and the payment afterwards.

However, it is possible for some human contact in the call center Philippine industry. Some callers are warmer and more grateful than others. This is to say that there is some chit chat involved. Some call center agents would also find that they are getting to assist actual people and therefore find some satisfaction in this. Also, the compensation package is just too good to pass up.

The Philippines has a rich culture. Most of the traditions and mores we have are deeply intertwined with the values we hold as a nation. One of the Filipino values that we should maintain and be proud of is the spirit of Bayanihan. That sense of camaraderie is the reason behind many volunteer opportunities in the Philippines like working for Gawad Kalinga.

Poverty has been a perennial problem in the country and if we are only going to rely on the government to work out this situation, it would take centuries to solve it. This is Gawad Kalinga,  a nonprofit organization, has launched programs and projects to help the poorest of the poor rise above their deprived condition. The main objective of this group is to build decent homes for the poor. It is rooted in the belief that slum conditions breed slum mentality and behavior. By building peaceful and ideal communities that they could occupy, the poor would be exposed to a better way of living.

Volunteer opportunities in the Philippines do not end in building homes. There are also other holistic programs that you could join to extend your help to the needy. You can share your talents and skills in livelihood projects, educational programs, and health projects. For instance, if you are a nurse, you can volunteer during medical missions or share your knowledge in seminars geared towards educating beneficiaries about proper health practices. Giving pledges and funds is not the only way to help such causes. There are other things that you can contribute to help achieve humanitarian goals.


It is also inspiring to note that even huge corporations also take part in the noble cause of the organization. They have shown that rival companies can unite and overlook corporate competitions to fulfill their social responsibilities. Business owners come together and help in raising funds that would help fuel the materialization of programs and projects. Aside from shelling out pledges, these companies also spread the spirit of Bayanihan to their employees by participating in site building projects and other events related to the cause. It is an amazing sight to behold.

Volunteerism has helped in bridging the gap between the rich and the poor. Through this  revolution to build a better nation championed by Gawad Kalinga, more than 40,000 homes have been built and given to the poor for free. Thousands of poor Filipinos are given a deeper sense of hope. More importantly, the spirit of Bayanihan has been kept alive and burning in the hearts of those who were given and those who give. On the other hand, the work is not yet over. There is still a long way to go beforpowerfule completely breaking the curse of poverty and you could help in carrying out this mission by joining the movement.

If you are thinking of getting a credit card application, make sure that you’ve asked yourself these questions before you make a decision.

The most important one is this: What is your primary purpose for using the card? Find the best card that matches your needs by following these guidelines:

1) You plan to use the card to make purchases, and you intend to pay them off fully every month.

The best card for this is the one with fringe benefits, such as loyalty points, rewards, and other back offers.

2) You want to use the card to make a major purchase, spreading all of your payments for several months.

The best thing is to juggle payments between different credit cards. Go for those with the low APR (Annual Percentage Rate).

3) You plan to use the card only for traveling abroad on in cases of emergency.
If this is the case, choose the ones with a lower credit limit and no annual fee. Also, make sure that your card is accepted in most countries.

4) You want to support a particular charity of your choice.

If you purchase charity cards, then there will a sum donated for every purchase you make without any additional cost on your part whatsoever.

The next most important question is, try to make sure that online payments are possible using your card.  This will help you save a lot of unnecessary charges. Also, it is more convenient, because when the payment is done online it takes only one business day to register. Compare this through mail payments, which take as long as 10 to 15 days, depending on the location of your credit card company.

Getting a credit card application is easy if you follow the guidelines given here. Soon, you will enjoy the benefits and perks that come from owning a piece of plastic that has the power to give you what you need – anytime, anywhere.

The best Grey Anatomy episodes seem to have passed us. So far, I feel like the series is churning out watered down stories. Although there are still great moments there, I still feel like this series’ prime has come to pass.

Grey Anatomy episodes are starting to show signs of “television series old age syndrome.” Let us take for example one of the longest running television shows that was created in the late nineties, ER. ER was one of the best shows when it was at its peek. I think it broke records as a television show that has garnered so many Emmy awards as well as Emmy nominations. But then as time passed on, the ratings have begun to dip. It still however had its loyal fans.

So is this the fate of Grey Anatomy episodes? Well, judging from the apparent loss of major cast members such as the hot mouth watering beautiful Ms. Katherine Heigl and the other guy to leave, Jordan Knight, I think it is safe to say that Grey’s Anatomy is going past it’s heyday.

Grey Anatomy episodes are still quite watchable though. They are still driving at those extremely touching moments. Is it just me? One way to explain the phenomena is that perhaps things are getting too repetitive. In short, the writers have nothing new to say or to contribute to the series. The story lines seem to be rehashed, if not from previous issues in the plot then from other drama series or texts. I suppose it just a fact that once a television show passes a certain point, its luster just starts to fade away. That is perhaps the natural process at work.

Anyone who is on the verge of foreclosure should take steps to save their homes as soon as possible. One very smart thing that a homeowner can do is to ask for help with loan modification. Believe me, with the crisis looming around like sitting ducks at Central Park, you need all the help you can get just to survive this bleak situation.


Mortgage modification gives a permanent change in mortgage so it becomes much easier and much more affordable for the borrower. This process fine tunes the current contract, and adjusts it to the current status of the borrower in order to bring the interest rate and payment down, decrease the principal balance, transform an adjustable rate into a fixed rate, forgive delinquent payments, and even stop auctions and foreclosure actions.

Usually, it is good if a homeowner will work out with the lender to change the terms of the loan. It’s quite interesting that “Hope Now,” which is a collaboration between mortgage companies, mortgage market representatives, and investors, assisted 370,000 homeowners during the mortgage crises in the latter half of 2007. Their aid included 250,000 payment plans and 120,000 loan modifications for the debtors.

It’s no wonder so many people are grateful. There aren’t a lot of people who are willing to shell out that kind of cash to carry on strangers’ burdens. But the mere fact that they would like to give their help with loan modification speaks volumes to what kind of people they truly are. Really -- they should clone more of them in our society today.

The undisputed star of the cast of Grey’s anatomy is none other than Mc Dreamy himself, Patrick Dempsey. I am not an avid fan so I’m not sure exactly why. All I know is that women all over a swooning over Mc Dreamy. Well, maybe women will literally fall on their feet (like flies dropping dead from a noxious gas.)


The hunky or rather dreamiest of the cast of Grey’s Anatomy was seen a few days before in LA X. He was going through the usual hell of airport security. And like the rest of us lowly non Hollywood denizens, he was forced to untie his shoes and place it in through the x ray machine. And then these couple of pictures they got of him seems to say that Mc Dreamy’s footsies are so very Mc Steamy or perhaps the better term is Mc Stinky.

Of course we can give him the benefit of the doubt. Photos such as these are taken by rabid paparazzi and it is so easy to rip things out of their original context or situation and put a new spin on things. He was probably just covering his nose because he was order by airport security to do so as a precaution against freak air born biochemical terrorist attacks. But of course, there weren’t any reports of such a terrorist attack that day so, we are still open to more interpretations.

Anyway, even though he might have Mc Stinky feet, he will still be the hottest cast of Grey’s Anatomy for years to come. So girls, just remember that stinky feet are not an incurable disease.

When Gretchen Bleiler stepped on the ramp for a death defying maneuver called the “Crippler 540”, it will leave the spectators in awe, as she gracefully glide the snowy curves of the halfpipe and end her great stunt, fans will applaud in insurmountable cheers.

Gretchen is one of the female athlete to-date that defined that the extreme sport of snowboarding is also dominated by the opposite sex. At the 2006 Winter X-games, Gretchen’s defining moment as a snowboarder has come in to fruition, as she snagged the silver medal that made her dream come true while she was a young girl.

At her tender age of 11, young Gretchen developed her skills in snowboarding in the snowy Alps of Aspen, Colorado. Before she dedicated her life in the said sport, she first took on skiing, but after awhile, the curriculum they had on her school changed her life. It happened to be the subject on their Physical Education class was snowboarding, so she got the hang of learning the basics, much like skiing, she enjoys the cool breeze as she drifts her way into the snow.

At that time, her three brothers, was also fond in snowboarding, so her siblings eventually taught her different tricks and motivated her to persevere more. Being a girl, Gretchen never thought of the circumstances or handicap she might be encountering in snowboarding, in fact, she desired to outclass her brothers by competing at them.

It turns out that hard work certainly has its way of repaying you in ten folds. As her career today is far from what she have dreamt when she was little, various commercial ads, hosting in different TV shows and designing clothing lines is one of the few blessings she’s having right now. And right now, she’s still out there trying to give her best in every competition she joins in to. Not to mention her contribution to Aspen and her fans, as a token of gratitude for her illustrious and growing career.

I heard from the grapevine that Tori Spelling did not want to join the 90210 cast because Jennie Garth and Shannen Doherty were signed for $35,000 to $50,000 while she was only getting around $10,000 to $20,000 a show. According to some sources, Tori got really pissed when she heard about their salary, and she demanded equal pay for all of the former 90210 stars who also star in the new 90210 spinoff.

Okay, now, my question is this: Do you think she deserves that kind of salary like Shannen and Jennie? It's really strange, because for me, her role in the past 90210 wasn't really that much, and she didn't have enough star appeal to gain a tremendous fan base, much like Shannen and Jenny did. In short, if she had a lot of fans, then maybe she deserves that kind of raise, but the truth of the matter is, she's not really too much of a star.

I know it’s a hard pill to swallow, but hey – someone needs to tell the truth, right? If I were Tori, I would rather swallow my pride and get that salary. I think it’s better to be part of the 90210 cast than not to be there at all.

One would expect mushy love songs to be played in the background of a hospital love drama in soap. And that’s just what you will get from Grey’s Anatomy. But of course the choices are not the cheesiest ones. The show does have some good taste in music actually. And if they ever choose cheesy music it is meant to be ironic or funny. If you are a rabid fan of the medical series, then you would probably already know that the Grey’s Anatomy Music Soundtrack I and Soundtrack vol. II are just small simple samples of the great mix of songs that were used in the hit episodes in the series. With that said, let’s list down some of the best (according to my criteria of course) that where heard. A lot of Grey’s Anatomy Music are gives you both a feeling of dread and of being uplifted at the same time. A lot of them are melodic, entrancing, emotive, and makes the best use of silence.


The show achieves these peculiar effects by using songs from the Cardigans, Tegan and Sara, and Keane. Now if you have never heard any one song from these groups then you would have hard time imagining what the heck I am talking about. But if you have, at least one song, they you would know just what kind of a trance I am talking about. The melody is primarily melancholic and yet very beautiful at the same time. These are not love songs that are bound by the aesthetic of the power ballad. They are however, more similar to folk ballads, only they are drenched in the modern angst of urban isolation and are characterized by a high consciousness of the self that is imperfect yet willing to lose itself for love. Beck for example is a recurring band through out Grey’s Anatomy music.

Without these pieces of music, the show Grey's Anatomy would certainly have a completely different outcome and atmosphere. So much of the emotive force that is seen episode per episode is bound up by the perfect timing and the perfect choice of music that is played. I would have to say though that I get a little tired of the ending song and montage of character shots showing them in various posses of despair, regret, longing, lovemaking, or happiness. That’s so been used so many many times in many many shows. All in all, the music still works its magical reverie.

Which Grey's Anatomy episode is your favorite? I can reminisce three of my favorite Grey's Anatomy Episodes. The first one was one of the best for me. That’s when Meredith got introduced into the scene. It was funny how she met her fellow workers the first time, Cristina Yang, the over achiever, George O’Malley, the witty and funny warm gut, and the hot Izzie whom I had been crushing on ever since. And who could also forget the first appearance of the Nazi Miranda Bailey who stole the scene. Meredith’s surprise of finding out that the guy she slept with a night before turns out to be her new boss.


Then, there’s episode 10 of season 4 entitled after a Dave Mathew’s song (Crash into Me). I really loved that episode though it was one of the saddest Grey's Anatomy Episodes ever. This was the chaotic episode when an ambulance got flipped on its side and people were trapped. That scene with the bleeding guy who just would not call it quits somehow got to me.

Lastly, I loved the episode when Izzie gathers together her co doctors and sets a a medical game that is designed to assist the interns. Addison, Sam, and Naomi also bring Archer to Seattle to have Mark and Derek save him.

I guess I was feeling nostalgic about  these Grey Anatomy episodes (please forgive me, my apostrophe is not working, blame my keyboard) because it seems the Patrick Dempsey, and Katherine Heigl are leaving. Knight is leaving to but who cares about that.

I am definitely digging these Psych spoilers I recently stumbled upon the internet. The ebony and ivory team up of Shawn and Gus really gives the storyline the justice it deserves. Their acting and undeniable chemistry as a comedy duo make the show such a hit on primetime TV.

If you are a fan of this weird, twisted and hilarious cat-and-mouse chase between criminals and fake psychic but real detectives, you sure would die for anything Psych. To whet your appetite for this superb TV primetime show, here are some spoilers and trivia that you shouldn’t miss.

•    You think Psych has enough funny characters to put in the mix? You better think again because one of the major Psych spoilers is coming at you. Shawn’s mother (Madeleine), a sexy and steamy psychologist, will join to add more hilarity to the story. She’s supposed to be this hotshot psychologist who would return to Santa Barbara to visit her son, giving an inkling that there would be lots of flashbacks on Shawn’s crazy childhood (can’t wait to see that!). What’s more interesting is that there is a possibility that Madeleine will get involved in his son’s psychic/detective adventures. Does this mean that there will be a mother-son tandem in the succeeding episodes? We just have to find out.

•    The actress picked to play Madeleine is Cybil Shepherd. You’ve probably seen her in the hit series Moonlighting together with Bruce Willis. Although she was not particularly effective in that series where she plays a dramatic role, Cybil could have the makings of a comedy actress. I think they did the right thing in picking her for the role. She is actually pretty funny.

Watching Psych is just one of those things that you want to do to relieve stress. You’ll get lots of laughs, entertainment and of course the wit and humor that the show has been known for. It is actually a bit paradoxical because while the show leaves you hanging, you can’t wait for the next episode to be shown on TV. I kid you not. This is becoming an addiction. Thanks to these Psych spoilers, fans like me would not have to endure the agonizing hanging episodes.

What do this will i am, Scarlett Johansson, John Legend, Herbie Hancock, Kate Walsh, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Adam Rodriquez, Kelly Hu, Adam Rodriquez, Amber Valetta and Nick Cannon have in common?

They appear on the “Yes We Can” video that tries to merge music with politics. The video is a campaign for recently elected president Barrack Obama. The funny thing about this video is that according to Jesse Dylan and Will i am, they did not coordinate the production or release of this video with the Obama campaign and the filmmakers say they don't even know if Obama is aware of the video.

The music video "Yes We Can" premiered on ABCNewsNow's "What's the Buzz" on Friday. It was inspired, will.i.am told ABC's Alisha Davis, by Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign and in particular by the speech he has gave after the New Hampshire primary.

"It made me reflect on the freedoms I have, going to school where I went to school, and the people that came before Obama like Martin Luther King, presidents like Abraham Lincoln that paved the way for me to be sitting here on ABCNews and making a song from Obama's speech," will.i.am said.

"The speech was inspiring about making change in America and I believe what it says and I hope everybody votes," Dylan said.

"I'm blown away by how many people wanted to come and be a part of it in a short amount of time. It was all out of love and hope for change and really representing America and looking at the world," will.i.am said.

I’ve been reading about Zac Efron on his Rolling Stone magazine interview, you know, the one with him on the cover almost almost shirtless. Zac Efron seems to have been full of himself during this interview. I mean, just look at his answers. I have this interesting picture in my mind: smug grin, his shirtless bravado while answering the Rolling Stone interviewer. Funny, but still, I can’t get that ridiculous image out of my head.

During the course of the interview, Zac talks about how he thought Vanessa was just a sweet kid and was surprised to find out that underneath that sweet exterior is “a very sexy woman.” Well, you can’t get any more suggestive than that. So what he’s saying is that he’s already “undressed” the sweet girl exterior and found a very sexy woman “underneath.”

When asked about the paparazzi, Zac comments that it is largely Mathew McConaughey’s fault for giving the tabloid journalist such great business. He says that Mathew McConaughey’s problem is that he’s always shirtless. Zac Efron (although he himself appears shirtless on the cover of the same magazine issue where he condemns those half naked Hollywood stars) also adds that stars should not frequent those Cliché Hollywood hangouts which the press of course also frequent.

Zac tells us that he’s just an ordinary kid. And just like any other, he likes having fun (probably hangs out in the same places he says Hollywood stars shouldn’t hang out in, go figure).

Anyway, this quasi shirtless Zac Efron picture in the cover of Rolling Stone is priceless so check it out. Some girls would kill for such a piece of meat.

I’ve been obsessed with the way Sherlock Holmes would solve mysteries and other questions simply by using the powers of observation. Well, I found myself a nice laid-back session with the Mentalist TV Show, featuring actor Simon Baker as the charming Patrick Jane.

In the show, Patrick Jane used to be known as a psychic, which he later is shown to be false. He acts as a consultant for investigations, in which he uses keen powers of observing details about people and places that help him solve crimes. Usually, a thing pops into his mind and he starts rummaging around or talking to people with questions that make other people feel that he can read minds or know stuff about them.

While people and fans do like the show as it is, I am not sure how many of those fans liked the show, because of its concept of solving crimes through observation or because of Simon Baker. Also, I’m initially a Sherlock Holmes fan. I don’t know how many of those out there who liked this show because of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s enigmatic sleuth.

Anyways, I do know there are friends of mine who first liked the show, and then remembering my story collection, started borrowing some of them. It now seems that deduction is not as silly as they first though, now that they have this great show based exactly on that, and the ratings confirm its popularity.

The great thing with solving problems through careful observation is that you don’t have to possess supernatural powers or even genetic skills to be able to replicate Jane. All you need to do is train yourself to observe and take note of every detail possible in your surroundings. Though this may sound very tiresome, I think it works from the assumption that when it comes to people, there is no insignificant detail. Even a small coffee stain and it particular flavor that you find on your boyfriend’s lap could lead to a discovery of infidelity. Or the choice of your chat mate’s username reveals something about his location or personality. I think it’s finding the connection with what appears as unrelated stuff.

I recommend this show to all who loves mystery books, and then find how it is solved at the end. Patrick Jane, in the series, is also searching for the serial killer who murdered his wife and daughter. All in all, the Mentalist TV show continues to supply my need of stories where solutions are discovered not by magic but by observation.

People would most likely want you to make their favorite Battlestar Galactica episode yours too. That’s the problem – I have my own favorite and if they have theirs, it’s fine. But I at least let me have my own.


One of my favorite series, Battlestar Galactica has this habit of alternating between good episodes and bad episodes. Episode 8 of season 3 of BSG is my favorite episode. This is the one where the history and background of the Admiral is put in the spotlight. I think I should also mention that the Admiral is also my favorite character in the whole series. This story somehow explains why the Admiral, even though he is a very good Viper pilot and commander, is tasked to take charge of a very old battleship.

The episode’s title is “Hero” and is supposed to be about a fighter under the leadership of Adama before the invasion of the Cylons. But watching the show, it really is more about Adama and his clouded past. The episode also gives some background about the situation in the Twelve Colonies before the Cylon attack.

I liked this best because it shows the inner thoughts and doubts that Admiral deals with almost everyday. It was established in other episodes that he is one hell of a Viper pilot. And with that kind of skill, he also proved himself to be great commander. So, why is Adama stuck with some old battleship? Some sort of silent demotion or recognition that he’s slipping and not as good anymore?

If I were very good at something I’ve been doing for a long time, and then the same people that I’ve helped for years suddenly act indifferently towards me, I wouldn’t know what to do. Frankly, I think I would just quit and let them deal with their sorry selves. But we find the Admiral continue living up to his duties and responsibilities. Amidst all the internal thoughts and external problems, he continues to remain strong, After all, people still look up to him. His sons looked up to him, as do most of his comrades before and currently in the ship.

If I were him, I don’t know how I can stand the insecurity and lack of esteem of being assigned to an old ship while knowing fully well that I am one of their best fighter pilots. Watching this Battlestar Galactica episode always makes me think if it’s worth it to know how good you really are, if others don’t.

This March 2009, I along with fans I wouldn’t dare count await the release of Snyder’s directed film of the cult graphic novel, The Watchmen. To those unfamiliar with Snyder, he was the guy who directed the movie 300, which was also based on a graphic novel. Some even call this guy, a visionary director.

I have to admit, I am one of those people who are frantically looking for a comic book copy only because of the anticipation caused by the upcoming Watchmen movie. Guilty as I am, I can point out a lot of other who only discovered Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter because of the film releases. Hey, educators could even say that because of movie releases, students and people are motivated to read.

My problem is whether I should first watch the movie, then read the comic book, or watch the film only after I have completely read and reread the limited edition graphic novel.

Some people say that it’s better to read first then watch the film. It’s like homework: they say you would better appreciate and understand the professor’s lecture if you come to class unprepared. Now based on my experience, I would attend class, hear something extremely cool, then that’s the time I go to the internet or the library, or ask friends about the topic.

The danger, they say, if you watch a film first without reading what it was based on, is you miss some of the scenes’ meanings. This was the common sentiment, especially with the Harry Potter movies. Since the film makers cannot put to screen all that happened in the novels, they try to condense what they feel are important parts. Or, they only film parts they feel screen-worthy.

The Watchmen is a really great story, if you take the time to read the whole 12 issues of it. Now, since it happens to the best novels-turned-movie out there, who’s to say that the Watchmen movie will not do the same? The comic book is full of dialogue, all adding to the understanding of the situation of the characters. It’s impossible to put that many lines and actions within the film. Personally, to give justice to the graphic novel, I think it would have been better to release a series of films rather than just one film to tell the story of the Watchmen. After all, the story only takes up 12-issues with no continuation whatsoever. Since this is the first time it’s going to be adapted into film, better make sure it matches, if not surpass, the success of the comic series.

I am quite sure that I am not the first one to notice the similarity between Nite Owl, one of the Watchmen characters and Batman, the caped crusader of Gotham City. Actually, most people who saw the pictures of the characters for the upcoming movie asked if that was the new Batman costume. Many fans already just cannot see Batman wearing something like that, and rightly so since Nite Owl is not Batman.

The Nite Owl seems to like owls a lot. I think the term for the study of birds is ornithology, and boy does he like owls a lot. Almost all of his inventions are one way or another related to owls. I wouldn’t be surprised if he has lines in the movie where he hoots. I wouldn’t even be surprised if he had the ability to twist his head 180 degrees! Though I’m positive that’s not one of his powers that would have really awesome.

Of all the Watchmen characters, the Nite Owl relies awfully a lot on his gadgets, the same way Batman does on his inventions. Both of them spend lots of their own money on crafting, designing and creating their own vehicles, weapons and stuff, clearly showing that it takes more than courage and guts to fight crime. Yes, you definitely need a lot of funding, especially for the cool weapons, armor and cars.

The Nite Owl is detached from his parents, Batman is orphaned since he was small, and this shows another similarity between the two. This also shows that in order to truly fight injustice and roam the streets at night unfettered, one must be emancipated. I would love to see a series wherein it shows Batman or even any of the Watchmen characters as heroes in their teens. Although Cartoon Network has Teen Titans with kids in costumes wielding superpowers, I would like to see a teen superhero story in the vein of the Watchmen. Dealing with world realities, but still with limitations and subject to the emotions and faults of childhood – now that’s something to look out for.

Anyhow, Batman came out first, sometime before the 1940s. Admittedly, the characters of Watchmen were patterned with heroes that people can readily relate too. And while we all know that the dark knight liked to operate and work alone, the Nite Owl is featured in a story where he has comrades. Though these DC comic characters do share some undeniable similarities, the story of the Watchmen is very compelling that watching the movie to be released this March 2009 is something to anticipate.