Remskie's Misadventures in the Real World

Notable "Term" for the Moment (2)

2008-05-27T20:27:00.002+08:00

Organized Clutter [ôr-gə-nīzd klŭt-ər]
- an oxymoron, finding order in disorder, finding peace in mess (applies on a case-to-case basis)

VIGNETTES 3 - SA PASIGAN, TAKIPSILIM

2008-04-19T16:18:00.001+08:00

Isang araw, habang naglalakad sa puting buhangin ng dalampasigan, tanaw sa malayo ang papalubog nang bola ng apoy, tinanong ni Celia ang kaibigang si Julieta kung ano ang balak nitong kuning kurso sa kolehiyo. Ilang buwan na kasi ay magtatapos na sila ng high school. Kapwa sila galing sa mahirap na pamilya, at ang pagpasok sa kolehiyo ang tanging paraan upang maiahon sila sa kahirapan.

"Ako, nursing. Para matulungan ko naman ang mga magulang ko. Sa Maynila ako mag-aaral kung papalarin, sa tulong na rin ng aking tiyang nagpalaki na sa akin noon," tugon ni Celia, na nagdaos ng kanyang ika-18 kaarawan noong nakaraang linggo lamang. Mas matangkad siya sa kaibigan, balingkinitan ang katawan at may angking kagandahang pinatingkad ng kanyang kamorenahan.

"Bakit naman iyon? Hindi ka ba nandidiring maghuhugas ka ng puwet ng mga hindi mo naman kakilala?," nakasimangot na tanong ng mas ideyal na si Julieta, na bagama't mas bata ay katulad ng isang matanda kung mag-isip. Hindi siya gaanong katangkaran, at mas maputi siya kay Celia. Ngunit aakalain mo siyang isang manikin sa taglay nitong kagandahan, na talaga namang ikapanliliit ni Celia.

"Mas malaki ang kikitain ko roon. At makakapunta pa ako sa ibang bansa. Alin? Kung dito ako, baka mamatay kaming lahat nang dilat eh hindi pa kami nakakatikim ng ginhawa."

"At least, kung dito ka, mas maraming kababayan natin ang matutulungan mo. Kaya ako, magdu-doktor ako, at dito ko gustong magtrabaho. Kung sa ibang bansa ako, baka bangkay pa akong umuwi rito. Mas masakit naman iyon, ano?"

"Saan ka naman mag-aaral?," usisa ni Celia. "Nakapasa ka ba sa mga in-apply-an mong eskwela?"

"Oo, pumasa naman ako. Sa UP."

"UP? Buti ka pa."

"Pero baka hindi ko rin matuloy iyon. Buti nakapasa rin ako sa PUP, PLM, at sa La Salle. Kung papalarin, sana makapasok ako sa kahit isa man lang doon kapag hindi ko nakaya sa UP," pagmamalaki ni Julieta, na 'di hamak na ubod ng talino, dahil siya ay potential candidate para sa pagiging valedictorian sa kanilang paaralan. Matalino siya sa science at math, at talo pa niya sa mga contest ang mga naturingan pa man ding nasa private school. "Ikaw, sa'n ka nakapasa?"

"Wala nga eh," sagot ni Celia.

"Bakit naman?"

"Ewan ko ba, nag-review naman ako para talagang makapasa ako, pero talagang bobo nga siguro ako."

"'Wag ka naman ganyang magsalita, eh bakit ako hindi naman ako nag-aral pero tsumamba ako?"

"Ikaw? Gaga, valedictorian ka na kaya? Ikaw pa, eh alam mo na yata kahit mga pinag-uusapan ng mga mikrobyo sa katawan mo eh!" Sabay silang nagtawanan. Bagama't ayaw ipahalata ni Celia, lubha siyang nasaktan nang malamang nabigo siya sa mga pinasukan niyang paaralan.

"Ewan ko ba, bakit kaya ganun?"

"Bakit?," tanong ni Celia sa kaibigan. Pareho silang huminto sa kanilang paglalakad, umupo sa malaking tipak ng bato sa malayong dako ng dalampasigan at kapwa pinanood ang nagpapaalam nang hari.

"Parang tinatamad na nga akong mag-aral eh. Puro pressure ang natatanggap ko. Sa bahay, sa iskul... hindi ko na nga kayo makasama tuwing may lakad eh, kasi lagi nila akong binabantayan. Dapat ganito, dapat ganun... nagsasawa na ako sa ganitong treatment sa akin. Minsan nga gusto ko nang ibagsak 'yang punyetang English na iyan eh," sentimyento ni Julieta.

Inaalo na lamang ni Celia ang kaibigan. Nauunawaan niya ang kalagayan nito. Alam niya ang mga paghihirap ni Julieta sa paaralan, ang mga sakripisyong ginawa niya para lang sa paaralan. Naalala niya nang tumangis sa kanya si Julieta nang sa araw ng kanilang J-S Prom, saka naman siya pinatawag ng kanyang trainor sa English para sa kanyang spelling contest kinabukasan. Bagama't pinakiusapan niya ang kanyang guro na kinabukasan na lang bago ang contest ipagpatuloy ang training, pagalit siyang tinanggihan ng guro.

"Mabuti ka pa nga, matalino ka. Ako, kahit minsan hindi ako nagkaroon man lang ng 90 sa card. Ako nga dapat mainggit sa iyo 'no? Ako kaya ang nasa lagay mo, nang matuwa ka naman?," sabi ni Celia. Patuloy sa pagsisintir si Julieta sa kaibigan, hinihinga sa katabi ang kanyang mga reklamong ngayon niya lang nagawang ihinga.

Halos isang arko na lamang ang kanina'y mapagmalaking pulang bilog sa linyang humahati sa langit at mundo at unti-unti nang nagpapanibagong-bihis ang langit nang mapagpasyahan ng magkaibigan na umuwi. Kinabukasan ay marami pang dapat gawin sa paaralan si Julieta, habang si Celia ay iniisip ang sariling suliranin. Muli nilang ipinagpatuloy ang paglalakad, hinahayaang tangayin ng patuloy na lumalakas na daloy ng mga itim na hukbo ng alon ang kanilang mga naglalayag na guni-guni.

WAKAS

VIGNETTES 2 - PANTASYA

2008-04-19T15:58:00.002+08:00

Tumapat si Buboy sa salamin, nakabilad sa harapan ang hubad na katawan, basa ng tubig mula sa pagligo. Huminga ng malalim. Pumikit. Sa pagdilat ng mata, ang masikip na silid ay lumuwag. Dumilim, umingay, lumamig, dinumog ng mga tao. Kumintab ang magaspang na sahig, at ang bumbilyang tanging pinanggagalingan ng liwanag sa silid ay naging disco ball. Gumiling ang katawan, umindak sa tugtuging mapang-aya.

Maya maya, lumapit ang isang babae. Makinis ang balat na simputi ng labanos. Hubog ng isang tunay na magdalena. Diretso ang tingin ng dilag kay Buboy. Sa isang iglap pa, nasa harap na ang dilag. Ang kamay ay nakapatong sa kapwa balikat. Matalim ang tingin. Sumabay sila sa bagal ng ritmo, dama ni Buboy ang katawan sa kapwa katawan. Ngayon, solo na nila ang entablado. Patuloy sa malumanay na paghakbang ng paa, habang nananatiling mataman ang pagtitig ng hindi pa kilalang babae sa kanya. Halos lusawin siya ng makamundong titig na iyon. Ilang saglit, lumapit ang mukha niya sa kanya, kinandado ng matamis na halik ang pagtatagpo nila ng labi. Umakyat ang dugo ni Buboy. Mainit ang kanyang pakiramdam. Halos manginig ang kanyang katawan...

Pagdilat ng mata, wala na ang disco. Wala na rin ang babae. Ngunit nakangiti lang siya, hinahabol ang hininga. Sa muling pagtingin sa sarili, napansin niya ang puting dagta na tumilapon sa salamin.

WAKAS

VIGNETTES 1 - CYBORG

2008-04-18T16:47:00.002+08:00

Muli ay inungkat ko ang aking baul ng kaalaman... at nakita ko ang ilang maiikling kwentong nilikha ko noong sem break sa college.

Eto ang isa. Sana mag-enjoy kayo...

==========

CYBORG

Nagtungo ako minsan sa bahay ng mga cyborg.

Hindi sila ganito noon. Payak pa sa karaniwan ang kanilang pamumuhay. Halos mabaon nga sila sa mga pagkakautang noon. Maraming mga bagay ang mabigat sa kanilang bulsa.

Kaya naman malaking pagbabago ang aking nadatnan noong dalawin ko ang tahanan ng pamilya ng aking ninang. Kaiba sa kanilang kinagisnang pamumuhay ang estado nila ngayon. Wala na ang kanilang barung-barong na bahay. Pinalitan na nila ito ng bahay na kongkreto. Punung-puno na ito ng laman sa loob, kumpara sa kanilang naunang tirahan. Mayroon na silang ikalawang palapag, na nahahati naman sa mga kuwartong kani-kanilang inookupahan. At abot-kaya na nila ang mga dating luho lamang sa kanila.

May taxi na si ninong, na noo'y isa lamang fixer sa city hall. Si ninang naman, ngayo'y humihiga na sa isang malambot na kama, lumipas na ang kanyang pagtitiyaga sa papag. At para naman sa mga panahong inaatake siya ng rayuma, umuupo na lang si ninang sa kanyang electric massage recliner. Inaya nila ako na gumamit ng kanilang mga bagong kagamitan. Tumanggi ako: Ayokong maging cyborg.

Sumaglit ako sa kuwarto ng kanilang bunsong anak. Maaliwalas ito ngayon dahil na rin sa kanyang bagong-lagay na aircon. Sa tabi ng kanyang kama, nakalagak naman sa isang kabinet ang kanyang sariling laptop computer, na tiyak namang mamahalin. Habang siya ay nakahiga sa sariling kama, inaya niya akong maglaro sa kanyang bagong gaming console. Tumanggi ako: Ayokong maging cyborg.

Bago umalis, nagpaalam muna ako sa kanila, lalo na sa taong sadya ko, ang aking kaibigang transgender. Nagtrabaho siya sa Japan bilang entertainer, at doon ay kumita siya nang malaki, bagay na naging dahilan ng mabilis na pagbabago ng kanilang pamumuhay. Dahil nga rin dito kaya hindi niya naipagpatuloy ang kanya sanang pag-aaral sa kolehiyo, ngunit napagtapos naman ng kanyang katas mula sa Japan ang kanyang kapatid. Nagtungo siya sa Thailand matapos kumita nang sapat upang magpa-sex change. Ipinakita pa nga niya ang kanyang dalawang malulusog na suso at kaangkinang balot ng maninipis na buhok na kulay ginto. Maging ang kanyang mahabang buhok sa ulo, animo'y hibla ng ginto. Bumagay sa kanyang maamong mukhang animo'y mukha ng isang Amerikana, at sa kanyang balat na tamang tama ang timpla ng kaputian. Gamit naman ang isang aparatong may laser, binunutan niya ng buhok ang kanyang binti at kilikili. Sa pamamagitan nito, aniya, maaahitan niya ang sarili nang hindi na gumagamit ng razor o magpa-wax. Tangan ang isang manipis na colored cellphone, nilapitan niya ako at inayang magladlad na rin. Tumanggi ako: Ayokong maging cyborg.

Lumabas na ako sa bahay ng mga cyborg. Biglang may nag-text sa akin. Paglabas ko nito mula sa bag, napansin ko ang mga laman nito: isang iPod mini, isang digital camera, at isang personal digital assistant. Saka ko lamang napagtanto: Isa rin pala akong cyborg.

WAKAS

OF CELLPHONES AND MEN (STACCATO OF LOVE AND PAIN)

2008-04-18T15:54:00.003+08:00

Muli na naman akong nag-ungkat sa aking baul ng kaalaman (chos!) at eto ang aking nakita, isang draft ng tula. Using codes.

==========

OF CELLPHONES AND MEN

(STACCATO OF LOVE AND PAIN)

Press. Hold. Backlights. On.

Enter. PIN. Press. Ok.

Code. Accepted.

Nokia.

Alarmed. Battery. Low.

Ignore. Press. C.

One. Message. Received. Open.

Sean.

Read. Ok.

Opening. Message.

Call. Me. Now. Please.

Sender. Sean. Number.

Sent. Date. Time.

Press. C. Hold.

Press. Menu. Press. Asterisk.

Keypad. Locked. Backlights. Off.

Smiling. Face. Thinking. Him.

I. Walked. Hurriedly.

Reached. Over. Telephone.

Lift. Handset. Dial. Number.

Ring. Three. Times.

He. Answered."Hello".

Reply. "Sean. It's. Me".

"I'm. Saying. Something."

Reply. "Tell. Me. Smile. From. My. Lips".

Silence. Deep. Breath.

"I. Love. You. Ella".

Reply. "I. Know." Smiling. But. Doubtul.

He. Continued. "But. I. Can't. Love. You".

Reply. Silence. Shock. "Why?".

"Because. I. Also. Love. Madeleine. I'm. Sorry".

Reply. Silence. Rain. Falling. Wind. Cold.

"Please. Forgive. Me".

Phone. Off. Line. Busy.

Tears. Falling. From. My. Eyes.

Nokia. Alarmed. Battery. Empty.

Nokia. Went. Off.

Rain. Stopped. Crying. Sobbing. Sleep.

Silence.

Alarm. Reaching. Nokia.

3310. Six. O'clock. Morning.

What. A. Dream.

Notable "Term" for the Moment (1)

2008-04-17T15:57:00.003+08:00

Effortless Beauty [ěf'ərt-lĭs byōō-tē]
- possession of low-maintenance beauty and confidence, requires less self-attention, but draws a lot of attention from everyone else

Welcome to Singapore! Where everything is allowed but...

2008-04-17T15:51:00.002+08:00

1) Firearms/Parts of Firearms including magazines;
2) Live Bullet/Blank - small caliber for revolver, pistol or rifle,
3) Live Bullet/Blank - other than small caliber
4) Air Pistol/Rifle or parts of Air Pistol/Rifle
5) Airport Guns/BB Guns;
6) Spear Gun/Cross bow;
7) Explosive Blasting cap/Dynamite/Detonators/Det-Cords;
8) Fireworks/crackers;
9) Spent/empty cartridges, bullets rendered 'safe';
10) Signal Flares;
11) Tear-Gas Spray/Pepper Spray;
12) Walking Stick with Dagger;
13) Industrial Acid/Corrosive Substance;
14) Flick knives, gravity knives;
15) Whips made from bicycle or motorcycle chains;
16) Nanchaku;
17) Knuckle Duster;
18) Ninja star/Throwing knives;
19) Stun Guns/Taser Guns;
20) Toy guns which resemble real guns;
21) Bullet proof vest;
22) Baton/T-baton;
23) Night Stick/Truncheon;
24) Handcuffs;
25) Replica, dummy and model explosives;
26) Cornershot devices; and
27) Lighters shaped like grenade, bullets and firearm.

In addition, the following items are not allowed to be imported into Singapore:
1) Chewing Gum (except dental or nicotine gum);
2) Chewing tobacco and imitation tobacco products;
3) Cigaretter lighters of pistol or revolver shape;
4) Controlled drugs and psychotropic substances;
5) Endangered species of wildlife and their by-products;
6) Firecrackers;
7) Obscene articles, publications, video tapes/discs and software;
8) Reproduction of copyright publications, video tapes, video compact discs, laser discs, records or cassettes; and
9) Seditious and treasonable materials

Oh, and by the way, I haven't been to Singapore. And I don't think I'll be interested to go there one day, given all these restrictions.

Anyway, to everyone else, welcome and have a good time in Singapore, the most disciplined First World country in the world, perhaps...

High School Memories... The Betty La Fea song I wrote noong high school

2008-04-13T18:32:00.003+08:00

Siguradong naaalala pa ng high school friends ko itong kantang ginawa ko especially to some of the teachers we loved and loathed. Pero siyempre, yung ibang mga teacher na originally ay narito sa song ay pinalitan ko na (in bold) since they bring nightmares to us. So, eto ang aking awiting naungkat sa baul. Hope you all enjoy this (pati na sa mga hindi ko friends noong high school, sundan n'yo lang ang lyrics at isipin ang tono ng Betty La Fea...)

=====

BETTY LA FEA
Rems' Edition

(INSTRUMENTAL)

MALAKING SALAMIN
SIGE SIGE HOY

MS MYRNA GUEVARA, EMPANADA'Y 'LANG KATULAD
SA PERIODIC TEST SIYA'Y NAGLALAKO

SI MA'AM MACABALE ANG KATULONG SA PAGBENTA'NG EMPANADA
SA PERIODIC TEST KAPWA NAGLALAKO

SI MA'AM ARCEGA, NAGDIDILIG NA
PAG GINALIT MO, "IKAW HA, ISA NA LANG!"

HOY, TEKA LANG, SABI NI MA'AM LUGTU
LUMALAKI DAW...
ANG ALIN?
BALAKANG NIYA...
KASI BUNTIS!

MA'AM CABALLERO SA EXTEMPO
ANG LAHAT NAI-IMBYERNA

KAY TAVIOSA KAMI AY NAPAPA-CHOS!

(SHORT INTERMISSION -- ARE YOU HAVING A GOOD TIME?)

KAY NOVIE, NANGGIGIGIL JOURNALISM FILIPINO
NAGBUBUNGANGA SABI "ANO BA 'YAN?"

KAY MA'AM GULAPA AY ENJOY ANG KLASE NAMIN SA BIOLOGY
KAY RICHARD SIYA'Y NAGHAHANAP NG "GUARD!"

SA ECONOMICS SI MA'AM MATA
MA'AM RAYMUNDO SA WORLD HISTORY

MA'AM CAASI NAGPUPULOT NG KALAT
"BOY AT NENE!"

SI DIMAPILIS, TOTAL THEATER
SI GALOPE AY "FEARST YAR" AT "SICAND YAR"!
SOY SAUCE ASIM!

Thank you...

For a change

2008-03-01T22:33:00.002+08:00

Alam kong walang nagbabasa ng blog ko. Ayos lang! Hahaha!!! Pero, from now on, magta-Tagalog at Taglish na rin ako. Ang hirap pag sobrang nag-e-English. Kahit English ang wika sa kapaligiran mo, kung hirap ang utak mo na magproseso ng mga bagay sa English, ano pa'ng silbi? At least, we're here for freedom of expression. No matter what the language is... hala, nag-e-English na ako e! Hahaha!!!

Adik ako. Yun na.

33rd Annual List of Words Banished from the Queen's English for Misuse, Overuse and General Uselessness

2008-01-18T15:02:00.000+08:00

For the 33rd time, the Lake Superior State University in Michigan has released what its in-house linguists claim as the list of "words banished from the Queen's English for misuse, overuse and general uselessness."

(Queen's or King's English refers to the English spoken by the British monarchy, which many consider to be the standard of all the English around the world, including American English)

Well, I haven't seen the other 32 annual lists, but I find this one interesting.

Some words in the list include a type of torturing used by US intelligence agents, a phrase to describe the trend that has replaced the old one, and even ordinary ones that we thought to have been harmless over the years.

By the way, should you want to see the list and peruse whether the words are worthy of the ax or not, click here.

100 Things We Didn't Know Last Year

2008-01-02T14:48:00.000+08:00

Happy New Year to all!

And as we bid farewell to 2007, here are 100 things that we didn't know last year.

Compiled by the BBC.

Photo: from the same BBC article website.

==========

HAPPY NEW YEAR GREETINGS AROUND THE WORLD:

Spain: ¡FELIZ AÑO NUEVO!

France: BONNE ANNÉE!

Germany: EIN GLÜCKLICHES NEUES JAHR!

Italy: FELICE ANNO NUOVO!

Portugal: FELIZ ANO NOVO!

Russian: S NOVIM GODOM!

China: XIN NIAN YU KUAI!

Japan: AKEMASHITE OMEDETTO GOZAIMASU!

Korea: SAEHAE BOCK MANI BA DEU SEI YO!

Indonesian: SELAMAT TAHUN BARU!

Arabic: ANTUM SALIMOUN!

Christmas Halloween...

2007-12-26T20:48:00.000+08:00

Here's one surprising news from the US, a spooky, Halloween-ish news in Christmas.

From BBC News: "A man from Oregon stunned his friends and relatives by sending them Christmas cards, two months after his own death."

And here's the catch: the man's former barber admitted to conspiring with him to make this prank way back in 1987. Now that's really kuwentong barbero (a Filipino idiom for "a fraudulent story"; literally "a barber's story).

See that story here.

Yahoo! Year in Review: Most E-Mailed Pictures of 2007

2007-12-20T15:17:00.000+08:00

What "spooky" event can one cat in Rhode Island predict? How are Thai police chastised for breaking the rules? What's the most dangerous kids' fashion trend for the past 12 months? And who saved a one-year-old boy's life from a rattlesnake?

The pictures, and the stories behind those, are among Yahoo!'s most-emailed this year!

See them here before 2008 arrives.

NOVEMBER 29, 2007

2007-11-30T15:00:00.000+08:00

It may seem déja vu to everyone who were glued to their TV screens as the main players of a failed coup attempt in 2003 (now known as the "Oakwood Mutiny") were on it again, this time at the Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati, but nowhere is there a hint of it being a good indication of restoring order in the country. Alas, we made it to the global headlines once more... albeit very disgraceful.

It's sad that the idealism of Senator Antonio Trillanes, Brigadier General Danilo Lim etc. has gone too far. Trillanes said it was all unplanned, but Lim read out a prepared statement while the media gave them the mileage they seemingly expect. Furthermore, it's unclear to me why the adventurous Trillanes has been staging an attempted overthrow of the government in a luxury hotel (in the erstwhile Oakwood Residences in 2003 and now at The Peninsula Manila) -- such a high-end elitist location for a revolutionary mission, (pardon my somewhat Marxist perspective in here).

The drama that unfolded in Makati was too overblown. First, Trillanes' idealism, however persuasive, is redundant. Second, the government's response was truly reckless. The Peninsula Manila may seem too high culture a place for many, but undoubtedly it's as symbolic to Makati as the Manila Hotel is in the capital. The military's smashing of the hotel's door to penetrate the building and capture Trillanes and the gang is a desperate move to quell such act of dissent, a disrespect to a landmark and a premier address for investors driving our economy, and an unwise move to promote their cause - and the Philippines in the tourism map, for that matter. They've made a peaceful resolve during the 2003 mutiny. Have they already lost their patience now?

Many Filipinos are all too pissed with Arroyo’s administration. Human rights abuses, extra-judicial killings, electoral fraud, questionable contracts, all too many to mention; we’ve seen them all in this administration. And yet the peso and the economy have shown unprecedented signs of recovery. Even then, the needs of the people have to be verily addressed by this administration. Trillanes’ gang is all prompted to make such a dangerous disposition yesterday to vent their anger against the president.

The only liability is: should the coup d’etat prosper, what will the caretaker government they’re suggesting be like? All composed of the former soldiers who defected from the chain of command? We’re not Thailand. And we don’t have a revered monarch to guide the military into a much straighter path. Plus, we’ve had two presidents who were from the military. Even if they’re the lesser evil, would the people still consider them an option? I hardly think so.

From the standpoint of a BBC South-east Asia correspondent, my views also hold true, brief, but concise.

==========

Idealism that drives Philippine plotters
By Jonathan Head South-East Asia correspondent, BBC News

Armed soldiers milling amid the marble and crystal fittings of a luxury hotel foyer in the commercial heart of Manila.

Aggrieved officers demanding a change of government.

Even more troops with armoured vehicles mounting a siege outside.
A swarm of journalists and cameramen, capturing the entire drama, live on TV.

Finally, an emotional surrender by the renegades, claiming to be acting in the higher interests of the nation.

And then everything is more or less back to normal.

It could only happen in the Philippines.

Carbon-copy mutiny

And it has happened more than once. In fact the leaders of this mutiny had only just walked out of a courtroom where they were on trial for a strikingly similar incident four years ago.

That was known as the "Oakwood Mutiny", after the high-end apartment block and shopping mall they occupied.

Then there were around 300 of them from various military units, and they were able to lay high explosives around the buildings.

The authorities were understandably hesitant to attempt the kind of full-scale assault they mounted this time - instead they negotiated a peaceful end to the siege.

The justification given by the mutineers is also much the same this time.

On their website, they described the country's economy, rule of law and "moral order" as lying in ruins.

As soldiers, they said, their duty was to defend the constitution and the people, not any particular individual.

They had resorted to taking this action, they said, because all other means of holding the Arroyo government to account for its abuses of power and corruption had failed.

Corruption is more or less endemic in the political cultures of most of South-East Asia.

The Philippines exception

And in the two most comparable to the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, the military is also poorly trained and equipped, with a tradition of meddling in politics.

But the willingness of disaffected soldiers to take up arms against their government is unique to the Philippines in this region.

There have been around a dozen uprisings or coup attempts since the 1986 "People Power" revolution that overthrew the Marcos dictatorship.

So why is the Philippines different?

Perhaps it can be explained by the romantic idealism that pervades so many aspects of Filipino life.

Politics there is as dirty as anywhere in Asia. Votes and political support are blatantly bought, power is openly abused, corruption flagrantly practiced.

Political positions are passed on to sons, daughters, cousins and friends, as though they are birthrights.

Yet where this has imbued the populations of other South-East Asian societies with cynicism, in the Philippines political debate - and there is an awful lot of it - still invokes the loftiest ideals and principles.

Idealism

And much of that idealism has infused the armed forces.

The military takes great pride in the role it played in the much-romanticised "People Power" uprising of 1986.

But it also takes pride in the endless battles it has to fight against rebel movements, from the communist New People's Army to the militant Islamic insurgents in the south.

This gives many officers a sense that they are literally the guardians of the nation.

Following the People Power revolution, a group calling itself the Reform the Armed Forces Movement, which had led the military defection from Marcos, grew increasingly unhappy with the failure of the Aquino government to address the deep-rooted poverty and inequality in Filipino society.

Led by a dashing young colonel, Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan, it was involved in two major uprisings against her government in 1987 and 1989, during the last of which the presidential palace was bombed.

Yet Colonel Honasan was later pardoned, and has gone on to a very successful career as a senator, even though he is still suspected of being involved in later coups and mutinies.

Resentment and showmanship

This lenient approach by the army's top command reflects their awareness of the wider popularity of the demands made by renegade factions in the military, and the risk of a wider uprising if they are dealt with too harshly.

One of the units most involved in these various uprisings is the army's most elite, the Scout Rangers.

These are the troops most likely to see battle against the insurgents.

They also see how poorly paid and equipped many soldiers are compared to their most senior officers and most politicians.

The Philippines is the largest recipient of US military aid in the region, but spends less - just 1% of GDP - on defence than most of its neighbours.

In battle the troops are also often poorly commanded.

Earlier this year dozens died, and 10 were beheaded, in clashes with Muslim rebels.

All this leads to lingering resentment of the central government, combined with a sense of duty to intervene.

There is also something of a performance about these uprisings that is in keeping with the rest of political culture in the Philippines.

The mutineers did not appear to expect that their action would actually cause the government's downfall.

They were making a point, albeit dramatically, and of course only when they had made sure there was an army of TV cameras there at the hotel to record the events.

In a country so in love with the cult of celebrity, that kind of showmanship seems somehow quite natural.

Photo Credits: AP, AFP (retrieved from BBC News)

English Grammar 101: Match That!

2007-10-10T20:57:00.000+08:00

A friend of mine sent me this quirky message. I hope you like it the same way you were amused with Inday's display of beauty and brains...

==========

PART I

We've been friends for a long time ago. We come from the same alma mother. Actually, our paths crossed one time on another. But it's only now that I gave him a second look. I realized that beauty is in the eyes. The pulpbits of my heart went fast, really fast. Cute pala siya.

And then, he came over with me. He said, "I hope you don't mine. Can I get your number?" Nag-worry ako. What if he doesn't give it back? He explained naman na it's so we could keep intact daw. Sabi ko, connect me if i'm wrong but are you asking me ouch? Nabigla siya. Sagot niya, The! Aba ! Parang siya pa ang galit! Persona ingrata!!! Ang kapal niya! I cried buckles of tears.

Na-guilty yata siya. Sabi niya, isipin mo na lang na this is a blessing in the sky. Irregardless daw of his feelings, we'll go ouch na rin. Now, we're so in love. Mute and epidemic na ang past. Thanks God we swallowed our fried. Kasi, I'm 33 na and I'm running our time. After 2 weeks, he plopped the question. "Will you marriage me?" I'm in a state of shocked. Kasi mantakin mo, when it rains, it's four! This is true good to be true. So siyempre, I said yes. Love is a many splendor.

Pero nung inaayos ko na ang aming kasal, everything swell to pieces. Nag-di-dinner kami noon nang biglang sa harap ng aming table, may babaeng humirit ng, "Well, well, well. Look do we have here." What the fuss! The nerd ng babaeng yon! She said they were still on. So I told her, whatever is that, cut me some slacks! I didn't want this to get our hand kaya I had to sip it in the bud. She accused me of steeling her boyfriend. Ats if! I don't want to portrait the role of the other woman. Gosh, tell me to the marines! I told her, "please, mine you own business!" Who would believe her anyway?

Dahil it's not my problem anymore but her problem anymore, tumigil na rin siya ng panggugulo. Everything is coming up daisies. I'm so happy. Even my boyfriend said liketwice. He's so supportive. Sabi niya, "Look at is this way. She's our of our lives."Kaya advise ko sa inyo - take the risk. You can never can tell. Just burn the bridge when you get there. Life is shorts. If you make a mistake, we'll just pray for the internal and external repose of your soul. I second emotion.

PART II

I thought Jay's ex-girlfriend was really out of our lives. But heaven only goes that I was wrong. Kakakasal pa lang namin nun when Jay received a unanimous text. "Meet me at the clinic".

I had a stinking feeling in my butt. I told him not to go. It might in danger him. Pero sabi niya, ok lang daw because life is what we make. Tumahimik lang ako. Sabi niya, "Penny for you talks." But I didn't know what to say. Beggars can't belosers. Isa pa, worried talaga ako na baka yung girl yun. Jay said, "Can't got your tongue" I tried to smile at him. Kahit di ako nagsalita, actions speak louder than works, di ba?

Be that as is may, umalis pa rin siya. I was out of the loophole. After a few hours, I called him on his cellphone. But my calls fell on Jeff's ears. Lalo akong nag-worry kasi I didn't even know Jeff. Sabi na nga ba di na dapat umalis si Jay. That's what I'm talking about it. So I tried calling some friends who will help me find Jay. That's what friends are for naman di ba? But I just faced a blank mall. I had to do this alone. Nag-taxi na lang ako. Pero ang mahal na pala ng plug down rate.

When I got to the clinic, the security was really buffed up. Di basta-basta makakapasok. So I said, 'I beg your cordon. I'm patient. It's my favorite virtue nga e.' Nagduda yata yung isang guard. Hinawakan ako sa arm. The nerd! I shouted, 'Don't touch me not!' Buti na lang the other guards were nice and said, 'Come on, let's join us.'When I went inside, parang I've been there, done there. Nung walang nakatingin, nag-explore ako. Nakarating ako sa top floor and I had a bird's IQ of the clinic. I could not explain it but I was drawn to a room on the floor. Siguro Divine Intermission na yun. Parang may narinig akong umuungol. I was thorn. Di ko alam kung aalis ba ako o papasukin ko. It made me stick in the stomach to think that Jay and his ex-girlfriend were there. I tried to tell myself to slower my expectations. But to tell with it! I had to strike while the iron is not. I had to hear the truth from the corpse's mouth. I barraged in. O my gas!

Si Jay, naka-strap sa operating table, parang genie pig sa isang nakakatakot na experiment. He was on the cutting edge. He was bleeding. At ang doctor na nagpapahirap sa kanya, ang ex-girlfriend niya at ang bago nitong boyfriend, ang nurse na si Walter. Doon ko napatunayang blood is thicker than Walter.

Guess watch? Di ko alam kung paano ko nagawa pero I was able to search and rescue Jay. Siguro adrenaline brush na yun. Now, he's recovering. Nag-sorry siya na hindi siya nakinig sa akin. I know it?s a better pill to swallow your pride so it's forgive and forget me not. All swell that end swell. I know we should kiss and put on makeup.

Ang ex-girlfriend naman niya at si Walter, nakakulong na. Detention is really better than cure. So the moral of the lesson is: if symptoms persist, insult your doctor.

INDAY: The latest phenomenon to sweep the nation by storm!

2007-10-10T20:41:00.000+08:00

The whole country is experiencing a "nosebleed bonanza" as Inday, the lowly maid in every upper-class Filipino's household, suddenly rises to phenomenal heights with her string of high-falutin language that manifests the already-visible stark difference between the Filipinos with excellent intellect and those on the other side of the "intellectual spectrum."

==========

MAGALING SI INDAY
Dahil sa tindi ng kahirapan sa probinsya, namasukan si Inday bilang katulong sa Maynila. Habang ini-interview ng amo…

Amo: Kelangan namin ng katulong para mag ayos ng bahay, magluto, maglaba, magplantsa, mamalengke, at magbantay ng mga bata. Kaya mo ba ang lahat ng ito?
Inday: I believe that my trained skills and expertise in management with the use of standard tools, and my discipline and experience will contribute significantly to the value of the work that you want, my creativity, productivity and work-efficiency and the high quality of outcomes I can offer will boost the work progress.
Amo: [nosebleed]

Nakaraan ang dalawang araw, umuwi ang amo, nakitang me bukol si junior.

Amo: Bakit me bukol si junior?
Inday: Compromising safety with useless aesthetics, the not-so-well engineered architectural design of our kitchen lavatory affected the boy's cranium with a slight boil at the left temple near the auditory organ.
Amo: [nosebleed ulit]

Kinagabihan, habang naghahapunan.
Amo: Bakit maalat ang ulam?
Inday: The consistency was fine. But you see, it seems that the increased amount of sodium chloride (NaCl) affected the taste drastically and those actions are irreversible. I do apologize.
Amo: [nosebleed na naman]
Donya: Bakit tuwing paguwi ko, nadadatnan kitang nanunuod ng tv?!
Inday: Because I don't want you to see me doing absolutely nothing.
Donya: [hinimatay]

Kinabukasan, sinamahan ni Inday si junior sa principal's office dahil di makapunta ang amo at donya.
Principal: Sinuntok ni junior ang kanyang kaklase.
Inday: It's absurd! It was never a fact that he will inflict a fight. I can only imagine how you handle schizophrenic kids on this educational institution. Revise your policies because they suck!
Principal: [nag resign]

Pag dating sa bahay, nandun na ang amo, galit na galit.
Amo: Inday, bakit nagkalat ang basura sa likod ng bahay?!
Inday: A change in the weather patterns might have occurred wrecking havoc to the surroundings. The way the debris are scattered indicates that the gust of wind was going northeast causing damage to the path it was heading for.
Amo: [nosebleed ulit]

Habang nagluluto si Inday ng hapunan, malikot si junior.
Inday: Stop your raucous behavior. It is bound to result in property damages and if that happens there will be corresponding punishment to be inflicted upon you!
Junior: [takbo sa CR, punasan ang nagdudugong ilong]

Pagkatapos magluto, nanood na ng TV si Inday. Nabalitaan nya umalis si Angel Locsin sa GMA 7.
Junior: Bakit kaya sya umalis?
Inday: Sometimes, people choose to leave not because of selfish reasons but because they just know that things will get worse if they'll stay. Leaving can be a tough act, and it's harder when people can't understand you for doing so.
Junior: [tuloy ang pagdugo ng ilong]

Nung gabing yon, me nag text ke Inday. Si Dodong, ang driver ng kapitbahay, gusto maki pag text-mate.
Inday: To forestall further hopes of acquaintance, my unfathomable statement to the denial of your request - Petition denied.

Di nagla-on, dahil sa tyaga ni Dodong, nagging syota nya rin si Inday. Pero di tumagal ang kanilang relasyon, at nakipag-break si Inday ke Dodong.
Inday: The statute restricts me to love you but you have the provocations. The way you smile is the proximate cause why I love you. We have some rules to think of. We have no vested rights to love each other because the upper household dismissed my petition!"
Dodong: Perhaps you are mistaken, what you seem to contrive as any affections for you are somewhat half-hearted. I was merely attempting to expand my network of interests by involving you in my daily recreation. Heretofor, you can expect an end to any verbal articulation from myself"

Me dumaan na mamang basurero, at narinig ang usapan ni Inday at Dodong.
Basurero (sabi ke Inday): Be careful in letting go of the things you thought are just nothing because maybe someday you'll realize that the one you gave away is the very thing you've been wishing for to stay.
Narinig ang lahat ng eto ng amo ni inday.
Amo: [nagpakamatay]

==========

"There are tulips in the street,
there are tulips in the park.
But nothing compares to our two lips
meeting in the dark"
- pamatay lines ni Dodong kay Inday
========================
P500 - sun plan subscription
P1800 - glutathione 30 capsules
P600 - Olay Total Effects
P1500 - Crocs flip flops
P2000 - for mama
- Binudget ni Inday ang sweldo niya..
========================
Amo: Inday, paki-abot nga 'yung ketchup…
Inday: While it can hardly be considered a health food, ketchup has been found to be a beneficial source of lycopene, an antioxidant which fights some forms of cancer. This is particularly true of the organic brands of ketchup. In fact, organic brands were found to contain three times as much lycopene as non-organic brands. Ketchup, much like marinara sauce and other cooked tomato foods, yields higher levels of lycopene per serving because cooking makes lycopene in tomatoes more bio-available.
Amo: Gaga!
========================
Amo: Inday, bakit kulang ang sukli na ibinigay mo?
Inday: Hmmm… The person from the selling entity might have experienced memory deficiency due to the difficulty in concentrating and that lack of concentration lead to forgetfulness in giving the excess monetary equivalent due from the purchased item.
Amo: I think I'm gonna faint!
========================
Amo: Inday, nganu gipasagdan man nimo si Junior nga pirti man ning tsabaw?
Inday: Sir, according to Erik Erikson's psychosocial theory of growth and development, toddlers normally exhibit temper tantrums to express emotions such as anxiety. And the best intervention is to ignore the situation. However, one should provide safety to avoid danger during their tantrums.
Amo: pag churoi!
========================
Sa Resto:
Waiter : Ano po order nila maam?
Amo: Ung fried chicken meal na lang. Ikaw inday,ano sayo?
Inday: I would like to partake of a dish of sautéed pork and chicken,boiled in thick essence of soy and cane extracts,with copious amount of garlic, onion and laurel,sprinkled generously with fine spices and served with generous helping of root crop and a helping of rice.
Amo: Iho, paorder daw ng adobo with rice
========================
It is in mistakes that we learn how to grow to be better individuals.
Ypu may judge me for what you see but it is not my mistakes that determines who i am but it is what i do to make it right.
- sabi ni inday nung nakabasag sya ng pinggan
========================
Amo: Mula ngayon, wala nang magsasalita ng Ingles. Ang sinumang magpadugo ng ilong ko at sa mga anak ko, palalayasin sa pamamahay na 'to. klaro ba?
Inday: Ang mga namutawi sa inyong mga labi ay mataman ko pong iiimbak sa sulok ng aking balintataw, sa kaibuturan ng aking puso, gugunamgunamin, aariing salik ng aba at payak kong kabatiran. Tatalikdan ang matayog at palalong banyagang wika, manapay kakalingain, bibigkasin at sakdal timyas na sasambitin ng aking sangkolooban.
========================
1. rendezvous
2. tete-a-tete
3. renaissance
4. buoyancy
5. queue
6. squeamish
7. impenetrable
8. dachshund
9. brochure
10. brassiere
- Inday habang tinuturuan ang 8-yr old na alaga matuto sa spelling
========================
The oil normalizing series specifically desgined for my oily skin not only works physically on the skin surface, but penetrates deep into the skin layers to normalize oil secretion for a healthy and long lasting oil free skin.
-paliwanag ni inday habagng nagpapahid ng chin-chan-su
----------
We need to give due respect and the presumption of regularity to the verdict laid down against the former President. but guilty or not guilt he will still be loved by people like me, people belonging to the masses.
-sagot ni inday sa interview ng CNN sa kanya sa kaso ni Erap.
---------
Consul: Why do you wanna go to the US?
Amo: To travel to visit friends and fly the airplane.
Consul: Denied!
Consul: And you?
Inday: For life is a never-ending pursuit of material and social satisfaction that I tender my great intent of actualizing a transpacific journey to the land of milk and honey. An affable sanctuary where dreams become reality and a perfect habitat where souls like mine can reach the pedestal of freedom.
Consul: Lifetime multiple entry VISA granted!
Amo: Whaaat!!!
========================
Jeepney Driver: Hoy bakit sais alng ang binayd mo?! Syete na pamasahe naguon!
Inday: I am currently enrooled in a 2-year vocational course in an academic institution. therefore, I am a student and, by this fact, I am entitled to have the inalienable right to avail of a certain discount on my jeepney fare. This is why I provided a payment less than what you expected because that is according to the law as stated in the fare matrix.
Driver: (nosebleed)
========================
Overnight, inaral ng amo ni inday ang dictionary para may pangtapat na siya kay inday
Amo: so inday, tell me, how do you accept the fact that you are just a mere chaimbermaid in this extravagant mansion??
Inday:una camarera?eres tan pathetic. La unica razon que inscribi tu casa es porque nada esta sucediendo dentro de tu casa cuasi-agradable. Quisiera traer una poca clase en este hogar pero conjeturo que no puedo porque esta casa es fea.
Amo: what??!!(dumudugo na ilong)
========================
Nang nakauwi si Inday matapos mamalengke, nagalit ang kanyang amo…
Amo: Inday, hindi mo ba natanggap text ko? Tinext kita sabi ko bumili ka na rin ng giniling. Selpon selpon ka pa di naman nakakareceive ng text.
Inday: It's not that I can't receive any messages, it's just that I was at a place with a weak cellular signal. You see, even though longer wavelengths have the advantage of being able to diffract to a greater degree and are less reliant on line of sight to obtain a good signal, it can still attenuate significantly. And because the frequencies which cell phones use are too high to reflect off the ionosphere as shortwave radio waves do, cell phone waves cannot travel via the ionospohere.
Amo: Pa-ayono-ayonospir ka pang nalalaman. magsaing ka na nga bago dumugo na naman ilong ko.
[naks mukhang ECE graduate din ata si Inday]
========================
Guess what? Those not-so stunning guys keeps on staring at my newly manicured nails while the copy-cat freaks envy my stylishly cut mane. Unfortunately after a great day at the spa, I have to step on this muddy and stinking place just to purchase some veggies!
- Si Inday, nakikipagchikahan sa tindera sa palengke.
========================
Nanay: Day, ba't ba ang tigas-tigas ng ulo mo?
Inday: Inay, intransigence is just normal for us juveniles.
Nanay: Day, anong nakain mo? I'm perturbed by your words.
Inday: Nay, ala namang gantihan…
- noong bata si Inday
========================
"i understand that sexual urge is most of the time uncontrollable since a lot of factors contribute for it to be triggered..this is also the reason why some men are found to be polygamous and engage themselves in sexual acts even with someone who's a total stranger to them.."
-sabi ni Inday sa sarili nya pagkatapos syang gapangin ni kuya…
========================
How dare u t0 insinuate such intolerable act of abusing our nature from a mere scrap of humanity such as
you. If you further insist, i'll be forced to use my mental and physical capabilities just to pulverize u!
Litanya ni inday nung may nagtapon ng balat ng kendi sa tapat ng bhay ng amo nya..
========================
Boy Abunda: Inday, isang tanong. Diretsahan tayo. Baket ba mukhang ang lawak ng iyong pinag-aralan sa iba't ibang larangan ng sining at teknolohiya? Ano ang nagsilbing inspirasyon sayo para gawin ito?
Inday: Boy, don't you know how to count? Nevermind… to paraphrase Hayek, exclusive concentration on a specialty has a peculiarly baneful effect: it will not merely prevent us from being attractive company or good citizens but may impair our competence in our proper field.
Boy: Ahhh… [sabay kamot sa ulo]Kris: Boy, pinapahiya mo naman ang show eh. Ganito dapat. Inday, what Boy meant was what made you decide to pursue the knowledge of different academic uhh … ahh subjects?
Inday: Kris my dear, it's either you're not satisfied with my previous answer or simply did not understand it. I'll just assume the latter. You see, these are all simply my abiding interests and all these tributaries flow into the same river. The thought of one's research going into ever decreasing, derivative and infertile circles, just depresses me. Getz?
Boy and Kris: [sabay nag-nosebleed at nagtawag ng commercial break]
========================
"If the two eventually fell in love, despite the disparity of their ages and academic levels, this only lends substance to the truism that the heart has reasons for its own which reason does not know."
Iyan naman ang sagot ni INDAY sa ina ni DODONG na tutol sa kanilang pagmamahalan.
========================
Amo: Inday, ba't sinisipon si Junior?
Inday: He came in direct contact from surfaces contaminated with rhinoviruses which entered the cells of the lining of his nasopharynx which in turn rapidly multiplied. Thus, giving him a viral infectious disease of the upper respiratory system called acute viral nasopharyngitis.
Amo: [nosebleed sabay nataranta] what??! tumawag ka ng ambulansya! bilis!
Inday: Hayy, you're so ignorant. As if you have not been afflicted with the common cold in the course of your existence.
========================
She is now becoming one of the fastest rising Internet stars today amassing a number of followers all over the world mostly Filipinos . Already surpassing Ederlyn, Yuga, the Numa Numa boy, the Chinese Backstreet Boys and even Casey and her cam.
Inday is getting a lot of popularity today mostly from word of mouth, SMS and e-mails. Her witty comments regarding her life as a domestic helper has already brought laughter and uncontrollable nosebleeds to us.
RL: Inday, thank you for accepting this interview, how are you feeling right now?
Inday: You might expect me to be flabbergasted or nervous with all the attention I'm getting right now. Actually, I'm not. I know from that very first text message that this is going to be inevitable. Even now the media is already interested in my fame that they sent you to interview me thinking that you can comprehend each and every word that I say.
RL: [nagpunas ng ilong] Uhmm, ahh I see… so with all your uhh academic credentials, what made you decide just to be a domestic helper?
Inday: Well, what do you expect me to be? A lawyer? A politician? A newscaster? Oh come on, you're all so predictable. Have you met a domestic helper that has a medical degree, is a world-class culinary artist, has a degree in Business Management, a certified public accountant and consistent Best in English for four years in high school?
RL: Uhhm, ahh I guess not.
Inday: Well there you go. That's what sets me apart and makes me unique from all the rest and I guess it's something that you just can't fathom.
RL: [tuluyan nang nag-nosebleed]
Inday: I guess this is the end of this interview. I still have to prepare our evening victuals and update my blog. Tatah! Hi nga pala to my love, Dodong! I love you babes.
========================
Inday: Are you certain that you want to transfer me back to earth?
St. Peter: Oo! Langya ka! Mano-nose bleed lang yung mga kaluluwa dito! Dun ka na uli magkalat sa lupa!
========================
It does not matter if you are the wife, or you're the mistress. What matters is you showed your love, you experienced the joys and pain in loving. Coz from there, you'll learn… that loving is not always easy.
- movie review ni Inday sa "A Love Story"! Bongga!
========================
Please pray for the quick recovery of Inday. She's currently in the ICU because of excessive nose bleeding, which she had while accompanying Junior in his school's Linggo Ng Wika Celebration. Please pass this to all whose lives, like mine, have been touched by Inday. Please pray for the quick recovery of Inday.
========================
Amo 1: Inday ano gamit mo sa katawan? Ang kinis mo kasi eh.
Amo 2: Siguro gumagamit ka ng papaya…
Ama 1: Baka naman kalamansi?
Inday: NO! …. ONLY BELO TOUCHES MY SKIN, WHO TOUCHES YOURS?
Amo 1 and 2:(tumbling)

==========

The consistency was fine. But you see, it seems that the increased amount of sodium chloride affected the taste drastically and those actions are irreversible. I do apologize.-nag-eexplain si inday kung bakit maalat ang ulam.
=====================================
“Nurture others with positive truthful words, not words that hurt. It doesn’t cost anything to do so. But mean what you say, and say what you mean. Do it everyday. This is one of the most obvious qualities of the most beloved people. If you cannot be generous financially, at least be generous with your words.”-sagot ni inday sa amo nya na di xa pinautang at minura-mura pa!
=====================================
“Ipomea aquatica has become the constant ingredient to this Filipino delicacy which is very helpful in the digestion during the peristaltic process of the food we intake. Due to the continuous rain and floods, the harvest of the said vegetable has lessen the production in the market”- sagot ni inday samin kung bakit walang KangKong sa nilutong sinigang
=====================================
I am solitary. I find it hard to succumb into slumber. Though the downpour of rain should’ve made it easy. This exuberant emotional glue i have for you,cannot besimply washed away. The multiplicity of what i feel for you is inevitable. This isn’t platonic. It’s real, true romance.- INDAY, nag eemote sa may bintana, habang iniisip si dodong,ang bf nia..
=====================================
“potatoes, wen consumed n der raw state, r rapidly converted 2 glucose dat raises insulin leve;s bcoz of its simple sugar…wen cooked in high temperature lyk french fries, dey produce large amoun of free radicals n d body causing aging, clotting, inflammation, cancer, w8 gai… 1 french fry is worse dan 1 cigarette.- inday (sagot nya sa amo nung tanungin xa kung bakit di sya nagluto ng french fries)nuritionist din pala si inday
=====================================
” I stay awake in the coldness of the darkened sky contemplating why, for some reasons, has my emptiness made itself manifests, extending to that niche where i was given life and growth, that because of austerity i was made separated from….”-INDAY habang ndi makatulog dahil na-ho-homesick .
=====================================
AMO: Inday, ano ginawa mo sa microwave natin at sumabog?
INDAY: Success is often the result of taking misstep in the right direction. Show me a person who has never made a mistake and I’ll show you somebody who has never achieved much.
AMO: Impostora! Lumayas ka dito!
=====================================
INDAY: Physical and excessive work may result to serious damage to ones body. It is therefore essential that once in a while we take a break from our usual routine to replenish the lost energy we once had.
*Sabi ni Inday sa Amo nya nung humingi sya ng day off*
=====================================
AMO: Inday, bakit mo binenta yung sira na silya?
INDAY: I have computed the chair’s value less cost to sell, and the value in use using projections for 5 years and a pretax discount rate. Accordingly, the value in use is lower, so I decided to sell the chair. This is an accordance with PAS18 on revenue, PAS16 on PPE, and PAS36 on Impairment of Assets.
AMO: *fainted*
Si Inday talaga, accountant din pala!
=====================================
“The statute restricts me to love you but you have the provocation. The way you smile is the proximate cause why I love you. We have some rules to think of. We have no vested rights to love each other because the upper household dismissed my petition!”
- ganito nakipagbreak si Inday kay Dodong (driver ng kapitbahay)
====================================
“La vida no es una broma actualmente. El dinero es tan duro de pasar. Puede usted bajar el precio parci mi? Soy ya su compradora avido diario por favor?
- si Inday tumatawad sa merkado ng isinama siya ng amo sa España
=====================================
“Heavy fire exerted by the stimulus affected the best conductor of heat which is the steel,causing the Oriza Sativa to change it’s state of color,smell as well as the taste.”-sagot ni inday ng tanungin siya ng amo kung bakit nasunog ang sinaing.
=====================================
Listening to the nonsense talk about someone’s life is a pathetic way of entertainment..it doesn’t contribute to the good of society..i hate character assassinators!..- reklamo ni inday nang natsismis siya ng kapitbahay. (i love the last line.)
=====================================
“You’ll never know wat u have til it’s gone… And once u loose it, u can never get it back….”-si Inday na isnatchan sa quiapo
=====================================
Dear Mom,
Had i not been able to smell the salt, i must have collapsed moments ago. Junior has become a little monster to me. Remember the head accident he had? As if it wasn’t enough, he was summoned by the principal of hil shabilly runned academe. Oh, such an erudite bunch of baboons! I never though being a governess can be such strenuous employ!
Your daughter,
Inday
Dear Inday,Walanghiya ka! Magpadala ka ng pera! Nasa ospital ang nanay mo, dumugo ang ilong pagkabasa ng pesteng sulat mo!–TATAY
=====================================
Drunken shrimp and blue lobster meat with caviar served with milagrosa rice (red variety) and apricot sauce..Vegetables in balsamic vinegar splashed with extra virgin olive oil ..Lychee and peach salad with sour cream and cream cheese topped with lemon zests..—mga baon ni junjun sa daycare na inihanda ni Inday.
=====================================
Ich bin jetzt berühmt geworden dürch diesen Pexer.Mach weiter so,das gefällt mir!!! (naging sikat ako ngayon gawa ng pexer,pagpatuloy ninyo gusto ko yan)Si Inday marunong din pala maggerman!!
=====================================
“I believe that my trained skills and expertise in management with the use of standard tools, and my discipline and experience will contribute significantly to the value of the work that you want, my creativity, productivity and work-efficiency and the high quality of outcomes I can offer will boost the work progress.”
-sagot ni Inday sa interview ng bago niyang amo!=====================================
“Compromising safety with useless aesthetics, the not-so-well engineered architectural design of our kitchen lavatory affected the boy’s cranium with a slight boil at the left temple near the auditory organ.”- sagot ni Inday nang tanungin ng amo kung bakit may bukol si Junior.
=====================================
“Bloody hell!!! What the f*ck did just landed on my cutie top? I mean I’ve spent all day just to make myself look fabulous. I think I’ll have this eewy thing removed in a whip wham of time!”
- reaction ni Inday nung natalsikan sya ng mantika habang nagluluto ng tilapia=====================================
“Off you go! Under no circumstance this house would relent to such unabashed display of vagrant destitution! “
- si Inday, pinapaalis ang makulit na pulubi sa gate… (Taray talaga ni Inday!)
=====================================
Donya: Bakit tuwing paguwi ko, nadadatnan kitang nanunuod ng tv?!Inday: Because I don’t want you to see me doing absolutely nothing.
=====================================
“It’s absurd! It was never a fact that he will inflict a fight. I can only imagine how you handle schizophrenic kids on this educational institution. Revise your policies because they suck!”- Inday, kasama si Junior sa principal’s office.
=====================================Amo: Inday, bakit nagkalat ang basura sa likod ng bahay?!Inday: A change in the weather patterns might have occurred wrecking havoc to the surroundings. The way the debris are scattered indicates that the gust of wind was going northeast causing damage to the path it was heading for.Amo: (nosebleed)
=====================================
“Stop your raucous behavior. It is bound to result in property damages and if that happens there will be corresponding punishment to be inflicted upon you!”- si Inday, pinagbabawalan ang mga bata na maglikot.
=====================================
“Sometimes, people choose to leave not because of selfish reasons but because they just know that things will get worse if they’ll stay. Leaving can be a tough act, and it’s harder when people can’t understand you for doing so.”
- sagot ni Inday kung bakit umalis si Angel Locsin sa GMA 7. (i also love this one!)
=====================================
“Allergens triggered the immune response. Eosinophilic migration occurs to the reaction site and release of chemotactic and anaphylotoxin including histamine and prostaglandins. These substance results to increase circulation to the site promoting redness.”
- sagot ni inday nun tanungin ni sir kung bakit may rashes si Junior
=====================================
Did it ever occur to you that the ultraviolet rays of the idiot box can bring harmful radiation to the retinal area? It could lead to blurred vision, worse, permanent blindness?
- pinagalitan ni inday si junior sa sobrang lapit manood ng kokey! (wahahahaha!)
====================================
“To forrestall further hopes of acquaintance, my unfathomable statement to the denial of your request. Petition denied.”- reply ni Inday nang i-text ni dodong kung pwede sya maging txtmate.
=====================================
Amo: Inday bumili ka nga ng mga isda, ay oo nga pala, inglesera ka na ngayon, would you please buy many fishes for this week’s meals?
Inday: Judging by your statement, I believe you meant a variety of fish. The term fishes though rarely used, connotes a plethora of different kinds of the said gilled aquatic creatures. But the most pressing question before I go to the wet market would be: what type of fish? Fillet or not? Frozen or fresh? (pauses) Ahh…given the meager budget afforded by this household’s quasi-peasant class taste, I assume I shall source the staple “galewng-gong”. Yes?
Amo: Eh kung mag-empake ka na kaya?!
====================================
Thank you for calling. This is Indigh. How can I provide you world class service today?
- Inday. Nag-call center na. Finally!! ====================================
“Don’t limit my capacity in the 4 corners of this luxurious abode. Expose me to the real challenges of the outside world. I want to grow as an individual with dynamic experiences.”
- Inday, nagrereklamo dahil ayaw isama sa Enchanted Kingdom.
====================================
“i pity you for you have degraded you’re very own pride and dignityby resorting to this despicable behavior just for wealth. and i hope tha one day you’ll realize that you should not use humans as means of your ends. as what the great philosopher Kant uttered, “treat a man as an end in himself”.! - sagot ni inday sa holdaper na nanghoholdap sa kanya.
Shut up,because if you don’t, the bullet in this gun will rest upon your empty head! - sagot holdaper - ang sosyal na talaga nila!!!
====================================
Dear Inday,
I’m sorry to inform you that your resignation was denied by the upper management due to your contract of 5 years or make love with the amo clause. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow.
Yours truly,Ma’am
====================================
Dear Sir/Madam,
Attached herewith is a list of proposed acquisition in line with my proposal to upgrade your household facilities. I have already made initial survey of current market prices. Note however that prices could vary depending on the prevailing exchange rate and aggregate supply and demand which we also monitor on an hourly basis.
- si inday, nagpapaalam bumili ng bagong electric fan====================================
How dare u 2 insinuate such intolerable act of abusing our nature from a mere scrap of humanity such as u. F u further insist, il b forced 2 use my mental and physical capabilities just 2 pulverize u!
– Litanya ni inday nung may nagtapon ng balat ng kendi s tapat ng bhay ng amo nya. Nagmamaldita tlaga ang lola m!ü
====================================
Hell is a place with big houses, luxurious cars, grate tasting dishes and nonstop parties.
And Heaven?
It’s only a small room with nothing in it…but YOU….
-message ni inday para kay dudung sa kanilang 1st monthsary
====================================
Amo:Inday ano ulam natin? Darating n sir mo.
Inday:Due to the infrequent mass media coverage around hogcholera, I’d consequently given a judgement on sauteing exquisite scallops in unsalted butter together w/ pungent white onion & tossed it w/ brisk asparagus. I’d also assented to twist it w/ fresh lemonzest & advance its taste via blending a petty amount of chardonay whitewine as well as a cup of viscous cream.
Amo:(napatumbling)
====================================
Sometimes, we fall in love and thought that it would be endless, we thank God for it.. but when someone comes and to make life better, what can we ask God then? You know what, I would ask God to make me love again… and this time.. make it permanent..
- Sinabi ni Inday sa kanyang sarili ng iwan siya ni Dodong.
====================================
What separates men from animals is his ability to talk and express his feelings. History has told us to fight when our right to communicate and self-expression is suppressed. If you don’t like what I say, the way I say it, or the manner I do it, I apologize. But don’t hinder me from practising my inherent right.
- Sagot ni Inday ng mahuling nakikipagchismisan sa kapitbahay.
====================================
Much as I would want to indulge in the proliferation of such incident and malicious information, I want to lift the stigma and alleviate society’s perception of our profession. we are not here to thrive on humor but rather, we should engage in objective and top of the line service to our designated employers.
- Inday (tumangging makipagtsismisan sa katulong sa kabilang bahay. Professionalism at its best!)====================================
I’m still a human being, attracted to anyone my heart beats on, and I have my limitations in contrlling my feelings. I have to push myself into not loving him. This is so wrong…
Si Inday na-inlove sa amo. Ibang level na talaga…
====================================
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Name: Inocencia Binayubay
Nickname: Inday (of course)
Age: 18
Parents: Mang Andoy at Aling Seling
Siblings: Iying – 13, Itoy – 8, Iking: 5
Educ:
College – La Salle Zobel 2nd year (Scholar)
High School: P. Gomez High School (Valedictorian, Best in English)
Elem: Sta. Monica Elem School (Valedictorian, best in dancing)
Kaya pala…it shows!
Work Experience: Household service manager (katulong) – Mr. and Mrs. Matapobre
Died: Sept. 1, 2007 Cause of death: Asphyxia due to strangulation (namatay sa sakal ng amo!)

(But we know she didn't die...)

====================================

If you happen to encounter some redundancies in this blog of mine, don't feel so unamused. It really shows how Inday is truly something of a fad. I just don't know when her popularity starts to wane...

What would the LRT folks say about this?

2007-09-05T19:31:00.000+08:00

Trains in the ever-busy subway lines in Tokyo ground to a halt not because of the perennial earthquake, but because of this...

BBC News article: Japan 'groper' causes train chaos

Take a closer look at the last paragraph.

Question: What would the LRT folks say about this?

What would Greenhills folks say about this?

2007-08-27T20:59:00.001+08:00

A BBC News article astonished me. It's about an Americal techie who hacked - and eventually unlocked - the much-esteemed iPhone.

George Hotz, 17, wanted to use the iPhone, which is currently exclusive to AT&T Wireless, under the service of rival T-Mobile, by simply manipulating its inner components, a bit of soldering, and software control.

I found it astonishing since here in the Philippines, we (the "cellphone dealers" in Greenhills and in other phone stalls, that is) have been doing that in our phones. And that process is simply to make the phone "open-line."

Perhaps with the aid of a software could these "magicians" of Greenhills do the trick. Still, these folks prove very ingenious in making the impossible (and illegal) possible.

Which is why while America may go gaga over this "discovery," we Filipinos have already gone miles perfecting the craft. What do you think?

Click here to read the article.

Photos: BBC News/AP; http://www.tomshw.it/guides/ictbusiness/business/200701101/images/1.jpg

"I'd rather be right than popular"

2007-07-23T18:44:00.000+08:00

As fierce as the "fighting red" color of the "recycled" gown she donned during her latest State of the Nation Address, President Arroyo reiterated her strength in holding on to the position as the country's chief executive. "The President is as strong as she wants," to quote her.

As with all the other presidents that preceded, Arroyo held the baton as she choreographed her audience at the Batasan Pambansa with expected (and mostly belated) applauses for her achievements and visions, mostly centered on her über-ambitious "Super Regions" project that are focused on infrastructure and job creation. In addition to this "edifice complex" of hers, she also recognized some achievers in the fields of science, sports and academics.

The president cited among others several noteworthy issues, including: acknowledging the passage of the Human Security Act (or the Anti-Terrorism Act), which is expected; and acknowledging that the NAIA Terminal III still has structural defects, hence the much-hyped delay of becoming operational.

The unpopular Arroyo has earned criticisms over her fiscal and economic policies aimed at curbing poverty and improving the lives of ordinary Filipinos. This, despite the public sentiment that Arroyo's projects are not being felt in the grassroots level. But Arroyo remains steadfast with her policies, as she is hellbent in making a good image of her should she step down in 2010 (this which Malacañang bills as her "legacy phase"), hence the implementation of these policies at the expense of her skyrocketing unpopularity (as the title of this post shows).

Arroyo also urged Congress to pass laws intensifying the pursuit of suspects in political killings and to resolve killings, disappearances and other human rights violations. She also urged Congress to pass laws to rid the military of rogue personnel and those who put the AFP into bad light. Well, on that note, she fell short actually of acknowledging the military's shortcomings especially during the Basilan crossfire and chastising those involved in corruption scandals, political killings and human rights violations.

So many are suspecting that the Charter Change proposal Arroyo consistently sponsored in the past would be revived in her speech, but they failed. No mention of it at all was heard, but sure everyone is not resting assured. When Arroyo hinted last time of her "goal" to run for representative of Pampanga, many were alarmed that this could be it: her ultimate "goal" of staying on to power as Prime Minister. In the SONA, she uttered the exact opposite: Arroyo won't stand in the way of others wishing to run for the presidency, but she'll stand in the way of those trying to undermine the interest of the people. Let's wait until 2010 before she proves us right.

Ever since she ushered into her current position, Arroyo has been campaigning for a "Strong Republic," and becoming zealous about her goal of transforming the Philippines into a first-world country. For many, that's an ultimate leap of faith. But not in Arroyo's realm. And saying that the state of the nation is strong is but an understatement. And obviously, everyone takes it with a pinch of salt.

Photo: AFP / BBC

And the Miss Universe 2007 is...

2007-06-04T19:13:00.000+08:00

an obvious surprise. Last year I reacted against the crowning of Miss Universe to Miss Puerto Rico, Zuleyka Rivera over my bet, 1st runner-up and Miss Japan Kurara Chibana. Well, I guess Japan dialed V for vendetta this time.

This year's Miss Universe in Mexico proved to be one of the best I've seen. There's the usual fare of Latin American countries (Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil), USA and India making it to the top 15 and top 10. The absence, though, of the UK and Puerto Rico from the pageant is noticeable; nevertheless, Mexico City glistened that night as Japan, Korea (read: Korea, without North or South), Tanzania and Angola stepped into the limelight at the top 10. East European beauties outshone their Western counterparts that night, with Ukraine, Slovenia and the Czech Republic among those who entered the top 15.

South East Asia's pride that night was Miss Thailand, managing to earn a spot at the top 15. As for the Philippines, another year of receiving the Miss Photogenic consolation reeks so much of our ever-growing lackluster performance in the most beautiful pageant in all of the universe. That spells reform as to how we pick and groom our candidates to make them aim a secure spot at the top 5, not only becoming the most highly-voted lady. Meanwhile, Miss China, Ningning Zhang, got the "coveted" Miss Congeniality title.

Before the top 5 was officially announced, I was already hoping for Japan, Korea, Mexico, Tanzania and Angola. Though Miss Mexico Rosa Maria Ojeda Cuen, Miss Tanzania Flaviana Matata and Miss Angola Michaela Reis weren't called, I was still happy because my top 2 picks were named. USA, Venezuela and Brazil completed the top 5 roster. Judgment time: Miss Korea Honey Lee was crowned 3rd runner-up, Miss Venezuela Ly Jonaitis 2nd runner-up, Miss Brazil Natalia Guimaraes 1st runner-up, and Miss Japan Riyo Mori, who couldn't believe and was stunned upon mention of her name, took home the crown.

But the star of that night was Miss USA, Rachel Smith, who accidentally slipped on stage while donning her black gown as she strutted for the evening gown event. The world was shocked (I guess) as they saw live a Miriam Quiambao-esque mishap, albeit in admirable resilience, that only catapulted her to a night of fame. Though she walked away with a 4th runner-up sash, I won't be surprised if she would "bounce" off that quick to stardom...

Photos: AP (top), Reuters

Post-election Monitoring Review

2007-06-04T18:30:00.001+08:00

Sir Bryant, sorry kung ngayon ko lang na-publish ito, nakalimutan ko kasi ang email mo e. Since nagbabasa ka naman ng mga blog ng mga tao rito, eto ang aking much-delayed at über-long comment:

==============================================

1. What can you say about the CMFR's media monitoring of the elections?

If the elections had watchdogs like the media, the CMFR performed that function as well for the media, i.e. the way they covered the elections. CMFR aimed to examine how well-equipped and knowledgeable the media are in their election coverage, bearing in mind the media's primary responsibility of empowering the voters with information not only about the personalities, but also their ideals and the issues that the candidates must address. Indeed it was a great leap of faith for CMFR, never resting assured that the Philippine media can do that job seamlessly. It took the whole election period for the CMFR to do just that. Nevertheless, their efforts truly paid off.

2. What lessons have you learned during the monitoring?

The CMFR's monitoring of the media's 2007 election coverage offers a lot of insights. Simply put it this way: Just as the elections remain plagued with the same recurring problems despite reform initiatives, imperfections also manifested in the way the media covered the elections. (My comments are limited to TV coverage, as it was the medium I monitored.)
Some programs that tried to put national issues concerning the society at the fore appeared sufficient, even inviting most of the senatorial candidates in one limited engagement. But those are nothing compared to the "role" of the news programs in letting the viewers scrutinize the candidates, which unfortunately failed to see fruition.
Most of the news programs seemingly trivialized the elections by highlighting the personalities, the campaign trail, the rivalries, the controversies surrounding the individual candidates, etc.; all meant to overhype their popularity and to forget what their advocacies are. Survey reports were lacking in background and analysis. And if they weren't sugarcoating reports about important issues, some of them eschewed from reporting on those at all.
Worst of all, the partylist elections - from the candidates to the essence of the partylist system itself - were the most marginalized, given their limited coverage vis-a-vis the senatorial elections.
In all, the (TV broadcast) media provided a somewhat incomplete picture of the elections, disengaging themselves from reporting the pertinent issues and depriving the public the opportunity to foster intellectual discourse needed to better discern and appreciate the importance of the elections.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carsim/497154200/

Graduation na!

2007-04-21T20:15:00.000+08:00

Perhaps it would be too corny of me to say that I'm very much excited about graduation. Actually, words can barely speak for what I feel about this day. Someone inside tells me to feel sad and nostalgic for it would be the end of the line for me as a student. Another persuades me that it's time for me to get out of the ivory tower where I was locked in for the past fourteen years as a student (excluding my kindergarten years, if you please) and face the realm of reality and become entrenched in the system. Another one says: "Hey, stop drowning yourself in melancholy! (which, in fact and by the way, I'm not...) You still have the luxury of time to meet your friends again as time goes by. Maybe some of them would eventually become your colleagues in the field of your work. Or they might look for your company someday." These are the emotions that tussle within me as I wait for tomorrow. For days will never be the same after tomorrow...

Nostalgia

2007-04-09T17:53:00.000+08:00

(This article is supposed to be published on Wednesday, April 4, 2007)

Have you seen the new Time magazine? The redesign, the editors explained, is part of an effort to adopt to the modern times, but they looked up to the magazine's past issues as an inspiration for the redesign. I've been keeping two Time issues published in 1992 and 1993, and I can say that Time editors picked up some inspiration for the future from the past. How nostalgic...

=======================================================

March 23 should merely go down in my personal history as all but an ordinary day. Well, that's aside from being the deadline of my final paper in Geography. And the due date for the books I borrowed from the library of the School of Urban and Regional Planning. And that being the last day of classes in UP. Beyond those, there's quite literally nothing worth noting about March 23.

Well, until it dawned on me that I will be graduating, that I somehow learned the value of this day in my life. March 23 is the last day of classes in UP. And it means something, rather a lot, for me.

Because after four years, my four turbulent but memorable years of stay in UP, there will no longer be classes for me to attend. No more projects and examinations to worry about. No more tuition fees to pay every semester. No more painstaking enrollment days to endure. And, no more traumatic face-to-face encounters with the college secretary. Yes, I must rejoice.

But my sentimental me just took over and did upset all my reasons to celebrate.

On that hot and humid Friday afternoon, as I disembarked from the bus I usually rode to UP, I stepped on the grasses along Commonwealth Avenue, beside the MMDA overpass bridging the half-tin-can-shaped UP gym and the Asian Institute of Tourism. Perhaps it would be the last time for me to do so... Walking along the UP gym, my last sight perhaps of the building where I began my UP life in tragedy, and where I had one of the best PE classes in my UP life as well, I treaded the path toward the SURP building. It would be my last time to borrow books from UP. I saw the SOLAIR, ISSI and NCPAG buildings, the latter being first and probably the last time I sat foot on that edifice.

The "graduating sickness" crept in me, I thought. As I continued on my emotional journey, I went to the College of Mass Communication, my home for four years. The building itself reminded me of so many memories both good and bad. Thrice had the college narrowly kicked me out due to my rather unsightly grades. But have I proved them wrong? Well... Roaming around the college, I told myself: is it really my last time to be here? Will I ever get to see the professors, the library, the photocopy lady (Ate Elena), and the many classmates of mine after leaving the college?

Time for me to pass my Geography paper. Well, actually, it's the only reason why I went to UP that day, aside from the books I should return and doing a classmate of mine from the other class a favor. Walking for the last time in the lagoon, I passed by the spot near the theatrum where my PI 100 class the day before (Thursday) met for the very last time. My most favorite and unforgettable class in my entire UP life, all but a piece of memory now. I nearly cried, seeing that spot for the very last time, vividly remembering Prof. Nilo Ocampo and all my classmates sitting on the ground, holding the final day of our PI 100 class. But no, I must not burst to tears. I must move on...

When I was already near Palma Hall, the very first building in UP that I grew affection with, to pass my paper, I felt more nostalgic. Aside from the CMC, AS is my second home in UP. I took my UPCAT in here. AS is also a lively home for me. Never would I get to see a building that's also a melting pot for all UP students like this. My sense of longingness was aggravated when I went to the Faculty Center, seeing for the last time the doors to the rooms where most of my UP professors stay. Their names bear that sentimental value for me. Their knowledge I now treasure will only be a reminder of how they nurtured me into who I am now. It's in FC where I felt more secured, more peaceful, more in touch with myself.

I sat on the usual spot in FC where I used to rest and think. My four years in UP is, technically, over. On that day, I felt satisfied that I would be able to graduate now. On the other hand, I yearned for all the people and experiences that I feel deeply attached with. We may be able to connect to each other on the Internet, but no amount of cyberspace connection can match the face-to-face interaction with all of them who became part of my life. It's hard, after investing so much on building friendships, forging bonds, here comes the time when we have to separate. And I asked myself: Why do we have to part ways? Why do we need to make friends if we know that all of these are ephemeral? Do we really have to endure the pain of saying goodbye just to move on?

It was already six in the evening. My classmate, to whom I would do a favor, had finally arrived. It would be my last evening in UP. Truly it was a long day. Time to move on...

Today is September 16. It's exactly 100 days before Christmas

2006-09-16T15:59:00.000+08:00

To begin my Christmas (with emphasis on the pronoun), here's my tentative Christmas wish list for Santa Claus (if ever there is really one):

Material stuff:
1. an Apple iMac G5 and PowerMac G5
2. an Apple MacBook Pro and Sony Vaio notebook
3. a Nokia N92 or N93 (but I prefer the first one, if only the Philippines has the capacity to launch digital mobile broadcasting)
4. a Canon EOS Digital SLR preferrably that one with 16 Megapixels (I repeat, sixteen!)... but a Sony Alpha, Nikon or Olympus Digital SLR would still do
5. a PDA phone
6. a trench coat, preferrably female one

Non-material stuff:
1. lupus or assassins to all dictators, superpowers, and corrupt leaders
2. a pool of ideal leaders for this nation
3. a hold-departure order for all Filipino overseas workers, nurses, caregivers, engineers, teachers, and other professionals
4. conscience for all people
5. the world runs out of oil and natural gas supplies
6. that Santa Claus is real and tangible (for me to hug and confess problems t0)

May each and everyone of us have a Merry Christmas, Third World style...

UAAP Cheerdance Competition 2006: Tidbits

2006-09-16T15:28:00.000+08:00

1. I never thought UP Pep Squad would make it to the third position. I was assuming that Adamson Pep Squad, with their improved performance, would dislodge our squad from that slot. UP Pep Squad's performance was disappointing. Had they decided not to boycott the competition, they could regain the second, even the first, spot. They have every reason to boycott the competition, but this is not the right time. Oh well, I still love aUP Pep Squad. And the banner that touts how "arrogant" UP students are (Ang UP Dito, Ang Others Doon)

2. And while UP's bittersweet victory is a pa-consuelo de bobo, UST's Salinggawi Dance Troupe (sounds more of a cultural show than a cheerleading feat) is truly a huge slap on the face of FEU Cheering Squad. FEU's performance, I believe, stands out more than UST's chee(t)ing squad and they deserve to get the first place than UST's recycled moves. I still don't know why they see UST's performance better (I smell something fishy... smells like last year). Oh well, I'm not taking the cudgels for FEU or UP, for that matter (on second thought...), it's just that the decision, like in last year, is very unfair. Oh well (again), let's leave it as is, and wait for UP's revenge; besides, it's the only thing where UST excels, and has contrubuted "good" to this society, aside from that certain Justice Secretary Raul Gonzales (who's undergoing dialysis... in the brain! Hahaha!!!!!!!!!!!)

Steve Irwin is dead. Long live Steve Irwin!

2006-09-16T15:08:00.000+08:00

I was shocked when news reverberated about Steve Irwin's death. It was untimely. And yet, I was never a fan of his, so I have nothing else to lengthily say on his death.

But surely, the world has lost a wacky animal lover, a devout nature advocate, a true blue Australian. He redefined nature. We still have to fear wild animals, but the Croc Hunter fancied the concept of wildlife, by endangering his own life (and his baby son in one incident that raised the ire of some critics) to be face to face with some of the most dangerous animals on the face of the planet. Thanks to him, science and nature never became this much exciting and interesting to study, which long ago was relegated to bland documentaries and dusty textbooks.

But his greatest contribution, I heard, was his staunch advocacy for wildlife protection. He despised hunters, poachers and others of the same feather. The world has lost a nature lover and environmentalist. All because of a harmless sting ray he has also aimed to protect. Okay that's an accident, stop blaming the poor creature! At the very least, he died doing what he loved, if I may quote that guy who said it... (apologies for forgetting the name)

Photo taken from: http://www.internationalcrocodilerescue.com.au/about_rescue_unit/vanuatu.html

Pluto loses status as a planet

2006-08-26T14:13:00.000+08:00

Astronomers have voted to strip Pluto of its status as a planet.
About 2,500 scientists meeting in Prague have adopted historic new guidelines that see the small, distant world demoted to a secondary category.
The researchers said Pluto failed to dominate its orbit around the Sun in the same way as the other planets.
The International Astronomical Union's (IAU) decision means textbooks will now have to describe a Solar System with just eight major planetary bodies.
Pluto, which was discovered in 1930 by the American Clyde Tombaugh, will be referred to as a "dwarf planet".
There is a recognition that the demotion is likely to upset the public, who have become accustomed to a particular view of the Solar System.

Teary-eyed

"I have a slight tear in my eye today, yes; but at the end of the day we have to describe the Solar System as it really is, not as we would like it to be," said Professor Iwan Williams, chair of the IAU panel that has been working over recent months to define the term "planet".
The need for a strict definition was deemed necessary after new telescope technologies began to reveal far-off objects that rivalled Pluto in size.
Without a new nomenclature, these discoveries raised the prospect that textbooks could soon be talking about 50 or more planets in the Solar System.
Amid dramatic scenes in the Czech capital which saw astronomers waving yellow ballot papers in the air, the IAU voted to block this possibility - and in the process took the historic decision to relegate Pluto.
The scientists agreed that for a celestial body to qualify as a planet:
it must be in orbit around the Sun
it must be large enough that it takes on a nearly round shape
it has cleared its orbit of other objects
Pluto was automatically disqualified because its highly elliptical orbit overlaps with that of Neptune. It will now join a new category of dwarf planets.

Icy reaches

Pluto's status has been contested for many years. It is further away and considerably smaller than the eight other "traditional" planets in our Solar System. At just 2,360km (1,467 miles) across, Pluto is smaller even than some moons in the Solar System.
Its orbit around the Sun is also highly tilted compared with the plane of the big planets.
In addition, since the early 1990s, astronomers have found several objects of comparable size to Pluto in an outer region of the Solar System called the Kuiper Belt.
Some astronomers have long argued that Pluto would be better categorised alongside this population of small, icy worlds.
The critical blow for Pluto came with the discovery three years ago of an object currently designated 2003 UB313. After being measured with the Hubble Space Telescope, it was shown to be some 3,000km (1,864 miles) in diameter: it is bigger than Pluto.
2003 UB313 will now join Pluto in the dwarf category, along with the biggest asteroid in the Solar System, Ceres.
Named after the god of the underworld in Roman mythology, Pluto orbits the Sun at an average distance of 5.9 billion kilometres (3.7 billion miles) taking 247.9 Earth years to complete a single circuit of the Sun.
An unmanned US spacecraft, New Horizons, is due to fly by Pluto and the Kuiper Belt in 2015.

(from BBC News)

And the Miss Universe 2006 is...

2006-07-26T15:58:00.000+08:00

between Puerto Rico and (surprise, surprise) Japan! My golly, this year is perhaps the most surprising Miss Universe of them all. Imagine, Miss Russia made it to the Top 20! And Japan, despite having beautiful candidates in the past, I have never imagined this year's Miss Japan would reach the prestigious Top 5!

There is a twist in this year's Top 20 lineup. While Europe and the Americas dominated the roster, it was a shock that none from the favorite Latin countries - Mexico, Colombia, even Venezuela - made it to the Top 5. Perhaps Puerto Rico, another Caribbean bet, is the only exception.

Last year's Top 5 saw the only non-Latin beauty - Miss Canada, Natalie Glebova - winning the crown. This year, the Top 5 was a dazzling and a "multi-faceted" roster - Switzerland (Lauriane Gillieron), Paraguay (Lourdes Arevalos), USA (Tara Conner), and as mentioned before, Puerto Rico (Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza) and Japan (Kurara Chibana). I liked the last two as they fared well in the final question and answer portion. In the pre-final question, however, Miss Japan wowed the crowd as she attempted to steal the limelight by making a last-minute greeting in not-so-fluent English. But that made me think that perhaps she might become this year's Miss Universe. Nevertheless, Miss Puerto Rico, like Miss Japan, answered intelligently in the final question.

Announcement time came, and the hosts said the name: disappointingly, Miss Japan landed only on the second spot. And obviously it was Miss Puerto Rico who took home the bacon - or the pearl-and-diamond-adorned tiara, so to speak. (She, by the way, reportedly fell unconscious after the pageant due to fatigue) Which means that the Latinas reigned once more. Anyway, I am still happy that Japan reached the Top 5, and nonetheless got the first runner-up slot. At least, she also bagged the Best in National Costume trophy as she donned a samurai-like attire. And she was the only Asian in the Top 5, and also the best evening gown (that's my opinion). That for me is an achievement worthy of recognition back home.

But some old things never change: the Philippines failed again in its bid to see another Filipina wear the crown. On the other hand, Lia Andrea Ramos only earned something that can be still considered an achievement - Miss Photogenic, despite the fact that it was based on people's choice (online poll, that is), and you know how great Filipinos are at this. Miss Congeniality was Miss Ghana (Angela Asare), and (as already mentioned) Miss Japan won the Best in National Costume award.

It was an amazing ceremony. Among the four hosts, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Fashion Savant Carson Kressley managed to blurt his usual funny spiels despite having admitted to still being on a jet lag (thanks to his trip with the other members of the Fab 5 here in Manila over the weekend). I just wondered why Miss Universe this year aired only now (the month of July), which usually occurs every last week of May. Perhaps we should ask... The Donald (Trump).

It's the Links, Stupid

2006-07-26T15:29:00.000+08:00

The following article was published in the "Among the Audience: A Survey on New Media" special segment of the internationally-renowned newsmagazine The Economist on 22 April 2006. I hope you may get interested to read this: (This article was typewritten verbatim, applying the British writing style)

==========

It's the Links, Stupid

(Blogging is just another word for having conversations)

"If you want to have a fun debate, ask bloggers what a blog is," says Jeremy Zawodny at Yahoo! Only a few years ago, the debate would have been short. So few people blogged that most of them knew one another and could probably agree on a definition. Today a new blog is created every second of every day, according to Technorati, a search engine for blogs, and the "blogosphere" is doubling in size every five months. From teenagers to corporate executives, the new bloggers all have reasons of their own for engaging in this new pursuit.

What, then, is a blog? A "personal online journal" is the definition that most newspapers, including The Economist, offer when they need to be brief. That analogy is not wrong, but nor is it entirely right (conventional journals usually come in chronological order, whereas blogs are displayed in reverse chronological order, with the most recent entry on top). More importantly, this definition misses the main point about blogs. Traditionally, journals were private or even secret affairs, and were never linked to other journals. Peeking into the diary of one's big sister typically led to a skirmish. Blogs, by contrast, are social by nature, whether they are open to the public or only to a small select group.

The word "blog" appears to date back to 1997, when one of the few practitioners at the time, Jorn Barger, called his site a "weblog". In 1999, another user, Peter Merholz, playfully broke the word into "we blog", and somehow the new term - blog - stuck as both a verb and a noun. Technically, it means a web page to which its owner regularly adds new entries, or "posts", which tend to be (but need not be) ahort and often contains hyperlinks to other blogs or websites. Besides text and hypertext, posts can also contain pictures ("photoblogs") and video ("vlogs"). Each post is stored on its own distinct archive page, the so-called "permalink", where it can always be found. On average, Technorati tracks some 50,000 new posts an hour.

Among the other technical features of blogs, two highlight the quintessentially social nature of blogging. The first is a "blogroll", along the side of the blog page, which is a list of links to other blogs that the author recommends (not to be confused with the hyperlinks inside the posts). In practice, the blogroll is an attempt by the author to place his blog in a specific genre or group, and a reciprocal effort by a posse of bloggers to raise each other's visibility on the internet (because the number of incoming links pushes the blog higher in search-engine results). The other feature is "trackback" which notifies ("pings") a blog about each new incoming link from the outside - a sort of gossip-meter, in short.

Blogging is also about style. Dave Winer, a software engineer who pioneered several blogging technologies, and who keeps what by his own estimate is the longest-running blog of all (dating back to 1997), has argued that the essence of blogginess is "the unedited voice of a single person", preferrably an amateur. Blogs, in other words, usually have a raw, unpolished authenticity and individuality. This definition would exclude quite a few of the blogs that firms, public-relations people or newspapers set up nowadays. If an editor vets, softens, or otherwise messes about with the writing, Mr Winer would argue, it is no longer a blog.

This explains the initial appeal of blogging as an outlet for pure self-expression. As Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit, a well-known blog on American politics, put it when asked why he blogs: "It beats yelling at the television." But venting an opinion is usually only the start. "At first, I saw it as about publishing; now I see it more as a revolutionary way to communicate," says Mena Trott. The company she runs with her husband Ben, Six Apart, illustrates this with its three main products. Their flagship, Movable Type, with its obvious publishing connotations, is a popular software service for heavy-duty or celebrity bloggers, including Mr Reynolds. So is TypePad, a similar service with web-hosting thrown in. Blogs powered by these two products have an average of 600 readers, says Ms Trott, although a few are read by more people than are some newspapers.

But Six Apart's third product, LiveJournal, is a very different kind of blogging tool. Some 60% of LiveJournal users are under 21 and female, says Ms Trott. Many of the posts are about who snogged whom last night and what happened next, why I'm sad, how adults don't get it, and so forth. Other psots ask things like, "Anybody want to catch King Kong at 8:00?" and have the replies in the comment pane below within minutes. That is because many adolescents consider e-mail passe, and instead are using either instant messaging (IM) or blogging for their communications, says Ms Trott. Like blogging, e-mail was supposed to be "asynchronous", meaning that the people taking part do not have to be online simultaneously. But today's adolescents have never known e-mail without spam and see no point in long trails of "reply" and "cc" messages piling up in their in-boxes. As for synchronous communication, why adults would send e-mails back and forth instead of "IM-ing" is beyond them.

The Dunbar number

For these LiveJournal blogs, the average number of readers is seven, says Ms Trott. Such small audiences are common in participatory media. Indeed, they may conform to the biological norm, whereas mass-media audiences may have been an aberration. Robin Dunbar, an anthropologist at the University of Liverpool, has studied primates and discovered a surprisingly stable ratio between the relative size of the neocortex (thought to be responsible for the evolution of intelligence) and the size of groups formed by particular species. For humans, Mr Dunbar calculated, the upper limit is about 150. Many clans, tribes, fan clubs, start-ups, and other groupings remain well below this limit, as do most blog networks.

The LiveJournal groups of readers are typical of the new-media era in another way. The bloggers (ie, creators) are one another's audience, so that distinctions between the two disappear. Creators and audiences congregate ad hoc in meandering conversations, a common space of shared iamgination and interests. MySpace.com, a social-networking and blogging service that last year was bought by News Corporation, Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate, reflects this quality in its name.

Conversations have a life of their own. They tend to move in unexpected directions and fluctuate unpredictably in volume. It is these unplanned conversational surges that tend to bring the blogosphere to the attention of the older and wider (non-blogging) public and the mainstream media. Germany, for instance, has been a relatively late adopter of blogging - only 1% of blogs are in German, according to Technorati, compared with 41% in Japanese, 28% in English and 14% in Chinese.

But in January this year "the conversation" arrived in Germany with a vengeance. Jung von Matt, a German advertising firm, had come up with a campaign in the (old) media called "Du bist Deutschland" ("you are Germany"). The advertisements were intended "to fight grumpiness" about the country's sluggish economy, said Jean-Remy von Matt, the firm's Belgian boss.

But German bloggers found the idea kitschy, and subsequently dug up an obscure photograph from the Nazi convention in 1935 that showed Hitler's face next to the awkwardly similar slogan "Denn Du bist Deutschland" ("because you are Germany"). In the ensuing online conversation, Mr von Matt's campaign was ignominiously deflated. Outraged, he sent an internal e-mail to his colleagues in which he called blogs "the toilet walls of the internet" and wanted to know: "What on earth gives every computer-owner the right to express his opinion, unasked for?" When bloggers got hold of this e-mail, they answered his question with such clarity that Mr von Matt quickly and publicly apologised and retreated.

Inadvertently, Mr von Matt had put his finger on something big: that, at least in democratic societies, everybody does have the right to hold opinions, and that the urge to connect and converse with others is so basic that it might as well be added to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. "It's about democratisation, where people can participate by writing back," says Sabeer Bhatia, who in March launched a company called BlogEverywhere.com, that lets people attach blogs in any web page with a single click. "Just as everybody has an e-mail account today, everybody will have a blog in five years," says Mr Bhatia, who helped to make e-mail ubiquitous by starting Hotmail, a web-based e-mail service now owned by Microsoft. This means, Mr Bhatia adds, that "journalism won't be a sermon anymore, it will be a conversation."

2006-07-22T16:46:00.000+08:00

the sh*t heard around the world.

The complete video and audio grab of President Bush's expletive while talking with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, while on the G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg, Russia.

2006-07-22T16:44:00.000+08:00

Bush & Blair shit...

CNN reports on Bush's expletive

2006-07-22T16:43:00.000+08:00

Bush-Merkel

US President George W. Bush gives German Chancellor Angela Merkel a "massage."

Hi!

2006-07-22T16:30:00.000+08:00

Hi. Eto ang isa ko pang blog. Wala lang. Enjoy!