neverneverland

The Thought Project: Week 5

2006-12-20T01:15:00.000+08:00

Would you ever be willing to sink so low just so you could claw your way back up, or are you fine with who you are?

____________________________

I really don't get the concept of sinking so low so one can rise and learn from it.
Why experiment and crush yourself? Why burn yourself? To know that it can heal? To know yourself? Just don't burn yourself in the first place. I say, if a situation does not sink you ...don't ask for it. Simple.

Hey, that's what the older folks are out there for... they've probably been there, so ask and listen to wisdom.

I recall chatting about this with net user...or maybe I wrote it in one of my blogs? Don't exactly remember...anyway, I came up with this - If we have to try everything ourselves for the experience we'd be losing so much time. By the time we got the answers we'd be close to death. It'd be such a waste of time. So why not just gather what the older folks know, sift through it, trust the logical ones and move from there. Then you'd have more time in life to enjoy the answers =)

- 'Sus

you know what, i think those sucky starts are underrated...so my answer is pretty obvious...yes i will be willing. generally, i'm fine with who and where i am right now, but there are still loads to learn when you are open to being uncomfortable. as long as by "sinking low" you don't mean doing anything that will hurt innocent parties, then yes, definitely. i think adventuring is always more than just geography. there's the internal mindmap (and heart map, and spirit map, and...) to explore as well :)

- Zane

In a heartbeat.

The problem is, I can be pretty brash with things like these. I may forget the stakes of the game, so I entertain the scenario through fantasies - I rise, Phoenix-like, from the ashes of my previous failures and become triumphant. I give excellent advice, I am universally admired, I am humble and modest about my achievements, I am perfect.

I tend to spend a bit more time in my fantasy world than in my reality, so I am obviously not fine with who I am. Right now, at least.

I have nothing against struggles, provided they give you the experience you need. If you want to prove yourself, you know what road to go down - and that is where my problem lies. I don't know which one.

To pit yourself against the teeming humanity is already forbidding. Struggling for something you're not even sure of is suicidal.

- Sarah

UPDATE: 21 December 2006, 4:53 PM

Posting Jon and Djong's answers. Sorry for perennial lateness, guys.

Probably not. At least as far as "Willing" is concerned.

I'd like to think I know myself. My oftentimes sarcastic (sardonic?) sense of humor is the tip of a fairly pessimistic worldview. Not "doom and gloom" pessimism, but more like "Murphy's Law" pessimism. But judging on how often I've skated the line between the two, I sincerely don't think that "letting myself go" and sinking to the bottom will be something I can get back up from.

My trying-to-be-simple philosophy is "do your best, and the rest will work itself out". It's a daily struggle to maintain my sunny (ha. ha.) disposition and not give in the anger, the bitterness, and the cynicism. If I were to quit that struggle, then sheer intertia would probably keep me freefalling until I hit the bottom. And in that decisive, Road-to-Damascus moment when I have pick myself up again, I'll look up at how far I've fallen and probably shrug my shoulders and say "Fuck it. It's probably not going to work anyway."

So no, I'm not "willing" to let myself sink to any depths. I've always thought that it's precisely the struggle to stay afloat that defines who I am. I may not be completely content with who I am, but I like even less the probability of becoming worse than I currently am.

Besides, I do enough sinking just by gravity and inertia as it is. No need to speed things up.

There, I think I've strangled enough metaphors for one day.

- Jon Z.

hmmm...

i guess, from experience, sinking "so low" is always a good opportunity to get to know yourself better. in my case, it took quite a harrowing experience (for my standards, it was harrowing. i realize other people have had worse) for me to be comfortable with who i am, and to be at ease in my own skin, because it tested my limits, and showed me how far i can go without help from anybody else. after seeing what i'm capable of, i became more confident.

because of that, i believe that everyone should have at least one "harrowing" experience to turn them around, to get them thinking more about themselves. 'course, if we can already get to know more of ourselves without having to sink into such levels of despair, well and good. but sometimes, going through the depths of hell just does something to ya. builds... character, lets you know you're made of sterner stuff. :p

- Djong

The Thought Project: Week 4

2006-12-12T12:54:00.000+08:00

What Christmas tradition/s do you associate with your family?

________________

Some of our old Christmas Eve rituals:

*Set up an assembly line to make glazed ham-and-butter sandwiches.

*Roll and wrap up Boysen t-shirts in old newspaper to be given to random visitors.

*Help mom wrap last-minute gifts to be labeled "To:______ From: All of us."

*Have creamy soup made with macaroni, ground beef, and sliced hotdogs, along with the sandwiches, at midnight.

*Have two Noche Buena meals -- one at our house, another at my dad's cousins' house right nextdoor.

- Tish

The simple, basic family reunion :) But then again, reunions in my mother's side of the family are anything but simple. Catastrophic is more like it! It's all part of the holiday hoopla--the 10-hour trip to Bicol, arriving at the compound and then getting mobbed by The Committee of Elders (meaning my lolas and aunties), doing the courtesy house-hopping (and making your presence known so they'd be reminded that have to do a last minute Christmas shopping ;p ), preparing for the Noche Buena (which includes a lot of cooking, tasting [which I'm pretty good at!], singing, bantering, laughing, and a few fights here and there among The Elderly), and of course, the Noche Buena itself. We usually gather at the compound's gazebo and have a little program which nobody really pays attention to. Heehee. Pretty personalized traditions, but traditions nonetheless :)

- Koryn

my younger sister setting the table. dressing up for dinner at home. eating and watching TV.

- Zane

funnily enough? Christmas = Cebu. yeah, i know. I'm weird.

Context: My mother hails from Negros Occidental. My Father grew up in Jolo, later moved to Cebu, convinced his family to move to Cebu from Jolo, then moved to Manila with my mother and brother in tow. You can imagine, therefore, that my family unit was fairly isolated in Manila.

Every Christmas, even after my father had passed away in 1998, was therefore spent in Cebu. Visiting my paternal grandparents, and visiting as well my mother's side of the family who'd scoot over from Negros whenever they could. Christmas basically meant not being in Manila, being far from friends, and being in a fairly unfamiliar city surrounded by relatives who I really only saw once a year.

I make that sound terrible, but it's not as bad as it sounds. For me it cemented what Christmas really means to me as a holiday: spending time with family. When you're in that rebellious, chaotically hormonal landscape of adolescence, it's a drag. But when you're living 17,000kms away from all your loved ones, having spent three consecutive Christmases away from home (and about to spend a fourth), you tend to realize how stupid you were as a kid.

Christmas has never been about gifts. Or decorations. Or carols. Or peace and goodwill to all men. Or even that much of a religious holiday.

Christmas is a day to spend with my family.

Not much more to it.

(thankfully, out here in Spain, I have family to celebrate Christmas with. But it's like Light Beer - no offense to my relatives, whom I love dearly and who have been nothing but wonderful to me since I arrived - it tastes similar, it feels good, but it lacks a certain kick only the genuine article can give you)

- Jon Z.

When I was a young lass growing up in the hinterlands of Texas (alright, not quite, but you get the general idea), Christmas traditions were geared toward the birth of the baby Jesus and Christmas gifts! Well, in my family, anyway.

My brother and sister would watch for the first snowfall of the year and yell, "There's snow! There's snow!" So we would all go outside and try to catch snowflakes on our tongues.

The days before Christmas would be very busy for us, but it was never a burden. There were presentations and songs in church, parties to attend, lights to put up, trees to trim, etc. My dad would be putting up the Christmas lights around the roof, and we'd shout if the lights were awry. There was also the neighbor's pool to look at, because we harbored dreams of it freezing to the core so we could ice skate.

But on to the traditions, right? I'm not supposed to ramble.

On Christmas Eve, we would gather in the living room and watch television until 12 midnight. Then we had license to attack the brightly-colored gifts in the corner. Relatives would come around and drop off gifts and stay for some chow.

Same tradition repeated in millions of households around the world, but still. Look at the gifts waiting for us in the picture!

Once we came back to the Philippines, our Christmas traditions normally start with the gathering of the clan and my father giving a mini-Christmas message. One year, we staged the birth of baby Jesus in my aunt's house. It's always been clear to us: the season has never been about the presents and the parties. Jesus first, everything second.

Now that we're older, some of our traditions have gone the way of the dodo bird. Save for my dad's Christmas message, there's nothing we reprise from last year's Christmas celebrations; our family is never complete. The one thing that we're sure of is that anything goes. Spontaneity is key.

- Sarah

UPDATE: 14 December 2006, 1:23 PM

This post from Djong was sent to me at around five pm yesterday. I never got to posting it. Apologies, Djongers.

UPDATE: 21 December 2006, 4:40 PM

Shelah whined I didn't post her answer here, so here it is (after Djong's). Whiner.

You will always find me in my room on Christmas eve, hiding from the relatives, trying to put a little semblance of order in my room while everyone downstairs is yakking away.

But once I finally get the Scrooge out of me (yes, this happens EVERY year), I join in on the fun: I stuff my face with food (it's usually a potluck thing), then go out to the garage, where tables are set up, to drink beer with my dad and my cousins. Every once in a while, I'd bully a nephew or a niece, coerce them into giving me their gifts.

A lot of relatives and a lot of noise. Plus a lot of food, too. That's what I've gotten used to having at Christmas. I don't think I can ever feel Christmas without all that.

- Djong

When I was younger (and still had semblance of a sense of faith and worship), the 24^th meant going to the 9PM Mass and spending some time with my parents’ Church friends. After all the religious rituals, we head home and start snacking on cheese and candies. Yes, we are a family with weird food-combining abilities. By 12 midnight, we’d carve the ham, almost finish the cheese and I drink more wine. After much feasting (and a good amount of wine) we’d open the presents my parents manage to save from our nimble hands.

The 25^th is clan day. The first half would be spent with my mother’s side of the family, which often meant drinking sessions with my grandfather (yes, it was him who taught me to drink) and uncles. I remember this particular Christmas when I was 10 and accused of being prissy (since I came from an exclusive school), my mother’s relatives conned me into eating a dog. I DID NOT KNOW IT WAS DOG MEAT. Suffice to say, the trickery taught me not to drink with the pros…well, not until I was 18 and gastronomically mature.

In the late afternoon, we would head for the ancestral house/hangout of my father’s clan. This side of the family has more boys than girls, so my sister and I receive more attention and hugs from relatives. From this clan, I learned several things: a) big eyes are part of clan genetics b) nipple-pinching can be a shocking and painful greeting c) it’s ok to be crazy and loud even when not drunk and d) no matter how bad the fashion choice, the clan will still love you; despite green cycling shorts and pink sneakers. The table is never, NEVER empty. For my father’s family, food running out would be sacrilege to Christmas tradition. Everyone has to eat something every 30 minutes, no matter how full.

For both sides of the family, Yuletide melancholy was never an issue. Depressed or not, the important thing was you were there to partake in food, tradition and family gossip. Such disregard for sadness is cruel and comforting at the same time.

- Shelah

The Thought Project: Week 3

2006-11-28T13:11:00.000+08:00

How has religion shaped your beliefs in the world?

_______________________

Religion shaped my most basic concepts of good & evil, effectively ingraining in me the accepted modes of behaviour in civilized culture.

But now I think that religion is society's antibody against chaos and anarchy. It's the human collective's way of coping with ignorance and uncertainty...death & the unexplained. It's the beginner's course you have to pass so you can move on to more complex aspects of human life like art, science, politics, & porn.

It's a bunch of great stories about great human beings and some cool stuff about creation & heaven & hell & nirvana and all that. These are some of greatest stories ever told--and great stories shape the world.

- Paolo

My religion has made me believe that "truth" is relative, religion is relative, and that we have to be tolerant about our beliefs of the world against others beliefs based on what others see as "truth".

I was baptized Roman Catholic by a father who is very open minded, who never gives you the answer but as many options, and a mother who questioned whether the virginity of Mary makes Christ less or more the son of God (she believes she could have been a non virgin and the son of God would still be divine). She practically questioned every dogma of the Vatican Church. As a child i blindly followed the ways of organized religion such as the Roman Catholics' way as I really didn't have a choice in a dictatorial Chinese school.

Fast forward to the future and I'm painting the town red on weekends and sleep through sundays. I start questioning my religion, its history and how it came to be, politics of my Church, politics in general, religion as propaganda, why we are here and why my church is so hard headed. I was/am disappointed by the Vatican's actions. I see how many mistakes and imperfections my Church has. I see why they have to act that way (hard headed infalliables) and half accept them as such. I'm still very against the infallibility of the Pope.

After this tug of war of questions I realized that I personally was not built for organized religion. All the questions have actually made my faith in my God stronger but not my faith in the Vatican Church. I feel for people who are afraid to question their religion, thinking that faith is just believing cuz it is so. But I won't ram that down their throats. If they are happy that way, that's good. After I was content with myself and my religion, I lightly treaded on whether other people of other religions had questions and issues like mine. Many did...and I realized we were all in the same boat. I've never looked at my religion as better or above another but I question the actions of other religions too. In the end it has made me tolerant of other peoples' ways brought about by their religious education/beliefs. Not to say I accept all their ways. As I've mentioned...I was not built for organized religion that may influence people the wrong way. I see organized religion as too powerful a tool for good or bad... good or bad being relative.

- Jesus, your reluctant Roman Catholic

i just realized, upon thinking of my answer to this question, that i've had several varying influences religion-wise while i was growing up.

my mom was a catholic. though not exactly devout, she makes it a point to go to church on sundays. being my mother, she was the first to drag me to mass, which i started to resist when i was about 13. i told her that going to church was not something anyone should be forced to do, and she agreed.

my cousin girlie was also quite a strong influence. she was my roommate when i was in high school, as she lived with us throughout her college years. back then, she had just joined a born again christian group, and she was really taking her faith seriously. she gave me my first NIV bible, and i spent quite a lot of time poring over the pages, lingering on proverbs and psalms.

yet another strong "force" was my uncle, who was (or still is, i'm not sure) an atheist. every time my cousin would talk to him about christ, he'd scoff and laugh, and insist there isn't one, and that it's useless to believe in a supreme being.

still, even with their presence, i was never swayed toward a single belief. somehow, i always found something lacking in each. with catholicism, i wasn't too keen on the idea of saints and statues and rosaries. when i pray, i want it to come from me, not from something i memorized out of a pamphlet. i didn't get why we had to stand up, sit, and kneel at certain portions of the mass. couldn't we just listen to what the priest was saying?

my cousin's born again christian ways were a bit more acceptable, but i found some of their "rules" too... conservative, i guess. like how they weren't allowed to marry anyone outside of their group. and they way they expressed their beliefs was too much. i wasn't the type to be overly enthusiastic and expressive about these things, so maybe it wasn't for me.

atheism was something i found convenient for a time, because it was easy to just negate every religious argument. it's easy to be bitter in a crumbling world, after all. but, i couldn't quite fully embrace it, because there are things in my head that i want explained (not literally in my head).

so early on, i was taught to question, which i now find valuable. philosophy class gave me more "tools" to ask more questions and try to find out what it is i really believed in. and finally, a friend gave me a book--conversations with god by neale donald walsch, and somehow, a lot of my questions were answered. the book features a different take on god, a sort of make-your-own-faith kind of thing. it opened my eyes to a supreme being who didn't judge, who was happy to just sit high up there and watch us get confused with life, who didn't care whether he was feared or revered or respected, a god who thinks blasphemy is hogwash. it made me realize that things don't always, or are never, black and white, how crimes such as stealing and killing can be "right."

i haven't finished the book(s) from cover to cover, but i get where the author is going with what i've read so far, and it fits into my beliefs, and answered my questions. it made me see the world, and everybody else, in a different light, taught me to look at things from a different angle.

Here's an excerpt from Conversations with God (Book 2):

Author: "...how can any theology work without a system of Reward and Punishment?"

and "God" answers:

Everything depends on what you perceive to be the purpose of life--and therefore the basis of the theology.

If you believe that God is a vengeful God, jealous in His love and wrathful in His anger, then your theologies are perfect.

If you believe God is a peaceful God, joyous in Her* love and passionate in Her* ecstasy, then your theologies are useless.

I tell you this: the purpose of life is not to please God. The purpose of life is to know, and to recreate, Who You Are.

(*"God" interchanges the use of He and She to refer to the supreme being to "jar you out of your parochial thinking.")

and this is something that i could nod in agreement to, how such a few words unlock a lot of things. this is why i live the way i do, just doing things the way i feel is right, not forced or restrained by anything. but at the same time, i learned not to look down on people who don't think the way i do, because, well, we're all just here to learn, right?

- Djong

What I am thankful for is that I learned (and believe) in "goodness".

Growing up Catholic, I was taught that following a certain path reaps certain rewards, that "going astray" results in punishment. As I got older, I realized that such teachings are a little too judgemental for who we say is a "forgiving god". If my religion teaches that I should aspire to be like jesus (who is divine in human form, the epitome of goodness) because he shows us the "best person we can be, then I don't think he would be too judgemental about certain paths...especially since at my imperfect "best", I am tolerant.

Over the years, I've modified my catholicism to fit in with personal beliefs and experiences. I believe in magic, love, that people can be divine while on earth, that the whole earth has one big collective soul...I'm still trying to weave all that into a cohesive belief system but I'm feeling more spiritual with a journey like this. Ultimately, I think that honors the free will we were born with.

So there. Plenty of teachings but only two things seem to have stuck: the concept of good, and the beauty of free will. The rest I call to fore when they resound with truth, from the deepest part of my guts and at the root of my soul.

I believe in a higher power, yes. But I think the name/identity of that higher power is so much more expansive than any religion, or all religions combined.

In a way, I'm also lucky to have had more open-minded catholic religion teachers who taught me to appreciate the bible as some form of literature. It makes it so much more real to me than history.

Do I make any sense?

(What heretical ideas!!!!!!!! Kidding. Thanks for sharing, Z. - Sarah)

- Zane

I am sick of The City’s loose change and spare sanity sucked up by and lived off by an ever-increasing pile of parasitical shit-ticks incapable of standing up and dealing with the world on their own

That quote is taken from Warren Ellis’ TRANSMETROPOLITAN, a comic series following the exploits of Spider Jerusalem, outlaw journalist. Since a the quotes are going to eat up my word count, all I can say about TRANSMET is that you should go read it.

I should start with some context: I studied in an Opus Dei-run school for eleven years (6 to 17 years old) and in a catholic university for four. My parents could be considered devout Catholics. The Catholic Faith has been an unavoidable part of my entire life.

And really, I have no real problem with that. These days, it tends to be very…intellectually hip to condemn “organized religion”. Religion and faith are for the “unenlightened”.

I still consider myself a practicing Catholic (albeit an imperfect one, obviously. The only perfect Catholic got nailed to a tree 2000 years ago). I still go to Church every week and on holidays of obligation. I do my best to, at the very least, comply with the few things my Faith asks of me. You can take the boy out of Church, but you can’t take the Church out of the boy.

Why do I bother? The inherent hypocrisy in the structure of the Catholic Church, the intolerance towards differing points of view, the manipulation and exploitation of the faithful – these are all pretty good reasons to just say “fuck it” and go looking for the next path to Divine Enlightenment. Except, all the other religions tend to do the same.

I go to Mass every Sunday in the hope that maybe, just maybe, I might pick up something new from the sermon. The broad strokes of Catholicism, of any religion, I’m convinced, is to try and make humanity go beyond ourselves and just…be better. Of course, it’s a win-some-lose-some proposition.

The rest…the gossiping old ladies, the fatwas, the righteous condemnation of evil, the “us vs. them” stuff…THAT’S the opiate of the masses. That’s the product of overzealous, ignorant, or Machiavellian snobs who use religion as an excuse to further their own agendae. That’s not religion…that’s politics. It’s very human beings acting under the pretense of the divine.

The moment religion stops being about improving yourself as a human, and more about frightening and manipulating people into obedience, then it ceases to be a religion. It ceases to be divine. It’s just…exploitation, the promotion of fear and ignorance, and even hate-mongering.

Back to you, Spider:

Fucking vampires sucking the will from people whose only goddamn crimes were to be frightened and tired!

And you don’t help them! You don’t listen to them! They get no Truth from you! All you do is scare them with stories of something that doesn’t exist!

- Jon Z.

Upstarts. Baptist Vatican. Born into the faith. I can't say much more than that right now, so I will update and edit my longish draft later. Yeah, I pretty much suck.

- Sarah

The Thought Project: Week 2

2006-11-21T13:37:00.000+08:00

What is the one trait or characteristic that you think your friends find most distinctive about you?

___________________

once, in religion class, our prof wrote various sentences with specific qualities ("nagagandahan ako sa yo," "magaling kang magdala ng problema," "alam kong malayo ang mararating mo.") and asked us to write each sentence on a piece of paper. then he asked us to give each piece of paper to anyone in the class whom they think fits that specific trait.

i was surprised to find that i got a lot of "magaling kang magdala ng problema." (bakit ba hindi na lang yung "nagagandahan ako sa yo" yung binigay sa kin?!) and time and again, even after that class activity, friends have been telling me the same thing.

i found it surprising. actually, i still do, because i don't feel like i do carry my problems well. the scandalous shoutfest i had with my mom and numerous breakdowns attest to that. but maybe they told me that because they rarely saw me shed a tear or lose my temper (though i think that has changed now, for some of you).

true, i do tend to mask my emotions, especially when i'm around a lot of people. i can smile even when sad, laugh even when i'm boiling mad. but i don't feel that that qualifies as "magaling magdala ng problema." you're just hiding it, it still hovers over you everywhere you go.

i actually think it's better when you show the world how you're feeling. that, to me, is effective "pagdadala ng problema," because you do carry it around for the world to see, and not be ashamed that you do have it. accepting it and just letting the problem be a problem actually helps, as opposed to keeping it, and pretending it doesn't exist.

- Djong

My one trait? I think I'm incredibly stubborn and prone to following my heart. Not impulsively, mind you, but after long thought and much discussion with good friends :)

- Pats, woman without a blog

Trust a former editor in chief to go from philosophy to slam-book in one breath.

I called this a "dangerous question", because really, it is. How you answer it says a lot about you. Where does the sincerity end and arrogance begin? Should it be answered in a cynical, self-deprecating manner, exuding false modesty and caustic wit? What if you have no friends? Or what if you sincerely think that none of them like you enough to call you a "friend" and you're just being presumptuous.

Sigh. I guess stalling won't work, and I already did the whole "ignore the question" routine once.

I guess I'll be pretty straighforward: If I had to identify it, I guess I'd call myself a "saccharine" friend. Not "saccharine" as in "sickeningly sweet" (eeew), but "saccharine" as in "substitute". Bits and pieces of your bestest friends (in the whoooooooole world) somewhat diluted for a experience that is almost as good as original, but with less calories.

I'd like to think I have a healthy sense of humor, but nowhere near as entertaining and charming as Bryan. I've been called "sensible" once or twice, but it's a well-known fact that I am at the very bottom rung of the Sense department, compared to the various members of my family. I can be practical, but lack the innate pragmatism, bedside manner and groundedness of engineers like Gerwin. As far as passionate or starry-eyed goes, I can keep up with, but rarely inspire, the way Djong, Koryn, or Zane can. And maybe there's some faint ember of intelligence lodged between my ears, but Sarah, Therese, Les, and Brian run rings around me in a manner that is most astounding. There may be some romance in my veins, but it pales in comparison to such paragons of Male Virtue like Ejay (who incidentally, updates his blog even less than Sarah does! It's criminal, I tell you).

I won't even go into the Good Looks department (there's a reason I am the only guy from my high school circle of friends not picked as a "Most Eligible Southridge Bachelor" on Friendster).

I know I criticized the whole "self-deprecation" thing, but I'm not doing it on purpose (well, maybe just a teeny-tiny bit). It's just, you know, you realize you have this amazing collection of people whom you consider friends, and you tend to ask yourself "Jumping Jimminy Cricket, what DO they see in me, anyway?"

I don't really know. I'd like to my "saccharine"-ness is a result of all these great people rubbing off on me, and I get to share that with everyone else.

Or it could be 'cause I give really good hugs.

Or maybe because my house used to be a regular Booze Joint. Yeah, that's probably it.

(did any of that make any sense at all?!?)

- Jon Z.

Well, that's an easy question - I'm probably the nerdiest person they ever met! I'm never without a book in hand and a recommendation for obscure bands.

Honestly, though, I have no idea. I'm a lot of things to different people. I can be quiet to some people, and outrageously bubbly with others. I suppose the closest trait I can say that's quite distinctive to me is the ability to read anywhere. I read at parties, at debuts, at gimmicks - to be specific, I've been videotaped reading at a friend's debut and a friend of mine has caught me sneaking in a few pages while relaxing in a bar. It's just something that I've never seen as ridiculous, at least from my point of view. I'm easily restless, and I need something to do. I'm quite aware of people having laughs over it, and I don't mind. Not much, anyway.

Oh, and I also steal food. Chocolate, to be specific. Djong has never let me forget it.

- Sarah

UPDATE: 21 November 2006, 7:51 PM

Ha ha! this is fun. it really depends on which friend. isn't it interesting how we reveal only certain parts of ourselves to certain friends, and bare it all to some? =D

anyhoo, they will probably report that i am a whatever-goes kind of girl, a cowboy with stuff in her head :)

- Zane

The Thought Project: Week 1

2006-11-14T18:20:00.000+08:00

To prepare for the first question, I found this quote by Plutarch:

For never to be able to control passion shows a weak nature and ill-breeding; and always to moderate it is very hard, and to some impossible.

Plutarch, in The Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, "Solon"

Does nobility of character come when one denies oneself, or will it lead to a form of delusion?

_________________

Neh. Character, and not nobility comes from self restraint. We must remember that in their times it was all about separating our natural qualities from that of animals to prove that man was above all forms of living creatures. Passion is in man's nature, his animal nature...to restrain what cames naturally animalistic in public is elevating us above animanls. Is it a denial of our true being? I doubt so. More like evolution of man in society. The path may not always be correct. That is why we had so many movements in the past.

It was also a time when norms had to be put forth to create a society with a common culture (the many churches followed this formula too...a bit extreme at times). Without restrain it would have been each man for himself. I say man because woman had no place in society in his times.

Now the question; nobility of character from denial of self or is it a form of delusion? Answer, it depends on the norms of the times. As we see nowadays, being Howard Stern is character. This man has no self restraint. A villain is nowadays seen as someone to be awed by or at times looked upon. Following the right path (which in itself is relative to the times) is also seen as character. Character in itself is relative nowadays in our world where there is no common culture. I am a believer that we must have a common culture to function without much anxiety but I'm losing the battle. I'd be considered the one without character and delusional in a world of young folk who follow and argue that there is nothing wrong with the mantra of "me, me, me" and instant gratification for survival.... I see it differently, I think that with sacrifice or a bit of restrain we can still survive, but it's a world of each human for himself as we don't have a common culture. I'm simply outdated.

- 'Sus

First, I’m going to totally avoid the question and talk about nobility as a concept (at least, as I see it). Merriam-Webster defines “noble” as “possessing outstanding qualities”. There are more definitions in the link, but they’re all fairly vague. Traditionally we think nobility is being right and true and good, when in fact it means “better than everybody else”.

Which makes it strange as an aspiration. If I want to be noble, it means I want to or have to be aware of what people think of me. Of various third parties approving of my behavior and thus considering me “noble”. To try and be purposefully noble requires a certain amount of two-facedness – do you do something because it is right, or because everybody ELSE thinks it’s right, and thus your approval rating shoots up?

But then, that tends to contradict the common notion of nobility – which is being a good person above and beyond the call of duty, right? A person who would qualify as noble theoretically doesn’t give a good goddamn what other people think, nor whether other people think he/she is noble or not. You just do what's Right, because your momma said so (or because it's the Right thing to do). So if you want to be considered noble, you have to not want to be noble. It becomes sort of a weird zen-thing, doesn’t it?

And my point (don’t worry, I have one…I think) becomes this: it’s a slippery slope to talk about or decide on nobility as an “end”. What Plutarch talks about, in a sense, is good behavior, is about just being good people. I think it’s about finding that balance in one’s self to just do What is Right. Because if people will then consider you noble, it’s more than likely you won’t care, because all you want to do is the right thing. And if you want to be considered noble, and do things to be “better” than everybody else… well, then you’re just an arrogant bastard with a budding superiority complex.

- Jon Z.

I think nobility of character stems from being unafraid to be perceived as delusional. It takes some serious guts to moderate one's concern for what others think about oneself.

- Zane

Nobility of character...such a loaded term. Can you have one without the other? But that's another question in itself. So - on to the first question. Nobility, to me, has always had implicit sacrifice. One cannot be noble without sacrificing anything. But again, what are you sacrificing for? For yourself, or for someone/something else? It leads to quashing something within yourself in order to abide by societal rules.

To already think of stifling a part of yourself brings troubling thoughts. It says, to me, that you're not completely comfortable with who you are. That you live by others' praises and opinions. That you're shackled by the rules of your religion. Society says that you must not live for yourself, but you cannot live for them either. Surely there's a happy medium here somewhere.

As I infer from Plutarch's quote, one can never live a life free of passion. We are only human; we have our urges and desires. But by not living out what makes us human, we're continuing to hurt ourselves and the ones we love. You think your sacrifice is noble because it seems like the right thing to do? There's your delusion.

- Sarah

UPDATE: 16 November 2006, 12:54 pm
UPDATE II: 16 November 2006, 5:48 pm
UPDATE III: 21 November 2006, 8:17 pm

Denying oneself doesn't necessarily make you noble. Most people do it in the name of religion, claiming that their self-denial will earn them brownie points with a god who appreciates self-sacrifice. After all, Jesus did it himself, on behalf of all the world's sinners. But that was the point of Jesus's life, to save sinners - he wanted to, he could, and he succeeded!

Most mortals, on the other hand, generally deny themselves to conform to the wishes of selfish people, not to reach self-actualization. People deny their true identities - consider religious homosexuals refraining from following their hearts because they'll burn in the fires of hell. Maybe religion is a good enough refuge for them, but they will forever feel like there is something missing from their lives. People deny their true vocations - consider children who study a course against their will just because their parents want them to take that course. It might be admirable for them to be so obedient to their parents, but they are short-changing themselves by not being fully committed to their life direction. Some other industry is deprived of a stellar and passionate painter, pilot, lawyer, or journalist because that person is slogging through a caregiving course.

Sometimes, of course, self-denial can be ennobling, as when you stop yourself from being a negative person, or when Mother Teresa devoted her life to serving India's poor. It's ennobling when you deny yourself a course of action because you recognize how it will make you and other people both better off and happier. There is no nobility in suffering if you can't suffer gracefully and turn out an inwardly bitter, unfulfilled person. Most people aren't saints, and will be secretly unhappy if they deny themselves something they really want.

Self-denial is ennobling only if it makes you happy, perversely. Happy not that you are suffering, but that you never really needed whatever it is you denied yourself. If your self-denial serves to make your life lighter and easier to live (because you're on the path you want to be), then it is ennobling because it makes you a better person.

- Pats, woman without a blog

"For never to be able to control passion shows a weak nature and ill-breeding; and always to moderate it is very hard, and to some impossible."

Passion is good. We all have it. We all need to be able to express it, and let it out. I am all for passion. (Go! Hahaha!)

As simple as it may seem, I guess what Plutarch is trying to say is, "Anything in excess is bad."

I don't think denying oneself (whether totally or partially) of one's passion equals nobility of character. But I also don't think that controlling or moderating your passion can lead to a form of delusion or lead you to live a double life.

It's all a matter of controlling it. Giving in to your passion doesn't necessarily mean allowing it to consume you. And controlling it doesn't also mean denying yourself of it.

I think weakness of nature comes in when you allow it to consume you, or if you allow it to be unconsumed.

As they say, "Everything in moderation."

- Shen

I think the first thing we have to do is define "nobility". In this context, I guess that "nobility" is tied to one's ability to transcend one's urges, wholesome or otherwise. This would mean that a noble act is the denial of one's pleasure and/or convenience, since "being human" is equated with weakness and the inability to control one's desires. One’s character then, is tantamount to discipline. After all, there is nothing more shameful or disgusting than to have animalistic urges, i.e. eat like a pig, have sex like bunnies, considering that the humans have the gift of rationality and should therefore “know better”. Strangely, most people do not associate these two. Premise one: being human is being weak. Premise two: the ability to think and feel separates man from animal.

So what does it mean to be human then? And what does it mean to have “character” if both principles are taken into consideration? I think it would be limiting to say that character is based on the merit of depravity and disregard of base needs. If this is the case, then passions would be considered a vice and therefore, something to be avoided.

Then again, it is unfair to take these things in absolute terms. Pleasure and motivation are two things to be considered since these are strangely intertwined. It would be a shame to disallow the self of depriving enjoyment from something; after all, this is a distinguishing trait of being human. We eat because we are hungry, but also take into consideration what to eat. If the situation allows it, you would not have scraps for lunch would you? Nor would you drink a strange concoction of vinegar and isopropyl alcohol in pursuit of a cocktail treat.

Being human, I think, is knowing better. True, we seek pleasure for pleasure’s sake, be it sense or mind. But acknowledging this truth, that is to submit to one’s desires/whims/brat attacks, is character itself. There’s nothing wrong with admitting a need but it becomes problematic when “need” and “want” overlap. Weakness is merely submitting to wants and needs. Character is knowing the answers to the how’s, what’s, why’s and when’s of both.

- Shelah (whom I promised not to post how she got her answer; Old Spice and yoghurt are clues)

Introducing: The Thought Project

2006-11-14T12:15:00.000+08:00

I'd like to introduce a new project that's been in the works for a little over seven days. (I know, right?) Briefly, it involves asking a question every Tuesday and having people answer it over the week, with my posting their answers on the next Tuesday. Here's an excerpt from my e-mail:

It's a "Question of the Week" sort of thing, a project for my rarely-updated blog. (Shameless self-promotion, I know.) Since we all have our beliefs, I thought we could share with one another our reasons for our faith, our life, our actions; in short, a look into the human condition and how well we really know ourselves.

I'm happy I've got a lot of positive feedback on this. I've always wanted to know what other people think about life and their philosophy in it. Here's to sharing their thoughts with the world.

*I included a photo of Jens Lehmann just because.

Monkey!!! Knife!!! Fight!!!

2006-10-29T21:15:00.001+08:00

Surely, the world is not meant for peace. There is no beauty in violence, and there should not be; violence is pure. It is intrinsic in everyone, whether we seek to quash it through study and high intellect. We are born with violence, and we look for ways to minimize it in a superficially civil world.

People are afraid for its glorification. Blood, toil, tears, sweat; all testify to pride and effort. Why should it not be held up in the highest esteem, when violence has borne us so much of the world? The Roman Empire would have never existed; France would have never had its revolution; America would have never had its country; the Catholic Church would have never risen to preeminence. And yet it is shunted, not brought out to the open for its dark influence. Wars have been fought and wars have been lost, and violence still lives on.

We can debate on the matters of pretty speech, but we can never debate on the matters of violence; all violence is sincere. It does not hesitate to express, whatever the emotion behind it. It is never tentative or hesitant. It is there for all to see, and words fail even at that. With words, there are lines to be read, inflections to be analyzed.

It is this world that we are introduced to in "Green Street Hooligans", where the passion of the football firms are brought to somewhat blinding light. Pete Dunham (Charlie Hunnam) is the leader of the Green Street Elite, the proud football firm of West Ham United, and it is his task to bring his firm back to its old glory days. Ex-Harvard student Matt Buckner (Elijah Wood) is compellingly drawn into this mindset, and discovers just how things are started and ended with fists.

Noble savages are the characters not; yet theirs is a morality that they do not question, and they legislate accordingly. Whoever breaks the code is singled out for punishment. They do not pretend to love anything but the tiniest excuse to break out in fisticuffs; Pete, particularly, is pushed around by no one and led by his passion and pride. Matt is astonished and elated at his first proper introduction to a fight. The violence shocks, but not surprisingly so.

Violence never changes, but the film attempts to give it one last honor: validation. Despite its sketchiness and gray area regarding this, the ending is a bit contrived, but nonetheless shows the viewers why some lessons are best learned in blood.

The world is touched by violence. That is its birthright. There has been no golden age of peace, of unity, that had been brought up and torn down by dissent and blood. In its own way, "Green Street Hooligans" shows us that there is no redemption in violence, a tangible reminder that oftentimes life is not bound to such lofty ideals. Peace will never exact the terrible price of violence, but it is borne of it. And thus we are left to ponder on the minutiae of life.

*image from here

Vignette # Oh, I forget already.

2006-08-31T16:04:00.000+08:00

This one's for you, Jon.

Who: Coworker and I
What: Dinner
Where: Elevator, anonymous Makati building
When: Approximately 7 pm

When Coworker and I stepped into an elevator getting ready to scrounge for food, we found that we were an all-female group. Aside from a couple of office workers, a pregnant lady and her friend were talking. We never took notice of what they were talking about until...

*Pregnant Lady Friend (PLF): May panty ka? May panty ka? (Do you have a panty? Do you have a panty?)
Pregnant Lady (PL): Mumbled reply.
PLF: Ah, so may panty ka nga? Eh **pantilet? (Ah, so you do have a panty? What about a pantilet?)

At this point Coworker and I were looking at everywhere but each other.

PL: ...masikip kasi... (...it's tight...)
PLF: Ah, kumikiskis talaga yan! Lagyan mo ng baby oil. (Ah, that really chafes. Put some baby oil on it.)

After a moment the elevator doors opened onto the ground floor and Coworker and I thankfully escaped, free to laugh as loudly as we could.

*Not exact conversation as too busy holding in laughter
**Further research (against will) has revealed this to be "pantalette". SFW, I think.

Time to get Nekkid...err...Naked.

2006-06-27T11:44:00.000+08:00

Listen.

The voices you hear now – when you turn a dial, open a newspaper, or even look out your window – belong to mass media. A media who’s very good at telling us what your problems are. But lousy at telling us what their problems are.

You have news outlets blindly follow talking points set out by the political interest who’s paying for the evening cocktails. A few reporters – more than we’re comfortable with – are too lazy to research or follow up their stories. And many news outlets willingly downplay stories because they hurt major advertisers.

On the lighter side, TV writers are out of ideas. Movie producers are out of money. And viewers are out of luck, as we’re force-fed the crass, noisy, and ultimately nutrient-free pap that passes for the Pinoy entertainment industry.

That’s just a short run-down of some of Philippine mass media’s problems. But where can you find a media practitioner willing to commit professional suicide and start writing about it? Someone should. And – in a fit of combined righteous anger, patriotism, self-delusion and hubris – we decided that it should be us. Hahaha.

Mind you, we’re not here to lecture anyone. We’re not here to threaten. We’re just here to provide a counterpoint to the mass media noise that (more often than not) is often just an extension of vested interests. We’re just here to have fun at the expense of a media empire that’s gotten too loud, too arrogant, too used to power. If anybody learns anything, consider it a bonus.

It’s like a fairy tale, with a twist: we’ll put the moral at the beginning of the story – “The Media Emperor has no clothes!” And only then, do we begin our story.

Once upon a time…

Barenaked Media

Tales of a so-so basketball fan.

2006-06-05T11:20:00.000+08:00

*image taken from here

I'm an occasional basketball fan. My hometown team is technically the Texas Rangers (baseball), but I also cheer for the Dallas Mavericks, the team you either love or hate.

When we were still living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area (1985-1991), the mere mention of the Mavericks had the locals laughing. Native-born Spud Webb was different; he was not a Maverick, but he was the only basketball player that everyone was looking to because of his spectacular leaping and dunking skills. My father used to tell of friends who would offer him season passes to the Mavericks because seriously, they were just that bad.

Still, when all was said and done, they were still our hometeam, and even after going back here, we continued to sporadically cheer them on. Eventually I lost interest in the NBA and turned my focus on the PBA - I was a rabid fan of Ginebra (Gordon's Gin). Everyone in church knew which team I was cheering on, and so did my high school friends. I received a poster of Ginebra for Christmas from a classmate with an unquenchable love for Vince Hizon. Here is what she wrote on the back (the poster is too big to scan, sorry.):

Dearest Sarah,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! May God Bless You and Your Family.

Love,

Mrs. Myra and Mr. Vince H.

P.S. I got this one for you, "the last copy (you know how in demand this is!") for your crush is smiling here and I want you to have this from me so you won't cut your newspapers with them on it!

I've forgotten his name already, but his jersey number was 6.

***

I collected newspaper clippings of their journey to the championship (Commissioner's Cup) in 1997 against San Miguel Beer - feature articles, articles published after winning a game, and photos. When they finally won, I got my hands on every newspaper I could buy and readied my scissors. I placed the clippings in a spare photo album my mother had lying around and kept it in my room.

The extent of my obssesion showed twofold: when I had a high fever and insisted on eating my noodles while watching a championship game in the living room, and when I took my dad's Bible and randomly pointed my fingers to a verse that assuaged some of the disappointment I felt following a Ginebra loss.

I went to a championship game at the-then Cuneta Astrodome along Roxas Boulevard with a couple of church friends. It was my first time to watch, and they were all apprehensive about the crowds, but I determinedly entered, stood in the stands, and cheered my heart out for my team. I think we won that night, but I'm not sure.

My father jokingly asked me after the championship, "Why are you collecting clippings? They already won." I looked him in the eye and said, "Because it might take them another six years to win another championship." And though I was hoping in my heart of hearts it wouldn't come true, more than six years would pass without their winning another championship*. I still have the clippings somewhere, but I misplaced them because I had to use the photo album for a college project.

I was never as invested in another PBA team again after that.

***

When my brother told me some time later that Dallas was still his favorite team, I pitied him. I told him that they sucked, and he agreed to some extent - but they had some new players on the team, some punk named Steve Nash and a German player by the name of Dirk Nowitzki. They were getting pretty good, and my brother was a fan of their team-up. "Dallas just isn't a good defensive team, but I like teams that are good offensively," he explained. "They're more fun to watch."

It helped that my brother passed along a Jason Kidd quote back when he joined the Mavericks - "We're going to turn this team around 360 degrees."(scroll down to "Basketball") Hilarity ensued; still makes me giggle, actually.

That was the era of the Chicago Bulls, where His Airness reigned over the game and took away six NBA championships in the process. The buzz was all about the Bulls, the Lakers, and the Jazz - nobody gave a second look to Dallas; they couldn't even reach the playoffs.

Sometimes I would join my brother watching the Mavericks play, and even I, a sporadic fan, could spot the weaknesses in their defensive plays. Fortunately Michael Finley took hold of my heart and gave me reason to hope that maybe, just maybe, these guys had a chance of going farther in the league.

***

Cut to this century. My brother continued to apprise me of the Mavericks' developments and how they were improving year by year. I noted the difference in some of the games I watched and was really very surprised that they actually had fans cheering for them. My Michael Finley was as solid as ever, and that Nash-Nowitzki team-up! Look at how well they knew each other! The Triumvirate was very popular, and it showed. Though Nash and Finley eventually left the Mavericks within years of each other (Nash because Cuban was stingy, Finley because Cuban was stingy), Nowitzki remained and became the team's supersuperstar.

And now they're in the NBA Finals for the first time. Call them any names you want, but you can't deny them their achievement.

*Since I don't keep up with the PBA anymore, I'm not sure if they had won another championship.

I love gossip and so do you.

2006-04-09T22:46:00.000+08:00

*image taken from mediabistro.com

I admit that I don't buy trashy magazines. I think they're, well, trashy, and you run the risk of letting other people see that you have a copy. Reputation, reputation, reputation, so to speak. The average person will never admit to reading these magazines. It's just not cool.

But we read them. You and I, we both do. At the supermarket line, at home with your mother's copy of YES! and OK! Magazine, at the office - it's virtually undeniable.

To say that you do not engage in gossip is an exercise in futility. We all do, in one way or another - the "dirt" about backstabbing friends, traitorous lovers, your co-workers' sense of responsibility, your classmate's sense of fashion, etc. Look back to your recent conversations; you've probably covered one such topic. We want the skinny, and we want it delivered piping hot.

According to a New York Times article last August 2005, gossip serves a social function.

People find it irresistible for good reason: Gossip not only helps clarify and enforce the rules that keep people working well together, studies suggest, but it circulates crucial information about the behavior of others that cannot be published in an office manual. As often as it sullies reputations, psychologists say, gossip offers a foothold for newcomers in a group and a safety net for group members who feel in danger of falling out.

That's true enough. When you want to find out the true state of affairs in your office, for example, do you go straight to your supervisors or boss? Of course not. You ask your co-workers; they're in the best position to know. Says Professor Emler, Head of the School of Human Sciences at Surrey University at Open2.net

Gossip does have a serious side to it. It’s all to do with being a human being. You simply will not survive unless you can talk about the people you know, exchange information about them and find out more about them. In any kind of organisation, if you’ve got a boss that’s one person you really need to know about – their idiosyncrasies, their peculiarities and their relationships. And so most gossip is focussed upwards – it’s looking up the hierarchy.

The New York Times article tells us gossip sessions with people and friends can be healthy. How so?

"We all know people who are not calibrated to the social world at all, who if they participated in gossip sessions would learn a whole lot of stuff they need to know and can't learn anywhere else, like how reliable people are, how trustworthy," said Sarah Wert, a psychologist at Yale. "Not participating in gossip at some level can be unhealthy, and abnormal."

Talking out of school may also buffer against low-grade depressive moods. In one recent study, Dr. Wert had 84 college students write about a time in their lives when they felt particularly alienated socially, and also about a memory of being warmly accepted.

After finishing the task, Dr. Wert prompted the participants to gossip with a friend about a mutual acquaintance, as she filmed the exchanges. Those who rated their self-esteem highly showed a clear pattern: they spread good gossip when they felt accepted and a more derogatory brand when they felt marginalized.

Back to trashy magazines. Of course, there will always be detractors, saying that they do absolutely nothing in terms of giving important information and an absolute waste of time and money. That's not the point. The point is, gossip magazines are FUNNY. They're extremely cheeky and often hilarious. They help keep a perspective on the lives of excessively pampered celebrities, sometimes with the headline "CELEBRITIES: THEY'RE JUST LIKE US!"

I admit to being such a snob before, the type that thought those who spent their time reading gossip magazines were empty-headed flibbertigibbets. Maybe I wasn't alone in that thinking; I remember reading several classmates' forms for their Communication major. Beside the phrase "Magazines you read" were the inevitable Time, Newsweek, etc. I took it with a grain of salt. No one was ever going to admit reading something less than savory on such a piece of paper, and that included me.

When I was editor of The LaSallian, I had decided to make all the staff write a weekly critique on themes and articles I gave them through an online group. I remember categorically stating that magazines such as Candy and Seventeen gave teens a bad example with regard to critical thinking and reasoning. Since they wrote for the student publication, I wanted a higher level of writing than the ones that existed in the aforementioned. I still believe it was a good idea, but I also believe that I was entirely too rigid in that thinking. There's nothing wrong with a little fluff in life.

Gossip exists because we want to know what's going on, the real deal. We humans are true hounds for information, and we get it from different people. There's never any fun in reading the official response of a celebrity from his or her spokesperson, or in reading press releases from beleaguered officials and other such people in positions of authority. We want the element of entertainment and excitement, and gossip gives that to us. At worst, gossip is a social bane; at best, it's a tool for social survival.

As commenter A. Dee (scroll down) in the Sydney Morning Herald acerbically writes,

"I may disagree with what you read, but I will defend to the death your right to read it."

Related links:

http://www.economist.com/business/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5558875

http://blogs.smh.com.au/entertainment/archives/the_tribal_mind/003624.html

http://www.open2.net/society/media_communications/communication_gossip.html

Something for the weekend.

2006-04-07T17:18:00.000+08:00

I was supposed to post another entry, but late afternoon surfing and catching up on gossip yielded me this*:

Her name is Desdemona, and she's a cookie thief.

*Thanks for the pointer, MK.

Quotable quoting.

2006-03-23T00:14:00.000+08:00

I had just watched "V for Vendetta" last night with Djong and Mike, and there was one definitive quote that struck Djong:

People should not fear their government. The government should fear its people.

I'll probably post a review of the movie later on (I, for one, liked it), but it got me thinking about other quotes that greatly defined their movies. Here are a couple:

With great power comes great responsibility. Uncle Ben, Spider-Man

Even the smallest person can change the course of the future. Gandalf, The Fellowship of the Ring

May the Force be with you. Star Wars

Come back...come back. Rose, Titanic (alright, I couldn't resist)

I remembered hearing about the American Film Institute's (AFI) Top 100 Movie Quotes on Klite last year. The iconic film Casablanca had six quotes featured on that list, including the ever-memorable "Here's looking at you, kid" and "Play it, Sam. Play 'As Time Goes By'."

AFI director and CEO Jean Picker Firstenberg says that "Great movie quotes become part of our cultural vocabulary." She's correct, which is why Zane and I don't understand how this quote in the best movie in the world ended up being shafted:

Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.

The best line. Ever.

Because I am mandated to pass this along, that's why.

2006-03-07T19:09:00.000+08:00

Occasionally I come across treasures that I feel compelled to pass on to the world. You know, to make it a better place and that shtick. For today, I present you with Love Acronyms.

BURMA

B - etween
U - s,
R - emember
M - e
A - lways

CANADA

C - ute
A - nd
N - ice
A - ctions that
D - eveloped into
A - ttraction

CHINA

C - ome
H - ere...
I
N - eed
A - ffection

EGYPT

E - verything's
G - reat,
Y - ou
P - retty
T - hing!

HOLLAND

H - ope
O - ur
L - ove
L - asts
A - nd
N - ever
D - ies

INDIA

I
N - early
D - ied
I - n
A - doration

ITALY

I
T - rust
A - nd
L - ove
Y - ou

JAPAN

J - ust
A - lways
P - ray
A - t
N - ight

KENYA

K - eep
E - verything
N - ice as
Y - ou
A - re

KOREA

K - eep
O - ptimistic
R - egardless of
E - very
A - dversity

LIBYA (not to be confused with Libyan on a Jet Plane)

L - ove
I - s
B - eautiful;
Y - ou
A - lso

NEPAL

N - ever
E - ver
P - art
A - s
L - overs

PERU

P - orget
E - veryone
R - emember
U - s

RUSSIA

R - omance
U - nder the
S - ky and
S - tars is
I - ntimate
A - lways

And now, we go local:

BALIWAG

B - eauty
A - nd
L - ove
I
W - ill
A - lways
G - ive

CEBU

C - hange
E - verything
B - ut
U - s

IMUS

I
M - iss
U,
S - weetheart

MALABON

M - ay
A
L - asting
A - ffection
B - e
O - urs
N - ow

PARANAQUE

P - lease
A - lways
R - emain
A - dorable
N - ice
A - mazing
Q - uiet
U - nique and
E - ndearing

PASAY

P - retty
A - nd
S - exy
A - re
Y - ou

PASIG

P - lease
A - lways
S - ay
I - m
G - orgeous

TONDO

T - ogether
O - r
N - othing
D - earest
O - ne

Out of place:

YAMAHA

Y - ou
A - re
M - y
A - ngel!
H - appy
A - nniversary

Stop whingeing; you know you did it when you were younger.

The Philippine Star might hate Alex Compton.

2006-03-01T17:11:00.000+08:00

This was published today, March 1, alongside an article about Compton not being part of the Welcoat deal.

Beware the Ides of March...

2006-02-26T07:36:00.000+08:00

*image from here

It is no secret that parts of the country have been active over the weekend, commemorating the first EDSA rallies that eventually turned into protests against the now-infamous announcement by the president.

On Friday, February 24, GMA gravely announced that the nation was under a state of emergency after having 'crushed' a coup attempt by the military and had the freedom to arrest without issuing any warrants (the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus; scroll down). Sassy probes the proclamation announcement here and here; Communist Party of the Philippines founder Jose Ma. Sison likened (scroll down again) the emergency powers to "tyranny".

It wasn't long before the people took to the streets in protest against the proclamation, and in the midst of all the mess came the reports (bottom stories) that Randy David, a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Argee Guevarra, a lawyer, were arrested while participating in an anti-Arroyo march on EDSA. Media clampdowns (second to the last story) came in the form of the Daily Tribune newspaper, where police seized mock copies early Saturday morning and secured the entire office.

All these events happened within hours of each other during Friday and Saturday, and it is obvious that Arroyo's critics still do not agree with her recent 'tactics'; some have called her an improved version of Ferdinand Marcos. So why does March 15 feel somewhat ominous?

Julius Caesar was assassinated that day, the Ides of March, by a group of patrician Senators who feared that he would pronounce himself as king over Rome and not, as you may think, over his becoming a dictator for life. What's even more meaningful is that his assasinators wanted to restore the Republic and in doing so tangibly altered the course of Roman history.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo should take note, and quickly. I suddenly feel chills.

UPDATE:

Turns out I was misinformed about the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus. There is none, although the country is still under a state of emergency.

Bow to Chuck Norris.

2006-02-14T18:04:00.000+08:00

An officemate sent me this link to Chuck Norris Facts, a veritable treasure of Chuck Norris and the wonderful things he can do.

Some gems:

Chuck Norris doesn't read books. He stares them down until he gets the information he wants.
When the Bogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris can slam a revolving door.
Chuck Norris does not get frostbite. Chuck Norris bites frost.
Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.
Chuck Norris doesn't wear a watch, HE decides what time it is.
Chuck Norris gave Mona Lisa that smile.
There's no such thing as global warming. Chuck Norris was cold, so he turned the sun up.

Take that, Conan!

This just in - Sex sells!

2006-02-13T00:19:00.000+08:00

*image taken from Sydney Morning Herald

You may have heard of a fantasy airline called Lynx Jet. Hugely popular in Australia, the highly-charged airline has proven the old adage that quite simply, sex sells.

Lynx Jet is not a real airline, but ever since the titillating television ad debuted in late November (see video here), more than one million Lynx deoderant (intended for male teenagers and pre-adoloscents) have been sold and by all indications, (male) enthusiasm has remained strong.

The Lynx Jet website has received more than half a million hits, and interestingly enough, a lot of visitors BOOK TICKETS to go on an airplane that is not real. To encourage the current wave of popularity, Unilever (maker of Lynx) has also offered a mobile massage parlor, called the Lynx Mile High Club, where around 30,000 people have come up for a, erm, massage.

Lowe Hunt was the agency tasked by Unilever to set up an ad using a real airplane provided by Jetstar. It took them just eight weeks to put up everything and present it to the public.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

Interestingly, the campaign as we see it now was never meant to happen. The wide-ranging Lynx Jet program only transpired because one of Unilever's rostered ad agencies didn't do what it was asked...Rather than scurry off and do what the client asked - and you can see here how disconnected it can get when media agencies are buying media space independently of creative shops and vice versa - Lowe Hunt instead came up with a completely new communications plan under a process it calls "brand explosion".

Most marketing services companies have fancy proprietary processes which apparently facilitate all this brainstorming and idea creation stuff but Lowe Hunt's seems to actually work.

So, rather than tart up a plane for Lynx in two months, Lowe Hunt pulled in all of its specialist divisions to create a "fantasy airline" concept 10 times as big but delivered in the same time frame. Lynx Jet was the idea and it meant remaining deliberately ambiguous about whether Lynx Jet was a real airline or not.

The ad was successfully ambiguous alright, judging from the reactions of the audience. Here's the kicker - Lynx Jet was supposed to have become a reality. According to Duncan's TV Ad Land,

Unilever arranged to have one of Jetstar's planes painted in the yellow colours of the Lynx campaign. Hostesses on the designated flights between Victoria and Queensland were not expected to dress or behave like the 'mostesses' in the Lynx TV ads. All the same, Jetstar has thought again and withdrawn from the deal. The plane has gone back to normal colours in the light of complaints from airline stewards, Jetstar marketing consultants and the general public.

Real, fantasy, the message is clear - when it comes to sex, everything becomes discombobulated. Says an anonymous commenter from Duncan's blog:

amazing how gullible men become when hot chicks are involved... and in the states men only fly Hooter's Air for the chicken wings too!

Articles:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/fantasy-airline-gives-unilever-dream-run/2006/02/08/1139379573717.html

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/it-started-with-a-jet--but-then-the-mavericks-took-off/2006/02/08/1139379573722.html

Don't be such a swot!

2006-02-01T20:42:00.000+08:00

Oxford is planning to introduce contracts requiring students to attend lectures and tutorials. But is that any way to spend your university years?

Ah, university years. The common answers to how one has spent it are typically getting drunk, getting laid, and getting high - and maybe get a degree in the process. So how did I spend mine? Let's just say I was half stick-in-the-mud and half wild child. The wild child part being where I went to school in my shorts and sandals and running all over the football field getting wet. Look out world!

Oh, and I also got into "disagreements" with some of the academe due to the content of the The LaSallian, but come on. I was obviously bad-ass.

I was a fairly conscientious student. I attended lectures, but I also stealthily filtered out some of the more boring ones and would come crashing back to earth whenever a classmate nudged me. I've had vanilla (generic) professors, mind-boggling professors, and sardonic professors. I've had professors who gave religion a bad name and goaded us to say otherwise, and professors who were so obviously learned and academic that my eyes just glazed over whenever they lectured. I didn't understand a thing.

Germaine Greer has something to say about batty professors:

If I doubted that people who studied too much went mad, I had my lecturers to prove it. Notorious among them was a professor who lectured with a pipe between his teeth or waved aloft in his left hand, while his right hand wandered about deep in the front of his corduroy trousers. His lectures consisted in reciting gobs of Paradise Lost, a process that moved him so deeply that cascades of rheum fell from his eyes and nostrils, joined the saliva foaming at the corners of his mouth and dripped off his chin.

I have had classmates tallying how many times my professor would say "Oo" after a sentence. It reached up to 40 in about half an hour. I also remember the professor in my freshman year who uttered with complete sanguinity, "If you're bad, I'm badder!" Obviously quite lacking in comparison to Ms. Greer's, but you take what you can get.

On a more serious matter, Ms. Greer comments that "Confusion is the most productive state of mind. Respect your confusions. Don't let me waft them away." She tells of a lecturer who was so misguided on Byron that she had to write a research paper on Byron's comic verse in order to have her accumulated bile purged. On that note, she believes that "a truly incompetent teacher can be of more value than a good one."

Ms. Greer says that students go to university to meet other students, and that they can learn more from arguing over cold coffee than from the academic staff. She also says that her most brilliant students were those who watched the hit TV show "F.R.I.E.N.D.S."

John Sutherland, Ms. Greer's co-writer of the Guardian comment, is funny but hits home just the same:

Academic idleness, of course, is a complicity thing, and the hardest-hit victims of the new contractual regime will be the teachers. No more snoozing on the job. If those traditionally absentee slackers start going to lectures, it's then that the lawsuits will fly. As the lecturer mounts the podium and pulls out the yellowing sheaf of text that has served him (it's usually a him) for decades, there will be the awful realisation that he has in front of him that most alarming thing for any public performer: a hostile audience. As far as his bleary eye can reach, there will be rank upon rank of bolshy, overcharged consumers, all asking the same thing: "We're paying for this shit? Get me a lawyer."

Time out muna.

2006-01-13T11:52:00.000+08:00

Stolen again from the lovely Sarah A. Highlight the things you've done. ;)

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Done a striptease
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Stayed up all night long, and watched the sunrise
15. Seen the Northern Lights
16. Gone to a huge sports game
17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables (malunggay counts.)
19. Touched an iceberg
20. Slept under the stars
21. Changed a baby’s diaper
22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
23. Watched a meteor shower
24. Gotten drunk on champagne
25. Given more than you can afford to charity
26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
28. Had a food fight
29. Bet on a winning horse
30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
31. Asked out a stranger
32. Had a snowball fight
33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier (everyone in my family did, when we were younger. that's with clothes on.)
34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
35. Held a lamb
36. Enacted a favorite fantasy
37. Taken a midnight skinny dip
38. Taken an ice cold bath/shower
39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar
40. Seen a total eclipse
41. Ridden a roller coaster (and lived!)
42. Hit a home run (have hit loads of sixes in cricket, yes)
43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days
44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
45. Adopted an accent for an entire day
46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
48. Had two hard drives for your computer
49. Visited all 50 states
50. Loved your job for all accounts
51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced
52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
53. Had amazing friends
54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
55. Watched wild whales
56. Stolen a sign
57. Backpacked in Europe
58. Taken a road-trip
59. Rock climbing
60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice
61. Midnight walk on the beach
62. Sky diving
63. Visited Ireland
64. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love
65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
66. Visited Japan
67. Bench-pressed your own weight
68. Milked a cow
69. Alphabetized your records
70. Pretended to be a superhero
71. Sung karaoke (like duh.)
72. Lounged around in bed all day
73. Posed nude in front of strangers
74. Scuba diving
75. Got it on to "Let’s Get It On" by Marvin Gaye
76. Kissed in the rain
77. Played in the mud
78. Played in the rain
79. Gone to a drive-in theatre
80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it
81. Visited the Great Wall of China
82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to know about your blog has discovered your blog
83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better
84. Started a business
85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
86. Toured ancient sites
87. Taken a martial arts class
88. Sword fought for the honor of a woman.
89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
90. Gotten married
91. Been in a movie
92. Crashed a party
93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have
94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy
95. Gotten divorced
96. Had sex at the office
97. Lied
97. (the real 97) Gone without food for 5 days
98. Made cookies from scratch
99. Won first prize in a costume contest
100. Ridden a gondola in Venice (does Oxford count?)
101. Gotten a tattoo
102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on
103. Rafted the Snake River
104. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
105. Got flowers for no reason
107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything
108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug
109. Performed on stage
110. Been to Las Vegas
111. Recorded music
112. Eaten shark
113. Had a one-night-stand
114. Gone to Thailand
115. Seen Moulin Rouge
116. Bought a house
117. Been in a combat zone
118. Buried one/both of your parents
120. Been on a cruise ship
121. Spoken more than one language fluently
122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone
123. Bounced a check
124. Performed in Rocky Horror
125. Read - and understood - your credit report
126. Raised children
127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy
128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
129. Created and named your own constellation of stars
130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country (it was just at the beach in Singapore but it was fun.)
131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did
132. Called or written your Congressperson
133. Packed up and moved to another city to just start over
134. …more than once?
135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge (partially. i loved the alien signs.)
136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
137. Had an abortion, or your female partner did
138. Had plastic surgery
139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
140. Wrote articles for a large publication
141. Lost over 100 pounds
142. Held someone while they were having a flashback
143. Piloted an airplane
144. Petted a stingray
145. Broken someone’s heart
146. Helped an animal give birth
147. Been fired or laid off from a job
148. Won money on a T.V. game show (technically my younger sis did. she won 10 grand.)
149. Broken a bone
150. Killed a human being
151. Gone on an African photo safari
152. Ridden a motorcycle
153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of 100mph or faster?
154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
155. Fired a rifle, shotgun or pistol (do BB guns count?)
156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
157. Ridden a horse
158. Had major surgery.
159. Had sex on a moving train
160. Had a snake as a pet
161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
162. Slept through an entire flight: take, landing, during
163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
165. Visited all 7 continents
166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
167. Eaten kangaroo meat
168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground
170. Eaten sushi
171. Had your picture in the newspaper
172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime
173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about
174. Gotten someone fired for his or her actions
175. Gone back to school
176. Parasailed
177. Changed your name
178. Petted a cockroach
179. Eaten fried green tomatoes
180. Read The Iliad
181. Selected one "important" author whom you missed in school, and read him/ her
182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them
183. …and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you
184. Taught yourself an art from scratch
185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt
187. Skipped all your school reunions
188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
189. Been elected to public office
190. Written your own computer language
191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
193. Built your own PC from parts
194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you.
195. Had a booth at a street fair
196. Dyed your hair
197: Been a DJ
198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal
199: Written your own role playing game
200: Lost your Best Friend for reasons of death
201: Fallen in love over the internet
202: Sung in a Barbers’ Shop Quartet
203: Eaten a live animal
204: Been able to communicate in a language you barely learnt barely three days earlier.
205: Memorized words from all Disney movies like Aladdin, Lionking etc; furthmore, dialogues from Friends, Smallville and Star Trek
206: Be able to relate to every song that you ever listen.

Is the Bar predictive of legal brilliance?

2006-01-04T15:07:00.000+08:00

(Photo fromlawschool.handong.edu)

Many of you probably aren't familiar with the name Kathleen Sullivan. Ms. Sullivan is the former dean of the Stanford Law School, which is ranked third among the United States's best law schools (behind Yale and Harvard). Among her many achievements include being a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and being highly respected as a Constitutional scholar. She also distinguished herself as a Marshall Scholar at Oxford University.

Obviously Ms. Sullivan is a lawyer of high caliber and practices the profession well. In legal circles, her name is practically a household word; every lawyer knows her name. Her legal brilliance is undisputed.

There lies a little problem: She failed the 2005 California Bar exams.

Ms. Sullivan is licensed to practice law in New York and in Massachusetts, but as she accepted an offer to practice with a Los Angeles-based firm, she took the California Bar exams last July. The exam tested out-of-state practitioners such as Ms. Sullivan wanting to practice in California.

The California Bar exams are notorious for being tough. This year's passing rate was a dismal 28 percent. Rumors have been aswirl for years that the exams were designed to keep out-of-state lawyers out of California. Considering the passing rate, it's not too far-fetched.

Comments on Volokh referring to this post on the high Bar exam failure rate for graduates of Denver University's Sturm College of Law have been, for the most part, full of critique and insight. Some have said that there is no strong link connecting lawyering skills to bar exam results, with others reinforcing that by saying general intelligence seems more predictive.

SR posits:

The Bar exam does not test the ability to practice law, nor even the minimal competence to practice law. Robert MacCrate, in a report for the ABA that is considered the most authoritative study of the subject of the skills necessary to be a competent lawyer, found 10 skills that are fundamental to good lawyering. (excerpts of the report are online here) He notes that the Bar exam tested only two of those skills...A rich literature of studies has grown that shows that performance on the Bar exam is most correlated to performance on law school exams, as well as the LSAT, rather than to any real world measure of the ability to practice law. For this reason it is no surprise that accomplished lawyers like the former dean of Stanford would fail the Bar.

Many of the commentators here seem to uncritically accept the notion that law students who do better on exams that stress memorization and time pressures will do better in a profession that stresses research and due diligence. The assumption has no basis in reality.

Pooh echoes this by saying that the Bar exam measures mostly one's ability to take the exam itself.

John Jenkins, though, says:

Given the system we have, students who want to be lawyers have to pass the bar exam in their state to do that. If you have a reliable predictor of bar passage and you ignore it, then you are doing a disservice to your students (at least those who want to be lawyers). The question presented has nothing to do with the utility of the bar exam as such. Given that the general feeling is that law school (1) doesn't prepare you to pass the bar and (2) doesn't prepare you to practice law, it seems plain that DU is doing SOMETHING wrong (along with most other schools).

Your thoughts are welcome to this non-lawyer.

Merry tidings.

2005-12-29T18:34:00.000+08:00

I've been active in an online forum called 43things. I've met a lot of wonderful people, but Frannie Girl is one of my special favorites. She's inherently sincere in all that she wants to accomplish out of life. Personally, I feel blessed just by her presence, so much so that she reminds me of my favorite book sprite, Anne of Green Gables.

She sent me a prayer for the coming year. And since she was so generous in giving it to me, I'm sending it out into the world.

Sending you a prayer for countless blessings in this coming year. May each stepping stone traversed this past year pave the way to bright days of abundance in this year to come. For each tear that was shed may you have ten moments of laughter. For every moment of frustration felt may you know 100 of joyous exhilaration. May the whispers of peace never leave your ear, the fires of hope never leave your heart, and the love of God rock you to sleep each night.

Blessings to you in 2006 and always,
FG

Happy New Year.

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-25T20:01:00.000+08:00

Three squirts would like to greet you a very Merry Christmas.

The patronizing world of life and love, part two.

2005-11-26T00:50:00.000+08:00

The taxi radio cackles slightly, as if clearing its throat for the half-hour* of entertainment ahead.

"Ako po si Brother -----, and I will be your host for Doctor Love."

The stoic taxi driver continues to weave his way around Makati night traffic.

"May caller na tayo sa telephone, si Ma'am Hilda from -----. Ano po ang maitutulong ko sa inyo, Hilda?"

Hilda mumbles into the phone.

"...problema po, kasi hindi po kasal ang anak ko at ng boyfriend niya..."

"Hilda, paki laksan ang boses ninyo."

"Kasi po, yung anak kong babae, may ka-live in, yung boyfriend niya. Ngayon po, hindi naman problema ang kasal--"

"Ha? Sabi niyo kanina ang problema niyo na hindi sila kasal, ngayon sabi niyo na hindi na problema yun?"

"Kasi po, may pera naman para sa kasal eh, handa na kaming gumastos sa kasal..."

"Yun naman pala eh. So ano ho ngayon ang problema ninyo?"

"Ano po, yung anak kong babae ayaw pa. Hindi kasi siya sigurado kung reliable talaga yung lalake, hindi pa po siya naka-decide..."

The host clears his throat.

"They need to make a decision! They are living in sin! Hindi po pwede yan sa mata ng Panginoon, Hilda."

"Oo nga po, pero kasi, nahihiya na rin ako eh kasi napapagusapan na sila ng mga kapit-bahay namin, may anak na pero hindi pa kasal."

"Huwag kang mahiya sa kanila, Hilda. Mahiya ka sa Dios!"

"Kasi po yung lalake, ano po siya, mahilig sa mga bagay na di naman niya kayang bilhin, kapit -suso--"

The taxi driver chortles impressively.

"Ano ho yun, yung kapit-suso?"

I grin in the darkness.

"Yung mahilig po sa mga magagandang bagay--"

"Ah, kapit sa uso."

"Yun nga ho."

"Gusto ko po kasing antayin yung decision ng anak ko, kasi hindi pa raw siya sigurado sa lalake."

"So you're waiting for your daughter's decision. Eh ano nga ho ang problema niyo ngayon?"

"Kasi po, yung lalake, maski pambili lang ng pandesal, sakin humihingi. Mahal ko po yung anak ko, ayokong makasal siya sa ganitong lalake."

"They need to make a decision, Hilda. Ano ba talaga? Pag may problema, i-address kaagad! Saan ba sila nakatira, sa inyo?"

"Opo."

"Aba, sa inyo pala nakatira eh. Bakit ayaw mo siyang kausapin? Hanapin mo siya at sabihin mo sa manugang mo na hilaw: 'Alam mo anak, batugan ka.'. Sabihin mo sa kanya yung worries mo! Pag may problema, i-address mo!"

"Oo nga po, kaya lang di ko po kasi siya mahanap eh, laging wala."

"Hindi niyo siya mahanap sa sarili mong bahay?"

The taxi driver is openly laughing now as he takes the Domestic bridge to NAIA.

"Kasi po, lagi siyang wala eh, di kami nagkakasalubong sa bahay."

"Hilda, hanapin mo siya at sabihin mo: 'Alam mo anak, batugang ka. Maski pambili lang ng pandesal sakin ka pa humihingi.'

"Eh kasi po ayoko naman siyang i-kickout sa bahay kaagad."

"Hindi ko namang sinabi na i-kickout kaagad eh! Warning lang na hindi mo nato-tolerate ang behavior niya. Hindi mo ba kayang sabihin sa kanya?"

"Kaya ko naman po eh. Kung merong masaktan sa pamilya ko iki-kickout ko talaga, hindi pwede yan sa pamamahay ko, matapang talaga ako pagdating sa ganyan, hindi pwede saking ang mga ganyang tao--"

"Matapang naman pala kayo Hilda eh. Eh bakit ayaw mo siyang lapitan at kausapin?"

"Eh kasi po, yung asawa ko eh, hindi siya tumutulong--"

"Yung asawa niyo naman yung problema niyo! Ano ba talaga, Hilda?"

The host sighs audibly. My house is near and I lean forward eagerly.

"Hilda, Hilda..ikaw ang problema ko ngayong gabi. Bukod sa lasing na nakausap ko kanina, ikaw ang problema ko."

Hilda launches into a long tale of woe, pointing fingers at her husband, manugang na hilaw, and everyone else save for her and her daughter.

"...kasi po, mahal ko naman talaga ang anak ko eh, ayoko siyang masaktan."

"Tapos ka na, Hilda?"

Radio silence.

"Opo."

"Sige Hilda, ha? Salamat sa inyong pagtawag ngayong gabi."

"Thank you rin po."

*not exact word-for-word conversation as I was too busy laughing

British Humor, part II.

2005-11-11T01:24:00.000+08:00

I swear, I get the craziest things off Sarah's blog.

state mottoes

Alabama - yes, we have electricity
Alaska - 11,623 eskimos can't be wrong
Arizona - but it's a dry heat
Arkansas - litterasy ain't everythang
California - our women have more plastic than your Honda
Colorado - if you don't ski, don't bother
Connecticut - like Massachusetts, only the Kennedys don't own it yet
Delaware - we really do like the chemicals in our water
Florida - ask us about our grandkids
Georgia - we put the fun in fundamentalist extremism
Hawaii - haka tiki mou sha'ami leeki toru (death to mainland scum but leave your money)
Idaho - more than just potatoes... well ok, we're not but the potatoes are real good.
Illinois - please don't pronounce the "s"
Indiana - 2 billion years tidal wave free
Iowa - we do amazing things with corn
Kansas - first of the rectangle states
Kentucky - five million people, fifteen last names
Louisiana - we're not all drunk cajun wackos, but thats our tourism campaign
Maine - we're really cold but we have cheap lobster
Maryland - if you can dream it, we can tax it
Massachusetts - our taxes are lower than Swedens (for most tax brackets)
Michigan - first line of defense from the Canadians
Minnesota - 10,000 lakes and 10,000,000 mosquitos
Mississippi - come feel better about your own state
Missouri - your federal flood relief tax dollars at work
Montana - land of the big sky, the unabomber, right wing crazies, and very little else
Nebraska - ask about our state motto contest
Nevada - whores and poker
New Hampshire - go away and leave us alone
New Jersey - you want a $##*&^ motto? i got your $##*&^ motto right here
New Mexico - lizards make excellent pets
New York - you have the right to remain silent, you have the right to an attorney
North Carolina - tobacco is a vegetable
North Dakota - we really are one of the fifty states
Ohio - at least we're not Michigan
Oklahoma - like the play, only no singing
Oregon - spotted owl... it's what's for dinner
Pennsylvania - cook with coal
Rhode Island - we're not really an island
South Carolina - remember the civil war? we didn't actually surrender
South Dakota - closer than North Dakota
Tennessee - the educashun state
Texas - si, hablo inglis (yes, i speak English)
Utah - our Jesus is better than your Jesus
Vermont - yep
Virginia - who says government stiffs and slackjaw yokels don't mix?
Washington - help! we're overrun by nerds and slackers
Washington DC - hey ~ wanna be mayor?
West Virginia - one big happy family... really
Wisconsin - come cut the cheese
Wyoming - where men are men... and the sheep are sacred!

Some favorites: Oklahoma, Michigan, New Jersey, California, and Kentucky.

Going legal.

2005-11-10T13:02:00.000+08:00

*image from www.stdp7.com/blog/

For the past few months, I've been leaning more and more toward downloading new music legally that's still free. That, of course, does not hide the fact that a chunk of my music collection is largely pirated, but I don't feel any sympathy because they are all mainstream artists whose corporate labels are greedy, grasping schmucks. I highly exaggerate (duh), although I'm just channeling the spirits of a million dissatisfied teenagers and young adults who are tired of being dictated on what to listen to.

Most of the artists I'm downloading right now are independent. They are the ones with small to medium labels who've listened to their sound, like it, and signed them on. Mind you, some of these artists are not considered mainstream radio-friendly, therefore, if you've been weaned on pop radio, it might take you a few spins to truly appreciate their sound. On my end, it took a lot of spins and a lot of questions (What the HELL?!) until my stubborn mainstream musical taste melted down. Now I'm a happy camper, and I have no plans of going back to mainstream any time soon.

One of the things I truly love about downloading new tracks is that I'm introduced to new music and new sounds. It constantly amazes me how much good music is out there.

Here is a short list of where I like to scrounge for new music within the letter of the law:

MP3 sites

3hive - In my opinion, the best MP3 website that runs the whole gamut of new music and artists. From softcore to punk, pop to rock, hip hop to funk, 3hive literally has it all. 3hive is a team of five writers with a wide range of musical tastes. With a clean, well-designed interface, it's easy for new users to navigate. I've so many finds here it's impossible to numerate them all. They also offer streaming and podcasting.

Insound - This has as many good musical finds as 3hive, although 3hive features more artists and is updated more often. Still, a great site.

Podsiphon - Although the last update was in April, there are still plenty of MP3s to try. Here is where I first heard of The Getup Kids (sadly disbanded), The Vibrants, and Say Hi to Your Mom.

Amazon - Yes, they do offer free downloads of both mainstream and indie artists. Go take a look-see.

Kings of A&R - A music industry website that features mostly rock music. They also rock. I got Embrace's "Ashes" here and discovered This World Fair and WhiteSilver, which I adore.

My artist recommendations (some links go straight to their labels where you can download several tracks):

The Velvet Teen
The New Pornographers
Broken Social Scene
Spoon (the aforementioned "What the HELL?!"; now, they're one of my favorite spins)
The Coral Sea
WhiteSilver
Mike Doughty
This World Fair

You can also download their tracks at 3hive and KOAR.

One down, 500,676 more to go.

2005-11-01T21:03:00.000+08:00

My head was spinning and my body was aching in regions that I never knew existed until yesterday. It was a soaring, heady experience, coupled with all the thrill and excitement of your legitimate first time. Bumps and grinds were frequent, although screaming was kept to a minimum. It even ended somewhat tritely, as I sprawled across the bed in complete exhaustion and fell into complete slumber.

Driving does that to you.

Who's Your Daddy?

2005-10-13T20:07:00.000+08:00

I don't know about you but I'm voting for Jude Law.

Via Defamer and Gossiplist.

British Humor, 16 years old.

2005-10-11T15:34:00.000+08:00

While searching for images of Chris Pine (Nicholas Devereaux, The Princess Diaries 2, stop smirking now), I came across Sarah's blog, which featured a photo of the aforementioned Pine as her "Hunk of the Day".

Right below that post was this one.

Childrens books that didn't make it

Dad's New Wife Timothy
Fun Four-letter Words to Know and Share
The Kids' Guide to Hitchhiking
Curious George and the High-Voltage Fence
Grandpa Gets A Casket
Strangers Have The Best Candy
You Were an Accident
Pop! Goes The Hamster, and Other Great Microwave Games
Your Nightmares are Real
Where Would You Like to be Buried?
Eggs, Toilet Paper and Your School
Places Where Mommy and Daddy Hide Neat Things
The Attention Deficit Disorder Association's Book of Wild Animals of North America. Hey! Let's Go Ride Our Bikes
What is That Dog Doing to That Other Dog?
Bi-Curious George
The Hardy Boys, the Barbie Twins and the Vice Squad
Babar Meets the Taxidermist
The Care Bears Maul Some Campers and are Shot Dead

I love British humor.

A Hysterical Album Pseudo-Review: Out of Nothing (Embrace)

2005-10-07T14:03:00.000+08:00

It's official: Chris Martin is a menace to music.

How else can you explain the number of bands that bear an uncanny resemblance to his band's sound? They've already started on Keane, and they branched out to the United States, in the form of Blue Merle's lead singer, and now they have Embrace in its grasp.

To be fair, Blue Merle has their own distinctive sound (they play with a mandolin!), but Luke Reynolds, their vocalist, uses a Chris Martin inflection at times, and it disturbs me.

Now, before you go out and say that hey, Embrace was releasing albums even before Coldplay was starting, Coldplay used to open for Embrace, the thing is, when your comeback single was written by Chris Martin, all fairness stops.

Why do bad things happen?

Embrace is not a new band in the UK music industry. Their first CD, The Good Will Out, was a British hit in 1998, and the album rose to number one in the UK charts. Their next two albums were commercial failures, and their label dropped them in 2002*. The label Independiente picked them up, and in 2004 they released their "critically-acclaimed" album "Out of Nothing".

And is it just me, but don't you feel even the slightest bit insulted that on your CD cover, it's the song "Gravity" that is singled out for attention? Do your handlers not know that "Ashes" is like, the best song ever? It kicks "Gravity" down (Hehe, I'm so smart, I used a pun.) to the ground. "Gravity" is Coldplay's schloppy seconds! Your darned comeback single was written by Chris Martin!

You might be wondering whether I hate Chris Martin. I don't, really. He and his band have put out some great songs over the years. But when I get an album that does not have the word "COLDPLAY" stamped all over it, I don't expect to hear an overt (yes, OVERT) Coldplay influence. So in other words, he's a scapegoat. Haha.

"Ashes" is gorgeousness. It's driving, it's pulsating, it's melodic, and it's this song where vocalist Danny McNamara's voice is soaring. It's beautiful and it's epic.

With the exception of "Someday" and "Spell it Out", I pushed the fast-forward button on my remote control on all the other songs when I heard that pervasive falsetto. The songs may be nice, but I'm not in the mood.

The pros:

Strong piano and string backup
"Ashes"
"Spell it Out"
"Someday"

The cons:

Chris Martin times one million

Verdict:

The songs "Ashes" and "Spell it Out" more than make up for the whole album. Except that I like the UK edit of "Ashes" better than the US edit, and guess what, I was able to download a free copy of the UK edit on KOAR, and that was before I went out and bought "Out of Nothing" from Tower Records in Glorietta 2, and yes, I am a total idiot.

Stay away from Chris Martin and his boys, Embrace. Stay as far away as you can. Get a restraining order against him. Perform voodoo and magick; assemble a Chris Martin doll and start pricking pins. You're already tainted.

The truth is, Chris Martin is out to rule the world through his music. He and the Crown have an understanding: the Crown regrets letting go of all its former colonies, and they now have a way to exert subtle influence and power over them. With enough Chris Martin and Chris Martin spawns, the world's ears will start bleeding long enough for them to plead for royal mercy and revert to colony status, OH PLEEEEEEEEEEEEASE JUST MAKE THEM STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP.

*Then I read a diary entry on Embrace's official website, and it makes me feel bad about this pseudo-review. Just a bit.

Vignettte #5.

2005-10-02T12:43:00.000+08:00

Who: Me, The Father
What: Nothing in particular
Where: Snarfing Baguio goodies on the kitchen table
When: 5:30 pm, October 1

A general discussion of many things. Then The Father leans in for a semi-shocker.
"I might be going back to Church X."
I look back placidly.
"Part-time. They really need help right now; members are leaving. I can't turn my back on them now."
I still say nothing.
"Every time I preach there, I don't notice the absence of people, so I guess they only come when I'm there."
The Father leans in for the shocker.
"Do I have your blessing?"
I look back at The Father and gather my messy thoughts.
"As long as you don't drag me there kicking and screaming."
The Father considers for a moment.
"Maybe kicking, but not screaming."

Out of the many reasons why I love The Father, this is probably one of the best.

It's semantics, stupid

2005-09-10T21:20:00.000+08:00

And they wonder why news is parodied so much.

Via CityRag and Daily Kos.

Voices in the wind.

2005-09-08T01:53:00.000+08:00

I too have been overcome with horror at the wave of destruction left by Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf area of Louisiana and Mississippi. While most of the media attention has been focusing on New Orleans (and this I know even without needing a television at home), much of the damage has spread further than that.

I'm not missing the television much these days, because of the wealth of information online. Many people have posted their two cents on how the relief effort has been going too slowly and how the government response has been abhorrent thus far. Here are some comments made from Jon Armstrong's blog, Blurbomat:

As Americans we have viewed devastation in other countries and have seen the pictures, this is one of the first times we have understood the language. Human violations of this magnitude aren't supposed to happen in the land of the free, the land of Starbucks on every corner, WalMarts withing 50 miles of all of us.....
That to me is why this all seems sooo outrageous and surreal. It's one thing to see third world nations struggling to deal with a catastrophy, it's another when it's just down the street.....

I'm sorry ahead of time, and I'm probably out of place here, but every time I see "this isn't supposed to happen in America," I cringe. Things like this shouldn't be allowed to happen ANYWHERE, not just in America.

I feel for the families in Katrina's wake, but I also feel for families devastated by war, starvation, genocide and AIDS all over the world. Those of us who are privileged should do what we can to help those who are not, regardless of where they live.

I too feel terribly for all the people who have been not only displaced, but also without even basic necessities for days. However, I do agree that the people who are the most responsible for the poor planning are the officials of the cities along the gulf coast. There has been plenty of warning as well as discussion in the media for years that New Orleans is incapable of surviving a direct hit from a major hurricane. Where was their disaster plan? Why were there not stockpiles of supplies in the Superdome ahead of imminent danger? Why no plan to help evacuate the indigent, physically infirm, and people who had no means to leave the city of their own accord?

i think the point of comparisons like these (whether implicit and reader-reaction-based like Jon's, or explicit like what Gov. Haley Barbour said that first day about parts of Harrison County, Miss. and an albeit rising deathcount of 100 -- "It looks like Hiroshima is what it looks like"), is that you *can't* compare. that tragedy is infinitely personal. that we are all jealously protective of the comments anyone makes about, around or in relation to the tragedies we consider ours -- whether in a world sense, in a national sense, or at an individual level. i know this because, having lived through 9/11, and living in Italy now, i am passionately angry every time Italian media refers to a national disaster as "their September 11th". not because i don't think their national disasters are any greater or lesser than the one i lived through. but because i hate that they need to compare. i hate that they feel the need to make this reference -- as if it *validates* their disaster. as if that's some kind of world "benchmark". *that* bothers me.

For more comments, please go here.

Fine examples of the American spirit of giving and helping abound in blogs everywhere, if you care to take even a cursory look. One of the finest, in my opinion, are the schools and universities who are offering to take displaced students and settle them in as quickly as possible. Some of them are even offering reduced and free tuition for at least a semester. The link is here at Wikipedia. They did it state by state, school by school. Even Ivy League schools opened up their admissions such as Harvard, Princeton, and topnotch schools in the West such as Stanford and UCLA.

A good excuse for not posting redux.

2005-08-12T21:40:00.000+08:00

I know I said that my next post would be about Stanley Fish. My next next post will be. Promise. Been a bit backlogged.

Sassy tagged me with this book meme, which I did before when Gigi tagged me. This, however, is a slight variation on the original one. These two women are two of my favorite bloggers.

Total books owned:

Comparatively speaking, not a lot. I have around a hundred or so, which range from pop fiction to historical fiction to racism to Garfield comic books. He is my favorite cat in the whole world. I adore him.

Of course, these books don't include my dad's and the family's. If so included, it would probably be in the high five hundreds. Which is still not a lot.

Last book I bought:

The Princess Bride by William Goldman. All I can say is, why did I wait such a long time to get a copy?!

Last book I read:

I don't know. I tend to switch from book to book when I get tired, which is pretty frequently these days. I'm halfway through Samantha Power's America and the Age of Genocide (to understand this fully, I got this book LAST YEAR, for shame) and a third of the way through Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. These are not boring books - hardly. I suffer from short attention span, maybe. I also talk to myself, but that's another story.

~~Five~~ Types of Books I Read:

I normally just pick up whatever's interesting to me. That includes contemporary fiction, classic American literature, children's literature (don't ever diss Anne of Green Gables to my face), and yeah, historical novels too. Plus I like Tom Clancy whenever he doesn't get too technical. When I'm in the mood to be snooty, I read through my dad's Greek classical history books. When I'm in the mood for some literary college throwbacks, I read former recommendations from Ms. Marj Evasco (i.e. Sinuhe, The Egyptian by Mika Waltari; Picture This by Joseph Heller). When I'm in the mood to be editorial, I read the BusinessWorld Stylebook and books on semantics and language. When I'm in the mood for a good mainstream read, well, that's where my pop fiction comes in. Hello, Mary Higgins Clark and William Bernhardt! I also think that William Bernhardt is heads and shoulders above John Grisham in courtroom thrillers.

Like Sassy, I also like reading a lot of nonfiction, even though I can't finish what I read (which is alarming but not so much). I've got one on my list now: Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner.

~~Five~~ books that meant a lot to me:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Anne of Green Gables (series) by LM Montgomery
The Berenstain Bears (series) by Stan and Jan Berenstain
If You Give A Mouse A Cookie by Laura Numeroff
Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Music and Silence by Rose Tremain
Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Yes, I know that some of these are children's books. I love reading them. Brings back good memories.

I also think that I'm missing a few books in this list.

Favourite Filipiniana Books:

The Pretenders by F. Sionil Jose
Manila, My Manila by Nick Joaquin
Viajero by F. Sionil Jose

I'm pretty sure I'm missing something here. But these are the ones I read and reread.

There you go.

Affirmative 'blacktion': A bit of history.

2005-08-02T20:45:00.000+08:00

American History X is one of my favorite movies. Due to the overwhelming influence of scintillating college friends (yes, that's you, the lot of you reading this), they insisted that I watch this and were appropriately horrified that I neglected to watch it. Properly chastened, I went out and got myself a copy, and immediately understood why it rated so high on their list. It's such a painful look at racism and the reality of it in the United States (US), the corresponding effects of brutality and brainwashing.

One of the ideas that American History X repeatedly touches upon is affirmative action. What is affirmative action anyway, and how did it begin?

It first began with the civil rights movement, which was put into place for African Americans to become full citizens of the US. The thirteenth amendment to the US constitution outlawed slavery; the fourteenth amendment guaranteed equal protection under law; the fifteenth amendment made racial discrimination in access to voting illegal.

In 1896, the US Supreme Court upheld a "separate but equal" doctrine that effectively undermined all the previous laws allowing blacks their rights. Justice John Harlan, the lone dissenter, wrote in part "Our Constitution is color-blind, and neither knows nor tolerates classes among citizens. In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law." (bold mine; same link from above)

The "separate but equal" law ushered in the era of segregation. Blacks could only enjoy black-only establishments and services - buses, trains, places to eat, etc. In education, that meant white students went to white-only schools, and black students went to black-only schools. This wasn't overturned until the 1954 SC decision in Brown v. Board of Education, where the court ruled that "in the field of public education the doctrine of 'separate but equal' has no place".

The term "affirmative action" was first used in President Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 Executive Order 11246, which required federal contractors to "take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and that employees are treated during employment, without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin."

The next post will have more on affirmative action, its detractors, and Stanley Fish.

25th.

2005-07-29T12:43:00.000+08:00

Happy birthday, schmuck.
We love you just the same.

Feel the Starbucks love.

2005-07-21T17:37:00.000+08:00

There's no question that Starbucks has taken over the Philippines. In Makati, the birthplace of the yuppie, it's impossible for you not to spot Lady Liberty while walking along Ayala Avenue, Valero, Legaspi, Salcedo Village, Makati Avenue, Kalayaan Avenue, you name it.

Its overpriced coffee scared me at first. It still does, and I don't even like coffee. The only drink I regularly order is their Rhumba. And I think it's more of a dessert rather than a drink, which is why I love it.

The one time I deviated from their Rhumba was a couple of years back. I ordered a caramel macchiato, and thought it would be too bitter for my taste. To soothe my worry, I asked the barista, and she said it wasn't. After the first sip, I screwed up my face and looked back toward the counter with all the fury and loathing I could muster. I never felt so betrayed in my life.

When I went to Australia last year for a peace conference, I think the first thing that struck me was the relative lack of Starbucks there. I went around Sydney and couldn't spot anything remotely like Lady Liberty. I did see a lot of Gloria Jean's stores, though, plus various coffee kiosks like this:

Djong gave me an interesting site that calls itself I Hate Starbucks. The owner is funny, smart, and capable of returning the insults to him with dry wit. Examples:

"Looser"!?!
I get a lot of email of people calling me "looser". What am I looser than? How do you know? Have you been reading my diary? If you are going to call someone a loser, at least spell it right. It really helps with the credibility.

When I accidently came across this web site I was curious to learn why anyone would exert their energy to HATE STARBUCKS. After reading the first 20 messages I realized who these "haters" are. They are un-educated, un-informed and largely un-civilized cretons. Not one message of the 20 had perfect grammer or spelling. Most made no sense and all were simply bitter, lazy people who are jealous of the success of Starbucks.
DS

This is a great one. Not content to call me a "looser" she called everyone who posts on the website "cretons". I think she meant "cretins", but I wasn't entirely certain. English, it has to be said, has a lot of words. So I looked it up. The closest thing I could find was:

cre·tonne
Pronunciation: 'krE-"tän, kri-'
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Creton, Normandy
: a strong cotton or linen cloth used especially for curtains and upholstery

This is another case of someone reaching just a bit too high intellectually to make an argument sound more sharp. In fact, D.S. you have proved who is the real cretin.

I won't go into the fact that you spelled grammar wrong.

Higher, faster and stronger has to do with the olympics, not your sad attempts to use biting rhetoric. Stick to mouth-breathing, T.V. watching and snack food eating.

Thanks.

To view the entries, go straight to the bulletin board. Some are downright hilarious. And they all seem to share a general hatred of those snobby yuppies and pa-cool teenagers who think that carrying around a cup of Starbucks gives them a sense of real belonging.

Or it just might be the coffee.

Why? For the love of...WHY?!

2005-07-15T15:07:00.000+08:00

Veronica Mars wasn't even nominated for this year's Emmys. Not even Kristin Bell.

BOO! BOO! A thousand poxes on your house!

What is Veronica Mars about, pray? Simple.

In the monied town of Neptune, Veronica has the perfect life at 16 - her boyfriend is a dreamboat and the son of a local billionaire, she is popular (but not wealthy), and is generally loved by everyone.

Until her boyfriend breaks up with her and her best friend (the sister of dreamboat boyfriend) gets murdered. She is instantly ostracized from her uppity high school clique for choosing to side with her dad, the local sheriff who pinpoints local billionaire as the murderer of his own daughter. Dad then loses job and Mom splits, leaving her to deal with her issues alone.

Dad becomes a private investigator and chases bail jumpers for a living. She helps with the cases as much as she can, balancing math homework and catching late-night adulterers/adulteresses in the act.

Did I mention how brilliant the writing is for this series?

I tell you, watch this show. You're dead to me if you don't.

Local show times:
Wednesdays at 8.30 on ETC.
Sundays (reruns) at 4 pm on ETC. [thanks Phil!]

Because I'm religion's biggest fan.

2005-07-13T20:57:00.000+08:00

For the past couple of months, the US Supreme Court (SC) has been embroiled in a host of cases that run the gamut, from illegal filesharing to New York Times journalists refusing to divulge their sources to the separation between church and state.

The last one is what I'm interested in writing about (not to say that the other two are appallingly boring, just that they're ancillary to the current topic), the divide between the church and the state.

From what I remember reading of US history, most of the early settlers came over to escape religious persecution in Europe. The middle colonies of British North America - New Jersey, New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania - became a stage for the western world’s most complex experience with religious pluralism.

The mid-Atlantic region, unlike either New England or the South, drew many of its initial settlers from European states that had been deeply disrupted by the Protestant Reformation and the religious wars that followed in its wake. Small congregations of Dutch Mennonites, French Huguenots, German Baptists, and Portuguese Jews joined larger communions of Dutch Reformed, Lutherans, Quakers, and Anglicans to create a uniquely diverse religious society. African Americans and the indigenous Indians, with religious traditions of their own, added further variety to the Middle Colony mosaic. (make clicky with the link above; same article)

I may be mistaken in my reading, but I'm sure that the US constitution separated church and state so that other Americans could freely practice whatever religion they wanted. Say, if you have Baptists in government positions, they could be haranguing Catholics till kingdom come.

To be more specific, here are some actual laws that were passed in the years after the Revolutionary War:

Prohibited clergy from holding office
Required legislators to be Protestant Christians
Granted religious and other human rights only to Christians, or only to theists
Specified "The Protestant Religion" (whatever that meant) to be the established religion of the state (make clicky with the link)

Now, there have been two high-profile cases in Texas and Kentucky recently (plus the SC's decision on those) that are causing a lot of social backlash.

In a nutshell:

A six-foot granite monument of the Ten Commandments had been set up on the grounds of the Texas State Capitol. In Kentucky, framed copies of the Ten Commandments had been hanging in two courthouses. Last June 29, the SC's decision allowed Texas to keep their commandments but forbade Kentucky from hanging theirs. Scratch your head all you want, because it doesn't seem to make any sense.

In the first ruling, the court ruled that the Kentucky displays violated the Establishment clause of the First Amendment, which prohibits government from endorsing or supporting one religion above others. The court allowed Texas to keep its display, because it could be arguably held through 'historical context', a 'legitimate tribute' to the country's history.

"Simply having religious content or promoting a message consistent with a religious doctrine does not run afoul of the Establishment clause," Justice William H. Rehnquist said in the Texas decision.

So what does this mean then? Displays on religion inside and on government property will be decided on a case to case basis.

The SC justices struggled with the decision as evidenced by the 5-4 vote. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and John Paul Stevens wondered where the religious line should be drawn (they both dissented). The court ruled in 1983 that legislative prayer is allowable, citing its historical significance, but in 1992 disallowed it in public schools, as students might be pressured to join in.

"The touchstone for our analysis is the principle that the 'First Amendment mandates governmental neutrality between religion and religion, and between religion and nonreligion,'" Justice David H. Souter wrote in the majority opinion, citing previous court rulings.

And here comes the question of neutrality, as pointed out by Justice Antonin Scalia.

Listing the various ways in which higher beings are invoked in public life — from "so help me God" in inaugural oaths to the prayer that opens the Supreme Court's sessions — Scalia asked, "With all of this reality (and much more) staring it in the face, how can the court possibly assert that 'the First Amendment mandates governmental neutrality' [on religion]?"

The raging debate only continues on more heatedly with the SC decision. Is it duplicitous? It seems to be so. But it doesn't come down to simply being 'black and white'. As the justices have shown, there remains to be a difference of opinion even when legally backed by previous high court decisions. And that, in my opinion, is what makes discussions about the separation between church and state layered and nuanced.

They're keeping a stiff upper lip.

2005-07-12T20:38:00.000+08:00

Them Londoners, their fighting spirit is commendable.

From the Inquirer's World section:

London - Millions of defiant Londoners returned to work on Monday to hammer home the message: "It's business as usual" after last week's train and bus bombs killed at least 49 people...

Government worker Pam Bramidge said she had deliberately chosen to sit upstairs on a No. 30, on the same route as the bus which had its roof blown off last Thursday. She said she was not surprised by Londoners' defiance, which was also recalled at celebrations on Sunday to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

"It's what I would have expected really, particularly after the celebration yesterday," she said on the bus. "I think there's a spirit."

Keep defying, London.

'It's not your job to save the world...'

2005-07-11T21:22:00.000+08:00

Looks like someone got their collective hand slapped with a scolding from the Papal Nuncio and backed by Papa Ratzi's Vatican.

Two bishops confirmed NEWSBREAK’s information that [Papal Nuncio] Franco scolded them Saturday (July 9) morning over what he described as excessive political meddling of some bishops. He gave his piece of mind in his traditional address at the opening of the CBCP’s annual plenary assembly in Pope Pius Center. (Newsbreak Online)

Thank heavens for small blessings. Finally someone from their own spiritual institution had the right idea and decided to, at the very least, set the score between the church and the state. What is the score between the church and the state, you may ask? That they are two separate institutions, hence, the separation of church and state. In years past, the country blithely has blithely ignored this constitutional truth. Now, though, it takes "excessive political meddling" to get a rise out of Franco (not that I don't mind).

In his July 9 address, Franco told the bishops he “cleared” his message with the Vatican, which is monitoring how the local Church is behaving in the current political crisis. Franco said the Vatican is displeased over too much political interference by the local Church and would no longer tolerate it. (bold mine)

If this is the direction that the new Vatican is taking, then thank God. In Sassy's similar posting, a reader asked a question: Were the bishops castigated because it was an ‘adverse’ decision? The Vatican had all the power and authority to stop them before, or during the said meeting? A good question, yes, although others might say that the Vatican was monitoring the Philippine situation and decided that now was a good time as any other to make a point.

Franco pointed out “that bishops are out of their place when they get into direct action, attending rallies on political issues, siding with one group or another, being used by parties with hidden agenda for purposes of grabbing power… I am convinced that this direct action is being exploited for partisan politics and it is wrong for the Church and for the country.”

Franco has underlined, in one simple statement, the behavior of the Catholic church in the last decade or so. Wouldn't you agree?

In another article about academics, Stanley Fish talks about the role of academia and why we built the ivory tower. I'll write about this more in another post, but his introduction in this article needs to be said.

After nearly five decades in academia, and five and a half years as a dean at a public university, I exit with a three-part piece of wisdom for those who work in higher education: do your job; don't try to do someone else's job, as you are unlikely to be qualified; and don't let anyone else do your job. In other words, don't confuse your academic obligations with the obligation to save the world; that's not your job as an academic...In short, don't cross the boundary between academic work and partisan advocacy, whether the advocacy is yours or someone else's. (bold mine)

Substitute the word "academic" with "spiritual" and maybe we've just hit the nail right on the head.

My 45 seconds.

2005-07-11T17:11:00.000+08:00

There really wasn't anything original, unique, funny, or charming left to say to this man.

All I could say was this:

Hi Neil. I used some of your stories from 'Smoke and Mirrors' for my thesis.

Briefly looks up, surprised

Really?

Yes.

Continues writing his name on 'Murder Mysteries'

What about?

Subversion.

Looks up once more, and ponders

Well, my stories are pretty subversive.

I laugh.

And there you have it.

Thank you so much, Mr. Gaiman.

Behind the funny story...

2005-06-26T23:23:00.000+08:00

Jack wakes up with a huge hangover after attending his company's Christmas Party. Jack is not normally a drinker, but the drinks didn't taste like alcohol at all. He doesn't even remember how he got home from the party.

As bad as he is feeling, he wonders if he did something wrong. Jack has to force himself to open his eyes, and the first thing he sees is a couple of aspirins next to a glass of water on the side table. And, next to them, a single red rose! Jack sits up and sees his clothing in front of him, all clean and pressed. He looks around the room and sees that it is in perfect order, spotlessly clean. So is the rest of the house. He takes the aspirins, cringes when he sees a huge black eye staring back at him in the bathroom mirror. Then he notices a note hanging on the corner of the mirror written in red with little hearts on it and a kiss mark from his wife in lipstick:

"Honey, breakfast is on the stove, I left early to go get groceries to make you your favorite dinner tonight. I love you, darling! Love, Jillian"

He stumbles to the kitchen and sure enough, there is hot breakfast, steaming hot coffee and the morning newspaper. His son is also at the table, eating. Jack asks, "Son... what happened last night?"

"Well, you came home after 3 AM, drunk and out of your mind. You fell over the coffee table and broke it, and then you puked in the hallway, and got that black eye when you ran into the door."

Confused, he asked his son, "So, why is everything in such perfect order, so clean, I have a rose, and breakfast is on the table waiting for me?"

"His son replies, "Oh THAT! Mom dragged you to the bedroom, and when she tried to take your pants off, you screamed, "Leave me alone, lady, I'm married!"

Broken Coffee Table $39.99
Hot Breakfast $4.20
Two Aspirins $.38
Saying the right thing, at the right time, priceless.

And that is a truly priceless answer, from the viewpoint of the wife. I received this e-mail last week and was laughing over the whole story. I read the story again tonight, and then fell into musing.

Marriage is a sacrament, which both parties should take seriously. Partners should love their partner and be faithful to them. This is no easy thing to accomplish, as old and weathered married ones would tell you. In this story, I immediately understood the premise, which was:

Married man attends party;
Married man arrives home drunk;
Wife secretly worries about passionate attachment;
Wife then finds out happy truth that Married man has stayed faithful.

As soon as I read about the part where Jack has a wife, it hit me that this was going to turn into the age-old story on being faithful. And sure enough, it was.

For children of popular culture, they too would find it easy to guess the premise without finishing the whole story. And this, for me, is where it gets interesting. Why should we be so attuned to the fact that a husband would (most) probably cheat on his wife in the most cliched of parties, the office Christmas party? Is it in the stories that we hear and read, the shows and moveis that we watch? How is it that we automatically know? Or better yet, how is it that we automatically assume such a thing?

Perhaps other people would say that it's part of our social programming today, that we just get used to the fact that a man would most probably cheat on his wife, and that the wife would probably have that fact in the back of her head as well. For why would the wife go to such lengths for the husband after she has found out that he remained pure? Is it a reward of sorts, that the man gets pampered just for doing what he promised to do at the altar? Why should the wife do all that? Is it because she doesn't trust the environment, her husband, or both?

If I had been the wife, I would have been pleased with his reply. But in the morning, Jack would find this note in the mirror:

Broken Coffee Table $39.99
Hot Breakfast $4.20
Two Aspirins $.38
Coming home drunk at 3 AM in the morning, you clean up your own bloody mess.

This is what you should be reading.

2005-06-22T16:31:00.000+08:00

There's no use for me to comment on what's raging in the political arena. Others have said it more eloquently and with more critical analysis besides. I settle for bombarding El Presidente with questions and engaging in friendly arguments about it.

Go to these blogs and read their take on the Gloriagate issue. Aren't they illuminating?

The Sassy Lawyer's various analysis;
The La Vida Lawyer with Sun Tzu complements;
Punzi's Corner Blog and his lessons on law (quite useful);
The Unlawyer with his opinions on Gloriagate (I got Gloriagate from him, by the way)
Torn and his take on Philippine politics;
PCIJ's blog, which is still the best source for information about Gloriagate.

A letter to the Mother and the Father in Singapore.

2005-06-20T16:45:00.000+08:00

Hello Mother,

How’s your trip so far? Take lots of nice pictures, and remember there are separate settings on the camera, so don’t forget to adjust whenever needed.

We had the electricity checked out last night. The guy was a friend of Kuya Dick’s, and he said that there wasn’t anything fundamentally wrong with our electricity. That grounding he was talking about, it might have come from the next door neighbor’s electric wires, not ours. If it came from ours, then the inside of the house would have burned first, and you and Tay wouldn’t have a home to come to at all. =D

It was volte face, actually. Quite ironic, if you count the number of times I had thought that the house was being robbed or burning down while I was out of it. The one time I went to Z’s to sleep at her house (after French Music Festival; details below), there had to be a small fire at the back. Only Ate G, J, and their friend were at the house, and they were scared of what had happened. I felt guilty all the time sleeping over at Z’s, and then I came home to realize that my nightmares had almost come true.

Anyway.

I went to the annual French Music Festival at Ortigas last Saturday night. Ugh. Thousands upon thousands of people, not all of them smelling good. Tons of teenage rocker wannabes, and lots of goodlooking guys actually, but they were pitifully outnumbered. The stink, oh the stink. Egads.

I was only able to listen to a couple of bands, and I didn’t particularly enjoy the experience, as tons of people crowding inside the bars and in the outside area as well. I got TV time, though, saying hi to my friends on GMA’s TEXTTUBE. Your daughter, she’s famous. Along with D and T. The greeting will air on Tuesday and Thursday.

Sigh. Would have enjoyed said festival, if not for the volume of people crowding place. As it happened, we decided to get out early, around one in the morning (believe me, that was early). We hitched with C, a friend of ours, and goodness, we couldn’t even drive out of the stupid place, as it was packed.

Made ourselves feel better by lowering window and shouting as if drunk, “Yung mga Tatay niyo, batiin niyo! Father’s Day ngayon!” Of course, we shouted that only after we made sure that the road was clear of any obstacles that would bar us from burning rubber. We didn’t want to be in the middle of a rumble. Too many jologs, so few of us.

So many kids, Mom. You couldn’t imagine the volume of the crowd that night. It was like everyone in the Greater Manila Area decided to crash. It was pretty wild, and not in a good way. The crush of people was too much, and everyone was jostling for one breath of air, preferably without the mingling of smoke, beer, and err, some other drugs that couldn’t be bought over the counter. Fortunately, we found an oasis at the underground parking. We spent a lot of time there, you could tell.

The experience depressed me a bit, so maybe I might not go next year. Why is it when things grow popular, it also grows a bit needless? The next time I want to listen to music, I just might swing over to a jazz bar in Makati.

I will conveniently rag John about your instructions and continue to be irritating older sister to the pasaway one.

Love you guys!

The Not so Proverbial Daughter,
Sarah

That's when they say that too many calories are bad for you.

2005-06-17T16:06:00.000+08:00

"How many calories are you supposed to eat if you're on a diet?" he said.
"About a thousand. Well, I usually aim for a thousand and come in at about fifteen hundred," I said, realizing as I said it that the last bit wasn't strictly true.
"A thousand?" said Tom, incredulously. "But I thought you needed two thousand just to survive."

- the hilarious Bridget Jones's Diary

It's becoming increasingly common for people to watch their calorie intake these days and strive for a healthier lifestyle. With all the fad diets that have been going all around the world (South Beach Diet, Atkins Diet, Scarsdale Diet, The 3-Day Diet, The Seven-Day All You Can Eat Diet, etc.), it's easy to just pick and choose from among them.

I'm all for healthy eating, although in the Philippines that'll be more of a challenge. Vendors line up on the sidewalks hawking their street food, McDonald's and Jollibee seem to be expanding at a record rate, and if you haven't noticed, your suki sari-sari stores carry a lot of junk food. If you do want to eat healthy, you'll have to cough up some cash, from 100-250 PHP. Per meal, mind you.

The local chain food stores, such as the abovementioned, have now made it part of their mission to offer to the public more healthier alternatives, such as salads, on their menu. In the US, they're also doing the same thing. McDonald's, for example, has deli sandwiches and more salads with variety. Surely that's a good thing?

At first look, it is. A quick look at the web quickly dispels the notion that these new additions are "healthier alternatives". The McDonald's Leaning Tower Italian Toasted Deli Sandwich packs in a whopping 610 calories, 30 grams of fat and 2060mg of sodium (including the sauce and cheese) (scroll down the page) and to reiterate, that's just one sandwich.

Your favorite Starbucks coffee/beverage isn't safe either. If you're currently on a diet and wondering why you're not losing weight as fast as you should, it's likely you're forgetting to exclude your favorite drinks.

In this January 2005 ABC news article, it says that

Beverages are a significant, if little recognized, source of calories. Many dieters make the mistake of thinking they're doing everything right but are still not losing weight, because they ignore the calories they drink, said nutritionist Dr. David Katz. He calls these liquid calories "renegade" calories.

For instance, when you're drinking that Starbucks Frappuccino, you're drinking three cheeseburgers worth of calories.

You also may be drinking more calories than you realize in other drinks, such as a small mocha latte from Dunkin' Donuts.

"If you think about the 290 calories in it, then compare it to a small order of french fries from McDonald's," he said.

I think, for that many calories, I'd rather eat the three McDonald's hamburgers, but then that's just me. Plus, it's probably cheaper.

In Ontario, Canada, they've developed a program called "Eat Smart". If you and your family want to eat out at somewhere with healthier menu choices, look for the Eat Smart symbol. The symbol guarantees healthier food choices on the menu and by request, exceptional standards in food safety, and 100 percent smoke-free seating.

Maybe in the Philippines we can implement the same program or come up with something of our own. We may not rival the US in obesity, but there's no harm in giving people healthier alternatives, right? Surely our health should be a priority?

And that's why local tourism should continue to thrive.

2005-06-15T22:12:00.000+08:00

I was out in Bohol for the long weekend, along with other members of our company. We were excited about seeing the Chocolate Hills and especially the world's smallest living primate, the tarsiers.

R. had told us beforehand about the impending trip, although I made the mistake of blurting out "Wow, Bacolod? I've never been there," only to have myself laughed at. These Philippine provinces, they confuse me.

All smiles (almost) at 7.30 in the morning

The flight was mercifully uneventful, for which I, who normally abhor this, was thankful. That, and being sandwiched between R. and D., who thoughtfully exchanged stories about pilots flirting with pretty stewardesses which resulted in dying passengers, and stories about the National Geographic show Aircrash Investigation. I actually told a story about the latter. It was a proud moment.

After a somewhat smooth flight (I never classify flights as smooth unless I become high on my meds), we landed on Bohol soil for the first time and took our ride to our resort. Along the way, we glimpsed clean, blue-green water, houses built on water, a lot of SMART and GLOBE e-load posters, and signs like this:

HOY AYAW IHI
Guinadili ang pangihi... (I can't remember the whole phrase, sorry)

Personally, I liked the first one. Succinct and to the point.

When we arrived at the resort, we learned that only one room was ready for occupancy, the other three being occupied until 12 noon, their checkout time. We chucked all our luggage in that room, rushed to the bathroom to change, and went immediately to...

the swimming pool. The beach was a second choice, seeing that it was full of lumot. We decided to lounge first by the pool area and unwind there. As we frolicked in the water, R. remarked with a laugh, "Sa pool lang pala tayo dederecho. Dapat nag-Laguna na lang tayo, hot springs."

The beach at its prettiest, on Monday morning

Lunch was at a nearby place, with chicken and tuna and parrotfish and other staples of beach food. Who said that we weren't hungry? We were ravenous. I could show you our attacking of the poor, helpless food...but maybe not. I'll just show you these pictures, which R. took when we stopped to take pictures of the monument of the famous Blood Compact the next day.

The view from the top

In good company and then some

On our first night, we were sitting in the pool bar, wondering what games to play as a group. D. suggested we play "modified truth or dare", a suggestion that probably would have been good had it seen any light. In retrospect, it was a source for a lot of laughter. A lot.

In the end, we decided to play a version of "Trip to America", where the theme was "describing the person seated beside you", whether it be the clothes they wore, or the unique things about them. It was sedate at first, but then it got a bit smart. Without giving anyone away, here were some of the descriptions:

Kung makakapunta ako sa America, magdadala ako ng Merman!
Makakapunta ako sa America kapag...magpapatapyas ako ng boobs!
Can I go to America if I like tequila rose?
Makakapunta ako sa America kung magpapa-manicure at pedicure ako! (this coming from a guy)

There's more, but I don't want to be any more boring than I have been already. So henceforth, I will describe the sights and sounds and everything around.

Enjoying the view on the river cruise

Our second day was busy. We were going on a river cruise, visit the tarsiers, and see the Chocolate Hills! After a delicious (burrp) lunch at one of the restaurants beside the river, we then clambered on a boat that would take us around the river. And boy, was the scenery just gorgeous. The whole expanse was full of trees and greenery, and the river was calm, glassy, and inviting. Local boys would jump out of the coconut trees and into the water. Deep down I'm sure they were gloating at their good fortune and secretly mocking us for not being able to swim with them.

Isn't the Philippines beautiful?

After enjoying the cruise, we then went on to the next item on our agenda, the tarsiers. Although we weren't able to visit them in their natural habitat, we nevertheless still saw the little creatures in a DENR protected area. They were so small we couldn't find them in their trees, but eventually we caught sight of the sleepy little animals.

Could literally fit in the palm of your hand

As we were fawning over the tarsiers, more and more people came up to look at them, and pet them too, despite the explicit sign "No handling of the tarsiers". Pinoys, you can't beat them at anything. The tarsiers were getting sleepier by the minute, because they were nocturnal animals, so we tried coaxing them into opening their eyes. It worked sometimes, but not all the times.

After that, it was off to the Chocolate Hills. First, though, was the ride through a lush and beautiful road full of trees and greenery on both ends. With the sunlight dappling on the leaves and filtering through the branches, everyone was quite hushed. We went back after our trip to the Hills and took a group picture, with everyone scampering off the road right after the flash of the camera.

Frodo is hiding somewhere in this forest

A longing glance at the beautiful trees and then we were off to the Chocolate Hills. At the foot of the lookout point, there was a sign that said there were 214 steps going up. T. and I brazenly decided to count the steps to see if there really were 214 steps all in all. By the 100th step, we were barely breathing and wheezing like old geezers. Out of shape, that's us, by the way.

They're not really made of chocolate

These hills have been a source of constant bafflement to scientists, because they just seemd to appear magically out of the ground. They don't know what caused these hills to rise. Whatever the reason, it will never detract from its beauty.

Bohol was an adventure, in more ways than I could tell you. There will be something to look forward to in more trips to the provinces. The allure can never be hidden.

*A happy thanks to N., A., and R. who arranged this trip. Kailangan pa bang i-memorize yan?

Smite them, please.

2005-06-06T14:33:00.000+08:00

I happened to pick up a copy of Jared Diamond's "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" at Powerbooks Glorietta 3 last Friday. In the first pages of the book, Diamond asks several engaging questions: Why isn't it that Africa conquered Europe, instead of the other way around? Why is it that Eurasia commanded most of the guns, germs, and steel instead of the other continents (Africa, Australia)? If you want to know his answers, well, do grab a copy of his work...when you have the extra cash to spare. *cough, splutter*

I took the liberty of tweaking the question a little. It now reads as: Why are we attracted to gossipy TV shows replete with innuendos and more gossip, instead of intelligent shows? What is it within the Filipino psyche that is indubitably attracted to it? And how come the spirituality factor is so strong?

The Sister-brat and I caught some footage of "The S-Files" while on our way to church yesterday. It described, in delicious detail, that Dino Guevarra and Kim de los Santos had now broken up and were in the process of annulling their marriage. It then showed shots of the two, with Dino looking sullen and Kim looking droopy. During the ride the clips we watched were intermittent, due to the snowy nature of the TV reception, but I was able to hear parts of Dino's justification, and Kim's as well.

*"Kung magiging happy ako, ba't niya ako pipigilan? At kung happy naman siya, ba't ko siya pipigilan?" (If I'm happy, why would she stop me? And if she's happy, why would I stop her?) asked Dino, in that blend of whine, self-justification, and retort that seemingly entrances millions.

Kim apparently sent a text message to S-Files, which they showed on screen. I think parts were read out loud as well.

**"Alam ko naman, si Lord, aalagaan niya ako..." (I know the Lord will take care of me.) read some of the text. At that moment I couldn't concentrate, so great was my fury (okay, I was miffed. A little bit.). I don't pretend not to judge people because of what they say and do (I tend to do that a lot, even if I like to think I'm the opposite), but what is it with people who say that their lives are in God's hands, when before, in their heights of splendor and fame and wealth, they wouldn't give a damn to what He thought? Or that, just because they're in squalor and in the pits of their hell, that God is suddenly on their side? What gives them the right to do so?

What, you think that you could walk outside His presence and then waltz right back in? What are you, a brat? Not everyone is a Prodigal Son or Daughter.

Before you admonish me and say that I'm being way too harsh, I'm specifically training the gun at those Janus-faced celebrities and politicians you see on television the whole day. Kim acts as a trigger.

You've seen them all and read them all: ex-presidents, current presidents, ex-generals, current generals, ex-celebrity couples, current celebrity couples, all those who smile bravely at the camera and say "Si Lord, siya ang mag-aalaga samin" (The Lord will take care of us) plus a thousand variations upon that phrase, when their run of good fortune deserts them, forcing them to sell their cars and their houses just to survive.

There must be some exact mix that television producers know that will hold the attention of almost any viewer: gossip + spirituality. It's an irony that sells millions.

Going to church doesn't equal to belief. Hearing Mass doesn't equal to faith. So what is it within our psyche that just clutches to the Lord even when we probably know that He ain't gonna clutch back?

I know people will attack this because of course I don't know celebrities' inner lives; I don't know what they think and what they believe in. It's unfair and very judgmental, to say the least. But when you're tired of reading and hearing people use the Lord's name to save face, when they use the Lord's name as a last result, it gets insulting.

When Jesus was crucified on the Cross, He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me?" Celebrities, politicians, celebrity-politican hybrids, robber barons, consider that another good question to ask.

*I don't remember Dino's exact response, and this is as close as I can remember.
**Ditto on that with Kim's.

Fun, like, you know. Fun.

2005-05-31T17:21:00.000+08:00

Tagged by ze Queen.

THREE NAMES YOU GO BY:
1. Sarah
2. Sar (Kuya Nestor, parents, anyone who wants to piss me off except for the former two)
3. Mase

THREE SCREEN NAMES YOU HAVE HAD:
1. smartsimpleton
2. psyko
3. I don't remember. Hehe.

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My skin color
2. My hair, most of the time
3. My waist

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS YOU DON'T LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF:
1. My hair, most of the time
2. My thighs that are ready for the butcher's board
3. Currently sprouting pimples like a hormonal teenager

THREE PARTS OF YOUR HERITAGE:
1. Chinese (just like everybody else)
2. Filipino (just like everybody else)
3. Spanish (just like everybody else) / Muslim

THREE THINGS THAT SCARE YOU:
1. Coraline's Other Mother
2. Having no purpose
3. High drops

THREE OF YOUR EVERYDAY ESSENTIALS:
1. A book
2. FOOD (nudges Djong)
3. Music

THREE THINGS YOU ARE WEARING RIGHT NOW:
1. A black cardigan
2. Comfy pants
3. Indian-inspired shoes stolen from my Mom

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE BANDS OR MUSICAL ARTISTS:
1. Jamie Cullum
2. Vertical Horizon
3. Dave Matthews Band

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE SONGS:
1. High and Dry (by Radiohead and covered excellently by Mr. Cullum)
2. Nightswimming (REM)
3. Linus and Lucy (David Benoit)

THREE THINGS YOU WANT IN A RELATIONSHIP:
1. Room to maneuver
2. White lies, some of the time
3. A real person?

TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE (in no particular order):
1. I heart Felicity Huffman (Desperate Housewives fame; do watch!)
2. I would love to join American Idol
3. I don't steal other people's food

THREE PHYSICAL THINGS ABOUT THE PREFERRED SEX THAT APPEAL TO YOU:
1. Height
2. I like 'em long and lean
3. RRRRR factor (what's RRRRR to me might not be RRRRR to you)

THREE OF YOUR FAVORITE HOBBIES:
1. Reading
2. Sleeping during the weekends
3. Listening to music

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO REALLY BADLY RIGHT NOW:
1. Hold up Fully Booked and Powerbooks - stick 'em up!
2. Have my hair cut and shaped
3. Hug my nieces and nephew tight

THREE CAREERS YOU'RE CONSIDERING/YOU'VE CONSIDERED:
1. Journalist/reporter
2. Researcher at a think tank
3. Yaya

THREE PLACES YOU WANT TO GO ON VACATION:
1. Prince Edward Island, Canada (am such a geek)
2. Palawan
3. Amsterdam

THREE KID'S NAMES YOU LIKE:
1. Elizabeth
2. Lawrence
3. Leonora (for my great-grandmother)

THREE THINGS YOU WANT TO DO BEFORE YOU DIE:
1. Get published in Newsbreak/Economist
2. Go around the world for one whole year
3. Find my purpose, dammit

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A BOY:
1. I can whallop your ass in most Playstation RPGs
2. I burp and fart like a man
3. I am allergic to makeup

THREE WAYS THAT YOU ARE STEREOTYPICALLY A GIRL:
1. I prance in front of the mirror
2. I experiment with my hair when at home
3. I hog the bathroom

THREE CELEB CRUSHES:
1. Jamie Cullum
2. Jamie Denton
3. Matt Long (rape me, rape me now)

THREE PEOPLE THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE TAKE THIS QUIZ NOW:
1. Kristine
2. Michael S. Macabata
3. The Showroom Manager

Word up.

2005-05-30T14:57:00.000+08:00

Mediocre isn't a word that in most normal people's vocabulary, but when push comes to shove, most of them would opt to be average.

In grade five, "mediocre" was one of the words on our spelling list. Unfortunately, our teacher mispronounced the word as "mejoker" instead of "mi-di-o-ker" (bear with the example), a ironic twist of fate that my grade five mind couldn't understand.

In some instances, "mediocre" means "below average", but in the context of most conversations I hear, it seems that they are one and the same. In a slow and steady adjustment, average now isn't good enough. Our ears are fine-tuned; would you rather be called "mediocre" or "average"? Would that reality show be a bigger hit if it was called "Mediocre Joes"? You choose.

Our vocabulary plays a special part in how we treat people and how we want people to treat us. Why settle for "windy" when you can say "blustery"? Why write "It was boring" when you can write "Nothing of significance swept into our lives that day"? Why write "cranky" when you can go with "crotchety"?

Why write "average" when you can go with "mediocre"?

But when it comes to personal description, the words are reversed, because each word brings with it certain beliefs, certain actions. "Average" is a nice, comfortable place to be in, but not "mediocre".

It's funny how we mask so many parts of our lives using euphemisms, half-hoping that our friends hear our silent cry, and half-hoping that they don't.

Words. They're so sharp, they can cut you.

Things that make you feel bad, occasionally.

2005-05-18T16:05:00.000+08:00

My friend, Djong, has been subscribed to Yahoo! Daily Wire, where she gets all sorts of interesting information about the world. One of the many things she's shared with me is a website which tells what people accomplished at certain ages in their lives. The clincher is that you put in your own age, and the page then tells you peoples' accomplishments at that age.

I put down 23, my age, and these are some of the things that people accomplished:

T. S. Eliot wrote "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock".
Margaret Mead traveled to the South Seas as part of a "giant rescue operation" to study primative cultures before they perished.
Jack Nicklaus became the youngest golfer to win the Masters.
John Keats wrote "Ode on a Grecian Urn", which ends with the lines, "'Beauty is truth, truth beauty,' - that is all / Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know".

And some of the things that are so outlandish that all you can do is laugh outright:

At seven, Harper Lee, who later wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, decided she wanted to become a writer. (I love the book, but hello, what's so special about deciding to be a writer at that age?)
Michael Weinheimer learned how to calculate square roots at age seven. Three years later, he learned how to tie his shoelaces. (?!)
At age five, Gabriel Cortes was thought to be retarded. Four years later his mother was approached by school officials asking permission to advance him two grades. At age 21 he dated three women in one night. At age 24 he routed his adversaries in "Spectre Supreme," becoming the de facto champion at San Jose State. At age 26 he was charged with multiple counts of felony hacking and amazingly bartered them all down to a single misdemeanor. (I bet those are accomplishments.)
Albert Einstein did not begin to talk until the age of three. (Not something I'd particularly brag about, but different strokes, I guess.)
At age three, Tennessee Williams told his first scary story. (Oooh.)
Hungarian composer Franz Liszt gave his first piano concert at the age of 9, or perhaps 11. (Huh?)

Still entertaining, nonetheless. Weinheimer was such a loser, not knowing how to tie his shoelaces until he was 10. I didn't know how to calculate square roots until I was like, 20.

Culture Vulture/The Battle for Books.

2005-05-16T19:02:00.000+08:00

Last December, Google inked an agreement with four of the US's top universities, plus Oxford University in England, to digitize their libraries. They have plans to make into digital data more than 12 million books and to make it available for every scholar, researcher, and plain old book maggots like me who otherwise wouldn't have the time or the wherewithal to do so.

Sounds good, right?

Google wants to make information that is customarily offline, online. Their aim on this project is simple: help maintain the preeminence of books and libraries in our increasingly Internet-centric culture by making these information resources an integral part of the online experience. Their words.

I like the idea of gaining access to literature and scholarly works without traveling 3,000 miles or paying a fortune for a copy. I've been a certified netizen (more than) ever since I left college, and I can only search for good articles or verification of information online. And while I won't be able to read through entire books from cover to cover, that's not really the purpose of Google anyway. If I'm able to widen the scope of my reading themes, I'd be glad for new information.

So how will books look like online? According to their website for the project, it depends on the books' copyright. Go here to check how it looks.

For all its good looks, though, there has been a rather heated backlash from Europe. Many countries have expressed fears over "Anglo-American domination" and its subsequent effect on the world.

Failing to digitalize - declared the heads of state in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and Hungary in an appeal to the European Union - is to risk that "this heritage could, tomorrow, not fill its just place in the future geography of knowledge.

Jean-Noel Jeanneney - who as president of the French National Library oversees a collection of 13 million books - presented a vision of Google potentially hijacking "the thought of the world" in a book he published this week entitled, "When Google Challenges Europe."

"I think that this could lead to an imbalance to the benefit of a mainly Anglo-Saxon view of the world," Jeanneney said in a telephone interview. "I think this is a danger." (Sydney Morning Herald)

Others fear that if you're not an author with renown such as Dante Alighieri or the ever-famous William Shakespeare, you might not be found on Google. And that means you might never have existed in the first place.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald article, 23 national libraries of the 25-member European Union have all voiced their approval of a European search engine. But none of them have signed on yet.

As an onlooker, I'm waiting for the next move. I mean, with two titans who represent a good majority of the world's literature, surely everyone wins?

Mom.

2005-05-12T19:55:00.000+08:00

My mother got married to my dad when she was 18, and my dad was only one year and one week older. The adventure of a lifetime, maybe? For the first three years, my parents inform me, they were little more than fights. They enjoyed a reprieve in this photo. Sweet.

Whenever they fought, Mom would run off to her mom in Novaliches and stay there until my dad fetched her, late at night, to go home to Pasay (where we live now). My dad used to pick up rocks from the street to throw at the dogs who'd come barking and snarling along whenever he went by. It was the only way he could dodge them.

Mom wasn't finished yet with college when she was pregnant with me. The day of her graduation from college, she was four months pregnant, I think. I'm not too sure of that, but I do love the blouse she wore in this photo. I wonder where it is now.

When she gave birth to me, she was so surprised to see how dark I was. She tells me that when she saw me, the first thought that ran through her mind was "Ay, ang itim naman ng baby ko." Mom is fair, you see. And clearly, I was loved. Very much.

I had to be in the hospital for two weeks after birth because of a skin condition called jaundice. I was left under the incubator, and as Mom wryly says, that didn't help much with my skin color. Yes, I was loved a lot.

Mom used to be so sneaky when I was a kid. She and I would have our "morning showdown", as she fondly calls them, because I refused to wear the clothes she picked out for me to wear. I know, vanity is a sin. But not all six-year olds wanted to wear a beret when they went to school, particularly if it kept falling off their heads. Not comfortable, believe me.

So what did she do? She decided to take charge of my closet, but leave me with creative control. The Sunday before school, she would let me choose my outfit for the whole school week, and then put them in their appropriate label in my cabinet - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday. I had to wear what I chose, and if I didn't like what I chose, I had to live with it.

See? Sneaky.

It was to her my siblings and I would ask permission to swim in the neighbor's pool, to have our friends from church sleep over, and to beg money for cherry-flavored ice cones, among others. I would always tag along during her shopping time and invariably get a Barbie doll out of the bargain. It was a bribe from her so that I could just quit whining ALREADY.

I remember begging for a Peanuts-inspired cartoon lunch box that cost six or seven dollars. Even though it was expensive, she still bought it with the admonition that I would use it. I loved it to pieces.

On my seventh birthday, she took me to watch "The Little Mermaid" at the local cinema. I fell in love with it so much that I got "The Little Mermaid" inspired bedding and a cute nightgown...on my ninth birthday. I still loved it anyway. And I still have the bedding.

Mom loved dressing up, and she had a lot of pretty clothes and dresses, because she had a job working for a clothing factory. Mom's vanity would be whetted and then she'd bring home some fancy dress that she expected me to wear. Mothers. How could I go play with some silly dress? They were itchy and scratchy, even if they were designer. I mean, who cared? Don't get me wrong, I was pretty vain as a kid. Hence, all that "morning showdown" business. Today, Mom bemoans the fact that I was more fun to dress up when I was a kid than now.

I have so many memories of Mom. I remember calling her up when I found out I was on the Dean's List in college for the first time. I remember her coming with me when I had lost ALL the editorial board examinations. We stood near the Taft Avenue MRT station asking bus drivers for the address of the RCTC Liner, because I left them inside one of their buses. Brilliant, I know.

I remember her teaching me how to read when I was four, and all of our subsequent trips to the public library in Arlington. We never left empty-handed. I remember her teaching me how to drive in Cavite at my lola's place, and the words she said after our first lesson: "Mag-driving school ka na lang."

Mom is good at so many things. She doesn't like to read, but I can never beat her in Boggle or Scrabble. I tried vainly last Christmas, but failed miserably. She makes a mean dish of scalloped potatoes and baked chicken. She can drive like nobody's business, and believe me, when others try to make it THEIR business, they're sorry quickly.

Mom, belated Happy Mother's Day. Even though you may have the highest score in Text Twist, we are always better as a team. I love you.

My sister goes to Eton and my brother goes to Harvard.

2005-05-09T11:57:00.000+08:00

Harvard University has earned its top-notch reputation around the world. The name of the school alone evokes respect, awe, and a bit of envy as well - to be able to get in is already a bragging right in itself. I myself went to Harvard, you know. I walked around the campus with my family and generally envied all the students.

Eton, on the other hand, seems to be THE public school of public schools around the world (by public schools, in England, they mean private schools). It's also a great favorite with the Royal Family as well. Prince William and Prince Harry went there, and on the side of the literary, George Orwell and Sir Ian Fleming.

So why the interest in these two fine institutions?

Apparently, we have Harvard and Eton in the Philippines.

Coming from Tagaytay last Saturday, my friend spotted a HARVARD School of Laguna in Sta. Rosa. And while walking along Malate yesterday, I saw signs for Eton International School, and they offer pre-school and grade school education.

The sign also featured tow-headed tots smiling toothily. Now if that isn't false advertising when you see one, I don't know what is. I wouldn't want my sister to come crying to me after school saying that she had no blond classmates. I mean, the sheer injustice of it all! That kind of iniquity scars you for life.

Is this some sort of phenomenon right now? I'm seeing a lot of fancy school names, with of course, the obligatory INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL tacked on beside it. Is it really necessary? Does it make parents feel better that their son or daughter is attending an INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL with probably international-like fees as well?

What's in a name?

Supercalifragelistic eponymous docius.

2005-05-04T19:40:00.000+08:00

What does eponymous mean?

Djong and I were chatting yesterday when she brought up the question. I didn't know what it was so I went here and here, and all I got was "Of, relating to, or constituting an eponym.".

I was on the verge of suggesting that "eponym" might have gotten its roots from the name "Eponine", the lovely, miserable daughter of the Thenadiers in Victor Hugo's classic "Les Miserables". Hey, I thought it was funny.

Kill me for stupidity, but I didn't check on the word "eponym". So there I was, wracking my brains for a possible meaning to the blasted word, when I decided to ask this question on Google:

"What does "eponymous" mean?"

One of the results that came out was a 1996 feature article on Slate, "Naming Names: The Eponym Craze". It was written by Cullen Murphy, who was then the Managing Editor of The Atlantic.

He wrote,

An eponym, of course, is a word that has been formed from the name of a person, place, or thing (eponumos is a Greek word meaning "named on"). For some eponymous terms, the eponymy is obvious, or famous: Caesarean section; graham cracker; Molotov cocktail; boycott; leotard; Luddite; silhouette; volt. Many more eponyms, though familiar, are not so obviously eponymous. Maudlin, for instance, comes from the name of Mary Magdalene, who in painted and sculpted form is typically shown weeping. Masochism comes from the name of the demented 19^th-century novelist Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, who described the relevant eponymous practices in his writings.

So in practice, we've been using these words for a time but not really knowing that they were eponyms. Or maybe it was just me.

Murphy also contended in the article that eponyms never needed any special tending to make them grow (and this was in 1996). Some of his examples are the following:

To gump through life is to make one's way by means of dumb luck.
To espouse two positions at once is to pull a Clinton.
To adopt the hairstyle popularized by the actress Jennifer Aniston on Friends is to get a Rachel or to get a Friends do.
A sagan is a unit of quantity equivalent to "billions and billions"--the quotation an unintentionally self-parodic trademark of the late astronomer Carl Sagan.
Imeldific, made possible by Imelda Marcos, refers to ostentatious grandiosity and extravagant bad taste.
An Iraqi manicure is torture.
Waldheimer's disease is a convenient lapse of memory.

What other eponyms can you think of?

Isn't this true?

2005-04-29T19:02:00.000+08:00

From the University of the Philippines Dean Luis Teodoro, in his commencement address delivered during the UP College of Mass Communication commencement exercises, which was held last April 24. Taken from Jojo's Thirtysomething blog. For the complete address, just make clicky with the link above.

I find this portion of his speech very, very important.

Let me venture a suggestion why, despite the injustice, violence and misery the global and national orders breed there is less defiance than the reality demands. The media–the disciplines to which you have devoted four years or more of your lives to study and master–have failed to report, much less interpret, the world to its inhabitants.

The media could hardly have done otherwise. In the Philippines the media are firmly in the hands of interests whose political and business agendas are often contrary to the imperative of truth-telling. You have all heard it said that the broadcast media are driven by commercial interests, that it is what will rate rather than public significance that decides which stories will make it to the six o’clock news. The broadcast media are indeed redefining news to mean reports that assure higher ratings and advertising revenues.

As a consequence, broadcast news is turning into entertainment, and into orgies of voyeurism and bloodlust as it focuses more and more on celebrities in addition to the usual emphasis on blood and gore. Since 96 percent of Filipinos have access to television, and since as a consequence television is the most credible medium for some 72 percent of the population, much of the information Filipinos receive is either in the category of fluff stories on the state of this or that actor’s romantic life, the violence of life among the poor, or uncontextualized reports on the latest guerilla-Armed Forces encounter in Mindanao, which leave viewers with exactly the impression the state wants people to have: that rather than responses to poverty and injustice rebellions are their causes.

Reporting in print is only a little less driven by the same commercial aims. The one newspaper in which what appears on the front and opinion-editorial pages is subject to the owner’s approval every day seems to be an exception. And it may also be true that this newspaper’s difference from your favorite broadsheet is evident in their respective attitudes towards government. But it is equally true that they have one thing in common: neither questions the validity of the political, social and economic systems.

The defects of these systems are too obvious to be concealed through editorials celebrating Christmas and Valentine’s Day and the anniversaries of this or that association. These systems’ survival in fact depends on their capacity to reform themselves, which is the cause to which the second broadsheet is dedicated. But in practice, the consequence is a refusal, or inability, to look into the root causes of this country’s problems, and to see them merely as the results of mistaken policies and bureaucratic bungling.

One of the perils of publishing...

2005-04-27T13:22:00.000+08:00

is that you never realize how a photo looks until after it's published.

During my editor days, we found that it was much easier to edit stories and layout when they were printed out instead of staring at the computer screen. We were able to spot mistakes that we never would have found editing onscreen. Not to say that we never made mistakes (believe me, we made plenty), but it was a style that we adjusted to easily.

I guess Tempo* (the newspaper) just never realized how big of a splash this photo would make.

And with the current winds of opinion surrounding the Pope (stern-looking, disciplinarian, hardliner), well, this photo won't do anything to put those opinions to rest. Except maybe for a laugh or two.

*published on 24 April 2005, Tempo.

Tongue-in-Cheek Predictions.

2005-04-26T15:10:00.000+08:00

In honor of all the craziness that is known as American Idol, two of my coworkers and I have decided to guess this week's theme and the songs that our erstwhile contestants will sing.

Theme: Movie Soundtracks

Anthony Federov

"Ice Castle", The Sound of Music

Vonzell Solomon

"My Heart Will Go On", Titanic

Scott Savol

"Time of My Life", Dirty Dancing

Carrie Underwood

"How Do I Live", Con Air

Bo Bice

"Sweet Home Alabama", Sweet Home Alabama

And my personal favorite:

Constantine Maroulis

"Gollum's Song", The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

Oh yeah. I'm way out of line.

Photos taken from http://realitytv.about.com/od/americanidol/

Better days.

2005-04-23T17:11:00.000+08:00

editorial photo!
Originally uploaded by smartsimpleton.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the 2002-2003 Editorial Board of The LaSallian.

A laugh out loud picture, if you will, for the 2004 Green and White Yearbook. When we were so crazy so as to actually touch Je (the ecstatic center of attention and erstwhile Sports Ed) in his, erm, chest area (and other parts we daren't mention).

Mon (our modelicious swimmer, resident Crush ng Bayan, and Art & Graphics Ed) is the guy whose hands are touching Je just below the nipple area. If I'm not mistaken, it's Mike (our prodigious University Ed) who is actually touching one of Je's nipples. All the other hands are for show only. Mike is to Je's right.

Kwa (erstwhile Sports Ed; long story) is waving his hands in the air, standing to Mon's left, while Chris (our Managing Ed) does a halfhearted wave right beside Mike, but gives a cross between a smile and a smirk in the process.

For some reason, it's the guys who want to be near Je.

Michelle (Office Manager), is standing to Kwa's left. She joins in on the guys' fun with a wave of her own.

Tish (le Jungle Queen; Menagerie Ed) isn't sure whether she wants to touch Je or not, though her hand is captured midway in descent. She's in front of Michelle.

Djong (our stylin' Associate Ed) makes her intentions clear with the direction her hand is taking. She's partially covered by Chab (Circulations), natty in her brown business jacket and denim jeans. Chab is reaching out to touch the least-threatening part of Je's lovely, lovely body.

I am clinging on to Je for dear life, with tousled hair, rolled up trousers, and high heels to boot. I don't know why I am in this position.

Clar (erstwhile Photo Ed), is right to express her shock at our posing. She makes sure not to touch any of the tainted people in the photo, the weirdos.

Crazy ass people. I miss them already.

How fat is your city?

2005-04-18T16:58:00.000+08:00

I tend to never believe surveys published in 'leading' newspapers and magazines, because I think the bigger picture is what they don't represent. Or they skew their findings to fit their conclusions. Whatever.

Anyway, I'm breaking tradition with this one post on America's Fattest Cities, a survey annually done by Men's Fitness magazine. Every year since 2000, they've covered America's 50 largest cities, with categories ranging from climate to commute to geography to fitness habits and yes, the number of donut shops within a certain city (I'm afraid Fort Worth in Texas is the dubious title-holder of this).

Writer Keith Griffiths asked, "Is fitness a matter of attitude, or a matter of address?" That was what he and his team at Men's Fitness magazine set to find out. Their research is now published every year, complete with short commentaries on the results.

For this year, America's Top 5 Fattest Cities are:

1. Houston*
2. Philadelphia
3. Detroit
4. Memphis
5. Chicago

Just so you know, the sixth fattest city is Dallas. And the tenth fattest city is San Antonio, and the eleventh fattest city is El Paso. Plus, Fort Worth is the fourteenth fattest city. Are you noticing a trend? Everything is definitely bigger in Texas.

If there are fat cities, then there are also fit cities. Here are America's Top 5 Fittest Cities:

1. Seattle
2. Honolulu
3. Colorado Springs
4. San Francisco
5. Denver

Seattle is a beautiful, beautiful place. If there was one city I would gladly visit in America, it would be this one. Gorgeous geography! Water and mountains - a tough combination to beat when it comes to walking trails and water sports.

I would also like to point out that two cities in Texas are also in the top 25 fittest cities: Austin, the state capital, and Arlington, my old hometown.

Forget about Austin; I'm going to concentrate on Arlington. According to the results, it's The Most Improved City (woohoo!) and also The City with the Most Free Time (relatively hassle-free commute.). Men's Fitness reports that it also has the seventh-fewest bars and taverns in the survey, the lowest ratio in Texas. It'd probably be a novelty to find someone wasted. Or maybe they hide it all too well.

Last year, Arlington was America's eighth fattest city. That's a definite leap of improvement right there.

Oh Hollywood, where art thou? Arlingtonians can kick ass.

*for the rest of the rankings, go here

The patronizing world of life and love.

2005-04-12T14:40:00.000+08:00

The young-sounding DJ inwardly sighs and readies himself for his radio program. Thoughts inside his head are all aswirl with potential possibilities and lovelorn ladies crying for their men, and lovelorn men crying for their ladies.

He pushes his thoughts aside and plays the canned music that characterizes what love is all about in this country.

"Welcome to Doctor Love with R----- V-----.Lahat ng mga love problems niyo, itawag niyo lang dito sa numerong -------."

Cut to commercial. The DJ waits for his first caller.

"Eto na ang ating caller, si Mel. Mel, ano ang inyong problema iha?"

(Barely discernible words come over the line)

"Iha, paki-laksan at hindi kita marinig." A nice-sounding voice should mask my irritation, the DJ thinks.

Incoherence improves to mumbles, and finally the DJ is able to catch bits and pieces.

"...kasi itatanong ko lang sana kung meron ba talagang pagtingin sa akin ang lalakeng ito."

"Sino ba siya, katrabaho mo?"

"Opo, katrabaho ko po."

"Naging kayo ba, o niligawan ka ba ng lalakeng ito?"

"Hindi po. Pero may nangyari po kasi saming dalawa eh..."

"Ah, may nangyari. At pagkatapos nito?"

"Nawala na po."

"At ano ang status ng lalake? May girlfriend na ba, o kasal na, o single pa rin?"

"Kasal na po siya eh."

"Eh! Kasal na pala siya pero gusto mo pa ring makipagbalikan? Naku iha," cluck-clucks the DJ.

"Mahal mo ba siya?"

"Hindi ko po alam eh."

"Mahirap yan, Mel. Kasal na ang lalakeng ito. Kailangan mo nang mag-move forward sa buhay mo."

He readies his next salvo, chest out, righteous indignation stirring in the atmosphere.

"Gusto mo bang maging HOMEWRRRRECKER? Gusto mo bang pagusapan ka sa pamilya na KABIT? Gusto mo ba lahat yun?"

"Hindi po.."

"Tama yan. Kaya I'm playing this next song, I'm Missing You, para sayo, para maka-get over ka na sa lalakeng yan."

"Thank you po."

A good excuse for not posting.

2005-04-04T20:51:00.000+08:00

Gigi returned my tagging favor. So does that mean I get to tag you back...again?

You’re stuck inside Fahrenheit 451, which book do you want to be?

I want to be Elizabeth Bennet in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Quit laughing.

Have you ever had a crush on a fictional character?

Gilbert Blythe, Anne of Green Gables staple character. The man is absolutely gorgeous and I adore him, but then I'm biased.

The last book you’ve bought is:

I bought two at Books for Less:

1. Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women (Susan Faludi) - I vaguely remember hearing this in my GENDERS class. Now I can't believe I waited so long to get a copy.
2. The Adventures of Pilandok - Gift to the Sister-Brat for finishing another (Nazi) school year. Of course she goes to a good school. And besides, who doesn't love Pilandok?

The last book you’ve read:

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco. I'm still in the process of reading it; does that count?

What are you currently reading?

Refer to above post. And Susan Faludi's Backlash. Highly recommended.

Five books you would take to a deserted island:

1. Rainbow Valley (L.M. Montgomery) - The offspring of Anne and Gilbert Blythe, coupled with 'wild' neighboring manse kids, never fail to keep me laughing.

2. A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide (Samantha Power) - So I can thank my lucky stars that I'm on a deserted island with no fear of racial disparity. Or exploding shells.

3. Me Talk Pretty One Day (David Sedaris) - I like laughing, a whole lot. This fits the bill.

4. Music and Silence (Rose Tremain) - I love historical fiction threaded with romance.

5. The Sandman: Fables and Reflections (Neil Gaiman) - My favorite collection in the whole Sandman series. Who could resist Emperor Joshua Norton I?

Who will you pass this quiz to?

Zane, of course, as I want to know more of what she likes reading. And let's also tag Tanya, whose blog is the featured Pinoyblog of the week!

In a thousand tongues.

2005-03-23T17:28:00.000+08:00

Hey, don't laugh at her! How many languages do you speak?

- Brian, Avenue Q

How many, really? Aside from English and Tagalog and perhaps (a smattering) of your regional dialect? It's amazing, our facility to speak and understand multiple languages. There are hundreds of ways to say "I love you", for example, by making use of all the languages of the world, providing your partner thinks you're being romantic enough. Try "Aez dae warzyn" out for size.

The world has approximately more than 6,000 languages today. After a fashion, that might seem a bit paltry, where some linguists estimate that more than 12,000 languages were spoken when the world was less populated.

The Bible tells us of the Tower of Babel, and how the Lord struck all His people with thousands of tongues to punish their pride and arrogance. And so they were scattered, all over the world. A veritable start of multilinguism, if you find yourself believing this version.

In the January issue of The Economist, there's an article about world languages and the rate that it's disappearing (one a fortnight). What's making it disappear so fast in the first place?

In recent centuries, colonization, trade, industrialization, the development of the nation-state and the spread of compulsory education, among many other things, have helped to extirpate many languages that had previously prospered in isolation. And in the past few decades, thanks to globalization and better communications, the rate of attrition has greatly accelerated, and dominant languages such as English, Spanish, and Chinese are increasingly taking over.

The culprit isn't a new thing. Globalization has been, at one point or another, been blamed for the extermination of locality and culture, pinning that alongside with dialect decay as well.

And according to the Summer Institute of Linguistics in Dallas, the language distribution is very uneven as well.

The general rule is that temperate zones have relatively few languages, often spoken by many people, whereas hot, wet zones have lots, often spoken by small numbers. Europe has only 200 languages; the Americas about 1,000; Africa 2,400; and Asia and the Pacific perhaps 3,200, of which Papua New Guinea alone accounts for well over 800.

The article goes on to say that "already well over 400 of the total 6,800 languages are close to extinction, with only a few elderly speakers left." Take a look: Busuu in Cameroon (eight remaining speakers); Chiapaneco in Mexico (150), Lipan Apache in the US (two or three); Wadjigu (one, with a question mark). It's safe to say that unless massive action is taken, these languages will languish in historical indistinction.

On the flipside, observers say that life could perhaps be made simpler and more peaceful with just one world language, without the resulting tension from cultural misunderstandings. However, the article posits,

...there is little evidence that monolingualism promotes peace. In Northern Ireland, Protestants and Catholics speak the same language. Vietnam and Somalia are both predominantly monolingual. When Yugoslavia fell into civil war, most of its people were speaking Serbo-Croat.

The "one world language" card has been played and it's been found wanting, fortunately.

I mean hello, wouldn't it be much more satisfying to say "F*ck you!" in your native tongue without worrying about the backlash?

I've been seDOOCEd.

2005-03-17T11:14:00.000+08:00

You know when you start laughing in a quiet room full of working people and struggle valiantly to hide it, even though all that comes out is snorts?

That's the Dooce Effect. First, you start with the intense desire to laugh, then you'll feel the laughter coming out of your throat, then you'll actually start laughing and laughing, and then the laughter dies down to snorts, and then, and then...it starts all over again.

So what are you doing reading this? Snorts are waiting to capture you in mid-laughter.

Ethical Living.

2005-03-08T13:10:00.001+08:00

It's always the bathrooms for me.

I have to make sure that the faucets are properly closed and that they're not leaking water, because for me, that's sacrilege. I don't turn the tap on full blast and I give the Evil Eye to girls in public bathrooms who leave it on while chattering with their friends. Such a waste, and I don't mean the girls.

It looks like I'm not the only one anal about such "little" things either. Leo Hickman is TheGuardian's Ethical Expert on living, and below are bits and pieces from his March 3rd article.

Are second homes a selfish luxury or a harmless retreat?

More than a million Britons now own a second home. Many argue that these out-of-towners bring economic benefits to rural communities. Equally, though, second homes can price local people, including key workers, out of the housing market.

And the second-home phenomenon is spreading its wings. British buyers now snap up thousands of foreign homes every year. Their dream of a place in the sun is increasingly realised by the expanding reach of low-cost airlines. By 2012, it is estimated that second homers will take 12 million flights a year to visit their properties, exacerbating the environmental impact of air travel...

In 2003, 40% of all property sold in Spain went to non-nationals, while young Spaniards, unable to get on the property ladder, remain living with their parents in unprecedented numbers. By 2003, homes in the French region of Languedoc Roussillon cost 28% more than the year before, largely due to demand for second homes.

What type of contraceptive should I use: the pill or a condom?

Millions of oral contraceptive pills containing synthetic oestrogen are consumed every day. This compound is ultimately discharged into the sewage system, and from there it is flushed into rivers and the sea, where it remains active for up to a month. In 2002, Environment Agency researchers suggested that the steady drop in male fertility in Britain may be caused by men ingesting female hormones in drinking water that is drawn from rivers that contain recycled sewage.

But condoms themselves can also be harmful to the environment. The Environment Agency estimates that, in the UK, between 60 and 100 million condoms are thrown away every year, with many of the ones flushed down toilets being found in rivers, on beaches and in the sea. There are also concerns about some spermicides commonly used on condoms and caps. One in particular - nonoxynol-9 - has been the focus of much debate in recent years, with some studies suggesting that, as its high toxicity can cause genital lesions, it may increase the risk of HIV infection among women already at high risk of infection. If you use condoms, wrap them up and put them in a bin rather than flushing them away.

And my favorite:

Do we need to wash our hair?

In essence, most mainstream shampoos are glamorously packaged surfactants - chemicals that dislodge dirt and grease. You will find it hard to find a shampoo that doesn't specify its suitability for "daily use" or "frequent washing" despite the fact that most dermatologists warn that over-washing hair strips it of its natural oils. The scalp secretes sebum, which naturally lubricates and protects hair against dirt and bacteria.

Left to their own devices, our own natural oils in effect wash our hair without water or extra products. In fact, hair products have been shown to over-stimulate oil glands and attract dirt.

Few of us, however, may be prepared to run the risk of social exclusion by leaving our hair unwashed. The first six weeks are said to be the worst, culminating in a very oily phase between weeks five and six. This first phase conforms to the popular perception of unwashed hair - uncomfortable and unhygienic. But after this period, non-hair washers report healthy, self-regulating hair that looks better than ever. So good, in fact, that many vow never to wash their hair again.

I oughtta try this one time.

Vignette #4.

2005-03-01T11:08:00.000+08:00

Who: Me, The Father, and The Mother
What: Nothing in particular
Where: Couch-lounging in the living room, channel-surfing
When: 11.30 pm, February 28

"Ooh Mom, it's The Hours on Lifestyle Network."
The Mother snorts.
"Heh! I don't like that movie."
The Father comes over and shooes The Mother's legs off the rest of the couch.
"Mom, Nicole Kidman won an Oscar for her performance there."
"Oh I know, it's a good movie, but it's not the best, in my opinion."
I snort.
"Mom's opinion of a good movie is Collateral," I mutter to The Father.
Excitement suspiciously enters The Mother's voice.
"Hon, sayang di mo napanood! Ang ganda ganda. Sayang wala ka dito when I watched with John. Or was it you, anak?"
The TV shows us the opening scene of the movie where Nicole Kidman had a crooked nose.
"What is The Hours about?"
"It's a movie that I watched in the theaters. I didn't really like it."
"What is it about nga?"
"Basta, it's not a good movie. I mean it's good, but not in my opinion."
"Why isn't it a good movie nga?!"
"I just really didn't like it."

Mothers. Women.

To the greatest people in the world...

2005-02-24T14:14:00.000+08:00

my friends.

Some of whom who have been feeling uncommonly down and frustrated and confused about life's directions and their goals pursuant to that. Me included.

So here's my cheers to my friends, whether they be happy, sad, ecstatic, or tragic. They form a huge part of my existence.

Korny, you have never ceased to amaze me with your passion and zest for life. I just want you to know that you're incredibly unique and sparkly and zingy and sugar and spice and everything in between. You're the best Korny in the whoooooole wiiiiiiide woooooorld!

Deej, you definitely love to live. You're an adventure in itself! No one in their right mind would ever feel bored with you around. Writing has been in your blood for the longes time* and I doubt if it would ever get out. Keep the music playing, dietitician**! Superb doesn't even begin to describe you.

Krissie, laughing is always an option when I'm with you. You aren't even in the middle of your life and already you've accomplished so many things, with two rings besides. Shouldn't we be singing and ducking from Sir Boy's Sprite can?

Moyk, you continue to inspire a lot of younger people who look up to you. So who cares if we tease you about being stiff and formal? Who cares that you show up late to almost every appointment? Who cares you actually wore pink last night? You and I will continue to spar, my friend. You are a shining star. And when you actually make kurakot, don't forget us.

Z, with your loving acceptance of everyone, including their quirks, you're the bomb. And you're pretty hot too. I've learned not to be so judgmental, thanks to you, and I've looked at the other paradigms people hold. My shortcomings and flaws are risen to heights of superstardom because of your laughter. Bracelets should never be mistaken as hair ties and daughters should never bring their mothers to watch Y Tu Mama Tambien.

To be continued!

*It was the fault of the keyboard.
**I still maintain that it was the fault of the keyboard.

Vignette #3.

2005-02-21T19:43:00.000+08:00

Who: Me, The Father, and The Sister-Brat
What: Family Fun Day, Victory Christian School
Where: Valle Verde II basketball court; Market! Market!
When: A starving 2.00 pm or thereabouts, February 19.

"Wow, you guys are overall champions! And your group won the first place medal for board games at your Sportsfest two weeks ago! Galing ng baby ko ah."
Three stomachs deign to rumble in reply.
"Where do you want to eat, babe?"
"Chowking!"
The walk to the car is slow and ponderous.
"Chowking!" The Sister-Brat is hungry. The Father is thoughtful. The car is hot.
We get in anyway.
"You know, there's a Chowking at Blue Wave. Why don't we go there? It's nearer anyway."
"Anak, I'm already hungry. Anyplace nearer?"
"Market! Market! We're already on C5 anyway."
"Chowking!"
"Alright already!"

Chowking is exchanged for McDonald's, and six barbecue sticks are consumed by The Father and The Other Daughter that were bought at that delicious barbecue stand at the open air area.

Hunger does that to you.

Monday Bloody Monday.

2005-02-16T19:54:00.000+08:00

"Grieve and mourn your dead. We will make no distinction between civilians and (soldiers). You create your own government."

- Abu Solayman, self-proclaimed Abu Sayyaf spokesperson

There are few things that get our goats these days, because our skin is thick. Oblivious. But mostly resigned to the normalcy of our lives - wake up, wait patiently in line for the ride to work, and prepare to spend eight or nine numbing hours in the office.

Last Monday was not so much a normal day than most, not until three bombs exploded in different, but important, parts of the country. Seven are dead, and more than 60 are wounded.

I can't believe the news today
Oh, I can't close my eyes
And make it go away
How long...
How long must we sing this song?
How long? How long...
'cause tonight...we can be as one
Tonight...*

You cannot expect the Abu Sayyaf to listen to reason. You cannot expect them to give us their sympathy whenever bombings occur because deep in the south, that is their way of life. Life, in their hands, is putty. Pun intended.

Close to home. The attacks were nearer to our little paradigms than we'd originally thought. In urban, bustling Manila, where robbers and thieves get away with no compunction, this easily got our attention, and the Abu Sayyaf have once again written their name in blood. The thorn-in-the-side Abu Sayyaf, who remain forward and ruthless.

Their cause is still the same. Angry at the government atrocities against them and their fellow Muslims. What's changed is the number of bodies claimed in the name of it.

And the battle's just begun
There's many lost, but tell me who has won
The trench is dug within our hearts
And mothers, children, brothers, sisters
Torn apart

And besides, is it just me, but isn't the term 'defenders of Islam' trite already?

*Snippets from U2's "Sunday Bloody Sunday". Go figure.

Madness in Music.

2005-02-14T01:12:00.000+08:00

I've been tagged by one of my favorite bloggers, Mud!

Random 10: (sets WMP on random mode)
1. Jamie Cullum – Twentysomething
2. Manhattan Transfer – Operator
3. Maktub – Baby Can't Wait
4. Manhattan Transfer – Birdland
5. Craig David – Hidden Agenda
6. John Mayer – Back to You (Acoustic)
7. New Stories – Highway Blues
8. Maktub – Give Me Some Time
9. Jamie Cullum – All at Sea
10. The Corrs – Hopelessly Addicted

1. What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
I don't know; we're on a shared network here, maybe around 20-30 gig? At home, around 3-4 gig.

2. The last CD you bought is:
Chicago – Broadway

3. What is the last song you listened to before this message:
For Now - Avenue Q (it's not really obvious that I like listening to Broadway)

4. Write down five songs you listen to a lot or mean a lot to you:
David Benoit - Linus and Lucy
Splender – Loneliest Person I Know
Switchfoot – This is your life
U2 – I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Josh Groban – Mi Mancherai

5. Who are you gonna pass this stick to? (3 persons and why)
Soloflite – He's kooky and fun, so I think it would reflect on his music choices.
Sealdi – What do UP lit majors listen to?
Gigi – Her writing is fantastic; I'm pretty sure her musical tastes would be too.

Vignette #2.

2005-02-13T23:06:00.000+08:00

Who: The Mother and I.
What: Genes, intelligence, and stupid men.
Where: Ayala, en route home
When: 12:45 am Saturday, February 12.

"Mom, I once read that children inherit their intelligence from the mother. Is that true?"
"Oh yes! Around 70 percent, if I'm not mistaken."
The road to the airport is smooth and serene at this time of the morning.
"So, it doesn't matter if I marry a smart man, right? I could just as well settle for a stupid guy and not worry about having stupid kids."
Laughter ensues.
"Then marry a handsome but stupid man, then."
"Oh, right, right. If I've got to marry, it might as well be for his looks. That way I can have smart and beautiful children."
Laughter is merry, all the way home.

Here's some live music to calm you down.

2005-02-10T18:36:00.000+08:00

Live classical music, anyone? A call center company from the UK has decided to switch from canned pop music to classical music and pumping them out live as its "hold" music.

Don't get them wrong, though. The classical quartet is paid, and yes, they don't man the phones.

Here's my favorite quote from the article.

Universal Support spokesman Michael Jacobs said the idea of live hold music was about soothing the troubled breast of the technologically challenged customer. "It can be very stressful when your Outlook doesn't work or whatever. You want to throw the computer out of the window."

Indeed. I think.

Meet the Twentysomethings, part two.

2005-02-07T19:37:00.000+08:00

I don't want to get up, just let me lie in,
leave me alone, I'm a twentysomething.*

When it comes to education, the article suggests that students end up paying more than what their degrees are worth. In other words, education has become more expensive, and with the jobs that twixters get right out of it, "seriously out of step with the real world in getting students ready to become workers in the postcollege world."

Take me, for example. I am a literature graduate from the other side of the fence. I work as a writer for an IT company. A far cry from being a professor (it goes with the degree) or a journalist, which I originally wanted to be. (but that's another story)

Because we take "education" in this country seriously, my parents paid around half a million pesos to ensure me of a degree that was mailed four months after graduation proper. It certifies that I am indeed "educated". And what's more, I don't owe the school anything in terms of loans or financial packages. Parents are not cash cows, I know.

It's a different story in the US, where most college students are pressed to accept financial loans instead of scholarship grants. The emphasis is on loans, and not grants. Now, writes Time, "recent college graduates owe 85% more in student loans than their counterparts of a decade ago, according to the Center for Economic and Policy Research." This alone makes it longer to pay off school loans and therefore longer to attain financial independence.

"Meanwhile, those expensive, time-sucking college diplomas have become worth less than ever. So many more people go to college now--a 53% increase since 1970--that the value of a degree on the job market has been diluted...To compensate, a lot of twixters go back to school for graduate and professional degrees. "

Going to graduate school seems a pointless waste of effort in the sense that the pattern is cruelly reinforced: to get better jobs and better pay, one must yet again avail of a school loan in order to go to graduate school, thereby piling up the already-huge debts and "pushing adulthood even further into the future."

To be continued. (again, I know.)

*Twentysomething by Jamie Cullum.

Meet the Twentysomethings, part one.

2005-02-04T13:14:00.000+08:00

After years of expensive education,
a car full of books and anticipation,
I’m an expert on Shakespeare and that’s a hell of a lot
but the world don't need scholars as much as I thought.*

According to the cover story in the January 24 issue of Time Magazine, we never existed in the '70s.

What do you mean, we?

Twentysomethings. Thresholders. Twixters.

Here's an excerpt from the article**.

Michele, Ellen, Nathan, Corinne, Marcus and Jennie are friends. All of them live in Chicago. They go out three nights a week, sometimes more. Each of them has had several jobs since college; Ellen is on her 17th, counting internships, since 1996. They don't own homes. They change apartments frequently. None of them are married, none have children. All of them are from 24 to 28 years old.

Thirty years ago, people like Michele, Ellen, Nathan, Corinne, Marcus and Jennie didn't exist, statistically speaking. Back then, the median age for an American woman to get married was 21. She had her first child at 22. Now it all takes longer. It's 25 for the wedding and 25 for baby. It appears to take young people longer to graduate from college, settle into careers and buy their first homes. What are they waiting for? Who are these permanent adolescents, these twentysomething Peter Pans? And why can't they grow up?

I have a brother still in college, at 24 years. He has switched schools and majors so many times, I can't remember what his original course was. In my uncharitable moods, I privately call him a w----l or a sl-----. So what is he? A much-delayed Gen-Xer, or a freak of his time?

The article says otherwise. The years between 18 and 25, social scientists say, are a period where most young people put off their eventual road to adulthood.

Maybe I'll go travelling for a year,
finding myself or start a career.
I could work for the poor though I’m hungry for fame
we all seem so different but we're just the same.

The argument goes that twixters are "reaping the fruits of decades of American affluence and social liberation" and that this new period is "a chance for young people to savor the pleasures of irresponsibility, search their souls and choose their lifepaths."

Young, middle-class Filipinos may not have had decades of Philippine affluence at hand, but is it not more than enough to say that we embody a lot of these American traits?

The article says that others are worried, however, that twixters can't grow up, simply because they can't. "Those researchers fear that whatever cultural machinery used to turn kids into grownups has broken down, that society no longer provides young people with the moral backbone and the financial wherewithal to take their rightful places in the adult world."

Maybe I'll go to the gym, so I don't get fat,
aren't things more easy with a tight six pack?
Who knows the answers? Who do you trust?
I can't even separate love from lust.

Teri Apter, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, noticed that a high number of students after college were struggling. Otherwise well-adjusted and expensively-educated 23 year-olds "wound up sobbing in their old bedrooms, paralyzed by indecision." For parents and members of the older generation, this can come across as extremely weird behavior.

But Jeffrey Arnett, a developmental psychologist at the University of Maryland, says otherwise. He thinks that twixters are doing "important work to get themselves ready for adulthood." Bar-hopping, job-switching, and living with parents, anyone?

Maybe I’ll move back home and pay off my loans,
working nine to five answering phones.
Don't make me live for my friday nights,
drinking eight pints and getting in fights.

A striking part of the article took my interest. This is Arnett's thinking in why twixters are what they are.

In his view, what looks like incessant, hedonistic play is the twixters' way of trying on jobs and partners and personalities and making sure that when they do settle down, they do it the right way, their way. It's not that they don't take adulthood seriously; they take it so seriously, they're spending years carefully choosing the right path into it.

This could perhaps be the best quote of the article, or the most deluded nonsense I've ever had the pleasure of reading. I'm not sure that something that sounds initially confusing can turn out to be good advice. But the world is fickle, and time stops for no one. How much more leeway can the world give us?

To be continued.

*Jamie Cullum is a Twentysomething indeed. Lyrics, of course, are his.
**Idea for the blog post from the incomparable Dude.

Next Year, Baby.

2005-02-02T16:45:00.000+08:00

Next Year,
Things are gonna change,
Gonna drink less beer
And start all over again
Gonna pull up my socks
Gonna clean my shower
Not gonna live by the clock
But get up at a decent hour
Gonna read more books
Gonna keep up with the news
Gonna learn how to cook
And spend less money on shoes
Pay my bills on time
File my mail away, everyday
Only drink the finest wine
And call my Gran every Sunday
Resolutions
Well baby they come and go
Will I do any of these things?
The answer's probably no
But if there's one thing, I must do,
Despite my greatest fears
I'm gonna say to you
How I've felt all of these years
Next Year, Next Year, Next Year

I'm gonna tell you, how I feel
Well, resolutions
Baby they come and go
Will I do any of these things?
The answer's probably no
But if there's one thing, I must do,
Despite my greatest fears
I'm gonna say to you
How I've felt all of these years
Next Year, Next Year, Next Year

- Jamie Cullum

A sour Apple?

2005-02-01T20:29:00.000+08:00

Could someone have bitten Apple, Inc., off for more than he could chew?

Nicholas Ciarelli, who heads ThinkSecret, which is one of the web's most popular Macintosh rumor sites, shared at least two weeks before the company's official announcement details of Apple's iPod Shuffle and the revolutionary Mac mini.

Now Apple, Inc. has sued him, saying that he published information that Apple regards as trade secrets. According to the article in the Sydney Morning Herald, Apple is getting a lot of flak due to its decision.

"Apple has declined to comment except to say that 'our DNA is innovation, and the protection of our trade secrets is crucial to our success'. It also is showing no sign of withdrawing the suit despite the furore in the US media and on many internet forums."

It should be noted that Apple had threatened Ciarelli before over his disclosures on the web.

In his defense, Ciarelli has cited the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, posting on his website that "Apple's attempt to silence a small publication's news reporting presents a troubling affront to the protections of the First Amendment."

What is the First Amendment?

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
— The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

According to the FirstAmendmentCenter.org, without the First Amendment, "religious minorities could be persecuted, the government might well establish a national religion, protesters could be silenced, the press could not criticize government, and citizens could not mobilize for social change."

It also cautions, however, that there are difficulties corresponding with this freedom. "Most people believe in the right to free speech, but debate whether it should cover flag-burning, hard-core rap and heavy-metal lyrics, tobacco advertising, hate speech, pornography, nude dancing, solicitation and various forms of symbolic speech."

My view of the matter is that this is exactly the problem. Journalists, for example, can cite the First Amendment as protection against suit when the information published is deemed of public interest.

But is Ciarelli a journalist? The Sydney Morning Herald article continues that "with the internet allowing anyone with a computer to publish whatever they like without hindrance, who is a legitimate journalist? Nobody suggests Mr Ciarelli is either unscrupulous or malicious, but concerns are rising about whether the First Amendment should be used to protect everything, good or evil, that is crammed on to the internet thinly disguised as "journalism".

Doesn't Apple have a right to protect its interests?

Color me Green?

2005-01-26T21:10:00.000+08:00

A recent Friendster bulletin got me thinking about the aspect of how narrow the Filipino world really is. It's about a celebration of Lasallian spirit and unity, in all La Salle campuses.

BE GREEN.

It's not for a Green Archer game. It's not for your LPEP. It's simply to show that we're one La Salle. Two colors, but one La Salle. Green and White Day, to be launched on Jan. 28, poses to be a new tradition for the Lasallian family. Gathering all members of the university, from students to faculty to alumni to the staff, the Green and White Day is geared at uniting all the sectors of the university in the name of Animo.

A brainchild of the Animo Taskforce, this celebration aims to inspire the Lasallian school spirit in the individuals of our community. The main event will be ushered with a prayer service organized by the Lasallian Pastoral Office.

After these moments of silence, we will bring in the big drums as the DLSU Pep Squad will rouse the crowd with cheers and acrobatics. Next will be the collective partaking of food. A program showcasing our Cultural Arts Office (CAO) talents will follow. As a final toast to the day, a concert in cooperation with the FM station Magic 89.9 will end the festivities.

Such a huge assembly could only be held in one place - the DLSU football field.

So mark your calendars and iron your green shirts. On January 28, come light your Green Fire and dance on the Lasallian Field of Dreams. Wear green or white and show us what One La Salle looks like.

ANIMO!

For many Lasallians, it's easy being green. Sheltered amid the cacophony of Manila sounds, many have no idea of what life is beyond the ivory tower.

And so at the risk of being belittled, here goes.

I don't want to be just GREEN. Does that make me less of a Lasallian? What does school spirit have to do with, say, local matters or even world matters, if all that's going to be uplifted is the school? (and students, for that matter)

We might be a first-class school (shut up, tongue-waggers), but we are not a first-class country. I find the (show of) celebrating a bit ostentatious, given the circumstances. First-class posturing, maybe.

But more than just La Salle, it's a habit that seems to be inherent in all Filipinos. To never see beyond the family, the friends, the barangay, the coworkers. The bigger picture is a failed concept.

Remember our raucous New Year's celebrations? A host of other countries affected by the Asian tsunamis ostensibly toned down their own celebrations, due in part to remember those who had perished.

And we brought out the beer and the firecrackers.

What will a One La Salle carry over for the Philippines? Perhaps that we can never look beyond the four walls of the university. And that's a mighty scary thought.

But what do I care. I'm just a corporate sell-out.

The Prince Formerly Known as Nazi.

2005-01-19T20:16:00.000+08:00


From Britain's daily tabloid, The Sun. Image taken from Reuters.

In the last week, the British media have been all astir over Prince Harry's wearing of a Nazi costume at a friend's fancy dress party. They have provoked replies such as the prince's promoting fascism, to people saying it was just a silly prank.

Here are excerpts from journalists all over the UK:

Aaron Barschak, for TheGuardian:

Bad taste, bad timing, bad prince ... these are the rotten epithets being hurled at a 20-year-old in tabloid stocks. I can guarantee that had anyone other than Prince Harry worn a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party, no one would have blinked an eye...If a middle-class 20-year-old from the suburbs went to a birthday party dressed the same way, we would say, "He is so obviously trying to be outré and piss his parents off, it's laughable." But when Prince Harry does it, we're ready to put him on trial at Nuremberg. His legacy is that everybody is now going to go to fancy-dress parties dressed up in Afrika Korps uniform, trying to be Prince Harry."

David Aaronovitch, for The Observer (in essence, the same as TheGuardian):

He presumably thought it was a bit of a laugh rather than a political statement; funny Nazis and tapdancing Ku Klux Klanners seem to be an important element in successful musical comedy at the moment. And he also may have chosen the swastika symbol unconsciously precisely because it is transgressive. My psychoanalyst friend tells me that he hasn't yet seen a young male patient who, given a notepad, has failed at some point in their consultations to doodle a swastika. In its own way, it's a little like the Che T-shirt worn by many adolescents who haven't the slightest idea who Mr Guevara was.

...It doesn't really matter how materially privileged they are, they are still miserable and we connive at making them even unhappier. If that's how we get our jollies, then maybe we have more of the fascist in us than a prince who wears inappropriate fancy dress.

Andrew Gumbel, for The Los Angeles Times:

It's hardly news that a British royal has, once again, made a prize twit of himself. That seems to be the House of Windsor's lot. But this is in a whole different category. Even a 20-year-old (and particularly one in line to the throne) should know that the world is still colossally and understandably sensitive about the Nazis and their monstrous crimes.

Nigel Farndale, for The Sunday Telegraph:

It is literal-mindedness bordering on autism to assume he was in some way endorsing fascist views just because he wore a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party... That is like assuming a woman who wears a nun costume to a party must practice celibacy.

&^(#$#%@) book tax?!

2005-01-18T11:52:00.000+08:00

I came across Ped Xing's post about one of Malacanang's proposed revenue bills for 2005, House Bill (HB) 3105. This bill seeks to impose a 10-percent value-added tax (VAT) on the "sale, importation, printing and publication of books."

My Isis, Anubis, Venus, Zeus, Athena, Jupiter (and every other god and goddess in religion and mythology).

After all this time, the geniuses in Congress can't come up with a better way to collect (yes, I do mean collect) taxes! Where does the government spend our tax money? Education? Right. Infrastructure? Guess again.

Instead, you see badly dilapidated waiting sheds with boldly printed words such as, "Donated by Cong. Eng-Eng", "Donated by Mr. and Mrs. High-and-Mighty", and signs on bumpy roads that say "This is where your taxes go".

Donated? Are we supposed to grovel at their feet and thank them for providing a public service that the public paid for in the first place? How stupid do they think we are?

But, I digress.

Ronnel (of Ped Xing fame) writes that

"The imposition of this tax would, of course, mean pricier books, thereby further discouraging, according to National Book Development Board Chair Dennis Gonzales, the reading of books in this country. But what is especially absurd about the proposed tax is that it will spare locally printed publications and imported magazines and newspapers, which means FHM, Philippine Tatler, Vogue and Cosmopolitan can retain their old price tags. "

There's absolutely no logic there, given that these magazines are surely a more popular commodity than imported books. Aside, of course, from the obvious slight to books and reading.

But as if (note, I write as if) to add insult to injury, the Brazilian government is doing the exact opposite of what our Congress hopes to push through. Brazil is eliminating those very same taxes in an effort to get people to read.

Ronnel enjoins those who feel strongly about the bill to write to the two chairmen of the Congress's committees on ways and means: Sen Ralph Recto (telefax No. 834-8974) and Rep. Jesli Lapuz (telefax no. 931-4955).

Untitled.

2005-01-13T21:12:00.000+08:00

Now I can finally understand how some people are driven to suicide.

Me Missions.

2005-01-07T14:28:00.000+08:00

This year, I want to accomplish several goals - to help other people and to broaden my seemingly narrow perspective of life.

That's why I've decided to open the floor to several suggestions from you guys (meaning those people on the left side of the page).

Examples:
1. Go to Infanta, Quezon on an aid mission and give out old clothes and books.
2. Plant trees.
3. Visit orphanages and give out milk, noodles, baby clothes, the like.
4. Attend a talk of wealthy business people.
5. Attend a talk given by leftists in the academe.
6. Attend a talk about media under fire.
7. Sneak inside a UP journalism lecture.
8. Learn a native dance.

That sort of thing.

I will welcome all sorts of suggestions, really. I'm running out of ideas now and will sincerely appreciate any kind of assistance.

I'll post all your suggestions in another entry, and then, maybe, I can choose from there.

My thanks in advance. =)

Can you look a gift-horse in the mouth?

2005-01-06T01:16:00.000+08:00

Via FriskoDude.

Apparently, the editors of Thailand's The Nation can. In a somewhat scathing editorial published last December 31, the editors criticized the meagerness of American aid even as they (US) established themselves to be the lead country in the recovery effort.

Here is the editorial in full.
_________________________

EDITORIAL: A generous global relief effort

Published on Dec 31, 2004

But the United States stands out for its hesitation and meagre first response

The devastating tsunami caused by Sunday’s undersea quake in the Indian Ocean, which killed tens of thousands in this part of the world, was followed by a swift and generous response by the international community, which has so far raised more than US$220 million (Bt8.58 billion) in cash and emergency supplies, in addition to a wide array of logistical support. More than 50 countries around the world have already contributed or pledged to provide cash, in-kind assistance and expertise to help Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand and the Maldives, which bore the brunt of the violent seismic wave.

The outpouring of sympathy and offers of material help, described by the United Nations, which is coordinating the emergency response, as the biggest relief operation in its history, is perhaps proportional to the devastation that struck coastal towns and cities around the Indian Ocean rim so suddenly and without warning.

The level of the relief operation can be attributed to the comprehensive coverage of the horrifying consequences of the giant wave in terms of the staggering casualties, millions of shattered lives and ruinous property damage.

Few will fail to be moved by the shocking images of how the killer waves laid waste to whole coastal communities and their unsuspecting inhabitants and the seaside resorts packed with carefree holidaymakers. It reminded people of the precariousness of human existence against the forces of nature. In mere minutes, the tsunami wiped out what will take years to rebuild, while many of those who lost their family and loved ones will be scarred for life.

The UN is leading efforts to address problems arising from the immediate aftermath of the deadly waves, including the recovery of dead bodies from affected areas and providing survivors with shelter, food and basic necessities as well as ensuring sanitation and preventing the outbreak of disease.

Despite this, the United States has announced that it is taking a leading role in the recovery effort organised by itself, Australia, Japan and India to begin with, and in which other countries and regional groupings will be invited to participate later. Let’s hope that the US-led grouping will coordinate its work with the UN’s – and not against it.

President George W Bush’s announcement followed criticism by UN aid officials, who said the US was not providing enough aid to countries suffering from the tsunami. The US Agency for International Development added $20 million to an earlier pledge of $15 million to provide relief after Bush realised the magnitude of the disaster.

The charge of “stinginess” that has been levelled at the US will probably not be easy to shake off despite the fact that the US remains one of the single biggest aid donors in absolute terms. Though comparatively speaking, the US does come off a bit stingy and short-sighted when it comes to humanitarian aid.

US leaders, especially President George W Bush, apparently have no ability to think beyond their own national interests. Since it started the war in Iraq, the US has spent more than $1 billion on military operations. But when this region was hit by the epic disaster on Sunday, the US was not only slow to respond but also offered a negligible amount of assistance, leading to the derisive remarks by UN aid officials.

US State Secretary Colin Powell went out of his way to defend the Bush administration’s paltry response, reminding the world that the US is still among the world’s most generous aid givers. This is not the first time the US has said that.

But Powell was actually missing the point. Money is not the only thing that the affected countries are looking for. They are looking for sympathy, understanding and long-term commitment. If the US wants to lead the world, it has to lead the world in humanitarian operations as well – not just in aggressive militaristic or hegemonic economic terms.

It may be true that most of the foreign deaths in the tsunami-hit countries were Europeans who came to the sunny part of Asia for their vacation and Christmas holidays. The American reaction to the tragedy was apparently a reflection of that fact. It might have been different if the victims had been mainly American tourists.

But this exposes the rationale of the US in its altruism towards others. Washington is willing to pour money into any undertaking if it benefits US interests directly. If not, then it is a slow boat coming.

The situation also brought back to mind the US attitude towards other problems of the recent past.

When the Asian economies were brought to their knees in 1997, the US was once again reluctant to help. This kind of consistency will continue to hamper the US in the conduct of its foreign policy.

The Nation

And here is one response:

Your editorial was far too quick to judge

I read with dismay your editorial of December 31 ["A generous global relief effort"] wherein you criticise the US for being slow to respond with sympathy and aid because it was not in our interests to do so. The US government does of course care and is responding as best it can, and in fact it began assessing the situation immediately. The constantly changing casualty figures attest to the fact that everyone needed time to understand the full extent of the damage and how best to assist. The US government, corporations and private citizens together will surely end up being the largest aid donors by a long shot, so let's withhold judgement for now, shall we?

You might be advised to remember two bits of sage advice before lashing out again with unwarranted criticism: "haste makes waste" and "don't bite the hand that feeds you".

Why not direct your criticism towards the Meteorological Department, which, given a small window of time to sound the alarm, put its own interest in self-preservation above its duty to inform the public about the possibility of impending disaster?

Kurt Heck

BANGKOK

You be the judge.

Angels, and Devils.

2005-01-04T20:40:00.000+08:00

Every little bit of knowledge helps.

An article in the Sydney Morning Herald on January 3 tells of a story of how one little girl saved hundreds of lives in Maikhao Beach in Thailand, minutes before the tsunami reached inland.

Tilly, who was on holiday with her parents in Phuket, was able to understand what was taking place when the tide went out from the beach. She alerted her mother, who then promptly spread the news to the people on the beach and a neighboring hotel, "thus saving hundreds of people from death and injury."

Tilly was quoted by The Sun, a daily tabloid in Britain, that "Last term [geography teacher Andrew] Kearney taught us about earthquakes and how they can cause tsunamis."

Kearney laster told the tabloid he had explained to his class that there was about 10 minutes from the moment the ocean draws out until the tsunami strikes.

Nobody on Maikhao Beach was seriously injured due to her quick recognition.

...And choices are hard to make.

Jillian Searle and her family were having breakfast poolside at the Holiday Inn in Phuket, Thailand when the tsunami struck. She grabbed Blake, her 20-month old son, and Lachie, her five-year old, and held on to them tight as waves washed over.

In this CNN article, Jillian recounted that "I had both of them in my hands -- one in each arm -- and we started going under."

"I knew I had to let go of one of them, and I just thought I'd better let go of the one that's the oldest."

Eventually, she did let go.

And most fortunately, she was able to get her son back.

"They found Lachie two hours later in a flooded room. The boy had mud marks up to his ears. Lachie told his parents that he'd dog paddled as fast as he could, then caught hold of a door handle and held on as water rushed passed him."

For all the victims, you have my deepest anger at having been put in a reversible position.

Old soul, I am.

2004-12-24T14:23:00.000+08:00

Stolen from Zane.

You Are an Old Soul

You are an experienced soul who appreciates tradition. Mellow and wise, you like to be with others but also to be alone. Down to earth, you are sensible and impatient. A creature of habit, it takes you a while to warm up to new people.

You hate injustice, and you're very protective of family and friends. A bit demanding, you expect proper behavior from others. Extremely independent, you don't mind living or being alone. But when you find love, you tend to want marriage right away.

Souls you are most compatible with: Warrior Soul and Visionary Soul

What Kind of Soul Are You?

Marriage?
Nah.

Swash your buckler!

2004-12-20T22:21:00.000+08:00

I clearly remember saying to my college best friend my dislike of certain people walking down SJ Hall inside DLSU.

"They...swashbuckle," I said indignantly.
Fri started to laugh. "Swash...buckle? Don't pirates do that?"
I started laughing too.
"You know what I mean," I replied with a grin.

Wherever did the word "swashbuckling" come from? And why is it only used in conjunction with pirates, at least in the popular usage?

Fortunately, an enterprising Michael Quinion, who handles the website www.worldwidewords.org, answers the question that has been foremost on my mind.

He writes in his weekly newsletter, dispatched to at least 21,000 subscribers in 21+ countries (his words, not mine),

"A swashbuckler these days is somebody who engages in romantic and daring piratical adventures with ostentatious flamboyance."

So yes, certain people who walked along SJ did tend to display a flamboyant tendency, despite the lack of 'daring piractical adventures'. And yes, I was soooo bad.

But the bad-ass feeling got a bit deflated when I read more of Quinion's explanation.

"People who have fun with the word, as a writer in the Guardian did on Tuesday, usually talk about some film hero "buckling his swash". A nice try, but there's no verb "buckle" hidden in it - the verbal bit is actually "swash". You should really say the hero "swashes his buckler", but it's not as good a joke."

So yes, I was wrong - they couldn't "swashbuckle", as I had originally thought - they could only swash their bucklers!

And according to Quinion, people did actually do so.

"A member of this breed centuries ago actually did little more than that. A buckler was a type of small shield, held by a handle at the back, whose main purpose was to deflect blows from the sword of one's opponent. Its name is from Old French "(escu) bocler", literally "(a shield) with a boss" (this last word, for a protrusion at the centre of something, is itself from French). Someone who swashes is dashing about violently or lashing out with his sword, often in pretend fights. It seems to have been an echoic term from the sound of swords clashing or banging on shields."

And so, I read on most interestedly in how the term came to be.

"In the sixteenth century 'swashbuckler' was created from these two words to convey the idea of a swaggering, bullying ruffian or undisciplined lout, who made a lot of noise but to little practical purpose. It was most definitely not a compliment to be called one in those days - a writer in 1560 described a man as 'a drunkard, a gambler and a swashbuckler'."

Those days must not have been good, no.

"The romantic image came along several centuries later."

So when someone calls you a swashbuckler, think twice - from foolish fop to romantic hero!

Otherwise, don't let me catch you swaggering when you walk.

World of words.

2004-12-15T17:04:00.000+08:00

You'll notice when reading old editions of Reader's Digest that they always manage to print winning words of a Washington Post-sponsored contest, the Style Invitational.

What is the Style Invitational anyway?

It's a weekly contest where the Post asks its readers to redefine words by changing a letter of an original word, redefine words from a dictionary with no change in spelling, rewrite Post headlines and their lead sentence, things like that.

Here is an example of words of where the Post asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. (nicked from this site)

Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.
Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of obtaining sex.
Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.
Tatyr: A lecherous Mr. Potato Head.
Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the recipient who doesn't get it.
Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.
Hipatitis: Terminal coolness.
Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease.
Burglesque: A poorly planned break-in. (See: Watergate)
Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like a serious bummer.
Glibido: All talk and no action.
Dopeler effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a refund from the IRS, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.
Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid & an... (infelicitous: American slang for co-worker)
Contratemps: the resentment permanent workers feel toward the fill-in workers.
Vaseball: a game of catch played by children in the living room.
Acme: a generic skin disease.
Doltergeist: a spirit that decides to haunt someplace stupid, such as your septic tank.

Apparently, New York Magazine has been running a contest which is similar in vein. Readers were asked to take a well known expression in a foreign language, change a single letter and provide a definition for the new expression. Here are the winners (taken from the same website as before):

Rigor Morris. The cat is dead.
Respondez s'il vous plaid. Honk if you're Scottish.
Harlez-vous Francais? Can you drive a French motorcyle?
Veni, vipi, vici. I came, I'm a very important person, I conquered
Veni, vidi, visa. I came, I saw, I shopped.
Cogito eggo sum. I think, therefore I am...a waffle.
Que Sera Serf. Life is feudal.
Leroi est mort. Jive Leroi. The king is dead. No kidding.
Posh mortem. Death styles of the rich and famous.
Pro bozo publico. Support your local clown.
Monage A Trois. I am three years old.
Haste cuisine. Fast French food.
Quip pro quo. A fast retort.
Aloha oy. Love; greetings; farewell; and from such a pain you should never know.
Mazel ton. Tons of luck.
Visa La France. Don't leave your chateau without it.
Carne Diem. Seize the meat.

The others I won't pretend to know, but the rest are pretty funny. Language play is universal.

Vanity, and some laughs.

2004-12-14T18:08:00.000+08:00

Nicked from Aimee Rae.

What does Googlism say about you?

sarah is here
sarah is evil
sarah is seventeen
sarah is performing
sarah is well
sarah is seeking
sarah is born
sarah is a beast
sarah is one the country's top five
sarah is the real thing
sarah is doing?
sarah is at home and expecting
sarah is motivated by compassion to do good deeds
sarah is corpse
sarah is a design label for bigger women
sarah is dying" issue
sarah is cooler than you fool's ujournal
sarah is macquarie harbour
sarah is my favorite big brother babe
sarah is good for soup
sarah is 6 months old
sarah is a godess
sarah is cinderella
sarah is around
sarah is now a christian
sarah is a bum
sarah is blinded
sarah is from a wealthy
sarah is a sneaky goldfish
sarah is well
sarah is in town
sarah is confident
sarah is bomb
sarah is seeking
sarah is back
sarah is now a christian
sarah is a month and
sarah is a manufacturer of wedding invitation
sarah is reading
sarah is 4
sarah is 21
sarah is a random girl
sarah is going to be fine with some rest
sarah is sooo driving
sarah is corpse

And last but not least,

sarah is so cute when she's drunk

Pride and Prejudice, yet again.

2004-12-10T14:05:00.000+08:00

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

- Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

According to a recent poll at The Woman's Hour, a radio program sponsored by the BBC, Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice took top honors for Woman's Watershed Fiction. By watershed fiction, they mean novels that has most changed the way women see themselves.

There are rather mixed reactions over the choosing of Pride and Prejudice, and two novelists, Monica Ali and Jenny Colgan, persuasively argue their side in TheGuardian.

Ali starts off by writing that "if Jane Austen had not given us Pride and Prejudice, we would never have had Colin Firth in a wet shirt in the television adaptation - an event that changed the lives of many women most profoundly." Humor aside, she goes on to detail how popular the novel has been among women, although popular doesn't always mean good or meaningful.

So why the widespread attraction? She furthers that "Austen's exquisite irony lays bare the institution of marriage as an exchange commodity system. Yet she treats the subject with a great deal of subtle inflection, making a thorough study of the married state, from the unequal union of Mr and Mrs Bennet, through the unstable passion of Lydia and Wickham, to Charlotte's marriage to the pompous Mr Collins."

Also, Ali suggests, women in the 21st century have not totally bypassed these relationship issues. Charlotte, Miranda, Samantha, and Carrie (of Sex and the City) have surely went through all of this.

And at the center of it all is the spunky heroine, Elizabeth Bennet. Ali writes that she is "Quick-witted, lively, self-assured, full of good sense, and yet so falliby human. It is not only her prejudices she must conquer to make the match with Darcy, but, to some extent, her pride." Her path to self-knowledge, Ali believes, is still the best.

On the other hand, Colgan is disappointed by the results. Yes, she writes, the novel is wonderful, but that "there's still a bad taste left in the mouth at the idea of a woman who rides off into the sunset with her tall, brooding, and rich lover being a life-altering experience for the 14,000 people who voted." It could have as easily been voted the top novel for 1824.

The other short-listed titles (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Woman's Room by Marilyn French, and The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood), she writes, all deal with women's place in society, all have arguably better situations bent on shifting paradigms. And yet instead, we all want to go on that carriage ride to Pemberley.

"Elizabeth Bennet's central message - about staying true to your inner self and conquering the worst elements of it - is most certainly an excellent one, but is this truly the reason it gained so many votes...or is that blasted man in his white shirt diving into a lake continuing to hypnotise an entire generation?" (italics mine)

Pride and Prejudice, Colgan writes, is truly an exquisite pleasure, and she ends asking an important question: did it really make us the women we are today? Because she likes to think that there's more to women than that.

The Man.

2004-12-08T18:54:00.000+08:00

I first become acquainted with Ogden Nash three years ago, when I chanced upon one of his entertaining poems in Language Play, authored by David Crystal (more in another post). His poem, Ode to a Baby, was so delightful that I decided to use it for a poetry reading sponsored by the DLSU Malate Lit Folio.

It goes like this:

A bit of talcum
Is always walcum.

Nash, known for his quick wit in assembling words and oftentimes making up words of his own, quickly descended into the American consciousness during the 30s all the way to the 60s. Another example of his sparkling wit is evidenced by his parody of Trees, that famous poem by Joyce Kilmer (and which parts you can see dotted along the South Super Highway):

I think that I shall never see
A billboard lovely as a tree
Indeed, unless the billboards fall
I'll never see a tree at all.

According to his biography on AmericanPoems.com, "His signature style used exaggeration, an element of surprise, and absurdity juxtaposed with the universal experience with which the average reader can identify. He was well regarded by critics and the public alike for his inventive titles, his unlikely rhymes, and his ridiculous play on words."

Nobody could hold a torch to him when it came to ludicrousness and whimsicality. People of all ages and all nationalities loved his work, which also suggests that when it comes to language play, the world is a virtual playground.

Here is a jewel, The Cow:

The cow is of the bovine ilk;
One end is moo, the other, milk.

And another, The Firefly:

The firefly's flame
Is something for which science has no name
I can think of nothing eerier
Than flying around with an unidentified glow on a
person's posteerier.

Nash himself did not grow up in a stable, peaceful time. And yet he suggested that the average man, surviving the perils of the nuclear age, needed not only missiles, submarines, and a fallout shelter, but also a few lighthearted laughs to save him.

It's fitting to end this with one of his best-loved lines:

Candy is dandy
But liquor is quicker.

A Problem from Hell, and a Picture of Heaven.

2004-12-08T16:00:00.000+08:00

Random thoughts:

There goes a popular question in philosophy, where a professor asks if a tree falls in a forest and no one is there to see it fall. Would it still make a sound? Ergo...
While our company spent four lovely days in the island of Boracay, strong rains and winds were battering the northern province of Quezon.
The best book to bring along on a small plane flying in bad weather is Samantha Power's Pulitzer-Prize winning novel, A Problem From Hell: America and the Age of Genocide. The murders described there are so gruesome, it'll take your mind off plane crash percentages.
Even if you put your plane ticket in your shirt pocket on the way to the banca, a huge wave will hit you from behind and wet it (and you) anyway.
Bringing small pieces of bread while going snorkeling will make the fishes gravitate towards you. They'll nip at your fingers.
Your beach flip-flops will break at the last conceivable moment; that is, on your last day in Boracay.
Vodka Ice is actually pretty darned good.
1-2-3 Pass is fun to play. Loser drinks half a bottle of beer.
Cartwheeling in the sand makes you feel like a kid again.
The famous Banana Choco Peanut shake of Jonah's lives up to its reputation. It's well worth the sacrifice of walking from Station 2 to Station 1 in the hot, baking sun. (That's also a good way to tan, by the way.)
There's a lot of dog poo at the beach.
Counter-Strike is a good way to let your fellow colleagues and bosses wallop you, badly.
Fire-dancing is easy to look at, but hard to do at first.
Cute guys will come up to you outside D'Mall and invite you to play beach volleyball.
Beach volleyball rocks!
Dancing + large quantities of alcohol will make people dance the night away, with sensuous abandonment, all accompanied with the flashing of the camera and the laughter of your colleagues.
Men who fly in business attire will be seen walking on the beach, wearing passable beach clothes.
Kiteboarding looks to be the ultimate high!
Shopping for souvenirs is time-consuming and exciting, all at the same time.
The crowd at Cocomanga's looks a bit scary.
It is entirely possible to make up a company soap opera/teleserye, even at the buffet table set in front of the beach.
Le Soleil de Boracay staff are staff par excellence. The place ain't too shabby itself.
Beach beds are cool ideas.
Crepes St. Michael are delicious. Thanks A!
Swimming in your clothes is presposterous, but nonetheless very liberating.
Flying through clouds on the return flight home is scary. N doesn't like flying either; you take what comforts you can.

To N, R, A, and D, thanks for providing a wonderful four days! You guys rock.

Value for (hard-earned) Money.

2004-12-01T01:18:00.000+08:00

Shopping for Christmas won't prove any easier than it has been over the past few years. And it's easy to succumb to the easy pressures of buying this year's latest techno-lust and sadly watch it depreciate over the course of the year. (Nokia 6600, anyone?)

That's not what we really want, don't we?

Barring desire and greed and status symbols, we all want to get (and hopefully give) gifts that appreciate in value. But what exactly are those?

In the UK, Jeremy Davies of TheGuardian has an article detailing which gifts to give this Christmas that have proven to appreciate in value. And while his suggestions are understandably UK-focused, his research can always be used with regard to local shops.

Here are a few excerpts from Davies' article:

Well chosen jewellery can hold or increase in value over time, says Jan Springer, marketing consultant to the World Gold Council. She advises that if you want to buy jewellery that retains its value, you should go to one of the big name jewelers, like Garrard, Asprey or Tiffany: "Even if it's a tiny piece, especially if you keep the box, the value should hold well."
If antiques are more your thing, David Moss, diary editor at Antiques Trade Gazette says art deco, south Asian art and antiquities and post-second world war furniture are all the rage right now.
Film posters may not be considered high art, but they make great presents, and if you choose wisely, their value can grow considerably. Bruce Marchant of the Reel Poster Gallery in London's Notting Hill (tel 0207 727 4488) says posters for James Bond films, those featuring particular actors like Michael Caine or Audrey Hepburn, or for certain directors, like Alfred Hitchcock or Powell and Pressburger, are perennial favourites and can be picked up for less than £500.
Buying original art can be expensive, and knowing which artists make the best investments is notoriously difficult. But the internet has made the whole process much easier, allowing people outside the art world to buy prints by leading artists - many of which will at least hold their value and some of which could appreciate over time.

Happy hunting!

Dolphins, and not dogs.

2004-11-24T01:20:00.000+08:00

According to a report in TheGuardian, dolphins can now take the place of dogs when it comes to being man's best friend. It emerged yesterday that four swimmers were saved from a great white shark by a pod of altruistic dolphins, who swam in circles around them until the humans could escape.

Rob Howes, swimming with his daughter Niccy and her friends, was suddenly surrounded by a group of bottle-nosed dolphins that herded and pushed them by enclosing them in tight circles. He tried to get out, but was stopped by two of the bigger dolphins. Then he spotted a great white shark heading towards their circle.

For the next forty minutes, the dolphins surrounded the group until the shark lost interest and went away.

Amazing, isn't it? To even read about it is particularly insightful, given that humans kill other humans, and humans kill dolphins, and that these dolphins had made it their goal for forty minutes to protect Howes and his group and sheperd them to safety.

Of course, the dolphins could have been entirely made up. New Zealand people, known for migrating to other countries and getting higher salaries and making a fuss over almost-natives who place high in big American singing contests, probably needed some good news, because the whole country is in a rut.

Who knows?

Call of the Wild?

2004-11-22T13:29:00.000+08:00

In response to Adrian's question of why the television is called the boob-tube, I now present something entirely unrelated to his question in the first place. But it does have some relevance...I think.

Boys in Blue

The flight crew of an Australian Army helicopter has been relieved of duty pending an investigation of its actions. During the Indy 300 auto race on the Gold Coast, the chopper was supposed to be on anti-terrorist patrol, but instead was hovering near apartment balconies with a crewman hanging out the door holding a sign reading, "Show Us Your Tits", which was apparently targeted to bikini-clad women on balconies watching the race. The stunt came to light when an onlooker took a photo of the Iroquois gunship and posted it on the Internet. (Brisbane Courier-Mail) ...Meanwhile, everyone else was taking photos in the other direction. (From Randy Cassingham's This is True website. This is the URL of the article).

Boob-tubes.

2004-11-19T00:10:00.000+08:00

One thing:

1. You know that US viewers are entirely fixated on their entertainment when CBS fires an "overly-aggressive" producer for breaking into popular drama CSI: NY to air a special report on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The viewers never got to watch the ending and CBS got a barrage of complaints because of it. CBS promised to repeat the episode the next day.

And here I was thinking that this country is the only one turning vidiots*. I recall a particular Starstruck wannabe during the eliminations round as he was asked, "Do you think movie stars should earn millions of pesos, while their assistants earn only a portion (or something to that effect)?"

Smirking Wannabe: "Well yeah, because movie stars work hard, promoting their shows and movies and everything, and the assistants can't earn that much, kasi assistants lang naman sila eh (or something to that effect)."

Smirking Wannabe bastard got in the Final 14. Whoop-de-doo. And as I last checked, Smirking Wannabe bastard is still there.

*I love CSI. It's my favorite show. But there is a limit to entertainment!

Foreign.

2004-11-16T14:20:00.000+08:00

He was a huge, heavy man, ponderously walking along Paseo de Roxas.
It was an empty Monday afternoon, and the streets were quiet.
His hands were holding a neatly-folded white piece of paper.
"Excuse me, Miss, but could you point me to Aayalah Avenoo?" he asked, his voice deep, well-bred, and oddly comforting. A driver waiting for his amo was disinterestedly watching, alternately taking drags on his cigarette.
"Yes, you see that traffic light? The traffic light after it is on Ayala Avenue."
The man glowered at the sunlight, scratched his face, and digested the directions.
"So I just walk all over the way there? I need to get to EDSA from Aayalah."
The young lady blinked.
"Why not take the train, Sir? The MRT?"
The leathery creases of the man's face lifted.
"What is the MRT; I don't know what that is and where it is! I just arrived here in Manila," he said in a flood of words; he seemed strained and tired.
He stopped, and was quiet for a moment.
He held out the white piece of paper. A map was sketched there, together with an address.
"I need to walk here, to this address: a building in Annapolis, Greenhills. How do I get there?" the man asked searchingly.
The young lady was astonished; the man was tired, perhaps, and a lapse of words was understandable.
"Sir, you can take the bus there on Ayala Avenue, as it will go straight by Annapolis," she tried once again.
The man was impatient.
"Are you a Filipino?" he inquired brusquely.
"Yes."
"Two days ago, at the Dusit Hotel, a Filipino lady stole my briefcase with everything in it - my wallet, documents, papers, passport, laptop."
She was embarrassed.
"I'm sorry to hear that, Sir."
"That is why I have to walk to this building, the only place that can help me. The police said it will take me 4 1/2 hours of walking," he replied, his dark eyes piercing.
For a moment, she was afraid.
Then she shook it off.
"Thank you anyway, Miss," he was saying, turning away purposefully.
She could only nod.

A kingdom for a horse...

2004-11-12T11:50:00.000+08:00

Or you could just donate your old children's books to the Philippine DailyInquirer, Chino Roces Avenue, corner Yague and Mascardo Sts., Makati City.

You can give these c/o Gidget Aranda.

*With much thanks to Zane

Quotes for the Day.

2004-11-10T15:04:00.000+08:00

"The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it; and everyday confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense."
- Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice

At the lowest point of my day, J.R.R Tolkien comes back through the voice of my friend Mon:

"What can men do against such reckless hate? When the courage of men fail, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day. This day we fight!"

- Aragorn, The Two Towers

Thanks Mon.

A tale of two Frenchies.

2004-11-08T17:00:00.000+08:00

Paris Hilton, I'm sure, you're all well-aware. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, maybe not so well, but still enough of a household name in the United States. What do they have in common? Read on.

What we all know.
Hilton is the daughter of hotel magnate Rick Hilton and his wife Kathy. She and sister Nicky are heiresses to a $550 million fortune. Hilton rose to fame when a sex video with ex-boyfriend Rick Salomon was unleashed online in 2003. Since then, she has taken on the duties of a recording artist, author, actress, and model. She may not portray them all extraordinarily well, but as Jay Leno said in an interview with her, she could win an Oscar, a Grammy, and a Nobel prize, all in this year.

What we most probably don't know.
Louis-Dreyfus is most beloved for her portrayal of Elaine Benes in Jerry Seinfeld's Seinfeld, a "show about nothing", and arguably one of US television's most successful sitcoms.
Fortune-wise? Louis-Dreyfus can kick the ass of Hilton when it comes to money. Dad Gerard runs the Louis-Dreyfus group, a diversified conglomerate that is estimated to be worth $2.9 billion.

So yes, the parallels between Hilton and Louis-Dreyfus are evident - born from money and rising to Hollywood fame (and infamy?).

All's well, except that an enterprising website called GorillaMask.net decided to compare these two heiresses/actresses.

Here are some highlights:

Estimated fortune:
Louis-Dreyfus' estimated fortune is held at *$550 million (split between three kids and two grandkids).

Hilton's estimated fortune is held at *$27.5 million (split between eight kids and 12 grandkids).

Developmental years:
Louis-Dreyfus spent her developmental years "studying theatre at Northwestern as a member of Delta Gamma (class of 1982), becoming a member of The Practical Theatre Company, and later joining The Second City Improvisation Group."

Hilton spent her developmental years "receiving a weekly $100 allowance, before getting her first credit card at 13. Also had five parties to celebrate her 21st birthday - one each in Tokyo, London, New York, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas."

Quotes that best defines personality:
Louis-Dreyfus: "The best thing that ever happened to me was having my children. It’s quite clear to me it’s the meaning of life. Even when I was working, I was with them."

Hilton: "Every woman should have four pets in her life. A mink in her closet, a jaguar in her garage, a tiger in her bed, and a jackass who pays for everything."

Closing argument:
Louis-Dreyfus: Responsible, tireless actress who worked her way to the top of the entertainment industry, independently earning a lifetime of financial freedom for her and her family.

Hilton: Dipshit socialite who wrecklessly (sic) rode her family's wealth and ex-boyfriend's dick to the top of the American disgrace that is the reality television food chain.

*Assuming inheritance is split evenly among and accepted by all heirs

A word to the wise?

2004-11-08T12:19:00.000+08:00

Djong forwarded me the link to this interesting story.

About three weeks ago, a LiveJournal user was surprised when she was paid a visit by the Secret Service due to an inflammatory post about US president George W. Bush. In her October 27 post, she wrote that "At 9:45 last night, the Secret Service showed up on my mother's front door to talk to me about what I said about the President, as what I said could apparently be misconstrued as a threat to his life." (Go here for the link to her post)

She also wrote that she had deleted what she had written down that had provoked the visit from the Secret Service, but Google helped me out and directed me to a Poynter.org E-media tidbit relating her story. A poster named Jukio Smith was able to provide a link to her original post. (View it here; just scroll down)

I have my own opinions on what she wrote and what subsequently happened, but for the meanwhile you can view threads and comments here and here.