4.19.2004

Ross is Boss

Alex Ross that is. I've always admired the man for his exceptional work in comics. Exceptional is, of course, an understatement. What I particularly (and consistently) admire when it comes to his art are his renditions of Superman and Batman. Recently, Mr. Ross took the liberty of painting some mock-up posters for the upcoming Superman Movie, were a familiar actor to take on the role of the Man of Steel.

Image courtesy of Super Hero Hype.
What can I say? I'm all for Tom Welling playing Superman. Well, I'm pretty sure there are other buff and square-jawed actors out there which would be solid for the part (like this guy, Henry Cavill, who is said to be Director McG's personal choice for the part), but after Smallville and all, Welling just seems to be the obvious and most logical choice. This poster, however, is in no way related to Warner Brothers' planned 5th installment of the Superman movie franchise, which is scheduled for release around 2006 or 2007. Ross just made this (along with one other image, which you'll find here) just to see how Welling would look like if he were actually cast to play the part (well, Ross actually made them for Wizard, but they never got published).

According to Super Hero Hype:
Back in December, Welling said that he had been approached about the lead role when director Brett Ratner was still on board the project. "I actually went to Brett's house in Los Angeles and we sat down and talked about it a little bit, both knowing that scheduling would always be an issue," Welling said. "Basically, if that movie were to happen, the show would pretty much have to go away, and I don't think that's what anybody wants."
I agree. I don't think Smallville's "going away" is what anybody wants, too. But I don't think anybody wants Nicholas Cage to be Superman either. So there.

Realpolitik

You know you can’t expect significant reforms after the elections when the two top contenders for the presidency are competing for support from the Marcos and Estrada camps. Both President Arroyo and actor Fernando Poe Jr. have made no secret of their courtship of deposed President Joseph Estrada, who so far has not changed his mind about endorsing his close friend Poe. President Arroyo flew to Leyte to woo the Romualdez clan, even posing with the family’s most prominent member, former First Lady Imelda Marcos. Not to be outdone, Poe went on a pilgrimage to the Marcos crypt in Batac, Ilocos Norte, and even laid a wreath.

Ask the Arroyo and Poe camps for an explanation and they’ll invoke realpolitik. First you have to win; then you can get serious with reforms. Never mind that both camps are making campaign noises about their commitment to fight corruption. Never mind that both Estrada and Ferdinand Marcos recently made it to a list of the world’s most corrupt — a dubious distinction rejected by both Estrada and Marcos’ heirs. What’s important for the two top contenders in the presidential race is that both Estrada and the Marcoses still command substantial chunks of voter support.

All this is a painful reminder that everything boils down to politics in this country. Vowing to stamp out corruption has become a given in any campaign. Delivering on campaign promises is something else. There’s nothing wrong with posing for pictures with the waxen remains of a dictator and his well-preserved widow, especially if they stood as sponsors at your wedding. Nothing wrong either with chatting with the first president to be arrested and held without bail for massive corruption. Political support, however, does not come free. What deals are struck in exchange for crucial votes?

Amid such political wheeling and dealing, is there a place for a genuine campaign against corruption? We know the answer to this one.

~ Philippine Star Editorial, 19 April 2004

4.16.2004

Reputations

A JAPANESE journalist from Tokyo told me this story: Her father was in the diplomatic service and they moved a lot when she was a kid. She herself grew up in New York, coming back to Japan only when she was 13. Her first language was English, which she speaks to this day with an American accent. She had a hard time speaking Japanese when they moved back to Japan. Though it was the language spoken at home even when they lived in New York, she didn't pick it up that well. So she had to learn the language almost from scratch when she came back. Even now, she says, she sometimes gropes for the right word in Japanese.

But that is not her story. Her story is that when she was in Greece many years ago, an American woman heard her talking in English, and seeing that she was Japanese came up to her and wondered if she could fix her (the American woman's) camera. She was taken aback but swiftly regained her composure. She figured with no small amount of amusement that Japanese honor was at stake. Who knows, if she failed to fix it she would constitute living proof that Japanese technological expertise was on the decline. Yes, it was a Japanese camera, a Canon. For some reason, its carrier presumed it carried a warranty for substitute parts and repair guaranteed by every Japanese citizen.

My friend bravely took on the daunting task. To her relief, the problem turned out to be a simple one. The spool of film had gotten unhooked from the spindle and wouldn't roll. She made a big show about analyzing the situation, with judicious shakes and nods of the head, and as though with strenuous effort slid the roll of film back in place. She gave back the camera to the American tourist with a bow and a few words of broken English. The tourist after a few clicks of the camera was deeply impressed and thanked her profusely.

When my friend told this story to her American friends, they were deeply embarrassed and apologized profusely for their compatriot. She laughed contentedly.

Filipinos have their own reputations abroad, some good, some bad. I still remember the editor of an Arab newspaper telling me that in some parts of Saudi Arabia, cops have started taking bribes on the street. They rarely did that before, but it had spread like an epidemic over the last few years. The source of the virus appeared to be the Filipinos, a thriving community, who had applied their enormous persuasive skills to making the traffic cops look the other way, or the opposite direction of Mecca.

Last week, an official of the EU Commission told me how he found it so easy to deal with Filipinos. Filipinos, he said, were talented, trustworthy and easy to get along with. He himself had had a Filipino maid for some time. He met her in Hong Kong where he and his family had lived for many years, and his family became so dependent on her they brought her along to Japan when they moved there. Which proved to be a considerable social leap upward for the maid. My friend went on to pepper his story with unsavory comments about how Hong Kong was treating the Filipino maids, confining their social engagements to a tiny square where they flocked on Sundays.

I told my friend that the Filipino reputation abroad for being quality service providers wasn't exactly a huge source of pride for the country. He started to apologize, but I said it was completely all right. The export of human labor, which has probably overtaken agricultural products as the country's chief trade item, was the one thing that was keeping the Philippines afloat. No maids, no caretakers, no nurses, no Juan de la Cruz.

Everyone to a man or woman spoke of the many virtues of the Filipinos, and not entirely out of politeness. That went with much head-shaking questions about what was ailing the country. To have such a people with such enviable capabilities but to have fallen to such unenviable straits, it did not make sense. I confessed I did not know the answers, although I suspected the fact that all those talents were being put at the service of the world rather than (directly) of the country might be one of them, if it wasn't the source of the predicament itself.

The artistic talents of Filipinos particularly got rave reviews. It wasn't just in popular music Filipinos excelled in, it was in graphic arts as well. One Singaporean editor told me his paper had several Filipino cartoonists and illustrators, and the quality of their work had brought his paper much prestige and many awards. He wouldn't part with them for all the world, he said, though he wouldn't say that to them or they might immediately ask for a raise. Other Singaporean newspapers had Filipinos as well. I said I knew a couple of them, though most of the graphic artists I knew were in Hong Kong.

There was one other quality Filipinos had, my Singaporean friend said emphatically, addressing himself to the men and women in our company over sake in a dive in Fukuoka on a cold night. It was that, man or woman, Filipinos were exceptionally charming. They laughed a lot, and made friends easily. If you don't watch out, he told the others, you'd lose your boyfriends or girlfriends to them. Or you'd end up being their boyfriend or girlfriend. One Filipino man in fact became the subject of a recent scandal in Singapore, as two well-known Singaporean women fought for his affections.

Filipinos are very articulate as well, one Thai woman told me. You notice, she said, that they're the ones who're very active in conferences, along with the Indians.

Good question: Given the talent, what in God's name has happened to us? The only thing worse than being poor all your life is being rich once and now being abjectly miserable. That's the thing that truly cuts to the quick.

~ Conrado De Quiros, 16 April 2004

4.13.2004

Shaolin Shutter

Hadoken!!!"You killed my Mastah...I will make you pay! Finishing strike: Wrath of the Stupid-looking Picture-taker!"
Heh heh heh. Even the way he holds the camera has this Kung-Fu element to it. Makes you wonder how you look when you take your pictures, doesn't it?

4.12.2004

It's Out! It's Out!

The new trailer for Spider-man 2 is out, and I just have to say...IT KICKS SO MUCH ASS!!! Check it out at apple.com or at the official site. Oh yeah, small, medium, large, and fullscreen versions of the trailer are also available for download. Sweeeeeet!

4.05.2004

Movies, Movies, and More Movies

The last time I was this excited about movies, it was the year Spider-man was going to be shown in theaters. This year, not only am I absolutely pissing my pants over Spider-man 2 in July, I'm dying to see a whole bunch of upcoming flicks, whose trailers I've gotten the chance to see courtesy of Yahoo! Movies. At the rate of things, 2004 is going to go down in history as the year of the movies (click on the links to launch the trailer pages).

  • Hellboy - Though I haven't had the chance to browse through the comics, I guess I know enough about Hellboy to be pretty worked up about the soon-to-open big-screen adaptation. As of this writing, the movie's made it to the top of the charts on its first week at the box office. I can't wait for it to start screening here.


  • I, Robot - Set in the year 2035, Will Smith plays a Homicide detective whose latest case involves a robot suspect accused of murder. Though the plot is more or less patterned after some events in the Animatrix's Second Renaissance, this film still manages to pique my interest. Probably the technogeek in me.


  • Kill Bill Volume 2 - Well, I really liked the first, so I'd be really stupid to not go and see the second.


  • Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow - Mad Scientist tries to take over the world and unleashes his army of old-school giant robots of doom, and man's only hope for survival is a hotshot pilot known as Sky Captain. Sort of has The Rocketeer feel to it, which I find really, really interesting.


  • The Girl Next Door - Elisha Cuthbert plays a porn star. 'Nuff said.


  • The Punisher - Though John Travolta and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos are enough to make me want to go and see this movie, I'm quite interested to see how Thomas Jane is going to pull off his portrayal of Frank Castle. Besides, anything that would help me forget the nightmare of the Lundgren-helmed version is always welcome.


  • The Village - Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. Need I say more?


  • Troy - When you mix Greek Mythology and Brad Pitt together, you have something I am destined to watch. This film shares the top spot with Spider-man 2 for "movies that Ejay Paz can afford to cut class for".


  • Van Helsing - Falls under the category of I-don't-care-if-the-setting-is-medieval-and-my-weapons-are-modern-because-it-still-looks-really-cool movies, which I just happen to be a sucker for. Plus, aside from the fact that Hugh Jackman is easily one of my favorite actors, I'm hopeful that I'll get to see Kate Beckinsale in tight leather pants again ala-Underworld.
Other films I'd also want to see: Walking Tall, King Arthur, Ella Enchanted, Harry Potter 3, Thunderbirds, and Taking Lives.

Wait, I think I hear Greenhills and Makati Cinema Square calling me.

4.01.2004

Have No Fear...

...the Batmobile is here! Courtesy of the Batman Begins official site.


Now if this doesn't scare the living crap out of any "cowardly and superstitous lot", I don't know what will. Man, I can't wait...and we haven't even reached the middle of this year!

3.25.2004

No Pressure

Zane was so quick to point out how slow I am in providing answers to the following questionnaire. I don't really mind. It's a good time to update the blog again anyway. Work's been significantly tougher to deal with lately. Projects galore. As of this writing, I am scheduled to stay overnight here in the office to monitor the migration of one of the more critical projects, the details of which, of course, I cannot discuss here. So, let's move on shall we?

  1. What time do you get up?

  2. I set my alarm to go off at 6 AM. But it usually takes 5 to 6 times of "snoozing" before I really get up and prepare for the day ahead. This is in the new apartment. Back in the boarding house, it took 2 to 3 times before I got up.

  3. If you could eat lunch with one person, who would it be?

  4. Pi definitely.

  5. Gold or silver?

  6. Silver. Gold's just too high-profile. Could get held up wearing it.

  7. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?

  8. 50 Firsts Dates (pretty good movie) and Love Actually (good one too if you're a fan of British humor).

  9. What is your favorite TV show?

  10. Shows. Smallville, CSI, and Fear Factor.

  11. What do you eat for breakfast?

  12. Varies between Tuna Sautee, Country Bagel with cream cheese, and Danggitsilog. (Which reminds me, have to buy one of those now. Be right back.)

  13. Who would you hate to be stuck in a room with?

  14. (Ok. I'm back.) It's a long list, and it's too early in the morning to be thinking bad thoughts.

  15. What/who inspires you?

  16. My family, Pi, the future, and knowing that I can be good at what I do (whatever that may be).

  17. What is your middle name?

  18. Paulino.

  19. Beach, city, or country?

  20. Beach all the way!

  21. Favorite ice cream?

  22. Quezo Real and Grand Pistaccio.

  23. Butter, plain, or salted popcorn?

  24. CHEESE! Butter at a close second.

  25. Favorite color?

  26. Navy Blue. Also, colors I'd like to have my ride painted with (Red, Dark Green) and ones that make me look thin. Yellow, depending on my mood.

  27. What kind of car do you drive?

  28. 97 Toyota Corolla GLi, all stock. 1.6L 4A-FE 16-valve EFI engine. Power steering, power locks, power windows. 70,000+ kilometers. Metallic blue. Ending plate 3. Codename: Nefmobile.

  29. Favorite sandwich?

  30. Smoked salmon (expensive, but oh so very delicious). Hot Shots' burgers and Carl's Jr.'s chicken sandwiches.

  31. What characteristic do you despise?

  32. Immaturity, loudness, and cockiness.

  33. Favorite flower?

  34. Do I have to give a serious answer to this question? Rose...because it's easy to spell.

  35. If you could go anywhere in the world on a vacation, where would you go?

  36. Cancun, The Bahamas, practically anywhere with the best beaches.

  37. What color is your bathroom?

  38. White? I can't really tell with the incandescent light.

  39. Favorite brand of clothing?

  40. Ukay-ukay. Bench if I have money.

  41. Where would you retire?

  42. The Philippines still. Baguio or Tagaytay most probably.

  43. Favorite day of the week?

  44. Wednesday. It's supposed to be my lucky day. And I find the thought of "two days have passed and that in two more days it'll be the weekend" inspiring.

  45. What did you do for your last birthday?

  46. Mope (unlike Gerwin, mine was a quarter-life crisis two years too early). Had dinner with Pi at Luk Yuen. Ranted about my supposedly close friends not remembering it was my birthday.

  47. Where were you born?

  48. Al Hasa, Saudi Arabia.

  49. Favorite sport to watch?

  50. Basketball (even though I haven't had the chance to watch some in the last month or so), Tennis, Wrestling (the "If you smeeeeeeeeell..." kind), Wushu, and UFC.

  51. Who do you least expect to send this back to you?

  52. Pi. She never answers this stuff.

  53. Person you expect to send it back first?

  54. I had thought Zane, but Ger proved me wrong.

  55. What fabric detergent do you use?

  56. Downy.

  57. Coke or Pepsi?

  58. Coke. Light. But I don't drink softdrinks anymore.

  59. Are you a morning person or a night owl?

  60. Depends what day it is in the week.

  61. What is your shoe size?

  62. Between 9 and 10.

  63. Do you have any pets?

  64. Three dogs: Lucky, Charm, and Panda.
Well, that's that. Time to get back to work.

3.17.2004

Big, White, and Hairy


Happy Birthday, Chief. Have a good one.

3.10.2004

Things To Do Before You Die


Heh heh heh. The third one's my favorite.

3.03.2004

Echo

There's something about the look in your eyes
Something I noticed when the light was just right
It reminded me twice that I was alive
And it reminded me that you're so worth the fight

My biggest fear will be the rescue of me
Strange how it turns out that way, yeah

Could you show me dear...something I've not seen?
Something infinitely interesting
Could you show me dear...something I've not seen?
Something infinitely interesting

Theres something about the way you move
I see your mouth in slow motion when you sing
More subtle than something someone contrives
Your movements echo that I have seen the real thing

Your biggest fear will be the rescue of you
Strange how it turns out that way, yeah

Could you show me dear...something I've not seen?
Something infinitely interesting
Could you show me dear...something I've not seen?
Something infinitely interesting

~ Incubus


How I wish I could write songs like this.

3.02.2004

Previously, on Nefville...

Movie Drought
For the first time this year, I have gone two weeks without watching a single movie in the cinema. Hopefully, this weekend will end the streak. I hear I'm missing out on a bunch of great flicks.

Banahaw Street 916F
The apartment is just about ready to live in. The previous weekends were spent mostly shopping around for the basics and scavenging surplus stuff from the Ferrer residence in Laguna. We're lacking a few key ingredients in the apartment recipe but nothing that can't wait 'til the coming weekend. I'll probably be moving in in the next two weeks. Pao, with most of his things already in place, had the opportunity for a dry run last Saturday (our contract officially starts on March 1). Amazingly, it was a lot "dryer" than expected...because there wasn't any water. A water outage was apparently scheduled on that day and the neighbors were kind enough NOT to inform us of this. Oh well, I guess the idea of two grown men moving in together is really bound to repel warm welcome into a neighborhood.

Super Ferry 15
Last Thursday, I tagged along with Pi aboard the Super Ferry 15 (the one that burned down was the Super Ferry 14) for the Philippine Marketing Association's Agora Youth Awards Night, where they honor the top Marketing Students in the country. Pi was a winner (the only one from La Salle) the previous year which would explain why we were their in the first place. This year saw the dominance of Lasallians in the field but that's another story. The highlight of the evening (other than it being my first time aboard an absolutely huge sea vessel, and the free food) was the speech given by Roselle Ambubuyog. She was Class Valedictorian of her elementary and high schools, and graduated Summa Cum Laude, majoring in Mathematics, from the Ateneo. She is currently taking up a Master's Degree in Actuarial Science at UP, with an invitation to work remotely as a consultant for a popular business firm in Florida. It's not so much her achievements that hit me but her disability. Roselle is completely blind.

To make the long story short, after hearing her, a lot of things were put into perspective for me that night. It is unfortunate though that I cannot find a transcript of her speech (which was completely off the top of her head, by the way). Hopefully someday soon. It's very inspiring and worth sharing.

Highway Star
Initial D and Need for Speed: Underground are my two prime addictions at the moment. They're good outlets for the speed freak in you.

Sunday Bloody Sunday
Last Sunday, I had to go the office to correct an application and regenerate some reports. Aside from the fact that the ventilation was turned off, there was dust all around. And lucky me, I just happen to be allergic to dust. By the end of the day, I couldn't stop sneezing and my eyes were really watery. When I woke up yesterday, I obviously wasn't in the best of shapes for work. Fortunately, my boss was kind enough to let me go on leave. There's a slight improvement in my condition today, though the sinus and the throat are still a bit bothersome. Here's hoping I fully recover in the next two days.

2.24.2004

To Hell with FPJ

News I came across yesterday: Poe finds intellectual challenge daunting.

You mean people expected otherwise? He's a fucking high school drop-out for crying out loud! A. High. School. Drop-out. Of course he'll find intellectual challenge daunting. He'd probably pop a vein and die if he tried to actually use his brain and push it beyond its current limits (which aren't that far out to begin with). But guess what, people will still vote for him.

"I am honest" he says, and assumes that is enough to make him the best bet for President. But honesty alone just won't cut it, will it? Will his honesty alone ensure the total elimination of corruption in government and restore peace and order in society? Will his honesty alone give jobs and provide homes to the thousands of poor people he claims to fight for? Will his honesty alone restore investor confidence in this country? To hell with it all if it will. He is as two-faced as GMA! After swearing that he will never enter politics, look at where he is now. He lied about having an illegitimate child, only to turn the people around later on and say how proud he was of his son. He's a bloody actor...acting is just a better-sounding term for lying.

The logic of it all escapes me. It's so damn obvious, but they just don't (or won't) see it: nothing good or beneficial will come out of FPJ's presidency. He will just fuck things up a lot more. Regardless, his followers will say, "that's not true, he has brilliant people in his political team to back him up" and will still vote for him.

Brilliant my ass.

If they're so brilliant, they should've gone and supported a different candidate. Do all these FPJ loyalists honestly think that Angara, Maceda, Enrile, and Co. (who are all former Erap and Marcos cronies by the way) are "behind him all the way" because of his 'qualifications'? Hell no! The fact of the matter is, there is no one more equipped, no one more 'qualified', to be the ultimate puppet than FPJ. That's why they're behind in the first place! You don't see puppeteers puppeteering from the front, do you? That would defeat the purpose. Puppeteering is always hidden, unseen...always made to look like an illusion.

In addition, FPJ's failure to lay down his platform or any concrete plans is extremely annoying at same time depressing. If he thinks assembling a 19-strong team of experts in economics and governance makes the situation all that better, or him the better choice for president, he's lacking a lot more in the mental department than I thought. The organization of such a team is an instant admission of his incapability. But still, he insists on running. And despite all his shortcomings, people will still vote for him.

But knowing that people will vote for him shouldn't spell the end for trying to at least prevent that from happening. I believe there is an unwritten law, that obliges those of us who do understand and know the consequences of an FPJ presidency, to educate or enlighten those who do not. Easier said than done, but it's worth the effort if it means saving this country from going to the dogs.

2.20.2004

Corporate Funnies

A young executive was leaving the office at 6 p.m. when he found the CEO standing in front of a shredder with a piece of paper in his hand.

"Listen," said the CEO, "this is a very sensitive and important document, and my secretary has left. Can you make this thing work?"

"Certainly," said the young executive. He turned the machine on, inserted the paper, and pressed the start button. "Excellent,excellent!" said the CEO as his paper disappeared inside the machine.

"I just need one copy."

Lesson I - Never, never assume that your Boss knows everything.

***

A crusty old man walks into a bank and says to the teller at the window:

"I want to open a damn checking account." To which the astonished woman replies: "I beg your pardon, sir; I must have misunderstood you. What did you say?"

"Listen up bitch! I said, I want to open a damnchecking account right now!"

"I'm very sorry sir, but we do not tolerate that kind of language in this bank." Having said this, the teller leaves the window and goes over to the bank manager to tell him about her problem customer. They both return and the manager asks the old geezer: "What seems to be the problem here?"

"There's no damn problem, sonny," the elderly man says. "I just won 50 million bucks in the damn lottery and I want to open a damn checking account in this damn bank!" "I see," says the manager thoughtfully. "And you're saying that this bitch here is giving you a hard time?"

Lesson II - If you are rich, you can get away with almost anything.

***

An American and a Japanese were sitting on the plane on the way to LA when the American turned to the Japanese and asked, "What kind of -ese are you?" Confused, the Japanese replied, "Sorry but I don't understand what you mean." The American repeated, "What kind of -ese are you?"

Again, the Japanese was confused over the question. The American, now irritated, Then yelled, "What kind of -ese are you...are you a Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, etc......?!?" The Japanese then replied, "Oh, I am Japanese."

A while later the Japanese turned to the American and asked What kind of 'key' was he. The American, frustrated, yelled, "What do you mean what kind of '-key' am I?!" The Japanese said, "Are you a Yankee, donkee, or monkee?"

Lesson III - Never insult anyone.

***

There were these 4 guys, a Russian, a German, a British and a French, Who found this small genie bottle. When they rubbed the bottle, a genie appeared. Thankful that the 4 guys had released him out of the bottle, he said, "Next to you all are 4 swimming pools, I will give each of you a wish. When you run towards the pool and jump, you shout what you want the pool of water, then your wish will come true."

The French wanted to start. He ran towards the pool, jumped and shouted "WINE". The pool immediately changed into a pool of wine. The Frenchman was so happy swimming and drinking from the pool.

Next is the Russian's turn, he did the same and shouted," VODKA" and immersed himself into a pool of vodka.

The German was next and he jumped and shouted, "BEER". He was so contented with his beer pool!

The last is the British. He was running towards the pool when suddenly he steps on a banana peel. He slipped towards the pool and shouted, SHIT!!!!!!!........."

Lesson IV - Think twice before you say something, because sometimes what you say accidentally does happen.

***

A junior manager, a senior manager and their boss are on their way to meeting. On their way through a park, they come across a wonder lamp. They rub the lamp and a ghost appears. The ghost says, "Normally, one is granted three wishes but as you are three, I will allow one wish each."

So the eager senior manager shouted, I wa nt the first wish. I want to be in the Bahamas, on a fast boat and have no worries." *Pfufffff*, and he was gone.

Now the junior manager could not keep quiet and shouted " I want to be in Florida with beautiful girls, plenty of food and cocktails." *Pfufffff*, and he was also gone."

The boss calmly said, "I want these two idiots back in the office after lunch."

Lesson V - Always allow the boss to speak first.

2.17.2004

And A Good Time Was Had By All...

...borrowing the words of my Big, White, and Hairy friend.

My Valentine's officially started on the 13th. The Goddess Kurdapya and I had planned earlier in the week to go to the Lovapalooza event at Roxas, but due to preoccupations at the office until about 7 PM (the event starts at 8), we had to cancel. Traffic was murder by the time we got off from work. I was lucky enough though to find parking at G4 in Makati (I guess the fact that it was a pay day kind of negated all that bad luck one is supposed to have). Had dinner at Friday's then met up with Kats (Pi's bestfriend) and her hubby, RJ, shortly after that. Spent the remainder of the evening eating ice cream, and catching up on stuff over coffee.

Slept in for a couple extra hours Saturday morning (which I haven't done in quite a while). Dropped by Petals Galore in La Salle to buy some flowers for Pi (which I also haven't done in quite a while) before proceeding to her place, where we had lunch. In the afternoon we had her Pentax camera brought to this specialty shop in Cubao, and then I took her for a refresher driving course at The Fort. In the evening, her family was kind enough to drag me along for dinner at Timog in QC (I forget the place, but the food was great). We were supposed to go KTV-ing at Music 21 after that but alas, the damn place was jam-packed. Left with nothing better to do, we just decided to go home. I spent a couple more hours with Pi at their residence before officially calling it a night.

And that was it...my busiest Valentine's so far. Might not be as romantic as you would expect, but hey...a good time was still had by all.

2.10.2004

23

I guess you just really get to that point in your life when you stop, and come to realize you're not as powerful as you think, not as prepared or brave or confident, not as smart or wise as everybody around you says you are. You realize that you're not as equipped to handle all of life's pressures as you believe you are. Five or six years down the road you'll have all these plans, but find out they're not as achievable as you thought they were. You'll find out you're not as ready to take them on as you convinced yourself you were five or six years before that. It scares the hell out of me.

Twenty-three years today. I'm exactly two years short of being a quarter century old. At this age I thought I would've already known enough. But the fact of the matter is I don't. There are a lot of things I still don't know, most of which I probably won't at all. And that scares me even more. I do not know what's in store for me in the years to come. All I know is I'm sure as hell going to try and make something great of my life, one day at a time. I owe my family and those who believe in me that much.

My Grandfather texted me this today (yes, my Lolo is that cool):

It's very important to define success for yourself. If you really want to reach for the brass ring, just remember that there are sacrifices that go along. We write our own destiny. We become what we do.
The timing is perfect, and coming from a man who's lived for more than 80 years, the message becomes all the more special.

A couple of things have happened recently that sort of rattled my perception of life. It's all good though, it made things a lot more clearer for me. Quarter-life crisis? You can call it that. You can call it whatever you want. The point is it's just a phase, and I will overcome. I guess I just needed to get it off my chest. The fear of what lies ahead will always be there. It's not something you get rid of completely. But at least I have you guys (you all know who you are) to give me those words of encouragement and that much needed pat in the back.

2.09.2004

So Far Away

This is my life
It's not what it was before
All these feelings I've shared
And these are my dreams
That I'd never lived before
Somebody shake me
Cause I, I must be sleeping

Now that we're here,
It's so far away
All the struggle we fought was in vain
All the mistakes,
One life contained
They all finally start to go away
Now that we're here its so far away
And I feel like I can face the day
I can forgive and I’m not ashamed to be the person that I am today

These are my words
That I've never said before
I think I'm doing ok
And this is the smile
That I've never shown before
Somebody shake me
Cause I, I must be sleeping

Now that we're here,
It's so far away
All the struggle we fought was in vain
All the mistakes,
One life contained
They all finally start to go away
Now that we're here its so far away
And I feel like I can face the day
I can forgive and I’m not ashamed to be the person that I am today

I'm so afraid of waking
Please don't shake me
Afraid of waking
Please don't shake me

Now that we're here,
It's so far away
All the struggle we fought was in vain
All the mistakes,
One life contained
They all finally start to go away
Now that we're here its so far away
And I feel like I can face the day
I can forgive and I’m not ashamed to be the person that I am today

~ Staind

2.06.2004

A Guy Can Dream


Besides, it's good to exercise one's Photoshop skills once in a while. *Sigh* I miss the TLS days.

2.03.2004

Who's The Girl?

You tell me. At the moment, she's just known as The Double A Paper Girl (Double A is a popular brand of printing paper in the Netherlands, so I hear).

If you can find out what her name is (and also find some additional pictures while you're at it), I will be eternally grateful.

What's all the fuss about? Nothing really. Let's just say I got hit by this so hard I'm pretty obssessed with her at the moment.

***

I'm sure as hell you'll be playing that ad more than once. Oog!

2.02.2004

It's Not Easy Being Green...

...but some things are just worth posting.

When I was born, I got a choice - A big dick or a good memory. I am not able to remember what I chose.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
My wife is a sex object. Every time I ask for sex, she objects.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Impotence: Nature's way of saying "No hard feelings".
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are only two four letter words that are offensive to men - don't and stop, unless they are used together.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Panties are not the best thing on earth, but next to the best thing on earth.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are three stages to sex in a person's life: Tri Weekly, Try Weekly, and Try Weakly.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginity can be cured.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Having sex is like playing bridge. If you don't have a good partner, you'd better have a good hand.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
I tried phone sex once, but the holes in the dialer were too small.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do infants enjoy infancy as much as adults enjoy adultery?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Marriage is the only war where you get to sleep with the enemy.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What's an Australian kiss?
A: The same thing as a French kiss, only down under.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
A couple just married were happy with the whole thing. He was happy with the Hole and She was happy with the Thing......
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What are the three biggest tragedies in a mans life?
A: Life sucks, job sucks and the wife doesn't.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teacher: Use "harassment" in a sentence.
Johnny: Her mouth said 'no', but her ass meant 'yes'.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: What's the difference between a bitch and a whore?
A: A whore sleeps with everyone at the party and a bitch sleeps with everyone except you.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q: Why do men find it difficult to make eye contact ?
A: Breasts don't have eyes.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Of course you've heard about the Viagra computer virus, it turns your 3 1/2 inch floppy into a hard disk.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Despite the old saying, "Don't take your troubles to bed", many men still sleep with their wives.
Sorry, I couldn't resist.

1.28.2004

It's Good to be Pinoy!

A Pinoy is having breakfast one morning (coffee, croissants, bread, butter and jam when a Frenchman, chewing bubble-gum, sits down next to him. The Pinoy ignores the Frenchman who, nevertheless, starts a conversation.

Frenchman: "You Filipinos eat the whole bread??"

Pinoy (in a bad mood): "Of course."

Frenchman: (after blowing a huge bubble) "We don't. In France, we only eat what's inside. The crusts we collect in a container, recycle it, transform them into croissants and sell them to the Philippines." The Frenchman has a smirk on his face.

The Pinoy listens in silence.

The Frenchman persists: "Do you eat jelly with the bread??"

Pinoy: "Of Course."

Frenchman: (cracking his bubble-gum between his teeth and chuckling). "We don't. In France, we eat fresh fruit for breakfast, then we put all the peels, seeds, and leftovers in containers, recycle them, transform them into jam and sell the jam to the Philippine Islands."

After a moment of silence, (irritated already) the Pinoy then asks: "Do you have sex in France?"

Frenchman: "Why, of course we do", he says with a big smirk.

Pinoy: "And what do you do with the condoms once you've used them?"

Frenchman: "We throw them away, of course."

Noypi: "We don't. In my dear homeland, we put them in a container, recycle them, melt them down into bubble-gum and sell them to France."

1.26.2004

The Weekend News

Samurai Showdown
I got to watch The Last Samurai twice over the weekend, so it's quite obvious that I've taken a tremendous liking for the film. The story for the most part, is good, but not something we haven't already seen before (think Michael Dudikoff or David Bradley given the A-movie treatment via Tom Cruise). What it lacks in originality though, it makes up for in its exquisite production design and heart-pumping battle scenes (my favorite being the gallant stand of the Samurai against the black Ninjas). If you happen to have a strong interest in, or at least find Japanese culture and traditions intriguing, you will most probably enjoy this movie.

I'm a sucker for most things eastern, especially martial arts and weaponry. Swordfighting, specifically with a Katana, is easily one of my greatest frustrations. But that is a story for another post.

Need for Speed
I've always seen the Initial D games in Timezone and Power Station, but I never really understood why all these people lined up for them.

Now, I do.

JC introduced me to the game last Sunday. In a way, you get to have the car you can't actually have in real life, like a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI for instance (unless, of course, you're filthy rich). The object is to earn as much points as you can by winning a bunch of races. As you reach certain levels of points, you can use these to upgrade your ride. Naturally, the more trekked out your road beast is, the greater the chances of letting the opponent eat your dust.

It can get pretty addictive once you're into it, so be prepared.

Pillsbury Doh! Boy
All it took was four tablespoons of water, an oven toaster, and 30 minutes to make my first ever batch of golden-brown, chewy, chocolate chip cookies (and I hear, to the satisfaction of my supreme overlord and her family). God is good for allowing man to invent the Instant Cookie Mix (plug plug)! God is good.

1.20.2004

Wasted Opportunity

PLUS ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. (The more it changes, the more it remains the same.) Edsa II was mounted three years ago to change a corrupt and incompetent administration. It was described by a columnist as "the culmination of a movement to restore accountability and idealism in government.''

But has Edsa II changed the corrupt landscape of Philippine government and politics? The answer should be obvious: No. Has it restored accountability and idealism in government? Again, the answer is no. The business of government and politics is still being conducted, not on the basis of principles, but on the basis of pragmatism, practicality and self-interest.

The principal beneficiary of Edsa II was President Macapagal-Arroyo. To be sure, she was not the unanimous choice of the hundreds of thousands who flocked to Edsa three years ago, shouting for President Joseph Estrada to step down. There was a sector that was urging the top officials in government: "Resign all!'' But the Constitution had to be followed, although the ouster of Estrada was done through an extra-constitutional route, and it was Ms Macapagal who had to succeed him.

The Macapagal administration began auspiciously enough. The new President impressed everyone as a knowledgeable workaholic, a sharp contrast to the laid-back, boozing, carousing Estrada. But soon she began flip-flopping all over the place, sacrificing principles in favor of political pragmatism. There was talk of corruption in high places, although it could not be definitely proven.

Ms Macapagal put a stop to divisive politics when she announced on December 30, 2002 that she was not running in 2004. But then, in what could be the biggest flip-flop of her life, last year she took that promise back and said she was running for a full term after all. She could have gone down in history as a transition president, and history would have looked kindly on her, but now she will be judged by her actions after she reversed her decision not to run.

Now, in violation of the spirit of Edsa II, the President is making all sorts of accommodations and is bending principles in cobbling together a "winning'' ticket. She has accepted into the administration ticket John Osmena, one of the infamous "Balato Twins''; Orlando Mercado, Estrada's defense secretary; and former Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, one of the staunchest defenders of Estrada during the impeachment trial. Obviously Ms Macapagal has no compunctions about her actions because, after all, she was not part of the principled oust-Estrada movement from the beginning. She resigned from the administration and joined the movement only when it was certain that Estrada was going to be deposed.

The President has made the usual noises about curbing corruption, but she has done nothing earth-shaking about this perennial problem. To the contrary, the magnitude of corruption in government has risen, and talk of corruption has involved people close to the President, such as was alleged in the Jose Pidal expos, among other things.

Now, the administration is even tolerating, if not actually pushing for, the departure of Estrada for the United States or another country to have an operation on his knee, although it can be done here by Filipino surgeons who are the equal of their foreign counterparts in surgical expertise. If Estrada is allowed to leave, will that mean the end of the plunder case against him? Will he be allowed to go scot-free? And why would he return when he faces the distinct possibility of a death sentence here? And if he walks free, what was Edsa II all for? Is it going to be remembered as just another exercise in futility?

The pity of it is that Ms Macapagal could have been a notable, if not a good, president had she held true to her promise not to seek election. She could have undertaken wide-ranging reforms and made crucial decisions without minding whether they would affect her political plans for 2004 or not. She could have launched a real, honest-to-goodness campaign against corruption which was after all the principal issue in Edsa II. She could have exerted her political and moral influence to ensure the holding of clean, honest and peaceful elections in May. Now even this is no longer sure anymore.

Edsa II has not changed the political landscape. Probably what we need is not just a change of leaders, for elections have been a game of musical chairs, with people from the same elite taking turns in the seat of power. Probably what we need is a change in men and a change in the system.

~ Inquirer Editorial, 20 January 2004

1.19.2004

David Blaine Ain't Got Nothin' On Fido Dido

Click here, and you'll see what I mean. It's just simply beyond human comprehesion.

Up, Up, and Away...

...is probably a bit too early for everyone's favorite farmboy at this point. But there's always room for a familiar look.

Photo courtesy of Kryptonsite.

1.16.2004

The Dagohoy Story

It was the first day of school in Washington, DC and a new student named Dagohoy, the son of a Filipino immigrant, entered the fourth grade.

The teacher began, "Let's review some American history, class. Who said 'Give me liberty or give me death?'" She saw a sea of blank faces, except for Dagohoy's who had his hand up, "Patrick Henry, 1775." "Very good," said the teacher.

"Who said 'Government of the people, by the people, and for the people shall not perish from the earth'"? Again, no response except from Dagohoy: "Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburg, 1863," he said.

The teacher snaps at the class, "Class, you should be ashamed, Dagohoy who is new to our country knows more about our history than you do."

She hears a loud whisper from the back: "Screw the Filipinos." "Who said that?" she demanded. Dagohoy put his hand up. "General John Pershing, Manila, 1896."

At that point, Jack, another student says, "I'm going to puke."

The teacher glares and asks, "All right! Now who said that?" Again Dagohoy answers, "George Bush, Sr. to the Japanese Prime Minister during the state dinner, Tokyo, 1991."

Now furious another student yells, "Oh yeah? Suck this!" Dagohoy jumps out of his chair waving his hand and shouts to the teacher at the top of his voice, "Bill Clinton to Monica Lewinsky, the Oval Office, 1997!"

Someone shouts, "You little shit if you say anything else, I'll kill you." Dagohoy yells, "Congressman Gary Condit to Chandra Levy, Washington, D.C., 2001!"

The teacher faints. "I'm outta here!" mutters one student as he sidles to the door. "President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, Baguio City, December 30, 2002!" Dagohoy responds.

As the class gathers around her on the floor, someone says, "Oh shit, now we're really in big trouble!" "Saddam Hussein, on the Iraq invasion, Bhagdad, May 2003!" Dagohoy bellowed.

"Now, I really have to run," Jack mutters, heading for the exit., "Gloria Macapagal Arroyo again, Pampanga, October 4, 2003!" Dagohoy shouts triumphantly jumping with glee.

1.13.2004

One Step Backward

The Supreme Court has just found the P1.3-B contract between the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and the Mega Pacific consortium for the computerization of the coming May 10 polls null and void. Full story here.

The computerization, part of the Comelec's Election Modernization program, has been heavily opposed by many, citing a number of irregularities in the vote-counting machines and software provided by Mega Pacific. An estimated 800 billion pesos had already been spent by prior to the cancellation of the contract. The Court has ordered the Solicitor General to find a way of recovering the said amount. Returning to manual counting could push the elections back by a couple of months. What's scary about this is the threat of a Military takeover in the event the polls, which is always supposed to be held on the second Monday of May, does get delayed.

Philippine politics sucks.

1.12.2004

Photoblog - Day Trip to Enchanted Kingdom

I know, I know...it's about damn time! Sorry but the first week of work has just been...very unfavorable...to my blogging time. Anyway, on with the show.

December 20 of last year, I had the chance to visit Enchanted Kingdom (EK) again for just the third time in my life. It also was my first ever long drive from Manila to Laguna.

The magic is here...or so they say.
The last time I was here, it was back in high school. My brother, my sister, and some cousins were with me then. And I was still terrified of the Space Shuttle and Anchors Away rides. Those two were the only rides I didn't get on. This time I was with Pi and some people from work. But would I be able to conquer my fear of the stomach raising monsters? Stick around to find out.

(L-R excluding the kids and the mascots) Pi, Me, Veena, Ronnel, Shaggy (kneeling), Doni (kneeling), Len, Concon, Ceejay, Clarisse.
(Free) Lunch with the kids.
Coincidentally, Globe had scheduled an Ate/Kuya (Big Sister/Big Brother) for a day program on the same day, which accounts for the presence of the kidly kids in the pictures above. Some of my officemates had volunteered to be part of the said program. Their lunch was on the company of course, but we were lucky enough to be recipients of some extra food stubs.

Pi and moi, ready to take off in our rocket-propelled super swings of doom (I wish).
Air Chucks. Taken while on the "Flying Fiesta". I should sell this pic to Converse.
The Flying Fiesta is easily one of my all time favorite rides in EK. The ride per se is pretty shallow come to think of it, but the feel of your feet hanging freely in the air is very...invigorating.

This will do (left). I fell of a horse in Wright Park a few years back; I've never been on a real one since. Pi (right) looks absolutely beautiful in this picture.
Pi and I were here for the first time as a couple. We obviously had a lot of fun.
For a Php 500.00 rate that covers the entrance fee, the ride-all-you-can bracelet isn't such a bad deal. I guess you just have to get on every ride to get your money's worth. Yep, when I say every, that includes the ultimate kiddy ride...the Grand Carousel. There are a few attractions that do have a separate fee though: the 4D Theater for Php 40.00 (which doesn't just live up to the hype; it's not worth the long wait), the Paint Ball Arena for Php 90.00 (this is for 20 balls, you can pay for more), and the Go Kart Track for Php 160.00 (this one is definitely worth it).

Space Shuttle. Had I moved a bit more to the left and taken this shot, the image would have been a little too phallic.
Anchors Away. I had a real tough time taking this shot. We sat at the farthest seat on our side.
Well what do you know? I guess I found my balls and rode the two most dreaded rides in EK afterall. Ha. Too bad I didn't get to take a pic while I was on the Space Shuttle. That would've been interesting.

Ninja, Ninja Wrap (bad pun). Pi and myself, before quenching the need for speed on the Go Kart track.
(L-R) Ronnel, Me, Pi, Shaggy, Doni, Clarisse.
(L-R) Doni, Clarisse, Pi, Me, Shaggy, Ronnel.
The Go Karts were the last rides Pi and I went on before finally going back to Manila. We had to go ahead of the others...a TLS reunion/Christmas celebration was also scheduled that evening at Zane's house.

We arrived around a quarter before 11 PM. Fatigue started to kick in the minute I stepped into the Ronquillo gate. I've never been one to keep my eyes open when that happens; Gerwin and Jon will attest to that (Zane was kind enough to let me crash in Ping's bed). Unfortunately, there is a lack of images from the gathering. I had left Ger's camera in the car that night.

1.05.2004

After A Well-Deserved Break...

...it's back to work again for me today. Spent a good two weeks on vacation in the motherland (Baguio City), but internet connection up there (in our house at least) is crap...and i mean my-friend's-cousin's-grandmother-runs-faster-than-this crap...so pardon the lack of updates. Expect decent blogging though in the next few days. Still have those photoblogs I promised on my list. I just need to catch up on work for today.

Check back again later.

12.22.2003

When I See You Smile

Sometimes I wonder how I'd ever make it through
Through this world without having you, I just wouldn't have a clue
'Cos sometimes it seems like this world's closing in on me
And there's no way of breaking free, and then I see you reach for me

Sometimes I wanna give up, I wanna give in, I wanna quit the fight
And then I see you baby, and everything's alright, everything's alright

When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, oh oh
I see it shining right thru the rain
When I see you smile, baby when I see you smile at me

Baby there's nothing in this world that could ever do
What a touch of your hand can do, it's like nothing that I ever knew

And when the rain is falling, I don't feel it, 'cos you're here with me now
And one look at you baby, is all I'll ever need, it's all I'll ever need

When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, oh oh
I see it shining right thru the rain
When I see you smile, baby, baby when I see you smile at me

Sometimes I wanna give up, I wanna give in, I wanna quit the fight
Then one look at you baby, and everything's alright, everything's alright
So right

When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, I see a ray of light, oh oh
I see it shining right thru the rain, yeah
When I see you smile, I can face the world, oh oh, you know I can do anything
When I see you smile, oh yeah, baby when I see you smile, smile at me

~ Bad English


***

Happy 29th Monthsarry, Pi. I love you.

12.16.2003

Photoblog - Tali Beach

Last November 29, I was fortunate enough to visit Tali Beach in Nasugbu, Batangas for the first time. Amazing place, perfect for some major R&R. But don't take my word for it, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

I-Solutions...we deserved the break.This be my teammates. You can tell we were very delighted to be on this trip.
We arrived at Nasugbu at around 10 AM. My officemate's resthouse was located inside a private subdivision and was relatively near the beach. Had a hearty lunch of liempo and adobo (which, ironically, isn't really good for the heart) then played tourist afterwards. It was pictures galore from then on.

Nasugbu is such a beautiful place. I obviously couldn't stop taking pictures of the landscape. I have also, honestly, never seen seawater this clear before.
One thing I noticed in Tali is that plenty of the people who come here have their own boats. Wish I had one of those.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder. This didn't really apply to us since the absence of work made this trip a lot more enjoyable. I wish Pi could've joined us though.
The youngest members of our team (L-R): Me, Len, Rostum, Paula, and Jesse.
Spent most of the afternoon swimming. I also went snorkelling for the first time. Too bad I couldn't take pictures under the water. The things I saw would've have been really nice on photo.

Me: Happy and wet.
Snorkelling buddies Rostum and Jesse.
The highlight of the trip would probably be getting to watch the Sunset before finally going back to Manila. Sentimental bastard that I am, I enjoyed every second of it. Would've have been a lot more special if Pi was there with me.

Kodak moment. A grandfather takes his little granddaughter for a walk in the water.
So there it is, our day trip to Tali Beach. I don't know when or if I'll ever get to visit Nasugbu again. I'm just happy I got the chance to tag along.

That's all for now. Check back again later. See you around.

12.12.2003

I'm Still Here

My only regret in the two weeks that have passed is that I didn't get to update my blog. I did, however, manage to document the major highlights of those two weeks (special thanks to Gerwin for lending me his trusty "weapon"). Expect a whole bunch of photoblogs in the coming days.

Feels good to be blogging again. I missed this.

12.03.2003

Clueless

ACTOR Fernando Poe Jr. seems to have quickly found out that politics can be bad for one's health. Just a few days after he declared that he would run for president in next year's elections, Poe got an invitation to lay bare his program of government before a gathering of top business executives. He accepted the invitation, but at the last minute he either got cold feet or developed a fever. He failed to show up at the forum for presidential aspirants organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Poe sent Senator Vicente Sotto III, who had worked hard to convince Poe to stand for election, as his stand-in. The businessmen were not interested in what the former comedian had to say. Not even Sotto's assurance that Poe himself had put the speech together could perk up their curiosity. By the time Sotto started to speak, half of the audience had left.

Everyone should have stayed and listened. Poe's five-page statement may be the longest spiel they will hear from the most laconic presidential wannabe the country has ever seen. And it speaks volumes of how little thought and preparation he will be bringing to the most difficult job this side of the world, if ever he gets elected.

Poe said he had one simple goal and plan: to help uplift the nation and run the government in consultation with all sectors of society. "I believe that a nation cannot be run by just one man but can be led by one," he said. But before that, he added, he had to know what he could do for the various sectors of Philippine society:

"I need you to tell me, the Filipino, whom I'm here to serve, what I can do for you. I need the business sector to tell me how we can improve and strengthen the business climate. I need the political sector to tell me how we can make the rules of governance work for the people. I need labor to tell me what needs they have. I need the Armed Forces and the police to tell me what our country needs to preserve peace and order in our ranks and in our streets. I need our foreign friends to tell me how we, as a Filipino nation, can be worthy allies of world peace and prosperity."

Earlier when he was asked what qualifications he would be bringing to the highest office, Poe replied that he was beholden to no one, that he was not corrupt and that he was sincere. Now we can add candor to his short list of recommendations. His very first speech was an honest admission that he was clueless about the many big problems facing the nation and had therefore no solutions to propose.

Poe can ask the first man he meets on the street what he needs and he will be presented with a very long list: a job, food on the table, a roof over his head, education for his children, security in his home and safety in the streets, health care, and so on and so forth. If he has not heard about them, businessmen have come up with many suggestions on how to improve the business climate, ranging from improved peace and order, more honest and effective governance to consistency in policy, less red tape, better infrastructure, and so on and so forth. If he wants to know what labor needs, he should go to any rally organized by labor groups.

Indeed, anyone who wants to know what needs fixing in this country doesn't have to go through any consultations. A week of reading the newspapers would give him a fairly good idea of the many, varied, urgent and almost insurmountable problems facing the nation and the Filipino people. To ask what people need is to invite being asked in turn: Where have you been?

Everyone, except Poe, would have an idea of what needs to be done. What anyone who aspires for the presidency must tell the people is how he is going to solve those problems or achieve those goals. Poe is asking the Filipino people to give him the chance to lead them. But he has not given even a hint as to where he plans to take them.

~ Inquirer Editorial, 3 December 2003

11.30.2003

I Put On My Robe And Wizard Hat

A friend sent me the following excerpts. Read on, that is if you don't mind a little toilet humor.

bloodninja: Baby, I been havin a tough night so treat me nice aight?
BritneySpears14: Aight.
bloodninja: Slip out of those pants baby, yeah.
BritneySpears14: I slip out of my pants, just for you, bloodninja.
bloodninja: Oh yeah, aight. Aight, I put on my robe and wizard hat.
BritneySpears14: Oh, I like to play dress up.
bloodninja: Me too baby.
BritneySpears14: I kiss you softly on your chest.
bloodninja: I cast Lvl. 3 Eroticism. You turn into a real beautiful woman.
BritneySpears14: Hey...
bloodninja: I meditate to regain my mana, before casting Lvl. 8 C*ck of the Infinite.
BritneySpears14: Funny I still don't see it.
bloodninja: I spend my mana reserves to cast Mighty F*ck of the Beyondness.
BritneySpears14: You are the worst cyber partner ever. This is ridiculous.
bloodninja: Don't f*ck with me bitch, I'm the mightiest sorcerer of the lands.
bloodninja: I steal yo soul and cast Lightning Lvl. 1,000,000 Your body explodes into a fine bloody mist, because you are only a Lvl. 2 Druid.
BritneySpears14: Don't ever message me again you piece of shit.
bloodninja: Robots are trying to drill my brain but my lightning shield inflicts DOA attack, leaving the robots as flaming piles of metal.
bloodninja: King Arthur congratulates me for destroying Dr. Robotnik's evil army of Robot Socialist Republics. The cold war ends. Reagan steals my accomplishments and makes like it was cause of him.
bloodninja: You still there baby? I think it's getting hard now.
bloodninja: Baby?

***

BritneySpears14: Ok, are you ready?
eminemBNJA: Aight, yeah I'm ready.
BritneySpears14: I like your music Em... Tee hee.
eminemBNJA: huh huh, yeah, I make it for the ladies.
BritneySpears14: Mmm, we like it a lot. Let me show you.
BritneySpears14: I take off your pants, slowly, and massage your muscular physique.
eminemBNJA: Oh I like that Baby. I put on my robe and wizard hat.
BritneySpears14: What the f*ck, I told you not to message me again.
eminemBNJA: Oh shit
BritneySpears14: I swear if you do it one more time I'm gonna report your ISP and say you were sending me kiddie porn you f*ck up.
eminemBNJA: Oh shit
eminemBNJA: damn I gotta write down your names or something

***

bloodninja: Ok baby, we got to hurry, I don't know how long I can keep it ready for you.
j_gurli3: thats ok. ok i'm a japanese schoolgirl, what r u.
bloodninja: A Rhinocerus. Well, hung like one, thats for sure.
j_gurli3: haha, ok lets go.
j_gurli3: i put my hand through ur hair, and kiss u on the neck.
bloodninja: I stomp the ground, and snort, to alert you that you are in my breeding territory.
j_gurli3: haha, ok, u know that turns me on.
j_gurli3: i start unbuttoning ur shirt.
bloodninja: Rhinoceruses don't wear shirts.
j_gurli3: No, ur not really a Rhinocerus silly, it's just part of the game.
bloodninja: Rhinoceruses don't play games. They f*cking charge your ass.
j_gurli3: stop, cmon be serious.
bloodninja: It doesn't get any more serious than a Rhinocerus about to charge your ass.
bloodninja: I stomp my feet, the dust stirs around my tough skinned feet.
j_gurli3: thats it.
bloodninja: Nostrils flaring, I lower my head. My horn, like some phallic symbol of my potent virility, is the last thing you see as skulls collide and mine remains the victor. You are now a bloody red ragdoll suspended in the air on my mighty horn.
bloodninja: Goddam am I hard now.

***

bloodninja: Wanna cyber?
Katie_007: Sure, you into vegetables?
bloodninja: What like gardening an shit?
Katie_007: Yeah, something like that.
bloodninja: Nothing turns me on more, check this out:
bloodninja: You bend over to harvest your radishes. (pause)
Katie_007: is that it?
bloodninja: You water your tomato patch.
bloodninja: Are you ready for my fresh produce?
Katie_007: I was thinking of like, sexual acts INVOLVING vegetables...Can you make it a little more sexy for me? (pause)
bloodninja: I touch you on your lettuce, you massage my spinach...sexily.
bloodninja: I ride your buttocks like they were amber waves of grains.
Katie_007: Grain doesn't really turn me on...I was thinking more along the lines of carrots and zucchinis.
bloodninja: my zucchinis carresses your carrots.
bloodninja: Damn baby you're right, this shit is HOT.
Katie_007: ...
bloodninja: My turnips listen for the soft cry of your love. My insides turn to celery as I unleash my warm and sticky cauliflower of love.
Katie_007: What the f*ck is this madlibs? I'm outta here.
bloodninja: Yeah, well I already unleashed my cauliflower, all over your olives, and up in your eyes. Now you can't see. Bitch.
Katie_007: whatever.
It doesn't really matter if it's geniune or not, it's still so damn hilarious.

11.25.2003

Who You Gonna Call?

What kind of childhood would I have had if the Ghostbusters weren't part of it? I loved the movie, the cartoon even more (my favorite episode being the one where there was this huge battle between Vampires and Werewolves...probably why I found Underworld so endearing). My favorite GB-related memories, though, would have to be those involving the toys, made popular by Kenner. I remember always looking forward to the ads in between Uncle Bob's Lucky 7 Club every Sunday, just to have a glimpse of the latest "merchandise". I kind of miss those days.

Slimer: SlimyPiiiiiing!!! Remember me???

Newsarama recently published news of a comicbook continuation of the 80's cult classic, whose story takes place six months after the first movie. It's scheduled for release on February of next year. As much as I would like to rekindle my desire for everything Ghostbusters, I think I'd have to pass on this one. Maybe my memories are just too great to have a GB comic ruin them...let's just say I've learned my lesson with Transformers Armada. But I'll never really be sure until it comes out, will I? Well, If the reviews are good, I can always consider investing on the TPB anyway.

11.23.2003

It is Confirmed!!!

The worst political nightmare has become a reality. Fernando Poe Jr, affectionately known as FPJ, is running for president of the Republic of the Philippines in the May 2004 elections. May the good Lord have mercy on this country.

11.22.2003

Maybe it's the Heat

I just couldn't think of something interesting enough to write about lately, which explains the lack of recent updates. Lame excuse, I know, but it's the truth. The creative juices seem to have dried out eversince Monday's fire. Plus, the temperature here in the office has been a bit off from the norm (it's a little too warm for my taste, being the mountain man and all). Oh well, hopefully tomorrow (yup, I'm coming to work tomorrow) the inspiration kicks in and my brain'll be a bit more...wet. *smirk*

11.18.2003

Look at that Guy!

The title is to be said in a thick Baguio Accent for the full effect. Taking after Ger's Blast from the Past post, I've also decided to feature my La Salle ID pic.

Yep, that's me! DLSU ID# 09810951

Behold, 140 pounds of fresh high-land meat! I had just arrived from Baguio that morning. Quickly changed into my long sleeves, put my most decent tie on, and smiled for the camera. I know, it's a sorry excuse for a smile. If memory serves me right, I had been keeping in mind a tip given to me by one of the best "smilers" in my circle of friends: "Just breathe out when you're about to start smiling! You'll look better." The result? A pair of really flared nostrils on top of a pathetic grin to complement my stupid hairdo. Ah, the good old days.

Anyway, if you're a DLSU alumnus, click here to access your freshman photo. Note that the link initially points to an invalid page. Just replace the X's in the URL with your student ID, then refresh.

Why I have hope for the Philippines

By Franco Varona
INQ7.net Commentary

Editor's note: The following essay was a letter written by Franco Varona for his mother, Candy Varona. It is in reaction to a Korean student's essay about the Philippines which has been making the rounds on the Internet.

I LIVED in the Philippines for a grand total of two-and-a-half years after growing up in Vancouver for a majority of my life. I finished off high school in Manila, then went on to college there for one semester.

I left Manila in the beginning of 1999 for Syracuse, but something happened to me during my short stint in Manila -- I began referring to it as "home." My brief stay in the Philippines had affected me so deeply that I have subsequently geared the rest of my life toward helping the country out.

I took up International Relations, with a concentration in Foreign Policy, War and Conflict Resolution -- because I believed that a deep knowledge of all three of those aforementioned subjects can and will help the Philippines eventually. Before living in the Philippines, my motives were selfish and self-serving. I wanted to be a lawyer to make money, or be a journalist so I could, in my own way, shape the world through my words. But living there and getting to know the country intimately helped me develop a love for the country that can only be compared to the love I have for my family. Now, I have every intention of using that degree to its fullest potential in any way I can for the country.

Even though my birthplace is Canada and I spent my formative years in the US, the Philippines has somehow found its way to my mind and my heart. And I say "my mind" because I see the Philippines as a challenge, not as a sinking ship. And I believe there is a whole generation of young Pinoys that feel the same way as me.

The Korean essay was right in some ways -- sometimes I meet up with second-generation Filipino-Americans and they simply do not care. They don't identify with the Philippines and perceive it to be a dirty, corrupt society. Although initially annoyed when I speak to these types of people, I eventually realize that it's not their fault -- they have lived in a developed nation all their lives and know no better. I myself used to be like that before moving back.

But you know what the Korean essay didn't mention? It happens with all second- and third-generation immigrant kids living in developed countries. Although I have met many Fil-Ams who don't wish to go back home, I also have met many Korean-Americans, Japanese-Americans, even Irish-Americans who don't have any connection to home. There is love for the Philippines -- the Korean essay was just looking in the wrong places.

Do you want to know where national pride is? It's in every Pinoy's face on the streets of Manila, Cebu, Davao, or any other place in the Philippines. Life is hard for Filipinos -- I see that everytime I'm home. But there is a mutual love shared between Pinoys. They enjoy the simplest of the simple things of everyday life -- from the fishball vendor dancing outside a nightclub in the wee hours of the morning to the late night security guard that wakes up just to give you a nod and a smile. Although generally the country has come under hard times, the Pinoy has somehow found a way to survive, and do it with a smile.

When I go back to the Philippines, I don't see the jaded looks of misery I see in the streets of North America. I see in every Pinoy's face a glint of hope -- that everything can only get better from here on out. National pride is also in today's college student -- today's young working Filipino. I have been lucky enough to have run into a rather large, very motivated group of young Filipinos outside of the Philippines that harbor an immense love for the country. I've seen these people in college, I've hung out with them in different cities and among these young Filipinos, there is one prevailing theme. They have goals, they have passion, and they are driven to succeed.

Sure, they may spend a few years out of the Philippines after schooling, but they will go back. And when they do, Mom, I promise you a Renaissance. These are the people that will lead our country into better times -- these are the people that will bring back with them the knowledge and the drive to motivate others. These are the people that will bridge the gap between the "masa" and the rich. These are the people that will take that glint of hope in every Pinoy's eye and create a wildfire of productivity and efficiency.

The Philippines is still, by definition, a young country. There have been mistakes made in the past, but we will learn, won't we? It's just human nature. I don't look at the Philippines as a country that "was" one of the richest in South East Asia and now is one of the poorest -- I look at the Philippines as the country that has the largest upside.

Just be patient, and watch as the younger generation moves into place. You will see a more educated, less selfish government take the seat of power. You will see plans put into effect that were formulated and perfected which were fueled by years of anger against the poverty we now see. A new Philippines will emerge soon, and soon we won't have to bear the pity of a Korean student. I can promise you that much mom, because I know I'm one of the many that will be working toward that.

11.17.2003

What A Way to Start the Week

I had quite the interesting morning. A general evacuation of our office building was conducted around a little past 9 AM today. Apparently, a building room (outside our company's jurisdiction, if I may point out) caught fire because of a few sacks of combustible material contained therein. What material, I do not know, but the thick smoke had seeped through the building's exhaust system, spreading into and clouding the lower floors (including ours). Hence, the general evac. For safety reasons, power has been disabled on the east wings of each floor (by this I mean each floor occupied by Globe) until Thursday. Normal operations are obviously crippled, but it's still business as usual down here. Some of us (those whose function aren't too critical as of the moment) have to go on forced leave though, to give way to more important tasks. As I write this, however, I'm still uncertain if I am to be included in the this roster. Updates on the situation later, if and when they become available.

11.14.2003

Sequels Always Suck

© 2003 Andrew Bell

Creature art courtesy of Creatures in My Head.

Value

To realize the value of a sister: Ask someone who doesn't have one.

To realize the value of ten years: Ask a newly divorced couple.

To realize the value of four years: Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of one year: Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of nine months: Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.

To realize the value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.

To realize the value of one minute: Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one-second: Ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of one millisecond: Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics.

Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend: Lose one.

~ Author Unknown

'Nuff Said

Pikachu!Salary and OT pay.

Christmas bonus a month ahead of schedule.

200 peso reward for complete attendance.

Free buffet this afternoon.

I love this day.

11.13.2003

Hellboy

Nice...very nice...Though I haven't really had the time to sit down and read any of the Hellboy books, I hear they're really good, and Mike Mignola's art is kick-ass (well, it always is). News of the silverscreen adaptation of the Dark Horse classic is pretty old, there is now, however, a definite date for its theatrical release: 04/02/04. This gives me exactly 143 days from today to brush up on my Hellboy knowledge. This will give me more or less an idea of what to expect. Besides, I don't like being in the dark when it comes to comic-based movies...helps me to appreciate them more. My problem is, I don't know anyone who can lend me some material, so a little help in this regard would be very much appreciated (paging Jon, Ger, and Richard).

I came across this movie poster through CBR. The "semi-silhouette-with-metallic-logo-and-dark-clouds-in-the-background" look seems to be a growing trend. Anyway, you can hardly recognize Ron Perlman (TV's Beauty and the Beast) with the red skin and cut-off horns (well, you actually can't recognize him), but I read he did a pretty good job of playing "the paranormal investigator from hell". He seems to be adept at that, playing characters that don't require him to use his own face I mean. We'll just have to wait and see then. 143 days and counting.

11.12.2003

Tweaker

Spent the better part of my free time "tweaking" stuff here and there, from my blog and its comments section to my phone's headset. I don't know...my OC-ness seems to be at an all time high since yesterday. Well, I guess I'm just really fond of tinkering with all kinds of things, which is probably why I got a computer-related degree. Speaking of computer-related, I've bookmarked a number of references for HTML coding, which will come in handy while I'm still in the tweaking mood. Also, I just recently discovered how to work with stylesheets and it's been really exciting so far (sheesh, I sound like a geek). It makes designing my pages a lot easier. Hopefully, I'll also get to incorporate some Flash effects in the future. But that's a little too far ahead to plan right now. One step at a time.

11.11.2003

Reunion

Richard couldn't have said it any better, "Seeing Mon and Bryan go at it like the giddy little boys that they were and still are, makes the night more interesting."

Last night turned out to be a lot better than what Pi and I had initially planned. It felt really good to see the TLS people again, especially the priceless expressions on their faces when they saw Pats (Yep, she's back...we picked her up last Tuesday at NAIA, just in time for their Grandmother's birthday celebration on the same night).

TLS peeps, old and new...mostly old(Clockwise from bottom-left): Joan, Pats, Gerwin, Bernie, Pi, Me, Mon, Richard, Kendrick, Sarge, Peejay, Maan, Zane, and Meg.

TLS peeps, old and new...mostly new(Clockwise from left): Chester, Toffer, Mitch, Pao, Sarge (again), Ivan, Ping, Djong, Ayeen, Gerwin (again), and Ben.

Add a couple more people and we could've occupied the entire second floor. Probably in the next reunion, but somebody else has to plan it this time. Anyway, not in the pictures are Erman (uber-photographer and favorite kapre, he's also the one taking the pictures), and couples Nao and Onins, Bryan and Amy (they left early). By the way, I just noticed that Gerwin seems to be fond of eating ice while having our pics taken. Hwe he he he. Visit his blog for more photos.

11.10.2003

Pressure

Well, I guess having a Comments section AND a TagBoard at the same time is a wee bit redundant. Besides, since Jon and Gerwin have suspended the boards in their respective blogs, I might as well do the same here. Gaya-gaya ako eh (I'm such a copycat).

The Weekend News

Watched a total of three movies (four if I include Spider-Man on DVD) over the weekend. Some thoughts:

  • Uptown Girls: Nice, cute, feel-good movie. All I can say about this film is, Dakota Fanning, at her age, is such a terrific actress. She caught my attention in I Am Sam trailer. Though I didn't get to watch said movie, I found find her amusing in this one. Brittany Murphy, too.


  • Identity: If you're into suspense and gore, this one's for you. It isn't full of just that, however. I give this a 9/10 for a good story and fantastic screenplay. And I love the twist. This is guaranteed to keep you squirming in your seats.


  • The Matrix Revolutions: What can I say? "Woohoooooo" probably sums it all up. Amazing, amazing film, though I was left with a couple of unanswered questions from Reloaded. But what the hell, it was still great. Definitely going to watch it again. Just one last thing: The Wachowskis' wild imagination + Dragonball Z = Probably the most amazing fight sequences in the history of live-action movies.

Other upcoming movies I'm looking forward to next year: Return of the King, Punisher, and of course, Spider-Man 2. Oh yeah!

11.07.2003

I'm Baaaaaa-ack...

Feels good to be back in front of my terminal again. Been out for training the last four days. Was a bit tiring, but I had fun. Learned a lot. And besides, breakfast, lunch, and snacks were free. Now, for some updates:

  1. My car has been fixed. Yes, fixed, which means it was really broken last Friday. Some small pieces inside the key slot were apparently damaged because the key was taken out while still in ACCESSORIES, conveniently labeled ACC in said key slot (for the benefit of those who do not drive, you are supposed to take the key out while on LOCK, not on ACC).
    Simple proof: Frank and the guards from next door were able to push my car back into the garage WITHOUT a key, which simply reinforces the fact that the key slot wasn't really on LOCK, because if it were, the steering wheel would be locked (duh).
    Well, I'm sure as hell I didn't have anything to do with the problem. The car was already out of the garage when I couldn't start it. Anyway, thanks to Pi's dad, a kind mechanic was able to do a temporary fix the same night. With the use of a screwdriver from my trusty macho tool, I could already use my car (actually, anybody with a screwdriver would've been able to use my car). Damn key slot was fixed by the following morning. Nef-mobile was back to normal by lunch time. Cost me Php 850.00 for everything.


  2. Watched Equilibrium recently (bought the DVD at UM). I was suprised at how good a film it turned out to be. Makes me wonder why it didn't get that much attention when it was being played here. I particularly liked the concept of the "Gun Katas" (not katas which means juice in Filipino...Katas -- japanese -- referring to a prearranged series of movements). It's not in every action movie that you get to see the hero shoot the crap out of the bad guys while staying on the exact same spot. Makes you wanna go "Whoah!" ala Keanu Reeves. And, I must say, Christian Bale makes for a cool action character. He's an excellent choice to don the Year One Cape and Cowl.


  3. In keeping with my promise to myself of refraining from using the elevator when going up, I consistently climbed eight floors (from the 20th up to the 28th) everyday during my training this past week. My Thursday climb was the highlight of my stair-conquering career. I went up all 28 floors to our training facility that day. Crazy isn't it? But it felt real good afterwards. Haven't weighed myself yet though like I originally planned. I was supposed to do so on the first of this month, remember? I guess I'm a bit afraid to know that I haven't lost what I intended to lose. Well, better late than never, like whoever coined this cliche always says. This afternoon, most probably.

  4. Added a comments feature powered by Haloscan just today. Figured it wouldn't hurt. Besides, it's free, and it'll give people the chance to comment on individual posts. My next add-on? Probably a photo gallery, if and when I find good code. And until I have my own digicam, I have no real reason to hurry anyway. I think Jon's and Ger's blogs would benefit more from this though.
More later. My brain seems to be extremely low on resources.