in pursuit of sensible sanity

PostSecret 9/17/2010

2010-09-17T13:40:00.003+08:00

Shut the hell up!!!

2010-06-14T19:57:00.001+08:00

Hush Hush Hush Hush (Remix)
by Pussycat Dolls

I never needed you to be strong / I never needed you for pointing out my wrongs / I never needed pain, I never needed strain / My love for you was strong enough you should have known // I never needed you for judgments / I never needed you to question what I spent / I never ask for help, I take care of myself / I don't know why you think you've got a hold on me // And it's a little late for conversations / There isn't anything for you to say / And my eye's hurt, hand's shiver / So look at me and listen to me because...

I don't want to stay another minute / I don't want you, to say a single word / Hush, hush, hush, hush / There is no other way, I get the final say because / I don't want to do this any longer / I don't want you, there's nothing left to say / Hush, hush, hush, hush / I've already spoken, our love is broken / Baby hush, hush!

I never needed your corrections / On everything from how I act to what I say / I never needed words / I never needed hurt / I never needed you to be there everyday // I'm sorry for the way I let go of everything I wanted when you came along / But I'm never beaten, broken not defeated / I know next to you is not where I belong // And it's a little late for explanations / There isn't anything that you can do / And my eye's hurt, hand's shiver / So you will listen when I say Baby...

First I was afraid I was petrified / Kept thinking I could never live without you by my side / But I spent so many nights thinking how you did me wrong / But I grew strong I learned how to carry on // Hush, hush, hush hush / I've already spoken, our love is broken baby / Oh no, not I / I will survive / As long as i know how to love / I know I'll stay alive / I've got all my life to live / I've got all my love to give / and I will survive / I will survive / Hey Hey...

free of you at last

2010-06-10T23:30:00.004+08:00

I think I found my strength to finally get up and leave
No more broken heart for me
No more tellin' your lies to me
I'm lookin' like I got my head on right so now I see
No more givin' you everythin'
There's no more takin' my love from me

See my days are cold without you
But I'm hurting while I'm with you
And though my heart can't take no more,
I can't keep running back to you

Glad to wake up every day without you on my brain
No more waiting late up at night
No more havin' to fuzz and fight
I'm proud to say that I will never make the same mistake
No more thinkin' about what you do
There's no more of me runnin' back to you

You must be used to me cryin'
While you're out bumpin' and grindin'
But I'm leaving you tonight

lyrics from "Unfoolish" by Ashanti (listen here)
top art by ~ahmedart
bottom art by ~DreeamyEyes

fave music vids

2010-06-05T01:34:00.010+08:00

when the going gets tough,
ynseng dwells on good music...

Drive
By Incubus

Sometimes I feel the fear of uncertainty stinging clear. And I can't help but ask myself how much I'll let the fear take the wheel and steer. It's driven me before and it seems to have a faint, haunting mass appeal. But lately I'm beginning to find that I should be the one behind the wheel. Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there with open arms and open eyes, yeah. Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there, I'll be there. // So if I decide to waiver my chance to be one of the hive, will I choose water over wine and hold my own and drive? It's driven me before and it seems to be the way that everyone else gets around. But lately I'm beginning to find that when I drive myself my light is found.

******************************

Muli
By Bamboo

Walang katulad mo, walang kasing-lakas ng tama mo. Salamat sa iyo aking guro't gabay. Dahil sa iyo, ang buhay ko'y nagka-saysay. Sa malas kong ito, minsan sinwerte din ako. Nang makilala ang taong tulad mo. Pasensya na, sana maintindihan mo. Gusto lang kitang makasamang... muli. // Sa likod ng skwela, sa tindahan ni Nanang. Daloy ng pag-ibig doon kong unang natikman. Sa 'daming alaala, sana tandaan ninyo. Ang problema ng isa, problema ng grupo. Pasensya na, sana maintindihan mo. Gusto lang kitang makasamang... muli. // Para sa lahat ng minahal ko ng tunay. Andito't lumisan, sa puso ko'y buhay pa rin kayo. Buhay kayo. Sa puso ko'y buhay pa rin kayo...

******************************

Here Without You
By 3 Doors Down

A hundred days had made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face. A thousand lights have made me colder and I don’t think I can look at this the same. But all the miles that separate, they disappear now when I’m dreaming of your face. // I’m here without you baby but your still on my lonely mind. I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time. I’m here without you baby but your still with me in my dreams. And tonight it’s only you and me. // The miles just keep rollin' as the people leave their way to say hello. I've heard this life is overrated but I hope that it gets better as we go. // Everything I know and anywhere I go, it gets hard but it won’t take away my love. And when the last one falls, when it’s all said and done, it get hard but it won’t take away my love...

Are our opinions really our own?

2010-04-28T18:10:00.010+08:00

How do we know that our opinions are really our own?
How can we be sure that the weak voices are heard and not scared into silence?
Watch this and know how...

Many thanks to bossing henchman213 for sharing this.

travel photos

2010-04-04T11:03:00.008+08:00

so many travels, so little time to blog about them...

for now i'll just post the photo links.
(click the photo to view the album in my multiply site)

Zamboanga Peninsula
(March 1-6, 2010)

Sagada, Mt. Province
(March 28 - April 3, 2010)

Remembering Niño

2010-02-19T12:31:00.005+08:00

February 19 is Niño Calinao's death anniversary. I'm reposting this private blog entry from my multiply site two years ago so that people will continue to remember...

********************
Most UP Volleyball Club (UPVC or VC) members would recognize the name, but not the man. Calinao Cup -- that's what we now call our yearly 3on3 Grass Volleyball Tournament. It was titled that way in order to draw attention not only to the event but also to Niño's haunting murder on February 19, 1999

Niño was my batchmate in UPVC. We were the first batch to apply then, since VC was founded just the previous year. Niño was one of my closest batchmates and we both stayed active in org activities til our senior year.

The night before that fateful day of his death, I dialed his number to encourage him to visit UPVC's 3on3 Grass Volleyball Tournament booth at the AS Walk. I knew his number by heart since I've called him several times before to update him on org activities. He's been quite busy with his studies (he was about to graduate that semester), and wanted to make up for his absence in VC so he promised to drop by our booth before his STS class.

Several people manned the booth that 19th day of February. Three other VC members squeezed with Niño in that small bench below the anthill, almost fronting a fraternity tambayan. I stood in front of them, leaning on our booth table.

I suddenly heard shots. Ignorant as i was, I thought it was pillbox firing near us. Everyone panicked and ran towards the green house. I stayed calm, trying to figure out what was going on. When my orgmates stood from the bench, Niño fell on the floor, blood escaping his mouth. I tried to catch him but he was too heavy. In my mind, I was so angry at these fraternity members for being so careless with their stupid wars (I didn't know then that Niño was hit with gunshots).

Therese, a female orgmate, stayed with me as we tried to drag Niño out to the street to get help. For a long time nobody seemed to care that we were carrying a bleeding victim. Suddenly a car with three guys stopped in front of us and offered to help us take Niño to the hospital. Therese couldn't fit in the car so she simply offered to take care of my stuff at the booth.

On the way to the hospital, I suddenly feared that I was riding with the idiotic fratmen who started this mess and they were trying to clean it up. Sensing my anxiety, they introduced themselves as members of another fraternity and explained that they simply wanted to help. (I was sorta calmed down by their presence because i knew that they weren't part of the ongoing fratwars at the time, and i believed that they really wanted to help.)

Niño seemed unconscious as I cradled him like a child in my arms. But I didn't think he was already dead. I even noticed some flicker in his closed eyes, and one of the guys in the car told me to try to talk to him.

When we arrived at the East Avenue Medical Center, I immediately got out of the car and asked for a stretcher. The girl at the desk wanted me to fill out some forms first but I screamed at her that I have a dying patient in the car.

While the doctors were trying to help Niño, i tried to look for a phone to call his parents. I can't remember what I told them but I remember his mother's gasp when i mentioned the blood coming out of his mouth.

After the call, a guy told me, "Miss, maghugas ka muna, andami mong dugo. Dun o, merong gripo." So i went and washed the blood out of my arms and face.

I went back to the emergency room and saw one guy in a scrub suit kneeling on top of the bed over Niño's body, resuscitating him arduously. Then they stopped. They looked at me and asked if I was the "misis." I said no, I was his friend. I'm not sure what happened afterwards, how it registered in my mind that my friend was dead, and what they did to his body. The guys who helped me stayed for a while, but they requested to leave because they couldn't bear to face Niño's parents.

As I waited for Niño's parents, several VC members arrived and waited with me at the hospital. I was in a daze, probably still in shock. Actually, I don't remember feeling anything at the time.

But I do remember one GMA reporter bugging me for an interview. He kept asking me to just tell him what happened, and that he also knew Niño from UP. I kept telling him I didn't wanna give an interview, so when he said, "Niño would want you to tell the truth," I snapped at him -- "Philo major ako, walang truth saken! Truth is relative!" He finally left me alone.

When niño's parents arrived I had very little time to talk to them in private because reporters were surrounding his crying mother like mad paparazzi. I was actually a bit mad that reporters were feasting on her sorrow.

Only when the police asked me a few questions was I able to figure out that Niño died of gun shot wounds, that he was proclaimed DOA, and that the gunman was probably a professional shooter (considering the number of shots that hit Niño without hitting the others who were squeezing with him in that small bench). Only after i've put two and two together did i realize that Niño was not accidentally hit by some pillbox but brutally killed, mistaken as the fratman who recently beat up *ass**, a member of a rival frat.

UP people speculated that *ass** hired his mighty dad's goons to kill a "big, tall, dark and curly guy prowling at the AS Walk", because his own brods wouldn't avenge him. I got goosebumps when i heard about this description -- Niño was a big, tall, dark and curly guy who went to AS walk that late afternoon because i asked him to show up at our booth.

As clumsy as you've been
There's no one laughing

These are words from Our Lady Peace's song Clumsy. Niño and I both loved this song... funny how the words could've been talking about his death... about hired goons doing a clumsy job.

There will be a Eucharistic celebration tonight, February 19, 6:00 PM at the UP Chapel, inside the UP Campus in Diliman, Quezon City in remembrance of Nino's death.

Rest in peace, my friend. If anyone deserves to go straight to heaven, you do. And if there is indeed a heaven, it deserves someone like you.

TJ screenshots

2010-02-01T14:56:00.005+08:00

GRDOs' tourney wins (level up and jacks tourney)
CLICK PICTURES TO ENLARGE

MTPDP adjustments in the face of crises

2009-12-12T16:53:00.001+08:00

*Paper submitted to Prof. Rene Ofreneo, Industrial Relations 289, UP-SOLAIR

In 2008, the Philippines was hit by the triple Fs – food, fuel and financial crises. Now, the big C – climate change – came and brought Ondoy, et al. In light of these disasters, what will you do as CEO or an HR manager of an economic meltdown rising from disasters? If you are a government employment planner, what adjustments will you initiate in the MTPDP 2004-2010?

Any business can experience serious incidents that can prevent it from continuing normal business operations. This can range from national economic crises (such as the triple Fs), flooding (as demonstrated by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng), or even other disasters such as serious accidents or information security incidents.

The CEO has a responsibility to recover from such incidents in the minimum amount of time possible; and the best thing that can be done is to ensure business continuity so that business owners, its employees and clients can continue to depend on the economic benefits of its successful operation. This entails keeping the workforce motivated and productive so that there are minimal interruptions to the business's ability to provide its products and/or services, minimal financial loss and quick resumption of critical operations.

Every business needs to carefully prepare business continuity and disaster recovery plans. Detailed plans must be created, outlining the actions that particular members of an organization will take to help recover/restore its critical operations that may have been interrupted during or after a disaster. All employees should have appropriate knowledge and training on the specifics of such plans.

In his book Operational Risk Management (2008), Mark D. Abkowitz enumerated risk factors common in man-made accidents, terrorist attacks and natural disasters, such as design and construction flaws, deferred maintenance, economic pressures, schedule constraints, etc. Included in his list are the following risk factors that a CEO and HR manager must take into account to prepare the workforce for future disasters:

Inadequate training that result in individuals making mistakes that either initiates an accident or allows a crisis situation to intensify
Not following procedures for how employees should perform a task or function, resulting in procedural errors that create hazardous situations
Lack of planning and preparedness in terms of gathering knowledge, assessing the likelihood and consequence of various disaster scenarios, evaluating alternative risk reduction strategies, and conducting exercises and drills to determine the effectiveness of ongoing efforts and maintain a state of readiness

CEOs and HR managers should also work together to enable employees to weather the tragedy by following some of the recommendations by Susan M. Heathfield in her article “When Tragedy Strikes: Eleven Tips for Your Workplace Response.”

Make sure people are safe, especially if the incident happened in the workplace.
Assess the personal involvement of employees, and offer assistance if possible. If a tragedy impacts employees personally or directly, offer release time, support, paid time off work or other forms of compensation.
Give employees access to critical information through radio, TV or internet. Information helps people process the events. Allow them to gather with coworkers while watching breaking news.
Give people something to do to help. Filipinos have proven to be especially generous and caring in times of disasters and organizations can facilitate activities that will enable employees to help solve the problem or to ease the situation.

Indeed, organizations must take planning and preparedness seriously. Such preparation is of course not exclusive to businesses trying to minimize economic loss. Both the public and private sector must consider risks and come up with prudent decisions regarding where and how to invest available resources to reduce those risks of greatest concern.

In the employment sector in particular, adjustments can be made so that the long-term plans allow for protection against increasing risks. One such adjustment could include an enhanced policy and/or implementation of workers’ compensation insurance especially in times of disasters.

The billions of damage left by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng was a wake-up call for people to appreciate the value of insurance. Many Filipinos consider insurance as an expense rather than an investment, and leave themselves vulnerable and unsecured in times of uncertainties.
Not only should government ensure a strong and effective insurance industry, but also ensure the provision of workers’ insurance especially in times of calamities. When several workers are injured due to such incidents, this will not only provide employees with compensation for on-the-job injuries but will also protect businesses from claims and lawsuits. The government should likewise ensure that specific sectors are suitably provided with such insurance such as those from the micro and small business and the informal sector.

Another adjustment to the MTPDP could be found in creation of more efficient and intelligent urban areas. Overcrowding, lack of infrastructure and inefficient use of resources have contributed to the devastation that resulted in the recent heavy flooding. Building more efficient and intelligent cities could mitigate similar future damages.

The IT industry will become a prominent figure in such an endeavor, equipping business and commercial centers with computing knowledge to manage transportation, water and power infrastructure. Technology will be employed to create sustainable and scalable infrastructure.
In the past, jobs have been generated in building industrial infrastructure such as buildings, roads and telephone lines. The same principle can work in developing urban infrastructure wirelessly connected to the internet.

Related to this, labor policies can be developed to promote telecommuting in the Philippines. Telecommuting or telework is a work arrangement in which employees enjoy flexibility in terms of workplace location and hours of work. The daily commute to a distinct place of work is substituted by telecommunication links. Such a strategy can be efficient and useful for organizations as it allows workers to communicate over a large distance, saving significant amounts of travel time and cost. It also allows for employee flexibility as well as reduces traffic congestion and air pollution.

Finally, it is recommend that the government actively pursue efforts to promote green jobs, following the lead of the International Labour Organization (ILO). Premised on the inconvenient truth of climate change, the ILO believes that economic development by doing business as usual is not sustainable. Green jobs in low carbon economies will enhance not only adaptation measures against climate change but also result in mitigation, or the direct reduction of carbon emissions. It has the potential to contribute to sustainable economic growth and help lift people out poverty. The ILO therefore promotes the potential for green jobs and a positive labor market transition in the face of climate change, and encourages energy and industrialization policies, government investments and public-private partnerships to maximize its potential and benefits.

References:

Operational Risk Management: A Case Study Approach to Effective Planning and Response
By Mark D. Abkowitz (2008)

When Tragedy Strikes: Eleven Tips for Your Workplace Response
By Susan M. Heathfield, About.com Guide

Ondoy's great flood highlights importance of insurance
By Junep Ocampo, The Philippine Star, November 02, 2009

Guide to Workers' Compensation Insurance
By Susan Ward, About.com Guide

‘Ondoy’ proves that cities need to be more efficient, intelligent
By Melvin G. Calimag, Manila Bulletin, October 15, 2009

Green jobs: Facing up to "an inconvenient truth"
ILO Article issued in 2007

IR institutions to stabilize the crisis

2009-11-28T16:31:00.003+08:00

*Paper submitted to Prof. Ofreneo, Industrial Relations 289, UP-SOLAIR

Industrial Relations (IR) Institutions (e.g., unions, labor laws, employers organizations, etc.) are generally products of the times. Often a crisis gives birth to new institutions meant to contain the crisis and stabilize the situation, e.g., Industrial Peace Act of 1953 and Minimum Wage Act of 1952 at the height of the anti-Communist campaign in the early 1950s. With the present global economic crisis, what IR institutions do you think can and should b developed to stabilize the crisis?

In 1997-1998, Asia’s economic "tigers" were hit by a financial crisis. This crisis presented an opportunity for affected countries to build consensus on the policies required to renew economic growth through tripartism and social dialogue. The Korea Tripartite Commission, for instance, was compelled to contribute to economic restructuring and to involve social partners in the revision of Korean labor law. In Singapore, tripartite institutions have been instrumental in articulating conflicting interests among parties and in formulating and implementing social and economic policies. Their government also adopted various employee involvement systems such as work excellence committees, work improvement teams and quality control circles. Deficiencies in Indonesia’s industrial relations system were also put on the spot and efforts to promote social dialogue were utilized as a way of dealing with the crisis.

One IR institution that seems to have helped stabilize the Asian financial crisis of 1997-1998 is the use of social dialogue among IR actors. National and regional tripartite bodies were established and reformed, bipartite consultations in enterprises were introduced, a labor dispute settlement system was created, labor courts were created, and labor law was reformed in close consultation with the social partners.

It seems that institutionalizing social dialogue among IR actors (i.e., governments, workers and employers) will continue to be a crucial factor in stabilizing the current global economic crisis.
The global economic recession, which begun with consumption and production collapsing in the United States, European Union and Japan, has resulted in global increase in unemployment, poverty and inequality and the continuing collapse of enterprises.

The Philippines was not spared from the crisis. As then Economic Planning Secretary Ralph Recto explained, the country is dependent on advanced economies for exports and remittances from overseas Filipino workers, and clients of business process outsourcing companies are also mostly coming from the United States and Europe.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) initiated efforts to help the economy and the Filipino workers particularly the vulnerable ones cope with the global economic crisis. Measures focusing on investments in public infrastructure projects coupled with the implementation of the Comprehensive Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program or CLEEP (the government's flagship assistance program that provides emergency employment, funding, and livelihood assistance to affected workers) and job preservation efforts have apparently buttressed the country's capability to cope with the adverse effects of the global crisis. DOLE also established a registry of skills aimed at helping to identify and plan future responses, set up a hotline that addresses concerns of displaced workers, and provided training, livelihood assistance, job placement referral services and reintegration programs for returning OFWs.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) declared that the world is now facing a "global jobs crisis" that threatens to add 50 million people to the ranks of the unemployed in 2009. It could also push 200 million workers, mostly in developing countries, into extreme poverty. ILO is therefore promoting the relevance of the Decent Work Agenda, specifically its current measures to promote job creation, deepening and expanding social protection and more use of social dialogue. Policy recommendations include:

Wider coverage of unemployment benefits and insurance schemes, equipping redundant workers with new skills, and protecting pensions from devastating declines in financial markets
Public investment in infrastructure and housing, community infrastructure and green jobs, including through emergency public works; support to small and medium enterprises
Social dialogue at the enterprise, sectoral, and national levels

Tripartite dialogue with employers and workers’ organizations should therefore play a central role in addressing the economic crisis, and in developing policy responses. This should include a commitment to social dialogue and strong labor market institutions, as well as wage-led increase in aggregate demand, social protection and collective bargaining. It also means no interference by employers, when workers organize themselves and represent their interests collectively. And it also entails coordinating measures internationally, so that no one is left out or left behind.

Strengthening the institutionalization of social dialogue among IR actors could lead to effective remedies such as stakeholders becoming proactive in finding solutions in ensuring the rapid recovery of employment and its accompanying social protection. Inputs from government leaders, employers and workers should be considered to enhance specific responses to the crisis on the national and at the enterprise level. For example, this could lead to subsidizing lost potential wages of workers by supporting shorter working hours to prevent massive layoffs. Some workers may agree to pay cuts to retain their jobs.

ILO has also recently emphasized the importance of collective bargaining in this time of crisis as a tool for negotiating social justice, as ILO Convention No. 98 on the Right to Organize and Collective Bargaining marks its 60th anniversary this year. While much has changed since the Convention was adopted in 1949, collective bargaining remains a fundamental right, an important tool to improve incomes and working conditions, and advance social justice.

It is worth noting that during the general economic depression in the 1930s, many governments instituted measures to extend collective agreements and protect collective bargaining from being undermined by intense cost-based competition. Established collective bargaining practices were also an element that allowed the Republic of Korea to weather the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s and enabled South Africa to make a relatively peaceful transition into the post-apartheid era.

ILO standards promote collective bargaining and help to ensure that good labor relations benefit everyone. It promotes the utilization of machinery for voluntary negotiation between employers and workers, with a view to the regulation of terms and conditions of employment by means of collective agreements. It remains an important tool with which to improve incomes and working conditions and advance social justice. Through collective bargaining, innovative means are being found to address contemporary labor market challenges such as increasing employment insecurity and rising inequality.

Current efforts to stem the global economic and jobs crisis call for the strengthening of mechanisms for social dialogue, including collective bargaining. Collective bargaining can play an important role as part of a broader crisis response, enabling enterprises and trade unions to find practical ways to save jobs while at the same time facilitating the adaptability and long term sustainability of enterprises. This can be beneficial for both enterprises seeking to increase their flexibility – and workers seeking to share the benefits of productivity gains and balance work and family life.

References:

Efforts to help Filipino workers cope with crisis paying off
DOLE, November 11, 2009

Labor programs help workers cope with global meltdown - DOLE
GMANews.TV, 12/27/2008

Negotiating for social justice: Collective bargaining in times of crisis
ILO Feature Article, 19 November 2009

Social dialogue in times of crisis: what we can learn from the past? (Part 3 : The Asian financial crisis of 1997 - 1998)
ILO Feature Story by Ludek Rychly, 29 May 2009

The Global Jobs Pact: Helping Asia and the Pacific Recover from the Unemployment Crisis
An interview with Sachiko Yamamoto, ILO Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
ILO Feature Story, 15 July 2009

The Value of Work

2009-11-21T17:12:00.004+08:00

*Reaction Paper submitted to Prof. Ofreneo, IR 289

In analyzing the value of work, I am reminded of an anecdote that would best illustrate varied perspectives:

Three men are found smashing boulders with iron hammers. When asked what they are doing, the first man says, "Breaking big rocks into little rocks." The second man says, "Feeding my family." The third man says, "Building a cathedral."

It appears that the third man, the one who saw each hammer blow as contributing to the construction of a cathedral, puts some degree of value in work that others merely see as a means to an end. Perhaps he sees his work as a calling and derives satisfaction from the work itself.

Some people value their work only inasmuch as it is a source of income that enables the fulfillment of desired outcomes and activities, such as being able to support a family or cope with the demands of society. Job satisfaction therefore comes primarily from the income earned.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) values decent work or “work that is productive and delivers a fair income, security in the workplace and social protection for families, better prospects for personal development and social integration, freedom for people to express their concerns, organize and participate in the decisions that affect their lives and equality of opportunity and treatment for all women and men.” ILO programs strive to achieve the goal of decent work by finding solutions to what they call “decent work deficits” such as: unemployment and underemployment, poor quality and unproductive jobs, unsafe work and insecure income, rights which are denied, gender inequality, migrant workers who are exploited, lack of representation and voice, and inadequate protection and solidarity in the face of disease, disability and old age.

Decent work, as ILO explains it, sums up the many ways that an individual values work. An individual may value opportunity and income primarily in his work. He may also place a high value on rights, fairness, voice and recognition. He may aspire for family stability and personal development.

I will not elaborate anymore on how individuals may value such factors differently, and instead cite the interesting advocacy of a group called CLAWS or Creating Livable Alternatives to Wage Slavery.

CLAWS is a pro-leisure and anti-wage-slavery group of people dedicated to exploring the question: “why work?” Their website provides information, support, and resources for those looking for alternatives to traditional employment.

While CLAWS is not against “work” per se, they feel that people are now working long hours and most are not happy in their jobs. Their vision: “a world where everyone spends their days doing what they love, while all their needs are met, with ease, abundance and joy. Stress, strain, struggle and guilt are unknown and there is no concept of ‘work.’ All activity is experienced as play.”

In defining “wage slavery,” CLAWS point to individuals who feel trapped by forces beyond their control, trapped in a mindless job, for the sake of money, status or recognition. They complain that they never seem to have the time for what's really important to them, because their jobs take so much energy and focus that they hardly have anything left over.

They attempt to follow the typical route of going to school, getting good grades, landing a “good” job, making lots of money, buying a house and a car, having a beautiful family, and being “successful.” They plod along day to day, sometimes dreading getting out of bed in the morning. They work hard and hoping for the next promotion, waiting for the day when they can quit their dull jobs, and finally live their lives. Everything gets put on hold until they have more time or more money. Meanwhile, life passes them by. To them CLAWS says: You do not have to live your life that way.

CLAWS criticizes the mindset that results in people working against their will, and believing there is no other way to “survive,” which results in taking jobs out of joyless obligation, need for money, coercion, or a desire to “get ahead.” They seek to abolish “wage slavery” in which individuals think of work not just as effort expended in a productive process, but as a "necessary evil" - in other words, work is what they have to do so they can support themselves. They think of their job as something they would rather not do if it weren't for the money.

CLAWS’ advocacy may sound extreme, but my point here is that people need to put/find value in their work if they wish to live happy and meaningful lives. Rather than simply valuing their work as a job, a means to an end, or a “necessarily evil,” they can perhaps follow these steps as suggested by Jerry Lopper in his article A Path to Happiness Through Meaningful Work.

Recognizing the greater good resulting from the work. A person's routine responsibilities in a hospital can take on greater meaning by recognizing the hospital's role in returning people to good health.
Recognizing one's role in the larger organization. A person responsible for maintaining a home might see that a well maintained home provides a stable base for the family's health, safety, and growth.
Focusing on the relationships involved in the work. A person providing child care services might see the work as enabling the children's parents to hold jobs with confidence in the children's safety.

Blog Action Day 2009: IP's Trade Fair and Exhibit

2009-10-14T23:16:00.007+08:00

I have been contemplating on what to post about climate change, and I’ve been seriously considering a not-so-profound-and-intimidating write-up on climate justice (or the social justice issues surrounding climate change). But the topic’s too serious that I will have to study it more lest I make a superficial (and therefore careless) take on the issue.

However, I found an interesting email from one of my SOLAIR egroups, and I’m posting it here as part of my Blog Action Day 2009 commitment. The post is an advertisement of the Indigenous Knowledge Trade Fair and Exhibit. The email says:

Our Indigenous Peoples have so much to teach us about caring for our environment and living sustainably, but they need us to advocate with them so that more people can know about it.

See and experience the life of IPs... Explore partnerships with them... Patronize their products... Protect the environment with them.

Wine making and tasting, cultural presentations, night market of organic goods and IP products, film showing, solidarity concert

WHEN: October 16-18, 2009
WHERE: Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City

FREE ADMISSION!

The post seems to be concerned more about the cause of indigenous peoples than about climate change. But I’d like to emphasize that climate change affects everyone -- even those who benefit very little from the industrialization and other environment-destructive activities that the modern man has initiated.

We take for granted that we in the cities buy vehicles and products manufactured in factories and simply say that these pollute the air and destroy our environment. Yet we sometimes fail to see that while we enjoy the modern life’s pleasures, certain marginalized members of society such as indigenous peoples are unable to enjoy them in the same way or even benefit from the so-called industrialization and economic growth that it supposedly provides. Even worse, they suffer the same consequences that global warming delivers.

They have become victims of calamities too but help could not come easily because there are no paved roads that lead you to the indigenous peoples’ homes.

They are suffering from the effects of climate change, yet they have not benefited from the industrialization that has caused global warming.

That is why supporting their sustainable ways of living should be appreciated and supported.

Personally, I find indigenous products VERY cool. I love shopping in Baguio, Bicol and Cebu and native products are of course at the top of my list. And if they could bring their products here, right near my workplace, who am I to resist?

***********
NOTE TO READERS:
Blog Action Day is about creating a conversation about issues like climate change. So please don't hesitate to comment about this post. Let me know if you have an opinion about climate change (whether you agree with me or not), if you are willing to support the exhibit, or even if you simply wanna join me as I tour the Quezon Memorial Circle on Oct 16! Thank you!

OCT 15 is Blog Action Day!

2009-10-07T16:57:00.006+08:00

Blog Action Day is an annual event that unites the world's bloggers in posting about the same issue on the same day. The aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion.

In 2007, I proudly participated in Blog Action Day (Environment) with my post Biodiversity Is Life Itself. In 2008, I advocated for Blog Action Day (Poverty) but failed in my commitment to post.

This year, Blog Action Day tackles the issue of Climate Change -- a concern for so many Filipinos today considering what we have all been through when typhoon Ondoy hit us like nothing we've ever experienced.

Climate change is the most urgent threat we face and on October 15 you can help confront the issue and show the world that we care about finding lasting solutions.

I encourage everyone to participate and take action. To all bloggers who have not yet registered, just go to the official Blog Action Day 2009 website to register you blog. Once you've signed up you can download badges from the site and get ideas about how to connect your interests to climate change.

Now is the time to make our voices heard.

Blog Action Day '09 from Benjamin Rattray on Vimeo.

triplets!

2009-10-06T18:49:00.004+08:00

(click image to enlarge)

POKERSTARS VIDS

2009-09-08T15:35:00.011+08:00

I first saw these TV ads by Pokerstars while watching reruns of the Filipino Poker Tour. The ads are sooo amazing, I had to share it with fellow Triplejack addicts.

This one is my favorite. It's called SAMURAI featuring Isabelle Mercier. I'd like to dedicate this one to friends from Clan GRDO specifically to the head honcho bossing and other clan pioneers shaun, nakedEYE, chakkie and wakas. (Bagay na himuon ug GRDO Godess si Isabelle "No Mercy" Mercier kay hangol kaayo siya! Hahaha!)

Here's another video called HOCKEY featuring my favorite Daniel Negreanu. This one's lovingly dedicated to all TJ clowns who are too hangol for their own good. Mwahahahaha!

enjoy!

NIN in Manila Setlist

2009-08-11T14:03:00.013+08:00

I was in a roller coaster of emotions as I anticipated going to the Nine Inch Nails concert right here in Manila on August 5, 2009. Ever since I found out about it, I knew I had to do this one selfish thing for myself: enjoy the concert, feel the blastin’ beat in my chest and bleed my ears to death.

And so the ache began…

I scouted for old old friends who used to enjoy deep, dark and heavy music as much as I did back in the days. I contacted friends who watched Rage Against the Machine and Pearl Jam with me. One by one, however, they backed out because of work commitments…

Nine Inch Nails was not particularly in the shortlist of my all-time-favorite rock bands. But they were a pretty hard rockin’ band – the type that gave me a natural high. And I DID love a lot of their more popular songs like Piggy, Hurt, Head Like a Hole, Dead Souls and of course the wild and haunting Closer. Soren, another old friend who already had tickets, gave me a copy of the complete NIN discography. Listening to NIN music in full blast speakers and louder-than-loud earphones slowly drew me in, making me want nothing more than to witness the pure music of NIN live.

But even as I was willing to pay for the quite-expensive ticket, logistics just didn’t seem to work.

And so on that 5th day of August, I resorted to sulking and distracting myself with just playing online poker. But then Soren suddenly texted me: “You’re in luck! My friend can’t make it because of the heavy traffic in Las Piñas. So tag along with us, I have a lower box ticket with your name on it!”

It was already 7:00 PM and I was far away in Novaliches. But who’s gonna keep me from going?! NOBODY!!!!

And so I arrived just in time for the first NIN song, had a blast and bled my ears! Hell, yeahhhhhh!!!

I’m no expert and this is not a concert review. I’ll point you instead to interesting reads:

Inquirer: Nine Inch Nails still a formidable force
NIN Forum (comments and photos from fans who actually saw the show --> kakaadik basahin!)
Nine Inch Nails in Manila! (by Pau Araos, includes some concert photos)
Nine Inch Nails Live in Manila (a few more up-close photos)

these are the words

2009-08-10T14:53:00.006+08:00

and they're MY words now...

you in the dark, you in the pain, you on the run
living a hell, living your ghost, living your end
whatever you say, it’s alright
whatever you do, it’s all good
whatever you say, it’s alright
but silence is not the way, we need to talk about it
if heaven is on the way, we’ll wrap the world around it

i don't want to be the one who has to fill the silence
the quiet scares me because it screams the truth
please don't tell me that we had that conversation
when i won't remember, save your breath, what's the use?

won’t you save me from this world of mine?
before i get myself arrested with this expectation
you are the one, look what you’ve done, what have you done?
this is not some kind of joke, you’re just a kid
you weren’t ready for what you did

i’ll have to try to find my way back to sanity again
though i don’t really know what i’m gonna do when i get there
take a breath and hold on tight, spin around one more time
and gracefully fall back to the arms of grace

i was hanging on every word you say
if you don’t want to speak tonight, i can't just sit outside heaven’s door
cause i don’t want to keep waiting for the scraps to fall off your table

this is not the way i'll let my story end...

[listen here]

on october 15th, change the conversation

2008-08-15T16:28:00.004+08:00

spot the difference II

2008-07-03T12:44:00.000+08:00

jaime and i were watching wanted last night when i first saw the trailer of the dark knight. as soon as i saw heath ledger as the joker, brandon lee as the crow came to mind. here are a couple of videos paying tribute to both actors.

Heath Ledger (1979-2008)
as the Joker in Dark Knight (2008)

Brandon Lee (1965-1993)
as Eric Draven in The Crow (1994)

Balik U.P.

2008-06-12T22:51:00.001+08:00

I’m almost 30 and I’m proud to say that I’m still a student. Perhaps I should’ve finished my master’s degree a long time ago, and I should be holding a supervisory position by now. Yet I have no shame with the work I have now, and I feel a tingle at the thought of being enrolled right in time for UP’s centennial year celebration.

A lot has changed in the UP Diliman campus since I graduated in my bachelor’s degree in 1999. But young or old, the heart of an authentic UP student doesn’t change. I immediately felt the familiarity when I enrolled last week. From the feel of pretending not to be a little lost while riding the TOKI jeep, to making sense of the unspoken rules in the confusing University of Pila at the new Registrar’s office, the feeling of being a UP student has not really changed.

Proud that I am not only for being a true iskolar ng bayan but also a SOLAIR student, I am hopeful that I could become a worthy labor rights advocate and a valuable contributor to this country’s development.

And so I share this remarkable and haunting text that I found in a comic strip at the back page of the Philippine Collegian (No. 29-30, 14 May 2008).

PA’NO

Pa’no kung biniyayaan ka ng magandang tahanan
Na hindi mo naman kayang alagaan.
At ang paborito mong pasyalan?
Kahit sa’n basta ’di dito sa ’Pinas.
Pa’no kung si John -- na dating si Juan,
Ang idolo’y si Lebron, Superman at si Jackie Chan
Na kundiman ang pinakamadunong na bata’y ang pinakamabait naman!
At may tunay na pangarap: “Ang maging samurai!”

Pa’no kung may dugo ang bawat pagkaing nakahain?
Pa’no kung ngiti na lang ang maisasagot mo sa iyak ng ’yong sikmura?
Pa’no kung nagkakasakit ka na sa kahihithit ng “pag-asa”?
At pa’no kung ang iyong madrasta ay puta ng iba, pati ng iyong tito-tituhan?

Pa’no na?

Pa’no kung ikaw si Oble at dinig mo ang hiyaw ng pagpapatiwakal?
Lalagapak na si John, anong balak mong gawin?
Isang rebulto ka na lang ba na simbulo "lang" o bababa ka sa iyong pedestal at pangangatawanan ang iyong ipinopustura kung kailan ito kailangan?

Ano na?

Today is International Day for Biodiversity!

2008-05-22T05:44:00.001+08:00

The United Nations proclaimed May 22 the International Day for Biological Diversity to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues.

This year’s theme, “Biodiversity and Agriculture,” seeks to highlight the importance of sustainable agriculture not only to preserve biodiversity, but also to ensure that we will be able to feed the world, maintain agricultural livelihoods, and enhance human well being into the 21st century and beyond.

Below are the Key Messages from the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Biodiversity is the basis of agriculture. Its maintenance is essential for the production of food and other agricultural goods and the benefits these provide humanity, including food security, nutrition and livelihoods.

Biodiversity is the origin of all crops and domesticated livestock and the variety within them. Biodiversity in agricultural and associated landscapes provides and maintains ecosystem services essential to agriculture.

Agriculture contributes to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity but is also a major driver of biodiversity loss. Farmers and agricultural producers are custodians of agricultural biodiversity and possess the knowledge needed to manage and sustain it.

Sustainable agriculture both promotes and is enhanced by biodiversity. Sustainable agriculture uses water, land and nutrients efficiently, while producing lasting economic and social benefits. Barriers inhibiting its widespread adoption need to be reduced.

Agricultural producers respond to consumer demands and government policies. To ensure food security, adequate nutrition and stable livelihoods for all, now and in the future, we must increase food production while adopting sustainable and efficient agriculture, sustainable consumption, and landscape-level planning that ensure the preservation of biodiversity.

BIODIVERSITY IS THE BASIS OF AGRICULTURE.

Biodiversity, at all three levels – genes, species and ecosystems – is the basis for the sustainability, productivity and resilience of agricultural systems, and is the foundation of ecosystem services essential to agriculture and human well being. Biodiversity is the origin of all crops and domesticated livestock (species) and the variety within them (genes).

Agriculture is an integral part of every person’s life as it provides us with food, raw materials for goods – such as cotton for clothing, wood for shelter and fuel, roots for medicines – as well as incomes and livelihoods for many. From the earliest examples of the domestication of plants and animals, farmers and their communities have used a rich diversity of wild species to facilitate agriculture and in the process have modified the diversity of domesticated species, landscapes and environments.

Source:
Convention on Biological Diversity
DENR Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau

my replies to yesterday's denreu blog comments

2008-05-19T16:38:00.006+08:00

as far as i'm concerned, blog commenters are a blogger's treasure. and although some avid bloggers might be against inserting a tagboard in blogs, i'm glad i did it in the DENREU blog which i am currently maintaining. this post is lovingly dedicated to those who posted their comments to the DENREU Blog Tagboard. ..

Salamat sa mga nag-message sa Tagboard ng DENREU Blog! Magalang, mapangahas o medyo malakas man ang dating ng inyong mga mensahe, ok lahat yan para sa amin! At dahil masarap sagutin ang inyong mga komento, gusto ko sanang sagutin kayo dito sa blog ko...

19 May 08, 15:44
carlos ramirez: sana naman yun mga naibuto na board of directors ay magtrabaho para sa union hindi parang mga Panginoon turing sa sarili when dealing with ordinary members, PWEEHHH

hmmm.... nacu-curious ako sa kung sino ang pinatatamaan mong "panginoon." (Lord, sana hindi ako yun!) Naiintindihan ko ang ganyang sentimyento. kasi tulad ng sabi saken ng isang dating professor ko, ang pinaka-karapat-dapat na kumakatawan sa isang manggagawa ay iyong tunay na nakakaintindi ng kanilang hinagpis at damdamin. (ang lalim ano?) tingin ko ang ibig sabihin nun, kapag mataas na ang kondisyon mo sa buhay o kapag mataas ang tingin mo sa sarili mo, hindi mo na naiintindihan ang tunay na pinagdadaanan ng mga ordinaryong manggagawa. sana lahat kaming board na binoto nyo ay hindi naman tumaas masyado ang bilib sa sarili...

19 May 08, 15:42
carlos ramirez: nice idea na magkaroon ng ganitong site para ma voice out ng mga members hinaing nila kasi minsan nahihiya or natatakot sila magsalita kagaya ko

yun nga talaga ang punto ng blog ng denreu. maliban sa venue ito para ma-update ang mga members sa mga nangyayari sa unyon, ito rin ay magandang venue para mag-comment ang mga empleyado. meron at merong mga hindi matapang magsalita, pero meron din silang mahalagang masasabi. dito, pwede nyo sabihin ang mga gusto nyong sabihin ng walang takot. (mananalangin na lang kami na sana hindi naman abusuhin ng iba at bastusin lang kami nang hindi nagpapakilala.) thanks sa feedback!

19 May 08, 15:04
nitz: okay ang mini-olympics kaya lang sana ibalik natin ang mga laro nuong araw na talagang pagpapawisan tayo at makakasali ang lahat ng empleyado. tulad ng patintero, relay, etc. para masaya

uy, magandang idea yan! sige, i-suggest natin na lagyan ng pinoy games or relay games yung mini-olympics! thanks!

19 May 08, 08:50
phil_eagle: Sana ang bagong leadership ngayon, wag tularan ang nakaraang liderato na ang pakiramdam nila sila ay mga ARTISTA, ELITISTA at NEGOSYANTE na mahirap maabot...

artista meaning puro pa-cute lang, wala namang gawa? elitista meaning mataas ang tingin sa sarili or pro-management? negosyante as in mas inaatupag ang sideline? o nakikinabang sa pera ng unyon? hmmm... may mabibigat na paratang dyan. sana nga wala sa aming masangkot sa ganyang mga eskandalo. in fairness sa nakaraang board, meron naman sa kanilang maituturing na mabubuting leaders.

19 May 08, 08:48
phil_eagle: Dapat lang isara ang gate sa mga TAMAD pumasok ng maaga.Lalo ng pag Chief ka ng isang unit/division.DENR Management should not tolerate bunch of BRAT officials and employees.

indeed, DENR should not tolerate those who violate office rules -- kesyo empleyado o opisyal. kaya nga meron tayong Personnel Division na dapat ay nagmomonitor nito.

dapat pahalagahan ng bawat public servant ang trabaho nila. but the management need not resort to punitive and non-democratic means para mag-attend ng flag ceremony. yung mga incentives ni secretary, yun ay isang magandang paraan ng pag-encourage sa mga empleyado. pero ang mga arbitrary punishments ay hindi nababagay sa isang demokratikong bansa na tulad ng sa Pilipinas.

19 May 08, 08:45
phil_eagle: rhea, buit-in ang page nito using CMS technology.Hindi DENREU ang gumawa nito.FYI.

you probably didn't intend to belittle my efforts in maintaining the DENREU blog, pero allow me to clarify. credits to the creator of the blog template is shown at the footer of the blog. at syempre, blogs in general are based on already established technologies. perhaps that was the CMS technology you were referring to. ( i never insinuated na ako ang mismong gumawa ng XML template or widgets na nilagay sa denreu blog. unless the creator requires it, i don't declare credit to every widget to avoid clutter)

i 'd like to think that when rhea showed her admiration for the denreu blog, she was referring to the overall presentation/layout and the quality of posts. (she's an avid blogger herself so i think she understands blogging technology) and fyi, hindi misd or denr or private company ang gumawa ng blog na yun. ako ang nag-open ng blog account, ako ang sole contributor at ako ang nagmmaintain nung blog, so i think i could more or less say na ako ang gumawa nung blog. (unless you wanna be technical about it)

19 May 08, 08:43
phil_eagle: Magtrabaho kayo para sa kapakanan ng mga myembro!Puro kayo dakdak! Nasan na ang para sa CNA?

marami ang interesadong malaman kung makakatanggap tayo ng cna incentive. pinag-aaralan ng ilang board members ang nakaraang budget para makita kung may savings para sa cna incentive na yan. lahat po kami ay atat na ring malaman. babalitaan namin kayo asap

Zoobic Safari: A Prison by Another Name

2008-05-11T15:13:00.010+08:00

Why should animals live like prisoners for their entire lives, just to suit curious humans?

“The saddest thing about zoos is the way they drive animals mad. Much of the behavior we take for granted in zoo animals – repetitive padding up and down, head banging, obsessive paw swinging, or just plain moping – is actually psychotic, the sort of thing humans get driven to when they are kept in solitary confinement.”

Bill Travers – Star of “Born Free” and co-founder of Zoo Check

Check out the photos from our office teambuilding in Zoobic Safari. It seems obvious how I and the rest of my co-workers were having so much fun watching the captive wild animals. The monkeys, the ostriches, the goats, the camels, the guinea pigs, the oh-so-amazing tigers were just there for our entertainment pleasure!

A wild animal confined in a restrictive, artificial zoo environment is a sensitive being condemned for the rest of its life to a deprived existence. Where it sleeps, what it eats and with which other animals, if any, it interacts are all decided for it. Its inherent value is denied and the respectful treatment to which it is entitled, dismissed.

From Animal Rights Africa

In general, the zoo industry has been justified for its conservation efforts for endangered species. This means that the zoos supposedly conduct research, teaches the public about wildlife and environmental conservation, and provides entertainment through the spectacle of captive wild animals. Animal Rights Africa debunks these conservation and education justifications in zoos.

The World Wildlife Fund likewise has a Policy Statement on Captive Breeding:

Captive breeding is the process of breeding animals outside of their natural environment in restricted conditions in farms, zoos or other closed facilities. The choice of individual animals that are to be part of a captive breeding population, and the mating partners within that population, are controlled by humans.

WWF considers captive breeding of rare, threatened, or endangered species, with the aim of eventual reintroduction to the wild, to be a “last resort” strategy. It is exceedingly difficult and must be part of a scientifically-based management plan for the species, working closely with the range country government authorities. It is also expensive, and should not be seen as a substitute for in-situ efforts, except in rare circumstances.

While I allowed myself to enjoy the company of friends and co-workers in this very entertaining field trip, I kept a silent but watchful eye and ear to the conservation and education efforts of Zoobic Safari. And unfortunately, I was terribly disappointed. I don’t recall our tour guide making any conservation related statement, nor did I see or hear anything that would suggest scientific efforts towards conservation by the owners/operators of Zoobic Safari. He did throw us some interesting trivia, though, like the intelligent guinea pig appearing in the local soap “Super Twins.” f course I wasn’t hanging on to every word that my tour guide was saying because he obviously couldn’t handle the 30+ strong audience that he had.

I disabled the flash function in my camera and kept from knocking on glass cages or taunting the wild animals. But so many others did, and nobody from Zoobic Safari cared. Some furiously knocked on the glass cages of snakes and lizards, daring them to strike. Some were whistling and taunting the chained and the caged aggressive monkeys. A co-worker splashed the remaining contents of his bottled water on the catatonic crocs. A few insisted that I use my flash, but I refused to add to the stress of the animals. The tour guide warned us that he’ll lose his job if we insist on reaching out to the crocs and get our hands bitten off. I almost laughed.

The zoo was filled with competing noises from the megaphones of different tour guides, the chatter and gleeful comments from the visitors, the music from the blasting speakers. I got an earful of what I assume is not close to the naturally calming sounds of the wild.

I was awed by the giant tigers. I touched their tails and whispered my “lambing,” daydreaming that I could take one home as a pet. (Til that day, I only wished to own a life-size stuffed tiger.) But then you realize how pathetic their lives must be in those small cages. Tigers are meant to run and hunt in the wild, not get irritated and stressed by onlookers daring them to growl and show their ferocity.

Sadly, Zoobic Safari is obviously profit-oriented.

By confining and exhibiting animals in a manner designed to entertain, amuse or satisfy curiosity requires that they be trained and/or confined in ways that suppress their natural behavior, drastically limit their living space, deny them the opportunity to choose their mates and companions and make them totally dependant on their “owners”.

When, from a young age humans are conditioned to the sight and experience of animals under the total control of humans for trivial purposes, as is the case in zoos, circuses, dolphinaria and aquaria, this contributes to the general human attitude that animals are “here for us”. The integrity and dignity of each animal are totally undermined.

The pleasure people take in viewing animals in zoos and laughing at them in the circus is not good enough reason for keeping the animals there. That this constitutes a flagrant disregard for the rights of the affected animals is of no concern to the “owners” and exhibitors, who exploit the curiosity, indifference and ignorance of the public.

Animals in Entertainment, Animal Rights Africa

I do not ask anyone not to visit Zoobic Safari, or the Ocean Adventure or Manila Ocean Park. I simply encourage everyone to take a critical view of such industries.

I initially had the view that I should refuse adding to the profit of such industries by NOT visiting these zoos. Now, I prefer the challenge of learning more about animal cruelty and animals in entertainment, and critically examining our own zoos, aquaria and dolphinaria.

Here are a few great articles for further reading:
Animal Rights Africa -- Animals in Entertainment
Animal Rights Africa -- Zoos: A Prison by Any Other Name
What's Wrong with Zoos?
Are Zoos Cruel?
Zoos: The front line in the battle against extinction
Time Magazine's feature on the dolphin entertainment industry
Me.Find.Home: Why I’m against the Manila Ocean Park (includes PETA statement)

New Look!

2008-05-10T23:30:00.002+08:00

In Pursuit of Sensible Sanity
is now in Blogger Beta!

The new theme is called DFire by Tracy Ou aka Viitoria L.
Thanks to B-Themes for the Blogger template!

MATANGLAWIN Review

2008-04-06T17:57:00.008+08:00

MATANGLAWIN
Mapagmasid, Mapagmatyag, Mapangahas!

Showtime: Mondays at 11:30 PM on ABS-CBN 2
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars!!!

It was during a lazy sunday afternoon when i chanced upon Kuya Kim on the ANC channel doing a "Croc Huner", pinoy style. Biodiversity conservation advocate that I am, I watched the show with a careful and critical eye. (I think what I saw was a replay of the show that aired on March 24 @ ABS-CBN.)

And i was impressed. VERY impressed.

The show featured the deadly wildlife in Mindoro... and then some. Kuya Kim Atienza flooded me with trivia that I've probably heard and read before, yet he gives a flavor that I'm sure will appeal to a large audience.

I have so much positive feedback for this show, I don't even know where to begin... You need not worry that the show will be a case of information overload. The production not only provides a very clear and effective script, but also showcases animation effects that demonstrate complicated processes (such as how a Northern Spitting Cobra is able to target it's venom to a victim 5 feet away, or how a Freshwater Crocodile twists and turns its victim’s body underwater to crack its bones).

Kuya Kim likewise deserves applause for his very realistic encounters with both people and animals. Watching kuya kim is like watching a truly inquisitive traveler hungry for knowledge from locals and experts alike. He jumps into every learning opportunity like many of our respected DENR fieldmen. And he willingly shares this knowledge to everyone without the viewer feeling stupid nor overwhelmed.

And did I mention that they are able to cover so many topics and organize them effectively? I have listened to many biodiversity and wildlife experts, yet no one has taught me so much in such a short time.

It’s unfortunate, though, how some simply view the show as a copycat to GMA’s Born to Be Wild. I was delighted when I found out that GMA is has a show featuring the wildlife, but I don’t think their hosts have the Steve Irwin flair that Kuya Kim has. And if I remember correctly, they featured the animals in Zoobic Safari – wildlife in captivity used for entertainment purposes (I’ll feature my “thing” against entertainment parks like Zoobic Safari and the Manila Ocean Park later).

Bygones... What I’m saying is this: copycat or not, shows that advocate awareness of our wildlife and biodiversity should be a welcome treat. And I hope they continue to provide quality entertainment so that people will ACTUALLY watch them and learn from them.

Kudos to the people behind Matanglawin! Kuya Kim, sana ikaw na lang ang naging DENR Secretary. Hahaha!

LINKS:
PEP: Kim Atienza’s TV show "Matanglawin" premieres March 24
ABS-CBN News: Kuya Kim's 'Matang Lawin' premieres Monday night

Ian McEwan on Atheism

2008-02-18T13:35:00.004+08:00

Atonement author Ian McEwan on atheism:

"It is important that people with no religious beliefs speak up and speak for what they value... It is crucial that people who do not have a sky god and don't have a set of supernatural beliefs assert their belief in moral values and in love and in the transcendence that they might experience in landscape or art or music or sculpture or whatever. Since they do not believe in the afterlife, it gives them more valence to life itself. The little spark that we do have becomes all the more valuable when you can't be trading off any moments for eternity."

what Neri is afraid to say and why

2008-02-18T10:12:00.011+08:00

a co-worker emailed me a statement explaining what Neri is afraid to say and why regarding the zte-nbn scandal. of course i can't verify the correctness of these statements, but with the kind of governance our president has shown, i can't say i'm surpised.

i've read so many hasty, self-righteous and irresponsible anti-administration-but-not-necessarily-pro-opposition opinions on several national issues. but regardless of the truth in the allegations, this statement gives a considerably justified take on the issue and raises valid concerns on the fate of the filipino people as it questions the sincerity and patriotism of both the administration and the opposition.

read on...
(all emphases are mine)

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

Here's the secret testimony of Jun Lozada on what Neri is afraid to tell the public. Lozada wrote this in Oct. 2007 and gave a co-IT Engr. Vicente Romano III leaving it to Romano when to divulge as he deems right.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Vicente R. Romano III, 0920.9615610
Leah Navarro, 0917.898.1957

Dear Friends,

Here's a short write-up that Jun Lozada wrote sometime in October. He wanted me to disseminate it without attribution. I believe he was motivated both by his genuine concern for a beleaguered friend who was being maligned no end, and his desire, even then, for the truth to somehow surface. He left it up to me as to how and when to disseminate it.

I did not find any compelling reason to get it out then. But now that Jun has told it all, and Neri is being invited back to testify, I believe the public deserves to know what was (and maybe still is) in the mind of Neri –- at least from the point of view of a friend. I'm sure Jun will not mind.

Let's get this out in the open.

God bless,
Enteng

What Is Neri Afraid to Say and Why

Many speculations have been made as to what Neri knows about the ZTE-NBN most particularly the direct involvement of Pres. Gloria Arroyo in this abominable affair. After his damaging "Sec. May 200 ka dito" demolition of Abalos, the discredited former Comelec Chairman, many were left disappointed when Neri suddenly clamped up when the Senators started asking him about the nature of his conversation with Arroyo, no amount of coaxing, cajoling and threats was enough to break his Code of Omerta. The question on many people's mind was, What was Neri trying to protect when he repeatedly invoked "Executive Priviledge" during that gruelling 12 hour Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on live television?

We have known the Truth all along as one of the few people that Neri confided his predicament during those fateful days of April 2006, and how he wanted to resign his post of NEDA Director General and Secretary for Socio-Economic Planning over this incident where he lost all his moral respect for Pres. Gloria Arroyo.

We are doing this document to give the public an understanding of this predicament.

What is Neri afraid to tell the public? He is afraid to tell the public that after he reported the Abalos P200 million peso bribe offer, Arroyo casually told him to ignore it and work for its recommendation for approval anyway. That when he protested that it is too controversial and may attract the wrong kind of attention from media, Arroyo retorted back "Pakulo lang ni Joey yan and his father". When he tried to reason that it may not be accommodated in the Chinese ODA package because it has been filled up with a list of projects already, Arroyo again ordered him to remove the low cost housing project and some water project to accommodate the ZTE-NBN deal in the ODA loan. That when he attempted to reason that it may not be approved in time for the Boao Forum which was only two days to go from that fateful April day, Arroyo with raised voice told him to include the ZTE-NBN project in the agenda of the following day's meeting of a combined NEDA Board and Cabinet Committee, who as expected promptly approved the project paving the way for the contract signing between ZTE and DOTC in China the next day. Neri is afraid to tell the public that this conversation took place between him and Arroyo because it might spark another impeachment complaint against Arroyo.

Why is Neri afraid to tell the public about this conversation with Arroyo? He is afraid that another impeachment will simply result to more expenses of public funds similar to the Hyatt 10 impeachment crisis, because as DBM Secretary who replaced Boncodin, he was entrusted with the large scale DBM payola operation of Arroyo to Congressmen, Senators and Governors not quite similar to the crude Panlilio incident that the public is witnessing now. He is afraid with a more partisan Andaya at the helm of DBM, more public funds will be spent to buy the silence and favour of these greedy legislators and local executives.

He is afraid that with Arroyo's firm control of public funds she can buy all the necessary support from most sectors of society to keep her in power.

He is afraid that even if the opposition knows about this conversation with Arroyo, he is afraid that the opposition will not pursue a serious impeachment proceedings against Arroyo, because it is not to their political interest that Noli de Castro becomes President in case Arroyo is impeached and becomes a more formidable political opponent in 2010. This insincere and unpatriotic goal of the opposition is already being manifested by the malicious speed that the Erap pardon is being cooked by Ronnie Puno together with the Erap camp to hastily put a united front of "Birds of the same corrupt feather" coalition against the emerging JDV led political opposition.

He is afraid that even if the Church knows the truth about Arroyo's direct involvement in the ZTE-NBN deal, the Church will still not call for her resignation due to the closeness of Arroyo's trusted lady liason to the Cardinal of Manila who was very effective during the "Hello Garci" crisis. That Arroyo's Religious Affairs Operators have the Bishops firmly in their "donation" graces, as again manifested by the quick rebuttal of the Mindanao Bishops' of the call of their fellow bishops in Luzon who where calling for the resignation of Arroyo just after Arroyo gave them a visit in Mindanao.

He is afraid that even if the military knows the truth about Arroyo's direct involvement in the fraudulent ZTE-NBN deal, the AFP brass is much too indebted to Arroyo for their position and the perks that goes with their position, that they have demonstrated this twisted loyalty with their willingness to detain, remove from the service and even shoot their own men for voicing out their legitimate concerns regarding the corruption and moral authority of their Commander in Chief. It is a sad spectacle to see the respected warriors of the Marines & Special Forces rot in jail with their ideals, while their men are dying even without receiving the measly P150 per day combat pay that was promised to them by Arroyo due to lack of funds & generals get a gift bag similar to those given to the governors and congressmen just for having dinner with Arroyo the day after that infamous breakfast & lunch meeting where bribe money flowed scandalously free.

He is afraid that even if the Media knows the truth about Arroyo's direct involvement in the ZTE-NBN scam, Media will simply wither in the torrents of cash and favors similar to how the Hyatt 10, Hello Garci crisis were killed in the media headlines and Radio& TV coverages. Although he believes in the integrity of a handful of Journalist, he believes that a handful of these mavericks cannot withstand the hordes of paid lackeys of Malacanang. Especially that the Arroyo crisis team is now being handled by the best mercenary money can buy, from Ramos Sulo Operation, Erap's DILG and now Arroyo's troubleshooter, Ronnie Puno. Ably supported by the Media and PR money from PAGCOR being handled by Cerge Remonte to buy positive airtime, headlines and editorials.

He is afraid that even if the Business Sector knows about the truth of Arroyo's direct involvement to defraud the coffers of the taxes they are paying, the businessmen will be reluctant to rock the boat of the current economic uptrend, especially with the very close personal and business relationship of the so called leaders of the big business like Ricky Razon of ICTSI, Donald Dee of PCCI and Francis Chua of the Filipino-Chinese Federation to Arroyo herself. He is afraid that the hard earned remittances of Filipino OFWs that is keeping the economy booming and that can keep the economy afloat even under any administration is being wasted under this unholy alliance of Arroyo and her favoured businessmen.

He is afraid that even if the Civil Society knows the truth about Arroyo's direct involvement in the ZTE-NBN deal, that the Civil Society is now tired of mass actions after witnessing two failed EDSA revolutions, that Civil Society is now afflicted with a "Rally Fatigue" and cannot muster enough public outrage to denounce Arroyo's "corruption with impunity". He is afraid that the middle class is now indifferent to the corruption that goes around them, not realising that the middle class are the ones mainly carrying the burden of the loan payments for these corrupt deals. He is afraid that the middle class are more interested to become an OFW & to leave this country leaving their family and children behind, and may not care anymore about the crimes being committed against their country by its own President.

He is afraid that even if the Masa, the students, the workers knows the truth about Arroyo's direct involvement in the ZTE-NBN deal to steal precious resources from public funds, that they are now too poor and impoverished to be able to afford the time to join mass actions against the abuses of the Arroyo administration, that these former vanguards of mass actions in the country are now completely dependent on financial resources of professional organizers and have turned themselves into a "Rally for hire" groups rather than a true and genuine political gathering shouting for reforms.

He is afraid that the public may not know the extent of corruption in this country and may wrongly believe that they can cure corruption by simply replacing Arroyo with another person. He is afraid that the public may overlook the systemic and institutionalized nature of the source of corruption in this country, he is afraid that the people will again opt for a regime change without concern or a plan to correct the root causes of corruption in the country. He is afraid that people may not realize that it is not bringing Arroyo down that is difficult, it is establishing a new order that is the difficult task.

This is the predicament of Neri which I want people to realize especially to those who are asking Neri to tell the truth.

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

cross-posted at ynseng.multiply.com

Dove Evolution

2007-10-23T17:05:00.002+08:00

My apologies for the recent storm of video uploads in my blog. I just can't resist posting this awesome video from the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. It's quite old, actually. I think it's the first video in support of their campaign, and now they have two more. Check the Campaign for Real Beauty website to show your support or watch other videos.

Self-Esteem Is Worth Sharing

Biodiversity is LIFE itself

2007-10-15T18:09:00.004+08:00

i found an old CD disseminated by the ASEAN Regional Center for Biodiversity Conservation (ARCBC) in 2005. The video is old, considering that ARCBC is now called ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB). But the issues are still the same: we need to conserve our biodiversity. I hope that through these videos, I could somehow help get the message across.

Coral reefs need your help now!

The environment needs your help now!

Money can't be eaten

Extinction is FOREVER!

ynseng highly recommends

2007-10-13T14:40:00.002+08:00

when you're aching to tell somebody, anybody,
but you can't...

PostSecret.

October 15 is Blog Action Day!

2007-10-13T10:48:00.002+08:00

2 more days...

don't hate me

2007-09-28T12:50:00.002+08:00

"don't hate me because i'm beautiful...

hate me because i dug up your misplaced dink, passed a perfect ball to my multi-talented setter, jumped my usual 39 inches and swung so sweetly that for one split second... even you became a fan.

hate me because i'm good."

what we REALLY need to know

2007-07-10T16:08:00.001+08:00

unfortunately, as Stephen Downes argues, schools (or even workplaces) do not directly teach us the most important things we need to learn in life. in his article “Things You Really Need to Learn,” he enumerated 10 things we all need to learn in order to be successful. here, i’m listing all ten and giving my take on each.

1. How to predict consequences
i have often referred to this as foresight. more than thinking ahead, or observing patterns and generalities, or focusing on what you want to happen rather than what might happen instead, i’d say that this could also refer to focusing on overall consequences of even small actions, rather than aiming for short-term and short-lived benefits.

2. How to read
i absolutely agree on Downes that everyone should master the skill of critical thinking. “reading” should not be limited to simply being able to make sense of letters and words, but also being able to understand deeply what is being asserted and “being able to cut through the crap and get straight to what is actually being said, without being distracted.”

3. How to distinguish truth from fiction
it sounds all too simple. Yet, i have several times encountered people, profound as they may think they are, who can’t tell when they are being fed with total BS. everything is not exactly what it seems. words, actions, and even facial expressions are so limited as to be able to express a whole plethora of emotions that any human being can feel. everything that happens in this world could be directly or indirectly associated to a lifetime of history and a universe of other occurrences. there is no limit to understanding yourself or others.

4. How to empathize
even if you’re learning this skill only now, be glad. it took me a while to understand how important empathy is and now its one of the few skills i truly am proud of, thanks to my great experiences outside of my comfort zone and to the gift of empathy that my husband rubbed on me). i can’t explain this any better than Downes did so here’s what he said:

It is important to at least recognize that there are other people, and that they live in their own world as well. This will save you from the error of assuming that everyone else is like you. And even more importantly, this will allow other people to become a surprising source of new knowledge and insight.

When you are empathetic you will begin to seek out and understand ways that help bridge the gap between you and other people. Being polite and considerate, for example, will become more important to you. You will be able to feel someone's hurt if you are rude to them. In the same way, it will become more important to be honest, because you will begin to see how transparent your lies are, and how offensive it feels to be thought of as someone who is that easily fooled. Empathy is a genuine feeling in yourself that operates in synch with the other person, a way of accessing their inner mental states through the sympathetic operation of your own mental states.

You need to learn how to have this feeling, but once you have it, you will understand how empty your life was before you had it.

5. How to be creative
i believe i am creative not because i can spring ideas out of nothing, but because, as Downes explains, i can respond to things/occurrences/problems by using or manipulating my knowledge in certain ways. difficult as it is, i do attempt to extract some creative juices when i do my work, recite in class, blog, or even when i communicate with my husband!

6. How to communicate clearly
i understand Downes here as saying that it is not enough to say what we mean and mean what we say. it is “a matter of knowing what you want to say, and then employing some simple tools in order to say it.” i believe that this is one very important challenge to everyone because everyday, every minute, we are faced with the need to look at ourselves and be able to show someone else what is actually inside.

7. How to learn
Downes explains that “when you learn, you are trying to create patterns of connectivity in your brain. you are trying to connect neurons together, and to strengthen that connection. this is accomplished by repeating sets of behaviours or experiences.” in a nutshell, he is encouraging readers to constantly make attempts to learn, learn, learn! i guess that’s why i enjoy blogging --- i always learn something about myself and about every topic i blog about. in my work, however, i tend to painstakingly try to make sure i understand every little aspect of what i’m doing. (hint: google is my favorite thing in the world!)

8. How to stay healthy
this, i guess, is obvious: we must all learn to minimize exposure to diseases and toxins, and maintain our physical body. Downes also reminds us that “you never have to justify protecting your own life and health. If you do not want to do something because you think it is unsafe, then it is your absolute right to refuse to do it.” check.

9. How to Value Yourself
notice how crappy people tend to be constantly validating their own insecurities? i believe that people who have a real sense of self-worth (and self-awareness, if i may add) are free from the burden of unsuccessfully trying to prove themselves to othersall the time, thereby making their own and others’ lives miserable.

IMO, Downes explains it in a very simplistic way, but i agree on the need to believe. believe that you are good enough to have an opinion, have a voice, and have a say, that your contributions do matter. the caveat, i guess, is that you must be careful not to put someone else down just so you could raise yourself up.

10. How to live meaningfully
have you read the quote at bottom of this blog site? it’s a quote from the same ancient philosopher who said that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” (or was it Socrates? oh well.) Downes says it’s the hardest thing to learn and i have to agree. while i pride myself for attempting to live a virtuous life, life is not all that easy or simple, is it?

here are Downes’ recommendations: be dedicated to some purpose or goal, have sense of appreciation to the here and now, realize that your meaningfulness in this world is something you must create for yourself, decide what is worth doing and guide yourself to do it, and most importantly, realize that you have the power to control what you are doing and that consequences (even the bad ones) are, for the most part, a matter choice.

whew! i think i just wrote the most consuming self-help piece i’ll ever write! there’s nothing much left to say, i guess, except that we should all go and reflect, learn and live. now.

photos from deviantART.com.

best college pranks

2007-07-08T16:59:00.002+08:00

here are a set of five videos (in no particular order) documenting the best college pranks in youtube, as collected by Thomas Bartlett in his article College Prank as Viral Video.

i recommend that you see all of them and be ready to laugh your heads off! and as i'm sure you'll be mighty thankful for this post, i'll demand that in return, you must post your comments and tell me which is your favorite!

...oh by the way, let this be my challenge to all current members of the UP Volleyball Club:
i think it's time that UP uploaded its own college prank in youtube, courtesy of the very dynamic UPVC! happy 10th anniversary!

Drinkin' Time
--a bit long but worth it!

Start-Up Sound

Upside-Down Room

Fun With Yellow Books

A Lecture Musical
--my personal favorite!

ynseng achieves new balance

2007-07-05T21:34:00.002+08:00

i got new rubber shoes! my New Balance 708 was bought on sale – 50% off!!! hubby wanted to buy himself a pair and then decided to also buy me one as a birthday gift! it’s actually a women's running, all-terrain shoes but it looked good enough for both of us to use indoors – for volleyball and table tennis.

(i would’ve loved to buy new mizuno volleyball/indoor court shoes but they were much more expensive and not all that pretty. in fact i don't think i ever found a pair of mizuno rubber shoes that i liked more for aesthetics than function.)

this is what the New Balance website has to say about the M/W708:

A supportive trail shoe, the M/W708 will debut in the All-Terrain segment of the trail running category for August 2006. The 708 features Abzorb® cushioning in the heel and forefoot for exceptional shock absorption and medial and lateral posts for stability. Motion Core, an outsole feature that improves traction on rough terrain combines with the AT Tread® Outsole design to make the 708 appropriate for on- and off-road use. An N-Durance® Outsole ensures maximum durability and 3M® Reflective details provide an additional safety feature. MSRP = $75.00

my NB W708 will debut on sunday for UPVC’s vnight. and here's to hoping that i'll get back to improving my pingpong skills soon!

this blog is best viewed in any browser

2007-07-04T18:38:00.001+08:00

if you have visited this blog prior to this post, you would have immediately noticed the changes in my title bar. here's the story...

i was recently pointed towards the website of the Viewable With Any Browser Campaign and realized that this is exactly what i was referring to when i blogged about the html problems in my title bar.

here's the idea:

"Anyone who slaps a 'this page is best viewed with Browser X' label on a Web page appears to be yearning for the bad old days, before the Web, when you had very little chance of reading a document written on another computer, another word processor, or another network."

so i joined the anybrowser forum and consulted with a subject-matter expert. his/her take on the matter (basically):

"The problem stems from your use of the marquee: it's a Microsoft-only tag, i.e it's NOT approved HTML - so Internet Exploiter is (I think) the only browser that fully supports it. It doesn't look that great in FF... it almost works... but not quite. It looks ok in Opera. In IE it looks great!

I think that simply deleting the marquee section would ADD to (rather than detract from) the overall quality of your blog - and free you up to concentrate on the content, rather than the presentation."

--Daily Llama

i therefore opted to drop the marquee. i'd rather work hard on presenting my blog in a way that adds interest to the content itself, rather than detract from it. so now i can (i hope) place the proud little button in my sidebar links, declaring this blog as viewable with any browser!

oh, and by the way, i also recently revamped the sidebar to update my blogroll and links. i'm also in the process of organizing my multiply account as my online photo/music/video album. my next project: conquering blogger beta.

Lakbayan: How much of the Philippines have you visited?

2007-06-27T16:34:00.001+08:00

Take the quiz at Lakbayan to find out
how much of the Philippines you've visited.
Here's my result:

Created by Eugene Villar

Close Encounter with the Tamaraw

2007-06-25T14:36:00.001+08:00

I’m posting here an article by a co-worker and friend. She had the rare opportunity to see tamaraws in the wild... and she’s even more fortunate she came back in good shape after a very close encounter with the wild animal.

I’ll hopefully write more about the tamaraw, especially since very few people seem to really understand what they’re all about. (And I promise to give interesting and informative trivia since my hubby himself is considered an expert, having worked with the DENR Tamaraw Conservation Program for over five years.) For now, I’m glad Danee had the chance (not to mention the courage and the strength!) to battle Mts. Iglit-Baco in Occidental Mindoro and meet the fierce national animal of the Philippines.

******************************
Close encounter with the tamaraw
By Daneelyn A. Querijero

Our team had a unique mission. That is to see the famous tamaraw up close. The mission theater of operation: a 16,000-hectare expanse within the 75, 445-ha Mt. Iglit National Park in Occidental Mindoro.

But before we could fulfill our mission, we have to figure out an equally formidable problem: how to dig deep into the wilds of Mindoro for the encounter……

All four of us from the Public Affairs Office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) took the bold step of hooking up with a team of tamaraw “crusaders” from the Tamaraw Conservation Program (TCP) of the DENR to witness how they take on the task of accurately counting the number of the elusive mammal within the expanse of that jungle.

That this was my first time to join the “hunt” only heightened my excitement even more and hardly gave a thought to what lay ahead of me in the four days that would follow. Little did I imagine that those four days at Mts. Iglit-Baco will give me more than what I bargained for……

Tourists, media people, and even students have trekked every summer to Mt. Iglit to be ``up close and personal’’ with an animal considered by the World Conservation Union as critically endangered since 2002. It normally takes an average of seven hours to get to tamaraw territory. It took us 10 hours – but only because we had to take a break during the journey and fell asleep in the process!

Our trek to Mt. Iglit started on a trail in a village named (or nicknamed) Poypoy in the town of Calintaan. From there we were to go to the top of Mt. Magawang, said to be the ``core habitat’’ of the tamaraw. As we started, the weather turned from refreshingly cool to periods of unbearable heat that we could feel intensely in our faces and back. We soldiered on.

As I walked, I felt pleased as it never crossed my mind that I could one day come face to face with a tamaraw --- in its own turf, no less. As I’ve heard, these are not exactly gregarious fellas -- even the mountain dwellers fear the tamaraw’s deadly horns and catlike speed. No doubt, they say, tamaraws are fierce, especially when cornered or threatened. Gifted with an acute sense of smell, the tamaraws use it to alert each other to the arrival of nosey human beings, whom they try to avoid as much as possible.

We were about halfway to our destination when someone exclaimed – “There they are!” Indeed, less than a kilometer away, an animal that looked like a cross between a cow and a carabao walked into an open clearing. Behind the beast walked three smaller ones, apparently wards.

Our guide silently ordered us to crouch behind the tall grasses as low as possible and not to move or make any noise. He didn’t have to say it twice -- we were so awestruck we dropped down on all fours for fear of spoiling the moment.

Our caution might have been a little late though. The mother bull started behaving less like the gentle carabao and more like an awakening bull. She struck a pose which told me she was definitely prepared for war – head lowered, horns shifted into a vertical position, head shaking. She appeared ready to charge. Our bodies frozen with fright, we looked at the hostile creature – but it just looked right back at us, for what seemed an eternity! I could swear all four of us were squarely placed in the angry tamaraw’s eyeball. Then, the unbelievable happened. Mother tamaraw started to look like a gentle carabao once more. The fighter-like look in its eyes and stance disappeared. She turned to her youngsters and seemed to tell them (maybe) that we were not worth a fight at after all. She started to lead the young ones further up the mountain. Whew! Good thing the tamaraw is not known to eat humans!

Tamaraws, how do I count thee?

After breathlessly exchanging our impressions on the surprise encounter, we decided to continue on with our climb, craving to see more tamaraw. We climbed, and crawled sometimes, but no longer saw any roaming tamaraw. We finally found ourselves at the TCP’s Magawang station. This was to be our home for another day or two. Inside was a man ---a member of the Bantay Tamaraw team – excitedly and animatedly talking about something to another guy, who turned out to be Rodel Boyles, coordinator of the TCP. It turned out that the Bantay Tamaraw team had just concluded the afternoon count of the tamaraw for that day – and that they had spotted 34 heads in all, an ``encouraging’’ number, as they told us later.

According to Boyles, the TCP uses the Intensive Concentration Count (ICC) method to tally the tamaraws. Eighteen pre-selected observation sites have been established within the 16,000-hectare section of the park where tamaraws are known to exist. Magawang is the major observation point. Armed with their binoculars and spotting scopes, two to three man-teams are then assigned at each site to conduct and record observations for five consecutive days from April 22-26 (the preset study period for the annual count).

A fixed observation time, from 5:30-7:00 AM and from 5:00-6:30 PM, is strictly followed by the tamaraw teams. “We use a pre-structured matrix or data form where we record the number of tamaraws sighted, the exact time of sighting, activity when seen including the direction they are heading when seen running or walking,” Boyles explained. Based on compass readings, the location of the tamaraw that was sighted is then plotted on a map.

Other important features which could help in determining the exact location of the animals were also noted as reference points. These include wallowing areas, rivers, hills, big rock, established trails and bunkhouses, he said.

Mission impossible accomplished

For the next three days, we had a taste of what it was like to be a Bantay Tamaraw volunteer as we enthusiastically participated in the counting activity. After all, it’s not everyday that I get to see these unique creations traveling in herds or grazing in their natural habitat. It amazed me how its small size and great strength enables it to push through dense jungle and climb steep mountains.

We went down the mountain exhilarated from the experience. We knew that only a few have had our experience of watching a beautiful creature roam freely amid man-made dangers like slash and burn farming, hunting through traditional means or the use of home-made shotguns, cattle ranching, timber poaching, among others, all major concerns for the Protected Areas authorities.

Unlike the Philippine eagle, whose beautiful head and figure frequently appeared in books, newspapers and television, the tamaraw has been absent from the limelight for many years, its survival uncertain. Then, in 2002, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo declared October as Tamaraw Conservation Month in Occidental Mindoro, as embodied in Proclamation No. 273 dated October 14, 2002. Although the Tamaraw Conservation Program has been going on since the 80’s, the proclamation highlighted the earnest effort to protect surviving tamaraws so that they could multiply even more.

To date, a total of 239 tamaraws are still left in the wilds. With a little help from DENR’s conservation program and various pro-environment groups, the tamaraw could still make an amazing comeback in our hearts and eyes – just like the Philippine Eagle.

******************************

This article is a soon-to-be-published feature story of the DENR Public Affairs Office. Check the DENR Website for other related articles. Photos of the tamaraw courtesy of Jaime Lumanglas and the DENR Tamaraw Conservation Program.

For Women Only: Top Reasons to Live in Sweden

2007-06-17T23:36:00.001+08:00

I’m not a hardcore feminist, really, but I have to thank my former professor, V.A. Teodosio of SOLAIR for showing me (and the rest of the class) the importance of understanding women’s rights.

But this is not about her or me. This is a celebration of the great opportunities provided for women in Sweden, where they are judged for their smarts and not for their gender. I’m not even familiar with the country’s culture, economy or social conditions (except I’ve read that the lifestyle is pretty expensive), yet I’d give anything to live my next life there. For now, I can dream of at least immigrating…

Here’s a list (in no particular order) of top reasons for women to live in Sweden.
Source: The World's Best Country for Women by Abigail Haworth at MSN Lifestyle

1. Female politicians make up around half of the Swedish parliament.
2. "Anti-Sexism Awareness Training" begins in kindergarten, where male toddlers are encouraged to play with dolls, and females with toy tractors.
3. In school, classes in cooking, sewing, metalworking, and woodworking are compulsory for both sexes
4. Women are free from traditional roles; there is no pressure to choose between a high-profile job and a happy home life or even give up being feminine.
5. Few Swedish men expect women to be domestic or subservient.
6. Swedish men do more housework than men anywhere else — an average of 24 hours per week.
7. Nearly one in three police officers in Stockholm is a woman, and female recruits now outnumber men at some police training academies. Stockholm's chief of police is a woman who uses psychology and negotiation in most cases but is not afraid to use brute force. Crime has dropped by 9 percent under her leadership.
8. Women are accepted as aggressors in relationships. There is also no stigma against women who've had many sexual partners.
9. Sweden has generous laws on parental leave. Swedish couples — women and men — get 13 months paid leave and another three months at a fixed rate. Of that, 60 days must be taken by the mother, another 60 by the father, and the rest can be divided however they choose. Employers must hold a new mother's job for her for the duration of her maternity leave.
10. Women's sports are given as much TV airtime as men's.
11. In shopping malls, pay-to-pee public toilets are often unisex to minimize those infamously long lines for women's bathrooms.
12. There are innovations such as the world's first "female-friendly car," unveiled in 2004 by Swedish auto giant Volvo. Created by an all-female lead team, the car is packed with woman-specific features: seats that auto-adjust to a female body shape, a special groove in the headrest for ponytails, and a high-heel rest near the foot pedals.

***************

More than having to pay equally with men during dates, or performing conventional courtesies like holding a door open or helping a women carry heavy stuff, these are concrete demonstrations women rewarded for being themselves. I had a glimpse of Sweden when I was an undergraduate in UP. Most guys (my friends, especially) did not believe in traditional gender roles and accepted girls as equals. I was a bit culture shocked when I left for work in the public sector. Where I work, men did perform conventional courtesies, especially for the more attractive women. Such perks are never enough for a woman who wants to be a top official in a very male dominated workplace. I’d like to see me and my female co-worker friends reaching the top someday, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’d have to break the glass ceiling the hard way in order to do that.

“Japanese women live longer, American women earn higher salaries, Greek women have lower rates of breast cancer, and according to one poll, Italian men are better kissers.” Even so... I’d still grab a chance to live a Scandinavian woman’s life... especially if it can be done right where I’m working.

This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer

2007-03-19T14:53:00.001+08:00

This blog is best viewed in Internet Explorer.

Here’s a screenshot of my blog when viewed at Internet Explorer 7:

Using the IE7 web browser, the heading appears as it should be --- the subtitle under the heading "…in pursuit of sensible sanity" is divided into six equally sized boxes, with text scrolling in different directions, at the same speed. I was able to customize the text content of this title bar when I sourced the code from an HTML tutorial site (which I can’t find anymore). At the time, my web browsing experience was exclusive to Internet Explorer.

Now that I’ve switched to the Mozilla Firefox web browser, the title bar turned into this:

My subtitles are now in a state of disarray --- the scrolling won’t work, boxes are randomly shaped, and some text won’t even appear. The title bar is now overwhelmed by the ugly and obviously erratic result of bad HTML codes.

My web designing knowledge is limited to my blogging experience – which actually means inadequate proficiency in HTML. I would only look at some HTML tutorial sites to copy creative codes or make logical revisions of codes based on my previous entries. I would also copy the codes from other interesting sites (using the view source command) when they’re simple enough.

Imagine my distress when I saw the Firefox look of my blog! I didn’t lose faith in the highly recommended browser; I considered instead the possibility that something was wrong with my codes.

Later I would find out that some codes are locked-in to specific web browsers or servers, or even operating systems. A web site design (or at least HTML codes) which adheres to long-established standards should work with any browser and can produce roughly the same experience in any browser since they’re vendor-neutral, cross-platform and standards-compliant.

I also found out about The Web Standards Project and their Acid 2 Browser Test, a test page written to help browser vendors ensure proper support for web standards in their products. Apparently, both IE7 and Firefox 2 failed the test.

Should I feel any less guilty [that the HTML codes I used in IE7 doesn’t work in Firefox]? I guess so. But Acid2 compliant or not, bad codes will lurk in websites as long as there are bad code writers (including guilty me). Hence, I’d be very eager to learn about basic standards-compliant web designing, if only to be able to tweak and pimp my blog for creativity’s sake.

Firefox 3 is in the works and they’re improving the web browser to pass the Acid2 test. For the meantime, I’d appreciate if someone could help me correct the non-compliant codes in my title bar...

Al Gore's Electricity Bill: An Inconvenient (and embarrassing) Truth

2007-02-28T14:43:00.001+08:00

I haven't seen Al Gore's Oscar-worthy film An Inconvenient Truth --- and i will, i promise --- except for the meantime, i'm more interested in the controversy over his Nashville mansion's electricity bill.

Apparently, the electric bill for this house averaged $1,200 last year --- quite hypocritical for the owner who's supposed to be campaigning against global warming.

Here's the statement from the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, posted February 26, 2007:

Al Gore’s Personal Energy Use Is His Own “Inconvenient Truth”
Gore’s home uses more than 20 times the national average

Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.

Gore’s mansion, located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).

In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.

The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.

Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.

Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.

Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.

“As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson.

In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006.

my source: Yahoo! News

Singular Thoughts III

2007-02-05T13:08:00.002+08:00

American Idol is back! Syempre Rockstar (INXS & Supernova) fanatic pa din ako ever pero AI6 should be good enough for now, lalu na kung wala ng 3rd installment sa Rockstar saga. I will definitely not get into recaps like I did with RS:SN Siguro pakonti-konting commentaries lang. Most likely, my links will be pointing to rickey.org, so far the best site for AI fanatics.

******************************
I took a short YM (Yahoo! Messenger) survey recently and I realized how dependent this brain of mine has become to the global knowledge that the internet provides. One question asked how often I used search engines. I ticked the bottom option, "several times a day."

Ang masasabi ko lang… There’s really no excuse anymore for people who don’t do their research. So to everyone pretending to know so much about something when they actually don’t, I have 6 letters for you: GOOGLE.

******************************
And speaking of Google, I recently read about Google winning top place in Fortune Magazine’s survey of Top 100 Companies to Work for in America 2007. Employees not only get the prestige and the free lunch. They also play as hard as they work.

Read the CNN article here.

Read the Top 10 Reasons to Work at Google here.

Watch the Today Exclusive (NBC): Inside Look at Google:

******************************
Enough about Google. Here’s a recommended site if you wanna know the exact time here in the Philippines: PAG-ASA Philippine Standard Time

Cheers!

busy si ynseng

2007-02-02T17:26:00.001+08:00

Hindi naman sa nakalimutan ko na ang blog ko… I have the best excuse in the world for not posting sooner --- I have in fact been awfully busy.

I’m [happily] juggling a little too many tasks right now. My fulltime job has been keeping my work hours busy. Fortunately, I now have assignments that I look forward to doing because they provide opportunities for me to truly challenge myself. Medyo nakakangarag lang kasi I have a whole year of IT training courses to design and finish ASAP, and a Trainers’ Training on Tourguiding manual to finish by the end of April. At syempre andyan pa rin ang backlog at intervening assignments.

I also have an interesting part-time knowledge-based telework job. This home-based editing job is challenging enough to keep me on my toes and discover taken-for-granted skills that I want (and need) to master. The work is also pretty innovative --- I actually find myself doing a little research about it. And despite the additional load, getting the job done actually feels kinda liberating!

I’m also in the second semester of my master’s course in Industrial Relations. I have so far enjoyed going back to school, despite the heavy study load. That is, 6 units worth of stress that includes an endless list of reading materials, hunger strikes for the sake of library time, megabites of html, pdf and doc files and other research materials saved in my USB, and never-enough time to read everything... all these for the sake of higher education and deeper social consciousness. I’m learning lessons that I could confidently say will benefit me for life as I learn realities I wouldn’t have understood had I preferred an apathetic life.

*************************

I remember the time when I first set up this a blog. It was about mid last year and I was shamelessly bored and unproductive that I had to find a way to extract some creative juices to fill the hours. (Not that there was nothing at all to do at work. I just didn’t feel compelled nor motivated to do them.)

Hence, my work hours were spent learning the art of web writing, or more specifically, learning to use HTML codes to improve the look of my blog. I’m no artist but this blog keeps me creatively challenged, what with all the innovative technologies booming every second. Nung una, pagsusulat lang ang inaatupag ko. Nakaka-conscious pa kasi hindi naman talaga ako sanay mag-journal. Then I learned how to upload photos and put links in my posts. Then came the scrolling lyrics and the tagboard. Kasama na jan ang pag-personalize ng sidebar ko. And of course, who wouldn’t upload yuotube videos? Nakakaadik!

I’m not sure about this widgets thing though that’s supposed to be the key to the new Blogger Beta. Haven’t used that yet because I’m afraid it might mess up the HTML codes I tried so hard to create. Feeling ancient tuloy ako for getting stuck with html codes instead of [supposedly] conveniently using widgets. And what’s with the BETA thing anyway? Yahoo has them, even webshots and photobucket? Hay. Pag ako lang nagkaron ng panahon, humanda yang ka-beta-han at ka-widget-an na yan...

I should be blogging more often... that should at least keep me sane.

spot the difference

2006-12-05T17:26:00.001+08:00

our wedding storybook, finally

2006-11-28T12:27:00.001+08:00

it's our 2nd wedding anniversary, and finally i was able to finish editing the storybook version of our wedding photos.

click here to view the photos at Webshots.Com (recommended).
previews below.

PRE-WEDDING PHOTOS

ON-THE-DAY PREPARATIONS

CHURCH CEREMONY

WEDDING RECEPTION

dont you just love commercials?!

2006-11-27T22:04:00.003+08:00

ligwakan at laglagan na -- part III

2006-11-02T22:00:00.001+08:00

uulitin ko lang ng post... di ko matiis eh...

Ten Signs of an Incompetent Leader

1. Delegates work rather than balancing work loads. This allows all attention to be diverted from them in case of failure. (ipasa na lang ang trabaho para wala na syang gagawin at hindi sya ang masisisi)

2. Reduces answers to Yes or No rather than explaining their reasoning. (bahala ka na umintindi at dumiskarte sa trabaho mo)

3. Cannot separate personal life from professional life. Their personal problems come to work with them. (motherhood at its best... no further comment)

4. Is a crisis manager not a planner. (damage control na lang pag nagkaproblema or nasita na)

5. Humiliates subordinates within a group. (ilalaglag ka pag naipit na sya)

6. Creates an environment where mistakes are unacceptable. (on the contrary, mediocrity seems to be the norm)

7. Will not stand behind subordinates when they fail. (will instead solicit support from other mediocres)

8. Encourages hard workers, not smart workers. (ang labo ng work standards)

9. Judges people on hours not performance. (kiss ass- rather than output-oriented)

10.Will act differently in front of their leaders. (so help me god)

better than kitkat (almost)

2006-10-27T19:51:00.002+08:00

dedicated to everyone who deserves a little break from the stressful overworked-and-underpaid routine...

ynseng recommends: chewy

2006-10-20T13:31:00.001+08:00

he's back!

see for yourself and get a good laugh!

rose bleed

2006-10-17T19:44:00.001+08:00

sometimes, you realize too late that some friends are not friends at all.

you're glad to have someone to share your thoughts with. you confide your doubts and fears and lean in the comfort of their understanding.

you at least expect them to defend you when challenged to switch loyalties.

no excuses for cowards, though. apparently, she wasn't really a friend.

the new coke commercial

2006-10-10T08:51:00.002+08:00

i'm trying to resist the urge to blog (finals week na kasi)
but this one is worth the indulgence...

pardon the bahasa ending. i couldn't find the pinoy version.

ligwakan at laglagan na -- part II

2006-09-23T22:00:00.001+08:00

sweet veangeance,
the ynseng way
ligwakan at laglagan na part II

From "How to Work for an Idiot Boss"

The Machiavellian Boss

Diagnosis: Smart, shrewd and ruthless. MB's believe the chair at the top of corporate ladder is theirs by divine right. An MB will rip out your heart, slap it in your hand and say, "Nothing personal."

Care and Feeding: Approach with utmost caution. Consider a transfer.

********************
Exerpt from "21 Types of Bosses" by Melanie Joy Douglas

The Screamer Boss
The screamer boss seems to think that he will get his way if he raises his voice to an unconscionable level: the higher the volume, the higher the commitment. How does a screamer end up a boss? Some clueless hiring managers equate screaming with managerial skill. All in all, screamers just want to know that they’re being heard, and they want recognition. If you can get along with your screamer boss, and gain his respect and trust, perhaps you can help guide him to lower tones.

The Manipulator Boss
Also known as the Machiavellian boss, this type is extremely intelligent and one of the most dangerous. The manipulator boss is highly focused, very motivated, and always has a secret plan. He looks at people as a means to an end. The world is a giant pyramid and the apex is his. People he touches or runs over on the way to the top are casualties he writes off. If you work for a manipulator, watch your back. Your best bet is to be open and honest with him. Volunteer information. Your boss, who has long forgotten what truth is, will be left impressed by it.

The Idiot Boss
The idiot boss is characterized by cluelessness and stupidity. It’s as if he just walked into the office yesterday and started running it. Your choices here can be limited. Doing nothing will leave you embittered, but what can you do when you can’t change an idiot? Well, you can change your reaction. The world is full of idiots in charge, but don’t let it get you down. Do your personal best, and realize that in some way, your boss serves a purpose. Figure out what it is.

********************

Ten Signs of an Incompetent Leader
1. Delegates work rather than balancing work loads. This allows all attention to be diverted from them in case of failure.
2. Reduces answers to Yes or No rather than explaining their reasoning.
3. Cannot separate personal life from professional life. Their personal problems come to work with them.
4. Is a crisis manager not a planner.
5. Humiliates subordinates within a group.
6. Creates an environment where mistakes are unacceptable.
7. Will not stand behind subordinates when they fail.
8. Encourages hard workers, not smart workers.
9. Judges people on hours not performance.
10.Will act differently in front of their leaders.

608MB of rockstar music

2006-09-21T15:30:00.002+08:00

yup, i've downloaded all songs available at supernovafans.com (for members only).

inggit ka? don't be coz i'm giving away limited copies to interested friends. limited copies lang kasi konti na lang cdr ko dito. but i do have the burner in case someone really wants a copy.

by the way, these songs are also available at rockstar.msn.com at $0.99 each song.

rockstar supernova season finale

2006-09-20T18:12:00.002+08:00

i so wanted to focus on the season finale episodes of RS:SN so i didn't take notes for this blog. ok lang yun, madami namang makokopyahan ng recap. this time i'm copying from the official site rockstar.msn.com.

Finale Week Reality Recap

And then there were four. Four Rockers who have been through a whirlwind of anxiety, competition and finally, friendship. With just a few days before the prize is announced and little time left to enjoy the mansion's posh digs, these Rockers were definitely feeling the end of a long journey.

As the Rockers toasted Storm's classy exit, they pondered their future with or without Supernova. Magni retreated to sing Radiohead's "Karma Police." But the private moment was interrupted when Toby handed a pie to Dilana who promptly planted it on Magni's face. Some things never change.

The reality of the competition returned when MiG, a contestant from last year's "Rock Star: INXS," popped in for a visit, presenting Toby with a new Honda Element before more serious talk. MiG stressed that their exposure will be great, but they have to choose their own destiny: "The world is your oyster...you make it what you want."

As they entered the song selection room, the Rockers got a pleasant surprise when they discovered their own performance photos hanging next to the myriad honors of Supernova's individual members. The Rockers were pleased to find that each of them was featured in a pose that best captured their individual personalities.

Song selection contained another twist. Not only would the Rockers again perform originals, they could choose any song from the entire season's library. The Rockers scanned the songs, re-living memories of past performances, thrilled over the amount to choose from. Still, rivalries persisted. Lukas and Dilana argued over Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." After a little negotiation, Lukas selected Coldplay's "Fix You," a song that poignantly reminded him of his relationship with his father: "If he happens to hear [this], I want him to know I'm thinking about him and I want to fix whatever was broken." Dilana, in a bold move, chose "Roxanne," the tune that marked Chris' downfall. During rehearsal, however, House Band leader Paul Mirkovich wasn't taken with her arrangement. Dilana had shown that she was not afraid to take risks, hoping that this one would pay off as well as her others.

Looking on at the mansion, a place they'll be vacating in a few days, the emotional four reflected deeply about their experience. "I don't even want to think about this being the end...I wish this could go on forever," said Dilana. For one Rocker, the ride will continue and for the others, well, this is one adventure they'll never forget.

Finale Week Performance Recap

With only one show to go, "Rock Star: Supernova" is almost over. But it won't be "over" for these four Rockers. One talented contestant's life will change when he or she fronts their newest band, Supernova, while three others will enjoy the benefits of a marked rise in exposure. At this point on "Rock Star," the old saying holds true--there are no losers here.

Proving that adage, the show kicked off with a surprise visit from a Rocker who didn't make the final four but did make a lasting impression on viewers and fans. Verizon Wireless Fan Favorite, Ryan "The Dark Horse" Star, returned and thrilled the audience with his original tune "Back of Your Car." But the intense Rocker was also thrilled after learning that his encore performance earned him a special gift--a Honda CRV.

Then, it was back to business. Through an eleven week journey that produced emotional ups and downs, and performances that revealed many of their strengths and some of their weaknesses, these four still had to prove why they are the perfect Rocker to front Supernova.

They reprised last week's two-song set (one cover, one original) with Toby singing Radiohead's moving "Karma Police." After the poignancy of Radiohead, Toby rocked the house with his catchy original, "Throw It Away" while Magni accompanied his fellow Rocker on guitar.

Dave and Supernova dug Toby's fun filled performance with only brief criticism from Gilby. Still, Dave remarked: "At this point I just feel like I'm kicking back and watching a great rock show."

Lukas was next, covering Coldplay's "Fix You" with raw, emotional power; it was a clear showcase of his melodic range. He continued with his original, "Headspin" choosing to sing the song stripped down with only himself on guitar. It was a nice change and a bold one--Lukas had never been this low key and intimate. Dave and Supernova loved how it showcased his versatility. Gilby stated, "You're fearless and you're not afraid to try something new."

But it was Dilana who took the real risk when she performed The Police's "Roxanne"--a song that sealed Chris' fate so many weeks back. The controversial Rocker made the song her own, featuring her rich, resonant voice and even getting Lukas, Toby and Magni to enter the song with backup vocals. Next up was her own tune, "Supersoul," during which she jumped into the audience and sang to Supernova before moving to the back of the room. After a couple of rough weeks, Dilana (even with a cane) was back in full form. Tommy gushed, "you're so beautiful to watch perform" while Dave said simply: "You know how much I love you. Multiply that by a thousand."

Magni closed out the show with a rousing rendition of Deep Purple's "Hush," showing once again that he is well acquainted and comfortable with classic rock. And then it was on to his original, the aptly titled "When the Time Comes." The strong Icelander garnered less praise than his competitors after Tommy admitted he didn't find Magni's original memorable. Still, Dave was more encouraging, summing up both the evening and what would follow in elimination: "The cards are gonna fall where they will."

We can't wait.

Finale Recap

This season of "Rock Star" has been one wild ride. Despite the many challenges for the talented Rockers who gave so much to this competition, in the end, it was lots of fun. Through it all, the final four met those challenges fearlessly, bringing extra intensity, charisma and rocking chops to the house. Supernova, for sure, had one tough decision to make.

But before we get to that decision, there were the bottom two. With only four Rockers left, this week's elimination consisted of a bottom two instead of three, and Brooke wasted no time announcing who they were. Lukas, Magni and Toby were all at risk at one point last night, but two would find themselves in danger of elimination.

First was Magni. To save himself, Magni chose Jimi Hendrix's "Fire," reprising one of his most celebrated performances of the competition. Would it be enough to save him from the axe?

Toby was next, taking his precarious position in stride. Singing Billy Idol's "White Wedding," the hunky Aussie showcased his strong voice and infectious energy. The girls loved Toby, but would the love extend to Supernova?

After some deliberation, Supernova quickly came back with their verdict. Sadly, Magni was sent home. The Rocker took his exit with charm, class and grace. And that's not surprising. Magni is, as Tommy said, "Magni-ficent."

And so it was down to three. After showing a retrospective of each Rocker's journey, Toby, Lukas and Dilana told Supernova why they were the best Rocker for the job. Tommy answered with, "You three are amazing. But we need to hear for ourselves."

Lukas was first, reprising his performance of The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony" with passion and intensity. He was absolutely electric.

Dilana followed with The Cranberries' "Zombie," proving once again that despite some brief personal stumbles, she was still on top of things.

Toby closed out the final three with The Killers' "Somebody Told Me"--a song he'd received the encore for earlier in the game, and one that nicely matched his voice and style. But would it be the match for Supernova?

Regrettably for Toby, the answer was no. Citing his vocal aptitude and how much fun he put in the music, all of Supernova was certain that the popular Aussie's future would be bright. The Rocker bid a gracious farewell by lauding his two remaining comrades and underscoring how much he'd gratefully learned from Supernova. It was all very heartfelt, touching and, yes, "EVS."

As Dilana and Lukas stood huddled together, awaiting the final, life-altering decision, Tommy was visibly stressed. To Lukas he said "Your look, your energy, your vocals, the way you move, everything's been really amazing for us." He then turned to Dilana and stated, "You are enchanting, and your voice is unbelievable. Who doesn't love you? Who doesn't love both of you guys?

But Supernova could only choose one. And who would that be? Tommy made the announcement: "Lukas, you're our boy." Dilana, though undoubtedly disappointed, thanked each member of Supernova saying, "I love and respect all of you." A standout during these many weeks, there was no doubt in Dave and Supernova's minds that Dilana would find major success.

Now it was Lukas' time to shine as the newly-crowned frontman. Singing "Be Yourself," Supernova wowed the crowd. Lukas' natural chemistry with the band shined through in a tour de force performance. The world better get ready.

ligwakan at laglagan na

2006-09-18T17:20:00.001+08:00

Provided By MetroLyrics

di na dapat pinapalampas mga ganitong sitwasyon, di na dapat dinededma ang ganitong kawalang kwentahan. hindi na uso ang ganitong sistema.

pero di ko na papatulan. kung mga wala silang respeto sa sarili nila, irerespeto ko na lang sarili ko. may araw din sila...

rockstar supernova week 10

2006-09-12T16:34:00.001+08:00

photos from rockstar.msn.com. links point to video performances at youtube.com. mp3 downloads available at supernovafans.com.

tomorrow is week 11 and i just got to have something for week 10. i was unable watch this episode simply because work had to come first. so how do i find out what happened? i tried reading the recap from reality thumbnails but it was piercingly bitter with all the dilana bashing.

(funny how this girl sarah -- who sounds like a pop fan by the way -- keeps dissing dilana without realizing she's falling into the same trap dilana has. and i don't think she'll be able climb back the way dilana did.)

so who do i turn to for reliable recap/review of RS:SN events?

1. youtube.com videos (i usually use the videos uploaded by outofboredom who uses supernovafans.com videos and Craz1NF who uploads even the reality shows and actual eliminations.)

2. dave navarro's 6767 blog

3. spoliers from rockband.com

so... no episode recaps for me... but i'll lead you to the links that i actually read...

episode guide from rockband.com - so worth it if you wanna hear it from a true rock fan's perspective who saw the show live, or if you wanna read it ahead of the actual show. great photos too! i can't get a direct link to this week's spoiler so i'm linking this to the whole episode guide.

The Tuesday Show and Elimination Time - dave navarro blogs about the performances and his thoughts on the coming eliminations

after viewing the videos at youtube, here's my verdict. all the cover songs are unfamiliar to me so i equally didn't enjoy them all that much. magni's and toby's performances were great, but i just have to agree with dave that they don't have enough edge to capture this fan.

i was pleasantly surprised with dilana's supersoul. i guess i should expect a lot of people to misunderstand, but for some reason, i know where she's coming from and i admire her for her honesty and courage. ( i better make sure i get my votes through to keep dilana from getting eliminated)

lukas' headspin was really soulful and captivating. i don't get though why he'd sing it again for the bottom 3 performance. wasn't he prepared? still, nothing but love for lukas!

Provided By MetroLyrics

storm's was the best overall performance. her original unexpectedly matches my feminist stance and it allowed me to see right through her. very honest and courageous too. and even more honest and courageous is her bottom three performance, which is my mostest favoritest performance from her. i'd have probably shed a tear like jason did had i actually watched this episode. ironic that storm had to leave while she's at her best...

rockstar supernova week 9

2006-09-03T10:51:00.001+08:00

photos from rockstar.msn.com. links point to video performances at youtube.com. mp3 downloads available at supernovafans.com. spoilers can be read at rockband.com

volleyball again came first so i wasn’t able to watch the live performance show. but last week’s dilana issue made me want to support her more by making sure i send my votes in time. hence, i found the spoilers from rockband.com. i highly recommend this site for everyone who can’t watch the live episode at star tv, but would really like to vote for their favorite rockers. i think the writer watches the actual taping of the performances (that’s why he calls them spoilers, telling the readers what happened even before the performances are actually shown). luckily, the ordered list of performers enabled me to send ten ROCK06 votes for dilana, and also five ROCK01 votes for lukas! (oo, kuripot, pero at least meron)

i also read quite a bit of dave’s site, 6767, as well as the rockstar spaces at msn live spaces. that gave me quite an insight on dilana’s case. it seems dave and the rockers would like people to get over this one mistake by dilana, because she’s truly a great person and a great performer. they probably also know about the nasty comments of so many dilana critics who are now dissing her for dissing the other rockers. (the rockers’ spaces were full of mean dilana-bashing, most of them unforgiving and very judgemental towards dilana. funny --- they spend so much effort making judgments about dilana because she was unfairly judgmental of the other rockers) oh, i do hope she gets through this.

reality show

man! i cried a whole 15 minutes watching dilana tear herself up! she’s obviously very disappointed in herself and feeling so helpless and vulnerable. the other rockers were sympathetic but i don’t think anybody knew what to do or say to her (except for storm who seems pretty tight with dilana). i get all choked up just remembering her desperate sobs…

the final six had a photo shoot clinic. storm aced this because of a previous experience in modeling. she has a lot going for her: a great writer, a beautiful model, and a rock chick in one package!

this week’s song selection was courtesy of the rockers’ fans. reactions to the songs were varied, but everyone appreciated hearing from the fans. unfortunately, i was unable to share in this experience (i don’t have a verizon wireless and my busted shockwave won’t let me see the RS:SN official site properly, so I didn’t know how to choose a song for dilana or lukas). i’m happy about the choices, though, especially after hearing that dilana got Mother, Mother by Tracy Bonham!

performance show

brooke showed again bits of the dilana drama and i cried all over again. but i’m so proud and happy for her for getting through this. not a lot of people get to fall down and be humiliated in public and climb back up with dignity in such short time. as a fan said, i’m sure we’ll see her standing after the smoke clears…

disclaimer: i read the spoiler before i watched the second replay so i knew that all performances were spectacular. so this being the best show so far, i’ll be embedding ~~all~~ the best performances from youtube. enjoy!

ROCK 01 – lukas performed Lithium by Nirvana. yeah, he didn’t particularly like the song, even botched up some lyrics. but he nailed it anyway! brilliant piano intro, impressive arrangement, charming swagger, powerful voice, great energy! overall, captivating! (yup, had to use a thesaurus toi use all the right words!)

ROCK 02 – magni performed I Alone by Live. magni has the perfect voice for Live songs. if he keeps this up, he’ll be the competition with lukas and dilana in the end.

ROCK 03 – ryan performed Clocks by Coldplay. i’m beginning to like this song. ryan did a stunning piano intro, all followed by intense stage craft. He climbed up the piano, jumped down, rocked the whole stage, and ended with another crawl up and a jump down the piano. All the girls looked so dreamy…

ROCK 04 - storm performed Bring Me To Life by Evanescence. storm did a great version of this almost overused song. and has a great vocal range! i wasn’t so hot about the red dress, though. (toby did nicely with the backup vocals)

ROCK 05 – toby performed Rebel Yell by Billy Idol. he was ecstatic upon finding out this was his song… and the performance was in ecstatically high spirits too! it was as if the show could only get better! i used to think toby used a little too many props, but this time i thought he was a genius! he made sure the audience sang loud enough to be heard on tv, and he made the girls climb up the stage and scream “more! more! more!”

ROCK 06 – dilana performed Mother, Mother by Tracy Bonham. i knew dilana would not disappoint with this very angsty song. and she didn’t! dave even called it the best performance of the 2 seasons so far. i wouldn’t go that far (coz i have other favorites) but i’m so happy she nailed this song, and so happy that i can download a dilana’s great version of one of my favorite songs (which jill by the way totally wasted). Oh, and by the way, tommy told dilana he was the KING of mistakes, to which dilana replied she was the QUEEN.

everyone did absolutely great! i am so absolutely unquestionably utterly glad that i watch this show!

Elimination Show

Another new song, It's On was performed by Supernova with Lukas on vocals. Encore performance was awarded to Toby.

At the bottom three right after the show were storm, ryan, and surprisingly, lukas. other rockers who were at some point at the bottom three were toby and dilana. no surprises there, except for the fact that magni was the only safe rocker! Hurray for Iceland!

Bottom three performances: ryan performed Baba O’Riley by The Who, storm performed Helter Skelter by The Beatles and Dilana performed Psycho Killer.

Ryan, despite his distinctive improvement in every show, was eliminated. Not right for SN, apparently. Perhaps his drama and intensity was a little too much for them.

from the mouth of dave navarro

2006-08-28T17:51:00.001+08:00

im quoting this directly from Dave Navarro's blog, 6767:

OK. We hammered Dilana pretty good the other night. I got into it with her about her comments and she caved quite a bit. I do, however, appreciate that she owned up to it all eventually and because of that I can forgive her. These kids don't live in the real world and they really have lost touch with the fact that anything really exists beyond the house and the show. The fact remains, she simply fucked up. At the end of the day, it's not really a big deal. I can't tell you how many times I have fucked up over the years. A story or article will come out that I did and I will cringe reading back my own words. We taught her a lesson. One I am sure she will never forget. For me, it's over and I think it is time to move on. Let's focus again on the singing and the talent onstage. The press clinic was just that. A clinic. It was there to learn from and I think nobody learned more than she did. Honestly, you think that Tommy has always contained himself in the press? Hahaha! You think I have? No way dude! In fact, I am currently in Toronto doing a press junket and I can almost promise you that I will say something stupid at some point! It just happens. I am not back peddling here I am simply saying that we should get over it and cut her a little slack. It's all part of the audition process. At the end of the day, Dilana is one of the strongest performers on the show and I am a huge fan of her talent.

makes a lot of sense to me.

now, wouldn't it be interesting to see dilana at the bottom three despite an amazing performance on week 9, and THEN perform a spectacular bottom 3 performance?

rockstar supernova week 8

2006-08-26T14:36:00.001+08:00

photos from rockstar.msn.com. links point to video performances at youtube.com. mp3 downloads available at supernovafans.com.

reality show

it’s all about dilana-bashing this week. nope, i’m not gonna be defending her against critics, as i did in my week 7 recap. while i still love dilana, she’s caused a nasty ruckus in the house with her true colors creeping out.

the “challenge” for the rockers is to do interviews, an activity they’ll be practicing a lot when they join supernova. everyone seemed to do pretty well, except for dilana who had a lot to say about the other rockers. nasty, nasty, dilana!

she’s been making it easy for her critics to judge her when she’s starting to act like a sure winner. she had something for everyone: storm who apparently hated the supernova lyrics, patrice who apparently should be the next to go, ryan who’s performance was apparently great [only] because of the house band backing him, toby who’s apparently not really serious about winning, magni who apparently just wants to be with his family, and lukas who she wants to save because apparently, he’s very difficult to deal with. dilana’s bashing was of course not without provocation from the “expert” interviewers, but there really is no excuse for dissing the people she calls her friends.

lukas had to deal with one difficult interview, too, but kept his cool. i’m not sure if he walked out of the interview or simply ended it on a sour note, but as jason pointed out, you’re allowed to be rude to the media when they’re rude to you first. lukas’ no-care-for-the-world attitude might be all too obvious but he seems to understand how to compete fairly, and draws the line between professional and punk.

song selection involved another run around the pool naked. this time, toby gets his revenge with dilana who wanted to do The Police’s Every Breath You Take. “i have a hot body… for a midget!” no other big drama during song selection. they voted for patrice to get one of two original songs, while ryan fought for (and finally won) the other.

performance show

brooke introduced supernova’s mascot, chopper (gilby’s black bulldog). dave is now labeled guitarist of panic channel. (by the way, his blog 6767 is a great read if you wanna go inside his head about the rockers, plus get bits of inside scoop on the show. no mention of his divorce with carmen electra though).

no votes from me again this week. work came first. volleyball, a close second. had to watch the second replay after I wrote the delayed recap for week 7.

ROCK 01 – patrice performed her original song Beautiful Thing. a bit catchy and fun, although a little too happy for supernova according to tommy. I’m actually humming right now.

ROCK 02 – magni performs the grunge classic Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana. I’m not really convinced he could carry it like a true grunge fan despite his claim that it’s his generation’s theme song (he’s probably my age then). dave thought he performed it with a lot of angst (he did?).

ROCK 03 – ryan performs his original song Back of Your Car. it’s the end of the world and a couple decides to make love --- not so hot about this story. but I cranked up the volume --- my cue that I’m enjoying the performance.

ROCK 04 – storm performed Cryin’ by the great Aerosmith. I got goose bumps during her performance. so much better than last time, I could only say encore!

Steven Tyler is still the best though. check this Cryin’ video that made a star of Alicia Silverstone.

ROCK 05 – dilana performed The Police’s Every Breath You Take. not a stellar performance for me, but still great.

ROCK 06 – toby performed Layla by Derek and the Dominos. I don’t really know this version but I’ve heard Jordis sing it in rockstar: inxs. best version still goes to Eric Clapton. back to toby: removing his shirt was ok, I guess. but his moment was when he walked to the rockers who sang with him, and got the audience to join in too! (patrice looked pretty awkward there.)

ROCK 07 – lukas performed The Killers’ All These Things that I’ve Done. great energy. nakakatuwang hindi minsan ang kalikutan nya sa stage.

elimination show

the interview sessions were shown, with dilana acting like she’s the greatest and making nasty little comments against everyone. dave was shocked and speechless. no comment from supernova.

all dilana could say was that she apologizes for being a bitch this week, that she can sing but has no experience with interviews, and that her only excuse is that she’s too honest. she keeps her ground though in showing how determined she is to be Supernova’s frontman.

is this gonna cost dilana? it’s gonna cost more than a few votes, I’m sure. but I think the performances should count more. dilana admits to screwing up badly and apologized (sincerely, I think). And she vowed to learn from this experience.

tommy (and also dave, as he himself pointed out) exemplifies the rockstar who’s been under a lot from sensationalized negativity by the press, but he’s here now, gaining more fans with Supernova. will battered pam ever be mentioned in this competition? i don’t think so. (probably why they didn’t say anything during dave’s sermon with dilana.) I’m pretty sure dilana has enough sense to get up and go for it.

moving on… no encore tonight. but another performance with Supernova was awarded to toby who sang with them the new song Be Yourself and Five Other Cliches. great sound! now that i see toby performing with supernova, i can see him doing just fine. his voice, his moves and his looks fit nicely with jason, gilby and tommy. brooke announced that schedules and tickets of Supernova’s tour are now available at supernovarockshop.com.

almost at the bottom three was storm. magni performed Fire by Jimi Hendrix; patrice performed Middle of the Road by The Pretenders; and toby totally rocked a rearrangement of STP’s Plush! of course he was immediately saved from elimination. and of course, patrice had to go.

now that patrice is gone, it’s gonna be a tricky guess who’ll be at the bottom in the coming weeks!

rockstar supernova week 7

2006-08-23T19:38:00.001+08:00

week 8 na dapat ginagawa ko, but no, kailangang karirin ko muna itong week 7! waaah! photos from rockstar.msn.com and youtube.com. links point to video performances at youtube.com. mp3 downloads available at supernovafans.com.

reality show

this week's reality show was all about getting a taste of what it would be like to become Supernova's vocalist: jet-setting to vegas via supernova's tour jet, VIP treatment (meaning lotsa booze for everyone) and presidential suite accommodation at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, standing at The Joint's stage where Supernova will give their first performance on new year's eve, and wild, endless partying!

(i wonder about jason newsted's thoughts on metallica and partying. some friends told me that he was booted out of metallica because of his uncontrollable alcohol/substance abuse. but then he was critical of toby and lukas who both got wasted from too much partying. jason preached, "you do not have to go all the way and get stupid so people can laugh at you." hmm... will the real jason please stand up?)

the acoustic song selection was a treat for the fans of toby. dilana made him strip butt naked so that he can have the performance with gilby. another song selection drama was when zayra (who really, really, really, really, really wanted to perform her original song) won over ryan (who would die to do it). at least ryan gets to perform phil colins' in the air tonight.

i don't mean to make this long but i just have to comment on Sandy McFarland's episode review at reality thumbnails

Dilana pulls Tommy Lee aside and says that she wants him to know that all these a**holes can go home right now and he doesn’t have to say a damn word! (She tells us that she went to talk to Tommy a bit, and it was really natural hanging out with the guys.) She continues yakking at Tommy and brags that she can sing, draw a crowd, AND hang with the boys. That’s all she can tell him! (She tells us that they might as well bump everyone and get this thing over next week, so THEY (meaning she and Supernova) can get on with the band and move on.) Tommy grabs her face and squeezes it for the camera. (I note that he hasn’t uttered a word throughout her pitch.) Yes, she says, she needed to tell him this, person to person and gives Tommy a shoulder squeeze. (I have decided to never vote for Dilana again.)

i don't know this "sandy" but i would bet she's a girl who can't see an empowered woman when it's right under her nose, but she sees stars and coolness in some cute guy who drowns himself silly with booze.

Toby says there were a few folks that couldn’t handle their drink and, “Mind you, one of them was me.” (We seeing him slurring to Jason… “I’m smashed… ” (I do love Toby!)

why do we hate women who have enough guts to assert themselves and go for what they want? i've read other nasty comments about dilana being bitter and witchy, especially when lukas is gaining on her. how gullible can you get? the reality in reality shows is that personalities will be portrayed in the spiciest ways possible. several times have dilana validly exhibited a great personality. kaya nga sya napagkakamalang matanda kasi she seems to have more smarts than most of the other rockers.

...and as if on cue, dilana blew her funky birthday cake and wishes aloud "i wish you'd all go home so i can get on the tour bus!" that's the spirit, dilana! go get em!

performance show

lets make it brief, kasi i'm running out of time...

ROCK01 Zayra performs her original song Lluvia de Mar. great song. she looked great too!tommy sensed some massive atack in it. i on the other hand sensed a little shakira for a moment.

ROCK02 - Magni performs David Bowie’s Starman. i don't know this song but it sounded pretty cool. the white suit is a great look for magni.

ROCK03 - Patrice performs Message In A Bottle by The Police. she doesn't seem too interested in challenging herself.

ROCK04 - Lukas performs Nickelback's Hero. sweet. but i still prefer chad kroeger's vocals in the original version. as i looked for the video of nickelback's hero i came across this cool video of kingdom hearts using the song...

ROCK05 - Storm performs Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive. her version was bad bad bad! especially when you compare this performance to dilana's time after time (by cindy lauper) and marty's baby one more time (by no less than britney spears!) from rockstar: inxs. i'm now seeing the geri halliwell in storm's performance. but she's such a great sport, inspite of the hammering from dave and supernova. "it's ok, man, i like spanking."

ROCK06 - Toby performs Peter Gabriel's Solsbury Hill with gilby. he was so busy rocking with the drummer, he looked like he forgot all about gilby. oh, and he had more props: the bongos.

ROCK07 - Ryan performs Phil Collin’s In The Air Tonight. i knew he'll make a great job. the song suits his rearrangement style. i can see the possibility of another encore.

ROCK08 - Dilana performs Harry Chapin's Cats In The Cradle. nice deep voice. it's a competition between her and ryan for the encore.

elimination show

supernova's making the competition much more exciting by performing with the rockers each week at elimination night. first honor goes to dilana! yipee! the song is entitled leave the lights on, performed by supernova featuring dilana on vocals.

ryan wins the encore. storm and toby almost makes it to the bottom 3. at the bottom 3 are zayra, patrice and magni. zayra sings Razor Blade by Blue October. patrice sings celebrity skin by hole. magni sings creep by radiohead.

zayra brings her fans to tears as she says her goodbye to rockstar: supernova.

late, as always

2006-08-18T18:22:00.001+08:00

it's 6:21 pm on a friday night and i'm still at work. di ko pa natatapos ang ecotourism training course design. and more importantly, wala pa din akong nagagawang rockstar supernova week 7 recap... haay... sana bukas magawa ko na yun pareho, tutal wala akong klase, quezon city day.

but no, may make-up class pala kami sa IR299. akalain mo yan. ibig sabihin kailangan ko nang magbasa-basa para makabuo ng maayos na paper proposal for submission tomorrow. haay.

i've decided to change my topic from tna (training needs assessment) of ICT (info communications technology) capability ng denr staff to public sector unionism in denr (or something). haay... so unbecoming of me...

hay nakoh... puro na lang buntong hininga. tama na nga yan.

intrams na!

2006-08-17T18:02:00.001+08:00

it would've been a perfectly pleasurable wednesday, except that i had to miss one favorite activity over another. . .

alam naman ng cmc-cal teammates ko kung gano kahalaga sa buhay ko ang rockstar:supernova... pero inasahan nilang mas kakaririn ko ang intrams.

perfect na sana: rockstar sa umaga, tapos intrams, tapos kung may oras pa, library time sa solair. e di sulit ang absenteism! pero kilala pa din ako kahit ng mga nakababatang vc mems. alam nila na dadating ako ng 10AM for the love of the game.

mabuti na lang nanalo kami. aba, alangan namang matalo pa kami sa law?! di na nga sila kagalingan, naglaro pa ng di gaano nakakaintindi ng volleyball rules. how ironic. law students joining the game without knowing the rules. ang bad trip pa, yung incompetent referee namin, palaging kinokonsulta nung captain nila. it's like the blind leading the blind. mabuti na lang mataray enough na si roge para sa team namin. i could be the calm and collected ate. (wink! wink!)

but no, natalo kami ng first set. would you believe?! i would. pano kasi mga diesel kami. wala sa kundisyon nagsimula at medyo nag-attempt pa karirin ang law. yun pala buko-bukong laro lang ang kailangan. haay. dapat talaga super warm-up before magsimula. por dat, dapat 1 hr ahead kami magwa-warm-up before the game.

the question is... would i be willing to spare that warm-up time if it meant giving up the chance to watch the supernova auditions live? (well, not really live kasi recorded version na yun.) hmmm... decisions, decisions... i'll cross the bridge when i get there.

as you wish, danee

2006-08-15T12:21:00.001+08:00

i'm glad you asked. i wouldn't have thought about it otherwise.

click here. to see my previos post about this song (with lyrics) or read about it at the tyra banks show.

Rockstar: Supernova Week 6

2006-08-11T12:18:00.001+08:00

photos from rockstar.msn.com. links point to video performances at youtube.com. mp3 downloads available at supernovafans.com.

reality show

gilby clarke arrives at the mansion and surprises the final 10 with bad ass gibsons.

the individual songwriting challenge allowed supernova to look into each rocker’s abilities and personality. they liked lukas’ lyrics and kinda laughed at dilana’s. it irks me a little bit that the show is depicting dilana as a player strategizing against Lukas and reacting bitterly when he’s gaining ground. . . on the other hand, i'm terribly enjoying the way lukas is being portrayed as pasaway (storbo kay ryan na mabagal sumulat ng kanta) and “dirty and sexy”! how absolutely adorable!

performance show

is it just my reproductive hormones or is magni’s kid the most charming angel?

disclaimer: I can only only appreciate the performances when I’m familiar with the song. otherwise, I lean towards supernova’s own comments, specifically gilby’s.

ROCK01 - dilana rocked The Who’s won't get fooled again with gilby in guitars. i don’t know this song, and neither did dilana when she picked it to perform with gilby clarke. “you’re a star! after that, I have no doubt that a woman can front our band.” yippee!! 6 votes!

Provided By MetroLyrics

ROCK02 - jill looked like an avril lavigne-wannabe when she sang
Tracy Bonham’s mother mother. nainis lang ako kasi the song would’ve perfectly suited her screamers. avril would’ve done a better, angstier, more appropriate version. and I can’t believe dave liked the singing and jumping!

ROCK03 - goth becomes ryan in his performance of the Rolling Stones’ paint it black. ok lang. I think I’m getting over last week’s encore...

ROCK04 - storm again demonstrates her singing and her, uhm, acting prowess when she performed Queen’s we are the champions. storm was great but I like jordis’ version more...

ROCK05 - zayra was oozing with confidence when she performed David Bowie’s all the young dudes. almost an academy-worthy performance -- she looked like an oscar trophy. no grammys for her, though -- gilby thought she was “flat a lot” (the keys, not the curves).

ROCK06 - josh was about to sing STP’s interstate love song when T.Lee suddenly begged to rock with him. josh seemed to be in a state of belief the whole time – he forgot the lyrics, was so self-conscious, and out of wits after the performance. he obviously can’t handle the big stars of supernova.

ROCK07 - magnificent magni was unaccompanied when he performed Live’s the dolphin’s cry. this is among my fave Live songs and magni did a great GREAT job! his intensity matched Live’s and he did it all by himself, armed only with an acoustic guitar.

ROCK08 - patrice perfrmed John Lennon’s instant karma. she has a nice rocker voice but she’s just not very entertaining/interesting. nice hair, though.

ROCK09 - lukas sent goose bumps when he performed Radiohead’s creep. nothing but love for you, lukas!

ROCK10 - toby rocked the Talking Head’s burning down the house. I’m not familiar with the original version but I like the version from Tom Jones and The Cardigans (cool video, too... bagay na back-up dancers ni zayra). I wasn’t so hot with toby’s megaphone prop, either, since JD Fortune worked it already in Rockstar: INXS. (but I didn’t dislike it as much as dave navarro)

elimination show

the first encore was awarded to lukas rossi. magni took the second encore in electric version. the boys did great, although I prefer their performance shows. mas malakas ang dating.

bottom scare went to jill, josh, zayra, ryan and patrice. ryan’s rearrangement of Depeche Mode’s enjoy the silence saved his ass from elimination. jill screamed (again) Aretha Franklin’s respect and josh strapped himself (again) in his guitar with Bad Company’s shooting star.

just as two rockers were rewarded with encores, two axes eliminated jill and josh. why am I not surprised?

Rockstar Supernova Week 5

2006-08-02T15:09:00.001+08:00

i’d rather give a recap of week 4 but that would be too late. so here’s my take on week 5... photos from rockstar.msn.com. links point to their video performances at youtube.com. mp3 downloads available at supernovafans.com.

reality show

last week, gilby clarke facilitated the songwriting workshop. now it’s a stage craft clinic c/o jason newsted who showed them their week 4 performances. the show featured an unsurprisingly talkative jill and the unsurprisingly unsympathetic lukas enjoining toby to play a more interesting tic-tac-toe game. . .

can dilana be any more perfect? She’s beating herself up for her less-than-perfect vocals in “time after time”, she said that when she performs everything is about her audience, and she showed sincere empathy while watching magni' family video. to my eyes, she's the most beautiful person in the group. . .

and if dilana is the most beautiful person, lukas must be the most pasaway. song selection did not cause much drama except when lukas took the songs from "the room" to the group outside. "i'm not into rules. . ." don't you just love him?

performance show

ROCK01 - tommy lee in his fuzzy drums performed the chili peppers' higher ground . oh yeah, and patrice did the singing in mohawk. i'm still not impressed, especially after she wasted a song from the great black crowes last time.

ROCK02 - josh kept it real with the hiphop reggae santeria by sublime. the theme: magpakatotoo ka!. good for you, josh. both you and zayra.

ROCK03 - dilana, as always, gave something extra special when she performed can't get enough by bad company. can't relate lang ako kasi di ako familiar sa song. still, five votes for you dilana!!!

ROCK04 - toby's pennyroyal tea by nirvana was entertaining. i'm still waiting to be really impressed, though.

ROCK05 - zayra sang about some girl's phone number. the leopard print attire added to the lesbo theme. fun, at the least. i gave her one vote, in honor of her lone fan, my friend, pebols.

ROCK06 - magni sings clocks. i can't even remember....

ROCK07 - jill screamed her way through simple minds' don't you forget about me. sayang ang kanta. tsk! tsk! dave thought her performance was the type where you get an opportunity to go to the bathroom, grab a drink... anything to avoid watching her.

ROCK08 - ryan performed losing my religion by rem, using a baby grand piano. i loved his version. very creative.

ROCK09 - lukas, to me wasted the great hole song, celebrity skin. worse than jill's violet. i couldn't help but give him one vote. god save lukas. please.

ROCK10 - a very polished and business-like-rocker, storm sings her heart out to changes by david bowie. sabi ni pebols kamukha nya si geri halliwell.

ROCK11 - i can't remember much about dana's performance.

elimination show

ryan deserved the encore, toby deserved the scare, zayra deserved the break, jill & patrice deserved the bottom 3... and i guess dana deserved the elimination.

i enjoyed jill's performance of heart's alone. much much better than carrie underwood's version. chills me to the bone.

State of the Nation 2006

2006-07-28T22:31:00.001+08:00

The Future Is So Bright

I listened to GMA’s SONA without expectations and much interest. I barely remember her previous SONAs, except for the fabulous gowns, the defensive demeanor, and her charms wearing thin. This time, however, I had to smile.

In a trainer’s perspective, the President did rather well. She kept the speech interesting, using clear and comprehensible language and effective visuals. Her gown, again, looked fantastic. Her confident smile reached from ear to ear.

And why not? She claims to have the resources to implement the projects she enumerated in her speech. She had the firm support of the military and local government officials so crucial to her success.

When she began her speech with a roll call of thank yous, she exhibited the grace of a powerful woman who understands the true meaning of teamwork. She is willing to credit the elected and the appointed, not only for their efficient cooperation but also for their effective initiatives.

When she emphasized the need to focus the country’s resources on regional development by building up SUPER-REGIONS, I almost gave her a standing ovation myself. She laid out plans for long-term success through ecotourism, agri-business, infrastructure and vast improvements in transportation and ICT.

I was all smiles after GMA’s speech. I was looking forward to doing what I can to support her.

I Gotta Wear Shades

I couldn’t help, though, but listen to commentaries about her speech. Some critics sounded like sore losers, while some expressed valid concerns.

Some politicians immediately criticized her roll call of who’s who in pinoy politics, her crash course on Philippine geography, and her use of human props in the person of the everest climbers, the miss world beauty titlist and the ultimate pinoy champion, many pacquiao. They sounded to me like trapos who had such sour (or should I say bitter?) tastes in their mouths.

The concern that I did find real and valid came from Atty. Dong Puno when he expressed his pessimism with the success of her mega-projects as far as funding is concerned. The President could simply insist that “we now have the funds” but, likewise, she could easily enumerate excuses at the end of the day. Yes, she seems sincere enough and determined enough to work hard and do her best. But is that enough? Can she be trusted?

The End Does Not Justify the Means

Later that week, I was in a heated battle with an officemate who said her praises to GMA. When another officemate insisted that a cheating president is not a president worthy of any trust, the GMA fan replied that it shouldn’t matter anymore that she cheated considering her job-well-done.

Of course, I had to join that debate. Disclaiming that I likewise admired her speech, I also explained that I am not for a leader who justifies a successful job only by its final merits. GMA’s overall success is yet to be seen, considering that this SONA consisted mostly of promises begging to be officially funded. For now, we can only judge her by her means to that success.

When the GMA fan compared the “great” president to our “unfair” boss, I enumerated to her the similarities in their Machiavellian leadership. They both take pride in successful endings, without much care how they got there. They took pride in their efforts to work terribly hard but displayed fake attempts to build relationships. They’re also both, uhm, vertically challenged women who held their husbands by the neck. The GMA fan was stunned. Perhaps she had something to think about now.

What I failed to mention to her, however, was that I understand the need to at least support GMA because, indeed, she had great plans for the country. And if I may say so, I have the opportunity to do my part in my office’s efforts to contribute to the business of tourism by conducting ecotourism trainings for DENR staff supervising protected areas in the country.

There is hope for the Filipino people -- at least for now. GMA still has much to prove and there is much work to be done. Hopefully, those who watch her with critical eyes would also do their part.

****************
Links:
Complete SONA Technical Report and Executive Summary
Sen. Edgardo Angara's opinion on GMA's 2006 SONA at Manila Bulletin Online
A rare criticism from administration Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago

thank god for You Tube

2006-07-23T15:08:00.001+08:00

the most awesome videos sending chills down my spine . . .

Teardrop by Massive Attack

Love, love is a verb / love is a doing word / fearless on my breath / gentle impulsion / shakes me, makes me lighter / fearless on my breath / teardrop on the fire / fearless on my breath / Night, night of matter / black flowers blossom / fearless on my breath / black flowers blossom / fearless on my breath / teardrop on the fire / fearless on my // Water is my eye / most faithful mirror / fearless on my breath / teardrop on the fire / of a confession / fearless on my breath / most faithful mirror / fearless on my breath / teardrop on the fire / fearless on my breath // It's tumbling down (as in love falling apart) /It's tumbling down (as in love falling apart)

Mad About You by Hooverphonic

Feel the vibe, feel the terror, feel the pain / It's driving me insane / I can't fake / For god sakes why am I / Driving in the wrong lane / Trouble is my middle name / But in the end I'm not too bad / Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be so mad about you / Mad about you / Mad // Are you the fishy wine that will give me / A headache in the morning / Or just a dark blue land mine / That'll explode without a decent warning / Give me all your true hate / And I'll translate it in our bed / Into never seen passion, never seen passion / That is why I am so mad about you / Mad about you / Mad about you / Mad // Trouble is your middle name / But in the end you're not too bad / Can someone tell me if it's wrong to be / So mad about you / Mad about you / Mad // Give me all your true hate / And I'll translate it in your bed / Into never seen passion / That is why I am so mad about you / Mad about you

Ava Adore by Smashing Pumpkins

It's you that I adore / You'll always be my whore / You'll be a mother to my child / And a child to my heart / We must never be apart / We must never be apart // Lovely girl, you're the beauty in my world / Without you, there aren't reasons left to find // And you'll pull your crooked teeth / You'll be perfect just like me / You'll be a lover in my bed / And a gun to my head / We must never be apart / We must never be apart // Lovely girl, you're the murder in my world / Dressing coffins for the souls I've left to die / Drinking mercury to the mystery / Of all that you should ever seek to find / In time // In you I see dirty / In you I count stars / In you I feel so pretty / In you I taste God / In you I feel so hungry / In you I crash cars / We must never be apart // Drinking mercury to the mystery / Of all that you should ever seek to find / Lovely girl, you're the murder in my world / Dressing coffins for the souls I've left behind / In time / We must never be apart // And you'll always be my whore /'Cause you're the one that I adore / And you'll pull your crooked teeth / You'll be perfect just like me // In you I feel so dirty / In you I crash cars / In you I feel so pretty / In you I taste God / We must never be apart

Home by Depeche Mode

Here is a song from the wrong side of town / Where I'm bound to the ground by the loneliest sound / And it pounds from within and is pinning me down // Here is a page from the emptiest stage / A cage or the heaviest cross ever made / A gauge of the deadliest trap ever laid // And I thank you for bringing me here / For showing me home / For singing these tears / Finally I've found that I belong here // The heat and the sickliest sweet smelling sheets / That cling to the backs of my knees and my feet / Well I'm drowning in time to a desperate beat // And I thank you for bringing me here / For showing me home / For singing these tears / Finally I've found that I belong / Feels like home / I should have known / From my first breath // God send the only true friend I call mine / Pretend that I'll make amends the next time / Befriend the glorious end of the line // And I thank you for bringing me here // For showing me home / For singing these tears / Finally I've found that I belong here

ynseng recommends: arts & letters daily

2006-07-22T13:36:00.001+08:00

my professor in IR201 once asked us what we were reading at the moment. panic attacks suddenly filled my classmates' eyes as they dreaded th thought of the prof asking us one by one. lucky for me, i wasn't called. i don't think a jackie collins book would translate as "impressive," "clever," or even "cool" to my younger classmates.

but i did have a witty answer in mind. i would've been proud to let my classmates know that much of my "intellectual" reading is sourced from the arts and letters daily's collection of articles from the net.

i do recommend this site to the intellectually hungry. the writers are good, so unlike the assigned readings in my class. below are some of the articles i've noted. i haven't read them yet but i'm blogging about it to remind myself to read them.

Some Dark Thoughts on Happiness
>> Learn about the Authentic Happiness Inventory (i think it's supposed to be a tool that objectively measures authentic happiness. or something), and the people who study happiness for a living

'The Most Optimistic Country in the World'
>> Discover the growing purchasing power of the middle class of india. "Socially and economically, India is developing at a galloping pace when compared to the rest of the world." my professor warned the class about this. make way for the new india.

An excerpt from The Economics of Attention
>> I've read somewhere that while information technology is the thing of this century, the next will be creativity. Richard Lanham tells us more in this article as he claims that artists are the ultimate “economists of attention,” the real experts in grabbing their chunk of our mind-share.

The Freedom to Ridicule Religion -- and Deny the Holocaust
>> Although I don't absolutely agree, I have deep respect for Peter Singer's writings on philosophy, particularly on the subject of animal rights. Here, he maintains that "...we must preserve our freedom to deny the existence of God and to criticize the teachings of Jesus, Moses, Muhammad, and Buddha..." and that "freedom of expression must include the freedom to ridicule as well." surely, a good read...

Goodbye, Blog
>> Alan Jacobs explores the architecture of blogs and the impossibility of real conversation in the blogosphere. he's right: life is too busy to keep the momentum of debating. ironically (or perhaps intentionally), there is no "comments" link at the end of his article.

"Dilana... I wanna..."

2006-07-19T22:04:00.001+08:00

tommy lee sounds so cheesy and scripted sometimes.
but this time, i gotta agree.

i don't particularly like the cranberries' zombie.
very irritating vocals, if you ask me.
but i can listen to dilana's version over and
over and over again...

HELL, YEAH!

singular thoughts II

2006-07-13T17:08:00.001+08:00

happy 28th birthday ynseng! happy 1st birthday jessie!

************************************************************

i finally got my yabang pinoy wrist band. akala ko maghahanap pa ko sa mga stores where the band is available. buti na lang i found their booth nung DENR day sa parks and wildlife.

i support the cause, that's why i'm wearing it. i was hoping though that they'd have it in funkier colors.

*************************************************************

i've had the chance to see the beautiful mount malarayat golf and country club in lipa city, batangas. kaso wala namang time makita ang magagandang view kasi sinulit talaga ako sa trabaho. still, it was a rather pleasant stay. the food was great, our loft was great. i'm not sure though if the people from sun microsystems would recommend it. they were the ones directly coordinating with mount malarayat people and i think there were quite a bit of booboos. still, i'd go back if i can afford it...

photos from malarayat.com

************************************************************

x-men was great. x-2 was good enough. x-3, the final stand was awesome! (at least compared to the da vinci code).

spiderman 1 was good. spiderman 2, much better. now, i'm really looking forward to this...

the best show on earth

2006-07-07T12:15:00.001+08:00

and the single most important reason i'm watching it is to see dilana...

just for today

2006-07-03T20:54:00.001+08:00

i do love the ellen degeneres show but this post is not about her. it's about the theme song from the tyra banks show, just for today by Grammy Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter and U.S. Ambassador for UNICEF india.arie.

nevermind the empowering lyrics. it's the first lady of acoustic soul, inspiring by "using the power of words and music to bring words music and right human relations." AskMen.com describes her as:

Natural talent. Natural woman. Natural charm. Arie is just what we need in music today. Someone sincere and real, without pretense or shady agenda, other than to infuse our lives with some funk and soul. Who could ask for anything more? An artist like Arie reminds us that music is music and has nothing to do with physical appearance, material possessions or anything else associated with the world of floss and bling bling.

unfortunately, i can only hear the song when i watch the tyrashow. so if there's anyone out there who can point me to a site that will allow me to listen to this song for free, pls do let me know. or better yet, why not send me an mp3 if you have it?! lyrics from lyricsbox.com

Just for today, I will not worry what tomorrow may bring, no.
I'm going to try something new
Walk through this day like I got nothing to prove yeah yeah.

Although, I have the best intentions
Can't predict anyone's reactions
So I just do my best.
I put one foot in front of the other
And keep on moving forward
And let God do the rest.

I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.
I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.

I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.
I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.

Just for today I'm telling the truth like it's going outta style
I'm going to swallow my pride, and be who I am
And I don't care who don't like it.
I feel fear but I do it anyway
I won't let it stand in the way, I know what I must do.
There's no guarantee that it'll be easy,
But I know it'll be fulling and it's time for me to sure improve.

Its ok not to know
Exploration is how we grow
Its ok to not have the answer
Cos sometimes its the question that matters

I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.
I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.

I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.
I don't know what's going to happen that's alright with me
I open up my arms and I embrace the mystery.

like there's no tomorrow

2006-06-23T12:37:00.001+08:00

8 undersecretaries
7 assistant secretaries
+ more to come daw
=============================
foreign travels galore

meanwhile, the department is finalizing the rationalization plan that threatens to axe the humble casual employees by september this year. top that.

hindi ako maasim!

2006-06-11T12:47:00.001+08:00

DISCLAIMER: sa mga kaopisina at kaibigan kong nakakakilala sa mga karakter na inookray ko dito, mangyaring manahimik na lamang at nang hindi na ako lalung mapasama. salamat.

the inter-color volleyball tournament in our office is finally over. after two round robins, one crossover and one final match, we placed third out of four teams. it's not so bad, really. i'm very proud of my how my team came through, considering the other teams' skill advantage over ours. we always play a good game, and we always play fair.

my beef with this tournament, however, is the way it was organized. i've participated in quite a few nasty debates with the organizers regarding some decisions that did not seem fair. i'd rather not be sour about it but this is my blog and i can't help it. so let me give you a list.

meetings were not organized. it was unclear who should be there and what the agenda were. nobody took note of agreements. for instance, we decided to separate the better players (these are players who represented the office in more competitive matches outside the office) to ensure fairness and to add an element of fun to the competition. however, when the line-up of players were finalized, it turned out that one team had un unfair share of the better players, leaving one team looking like they didn't know what they're getting into. apparently, the organizer approved the line-up despite the previous agreement. i did feel a sense of betrayal, but it was just a game and i had faith in my team. so dedma na lang.

i was asked to prepare ground rules (tournament formula) and a tentative schedule for the volleyball competition, a copy of which shall be provided (daw) to team captains prior to the start of the games. i made one based on the formula of some fivb tournaments. unfortunately, my team had to be on our toes and play it by ear because no sight of the so-called approved ground rules appeared.

game schedules kept changing for reasons that could be argued as unnecessary or invalid. we worried that certain team/s were being given undue advantage but we had no proof so we kept mum about it. we played by their "rules", why not play by their "schedule"?

the main organizer of the volleyball tournament was coaching a team at the same time. this is actually no biggie. we understand that not a lot of people would take this responsibility so we didn't mind.

the last straw -- we were on the final stretch of the second round of games when i was informed that the first round has been deemed "no bearing" or "not counted." my blood pressure suddenly rose from hell... where's the logic in that?! why would you make us play one round of games and then suddenly tell us that these games had no bearing?! that's like telling me that my team (not to mention our fans and supporters!) wasted a great deal of time and effort.

never mind the first four in the list. i wouldn't have brought them up if not for the "no bearing" issue. i tried to get answers from the two organizers and what did i get? two incompetent women who kept referring me back at each other because they couldn't give me a good enough answer. i got so sick of it that i told them (through a common friend) that they better clean up their act or else. apparently, they didn't realize that i had it in me to be so feisty (perks of staying at HRDS for too long)! hah!

they ended up making some dumb excuse for the "mistake." i had to play dumb too, so that i won't look like i'm making a mountain out of it. but i swore to myself that if i could ever have anything to do with it, these two will no longer organize a volleyball tournament without someone with good sense guiding their decisions.

*************************
and i thought it was over. we finally got our trophy and nothing could make us any more proud . . .

ganda ng trophy namin anoh?! (pardon my tendency to interchange wits and sarcasm.) and to put an icing on it, individual awards were creatively awarded. why creative, you ask? i'm not going to mock the others' awards but me getting a "best spiker" award?! yeah, i was successful in delivering a few killer spikes but the key word there is few! i was mostly tasked with setter/stopper duties, nakakapalo lang pag saktong nasa dos. i found out later that laila also got the same medal and i was almost put to shame. di hamak namang lamang ang killer spikes ni laila saken! i'm sure her award somewhat diminished in value considering that i got the same award.

i didn't bother asking the organizers who else got a "best spiker" award or why they would give out two (or more) "best spiker" awards. god forbid! i didn't even bother asking what other awards they gave or what their criteria were or who decided which players deserved these awards!

on a lighter note, let me tell you that i would not be humble about it had i gotten a "best blocker" award despite only three successful blocks and despite the fact that nobody else tried. ;)

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this post, although written ages ago, was posted only in july 4 due to my inability to upload photos (either something's wrong with me or something's wrong with blogger's photo uploading). i decided to use webshots to host the pics, and hopefully, they look just as nice as blogger itself would've showed them

crossed signals

2006-06-01T12:43:00.001+08:00

"wake up and smell the smoke!"

"protect our roads! stop opression!"

is it just me or are these messages totally bewildering? the first one, i sorta get. but the second, hard as i try, i just couldn'tfigure out.

perhaps i should explain...

these messages are printed in big bold black letters in white tarpaulin. they're posted along the streets of the Loyola Grand Villas, the streets which are part of the short-cut from marikina to quezon city (usually referred simply as the tumana shortcut).

i did see one other tarpaulin but i can't remember the words (the message was too long) but i captured a sense of LGV residents fighting against the use of their streets as detour/shortcut/ alternative to motorists travelling from marikina to UP/balara/katipunan.

the first message must mean that residents should be more active in fighting against the public use of their streets due to the pollution from numerous vehicles of non-residents. i would guess that this same message is posted in other parts of LGV.

but who's the advocate? the homeowners' association? then why not make it clear who the message is for and who the message is from? why would they post it in streets where non-residents can read it? is there some sort of a trick here that i don't get?

the second message got me really confused. what would road protection have to do with oppression? do the residents of this posh subdivision feel that the public use of their streets result to their oppression? the logic escapes me, i'm afraid.

i have nothing against exclusive subdivisions who restrict non-residents from entering their streets for security reasons. for over 7 years i lived in a subdivision that allowed non-residents to use their streets as shortcut for a minimal fee -- a win-win situation, if you ask me (although collecting fees is a great temptation to the corrupt and thats another issue altogether).

i just couldn't understand the point of these messages. would someone please enlighten me?

jessie, the most photographed mutt

2006-05-11T12:49:00.001+08:00

meet JESSIE, the most photographed mutt this side of marikina. jessie's mother is a poodle mix; his father, a terrier mix. his vet thought he looked like a japanese spitz as a puppy. now he’s looking more like a husky. it doesn’t matter really. to me (and my mom, jessie’s “official owner”), jessie is the most lovable mutt in the world.

jessie obediently stays in his huge cell during the day when we have to leave the house for work. he can run around the house at night when we’re home. and run around the house he goes, covering every corner as if trying to make up for all the lying around the whole day in his cell. sometimes during weekends, when mama doesn’t mind cleaning up his heavy shedding, he’d be allowed inside the whole day.

just one call of jessie’s name and he would sprint towards you, hoping to get a good dose of petting under his ears or in his belly. just a hint of playfulness and he’ll match it with his moves. if you have the slightest feeling of boredom or depression, you can count on jessie to rub some bubbly energy on you.

we realized how much we deeply love this mutt when he got sick – so sick he almost died. it was new year’s eve and jessie was not in his usual naughty self. he wouldn’t eat all day and would even vomit what small amount of food we made him eat. the next day, the first of january 2006, he moved bowels of stinky blood. he was obviously in a lot of pain and couldn’t even stand up and walk. his eyes showed a pitiful sadness, filled with pain. we immediately brought him to the nearest veterinary hospital.

it was a bad case of parvo virus, an infection that recently killed several dogs according to the vet. jessie was so weak he didn’t even budge at the needles poking in his veins. none were the typical snarls at every stranger. my mother and i were all choked up as we tried to sweet talk jessie into getting well.

mama was loaded with guilt for initially teasing jessie that lying still and staying quiet was much better behavior to his usual mischief. and i was not any less guilty. i didn’t insist on getting that third shot of vaccine. if he died (a real possibility at the time) i would’ve cried a bucket of tears.

thankfully, jessie was back home after a week. he is as energetic now as he was when we first got him. and he’s finally had that last vaccine.

on the 4th of july, jessie will turn ONE, and I’m turning 28. guess who’ll have a bigger birthday bash?! a way advanced happy birthday to you jessie, and many many more photos to come!

paris bennett eliminated

2006-05-04T10:47:00.001+08:00

yup, just found out from rickey.org.

my top idols

2006-05-04T10:22:00.001+08:00

early in the competition, i've selected my top idol favorites: taylor, paris, chris and katherine (yes, in that order). and there they are -- in the top 5 with elliot on his way home (i think).

now, i'm switching sides. my votes are on katherine and chris. (unfortunately, my votes don't count.)

photos from rickey.org

a kkb-worthy jersey

2006-05-03T12:08:00.001+08:00

finally! natuloy din ang sportsfest sa office namin.

finally! i get to design our jersey. yey!

for so long, i've had to wear manly jerseys,

what with our basketball players thinking that

a women's volleyball team deserves jerseys

as nba-ish as theirs. no thanks.

now, this is what i call a jersey worth every peso of our k-k-b!

credits to the Mizuno Hurricane Jersey and the Women's World Grand Prix Volleyball logo

bumabawi

2006-05-02T12:31:00.001+08:00

i'm usually a very talkative person and i'm pretty confident with what i have to say. writing is not too difficult a task for me either.

but blogging?!

i've never had a journal before and no one ever really gave me much praise for my creative writing skills.

nope, i didn't get that supposedly normal dose of "writer's block" and yes, there has to be a better excuse for this nonsensical babble...

ang lagay eh, bumabawi lang ako para naman magkalaman 'tong blog na 'to.

if you think that a blogger must have a better excuse for a long absence, i'll have to refer you to kulotology.blogspot.com

The Lost Gospel

2006-04-07T12:52:00.001+08:00

this i gotta see...

judas iscariot just might turn out to be a martyr, a hero -- an almost ridiculous abnegation to the long believed "fact" that judas betrayed jesus for a few silver coins. a definite must-see for all orthodox preachers, blind faithfuls, even agnostics and atheists.

The Gospel of Judas gives a different view of the relationship between Jesus and Judas, offering new insights into the disciple who betrayed Jesus. Unlike the accounts in the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in which Judas is portrayed as a reviled traitor, this newly discovered Gospel portrays Judas as acting at Jesus' request when he hands Jesus over to the authorities.

The Gospel of Judas is an exclusive, two-hour global television event that traces the incredible story of one of the most important finds in biblical archaeology.

Visit National Geographic's official Gospel of Judas site for detailed accounts of the discovery of the papyrus codex, information on the conservation of the document, and an illustrated, interactive history of early christianity.

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Watch it on ~~Monday, April 10, 10PM (Manila)~~ on NGC. Or click the photo to visit the NGC website dedicated on this global television event.

training photos

2006-04-05T17:49:00.001+08:00

as promised, here are the photo layouts that i did using Microsoft Digital Image Pro 10 (with a little help from MS Picture Manager). Click here to view the album.

it's still because of you

2006-03-31T09:55:00.001+08:00

She had the song of Kelly Clarkson in her head -- while eating breakfast, in the shower, on her way to work. It was a last song syndrome, triggered by a tv show from the previous night. She liked the song since she first heard it on the radio. She particularly likes the way kelly clarkson did it.

The tune was humming in her head again as she starts the day's work. And it crept back as she walked out of her office building. She sang the chorus silently to herself, "because of you i never stray too far from the sidewalk."

Suddenly, the song had words for her. The words had meaning and it was piercing in her heart… It wasn’t just a tune humming in her head anymore. It’s now a thud in her chest. It's not just a song about a girl -- some stranger whose disappointments echo erupting fears and pains. It was now her song.

Provided By MetroLyrics

Not all wounds heal. But life does move on and there is hope. She prayed hard. Harder than she’s prayed in years. She likes to pray sometimes. It gives her hope. It’s a pat on the back, saying that things will get better. And she talks back, “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger.”

-----------------------
click here to listen to kelly clarkson's because of you at artistdirect.com

a challenge to go back to school

2006-03-28T17:47:00.001+08:00

lately i've been daydreaming about going back to school. i imagine all the interesting reading materials, all the enlightening lectures that could only now satisfy my deep hunger to learn learn learn.

i look back at my academic endeavors in college with quite a bit of shame... while i'm glad i learned a good deal of epistemology from dr. perez, i still have to thank january for making the class interesting and therefore bearable. although i was inspired by the lectures of dr. de castro on ethics and dr. fernando on the philosophy of law, how i wish i paid more attention to prof. vera cruz and atty. valdez. i appreciated having painfully understood david hume's theory of knowledge and i took delight in discovering socrates through plato's apologia. but i can only wish i tried harder to understand wittgenstein, sartre, karl popper, russel, etc. i enjoyed absorbing the possibilities of philosophy for children and i took pride in having more or less mastered philosophy of religion and ethics. but i regret not having the guts to take dr. lee's and prof. de villa's classes.

not that i didn't appreciate a good education back then. i tried to get a diploma in industrial relations. but hearing all the jargon and incomprehensible discussion from my classmates (who all happened to be HR practitioners!) made me feel so out of my league. trying for a master's degree in philosophy was likewise a futile attempt.

now it's diferent. yeah, i can get educated anywhere -- i'm the perennial student, i learn something new everyday by just clicking my internet explorer. but its not enough. i want more.

i wanna propose policy changes in my workplace and improve our human resource management system. i can see the need for major changes but i'm not sure where to start. i want to be competitive and be able to market my skills in developing and improving companies and organizations. i want to have the chance to work with the best HR practitioners. i want to do more. (naks, parang commercial ng centrum complete!)

that diploma in industrial relations would've been the key. i couldn't handle it 5 years ago, not with my fresh-out-of-college ignorance. now i know i can. armed with over 4 years of experience in human resource development, i'm pretty sure i have the discipline, the background, the motivation, the will to complete a master's degree at the School of Labor and Industrial Relations (SOLAIR). it's gonna be financially challenging. but if i can make room for even six or nine units, it would be well worth the effort and the money.

first things first. i need to talk to the college secretary or any solair official if i need to retake the entrance exam or if i'll just need to submit some requirements to be readmitted.

as beatrix kiddo (uma thurman) said at the back of buck's pussy wagon in kill bill: wiggle your big toe, ynseng.

singular thoughts

2006-03-23T15:18:00.001+08:00

i've been meaning to post about my tone-toneladang ideas. but right now they're still ideas in my head. for now, these will have to do...

i'm wearing the yellow uniform today. that means it's a thursday. funny how the colors of my uniform tell me what day it is, rather than me determining what color to wear based on what day it is. i just know that the first workday of the week -- the morning after the lazy sunday -- i have to wear orange. the next day it's green, which means it must be tuesday. then blue. then yellow. then wash day. it's the one day of the work week that i can stare at my closet and decide what to wear. much as i hate these reflectorized colors, i'm a bit glad that i don't have to freak over what to wear everyday.

congratulations to me and hubby! we just experienced our first appliance purchase! a kolin .75hp aircon. summer na kasi. sobrang init! although i initially felt like i was rushed into deciding whether to buy the aircon, i truly am proud of our purchase. hubby checked the prices of 2nd hand aircons advertised at the buy&sell newspaper. he also asked a few who have some sort of expertise -- my older brother who diligently did his own research prior to the purchase of his aircon and kuya joey (his bro-in-law's brother). he also checked prices in a couple of appliance centers. when we got to western p.tuazon, we were surprised to see steep prices. but the 6 months 0% interest was worth it. malamig na ulit ang mga gabi ng tag-araw. yey!

i'm in an internet cafe near our subdivision in marikina. the P25/hr is fine. they're using mozilla firefox. that's fine too. but may layout looks funny. the marquees in my subtitles look funny. does that have anything to do with the firefox? ...and these keyboard is killing me! printed letters are taped in the keypad (probably coz the letters are faded) and i sometimes need to press hard or press twice ...and the pointer (arrow) keeps moving to the left! (grrr!) i'm really not complaining. as long as the connection is fast and i can access my flash disk, i should be fine. i just have to double double check for typo errors...

paris bennett gave me goosebumps last night. i love the song "fever" and her version was a great diversion to madonna's or kylie minogue's or victoria's. and doesn't chris sound like the vocalist of live? i would love to hear him sing live's dolphin's cry!

love will lead us, alright / love will lead us, she will lead us / can you hear the dolphin's cry? / see the road rise up to meet us / it's in the air we breathe tonight / love will lead us, she will lead us / life is like a shooting star / it don't matter who you are / if you only run for cover, it's just a waste of time / we are lost 'til we are found / this phoenix rises up from the ground / and all these wars are over

i'm pretty sure none of my favorites will be among the bottom 3! can't wait to see the eliminations tonight!!!

Clint Eastwood by Gorillaz

2006-03-12T14:46:00.001+08:00

i bought the Gorillaz album as soon as i heard Clint Eastwood. i memorized the lyrics and i even remember bits of it when i hear the song. i’ve always wondered why this title. but i never wondered what the lyrics meant. i didn’t bother.

gorillaz.unofficial.com explains:

The lyrics address in part the eclectic mix Gorillaz offers, how they can move you and shake up the world despite not being real 'all in your head' (an added dimension to this is that Del [Tha Funkee Homosapien] is rapping in the persona of a ghost in Russel's head, so he is 'not quite real' even with respect to the cartoon Gorillaz world. It's also swaggeringly self-aggrandising. And with beats like this, and a plaintive harmonica that sounds just right, who could argue. The title was chosen because the track sounded a bit like parts of the scores to Clint Eastwood's 'Dollars' films, according to Tom Girling and Jason Cox (titles were added and discarded in a free flowing manner during the process of making the album as songs evolved into each other, and collections of ideas were brought together), however Damon [Albarn] has also stated in an interview that it was also a nod to an old reggae star who went by the name of Clint Eastwood (reggae star Lee 'Scratch' Perry and The Upsetters also recorded an album of this name).

hmm… this should be fun…

Provided By MetroLyrics

-------------------------
photos from the official gorillaz fansite, fans.gorillaz.com
know the band. check the site and be entertained by their biography...

my 1st photo layout

2006-03-11T13:15:00.001+08:00

this is the result of my first attempt at layouting photos. slow and steady that i am, i had to try it using not my own but someone else's photos. (that way i'd be an expert by the time i do my own!)

photos were abundant. cecille took lots of pictures of her nephew, josh, to send to the kid's mom abroad. cecille only asked me to help her email the digital photos to her sister. i told her i could try to make a collage.

at the time, my computer has just been reformatted so i didn't have the techy softwares, not even a microsoft picture manager. so i patiently used MS Paint. i'm glad it didn't turn out so terrible.

click the photos to see full view.

photos posted with permission

HRDS Update (January 2006)

2006-03-10T12:47:00.001+08:00

this is the front page of the hrds update i made for january 2006 (new layout). i've written the initial issues in 2003. in 2004 the task was distributed to the three hrds divisions so i only had to make them every three months. by 2005, other senior staff from my division were tasked to write the update so i've had to do it less often. i think my most recent update was in January 2005.

the layout has always been very simple -- a far cry from the one shown here. then, it was just a write-up of hrds' monthly acomplishments and activities in a long bond paper. i've tried spicing it up through changes in the titles, the borders and the "HRDS Update" logo, and making it a bit more readable by using two columns.

lately, submissions have been made way past the deadliest mark. (i think the november 2005 issue was submitted in february 2006!) now its march 2006 and i'm guilty of following the trend. my assignment is january 2006 and i'm just printing the final version. not totally my fault -- i've had to wring the neck of co-workers to give me the info i need.

but i've made changes... spicier changes... changes that more than made up for the late submission. (the bosses liked it and did not complain at all).

see for yourself. click the image to see the front page in full view. click here to see the rest.

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credits for the HRDS Update January 2006 issue: write-up of "HRDS gains ground in 2005" courtesy of the HRDS CY 2005 report (executive summary) written by jet; forest fire training photo courtesy of alex; some titles edited with the help of danee; proofreading by ma'am fil and ate marie; and of course, my very special thanks to ate jean and her gang, the quick response team. (mwahahahahaaa!)

my online photo albums

2006-03-05T11:54:00.001+08:00

ynseng @ Yahoo! Photos
http://photos.yahoo.com/ynseng
includes growing-up pics of maam & jaime, prenups & wedding photos (incomplete), weddings of friends and family, gimmicks & vacation photos. considering Yahoo! Photos' unlimited capacity, i've decided to upload here as many photos as i can.

J&M Wedding @ Webshots.com
http://community.webshots.com/user/jaimemaamwedding
photo-documentation of our wedding. includes selected photos from on-the-day preparations to the reception, with captions/narration. photos by John Aguas.

J&M wedding @ Pbase.com
http://pbase.com/jms/jaimemaam
creative wedding pics (church & reception only) uploaded in the photographer's online album. photos by Jason Lunas

HRDS-TDD @ Yahoo! Photos
http://photos.yahoo.com/denr_hrds_tdd
not-so-official online album of training photos of TDD. also inlcudes jpeg versions of HRDS updates

blogthings unravels ynseng

2006-02-26T12:14:00.001+08:00

it’s like a reverse interview. i ask blogthings about me and blogthings tells me who i am! read on to unravel the real ynseng…

(please bear with the hodge podge of questions. uh, and don’t be too surprised with these results.)

YNSENG: what’s my personality profile?
BLOGTHINGS: you are pure, moral, and adaptable. you tend to blend into your surroundings. shy on the outside, you're outspoken to your friends. you believe that you live a virtuous life... and you tend to judge others with a harsh eye. as a result, people tend to crave your approval.

Y: wow, i gotta take this quiz again! what’s my secondary personality profile?
B: you can also be dependable, popular, and observant. deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness. in fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do. you are unique, creative, and expressive. you don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while.and lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!

Y: anything else about my personality?
B: you are both logical and creative. you are full of ideas.you are so rational that you analyze everything. this drives people a little crazy! intelligence is important to you. you always like to be around smart people. in fact, you're often a little short with people who don't impress you mentally. you seem distant to some - but it's usually because you're deep in thought. those who understand you best are fellow rationals. in love, you tend to approach things with logic. you seek a compatible mate - who is also very intelligent. at work, you tend to gravitate toward idea building careers - like programming, medicine, or academia. with others, you are very honest and direct. people often can't take your criticism well. as far as your looks go, you're coasting on what you were born with. you think fashion is silly. on weekends, you spend most of your time thinking, experimenting with new ideas, or learning new things.

Y: what's my hidden talent?
B:you are both very knowledgeable and creative. you tend to be full of new ideas and potential - big potential. ideas like yours could change the world, if you build them. as long as you don't stop working on your dreams, you'll get there.

Y: how do people see me?
B: slow and steady. your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. they see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. it'd really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment. they expect you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it.

Y: what temperment am i?
B: you have a melancholic temperament. you are a soft-hearted daydreamer. you long for your ideal life. you love silence and solitude. everyday life is usually too chaotic for you. given enough time alone, it's easy for you to find inner peace.you tend to be spiritual, having found your own meaning of life.wise and patient, you can help people through difficult times. at your worst, you brood and sulk. your negative thoughts can trap you. you are reserved and withdrawn. this makes it hard to connect to others. you tend to over think small things, making decisions difficult.

Y: how do i live my life?
B: you seem to be straight forward, but you keep a lot inside. you are always tactful and diplomatic. you let people down gently. you prefer a variety of friends and tend to change friends quickly. some of your past dreams have disappointed you, but you don't let it get you down.

Y: how’s my luck and power personality?
B: you are internal - realist – empowered. you feel your life is controlled internally. if you want something, you make it happen. you don't wait around for things to go your way. you value your independence and don't like others to have control. you are a realist when it comes to luck. you don't attribute everything to luck, but you do know some things are random. you don't beat yourself up when bad things happen to you... but you do your best to try to make your own luck. you have a good deal of power, but you also know the pecking order. you realize that working the system does get you further. you know who to defer to and who to control. when it comes to the game of life, you play things flawlessly.

Y: how open minded am i?
B: you are 52% open minded. you are a very open minded person, but you're also well grounded. tolerant and flexible, you appreciate most lifestyles and viewpoints. but you also know where you stand firm, and you can draw that line.you're open to considering every possibility - but in the end, you stand true to yourself.

Y: what kind of intelligence do i have?
B: your dominant intelligence is intrapersonal intelligence. reflective and thoughtful, you enjoy spending time alone. you are good at analyzing yourself - and knowing your true feelings. totally self aware, you are in tune with your dreams and desires. a spiritual and philopsophical person, your inner calmness inspires and helps others. you would make a great philosopher, researcher, or theorist.

Y: what gender is my brain?
B: your brain is 53.33% female, 46.67% male. your brain is a healthy mix of male and female. you are both sensitive and savvy. rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed. but you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve

Y: how machiavellian am i?
B: you are somewhat machiavellian. you're not going to mow over everyone to get ahead... but you're also powerful enough to make things happen for yourself. you understand how the world works, even when it's an ugly place. you just don't get ugly yourself - unless you have to!

Y: what's my religious philosophy?
B: you are agnostic. you're not sure if god exists, and you don't care.for you, there's no true way to figure out the divine. you rather focus on what you can control - your own life. and you tend to resent when others "sell" religion to you.

Y: does that mean i’m evil?
B: you are 48% evil. you are evil, but you haven't yet mastered the dark side. fear not though - you are on your way to world domination.

Y: am i going to hell?
B: your deadly sins: gluttony: 80%, envy=40%, pride=0%, sloth=20%, greed=20%, wrath=20%, lust=0%. chance you'll go to hell = 31%. you'll die from a diabetic coma.

Y: who was i in high school?
B: a brainy kid. in high school, you were acing ap classes or hanging out in the computer lab. you may have been a bit of a geek back then, but now you're a total success!

Y: could i pass 8th grade math?
B: congratulations, you got 10/10 correct!

Y: should i quit my job?
B: your job dissatisfaction level is 53%. well, you don't have the worst job in the world, but it's not great. and don't worry, you're not the problem - your company is. start looking around for another job, even if you're not totally fed up. because in time, you're going to be dying to quit!

Y: hmmm… so how self-absorbed am i? you figure it out.

Go to blogthings.com to pimp your profile.