Good evening, my dirty little city.
I’m here in my room, typing madly on my laptop for a paper that’s due tomorrow evening, cramming every possible personal experience that’s relevant to the topic, and rewriting it so that it will pathetically pass as a sorry social commentary, drawn from classical psychological articles (the one I’m currently writing about is on Alfred Binet and his additional methods on determining subnormal schoolchildren – a raw precursor to his Simon-Binet intelligence test, and in turn, the Stanford-Binet intelligence test).
As I’m typing, I’m currently more aware of my surroundings - the calming humming sound of the fan, the dark hallway that can be seen from the open door of my room, the shadows cast from my reading lamp, and the wind whispering through the windows, making the curtains dance, which I would have to say, is driving me fucking crazy.
Why all of this? Why the heightened sense of my surroundings? It’s because I’m Blattaphobic.
(OH FUCK!! Another one just crawled behind the fan as I’m typing this sentence! I twitched out of my makeshift computer table as it crawled on the dresser drawer. I then helplessly called for help to put an end to the monstrous vermin's sorry existence.)
Just a couple of minutes ago, I was happily typing in my office, with my Miniature Pinscher Chi-chi accompanying me, churning out in what was supposed to be my magnum opus for Ms. Vivienne. I was suddenly distracted as she scrambled and went below my executive swivel chair.
And there, being poked by Chi-chi’s paw, with its belly facing me, six legs frantically swinging in the air, feigning death from time to time, and with its most unmistakable pungent whiff, my dread.
..I can’t kill one even if my life depended on it. My heart thumped heavily as I hurriedly folded my laptop and my copy of Vonnegut’s Hocus Pocus (since I have to finish what I’m typing or else I’m screwed), and hysterically transferred to my room.
When I came back from opening the lights in my room, it was nowhere to be found. Chi-chi was comfortably resting on her red bed, with arms crossed on her bone shaped pillow, BUT IT WAS STILL NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!...
So here I am again, with my laptop resting on a swivel chair, and me, sitting on a small, red monobloc armchair and ultimately looking silly, paranoid of all the dark spots around me (it doesn’t take a shrink to know that I have associated dark spots with it), imagining the fluttering sound of its crunchy translucent brown wings, and delirious that one might just be crawling somewhere (hopefully not behind me or on my foot), taunting, scheming, with all of his friends, to come out all at once and scare the crap out of me.
...Eeep!
Monday, February 26, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
The Pretenders
Rody Vera’s The Pretenders
Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (TAT)
Feb.2-25.2007 3:00pm, 8:00pm
When you enter the gates of the glitterati, be prepared to be eaten.
Based on the novel of National Artist for Literature and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee F. Sionil Jose’s novel, The Pretenders offers a glimpse of the lavish world of high society 60’s Manila.
Behind its pristine luxury awaits the seductive monster of greed. When you decided to sell your soul, never look back, lest your conscience turn you into a pillar of salt.
Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (TAT)
Feb.2-25.2007 3:00pm, 8:00pm
When you enter the gates of the glitterati, be prepared to be eaten.
Based on the novel of National Artist for Literature and Ramon Magsaysay Awardee F. Sionil Jose’s novel, The Pretenders offers a glimpse of the lavish world of high society 60’s Manila.
Behind its pristine luxury awaits the seductive monster of greed. When you decided to sell your soul, never look back, lest your conscience turn you into a pillar of salt.
Random liquor-induced thought
I think it’s time for San Miguel to promote its Cerveza Negra brand of dark lager to the mainstream market. You know, like in TV and in print, to complement their line of pedestrian beers like its pale, and light, and together with its Superdry, they will be presented as a more complex and fuller set of drinks (let’s see if Asia Brewery can imitate that!).
I can imagine it. The commercial explains the richness of its color and flavor. It’s dark, opaque, and swirling, like a dark endless well beckoning you to draw its distilled malt goodness. As you sip the class, its golden froth laces your lips and you smell and appreciate the corporation’s century old history. Finally you swallow the lager and you smile with content. San Miguel understands the depth of your personality with its lager. You raise your glass up and give thanks to the saint. Salud!
..Damn. I’m getting myself another bottle.
I can imagine it. The commercial explains the richness of its color and flavor. It’s dark, opaque, and swirling, like a dark endless well beckoning you to draw its distilled malt goodness. As you sip the class, its golden froth laces your lips and you smell and appreciate the corporation’s century old history. Finally you swallow the lager and you smile with content. San Miguel understands the depth of your personality with its lager. You raise your glass up and give thanks to the saint. Salud!
..Damn. I’m getting myself another bottle.
Friday, February 23, 2007
Kiss my ash
[Journal Entry: Fri Feb 23, 2007, 4:12 AM, on http://lykwys.deviantart.com]
It’s Wednesday again (this entry was originally drafted on Wednesday). Time to get my lazy ass up, effort to rewrite my notes for the evening, walk about three blocks to catch my ride, and to talk for three hours on something that I’m half-baked at. Yup, Wednesday class.
Today’s a little different. It’s Ash Wednesday. From the point of view of someone who’s born as a Roman Catholic, who traces his roots in Mindanao, who is schooled in an Evangelist Protestant primary and secondary institution, whose parents are Buddhist (Well, dad’s really the one. While mum’s a Catholic, she’s also a practicing Buddhist. Same goes with the rest of my mother side kin and honestly, majority of the Filipino-Chinese community), and of course, proselytized in college, by its wolves and hyenas (it’s a personal affectionate term to describe the Youth for Christ group in college who’s active in Gawad Kalinga work. Proselytizers and blind zealots, really.), being pious means just as much as being confused. So, I’d like to better orient myself as a non-denominational Christian.
Now, can we talk about your religious convictions?
While my ride was stopping at Quiapo church to drop and pick up new passengers, I found myself gazing blankly at the newly painted statues of saints, and the bi-colored plastic and tarpaulin tents of street hawkers. Candle melters (Ooohh. I’ll have to write about that), bootleg media vendors (dibidisir, dibidi...), fortune tellers, vegetable sellers, mystic artifact (and remedy) merchants, and of course, hobos, all run abound. And to complete this vivid and picturesque scene, a huge TV screen on the Mercury Drug building. Times Square, baby.
It’s been a while since my mum pulled and nagged me to accompany her to go to Quiapo. I miss that. I miss going to the mass with her (and get dizzy while in the middle of the mass since there’s not much air circulation in churches), buy red candles and red wax figurines of my late pappy and granny on mum’s side of the family to be melted, shop around for the cheapest vegetables, and browse around at the newest collection of pirated media. Basically, I miss being immersed in that gritty masa (common people) environment. Commuting to Tutuban, Divisoria mall, 168 (which I have to embarrassingly admit that I haven’t been there yet) doesn’t count.
While my mind was wandering about that, I also cannot stop reminisce about this instant message conversation that I had with a particularly interesting and eloquent friend (whose name I’m not mentioning, heh) about her religious beliefs, her ambitions, as well as her frustrations, and our opinions on what’s going around with the community. She’s a very devout Christian - kind, good spirited, and very eloquent. She writes, and she’s the type of gal that’ll leave you feeling good every time you think of not only her, but of the abstract thought of how she thinks. And of course, definitely one who you would be proud to be bring to dinner with your parents. I hope I can meet and marry one like her some day.
So as not to digress (Since I’m getting carried away), part of what we talked about was on Gawad Kalinga.
I have nothing against the organization per se. In fact, I’m all for it. It’s a very ambitious vision and tries to reach that goal nobly - In theory.
Let me explain (for the benefit of all you Tony Meloto worhippers out there). What I hate about it is that the way it’s being packaged in my alma mater. It’s so skewed. It’s being promoted as bandwagon hip socio-civic work, where YFC people would proselytize you to being one of them, before you get to understand and appreciate the principle of the organization that it wants to build and sustain a community.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t that many volunteers from the Muslim (as you can see, I have sympathy bias for them since I also hail from the south), nor from the Protestant community. I (based on my personal experience) wouldn’t choose to be affiliated to one organization wherein the environment would frown upon you if you were different. On the other hand, I would be pessimistically surprised if these charismatic youth leaders (with their blind, half-wit donkey followers) would attempt to approach the “marginalized” religious community and invite them to have a healthy supercommunity of people towards a common good.
I'm sorry. Is that too harsh an observation for you? Does that sound too much like the truth?
I have the utmost respect towards my fellow unrepresented for not making a fuss about it, and seeing everything from a good light. Huge respect to them.
I pray to the One Above that He (and big J of course) would give these people the strength for them to realize their condescending mindset.
To end, a quote from HL Mencken comes into mind: “The trouble with Communism is the Communists, just as the trouble with Christianity is the Christians”.
It’s Wednesday again (this entry was originally drafted on Wednesday). Time to get my lazy ass up, effort to rewrite my notes for the evening, walk about three blocks to catch my ride, and to talk for three hours on something that I’m half-baked at. Yup, Wednesday class.
Today’s a little different. It’s Ash Wednesday. From the point of view of someone who’s born as a Roman Catholic, who traces his roots in Mindanao, who is schooled in an Evangelist Protestant primary and secondary institution, whose parents are Buddhist (Well, dad’s really the one. While mum’s a Catholic, she’s also a practicing Buddhist. Same goes with the rest of my mother side kin and honestly, majority of the Filipino-Chinese community), and of course, proselytized in college, by its wolves and hyenas (it’s a personal affectionate term to describe the Youth for Christ group in college who’s active in Gawad Kalinga work. Proselytizers and blind zealots, really.), being pious means just as much as being confused. So, I’d like to better orient myself as a non-denominational Christian.
Now, can we talk about your religious convictions?
While my ride was stopping at Quiapo church to drop and pick up new passengers, I found myself gazing blankly at the newly painted statues of saints, and the bi-colored plastic and tarpaulin tents of street hawkers. Candle melters (Ooohh. I’ll have to write about that), bootleg media vendors (dibidisir, dibidi...), fortune tellers, vegetable sellers, mystic artifact (and remedy) merchants, and of course, hobos, all run abound. And to complete this vivid and picturesque scene, a huge TV screen on the Mercury Drug building. Times Square, baby.
It’s been a while since my mum pulled and nagged me to accompany her to go to Quiapo. I miss that. I miss going to the mass with her (and get dizzy while in the middle of the mass since there’s not much air circulation in churches), buy red candles and red wax figurines of my late pappy and granny on mum’s side of the family to be melted, shop around for the cheapest vegetables, and browse around at the newest collection of pirated media. Basically, I miss being immersed in that gritty masa (common people) environment. Commuting to Tutuban, Divisoria mall, 168 (which I have to embarrassingly admit that I haven’t been there yet) doesn’t count.
While my mind was wandering about that, I also cannot stop reminisce about this instant message conversation that I had with a particularly interesting and eloquent friend (whose name I’m not mentioning, heh) about her religious beliefs, her ambitions, as well as her frustrations, and our opinions on what’s going around with the community. She’s a very devout Christian - kind, good spirited, and very eloquent. She writes, and she’s the type of gal that’ll leave you feeling good every time you think of not only her, but of the abstract thought of how she thinks. And of course, definitely one who you would be proud to be bring to dinner with your parents. I hope I can meet and marry one like her some day.
So as not to digress (Since I’m getting carried away), part of what we talked about was on Gawad Kalinga.
I have nothing against the organization per se. In fact, I’m all for it. It’s a very ambitious vision and tries to reach that goal nobly - In theory.
Let me explain (for the benefit of all you Tony Meloto worhippers out there). What I hate about it is that the way it’s being packaged in my alma mater. It’s so skewed. It’s being promoted as bandwagon hip socio-civic work, where YFC people would proselytize you to being one of them, before you get to understand and appreciate the principle of the organization that it wants to build and sustain a community.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there aren’t that many volunteers from the Muslim (as you can see, I have sympathy bias for them since I also hail from the south), nor from the Protestant community. I (based on my personal experience) wouldn’t choose to be affiliated to one organization wherein the environment would frown upon you if you were different. On the other hand, I would be pessimistically surprised if these charismatic youth leaders (with their blind, half-wit donkey followers) would attempt to approach the “marginalized” religious community and invite them to have a healthy supercommunity of people towards a common good.
I'm sorry. Is that too harsh an observation for you? Does that sound too much like the truth?
I have the utmost respect towards my fellow unrepresented for not making a fuss about it, and seeing everything from a good light. Huge respect to them.
I pray to the One Above that He (and big J of course) would give these people the strength for them to realize their condescending mindset.
To end, a quote from HL Mencken comes into mind: “The trouble with Communism is the Communists, just as the trouble with Christianity is the Christians”.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
On commuting, part II
[ Journal Entry: Sat Feb 17, 2007, 8:16 PM, on http://lykwys.deviantart.com]
Hullo. This time, I’ll be babbling on the underground economy of barkers.
Dirty Laundery
The journalist inside me (tabloid?) sparked again when I first wrote about the existence and prevalence of barkers in the metropolis, gleefully shouting and pretending to help my fellow commuters, free from apprehension, and more noticeably, free from the arms of the law (ehem, to sidetrack, I was told that barkers are now required to get their licensees. As to licensures to do what, I do not have a clue. And we psychologists have been battling it out in our country’s legislation to get our practice license).
Anywho, I interviewed a jeepney driver in
In other words, barkers serve as kotong launderers.
Another interesting note to be taken is that the (eloquent)driver that I talked to specifically mentioned that a barker (together with hisno good police friends or corrupt people in the barangay) would be able to fill up a bucketful of coins from their day’s worth of racket. As to how much? Five hundred pesos worth (assuming that the law already got their cut) - well more than enough to buy themselves bottles of their local cheap gin to disinfect their livers with every night.
Well now, isn’t that something? An organized underground economy of kotong laundering.
I wasn’t content with what that jeepney driver said that day so I sought out to do some statistical analysis. Yep, I’m serious. I was able to compute and test whether a barker would be able to earn 500 pesos worth of tips a day using inferential statistical analysis (t-test).
Counting Change
I used a two tailed t-test inferential statistical analysis to see whether it’s true or not.
Of course, one would have to take liberties as to the “workhours” of a barker, since no one in his right mind would ask him about his set schedule of labor. So, I assumed that a barker would assume his duty (as a euphemism for “work”), about five (5) hours aday (intermittently from
Now, consider this observation matrix that I made on barker tips:
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
P5 / 10min | |||||
P5 / 10min | |||||
P5 / 3min | P5 / 5min |
Filling in the blanks, assuming Mondays and Fridays as peak days (wherein more tips would be given at less amount of time, the mean tip amount / hour a barker would receive on a day would be arithmetic mean = P54.67 / 60 min
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
30 / 60min | 30 / 60min | 30 / 60min | 30 / 60min | 30 / 60min | |
100 / 60min | 30 / 60min | 30 / 60min | 30 / 60min | 100 / 60min | |
100 / 60min | 60 / 60min | 60 / 60min | 60 / 60min | 100 / 60min | |
Arithmetic Mean | 76.67 / 60min | 40 / 60min | 40 / 60min | 40 / 60min | 76.67 / 60min |
Null sample | Test sample | |
Mean | 50.00 | 54.67 |
SD | 0 | 20.09 |
N | 5 | 5 |
t = 0.6173, by conventional criteria (α = 0.05 levels ofsignificance), this difference is considered to be not statisticallysignificant. This means that the computed data of a barker earning of about P546.70 in ten hours (a day) is neither significantly bigger nor smaller from the P500/ day that the jeepney driver shared. This suggests that 1: it is possible to reach a P500 / day quota, and 2: that the actual data computed is probably smaller that what is actually being collected. Why? Think about the cuts the police and the kagawads would take before you are left with the assumed P500 peso-bucketful of coins for cheap gin story.
So there. I leave this one open for your inputs and interpretations.
Monday, February 12, 2007
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Costumes!
Before I start, I just want to say UNC baby!.. boo-yah!
Okay.. ahem ahem.
Anyway, I got invited to this costume party. They even give out the address of the store so you can easily find a costume of your own (I'm thinking army uniform + helmet = Tom Cruise in Top Gun heh). So I was thinking, why haven't we had a costume party yet?
I know everybody always says they're too busy or too lazy and blah blah, but I really think we've come to an age where people get off their asses a lot more now (it helps that a lot are driving now). So I figure why not find a store and then send it out to everyone so that they can get a costume for themselves. If I get through my academic crisis, we are soooo doing that for my birthday.
I just remembered I have a bright green jacket.. I can sooo go as one of Derek Zoolander's model friends! heh.
Okay.. ahem ahem.
Anyway, I got invited to this costume party. They even give out the address of the store so you can easily find a costume of your own (I'm thinking army uniform + helmet = Tom Cruise in Top Gun heh). So I was thinking, why haven't we had a costume party yet?
I know everybody always says they're too busy or too lazy and blah blah, but I really think we've come to an age where people get off their asses a lot more now (it helps that a lot are driving now). So I figure why not find a store and then send it out to everyone so that they can get a costume for themselves. If I get through my academic crisis, we are soooo doing that for my birthday.
I just remembered I have a bright green jacket.. I can sooo go as one of Derek Zoolander's model friends! heh.
Thursday, February 08, 2007
What's on my mind
I know I know.
I've heard the cries.
All the petitions.
So to all my fans,
IM BACK!
So how are you Wilson?
Other than the fact that I just learned that a good friend of mine got herpes from her fubu, I'm all good. I have to thank my lucky stars that I did not fuck her. She once tried to seduce me (no kidding here) in her car, but the thought of fucking her was unbearable since she's so not my type. I"m all good and clean boys and girls!
What are you up to now Willieboy?
My next idea is to become youtube's biggest pinoy star. How to do it?
Make a Filipino version of the mythbusters.
The first myth? The myth of the white hanky outside an all-girl's school.
Personally, I really want to know if its true. The idea is simple. Hell, it doesn't even need to be an all-girl's school. U-belt will do. But just for kick's, we'll have to do this at Saint Paul QC, wearing our high school uniform.
Why wear your high school uniform?
In honor of Jubilee's 40th anniversary. By the way, did you know that there's no cure for herpes? She's got warts all over her organ now man. At least that's what she's been telling me.
No Wilson, I don't know that and I don't want to know
Hey it could save your tools from getting infected if you read about it. Knowing is winning half the battle!!!
Ok. Anyway, when will you finally graduate ?
I've been telling people that i'll be able to finish my thesis by May. However, I screwed up somewhere and I have to repeat almost everything again which just plain sucks. But I guess getting herpes is even worse. So I have three months to finish everything I've done in a year. Good luck to me. I want to finish by May so that I just might still get a teaching position at a local high school and teach part-time. No way will I make teaching my full-time priority. Not that teaching sucks, but I won't have a good future just by teaching.
Now to your inner Pua
I just had to plagiarize that line. Anyway, I'll admit that Rocky Balboa fell short of my expectations. Not that my expectations were very high, but it still was high nonetheless. If you guys haven't checked out Pan's Labyrinth, well you should. What might sound like a porno movie is actually what I think one of the more creative movies made this century. I'll still stand by my position that the Departed isn't that good, especially once you've seen the whole Infernal Affairs trilogy. Well, at least my tastes tell me that.
Finally, your Duke basketball team
Yes, I admit that this year's team isn't that good compared to the standards that Coach K has set for his program. But i'm still loyal to them. Losing to UNC today won't change that. Getting Kyle Lowry for next year's team means that this Duke team is on the right path to setting its dominance in the ACC again. I'm praying that Josh McRoberts won't enter the draft after this season even if he's a surefire first round pick.
Thanks for your time
Thank you too.
I've heard the cries.
All the petitions.
So to all my fans,
IM BACK!
So how are you Wilson?
Other than the fact that I just learned that a good friend of mine got herpes from her fubu, I'm all good. I have to thank my lucky stars that I did not fuck her. She once tried to seduce me (no kidding here) in her car, but the thought of fucking her was unbearable since she's so not my type. I"m all good and clean boys and girls!
What are you up to now Willieboy?
My next idea is to become youtube's biggest pinoy star. How to do it?
Make a Filipino version of the mythbusters.
The first myth? The myth of the white hanky outside an all-girl's school.
Personally, I really want to know if its true. The idea is simple. Hell, it doesn't even need to be an all-girl's school. U-belt will do. But just for kick's, we'll have to do this at Saint Paul QC, wearing our high school uniform.
Why wear your high school uniform?
In honor of Jubilee's 40th anniversary. By the way, did you know that there's no cure for herpes? She's got warts all over her organ now man. At least that's what she's been telling me.
No Wilson, I don't know that and I don't want to know
Hey it could save your tools from getting infected if you read about it. Knowing is winning half the battle!!!
Ok. Anyway, when will you finally graduate ?
I've been telling people that i'll be able to finish my thesis by May. However, I screwed up somewhere and I have to repeat almost everything again which just plain sucks. But I guess getting herpes is even worse. So I have three months to finish everything I've done in a year. Good luck to me. I want to finish by May so that I just might still get a teaching position at a local high school and teach part-time. No way will I make teaching my full-time priority. Not that teaching sucks, but I won't have a good future just by teaching.
Now to your inner Pua
I just had to plagiarize that line. Anyway, I'll admit that Rocky Balboa fell short of my expectations. Not that my expectations were very high, but it still was high nonetheless. If you guys haven't checked out Pan's Labyrinth, well you should. What might sound like a porno movie is actually what I think one of the more creative movies made this century. I'll still stand by my position that the Departed isn't that good, especially once you've seen the whole Infernal Affairs trilogy. Well, at least my tastes tell me that.
Finally, your Duke basketball team
Yes, I admit that this year's team isn't that good compared to the standards that Coach K has set for his program. But i'm still loyal to them. Losing to UNC today won't change that. Getting Kyle Lowry for next year's team means that this Duke team is on the right path to setting its dominance in the ACC again. I'm praying that Josh McRoberts won't enter the draft after this season even if he's a surefire first round pick.
Thanks for your time
Thank you too.
Half-time Run
[Journal Entry: Thu Feb 8, 2007, 9:40 PM, on http://lykwys.deviantart.com]
Half-baked
The most recent reports that several distinguished personalities in the field of show business and in sports, whom yours truly would have to stress their lack of background in political science, experience, and in a more sensitive sub-issue, the doubts about their intellectual capacities, reasoning abilities, and rhetoric, have taken their oaths to run for public office in their respective niches.
These are Richard Gomez, Cesar Montano, Rico J. Puno, for the senatorial positions; Alma Moreno, and German Moreno, for councilor positions; and of course, Manny Pacquiao for the Mayor of General Santos City, just to name a few.
There are no apprehensions as far as this writer is concerned for the said individuals to run, per se, that lines should be drawn whether one is capable of holding positions requiring mere responsibilities of executions (as with councilor positions) or of legislature.
Half-breed
Another discouraging observation that should be mentioned is the total purposelessness of our government multi-party system. What was once an exhibition of integrity by the politicians of yesteryears in their polar ideological alignments (eg. LP vs. NP), is now bastardized by each parties’ fragmentization, and the emergence of pragmatic coalitions (see related editorial article on PDI http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=48137) to suit the current need for bandwagon identities. Indeed, candidates today should be seen, not based on their affiliations, but for their personal abilities (see Federico Pascual Jr’s opinion http://philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200702082603.htm). With conviction, this is a huge insult, not only to the maturity of Philippine politics, but also, and ultimately, to the aptitude of the Filipino people (and by people, I am both referring to the educated voters and also to the masses).
Strategic moves set about by the likes of Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta (whom readers should be reminded, is the sister of Benigno), and Vicente Sotto III (who is an entertainment personality) are but indications of the decrepit and deteriorating state of our ideological convictions, from honor, to opportunism.
Considering the current progression (and the term is used loosely) of the current constitution and local laws after the Marcos oust, isn’t it time to review the necessity to return to a bi-partisan party system, or are ulterior motives (or to put it more bluntly, fears) being felt by the incumbent legislators? Apprehensions of loss of political power are difficult not to conceive.
Half-buried
Now, consider this conspiracy theory. Could it be possible that with all these distractions (referring to these ill-equipped entertainment candidates), who are very likely to align themselves with the Unity Ticket (for my friends at home or abroad, who have not kept up with our nation’s current events, the Unity Ticket is a government coalition equivalent to the administration stable, as opposed to the UNO, or United Opposition) are strategic moves weaved by the incumbent administration for the promotion, and ultimately for the success of changing our form of government from the republic to the parliamentary position?
It will be a vicious circle considering we, the people will be the ones putting these senatoriables, and others into their royal velvet padded seats. Realizing that inept buffoons would be incapable of writing effective laws, moves to endorse charter change will yet again come to pass.
For further reading, try to consider reading Crisline Torres (who’s this proud writer’s aunt by the way) paper on the parliamentary and presidential debate, at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism website (http://www.pcij.org/blog/?p=1160).
And yes, that was a shameless plug.
Half-hearted
Finally, what do we have in all of this? This leaves the Filipino voter unenthusiastic, to exercise their right to elect. Wouldn’t it be the perfect time for say, our Department of Health secretary, Dr. Francisco T. Duque, to advocate abstinence?
An analogy is all but left in the end, that our country is like a half-baked cake, baked by a half-hearted chef. And best of all, who could not resist all the nuts that’s sprinkled on top of it?
Half-baked
The most recent reports that several distinguished personalities in the field of show business and in sports, whom yours truly would have to stress their lack of background in political science, experience, and in a more sensitive sub-issue, the doubts about their intellectual capacities, reasoning abilities, and rhetoric, have taken their oaths to run for public office in their respective niches.
These are Richard Gomez, Cesar Montano, Rico J. Puno, for the senatorial positions; Alma Moreno, and German Moreno, for councilor positions; and of course, Manny Pacquiao for the Mayor of General Santos City, just to name a few.
There are no apprehensions as far as this writer is concerned for the said individuals to run, per se, that lines should be drawn whether one is capable of holding positions requiring mere responsibilities of executions (as with councilor positions) or of legislature.
Half-breed
Another discouraging observation that should be mentioned is the total purposelessness of our government multi-party system. What was once an exhibition of integrity by the politicians of yesteryears in their polar ideological alignments (eg. LP vs. NP), is now bastardized by each parties’ fragmentization, and the emergence of pragmatic coalitions (see related editorial article on PDI http://opinion.inquirer.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=48137) to suit the current need for bandwagon identities. Indeed, candidates today should be seen, not based on their affiliations, but for their personal abilities (see Federico Pascual Jr’s opinion http://philstar.com/philstar/NEWS200702082603.htm). With conviction, this is a huge insult, not only to the maturity of Philippine politics, but also, and ultimately, to the aptitude of the Filipino people (and by people, I am both referring to the educated voters and also to the masses).
Strategic moves set about by the likes of Sen. Teresa Aquino-Oreta (whom readers should be reminded, is the sister of Benigno), and Vicente Sotto III (who is an entertainment personality) are but indications of the decrepit and deteriorating state of our ideological convictions, from honor, to opportunism.
Considering the current progression (and the term is used loosely) of the current constitution and local laws after the Marcos oust, isn’t it time to review the necessity to return to a bi-partisan party system, or are ulterior motives (or to put it more bluntly, fears) being felt by the incumbent legislators? Apprehensions of loss of political power are difficult not to conceive.
Half-buried
Now, consider this conspiracy theory. Could it be possible that with all these distractions (referring to these ill-equipped entertainment candidates), who are very likely to align themselves with the Unity Ticket (for my friends at home or abroad, who have not kept up with our nation’s current events, the Unity Ticket is a government coalition equivalent to the administration stable, as opposed to the UNO, or United Opposition) are strategic moves weaved by the incumbent administration for the promotion, and ultimately for the success of changing our form of government from the republic to the parliamentary position?
It will be a vicious circle considering we, the people will be the ones putting these senatoriables, and others into their royal velvet padded seats. Realizing that inept buffoons would be incapable of writing effective laws, moves to endorse charter change will yet again come to pass.
For further reading, try to consider reading Crisline Torres (who’s this proud writer’s aunt by the way) paper on the parliamentary and presidential debate, at the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism website (http://www.pcij.org/blog/?p=1160).
And yes, that was a shameless plug.
Half-hearted
Finally, what do we have in all of this? This leaves the Filipino voter unenthusiastic, to exercise their right to elect. Wouldn’t it be the perfect time for say, our Department of Health secretary, Dr. Francisco T. Duque, to advocate abstinence?
An analogy is all but left in the end, that our country is like a half-baked cake, baked by a half-hearted chef. And best of all, who could not resist all the nuts that’s sprinkled on top of it?
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
On commuting
[Journal Entry: Sat Feb 3, 2007, 6:38 PM, on http://lykwys.deviantart.com]
Why is it that every time when you’re running late, commuting, the sun will always be at its brightest, hottest, that the air conditioning of the car you’re riding will always be broken, that the driver will always drive slow, and that there will always be a whining, crying baby/kid right beside you (with drool and sticky baby/kid sweat)?
So I was running terribly late yesterday, helplessly realizing that Fridays along Espana and Quiapo will always be packed with cars, an hour and a half in the ride (damn devouts!), when all of these happened (I’m not exaggerating, heh).
But wait, it gets worse (or better, depending whether you hate me or like me lol).
Two snooty cono gals got on the back of the white FX (this happened when we were stranded beside the Quiapo Church) where I was in (at the back as well). Funny thing is that, at that time, middle seats were spacious and that we were three guys full at the back. To make the long story short, five sweaty people were cramped at the back of the car when there’s perfectly no reason for it. Oh yeah, one last thing, the two gals were full-figured. Well, imagine that…
******
On a related note, Jeco, can you please explain to me the Economics behind barkers? You guys know what I’m talking about. I’m referring to those arrogant rag-tag, ex-convict looking, burly looking guys (who could well put their physique into better use by, say, working at the wet market carrying goods, or be hitmen, lol) who do nothing whole day except shout and pretend that they’re helping passengers look for the FX destinations that they need. And in turn, drivers mandatorily give tips (or alms in my eyes) to them.
I absolutely fucking hate them. They serve no purpose and their existence should not be promoted, tolerated even.
I’d like to see the day where drivers would go insane and visualize barkers to be pylon roadblocks. That''ll be cool.
Why is it that every time when you’re running late, commuting, the sun will always be at its brightest, hottest, that the air conditioning of the car you’re riding will always be broken, that the driver will always drive slow, and that there will always be a whining, crying baby/kid right beside you (with drool and sticky baby/kid sweat)?
So I was running terribly late yesterday, helplessly realizing that Fridays along Espana and Quiapo will always be packed with cars, an hour and a half in the ride (damn devouts!), when all of these happened (I’m not exaggerating, heh).
But wait, it gets worse (or better, depending whether you hate me or like me lol).
Two snooty cono gals got on the back of the white FX (this happened when we were stranded beside the Quiapo Church) where I was in (at the back as well). Funny thing is that, at that time, middle seats were spacious and that we were three guys full at the back. To make the long story short, five sweaty people were cramped at the back of the car when there’s perfectly no reason for it. Oh yeah, one last thing, the two gals were full-figured. Well, imagine that…
******
On a related note, Jeco, can you please explain to me the Economics behind barkers? You guys know what I’m talking about. I’m referring to those arrogant rag-tag, ex-convict looking, burly looking guys (who could well put their physique into better use by, say, working at the wet market carrying goods, or be hitmen, lol) who do nothing whole day except shout and pretend that they’re helping passengers look for the FX destinations that they need. And in turn, drivers mandatorily give tips (or alms in my eyes) to them.
I absolutely fucking hate them. They serve no purpose and their existence should not be promoted, tolerated even.
I’d like to see the day where drivers would go insane and visualize barkers to be pylon roadblocks. That''ll be cool.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Movie Night II
So okay, here I am again expressing my inner Pua. The last few days, I've caught Casino Royale, The Goonies!!!, Thank you for Smoking, Elizabethtown and The Departed.
By the way, share lang. I had a dream na nasa CAT daw tayo, tapos nakatayo ako sa may basketball court sa guard house. Habang training, may narinig daw tayo na gunshot galing sa malayo. Tapos pagtingin ko sa white shirt ko, may dugo, so natamaan ako ng stray bullet sa likod tapos tumagos sa harap ko. Anyway, they attended to me and I came out alive. Share lang lol.
Anyway, let's start. Casino Royale was pretty good. It had a Batman Begins-style revamp to it and James Bond was edgier, I liked that. The chase scenes were pretty good too. And then there were the poker scenes. Grabe tawa ako ng tawa. Trip aces vs trip kings... aces full of kings vs quad jacks. Tapos meron pa silang analysis on who played better. Let me tell you Doyle Brunson would never have folded AK on an JKAKJ board... ever. Watching James Bond talk poker analysis was even funnier. Anyway good movie overall. I was thinking about giving it a letter grade, but let's not get overboard.
The Goonies rocked. Napanuod ko sya as a kid, but I had no memory of it whatsoever aside from the fact that I barely remember scenes underground, but since 2/3 of the movie was underground, that was pretty much a generalization. Anyway, I didn't realize Samwise was the lead kid, so that was a little funny. The fat kid was irritating, but it was generally a decent cast. Very fun movie even at this time and I can't wait till Glenn finds the Goonies family computer game for the emulator. Come on Glenn!!!!
Thank you for smoking was amaaaaazing. Great cast(Eckhart, Katie Holmes, Maria Bello, JK Simmons, Robert Duvall, William H Macy, Rob lowe). I loooove Maria Bello.. in anything she does. Sigh, I'm melting. Anyway anyway, it was a great satirical movie. Great acting, great plot, great direction... good movie all around. If not for the dream team cast in The Departed, I would have called this the best of the bunch.
And then, Elizabethtown. Sigh. So okay, I wanted a feel good rom-com cause it was the only genre missing from my watch list. Based on what I saw on trailers, it looked like a decent film, nothing spectacular, but it doesnt take much to get me senti anyway, so I finally decided to watch it yesterday. Wow, it sucked so bad. I didn't even finish it cause it was so bad. First, the plot sucked. There were too many unnecessary scenes. Kirsten Dunst played her normal rom-com character: Witty, talkative, confident, borderline irritating with a hint of vulnerability. However, for elizabethtown, she decided to ditch the borderline and started the movie with just irritability. The worst performance, however, goes to Orlando Bloom. Apparently, he can act like an elf or a pirate, but can't look like a normal westerner. His role was a city guy who goes to a midwest country to visit old relatives so he's supposed to look out of place. The bad thing was that he looked out of place in the wrong way, like he didnt' even look american. So it was just terrible casting and nothing that came out of Orlando Bloom's mouth was believable (again, he was supposed to be this simple down to earth guy, but he really can't pull that off).
Okay, end of rant.
Finally, the departed. Now here's a movie.
I cannot even begin to say how much this movie rocked. The writing was great, the plot was great. The direction was incredible. Easily Scorcese's best along with Taxi Driver. Add to that an amazing amazing amazing cast. Martin Sheet was great, Nicholson was great, Dicaprio is always good, Damon and Wahlberg held their own. Alec Bladwin is never bad in anything, so he's always a given. Wilson said that he didnt think much of it cause it was from a hong kong movie, but almost every story came from something. That's like penalizing Cruel Intentions because it was based on Dangerous Liasons. The Departed was unbelievable to start with and its cast just pushed it over the top.
So there you go. That was a lot of movie talk heh.
By the way, share lang. I had a dream na nasa CAT daw tayo, tapos nakatayo ako sa may basketball court sa guard house. Habang training, may narinig daw tayo na gunshot galing sa malayo. Tapos pagtingin ko sa white shirt ko, may dugo, so natamaan ako ng stray bullet sa likod tapos tumagos sa harap ko. Anyway, they attended to me and I came out alive. Share lang lol.
Anyway, let's start. Casino Royale was pretty good. It had a Batman Begins-style revamp to it and James Bond was edgier, I liked that. The chase scenes were pretty good too. And then there were the poker scenes. Grabe tawa ako ng tawa. Trip aces vs trip kings... aces full of kings vs quad jacks. Tapos meron pa silang analysis on who played better. Let me tell you Doyle Brunson would never have folded AK on an JKAKJ board... ever. Watching James Bond talk poker analysis was even funnier. Anyway good movie overall. I was thinking about giving it a letter grade, but let's not get overboard.
The Goonies rocked. Napanuod ko sya as a kid, but I had no memory of it whatsoever aside from the fact that I barely remember scenes underground, but since 2/3 of the movie was underground, that was pretty much a generalization. Anyway, I didn't realize Samwise was the lead kid, so that was a little funny. The fat kid was irritating, but it was generally a decent cast. Very fun movie even at this time and I can't wait till Glenn finds the Goonies family computer game for the emulator. Come on Glenn!!!!
Thank you for smoking was amaaaaazing. Great cast(Eckhart, Katie Holmes, Maria Bello, JK Simmons, Robert Duvall, William H Macy, Rob lowe). I loooove Maria Bello.. in anything she does. Sigh, I'm melting. Anyway anyway, it was a great satirical movie. Great acting, great plot, great direction... good movie all around. If not for the dream team cast in The Departed, I would have called this the best of the bunch.
And then, Elizabethtown. Sigh. So okay, I wanted a feel good rom-com cause it was the only genre missing from my watch list. Based on what I saw on trailers, it looked like a decent film, nothing spectacular, but it doesnt take much to get me senti anyway, so I finally decided to watch it yesterday. Wow, it sucked so bad. I didn't even finish it cause it was so bad. First, the plot sucked. There were too many unnecessary scenes. Kirsten Dunst played her normal rom-com character: Witty, talkative, confident, borderline irritating with a hint of vulnerability. However, for elizabethtown, she decided to ditch the borderline and started the movie with just irritability. The worst performance, however, goes to Orlando Bloom. Apparently, he can act like an elf or a pirate, but can't look like a normal westerner. His role was a city guy who goes to a midwest country to visit old relatives so he's supposed to look out of place. The bad thing was that he looked out of place in the wrong way, like he didnt' even look american. So it was just terrible casting and nothing that came out of Orlando Bloom's mouth was believable (again, he was supposed to be this simple down to earth guy, but he really can't pull that off).
Okay, end of rant.
Finally, the departed. Now here's a movie.
I cannot even begin to say how much this movie rocked. The writing was great, the plot was great. The direction was incredible. Easily Scorcese's best along with Taxi Driver. Add to that an amazing amazing amazing cast. Martin Sheet was great, Nicholson was great, Dicaprio is always good, Damon and Wahlberg held their own. Alec Bladwin is never bad in anything, so he's always a given. Wilson said that he didnt think much of it cause it was from a hong kong movie, but almost every story came from something. That's like penalizing Cruel Intentions because it was based on Dangerous Liasons. The Departed was unbelievable to start with and its cast just pushed it over the top.
So there you go. That was a lot of movie talk heh.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Movie Night
After a busy week, I finally had a couple of days where I had the day all to myself. I spent it watching some movies that I've been meaning to watch for awhile now. The first three movies I caught were Rocky Balboa, Night at the Museum and The Prestige. So since I haven't posted anything here for the longest time, I'll explore my inner Pua and tell you what I thought of these movies.
First, Rocky Balboa... not Rocky VI, but Rocky Balboa. This was the movie Wilson was pimping quite some time before its release. I had an open-minded approach for this movie as I wasn't as pessimistic as say, Bill Simmons or as optimistic as Wilson. Anyway, it turns out I didn't like it as much. See, there are some who like their Rocky movies to be on the more cinematic side as the first two Rocky movies were. For me, I was never enthralled by Rocky's cinematic side. I saw Rocky as a really fun action movie, that's it. Basically, I liked my Rocky movies like Rocky IV. The beginning was really long and draggy and it took awhile before the plot moved along. Also, Stallone acting is never a fun sight. If you add Paulie, who looks really old and chews the scenery, it's borderline painful. Heroes' Peter Petrelli also makes an appearance as Rocky's kid. Again, not a big fan of his acting. Overall, the boxing scenes were realistic, and probably delighted the hardcore audience. For me, I wanted the Rocky IV type scenes where it's just unrealistic but tons of fun. So that's it.
Night at the Musuem was a good waste of time. Nothing memorable, but better than doing nothing.
And finally, The Prestige, a story of obsession and deception in the world of 19th century magic. Anyway, it's the movie Glenn was raving about for awhile. It's the best of the three movies I saw, definitely, but again I couldn't get behind the movie completely. The acting, of course, was superb. You can't go wrong with the three leads, especially Jackman, whose theatre work just knocks me out in awe. I loved the story and the reveals in the end. In the middle, though, I just couldn't behind the characters themselves. I like my characters to be redeeming; flawed, but redeeming. Otherwise, I just can't get invested in them. When Jackman's character sent Scarlett to spy on his rival, it just really pissed me off. I guess I just like my characters to be more rational. What makes the near-end interesting and what turned me off on the characters at the same time is that it turns out that there is no protagonist in this film. The audience is dragged through different points of view where they are told which character they should root for. It's an interesting take and definitely novel, but that's where I jumped off.
So that's it. My next two movies are The Departed and Casino Royale. So that should be fun. Ciao.
First, Rocky Balboa... not Rocky VI, but Rocky Balboa. This was the movie Wilson was pimping quite some time before its release. I had an open-minded approach for this movie as I wasn't as pessimistic as say, Bill Simmons or as optimistic as Wilson. Anyway, it turns out I didn't like it as much. See, there are some who like their Rocky movies to be on the more cinematic side as the first two Rocky movies were. For me, I was never enthralled by Rocky's cinematic side. I saw Rocky as a really fun action movie, that's it. Basically, I liked my Rocky movies like Rocky IV. The beginning was really long and draggy and it took awhile before the plot moved along. Also, Stallone acting is never a fun sight. If you add Paulie, who looks really old and chews the scenery, it's borderline painful. Heroes' Peter Petrelli also makes an appearance as Rocky's kid. Again, not a big fan of his acting. Overall, the boxing scenes were realistic, and probably delighted the hardcore audience. For me, I wanted the Rocky IV type scenes where it's just unrealistic but tons of fun. So that's it.
Night at the Musuem was a good waste of time. Nothing memorable, but better than doing nothing.
And finally, The Prestige, a story of obsession and deception in the world of 19th century magic. Anyway, it's the movie Glenn was raving about for awhile. It's the best of the three movies I saw, definitely, but again I couldn't get behind the movie completely. The acting, of course, was superb. You can't go wrong with the three leads, especially Jackman, whose theatre work just knocks me out in awe. I loved the story and the reveals in the end. In the middle, though, I just couldn't behind the characters themselves. I like my characters to be redeeming; flawed, but redeeming. Otherwise, I just can't get invested in them. When Jackman's character sent Scarlett to spy on his rival, it just really pissed me off. I guess I just like my characters to be more rational. What makes the near-end interesting and what turned me off on the characters at the same time is that it turns out that there is no protagonist in this film. The audience is dragged through different points of view where they are told which character they should root for. It's an interesting take and definitely novel, but that's where I jumped off.
So that's it. My next two movies are The Departed and Casino Royale. So that should be fun. Ciao.
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