Monday Mornings

SM Bicutan Taxi Bay Still Sucks

2010-03-10T23:46:00.001+08:00

Just when I thought SM Bicutan's Taxi Bay just got better, I had a now-becoming-familiar-taxi-experience late this afternoon on my way home from the said mall.

First of all, the driver of the first taxi in line was talking quite happily with the guard on the other side of the bay, when the Paalala in big bold letters clearly states that taxi drivers should be inside their cabs at all times.

So okay it was scorching hot, it's understandable that the driver would wanna get out of the car while waiting for a passenger with the engine off.

Immediately upon getting in and telling the driver my destination, I started rummaging inside my bag for my loots of the day. A few meters off, the driver asked me how much I usually pay to my destination. I got alarmed and immediately looked at the taxi meter. It was off.

"Hala, wala kang metro," I said, even smiling, but secretly fishing out the digicam from my bag.

"Wala nga sir, e, kasi pabalik-balik lang ako dito," the driver replied.

I told him I usually pay Php60. The meter would always be somewhere between 45-50, and I think I'm already generous enough to give an additional 10. So this driver, taxi meter or no, would only get 60 from me. I snapped a pic of the license number.

"100 sir, wala kasing pasahero pabalik."

100? I thought. Wala na ngang metro 100 pa? It irritated me so much also because (1) he had no right to wait for passengers in that bay in the first place because his taxi had no meter; and (2) he's over-charging.

He went down to 70 but I insisted on 60. The conversation was getting so heated and long already, my voice was already showing signs of anger, that I asked him a final, "Ayaw mo?"

He said ayaw so I stormed out of his cab. Sayang nga lang I forgot how irritated he'd be if I left the door open, but I banged it hard before walking back to the taxi bay.

Good thing about it was that I had my PLDT Landline Plus with me. And since I already had the Security Office's number from previous reklamos, I was able to talk to the head of security in an instant, through a cellphone, and with no extra charge. Okay it sounds like a paid ad but I’m just really happy I availed of this PLDT SIM card.

The security head arrived (in a motorbike) seconds after I reached the taxi bay on foot, and in no time I was complaining. The head, whose surname I always forget (it sounds like Fabian Ver, Fabinier, Fafabear... I'm sorry), promised me they'd ban that plate number at their bay.

I just hope so because I've already made it a vow to check on taxi plate numbers at that bay everytime I’d go there.

But be that as it may, I really wanna thank the security head. He's always been so accommodating every time I'd call or see him about something. And never did he show signs of anger. Laging mahinahon.

I know SM Bicutan sucks, but it doesn't mean the service couldn't be improved. All we have to do is tell them why they suck and hopefully they'd look into it.

But why do I always go to SM Bicutan? It's the accessibility. If only there's another mall as close from where I live.

I Don't Wanna Go To Cubao

2010-03-10T22:48:00.001+08:00

While at the movies watching The Red Shoes, I received a text message from Danilo asking me to buy him a digital multimeter (whatevs) at Cd-r King. And since I'd pass by a Cd-r King branch on my way home, I gladly obliged.

But the Cd-r King sales assistant told me it's out-of-stock. She said it too quickly, it made me suspicious. You know these salesladies can sometimes be so tamad to check. So I told Danilo to check their inventory online.

While waiting for Danilo's message, I passed the time away at Booksale.

The paperbacks (especially the one in the middle) reminded me of high school. Our school library housed paperbacks like these but only the seniors were allowed to borrow them. So we were confined to Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley, and academic books up until third year.

Speaking of Joe, Frank, and Nancy, I didn't know they already had comic books:

Astig. I wanna collect. But I still want to own a complete collection of the hard bound mystery series. They're my first love.

After a while, Danilo texted:

A Cheap Way to Get Connected

2010-03-10T22:04:00.001+08:00

I didn't realize Globe Tattoo is so matipid to use. I was waiting in line at the doctor this afternoon and decided to while away the time by Facebook-ing. I have used my Tattoo before but only once and for 4 minutes only. Besides, I didn't check how much that 4 minutes cost me. I mainly use the Globe dongle to text because texting on a computer is way easier than on a cellphone.

That's my cheap but powerful Lenovo S10-2, the main computer I use for blogging.

Anyway, so I checked my balance before I connected to the service and it said Php 220.

The connection was kinda fast I was actually able to tweet and check/update my 2 Facebook accounts all in 11 minutes.

And after 11 minutes of surfing, I checked my balance again and it said Php 215.

5 pesos was all I needed to get connected! Nice, no?

I Want More Battery Life

2010-03-08T22:31:00.001+08:00

Saw Eric, my favorite Asianic salesman, at SM Bicutan’s Bldg A side entrance this afternoon. He’s in-charge of the Asus Eee PC booth.

I was impressed with the laptops' specs, especially with the battery life. All models can last up to 11 hours! But I’m not buying. Kasi 11 hours daw pag standby lang. LoL!

Anyway, I was actually looking for an extra battery for my Lenovo but Eric said it’s only available at the Lenovo store in SM Cubao. I don’t know where the heck is SM Cubao. But I think I’m going there before I go to Nasugbu on the 20th.

Alice in Wonderland

2010-03-08T20:03:00.001+08:00

Just arrived from watching Alice in Wonderland at SM Bicutan. I wish I saw it somewhere else. One of the speakers keeps turning on and off and all of the speakers seem "sabog."

Buti na lang it was a great movie. I loved how the White Queen (Anne Hathaway) moved, este, flowed. And I have this feeling I'd be immitating her tonight when I'm alone. LoL! But yea, Johnny Depp was superb as the Mad Hatter. He's really one of a kind.

If there's one thing that the movie pointed out to me, it's how others would take so much effort to please and make you feel comfortable even to the point of humiliating themselves when you're in high power. The Red Queen's (with a bigger than normal head) entourage consisted of men and women with defects - one has the longest nose, the other big ears, big boobs, big tummy... And they did that just so the Red Queen would be fond of them.

But I hate it when they took away my digicam to the security office. As if naman I couldn't take pictures with my phone. Had they known that I had a netbook with me, would they also take it?

SM Bicutan Taxi Bay Just Got Better

2010-03-04T00:16:00.001+08:00

Anyway, I’d like to commend SM Bicutan’s taxi bay for a job well done.

I was fourth in line this afternoon when the old lady ahead of me was silently cursing the guard. Yun pala the couple in front of the line was going to MOA and the taxis in line wouldn’t wanna go there. And what’s a guard should do? Paalisin ang mga taxi na tumatanggi!

It’s the first time I witnessed an SM Bicutan guard do that. Dati, they would let the next in line in, which was so unfair especially when you’re in front na.

So my constant calls to the Security Department, and my constant posts about how poor SM Bicutan’s taxi bay is, were finally heard!

I hope it continues for the sake of the taxi-riding shoppers.

Cheap Wireless Mouse

2010-03-03T23:32:00.001+08:00

Bought a wireless mouse for the net book. Sometimes it’s fun to use the scroll pad, but when you’re in a hurry and especially when editing pics, I really need to use a mouse.

I don’t need to say where it’s from cuz it’s already written on the mouse. It costs Php480 and it functions as a mouse naman kahit cheap compared to other leading brands. The default speed is way too fast than the regular A4Tech that I’m fond of using, but you can always adjust that to whatever speed satisfies you.

Now I have a problem with taking pictures of my loot and posting them here. Someone thinks I’m being mayabang. Hello Bam hehe. But no I’m not mayabang. First off, my purchases aren’t that expensive to be called mayabang. Look at all the other blogs out there and compare. Second, I post pics of stuff for reference. Like when and where I bought something and the likes, and of course, to share na rin what I think of them – if they’re good or not so good.

So there. And really I’m not mayabang. As if naman lotsa people are reading this blog. I get an average of 20 hits a day and I’m sure more than half of my daily visitors belong to my immediate family.

Who's Next?

2010-02-27T23:12:00.001+08:00

This morning, news about the the magnitude 7.0 earquake in Japan's Ryukyu Islands has spread. Now, an even greater magnitude 8.8 earthquake in Chile is dominating the internet.

The Chile earthquake is said to be 64 times greater than the one that hit Haiti. I can't imagine the damage.

I'm sure I'm not alone in fearing for safety. Wherever you are in the world, I'm sure you are asking the same question as I am asking now: "Who's next?"

So there's a fault that runs in almost the whole of the Philippines. How can I rest tonight knowing that an earthquake can easily hit us?

There are some earthquake safety tips on the net, please read them. And please let us all pray.

Meanwhile, if you wanna see the disaster the earthquake has left Chile, you can watch it on UStream here. It's in Spanish, though.

Listen: Cyndi Lauper & Tori Amos - "Why Don't You Love Me?"

2010-02-26T12:10:00.001+08:00

Why Don't You Love Me? is a song off of the album Here Lies Love, a collaboration between David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim.

Imelda Marcos is so pretty in that photo used in the video above, no?

Anyway, Here Lies Love is all about the life of the former first lady and her childhood servant Estrella Cumpas. Aside from Cyndi and Tori, other artists in the album are Steve Earle, Nicole Atkins, Sia, Martha Wainwright, Santigold, St Vincent, Florence Welch, etc.
via ethansays.com, musicfascination.com

Status X folded&hung Love Those Jeans Photo Contest

2010-02-22T23:43:00.001+08:00

1. You may send as many entries as you want at marketing@statusmagonline.com
2. Your picture must have a title that expresses your love for those illegally low rise folded&hung jeans
3. Include your Name, Age, Address, Mobile No. and E-mail Address
*Please also attach of the Folded and Hung Logo found in your jeans.
4. 1 female and 1 male photo will be selected as winners. Each Winner
will receive 3,000 worth of Folded and Hung Gift Certificates each.
5. Contest period is from Feb 22 to March 12, 2010
6. Winners will be announced via www.twiter.com/statusmagazine

Globe Tattooo

2010-02-22T16:44:00.001+08:00

Bought a Globe Tattoo Prepaid Kit last Saturday. Wala lang. I just wanna be connected wherever I am. I hate feeling helpless especially when I'm in SM and the wi-fi indicator says I'm connected but I can't even browse Google.

What I like about this Tattoo is that I can call and text thru my netbook! Ang sarap magtext using a computer.

I removed the sticker. Ampanget e.

Of Pink Shoes and Tiara

2010-02-17T01:33:00.001+08:00

Nica of Animal House texted me this afternoon saying she already had some shoes that would fit Princess. Good thing one of my "assistants" didn't go to school, so I was able to go to the mall early.

Nica had two pairs(?) and the above pic was the one I bought for Princess. Like I'm now so fond of my black Converse, it would be fun if she wore pink Coverse-y shoes when we’re together.

This was the shoes I didn't get. So colorful I found it baduy. At the back is pink one.

And oi! I also found a little tiara for her. Look how cute it was on her. I just don't know why there's a burst of white on the top right and bottom left pictures.

I was also looking for an extra battery for my netbook (I wanna be ready for the brownouts) but Asianic said those were only available at IBM. I don't believe Asianic, though. I'm sure Bam would know where to buy one.

I was out for only 1.5 hours and look what I hoarded:

Not much but what more if I spend the whole day at the mall? Naaa, my limited money could only take as much. Heh!

No More Lola Glasses

2010-02-16T13:17:00.001+08:00

So I've had this lola glasses (as my good friend Bans called it) since like 1992. There were times that it gets forgotten inside my bag (the reason for the many scratches because it has no case) as I sometimes opt for contact lenses especially during hot days.

The frame was given to me by my sister. It was actually a pair of sunglasses bought in Hong Kong. And I was like digging Jessica Zafra so much during those days (and up to now) so I used it as eyeglasses.

It had been with me through the toughest times. Parang gusto ko na lang i-Mighty Bond. Ang hirap i-let go.

Right now, I'm wearing disposable contacts. Extra work but I have no choice. Besides, the weather's so hot I guess I'd prefer contacts na rin even if my eyeglasses weren't broken.

But I still need glasses especially at night cuz I like reading before sleeping, and I remove my contacts before bed.

Now I have this smaller frame I have kept for a long time in the drawer. I haven't decided, though, if I should use this or just look for a bigger one just like my old eyeglasses.

Watch: "The Last Airbender" Trailer

2010-02-13T11:00:00.001+08:00

I first saw Aang on TV5 one afternoon while I was surfing the tube. I instantly liked the show and fell in love, until they stopped after a few episodes and re-ran it from the start. I tried watching it on Nick but I kinda lost track due to busy scheds.

Then the trailer came out and I got excited all over again. JP (one of my movie buddies) and I nearly screamed when we saw the familiar bald head of Aang during the intermission when we watched 2012.

Now summer 2010 is almost here (can't you tell by the heat?) and with summer comes The Last Avatar! It's definitely a must-see (along with Alice in Wonderland).

Noah Ringer plays the role of Aang. But I'm more excited about Twilight's vampire hottie Jackson Rathbone (Jasper Hale) who plays Sokka in this movie. Dev Patel of Slumdog Millionaire is also in the cast.

Synopsis:
Air, Water, Earth, Fire. Four nations tied by destiny when the Fire Nation launches a brutal war against the others. A century has passed with no hope in sight to change the path of this destruction. Caught between combat and courage, Aang (Noah Ringer) discovers he is the lone Avatar with the power to manipulate all four elements. Aang teams with Katara (Nicola Peltz), a Waterbender, and her brother, Sokka (Jackson Rathbone), to restore balance to their war-torn world.

Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film The Last Airbender is the opening chapter in Aang's struggle to survive.

Teaser-trailer below:

No More Minimum Purchase Order

2010-02-10T13:22:00.001+08:00

If you're like me who is so tamad to cook and almost always doesn't like what's inside the ref, then you're probably fond of food delivery, too. But sometimes like when I'm alone late at night and only want a burger and fries, parang it's so hard to have something delivered because of the minimum amount of purchase these food stores usually have for deliveries. Like sometimes I have to order 5 cheeseburgers (even if I can only consume 1) just so I can have it delivered.

I need not grieve anymore, though, because McDonald's has lifted the minimum order for delivery! And no matter how small or big your orders are, the delivery charge is just Php 40! Yes, it is fixed.

Now I don't have to order 4 extra burgers. I can order just one and have it delivered!

It's not nationwide yet, though. This is only limited (for now) to the following areas: Metro Manila, Antipolo, San Pedro, Laguna, Laguna Bel-Air, Tarlac, Lipa, Batangas, Cebu and Davao. But of course they'll expand it to more areas soon.

To enjoy no-minimum-order delivery, just dial 8-McDO (8-6236) or log on to mcdelivery.com.ph.

Is Bio Research Closing?

2010-02-09T23:50:00.001+08:00

I went to SM Bicutan this afternoon to pay the bills and to buy shoes for Princess. I was kinda hoping I'd find some good shoes for Princess cuz there were two pet supplies store available. But alas, Animal House ran out of shoes. And Bio Research is closed.

I'm not sure, though, if they're already closing the branch or if they're just closed for inventory. But all those paper on glass? I still wish they're not closing.

Choices

2010-02-03T08:50:00.001+08:00

I was about to have coffee when I saw this book (How to Ruin Your Life By 40 by Steve Farrar) on the dining table. I don't know who owns the book. Parang it was left there for me to read. Not that I'm already forty or anything but it's an inspirational read.

I opened it to a random page and look what I read:

Causes have effects.
Actions have reactions.
Choices have consequences.
That will be the story of your life.

It's like telling me to plan ahead carefully, with caution, and with heart. We all should. We shouldn't just be jumping on decisions, because before we know it, that decision might have already ruined our lives.

Nice morning. The sky is so blue. Let's try to make the rest of the day as lovely as this morning.

Bonding Time

2010-02-02T21:24:00.001+08:00

I'm sick. And it means I get to stay inside. And bond with Princess.

Imelda

2010-02-02T16:06:00.001+08:00

This is kinda old news (dated 10/09/2009) but I was only able to read a while ago. So I'm copy-pasting.

As for Imelda: A New Musical, which is receiving its East Coast premiere courtesy of the Pan Asian Repertory Theater in association with the East West Players, I can only talk about the first act. With a cringe-worthy book by Sachi Oyama and scored by Nathan Wang (music) and Aaron Coleman (lyrics), Imelda aspires to be the Filipino Evita but fails miserably; no surprise considering its subject. Jaygee Macapugay struggles mightily to make something of the title character but the material she’s been dealt throws her off a cliff without a parachute. The whole production has such a community-theater quality to it, I found myself searching the program to confirm it was really an Equity production.
via nextmagazine.com

Princess Went to Mass

2010-01-31T22:41:00.001+08:00

Have just arrived from church. I actually brought Princess along. It's her first mass. We were late so we heard the mass standing outside the church doors. But there were speakers outside. I guess they're really intended for the late attendees.

But before we went to church, we dropped by the mall first to pay Meralco. Angel also had to buy a pair of shoes. She found none, though. So I told her to just go to the pet supplies section of Ace Hardware where Princess and I were while she was roaming around for shoes.

Look what I found at Ace. Haven't seen something like this at Animal House.

It'd be so useful as I always take Princess along with me. I used to bring her drinker, and it almost always wet my bag. Now wet bags wouldn't be a problem anymore.

And no matter how minimal a shih-tzu sheds coat, I still find lint on my bags and shirts. So I bought this:

Thanks

2010-01-25T21:54:00.001+08:00

It's a gift from my sister. Can you tell that she's religious?

And this Kensington MicroSaver was from Danilo. Can you tell that he's techy?

Thank you. Thank you. When you get older, the gifts become scarce. LOL!

Of Birthdays and PLDT Fails

2010-01-25T21:34:00.001+08:00

I wasn't able to watch PBB Double Up Eviction Night and StarStruck V Live last Saturday. And even if I was able to, I didn't have internet connection from 4 pm of Saturday up to very late last night, so I wouldn't be able to blog about it.

But the reason why I was so busy as of late was because of my birthday. Yeah, yesterday. I kinda celebrated last Saturday. Had lunch at my sister's, went home around 5 pm to change and meet up with Danilo at the mall. I was buying something, and Danilo being a computer engineer and all, I wanted him to inspect the item first.

We had dinner at Pancake House and I allowed myself to eat meat cuz it's my birthday (celebration) naman. Then Danilo and I met up with Mylene and her boyfriend Richard at MOA's Sunset Strip.

The restobars were all full. We wanted to go to Berk's because the oldies band performing that night was so fun but we ended up at the restobar next to it. We were seated at the table nearest Berk's so we were like there na rin.

The bar we went to closed early, though, even if it was a Saturday. So we walked along the bay until the lights were turned off and the guards started announcing something on megaphones. After having coffee, we went to Mylene's and hung out a little. I was at home 4 am but I couldn't afford to sleep cuz Princess had a 6 am medicine. I knew I wouldn't be able to wake up at 6, even if I had an alarm on, if I went to bed at 4.

Yesterday was uneventful especially that I had no internet connection, but I was happy nonetheless cuz Danilo hung out at the house almost the whole day. Just like the old times when we would hang out and talk endlessly.

Come to think of it, the greatest gift a friend could give you on your birthday is time and company. Thanks Danilo!

Another Reason To Love Dogs More

2010-01-13T23:13:00.001+08:00

I'm sure everyone's now aware of the powerful 7.0 earthquake that rocked Haiti. But don't you know that our dogs can feel earthquakes (seconds) ahead before we actually feel it?

Watch this vid:
I'm lucky to have 3 dogs. I will sure as hell get out of the house if ever they start running out all of a sudden.

MTRCB Suspends Showtime for 20 Days

2010-01-12T10:20:00.001+08:00

Oh, Showtime is suspended for 20 days starting today. Perhaps they're already regretting hiring Rossana Roces' services as a judge. Well, they suspended Osang after the incident but sadly, it's not enough for the MTRCB. Syempre, they should be responsible for everything that's happening.

Si Osang talaga. Pati mga teacher tinira. Palibhasa...

And just when everyone's enjoying Showtime, and just when Showtime is enjoying its highest ratings, Osang put it off air, albeit temporarily.

Watch the video that lead to the suspension below.

Get Well Soon Danilo

2010-01-10T11:14:00.001+08:00

Danilo is in Alabang Med. Confined since Friday. I only learned about it last night.

He was complaining of his tonsils when he dropped by last ~~Thursday~~ Wednesday to borrow my flamenco and talk about my coming birthday. I didn't know it's that bad.

Over the phone this morning, his dad told me that Danilo couldn't eat anymore last Friday and was already feverish. Danilo himself asked to brought to the hospital.

I've texted our friends already. We're gonna visit him this afternoon.

Hospital stories make me sad.

Revolution!

2010-01-05T18:36:00.001+08:00

Applied Revolution on Princess a while ago. I last applied December 2 and it's supposed to be monthly. A 3-day delay is not bad. What's bad is that I used a 30 mg applicator which is only designed for a dog up to 10 lbs. Princess is 12 lbs. and should use the 60 mg applicator. Sadly, Animal House has run out of it. But the vet said naman the smaller applicator is okay since Princess is just 2 lbs over the recommended weight. I didn't wanna buy double cuz it's way too expensive than just a single 60 mg. (Like a 30 mg costs 360.00 and a 60 mg costs 390.00. So 2 pcs of 30 mg costs 720.00!)

And then I need to apply Revolution on my bigger dogs tomorrow, so last Sunday, I also bought 2 pcs of 120 mg applicators. And then I noticed a while ago the expiration date - 12/2009.

I immediately called Animal House and the secretary told me those packages are still safe to use, but if I don't wanna use them, they'd replace it as soon as they have stock. Dyuskoday. Out-of-stock din. Anyway, the vet naman daw was aware of the expiry and they're sure it's still safe. But still. I don't wanna pay for an expired merchandise.

My two askals have to wait.

Dogs and Chains

2009-12-29T11:38:00.002+08:00

I'm a big PETA supporter. But this certain Sean Kingston ad about not chaining your dog is, I don't know, far out? He says chaining your dog is the cruelest thing. But it really depends.

For instance, I really have to chain my Princess during walks. Hello. If not, I'd lost her.

But yeah, I agree with him with the fact that chained dogs can harm themselves as what happened to my sister's labrador (the collar got caught up in her gate's grill, choking him to death). Yeah, morbid, and I agree that we should chain our dogs with caution.

Also, no chains are necessary if they're inside our homes/backyards. The fact is, I only chains my dogs when walking.

But to not chain the dogs at all? Ridiculous. I know I'd be so cruel if I don't chain Princess when we go out. As friendly as shih-tzus are, I'm sure someone would just snatch her away. Or she'd get hit by a passing car.

Ack! Too much of this talk. I hate thinking about losing her.

Santas

2009-12-28T11:09:00.000+08:00

A little late...

But it's still Christmas...

Juansen even borrowed the costume for a pic.

Year in Status

2009-12-23T12:06:00.002+08:00

If you're much of a "status person" in Facebook, you might like this app called "Year in Status" that will get random status from your account and put them in a nice template that you can share with your friends.

Here's mine:

A bunch of nothings. LoL!

Click here to get yours, and remember the good times, the stress, the heartaches that you have let the world know through your Facebook status.

Marc Jacobs Luxurious Dog Carrier

2009-11-30T16:30:00.001+08:00

How lucky the dog that would be put inside this Marc Jacobs limited edition luxurious dog carrier!

But as much as I'd like to pamper my Princess, I just won't buy anything like this. Okay, I don't have the money for it, but I don't think I'd buy one even if I could. Imagine its cost - somewhere between 41,800 to 58,500 USD!

This dog carrier was displayed at the ‘L’ Excellence du Savoir-Faire exhibition at Sotheby’s auction house in London. It was exhibited alongside Louis Vuitton limited-edition, special order pieces by Damien Hirst, Chef Ferran Adria, photographer Annie Leibovitz and musician Gustavo Santaolalla.

via buy-online-accessories.com

Giant LV Suitcase

2009-11-30T10:34:00.001+08:00

This giant Louis Vuitton suitcase surely will not fail to draw attention. It's in front of the Ngee Ann City building on Orchard Road where the LV boutique is.

photo: thebachelorgirl.com

Havaianas Zip G – iWant!

2009-11-24T15:42:00.001+08:00

First saw this at The Fash Pack blog. I told myself I'd get one as soon as I see one (you know how hard-to-find these Havaianas are). And then I came across the Havaianas website and saw this:

It would be a sin to not put Princess inside one of these. Besides, I'm already sick of her carrier.

I really wish there's an All Flip-Flops store somewhere near me. As of now, the nearest branch is in MOA. And near means a little over 200 pesos in taxi fare.

But I think I would be going to SMX this Saturday with the kids. I guess I'll pay All Flip-Flops a visit.

Another wish: an official Havianas online store. I really don't like buying in Multiply.

photos: thefashpack.blogspot.com havaianasphilippines.com

Efren Peñaflorida is CNN Hero of the Year

2009-11-22T18:47:00.002+08:00

Efren Peñaflorida has been named CNN Hero of the Year at the conclusion of the third "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute" held at the Kodak Theater Saturday night.

Efren, who started a "pushcart classroom" to bring education closer to the street children of the Philippines, was announced the winner by CNN's Anderson Cooper. He will receive $100,000 to help him continue the noble deed he has started.

The ten heroes was selected after seven weeks of online voting at the CNN website. Each selected hero was given a documentary tribute and was introduced by a celebrity presenter. Above photo shows Efren with Eva Mendes. Aside from that each of them receives $25,000.

The Top 10 CNN Heroes are Brad Blauser, Roy Foster, Doc Hendley, Andrea Ivory, Betty Makoni, Jorge Munoz, Efren Peñaflorida, Budi Soehardi, Derrick Tabb, and Jordan Thomas.

Congratulations Efren! Continue being an angel many and I'm sure more good things will come.

photo: cnn.com

When Naruto Takes Over Sesame Street

2009-11-18T21:13:00.001+08:00

Sesame Street is perhaps the most famous children's television show on earth. Most countries have their local versions of it but English-speaking nations just adapt its US version.

But since we're so bilingual here in the PH, we (me and my peers at least) grew up watching two versions - the Tagalog (Batibot) and the original Sesame Street. Batibot had been taken down when the bigger networks put up their own (short-lived) children's shows. But however original they claim it to be, they're all just patterned after Sesame Sreet.

Puppets in the local Sesame Streeet versions actually vary. In our country, we're so lucky Pong Pagong was lent to us by the Sesame Street US. At one point even, everyone was saddened when talks about getting Pong Pagong back to the US version spread around. Luckily, they let the turtle stay in our shores.

I guess the puppet that is originally ours is Kiko Matsing. They perhaps came up with the monkey puppet because of the famous children's story that involves a turtle and a monkey.

Since we grew up knowing the "pagong and matsing" story, seeing Pong and Kiko in Batibot was nothing new anymore. The puppets gave us a sort of connection to the well-loved fable and the values it taught us.

Pong Pagong and Kiko Matsing's tandem became a hit. These puppets taught the Filipino kids good values and the importance of friendship and working together. Along with Ate Siena and Kuya Bodjie (spell?), watching Batibot became a part of our weekdays.

In my time, it was aired twice in a day. One in the morning and one in the afternoon. Perhaps it was aired that way so the school kids in the morning classes could watch it in the afternoon, and those who went to school in the afternoon could watch it in the morning.

Currently, we only have animation/cartoon series as kid shows in the morning. Mothers have no choice but to turn on the tv to Pokemon or Mr. Bean or Naruto to entertain their kids while they do their morning duties. The better offs have options, though, if they have cable tv. Nickelodeon and Disney Channel are of course better alternatives. But what if they don't have cable tv?

Okay, so Pokemon has little moral lessons in its episodes. But unlike Batibot or Sesame Street, Pokemon doesn't teach the ABC's and 123's. And Mr. Bean and Naruto? I like watching Mr. Bean cuz it makes me laugh. But I'm very thankful that we didn't have Mr. Bean on tv when we were growing up. As with regards to Naruto, violence has really no space even in my tv viewing.

In South Africa, Sesame Street (or Takalani Sesame as they call it) is still a big thing. They even came up with a new puppet named Kami (short for the Setswana word “Kamogelo” which means “acceptance”). And why the name? Because Kami is an HIV-positive 5-year-old girl. And she needs acceptance. I guess you already know what happened when this puppet reached Sesame - her neighbors embraced her, and loved her with no prejudice. They listened to Kami as she talked about the challenges she's going through as an HIV-positive individual.

So you see, these children shows can bring hope and awareness to the kids, no matter how young or old they are. Africa is known to have a lot of HIV-positive children and they decided to use Kami to give these kids hope, to at least cheer them up to the thought that hey, there's a puppet who's going through the same ordeal as I am, and I don't have to lose hope.

We can actually use that right now. We may not have as much AIDS cases here but think about a flood-striken-puppet who was left homeless and have nothing to live by, walking aimlessly and reaching Batibot Street. I'm sure Ate Siena or Ate Isay would be very willing to take care of him and be instant family. Wouldn't it give such inspiration not only to the victims of Ondoy but to all of us?

On the other hand, imagine a Naruto-loving-kid hit by the flood in Marikina. What hope could he get from his favorite television show? Aspire to learn the art of water vending?

photo: thefrisky.com

"What's Bing?"

2009-11-18T15:05:00.001+08:00

Microsoft sponsored New Moon's movie premier. Ryan Seacrest, in a booth just outside the theater broadcasting live on the radio, was giving out Bing bags to the guests as token. It's just bad that Robert Pattinson didn't even know what Bing was. "What's Bing?" he queried when he received the small package. I hope someone told him beforehand that Bing was Microsoft's search engine.

But of course the real issue in the video is how Robert's rep cut the interview as soon as Ryan Seacrest began asking the Twilight star about his co-star, Kristen Stewart. The rep said they're talking about the movie (and not Kristen). Uhh... isn't Kristen part of it, too?

I'm so showbiz. Let's cut it here.

xoxo

2012

2009-11-17T16:09:00.001+08:00

I watched 2012 yesterday with JP, my movie buddy for years now. Good thing it's his day-off cuz I was really dying to watch and I'm not used to going alone to the movies anymore. I must admit going to the movies alone is quite an adventure but I'm so past that stage already.

I was actually wondering why he wasn't texting me about watching 2012 when I have read good reviews about it. You see, we only see good movies and/or blockbusters together. I eventually learned that his brother who watched 2012 on it's 2nd day gave a bad feedback, so he thought against watching it.

But his brother was proven wrong. The movie was so fast-paced and kept us on the edge almost all throughout. JP specifically loved Lilly (Morgan Lily) cuz she reminded him of the young Dakota. The scene where Jackson (John Cusack) was driving the limo with his family towards the airport to escape the chaos that seemed to be following them was a blast. It was GTA-on-doomsday.

Another thing to love in this movie is the Japanese Chin (?) named Caesar. I'm not actually sure if he's a Jap Chin or a Pekingese but he looked more like the former. As a pet lover, I'm so relieved that they didn't kill him in the story. But his human did. Actually, those with "unclear conscience" actually died. Well, not all. But the Russian Yuri and his girlfriend Tamara (Caesar's human), plus Sasha the pilot whom Tamara had indecent affair with all died.

When all thought it was a spaceship they were building to save humanity, I thought wow, was this inspired by Wall-E? LOL! But the minute I saw a giraffe and an elephant suspended in helicopters towards the "spaceships," I knew it was a modern version of the Bible's great flood. And it was confirmed when the spaceships turned out to be just ships. But a very high-tech one at that.

One more thing: Osric Chau, the actor who played the Chinese named Nima, is very Jay R (the singer) and a little like Paolo Abrera. LOL! Can't help but notice.

It's almost 2009. What can I possibly do to come up with a 1 billion euro before 2012? LOL! I guess people like me should just embrace what's to come. After all, no one really knows when the end of world will be.

Or is it ending now?

Tony and October Gonzalez for PETA

2009-11-12T09:50:00.000+08:00

Tony Gonzalez and wife October Gonzalez pose naked for the PETA ad campaign.

Tony says what goes on in the industry is just ridiculous and that the animals' lives are miserable from the second they were born - being pumped up with hormones and fed with corn, which is not their natural diet.

I am a self confessed dog lover, and reading about the cruelties happening to animals make me sad. I hope everyone gets involved in fighting for animal rights. Animals have life. They breathe. And they are here to be taken care of. They have a purpose in this world, and that's not to be on our plates to be consumed.

Pray For Us

2009-09-26T22:18:00.001+08:00

Metro Manila flood – via boston.com. Read the news here.

Metro Manila is still immersed in flood water. Somewhere nearby our house, the flood was so deep only roofs of the houses can be seen. The born-again church has been turned into an evacuation center. And the saddest part, a two-year-old died.

My family is still lucky the flood isn’t anywhere near the house. But part of the roof leaked, and water dripped on a computer table. It’s a small one and only happened at the height of the storm. But still, it turned my mood around throughout the rest of the day. Sometimes I’d like to think I’m not just OC, but already having bipolar disorder.

(Last night I freaked out just because I couldn’t use the television to watch Survivor. I hated myself after the madness. But during the time, I couldn’t control the anger.)

And I’m not kidding.

The Greatest Shot Ever Made

2009-09-15T09:43:00.001+08:00

I must admit I'm more of a Rafa fan. But look at the shot Federer just made! Goosebumps, really.

He later described it as "the greatest shot I ever hit in my life."

Watch it!

I Love Taylor Swift

2009-09-14T10:46:00.004+08:00

Your name is called as the winner of an award. Your heart is beating fast as you walk up the stage to get your trophy. You prepared for your acceptance speech last night, just in case you won. And this is it. All you care about is not forgetting the words you so carefully chose to put in that speech.

You are currently mixing emotion to your speech and are in the middle of it when suddenly, your microphone is snatched away from you. You look at the snatcher and see it's the famous Kanye West! You're expecting him to say something good about you, praises and all that, but he disses you by saying that Beyonce is the rightful owner of the award.

He gave you back the mic. You don't know what to say. Should you cry? Should you say something witty? Should you go to Beyonce's seat and give her the trophy? Should you sing "You Belong With Me" and prove them that you don't use pitch corrector?

You half hear the crowd cheering. You don't exactly know if they're cheering for you or because they think Beyonce really deserves the award more than you.

You are ushered towards the backstage. Your moment is finished.

I love you Taylor Swift. I love you even more.

Journalism Content Isn't Free

2009-09-13T21:25:00.003+08:00

Since the dawn of internet, those who have access to it need not buy newspaper anymore. News is free - online. Blogs even make the news bigger.

But some newspaper publishers aren't happy with it. Next thing we know, we might already be required to pay for news articles we read on Google.

New call for Google to pay for content as it hints at payment aid for publishers in the Guardian, 11 September 2009.

Natural Hair

2009-09-13T11:32:00.001+08:00

Tyra Banks' natural hair.

Isnt' this her natural one?

iPod Nano Shoots Video

2009-09-11T21:46:00.001+08:00

So iPod now shoots videos!

Video recording with effects
The new video camera in iPod nano lets you shoot video—even with video effects—wherever you are. Yet the new iPod nano is still the same ultraportable size. Learn more

Genius Mixes
Genius acts as your personal DJ, searching your iTunes library to find songs that go great together, then organizing them into mixes you'll love. All automatically. Learn more

FM radio with Live Pause
The new built-in FM tuner has two amazing features—Live Pause and iTunes Tagging*—that make listening to the radio nothing like listening to the radio. Learn more

Pedometer and Nike + iPod
Count every step you take with the new built-in Pedometer feature. Or add a Nike + iPod Sport Kit so your iPod can track your fitness progress. Learn more

The Youngest Security Guard

2009-09-08T13:16:00.001+08:00

After visiting the ortho yesterday, I went to Jollibee in Lower Bicutan to have a quick bite before heading to the mall. I decided to just eat there cuz I was kinda sure the mall fast foods were busy, being a public holiday and all.

Surprisingly, there was no guard at Jollibee’s entrance. No one there except for this kid:

And he opens the door for Jollibee’s client, too. Very much like how a real security guard would do. Except that the kid would spread his hand in front of you asking for a few coins.

The kid naman was harmless, I even gave him some coins.

But still…

Net Problem Part 2

2009-08-31T22:56:00.001+08:00

I didn’t know PLDT technicians work on weekends and holidays. I filed another ticket on the technical hotline last Saturday due to a very high latency and very low upload speed. Imagine getting a ping of 353 ms in their very own server and 20 kbps upload rate! My download rate was at a normal speed of 2.2 mbps, but with a high ping and low upload speed, a fast download speed is useless.

Since it’s a public holiday today, I wasn’t expecting a tech to visit me. But come 10:30-ish, the kindest of technicians, Mr. Mandy Moore, arrived. He told me he wanted to change all the phone cables from the box outside the house, up to the dsl splitter. He said the problem might have been due to the wires which was installed some 17 years ago. I agreed to the suggestion and he started to work immediately. It took him no more than thirty minutes to finish the job. He’s really so kind he was even telling jokes while working. He didn’t even utter a word of complaint on the hot weather despite his evident sweating.

My connection’s better now. Although my normally below 20 latency has become 39-40-ish. Okay lang. Bearable naman. At least my life’s now back to normal. Thanks Mandy.

Walk

2009-08-26T23:21:00.001+08:00

I woke up last Monday to no internet connection. I just knew something was wrong and it’s not just a case of a simple disconnection cuz the DSL indicator of the modem had no light. I immediately called technical assistance. It was 8 in the morning.

I called again 12 noon when I still had no connection. It quite irritated me when I was informed that Chloe, the customer assistant I talked to earlier, didn’t file a report of my case. Quite irritating when that happens but I knew better than to get mad.

I called Danilo – an old friend and a neighbor – to ask if he had connection since he’s also subscribed to PLDT MyDSL. He said he had none. I easily gave a sigh of relief thinking that the problem was on PLDT’s side. (I really hate it when I am the only one suffering because of an isolated problem). I’d eventually find out, though, that it’s really just an isolated case.

After the call, Danilo dropped by. It was Monday and he takes Sundays and Mondays off. And since I had nothing to do on a no-internet day, I told him I wanted to go out. He responded by asking “anong oras?” Haha.

We went to MOA’s sunset strip. It was Danilo’s first time there. It was my second. LOL! But it was someone else’s first:

LOL! She really knows how to look at the cam. It was her longest walk ever. She even had kennel cough after. How mean of me to tire her so much.

Anyway, internet connection was only restored this morning. A tech, who wants to be called Mandy Moore, paid a visit 8:30 a.m. He actually called first and told me I was third in line. I pleaded with him to visit me first. And he did. Thanks Mandy!

Dentist’s Pets

2009-08-11T23:21:00.001+08:00

Doc Erich brought his two exotic pets to his clinic today.

The sugar glider is the cutest, although it moves a lot it was so hard to take pictures.

I love this shot haha. It’s as if he posed for the pic.

The sugarglider is so cute and low maintenance (daw), it sleeps in a small, zipped pouch. Basically, they eat Cerelac and fruits until five months. Then just fruits six months onward.

The hedgehog, on the other hand, was so afraid it won’t come out of its “shell” or whatever you call those thorny shield.

Look at that, he’s peeking out!

Finally. LOL!

Ding ang Bato!

2009-08-10T22:01:00.001+08:00

I don’t normally watch primetime tv aside from “Tayong Dalawa” cuz mom is a fan. But tonight, with all the media hype, I turned on the tv while having dinner. It’s the premiere of Marian Rivera’s version of “Darna.”

I actually wanted to see Marian in the costume. But duh! I forgot all superhero stories begin with their childhood stories and how they got the power. So okay, I still continued to watch cuz the “pre-Marian Rivera” cast is quite good – Janice de Belen, Rita Avila, Vangie Labalan… The support is good. And yeah Angel Aquino is also included as the fairy who bestowed Rita Avila the gift to bear a child (the child would later on be Darna). It’s so nice to see Angel Aquino doing tv again. I mean something else aside from a glamour show.

But anyway I think I’m gonna watch Darna whenever I can. She’s so sexy in the Darna promo pics. And also, I’ve always liked how Marian Rivera deliver her lines.

I wonder who plays Ding… the carrier of the stone.

May Pasok Ba?

2009-08-07T20:12:00.001+08:00

Back to the time when I was still in school, I always turn on the radio to DZRH everytime I’d wake up to rainy mornings. Mom and I would patiently wait for the announcement from the Department of Education and PAGASA while having breakfast.

When I entered college, we started becoming a fan of Mornings @ GMA. Mon Isberto’s lively aura filled our living room every morning, rainy day or not. The news flashed at the bottom of the screen would tell us if classes were suspended. (Now this post makes me miss Mon Isberto and Cher Calvin on the local tv… and yea Tish Silang was also on this show.)

But now, with the dawn of blogs, those who prefer internet over television need not even use Google anymore. Just type www.maypasokba.com and you’ll get the information, fast (because the layout is so simple) and direct to the point.

I almost choked with the sudden burst of laughter when I first saw the site. Humor in its simplest form. But hey, even if it’s funny, the information on the site is correct.

Not a Dog Chew

2009-08-04T22:28:00.001+08:00

Princess chewed on my Philips earphones this afternoon. Darn…

I actually forgot to put it in my bag yesterday before heading out. It was on the sofa together with my iPod, phone, and digicam. And it remained on the sofa cuz I didn’t use my iPod last night.

Normally, I really don’t hide my stuff just because I have a dog roaming around the house. Princess doesn’t chew on my stuff. Well, not until this afternoon.

Grabe. I only bought it last June 4th. It’s still working, though. And I’m sure it can be fixed with the glue gun. But still…

----------

Since I also forgot to bring my phone yesterday, I kinda found it hard haggling at SM. You see, I always use it as calculator. LOL! So I could say I was actually calculator-less and not phone-less yesterday. A little phone-less pala cuz I couldn’t call Doc Erich to tell him I’d be a little late. Aside from waiting for the rig to be assembled, I also got delayed cuz I bumped into an old friend at the mall. The bump actually ended to almost an hour of talking and catching up.

----------

After forgetting three times to bring his hedgehog on the day of my weekly visit, Doc Erich finally brought his 2-month old hog to his clinic yesterday. The cutest. It’s just really sad I wasn’t able to take any pic.

I’ll make sure not to forget my digicam next Monday. I just wish he’d bring his hedgehog with him again.

I Don’t Care… E-e-e-e-eyr

2009-07-31T16:47:00.001+08:00

No we don’t collect Sandara Park merchandise. LOL! Many years ago, this plate was a freebie when you buy a bag of FRES candies. Needless to say, Sandara endorsed the product when she was still here.

I found this plate on the stack of my mother’s old Tupperwares while looking for a small container for Princess’s a/d.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but watching Sandara Park on YouTube singing and dancing – not to mention I first read about 2NE1 on PerezHilton.com – gives me goosebumps. No, not that kind of goosebumps. More of like the kind I get when I see a video of Charice performing in the US. It’s as if Sandara is our own. I’m proud of her and I’m so happy of where she is now.

There’s really something very Filipino in her.

I promise to watch their concert if ever they hold one here.

A Not-So-Pleasant Taxi Experience

2009-07-27T15:13:00.001+08:00

Going to Bonifacio Global City from the south is no easy thing, especially when you have to commute at noontime, enduring 32 – 33 degrees of hot weather.

On the way to Global City, I had to do some errands in SM Bicutan. I thought dropping by the mall would be great because it’s easier to hire a cab in malls. I also texted my friends who went with me to the Level Up! event to just meet me at the mall’s taxi bay.

Little did I know that I would have a little problem hiring a cab that day.

I thought this sign is big and clear enough, not to mention written in Tagalog, to be understood by anyone who knows how to read.

But then again, no.

Because this guard doesn’t know how to follow instructions written in big letters in front of him.

We waited in line for about 45 minutes to get a cab. When our turn finally came, the cab driver refused to convey by shaking his head when he learned of our destination (Market Market). In normal situations, the guard would make the taxi leave upon refusal to convey. But this guard instead let the one next in line to ride the said cab upon knowing that the driver didn’t wanna go to our destination.

This guard

prolly didn’t understand the meaning of the 3rd reminder written in big letters on that board in front of him.

A big difference, though, when we took a cab at the Market Market taxi bay to go home. The line was so organized and taxi drivers wouldn’t demand to know your destination before they open the door. The guards also give out leaflets where you can write your complaints about your taxi experience.

No wonder Market Market is always so busy with shoppers and mall goers. Judging by our taxi experience, I’m kinda sure Market Market is more concerned with their customers than the other malls around.

I don’t know about other SM malls but I think SM Bicutan mall admin can learn a thing or two with how Market Market takes care of their mall goers.

Purple Up!

2009-07-25T23:25:00.001+08:00

I was at the Bonifacio Global City Open Field this afternoon with some friends. It was actually the Level Up! event that made me go, and not the Yahoo! Purple Hunt Finale. I’m really not a fan of contests.

The Open Field was so big the five tents in color purple occupied not even 1/4 of the area LOL!

This is the Level Up! booth called Purple Up.

The Purple Lounge where there were laptops for free use.

It was so hot in the “open field” that only the participants of The Purple Hunt Finale were at the stage area.

Then Taguig Mayor Freddie Tinga with his daughter arrived.

The daughter flagged off the start of the race.

It (the Honda Jazz) was eventually won by Calvin Galgana from Caloocan.

It was really scorching hot especially when we decided to line-up for the freebies at the Level Up! booth.

By the time we got the freebies, a Calvin Galgana was announced the winner.

We wanted to watch the Level Up! events which was just about to start after we received the freebies. But it was really so hot, Ryan was feeling chest pains I was afraid he’d suffer heat stroke. We went to Market Market instead.

How Could a Jap Be This Cute?

2009-07-21T16:45:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, Doc Erich told me about Japanese Chins. Today I searched for pics.

How my heart melted when I saw this pic.

I want!

Hate

2009-07-21T12:45:00.001+08:00

I really don’t like that new vet. I don’t like the way she stares, and the way she manages to give you a light smirk? Arrghh it’s irritating. Perhaps she thinks that her smirks get unnoticed.

It’s just too bad I had to go to Animal House in Bicutan on the day of her duty (for the second time). I was already referred to Dr. Rose by Dr. Quinto but she’s only in Bicutan on Wednesdays and weekends. And I really had to buy dog stuff yesterday that I had no choice.

On my way there, I was hoping she’d be inside the clinic when I arrived, but luck wasn’t with me cuz she was there in the store/reception, sleeping. She was hunched on the table sleeping on her arms. She “woke up” when she noticed the secretary was talking to me. Oh well, she was back to sleeping even before I left. LOL!

I miss Dr. Quinto, really. She’s so accommodating and gentle.

The World is Round

2009-07-18T09:57:00.001+08:00

17-year-old Zac Sunderland has just completed his 13-month solo sail, making him the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe. He completed the feat on Thursday morning by guiding his 36-foot vessel into Marina del Rey, to the presence of hundreds of admirers (perhaps mostly young girls). He started the navigation June 14, 2008.

Meanwhile, the Philippines will also do an expedition – aboard a boat believed to be similar to the one used by the Spaniards who first set foot on our islands:

the Balangay.

The navigation is aptly called the Balangay Expedition. The Mt. Everest team headed by Leo Oracion will set forth 2010 at the Southeast Asia region, on 2011 it goes to Mirconesia and Madagascar, and on 2012 it will navigate across the Pacific and Atlantic and around the world and returns to the Philippines on 2013.

God bless the team.

I Don't Wanna Wait in Vain...

2009-07-17T02:05:00.002+08:00

So you see when you really, really like something, waiting for it is such an agonizing experience. But some people have zero tolerance of waiting.

I called JP at four this afternoon. He’s still at work but is preparing to go home. I told him I couldn’t hold it til Monday. And he wanted to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince on its first day, too. So we agreed to watch the 7:30 screening. LOL!

We were young once again, excited to see a movie we’ve long waited for.

We started going to the movies together in 1998. Cesar Montano’s Jose Rizal. Not because we wanted to see it, but because his mom gave us tickets to that movie. There were like 6 of us, our old barkada. And it’s actually the group’s first time to go out together.

Since then, we would go to the movies with his brother, Jindo, everytime there’s good sci-fi out. The girls wouldn’t wanna join us cuz they didn’t like the movies we love watching. Then after some time, Jindo wouldn’t wanna go the movies anymore. His interest drifted to guitars so he’d rather strum than sit inside the theater to watch.

Well, we go to the movies with other friends, too. But movies of our interests - like Harry Potter – should be watched together. No questions asked.

It was a fine Harry Potter night. If you’d not count the fact that it’s raining so hard going to and from the theater, it was overall a good trip. I also got to pay my credit card bill, had Princess’s card updated (at last), and was able to buy the much needed 600w (generic, though) power supply for one my units that burned out this afternoon.

Anyway, bawal pala magpicture ng posters sa SM. I didn’t know cuz I always get away with it. Kaya lang my flash gave me away kanina. Sayang. Sabi na nga ba camera phones are better. LOL!

Photos via wikipedia.org and thoughtsfromthejockstrap.com

See No Evil

2009-07-16T09:32:00.001+08:00

I’m all excited to see Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Watching it was the first thing that came to my mind upon waking up this morning. I have agreed to see it on Monday with JP (who is my movie buddy for almost a decade now) but I also want to see it with my nephews. (So okay I want to see it twice.)

I texted Leni this morning: Can I see Harry Potter with your kids on Saturday?
She texted back almost immediately: Ayaw ko yun e. Sorry.

How could I forget. Her family hasn’t watched or read a single Harry Potter. Why? Their church forbids.

It’s such a pity that some people (or churches) regard this story as wicked, evil, even satanic. It’s all about wizardry, yea, but all they have to do is read the plot to know that the story focuses on good things and despises the bad.

But I respect their opinions. Everyone’s entitled to live by their ideals.

I’m just glad I am free ~~as a bird~~ to do watch all things I want to do watch.

Vet Visit

2009-07-15T17:03:00.001+08:00

I brought Princess to the vet last Monday to have her teeth checked and to talk to the vet as well about the dreaded sedation. Since it’s a new vet (Dr. Djoanne Quinto already resigned from Animal House and is now based in Batangas), I brought with me Princess’s vet card (but I guess it’s useless cuz it’s not updated LOL!; the clinic actually has the updated record).

I gave the card to the secretary and I saw her hand it to the vet. The secretary also gave the vet their own record of Princess so she could update our card. We were brought inside the clinic and I proceeded to discuss stuff. She told me they also don’t sedate dogs as much as possible, and in Princess’s case, she agreed not to have her sedated. I really felt relieved. I guess they only sedate dogs they cannot handle.

I also had Princess’s nails and “behind” hairs trimmed. I discussed her current state of (bad) appetite, etc. etc. Funny thing was, when I asked her to look at Princess’s record to check the next scheduled vaccination, the new vet told me we had 2 overdue vaccines (CV and CF), plus deworming. I almost agreed to have those shots that day but then I remembered I cannot give my dog a bath for a week after the shots. So I bailed cuz it’s her bath sched the day after that. I just told the vet to have the vaccines done next week, together with the dental prophylaxis.

(I would later thank my vanity for saving money, and perhaps Princess’s health.)

We’re on our way home when CV and CF passed through my mind. I was kinda sure Dr. Quinto already gave it last month. And overdue shots? How could we possibly have overdue vaccines when we’re at the vet almost every month! It’s not recorded, though, on our vet card cuz I wasn’t able to bring it last month. And it's still not recorded cuz the new vet didn't update our card!

Upon arriving home, I took out my big Tupperware box where I put my receipts. I searched for last month’s vet receipt and voila! those shots and the deworming were there! I immediately called the secretary to have the new vet informed.

Had I agreed to have those vaccines administered last Monday, oh lo! I would have spent precious money to something I already paid for last month. And isn’t it bad for dogs to have annual vaccines given twice on the same year for two consecutive months?

Buti na lang I preferred baths over those vaccines. LOL!

But look at these cute toy dog stuff they have over at Animal House (SM Bicutan):

Carrier: Php900

Bed: Php1500

I really wanted to buy this cute bed but the color turned me off. It’s dry clean material daw. Buying this bed on this color will make me have trips to the dry cleaner every other day. I’m kinda sure Princess would love to chew her biscuits on this one.

Kerry Degman is a Dog Lover!

2009-07-14T10:12:00.001+08:00

Kerry Degman loves dogs - and he poses in this pic with one. He says his first pet was Mia, a chocolate Lab.

Cute pose. Gonna do that with Princess one time. LOL!

Viva!

2009-07-11T17:21:00.001+08:00

Coca-Cola started selling the easy-crush water bottles in Japan for its I Lohas mineral water brand. It does not only use minimal plastic, but it can also be crushed into a smaller unit before disposing it, minimizing the volume of plastic garbage.

I was drinking Viva! mineral water this morning when I noticed that the bottle was made of very thin plastic (it actually crunched a little in my hand). Having read about I Lohas a month or two ago via CScout Japan, the first word that came to my mind was "immitation." Not that it's bad. If the makers of Viva! got inspired by the (almost) environment-friendliness of I Lohas, it's actually immitation for a good cause.

Then I looked at Viva!'s label. It surprised me. It's also a product of Coca-Cola.

I wonder why they didn't make a campaign about Viva!'s easy-crunch bottle here in the country, just like they did in Japan.

Or is I Lohas' bottle even thinner than Viva!'s?

I Hope It's Not Too Late

2009-07-10T12:25:00.001+08:00

I was looking inside Princess's mouth last night, I noticed the plaque on her molars. It got me alarmed so I asked Google. It says tartar build-up can never be removed by brushing alone. I have to get her to the vet for dental cleaning. But she has to be sedated. Hello!

Sedations has it's negative after effects even on humans. Ayaw ko!

Then I remember Dr. Djoanne Quinto telling me Animal House in Jupiter St. is open 24 hours. I called. And yeah dogs are sedated when being dentally cleaned.

It would cost me daw less than 5k including the blood tests pre-sedation. Okay lang sana. Kaya lang the general anesthesia is worrying me.

I'm kinda blaming myself tuloy. It's not that I neglected Princess's teeth. It's more like I wasn't aware toy dog teeth should be taken cared of well. I was used to owning big dogs lang. And I never had any problems with their teeth.

Now I'm kinda wondering why Animal House didn't tell me about Princess's teeth - dental care and all. Come to think of it, nobody told me about shih tzu-teeth-care. Eh I bring Princess to the vet at least monthly.

I had an orgal hygiene kit picked up at Animal House SM Bicutan a while ago. I'm praying I get rid of the plaque with brushing. Google tells me otherwise, but I just wanna give it a try. I will buy other dental stuff on Sunday. Ayaw ko lang talaga ipa-sedate si Princess.

The Golden Casket

2009-07-08T02:20:00.005+08:00

I'm still full from dinner. But perhaps I would already be starving by the time MJ's memorial is finished. It has just begun.

Contrary to what's been reported earlier, Michael Jackson's youngest kid is there. I guess they really have to do that - be secretive - just like keeping the fact that Michael's casket would be in the Staples Center for the memorial service.

I showed my niece the supposed ghosst in MJ's bedroom during the CNN Neverland tour. She got mad at me. She's now scared to go back to her room.

Isa Pa… Isa Pa…

2009-07-07T22:52:00.001+08:00

Lately, I’ve been very matakaw. And I crave for food not in the kitchen. Like this evening, while nanay and I were watching TV Patrol World, I craved for Jollibee’s Chicken Joy. Nanay already cooked dinner but when I told her I wanna have Chicken Joy delivered, she allowed me.

We ended up eating Jollibee for dinner.

Even Princess.

Abutin ang Mundo!

2009-07-06T22:54:00.004+08:00

I can't wait for Globe Wimax to be available in our area. I'm so sick and tired of PLDT being my only internet option (unless I go prepaid, which I don't like).

My internet connection always gets disconnected every morning between 9:30 to 10:00. I don't know why. Calling 171 proves to be futile.

Miraculously, my internet connection wasn't disconnected this morning, nor the whole day through up to now. I hope it continues to behave until I get myself a Globe.

Long Live the King!

2009-07-06T22:52:00.002+08:00

This vid gave me goosebumps...

Madonna paid tribute to the King.

Afraid of the Rides

2009-07-06T09:27:00.004+08:00

I loved carnival rides as a kid, especially roller coasters. But as I grew older, I became afraid of putting myself in danger by indulging in the short-lived thrill of those rides.

When I was young, we only had the Fiesta Carnival in Cubao. Then Big Bang sa Alabang was put up during Christmas seasons. If I'm not wrong, the original Big Bang location is where Honda Cars Alabang is now located. With the success of Big Bang, several other Christmas carnivals sprouted - Payanig sa Pasig, Boom na Boom, Star City, Enchanted Kingdom. Some even made it a regular theme park, and not just a Christmas thing.

I think Payanig sa Pasig had the first incident of a ride tragedy, and several others from other carnivals followed. Nakakatakot.

My last ride was like 6 years ago in Star City. And it was just on a ferris wheel. I was with my nephews and they kinda forced me to join them. I kept praying all throughout the ride and couldn't wait for it to finish, while they literally jumped from one seat to the other to make the cart sway.

Enchanted Kingdom had a mishap a few years back while students in a field trip were there. No one died but it caused trauma to the kids.

We can easily blame Enchanted Kingdom, and go on to saying how careless they were. But accidents really happen.

Even in a world-class theme park.

Walt Disney World had a tragic incident Sunday morning. And it's not even a ride malfunction. A monorail driver died when two trains collided while visitors were leaving the the theme park. Read it here.

A screenie of the collision:

Watch the video taken by a Disney World guest here.

Ran Online D3D9 Application Error

2009-07-04T21:04:00.002+08:00

Due to a friend's request, I downloaded Ran Online again last night. I was surprised to find the full client chopped into 9 parts, with two extra files named the "latest patch" and the "current patch" (huh? I first thought the two are just the same files but no, they're two different ones). From what I can remember, the full client used to be just one file. Now, you have to bear with the clutter of 9 zip files (plus 2 exes - namely current and latest) in the directory wherever you download your stuff, in my case, the desktop (lol).

So I installed it this morning hoping to play with my friend who has just been introduced to the game and is currently super enjoying it. But then this D3D9 Application error (pictured above) pops up. Description says: "Generic application error. Enable debug output for detailed information."

I got so confused cuz according to Google, D3D9 is video related. And confused I was cuz I was using a 1 Gig video card. What could possibly go wrong?! Is my 1 Gig video card suddenly behind Ran Online's platform?

The Ran Online forum shows threads regarding D3D9 Application errors but I was so disappointed to find no real answer to the problem. Replies also come from Ran Online players who, just like the thread starter (and me) do not know what could have possibly caused the problem. So the threads are full of guesses and hunches and maybes. Some of the threads even have no reply at all, to think that those threads are in the forum's "technical" section. I wonder where all their techies have gone.

After hours of tinkering with my video card's control panel, trying out different resolution settings, reinstalling the game, downloading a new d3d9.dll, scanning my registry, etc... I decided to reinstall the game without running the "latest patch" and the "current patch." I decided to just patch it through their autopatcher... and lo and behold! Darn it! It worked!

It was a long wait, give or take 45 minutes, but I did it because I can't think of anything else to do to make it work. Like if autopatching still didn't work, I would've given up on it.

But then, spending all day trying to make Ran Online work was irritating. So irritating it conjured up old irritations with the game - disconnections, heavy lag, frequent emergency maintenance, lost premium items, wasted premium items due to emergency maintenance, bullying in-game, bad customer support, etc, etc...

By lunch time, I was already decided I wouldn't play anymore. I just tried to make the game work on my PC for personal satisfaction. I really don't like giving up on anything.

So to those who are having the D3D9 Application errors, just don't download the two manual patches and just let the client auto patch itself.

Latest patch... current patch... redundancy = error!

Reflection

2009-07-03T12:31:00.003+08:00

Lolit Solis says that Katrina Halili shouldn't request for Dra. Belo's removal of license because after all, same doctor was the one who "did" Katrina's nose. And of course there's no way you can forget who did your nose because you always see that part of your face everytime you see your reflection in the mirror.

Now, whenever I look at a pic of Katrina, her nose becomes the focus of my attention.

But then it's a good thing that Katrina seems to be moving on, if not totally, at least one step at a time.

Miss

2009-07-02T16:35:00.000+08:00

He's Not Ugly!

2009-06-30T10:23:00.003+08:00

Pabst, a boxer mix, won in the 21st annual World's Ugliest Dog contest. Don't you think the competition is so mean? And why would someone enter his dog in the competition? If you love your dog, you won't call him ugly in any way.

But maybe the prices (1600 USD, modelling contract, and a tablefull of collars, leashes and toys) made it okay for the world to call their dogs ugly.

Acromegaly

2009-06-24T18:25:00.006+08:00

Most people, especially us Asians, want to grow tall. Statuesque like a model, tall like an NBA player. That's why Cherifer is so popular among mothers who want their kids to grow taller than their genes could offer.

But Tanya Angus has a different story. She lived a normal teenage life. By the time she was 20, she was 5'11" and weighed 115 pounds. But then she noticed her clothes and shoes don't fit her anymore. She consulted several doctors about it but all of them said there's practically nothing wrong about it.

Now she's 30. And she's 480 pounds at 6'6". Doctors recognize that she has acromegaly, a disorder that makes you grow even after the puberty period. So you could be 50 and still growing.

According to Wikipedia: Acromegaly is a syndrome that results when the pituitary gland produces excess growth hormone (hGH) after epiphyseal plate closure. A number of disorders may affect the pituitary to create this circumstance, although most commonly it involves a GH producing tumor derived from a distinct type of cells (somatotrophs) and called pituitary adenoma.

Andre the Giant had this disorder, too, but he was never treated. He died young at the age of 46 due to heart problems.

Tanya, though, is now being treated. But it may be too late. Her condition is not getting any better despite many surgeries. A large brain tumor wrapped around her pituitary gland keeps on coming back even if several surgeries were done to remove it.

Realizing her hopeless condition, Tanya wants acromegaly be known. She wants to reach out and tell others with the same condition to get treatment as early as possible.

She's a brave woman. And in some other way, she's also telling us to be thankful for our good health... and to just be contented with how tall (or short) we are.

Photo via weeklyworldnews.com

New Cover For New Moon

2009-06-24T12:17:00.005+08:00

Now I know why Twilight books are being given away by Kodak. I myself got a free New Moon when I bought a Kodak last month.

It's because they're reprinting it with new cover.

Teen Sues For Starry Face

2009-06-20T13:39:00.001+08:00

What would you do if you woke up with 56 star tattoes on your face?

Of course you'd sue. And that's what the Romanian teen Kimberly Vlaeminck did to tattoo artist Rouslan Tourmaniantz.

Kimberly, 18, said she only asked for three star tattooes near her left eye. How did it become 56? She said she was so relaxed during the process that she fell asleep. She only woke up when Rouslan was already working on her nose of what was now the 56th tattoo.

Did the tattoo artist get possessed by an ink god (whatever) that he wasn't able to stop on the third star?

Well Rouslan said he only did what he was asked to do. He also explained that Kimberly was awake the whole time and was even happy when she left the shop. She only got dismayed and blamed Rouslan when she got negative feedbacks from her family.

Rouslan, though, wants to keep his clients happy and said he'd pay for half the cost of the tattoo removal. Now that's half of the 10,000 euros Kimberly is suing him for. It's actually the cost of the laser removal.

Photo via celebritysmackblog.com

Coffin Couch

2009-06-19T23:28:00.001+08:00

Would you even consider sitting on this coffin err couch?

DotA Allstars 6.60b

2009-06-19T23:16:00.001+08:00

I hope they make an AI map of this one soon.

Download DotA Allstars 6.60b here.

Jammie Thomas-Rasset Fined For Using KaZaA

2009-06-19T15:20:00.001+08:00

Jammie Thomas-Rasset is a 32-year-old married mother of four. She has a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing from St. Cloud State University. She is accused of illegally downloading and distributing 24 songs via KaZaA. Thomas-Rasset denies it.

Now she must pay fines totaling $1.92 million to the RIAA, as a penalty for violating the copyrights on 24 songs

Good grief. If there was a clear law here regarding the use of KaZaA, Limewire, torrent, and the likes, I think 80% of Metro Manila's population would be charged.

But then again, I guess they should go to the root of the problem. Why not imprison whoever made KaZaA?

This is like punishing those who use illegal drugs but letting the drug suppliers run free.

Photo via geek.com

Do It Like David Blaine

2009-06-19T12:47:00.001+08:00

I was interested in magic as a kid. And a while back, Vanessa’s boyfriend posted this ala-David Blaine video on YouTube that I, in turn, also posted in this blog.

David Blaine is kinda famous for his street magic and levitation techniques just like this one:

Then last night, I saw a kid at the shop watching this:

Now we know how David Blaine does that! LOL! Let's get out there and show off, too! Don't forget to bring your cameras.

Photo via islandcrisis.net

Always Wash Those Hands

2009-06-18T23:01:00.001+08:00

My youngest nephew’s amoebiasis struck again. He was confined at the Parañaque Med for three days beginning Saturday, June 13th. I visited him Sunday and Monday. He complained about not being able to eat because he wasn’t allowed to eat anything till Sunday afternoon. But he still complained cuz he was only allowed to eat lugaw and boiled egg.

Anyway, visiting my nephew brought back memories of being in the ICU of that same hospital some 2 years ago. And I fully understand my nephew’s whining. Even if he could eat a full meal, I know he’s gonna complain about some other things just to have something to whine about.

It’s never easy being confined.

There’s nothing to be happy about the incident, but Juansen (my sister’s eldest) was made to stay with us while the other kid was at the hospital (the father’s not in the country at the moment). Juansen and I enjoyed some bonding moments cuz I brought him with me to my ortho appointment Monday before going to the mall, then we visited his brother at the hospital. We spent his nights here playing Restaurant City and trading ingredients LOL!

Juansen missed the first and second day of his Grade 7. No one would drive him to school. He only started attending his classes yesterday. The younger kid is doing okay now at home and would start going to school on Monday.

Flip

2009-06-07T12:18:00.001+08:00

Received my free Mobile Philippines subscription this morning, and I just can't help but go ooh and ahh at the featured digicams. I promised myself, though, that I won't be buying anymore digicams until I've gotten myself a Flip camcorder.

From the Inbox

2009-06-06T22:28:00.001+08:00

Found this in my inbox:

Trilogy Lifestyle Boutique & Canteen, NOW OPEN for BUSINESS!
Location:

110 Alvion Center, Rada Street, Legaspi Village

Makati, Philippines
Mon - Sun: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Visit their website here.

Battle of the (Networks) Beauties

2009-06-06T16:37:00.001+08:00

Meg and Mega has Anne Curtis and Iza Calzado on their covers respectively. Who do you think is hotter? I wonder if the rival tv networks also compete on magazine covers. Like if they know someone from the other channel is covering next month's mag issue, would they push it so that their talent is also on the cover of that mag's rival next month?

Just wondering.

Posters

2009-06-06T16:06:00.001+08:00

It had been long ago when I last admired a movie poster I wanted to have one.

Love it. Makes me want to start collecting movie posters.

But then regardless of the poster, I'd definitely watch Revenge of the Fallen when it hits theaters.

Japanese Spacecraft "Selene" Orbits the Moon

2009-06-06T13:15:00.001+08:00

The Japanese spacecraft Selene is currently taking pics and videos of the moon's surface. I always get this surreal feeling whenever I see videos of the outer space. I don't know why. Perhaps I was an astronaut in my previous life. LOL! But seriously, I would really, really love to be on a spacecraft to see what's out there. Even if it's not to the moon. A little above where the airplanes fly, where there's no gravity and where I can see the earth as a big ball of life, would be very much okay.

Now what happened to the fear of flying? LOL!

Here's another video:

Tokyo Fashion on "Stella"

2009-06-06T11:55:00.001+08:00

I really miss school. Darn! I promise to enroll into something academic next year. I think it would be fun. Being a student (again) without the parental limits. LOL!

And the reason why I miss school more:

The back-to-school issue of Stella magazine focuses on Japanese fashion. I'm sure my friend Vanessa (who's currently featured on the Ran Online site) will love it.

Notes: Parang lumiit si Victor Basa, Erich Gonzales is so photoshopped, and Akihiro Sato shows the reason why he should invade the entertainment industry (in the looks department, that is).

Rains=Brownout!

2009-06-05T23:43:00.006+08:00

We had a little brownout yesterday. It could've been just okay but my two nephews were here and they were so bored during the brownout I decided to take them to the mall. I also brought Princess with us cuz I suddenly remembered her de-worming was already 9 nine days overdue.

When we got the vet, though, I found out two of her vaccines were also due this month. Buti na lang I gave her a bath yesterday cuz vaccines (especially that it's two) are always followed without bathing for a week.

The hard part, though, of our mall-ing was the eating. My younger nephew is on probiotics cuz his tummy has problems. He actually can't eat just about anything. And since he's with us, we also can't order for ourselves anything that he cannot eat. He even had to remove the chicken skin before eating.

But the chicken skin didn't go to waste.

LOL!

Anyway, I loved the color of this Philips earphones when I saw it at Asianic, I immediately bought it.

Anyway the video and pictures were taken using the Kodak C813 I bought last week. I'm still experimenting on it and still don't know how to diffuse the flash so it won't reflect as much on shiny objects.

Jai Ho

2009-06-04T00:57:00.003+08:00

The first time the Cebu inmates danced was a blast! I watched it on YouTube so many times. But then when you do something over and over again, people won't get too excited anymore.

Jai Ho, though, is kinda one of my favorite tunes at the moment so I'm posting this vid of the Cebu inmates dancing to the said song =)

I wonder what they are gonna dance into next.

I Want To Play

2009-06-04T00:46:00.004+08:00

I love Rohan Online. Even though I can't play as much for the past days, I still dream of becoming a "mamaw" someday.

I even have the June Rohan calendar as my desktop wallpaper.

How I wish I could turn back the time to the days when I could play online games all day.

De La Salle Suspends Classes Due To Swine Flu

2009-06-04T00:08:00.003+08:00

Wow. Swine Flu has broken into DLSU! Heard it on the news a while ago. A foreign exchange student, a 21-year-old Japanese to be exact, was found positive of A-H1N1 virus. Enough reason to suspend classes in the university for 10 long days (until the 14th).

But what's funny is that the students of DLSU, having been in contact with the Japanese flu carrier or not, are advised not to go to public places like malls to make sure they don't spread the virus. LOL! I wonder how they react to that.

Anyway, DOH is still investigating whether the said Japanese student got the flu from whichever country she was in before she came here, or if she got infected here since she's already the 22nd victim. They're doing that because the Jap was reported to be here long enough already (about 10 days) before she showed signs of infection.

Let's just pray that no one else gets infected, especially from our family.

Twist and Dump

2009-06-03T12:06:00.001+08:00

Water bottles take up much space when dumped. What with all the empty space inside? Unless you crush them (which is hard to do with bare hands) or fill them up with other wastes, they would really bulk up your garbage cans, and worse, the dump sites.

But Coca Cola Japan is making a way to be eco-friendly. Their new bottled water I LOHAS can easily be twisted with your own hands before you throw them in the garbage. Not that it matters much because water bottles are still plastic, but at least they're trying to make the waste smaller.

Watch the ad below.

I'm Afraid To Fly... And I Don't Know Why...

2009-06-02T10:51:00.001+08:00

I always have this fear of flying. I get paranoid everytime I would ride a plane, and more paranoid when my mom would ride a plane without me. The thought of crashing would always scare the crap out of me. LOL! I just tell myself, though, that life has its course and whatever happens, it happens for a reason.

But if Air France could have some electrical troubles, how much more trouble could our smaller, local airplanes have?

This makes my fear of flying even worse.

No Net

2009-06-01T15:10:00.001+08:00

I need some more sleep. I went home from Laguna yesterday morning pa but I wasn't able to sleep cuz it's my niece's birthday yesterday. She had a double celebration with my sister who had her birthday last 26th. We had a "full house" yesterday and it's quite impossible for me to rest. Speaking of birthdays, I wanna greet my friend Bans Balleras a belated happy birthday. It was her birthday last 25th.

Anyway, I woke up this morning to no internet. I picked up the phone to call PLDT 173 when I realized there was a line noise - screechy, static, annoying noise. I checked the plugs but they're properly connected. Then at the corner of my eyes, I saw some activity outside the window, at the Meralco post on the other side of the street.

Gawd, the pagecom.com.ph people were at it again. I talked to them and they ended up replacing our phone box which was 16 years old already. And they said naman they'd be on our street only until today, or tomorrow at the most. Buti naman.

This was taken before I yelled. No, I didn't show them I was angry cuz they might sabotage my connection more. LOL! I just shouted: "Kuya wala akong connection!" Then they politely answered: "Sandali na lang 'to sir." Pero I overheard him talking on the phone up there. He was talking to his wife. How did I know it was his wife? Cuz he was asking the other end if the kids had already left for school. LOL! Internet connection resumed the minute he went down his ladder.

3 Stars

2009-06-01T14:06:00.001+08:00

Ok na sana. Kaso naging suns.

New Moon Stills

2009-05-29T22:38:00.002+08:00

The free book and this video has revived my excitement for New Moon.

Can't wait for November.

Miss

2009-05-29T16:03:00.001+08:00

She'll be sleeping with nanay tomorrow night.

Missing her already.

Kodak C813 Comes With a Free Book

2009-05-29T15:37:00.001+08:00

Since I'm going out-of-town for the weekend, I decided to buy a cheap digicam to bring along. I don't wanna bring my phone or my other digicam. It's inuman and I heard lots of my friend's friends are coming. Actually most of them I'm sure I don't know. And I just know how wild the gathering would get.

Yesterday, I went to Asianic first to look for the cheapest cam but they had phased out the one I had in mind. I was thinking of the Casio 3 mpx cam I saw on someone's blog. Their cheapest one was the Kodak C813. It came with a 1G SD and that's all. Good thing I decided to look around first. I dropped by Silicon Valley and they had the same cam, and for the same price, it included a 2G SD and a free Twilight book!

LOL! They only had New Moon, though.

And yea I also bought this at Watsons:

Swine Flu paranoia. Gawd!

Shame Campaign

2009-05-27T23:08:00.001+08:00

Oh wow. A shame campaign is being pushed by Senator Allan Peter Cayetano against Hayden Kho. I think the initial plan was to just constantly remind Kho of what he has done by showing him "shame on you" signs. But then some cities have declared "persona non grata" to Hayden. I heard Palawan (Katrina Halili's hometown) and Bohol are among those who don't want Hayden in their provinces.

But then the question is, how long will this restriction last? A lifetime? Hope so. But I don't think so.

After the media hype is over, I'm sure everything will again be normal for Hayden. People forget. One good deed and he'd be forgiven.

And then perhaps he'd have his own medical group. Come to think of it, the girls in the videos would make good endorsers. And the tag line? "Only Hayden touches my skin!"

LOL! Just kidding.

"Kinatay" Won't Be Shown Here

2009-05-27T22:01:00.001+08:00

Brillante Mendoza, after winning Best Director at the 2009 Cannes, has decided not to give his film ("Kinatay") a public showing here in the country. But before you say that he's madamot, hear his reason first.

Let's just understand that a movie is like a child to the director. It's his creation, and after winning in Cannes, it's his masterpiece.

We know how movie censorship is. And for that, Mendoza doesn't want his masterpiece to go under censorship's knives.

It will be on exhibition, though, on some universities.

Photo Source: hollywoodreporter.com

Scaring Floormates

2009-05-23T15:04:00.001+08:00

I easily get scared, the reason why I beg off on the haunted houses of Star City and Enchanted Kingdom. And I'd hate anyone (for life) who would try to pull a prank on me. But I can't deny watching pranks like the one below gives me a good laugh.

What's Your Name?

2009-05-23T11:00:00.001+08:00

There's a new blog on tumblr called What's Your Name? which is dedicated to those people not good with faces. If you have a picture of someone from years ago (or just recently, it wouldn't matter) that you forgot the name of, just send them that pic along with your e-mail (you might want to make a new one just for this purpose) to whatsyournameblog@gmail.com, and they'll post it. If readers happen to know the person in the pic, they can easily send that person's name to the e-mail you provided.

Cool, no?

Ummm... perhaps just for the fun of it, we can post our own photos and see if anyone from the interweb knows us LOL! Just kidding. But not bad if you want to test how popular you are.