useless ramblings

STATEMENT OF NEW AFP

2006-01-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

In fulfillment of our sworn duty
January 19, 2006

We have bolted from the repression of a bogus regime. We will no longer go
along with the repression that this regime has to impose in order to
continue its illegitimate rule. It is a repression that continues to
prevent the members of the armed forces from, and even punishes them for,
carrying out their sworn duty: to defend the Filipino people.
Our oath is clear: Our place is with our people; the people’s will is
sovereign. All our actions in the performance of our duties must
demonstrate this bias in all instances.
Those who insist on the neutrality of the military, and who now occupy the
positions of power, are those who would rather that we stay silent, betray
our oath, and in effect even help them perpetuate their own selfish
interests. They are the enemies of the people. We refuse to be their
pawns.
The people’s mandate is clear: Corruption, illegitimacy and neglect
must end. Therefore, we do not merely seek a change in personalities. We
seek the change of a system that installs the people’s enemies in
power and perpetuates the exclusion of the majority. We seek the change of
a system that reduces the people to being mere spectators, and a change in
the kind of politics that lulls the masses into inaction and acquiescence
with noise – petty quarrels, distracting issues and cosmetic reforms.
We are not alone in this struggle. We are thankful for the officers that
helped us. We believe that most of the armed forces are still loyal to their
oath and are one with us in our vision. We make up the New AFP. And we
join our fellow Filipinos who now refuse to be cowed. We are a force that
grows stronger by the day, working in solidarity to usher a new nation where
the people’s interests are truly supreme.
The imperative is on all of us. The time to act is now.

Capt. Nathaniel Rabonza
1st Lt. Lawrence San Juan
1st Lt. Patricio Bumidang
1st Lt. Sonny Sarmiento

CRIMINAL AFFAIRS: RP STYLE

2006-01-17T20:19:00.000-08:00

found this on the web

The State of Philippine Criminal Affairs
The NBI (National Bureau of Investigation), the AFP
(Armed Forces of the Philippines), and the PNP
(Philippine National Police) get into an argument
over who is the best at apprehending criminals.
The President decides to test them. She releases a
rabbit into a forest and each of them has to catch it.
The NBI goes first. They place animal informants
throughout the forest. They question all plant and
mineral witnesses. After three months of extensive
investigation, they conclude that rabbits do not exist.
The AFP goes in. After two weeks with no leads, they
burn the forest, killing everything in it. They make
no apologies: "The rabbit deserved it."
The PNP goes in. They come out two hours later with
a badly beaten bear.
The bear is yelling, "Okay, okay, I'm a rabbit, I'm
a rabbit."

FROM THE WEB: HOW TO TELL A BAD NEWS!

2005-12-08T20:30:00.000-08:00

Isang Araw....
KUMIRIRING ang telepono nang madaling araw....
"Hello, Master Carlos? Si Arnaldo po ito, ‘yung katiwala niyo sa
bahay-bakasyunan niyo."
"O, Mr. Arnaldo, ikaw pala. Ano’t napatawag ka? May problema ba?
"Um, napatawag lang po ako para abisuhan kayo na namatay ang alaga
niyong parrot."
"‘Yung parrot kong si Pikoy, patay? ‘Yung nanalo sa bird show?
"Opo, Master Carlos, ‘yun na nga po."
"Putris ... sayang! Ang laki pa naman ng nagastos ko sa ibong ‘yon.
Hay, buhay! Teka, ano nga ba ang ikinamatay niya?"
"E, kumain po kasi ng bulok na karne...."
"Bulok na karne? At sino namang salbaheng tao ang nagpakain sa kanya ng
bulok na karne?"
"W-Wala po. Nanginain po siya ng karne ng isang patay na kabayo."
"Patay na kabayo? Anong patay na kabayo, Mr Arnaldo?"
"E, ‘yun pung mga thoroughbred horses niyo, Sir. Namatay po kasi lahat
sila sa pagod, kahihila ng kariton ng tubig."
"Nasisiraan ka na ba ng bait? Anong kariton ng tubbbiiiiggggg?"
"‘Yun pong pinampatay namin ng sunog."
"Diyos ko po! Anong sunog naman ‘yang pinagsasasabi mo?"
"‘Yun pong halos tumupok sa bahay niyo.... Tumumba po ‘yung isang
nakasinding kandila, tapos nagliyab ‘yung kurtina at mabilis na
kumalat ang apoy...."
"Ano? Puuut.... E, may kuryente naman diyan sa bahay-bakasyunan, a.
Para saan ‘yung kandila?"
"Para sa burol po."
"Ano? Kaninong burol?
"Sa nanay n’yo po, Sir. Bigla kasi siya dumating dito nu’ng isang gabi,
walang kaabi-abiso. Lampas hatinggabi na. Akala ko po magnanakaw.
Binaril ko."

GARCIA GETS HUNG!

2005-12-01T23:30:00.000-08:00

Major Gen. Carlos F. Garcia has been found guilty by the court martial that tried him. Garcia is accused of corruption, after his excessive lifestyle had been exposed. His son was captured trying to sneak in hundreds of dollars into the United States.

Garcia has been charged with violating Articles of War over his alleged unexplained wealth and possession of a US “green card,” which gives him permanent resident status in the US in violation of the Philippine Constitution.

The guilty verdicts comes with dishonorable discharge and the forfeiture of his benefits. Criminal cases against him are also expected.

This is the first time a general gets hung by his peers.

THAI MO BULOK!

2005-11-30T20:13:00.000-08:00

Thailand PM Thaksin Shinawatra is complaining. He felt that the only way Filipinos can do better than his athletes in the SEAGAMES is by cheating. He felt it necessary to bring this to media at his level. He even wanted to make this an issue at the next ASEAN summit.

President Arroyo, acting in haste to mollify his ally and good friend, directed the officials of the games to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into this matter and submit an impartial report within 24 hours.

Our national pride, bouyed the performance of our athletes, is breing trampled again. And the President in the name of diplomacy, chose to side with the accuser, who didn't even bother to present proof before making a wild accusation before the global media.

MIYAGI-SENSEI IS DEAD!

2005-11-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

a really sad day for me. : (

LOS ANGELES - Actor Pat Morita, whose portrayal of the wise and dry-witted Mr. Miyagi in "The Karate Kid" earned him an Oscar nomination, has died. He was 73.Morita died Thursday at his home in Las Vegas of natural causes, said his wife of 12 years, Evelyn. She said in a statement that her husband, who first rose to fame with a role on "Happy Days," had "dedicated his entire life to acting and comedy."
In 1984, he appeared in the role that would define his career and spawn countless affectionate imitations. As Kesuke Miyagi, the mentor toRalph Macchio's "Daniel-san," he taught karate while trying to catch flies with chopsticks and offering such advice as "wax on, wax off" to guide Daniel through chores to improve his skills.Morita said in a 1986 interview with The Associated Press he was billed as Noriyuki "Pat" Morita in the film because producer Jerry Weintraub wanted him to sound more ethnic. He said he used the billing because it was "the only name my parents gave me."He lost the 1984 best supporting actor award to Haing S. Ngor, who appeared in "The Killing Fields."
For years, Morita played small and sometimes demeaning roles in such films as "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and TV series such as "The Odd Couple" and "Green Acres." His first breakthrough came with "Happy Days," and he followed with his own brief series, "Mr. T and Tina.""The Karate Kid," led to three sequels, the last of which, 1994's "The Next Karate Kid," paired him with a youngHilary Swank.Morita was prolific outside of the "Karate Kid" series as well, appearing in "Honeymoon in Vegas," "Spy Hard," "Even Cowgirls Get the Blues" and "The Center of the World." He also provided the voice for a character in the Disney movie "Mulan" in 1998.

GARCI-NUNGALING / GONZI-NUNGALING

2005-11-28T18:23:00.000-08:00

First Gentleman Mike Arroyo says they've been vindicated by Garci's statement virtually clearing the President of any wrongdoing. It's a case of a cheat clearing another cheat. What a warped sense of justice.

In a related development, TF Garci finds procedural lapses in the disappearance of Garcillano. That came a day after Garci already came out in the open. And if we are to believe Garci himself, he claimed he never left the country. Either Garci or Gonzi is lying. Or maybe both.

You know what's wrong with Malacanang's spinmeisters? They lack imagination. Magsisinungaling na lang di pa plantsahin.

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO GARCI

2005-11-27T19:50:00.000-08:00

"I have to make myself rare for a while for fear of my life and that of my wife. I had been followed everywhere since the controversial alleged tapped conversation came out. In fact some are saying I could already be dead. There were also intimidating text messages. There were also insinuations by politicians that I might be liquidated by either side of the political isle. I was not also sure of the military's plan. There are also leaders who'd like me to talk, but my statement must be favorable to them; if not my life is surely in danger."

THE OUTING OF GARCI

2005-11-25T00:21:00.000-08:00

garci is expected to come out in the open soon. he will say hello to all of us, as if he's not done anything wrong. malacanang, as it is obviously behind his disappearance will certainly stagemanage his reappearance to, suprise, suprise, clear the president of any wrongdoing and drag other opposition leaders -- reportedly loren, jinggoy and jamby -- into the same situation as ate glo. so ang magiging dating, oks lang na kinausap siya ni ate glo, dahil ganun din ang ginawa ng oposisyon.
the signs are clear: his lawyers has filed two motions before the supreme court: one to quash the house arrest warrant against him and the other, to invalidate the committee report on the hello garci controversy by declaring that the playing of the tapes, as they are acquired illegally, is illegal.
ang masaklap, wala nang paki ang mga tao. as in HELLO!!!

RUBOUT

2005-11-13T21:28:00.000-08:00

because of its desire to prove to its critics that it still has relevance, the traffic management group bungled what could be a legal operation. i am talking about the ortigas shootout between the tmg and suspected carjackers.

it appeared to be a legitimate operation at first glance. but video footage taken by the UNTV as compared with the shots of media networks allowed only to enter the crime scene 30 minutes after, are indicative of a rubout.

the footage actually showed one of the operatives tampering with the crime scene. in the suspicion of many, he was planting evidence. another clip from the same UNTV footage earlier shown to the public showed the cops still firing at the disabled, if not already dead, suspects.

now i see more than enough reason to have them relieved. they were initially relieved, but angie reyes decided to bring them back to the force so as not to destroy the morale of TMG operatives.

now after this, i hope angie, does something sensible: relieve them once again, prosecute them and if found guilty throw them inside the slammer. failure to do so will erode the morale of hardworking, discipline and honest cops.

BLUNDERWATCH

2005-11-07T20:13:00.000-08:00

the president has committed a series of blunders recently, the height was her announcement that abu sayyaf regional leader radulan sahiron was captured by the police. it turns out he got the wrong guy.

this brought back memories of how she wrongly presented acsa ramirez, a whistleblower in a bank scam, as the suspect. she also wrongly announced that faisal marahompsar was captured. marahompsar has to call a radio station to say that he's still free.

and of course, her spokesperson claimed there were two garci tapes, later on she insisted there was only one.

and just yesterday, she again retracted her earlier announcement that there should be a reasonable wage increase for workers.

BOLERA!

KURYENTE and TERRORISTS

2005-11-06T22:10:00.000-08:00

the president might still be in shock over the latest kuryente news that reached her. on saturday, she gleefully announced over national media that the national police was able to capture radulan sahiron. well, the pnp told her later, that the cops got the wrong guy. he was putol all right, but not the right putol. our sorry excuse for an intelligence community can't seem to distinguish a missing right arm from a missing left arm (eh missing nga paano nila makikita!)

this booboo (mga booboo talaga!) came at the heels of news that they arrested abu tagalog in baguio. some quarters are saying that the wanted abu tagalog is already in jail for the past three years and the person they got was simply a cook, who uses that monicker. (so easy po tayo sa paga-alias ha?)

days earlier, she accused news anchor julius babao of paying the bail of suspected terrorist daud santos. the isafp admitted they don't have evidence against julius. at best, julius as some reports indicate, talked to a bail bonds officer to see if daud's bail can be lowered.

there's something wrong with the kind of intelligence reaching the president. artificial intelligence?

o baka meralco naman sisihin nila dahil nakuryente ang presidente?

THE HARD CHOICE OF WHO TO PISS OFF

2005-11-02T19:30:00.000-08:00

here's the story: the inquirer published a story quoting columnist mon tulfo -- with no less than president arroyo as his source -- that abs-cbn journalist julius babao might have aided a terror suspect.

two days after, and after a barrage of media inquiries on the president's allegation, press secretary ignacio bunye indirectly affirmed the veracity of tulfo's story but made it clear that it's "off the record."

this probably angered tulfo, who after days of evading media, talked to abs-cbn last night to clarify that he was given the permission to print the story. in fact, one can say the president gave him the story, even promising that it was to be an inquirer exclusive.

almost immediately, bunye flip-flopped and said that the conversation was not "off the record" and that tulfo did not violate any confidentiality agreement with the president.

this is only indicate of one thing: the palace is now making a hard choice of who to mollify, the critical inquirer or the critical abs-cbn. well, the president started it all by giving tulfo the story, so the choice she made is obvious now. she's chosen to side with the inquirer.

DEEP THROAT AND JULIUS BABAO

2005-11-02T03:10:00.000-08:00

the isafp finally admitted they don't have direct evidence to support a supposed intelligence report they provided president arroyo on the alleged attempt by abs-cbn anchor julius babao to pay the bail of a suspected terrorist.

what they have they say is a thread of circumstancial evidence. which they provided the president who in turn, in an off the record conversation, divulged the same raw information to another journalist, inquirer columnist ramon tulfo.

questions: isafp regularly churns out reports to the president. they classify these information. did isafp incorrectly labeled the report as A1 (in the parlance the global spy community)? or the president was just too confident of ramon tulfo that she, in confidence, revealed this to tulfo? or...did the president deliberately leaked this information knowing that tulfo the journalist would not let a good copy like this pass?

my media friends told me that they've been having extreme difficulty getting tulfo to react on this. but they were surprised that tulfo, who've just betrayed the trust of his source -- the highest official of the land -- didn't get a reprimand?

what is going in here? someone's playing psy-ops here. will the network, who've recently been critical of the administration, succumb to this early signal of suppression? who gets to blink first?

CHACHA POLLS BY 2007

2005-11-01T03:47:00.000-08:00

president arroyo, fvr and jdv met last night to agree on a timetable for charter changes. initial info i got is they agreed that there will be an election by 2007. methinks its an election for members of the parliament and the eventual choice of a prime minister.

if this is true, then expect political peace -- save of course for possible attempts by the estrada-wing opposition to resuscitate their lost cause.

because to me, this only means one thing: fvr and jdv got what they wanted from the president. in all fairness, i think this was the original arrangement offered by fvr and jdv at the height of the june 2005 (yes the knights in shining armor made some concession while saving the damsel in distress.) but then news surfaced that the president was having second thoughts about the deal prompting fvr-jdv to exert some pressure through indirect propaganda that reminds the adminstration of its political frailty.

given the president's track record of saying one thing and doing the other, fvr and jdv didn't leave things to chance. they made threats: her administration will be rocked by coup rumors and she will be impeached again by jdv controlled house in june. the lethal mix of these scenarios and rising prices of oil and as exacerbated by the EVAT, left the president without a choice.

but that of course is undermining the political animal in the president....

MASS ACTION!

2005-10-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

malacanang seems to overdoing what it perceives as threats from the opposition to attack the palace. the presidential paranoia began after members of the opposition managed to sneak into churches near the palace...well to stage "MASS" ACTIONS, religious activities inside churches that one way or the other hint of political agenda.

last info i got is that the presidential security group already limited the entry and exit points to the palace. this in addition to layers of protective barriers - container vans, barb wires -- surrounding the palace. some now even call the palace FORT MALACANANG.

well malacanang can't really be faulted for being praning. ika nga isang dura lang ang layo ng opposition sa pangulo. but i think they're overdoing the security.

or they know something that we don't?

CANNONIZED OPPOSITION

2005-10-20T16:10:00.000-07:00

this administration is not thinking.

or at least its senses have been deadened by its own pr machinery. instead of dedicating its energy to bring the country back to its feet, the arroyo government decided it was to time to squash the already wounded opposition. it implemented the calibrated preemptive response or CPR.

the administration unwittingly gave its critics a rallying point, an image to hate. now we are pestered by pockets and handfuls of protesters out to test the CPR. this kind of crowd don't usually attract media interest. but with CPR, which media entity, in its right frame of mind, will refuse to cover an event that is very visual, a fodder for today's kind of hysterical TV.

and just last week, when the country saw the image of an old (probably even sick) former vice president drenched in firetruck dispersal water and a priest in white resisting the surging waters of the mendiola "cannonization" rites...that really angered me.

well, i honestly don't like the politics of vp tito guingona and the media-seeking robert reyes, but you don't do that to a former second highest officer of the country, or a priests who somehow helped the country oust an equally unacceptable former president.

and now malacanang is even saying that the act was justified?

malacanang may not know it, but it may have lit the wick of the bomb that will soon flatten the government out and send this administration to smoldering smitheereens.

EO 464 and CPR

2005-09-29T02:39:00.000-07:00

malacanang has imposed executive order 464, mandating that no government official and military officer can testify in congress without express approval from the president.

before that, the palace issued what it calls the calibrated preemptive response policy or CPR. translated no permit, no rally policy.

if we are to look at EO 464, it is quite a sensible move from malacanang. why allow congress to use government officials as fodder for their canons? it is also similar to memorandum order 112 issued by then president corazon aquino.

the CPR of course, is a departure from the mega-tolerance policy of the administration in its early days. but then again, no permit, no rally had been the rule of local governments. so what's the big deal?

but then again, the loud protests against these issuances only reflect the utter lack of distrust they have on this administration. given that it barely survived a near political catastrophe, it should be more careful in dealing with its critics.

hindi sanay ang mga pinoy na makakita ng mga talunan na ay ginugulpi pa ng nanalo.

ika nga, EASY!

PINOYS OPPOSED TO MARTIAL LAW

2005-09-26T18:45:00.000-07:00

Here are the highlights of the latest SWS survey.

A. Of late, there have been talks regarding the national administration's alleged
plan to impose emergency rule or martial law in the country amidst the various
efforts to unseat President Gloria Arroyo. These talks surfaced around the time
Filipinos were commemorating the 33rd anniversary of the declaration of martial
law in September 1972. However, data from Pulse Asia's July 2005 Ulat ng
Bayan nationwide surveys show that nearly seven in ten Filipinos (67%) do not
see the need to impose martial law despite the many political and economic
problems plaguing the country at the moment. On the other hand, nearly the
same percentage of Filipinos either thinks that martial law needs to be imposed
(19%) or expresses indecision on the matter of whether or not martial law must
be imposed in the Philippines at present (14%).

B. An estimated one in three Filipinos (33%) considers the staging of a coup -
whether it is one with the military and the police directly exercising political
power or one with these entities choosing which group of politicians would
govern the country - to be one of the political scenarios most inimical to the
country's interest at present.

These findings should guide the opposition to stop from using the martial law scenario to scare the people into supporting its case. On the other hand, the administration should not fall into a false sense of security and refrain from making arrogant comments - such as IM TIRED OF CHASING THE BULLIES IN THE BACKYARD or MGA MATATANDANG KUMAKAHOL. Wag naman.

THE OPPOSITION GIVES ME THE CREEPS!

2005-09-25T19:15:00.000-07:00

the opposition's fixation for the word CREEPING irritates me. when they were planning the impeachment case against the president, they say it will be a creeping impeachment. they claim they will gather the numbers as the case progresses. well, they failed.

now they're using CREEPING again, this time to describe the country' political situation. they claim the country is now experiencing a creeping martial law. i don't know if they are trying to scare us or what, but it is not making any impact. the only thing that the word creeping martial law does to me is to annoy me.

this i think is the problem: we have an opposition that has been given the opportunity to correct the ills of government - either by forcing it to rectify itself or by ousting it -- but an opposition that has no creativity.

OF GONZALESES AND GARCIAS

2005-09-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

two gonzaleses have somehow brought disgrace to the arroyo administration. doj sec raul gonzales made snide remarks about kris aquino, in an effort to humiliate the actress' mother, which is pgma's staunch critic these days. national security adviser bert gonzales has lied to senators on the truth behind the venable contract.

earlier, two garcias brought problems for arroyo. gsis president winston garcia, and his unexplained loans and afp comptroller carlos garcia for his unexplained wealth and his son's attempt to sneak dollars out of the country.

but then of course, there are two arroyos that almost ended her presidency: mike and mikey.

and bunye, who after flipflopping on the garci tapes, held an "ending" game inside malacanang. to top that, he called retired generals -- those who fought wars and battles to keep us safe -- old dogs.

despite all these, gma stick to these people. what gives?

LEADERS IN JEOPARDY

2005-09-20T18:26:00.000-07:00

three documents obtained by abs-cbn yesterday point to america's extreme interest in the way philippine politics move these days.

the july 12 document details the events that led to the most serious challenge the arroyo presidency faced, the seeming solidification of the civil society and the erap-fpj masa as well as the us declaration that it is against extra-constitutional means to oust the president.

the july 16 document is an analysis entitled: PHILIPPINES: leaders in jeopardy; is arroyo a long-term lameduck? it is heavy on noli de castro, the constitutional successor in case the president is removed. the observation ranges from de castro's view on domestic and foreign issues to his handle of the english language.

"if this is what de castro can offer the filipinos....then the opposition should rethink their position as protracted uncertainties will deepen and increasingly harm the current political and economic situation, if de castro succeeds as the constitutional president."

the august 25 document on the other focused on estrada, his position on key issues such as the visiting forces agreement, the war on terror -- milf and abu -- and the lingering question of whether his ouster was constitutional.

my malicious mind tells me that the political crisis is far from over. reading the thread of communication between the us gov and their listening post here, it seems to appears like this simple equation: ARROYO - no NOLI - no ERAP - maybe?

THE PINOY 3

2005-09-19T18:51:00.000-07:00

the fbi is expected to unseal tomorrow the criminal complaint against former fbi analyst leandro aragoncillo and michael ray aquino on allegations that they poached intel material from the bureau's database.

with the unsealing comes the revelation of the three recipients of aragon and mike's alleged spy activities. there are already admissions from various people that the communicated with aragoncillo. sen. jinggoy estrada showed to media yesterday aragoncillo's emails with him and one for his father. these were sent and received on nov. 1, 2002; feb. 16, 2003 and june 3, 2003. all three are tame personal greetings and expression of disappointment on why the estradas remain on hospital arrest then. senator pimentel also claimed to have made a sort of correspondence with aragoncillo. senator ping lacson also admitted communicating with aquino.

and there are of course suspicions: former president estrada is public official 1, senator panfilo lacson public official 2 and cong. roilo golez is public official 3.

ika nga, abangan.

VENABLE CONTRACT

2005-09-19T01:44:00.000-07:00

finally, common sense prevailed upon the philippine government as it decided to rescind the contract with venable llp. venable is a lobby firm, which as promised, will represent philippine interest in the us congress.

first question: the person who entered into the deal with venable was national security adviser norberto gonzales, a mere adviser of the president, someone who doesn't hold an executive position. what or who gave him the right to do so? if the president gave him the authority, aint this an impeachable offense?

second question: venable was hired to represent the afp and pnp's interest in us congress. aint this the reason why we have defense attaches', trade attaches'?

third question: sec. gonzales says the philippines won't shell out a dime to pay venable. then who will foot the bill? if it's the us government, then sovereignty issues will be raised. if its philippine businessmen as gonzales claims, then what's the deal?

just asking. but then of course, everything is moot now.

ARAGON: THE PINOY SPY

2005-09-15T20:12:00.000-07:00

yesterday, i was reading the criminal complaint filed by the new jersey district court against leandro aragoncillo (ARAGON from now on) and michael ray aquino. there were glaring exchanges in the complaint allegedly between aragon and 3 filipino public officials. the messages are unfortunately truncated, but if we are to read between the lines, they are clear as newly-washed contact lens.

JAN 18 2005 laragoncillo@hotmail.com to public official # 2
"This was relayed to you, as an inside information. This could be deceptive information provided to us by...But at least you know what's going on."

APR 6, 2005 from laragoncillo@hotmail to public official # 1
"...I informed that...is not the best solution for the Philippines and Filipinos. I would rather you takeover - if the constitution would suggest, rather than them. We will support you."

AUGUST 25, 2005
"PLEASE PASS TO [public official 1]
According to the attached information...advisers are highly opposed to your...By no means would you show this information to any...I will be affected severely."

the conversations connote the US's high interest in the affairs of the nation.

the first message confirms discussions of the philippine situation in the us intel community, and the suspicion that he may passing on disinformation/propaganda; the second, is aragon's opinion on an option being considered by public official number 1 and his endorsement of public official 1 if he indeed seize power; the third message is the ADVISERS' (whoever they are) opposition to the option chosen by public official number 1.

if, according to the rumor mill and just for the sake of healthy political speculation, that former president joseph estrada or senator ping lacson is public official number 1, do these messages say a lot of the US participation in saving arroyo's presidency amid last month's serious challenge?

just thinking aloud.

another good person dies

2005-09-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

it took a side comment from a friend that i finally realized what happened today: another good person has passed away.

the feisty haydee yorac died at 6:30am in chicago. exemplary public servant, public lawyer, peace advocate and teacher. when he ran for the senate, i wrote a campaign jingle for her, one of the proudest moments of my life.

well, not all lawyers go to hell.

paris

2005-06-01T00:15:00.000-07:00

does the moonlight shines on paris? yes, and it smiled on us.
we packed our things for our trip home. wines and fruits this time. eiffel winks and blinks, teasing us to stay for one more day.

we're coming back. i don't know when but we are surely coming back.

musee de orsay

2005-06-01T00:03:00.000-07:00

became quite an expert on paris transport; at least those involving trains.

after breakfast, we went to port de clichy for a ride to musee de orsay. at least a hundred persons are already lining up for tickets to the museum when we arrived.

a smile and the customary bon jour to a museum official gave us a jump in front of queue. i also admit that for a second, the thought of being taken to the security office, came into my mind.

we saw the works of impressionists van gogh, rodin, monet, gaugin, renoir among others. outside, a one-man band performed amazing grace.

on our own now

2005-05-31T23:57:00.000-07:00

woke up for breakfast and to say goodbye to friends we made during the tour: earl and heidi from massachussettes; crocodile dundee mike and his wife from australia; joe and jeni from hawaii; marco and laura from mexico, miwa and yuki from canada; and medy and ida, our pinoy friends from sanfo.

our photo stop at the eiffel tower is bitin and so we decided to go back. ventured on using the train system (RER) at port de clichy; disembarked at champs de mars.

it was cold and raining but the experience was worth it. those planning to go to paris should go up the tower. don't be content on just being at the grounds.

went down for a closer look at the ecole militaire and the palais de chaliot. proceeded to rue de cler to eat. more pictures at the invalides and then the metro back to the hotel.

notre dame

2005-05-31T23:48:00.000-07:00

day tour with our guide danielle led us into the church of notre dame. finally saw the gargoyles and quasimodo, the stone carving in the church's exterior walls that inspired victor hugo's character.

on board the bus, we passed by the palais royal, the obelisks of jean champoleon, napoleon's tomb. brief photo stop at trocadero square fronting the eiffel tower. and then the avenue de champs elysees.

we skipped the versailles optional tour so we can shop for pasalubong at the la fayette district. we then went back to our hotel for a brief rest.

not wanting to waste any second, we decided to make a self-guided tour to sacre couer. we passed by the famed "moulin rouge" (nicole kidman, ewan mcgregor and the elephant song ringing in my mind.)

we decided to climb up the steps leading to the church. while on our 55th step, we regretted not taking the furnicular. fitting the paris air, we then looked for another chinese restaurant.

the louvre

2005-05-31T23:32:00.000-07:00

we passed by the arc de triomphe, the opera, madeleine and the invalides on our way to the louvre tour.
half of the group joined the tour inside the louvre. eyes opened wider than usual for the clues in the da vinci code. the inverted pyramid was there. unfortunately, the mona lisa was moved to another room so we were not able to at least the langdon's eerie feeling while he entered the place where sauniere died.
we were shown the paintings of michaelangelo and the works of greek sculptors: venus de milo, the winged victory and the creations of italian masters.
finally tired of paninis, we walked through avenue de clichy in a mad scare for chinese food. we feasted on MSG and wine that day, the eiffel tower just a window away.

tribute to owla abdul

2005-05-15T18:34:00.000-07:00

i'm still grieving for the death of a loved one. owla abdul (may she rest in piece) and owlo bediones came into our lives last year. the grass owls came from bulacan. i even had a cage built for them at the back of our house. we feed them raw pork everyday (they can't thrive on fruit). owla is the more playful of the two. and she eats a lot.

one day while playing near the cage, our nephews rushed to tell us that they think owla must be dead. she was on that one side of the cage, not moving, closely guarded by owlo, who shrills at anyone he may see as a direct threat to her cage mate. it was the day that the heat reached 39 in the philippines. the heat (and her pork diet) must have killed her.
now owlo is alone in the cage. indeed, surviving without owla must be an extra challenge he needs to face everyday of his life.

inching towards paris

2005-05-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

spent the rest of day 9 of the tour travelling to reach paris. overnight at lyon. we didn't have that much chance to go around. the hotel is a virtual labyrinth. but the food was great except for the fact that you can't eat leisurely. another tour group was waiting at the side to get their chance to eat.

morning of day 10, we stop over at beaufort, where the cheese and wines are supposedly cheap.

finally reached the city of paris in the afternoon, greeted by the sight of the magnificent eiffel tower and lady liberty. passed by the tunnel where princess diana met her death.

monaco

2005-05-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

monaco by night is awesome, a city that glitters like gold in the vast sea of darkness. we visited the place where they keep the body of princess grace kelly, who got killed in a car accident.

dinner is so-so. the salmon they served as main course is so thin you can mistake it for danggit (i'm exaggerating a bit here).

we went up to their gambling square. some members of the tour group came prepared for it. they looked like mafia soldiers about to make a hit. no one made a fortune that night. we went back to the hotel at past midnight.

oh, i saw the route used in the grand prix. that was the highlight of the night i think.

breakfast is not that good. the people in cannes seem not big on food. i've heard someone in the back say the people in cannes thrive on canned goods and coke in cannes.

pisa my mind

2005-05-12T20:07:00.000-07:00

we left for the italian city of pisa, where the famed leaning tower dominates the sky. there's no truth to rumors that this is where first pisa pie was baked. it is also untrue that stalinists have something to do with the tower tilting towards the left. (see pisa pie, a related posting)

the visit was quick but rewarding. we then proceeded to fragonard, a perfume factory. it was nauseating experience.
along the way the way we get the famed top view of monaco, the second smallest nation in the world which ironically houses only the rich and the famous. we were told that most of the residents here are foreign residents attracted by the tax-free reign of prince rainer and the eccentric princess stephanie.
we stayed in a hotel in cannes, the mecca of alternative filmmakers. the rooms of all suites hotel erased whatever ill memories rome's christoforo colombo left us. our room even has a view.

florence

2005-05-03T18:39:00.000-07:00

our afternoon was set for the city of florence. our optional tour in the uffizzi gallery which feature works by michaelangelo and boticelli was postponed due to the sad experience our tourmates had the same morning.

rain fell on us during the firenze tour. we visited various piazzas (duomo, della signora, san lorenzo) in the city, built during the medieval times. the medici, one of the richest family during that time, stood as patron for the renaissance of arts. there was the fountain of neptune, david and perseus.

we skipped the tuscan night dinner. we ate at hotel europa and spent the rest of the night drying socks, shoes and shirt drenched by the late afternoon firenze rain. the rooms are so small. it doesnt fit the euro experience.

the bathroom is an insult, even if measured by pinoy standards. it's like taking a bath in the closet.

when in rome...

2005-04-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

while we're having breakfast at our hotel, the cristoforo columbo, there was a small disturbance. the other filipino couple in the trip found out that one of their bags was stolen, while they lined up for the buffet table. a group of indian tourists realized that their bags too were missing, in these bags were their passports, credit cards, cash and the stuff they bought in venice.

while all of these are covered by insurance, it spoiled the day for all of us. the incident took place inside the dining room of a hotel and the staff were indifferent. some of us even suspected that it was done with the collusion of some of the staff. one of the victims recognized the culprit. we noticed an untouched plate in the table where we sat. we could have been victims too if we arrived a split second earlier.

temporary passport will be issued to those who lost theirs, lost stuff -- such as filipino couples' camera -- will be paid. but the memories in it, are forever gone.

colloseum to frascati

2005-04-27T18:55:00.000-07:00

from the vatican museum, we explored the streets of rome. first stop is the colloseum. we were told that in the bid to protect this landmark, the modern streets of rome were built around it.

google information says the structure stood at 160 feet, with four stories of windows, arches, and columns. there are 80 arches, 76 used by spectators, two for emperor titus and the remaining two for the gladiators.

during the colosseum's opening ceremonies in A.D. 80, spectacles last for 100 days. hundreds of animals and gladiators were killed in the emperor's choice of entertainment -- the existence of dvd players may have averted this carnage. that may explain the stench that choked us when we entered the colloseum. but of course, it could be the piss of the modern man.

the constantine arch on the other hand was built by emperor constantine who is known for having ended the persecution of christians.

we went back to the hotel for a brief stop. some decided to stay in the center of rome for more. we decided to join the trip to frascati to see the pope's summer residence, castel gandolfo. frascati is so serene compared to rome. (probably the reason why the pope stays there when he needs some quiet?) but it is far from boring. a lot of beautiful people here and they surely like to dress up. the situation somehow gave me a feeling that i've walked into the set of an italian film, minus the mob of course.

the vatican

2005-04-27T18:41:00.000-07:00

woke up for the vatican. boris, our tour guide turned us over to mario, our guide for our visit inside the vatican museum.

the vatican museum was opened to the public by mussolini. it is a wall to wall, ceiling to floor art work. we were shown the works of michaelangelo -- among them the paintings in the sistine chapel (from the creation of mankind, to the resurrection and the last judgement).

there are certain areas you can photograph and record on video. but the sensitive ones -- prone to destruction through exposure to heat and light -- are off-limits.

inside the st. peter's basilica is the pieta. the obelisk, one of the clues in dan brown's angels and demons, stood erect in the middle of the square. i was able to witness the changing of the swiss guards.

assisi, rome by night

2005-04-26T22:06:00.000-07:00

we set off for assisi after a good breakfast at hotel poppi. we reached the birthplace of the venerated saint at around noon. the architectural design of the place is awesome considering that it is a catacomb.

we reached rome at 5 in the afternoon. after an hour of rest, we met at the lobby for the rome by night tour. traffic is as bad as metro manila.

walking now, we visited the spanish steps and the fontana de trevi. and then for a 5-course dinner at mangrovia restaurant. a banderas-looking musician serenaded us. dinner ended at about past 10.

gondola

2005-04-21T21:42:00.000-07:00

separate posting for the gondola ride. we sailed the canals of venice in a convoy that made things a little less romantic, notches above the boat chase in the film italian job. (i'm kidding of course!)

a trobadour and an accordion player sailed with us, un sole mio thick in the air. however as in any good scene in a movie, it ended.

we then ate gellato at the square, half anticipating that the pigeons would swoops down on us. for a few euro you can feed the birds, but those who doesn't know how to handle them were besieged by the hungry birds.

we bought some more recuerdo. few more hours of waiting, the taxi boat left the shores of venice. we're booked at hotel poppi, small cozy room, nice dinner

venice

2005-04-21T21:32:00.000-07:00

from austria to venice, rows of vineyards and orchards along the highway.
after securing the necessary print, we finally rode a water taxi to enter the floating island. the taxi's tour guide briefed us on the origins of the city and the threats of the city's possible sinking to oblivion.

in venice, boris turned us over to bruno, our local guide -- a mix of pacino and pesci. he took us to st. mark square. art is alive in every corner of the street. yes, just like in the movies. bruno is able storyteller. he laced his annotations with humor and bold commentary such as the proposed creation of a committee to stop the sinking of the city and the sinking of the italian economy which he said is tourism-dependent.

from st. marks, we went to murano, a glass-making company. a worker showed us the art of glass-blowing (blow him until his eyes are glassy!) this is a skill passed us from fathers to sons. my wife bought murano beads, i bought owl statuettes.

after murano, we were given free time which we spent mostly gawking around street peddlers' booths, taking pictures of the square and with only a dab of guilt, childishly chased pigeons.

austria

2005-04-21T20:52:00.000-07:00

austria: home of beethoven, strauss and adolf hitler, not to forget the governator arnold schwarzenneger. (why do they waste too much letters in names?) our guide boris briefed us on austria's greatness and eventual downfall, reaching climax in hitler's third reich.

after several hours of travel, we were taken to austria's golden roof. it is nothing but a hype, our excitement doused further by the rains. but whatever glitter the golden roof lacked, the rows of swarovski stores filled up, as proven by the faces of the women members of the tour.
finally, we went home to bon alpina, where we got, to my assesment, the best dinner of the entire cosmos trip. the room was good, it gave a homey feeling, the ambience of a country house in a rustic village -- whatever that means.

lichenstein

2005-04-21T20:08:00.000-07:00

from mt. titlis, we hooked up with the rest of the cosmos tour who skipped the activity to instead shop. we got to talk with a couple from vietnam who mistook for filipinos when we first met. they are american citizens living in hawaii. they say they know a lot of filipinos and were actually surprise to learn that some members of the race actually spend money as tourists. meaning no offense, they say the filipinos they knew work double shift to earn money. and if ever they go on vacations, they would go vegas.

the group then proceeded to lichenstein, a very small yet prosperous country which is ruled by a king whose castle is nestled on a hill above the town center. talk about overseeing the affairs of his nation. lichenstein is so rich that i even saw a building that they call RATHAUS!

mount titlis

2005-04-17T20:07:00.000-07:00

there is a place in switzerland where there is snow all-year round. i've never seen, felt (and tasted?) authentic snow, and this is one chance i won't let pass. we were taken to the first two levels of titlis hike by the engelberg, a cable car system. (do you know that rich swiss families have their own cable cars?)

another lift took us further up: the roto-air. the base of this oval-shaped cable car turns 360 degrees providing each passenger a glimpse of all sides. no need to crane you neck or squeeze your head between the knees of towering tourists!
the top provided us a panorama of the snow-capped mountain in contrast with the verdant hills and mountains hundred feet below.

we went inside the ice grotto, an ice cabin actually. and then finally, my dream come true. snow! i've been planning to lie down the holy ground of my childhood dreams once i reach it. but it's damn cold and wet, and i don't want to get sick since we're only halfway of the tour. oh well!

lake lucerne

2005-04-15T21:10:00.000-07:00

breakfast is pathetic -- bread and cereals.
we proceeded to the statue of the weeping/dying lion -- an image sculpted out of a hillside -- a tribute to the swiss soldiers who died defending a french king. some members of the group went on a cruise in lake lucerne. we decided to skip this one. unfortunate for those who joined the cruise, the rain fell hard and they were forced to go to the lower cabin.

the sun struggled to share the horizon with the dark clouds.

couldn't resist taking the picture of this old man feeding the mallards. not ducks ha! the guys being fed here are those with green necks, yellow bill and brown wings.

times, romans, helveticans

2005-04-15T20:44:00.000-07:00

the briefing on swiss history began. we were told that switzerland thrived because it was basically untouched by the world wars.
the natural barrier of the alps also prevented people from trying to invade switzerland. hitler, bonaparte attempted but eventually failed.
.
we also learned that the troops who led the defense of switzerland from invaders came from the helveticans. now i know that helvetica is more than a font, as romans are not. (in my past life, i came from the tribe of wingdings!)
for this reasons, swiss soldiers made their mark for their defense skills. at one point in their history, their government agreed to send swiss guards to secure the king of france who was then under serious threat. outnumbered, the guards were killed by the king's enemies. from thereon, the swiss gov't refused to send its men to aid other countries. the only nation that the swiss guards agreed to protect is the vatican, and only because it is a catholic nation.
important: in buying in switzerland, you pay in swiss francs, slightly lower in value than the europe but worth 1.2 against the dollar.

we were served chicken pilaf at dinner with vegetable soup and home-made ice cream for dessert. the dessert came in the shape of the swiss flag. i actually disrespected the swiss flag in three scoops.

swiss side

2005-04-12T00:20:00.000-07:00

back on the bus again after a brief lunch stopover. spent most of the travel time observing our tour mates. the tour is a mix of australians, americans, japanese, mexicans, a new zealander, indians and filipinos. the other filipino couple is based in san francisco. our driver, enzo is unmistakably italian, our tour guide boris is kosovan.

the group of people in front of us are busy with their map reading, trying to locate landmarks. we saw a castle on top of a mountain but our tour director was asleep at that very moment. i was really tempted to provide them my expertise in european history but i eventually decided against lying.
our tour director advised us to bring out our swiss visas as we reached the border.

luxemborg

2005-04-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

i know its a place in europe but i from adam didn't know that luxemborg is a country. it is in fact one of the smallest country in europe but has one of the strongest economy. we were told that luxemborg banks are perfect alternatives to swiss financial institutions. so if you are a dictator who thinks about your future, you can consider luxemborg as alternative to the now media-magnet swiss banks.

we used most of our stopover time taking pictures of the scenery that luxemborg offers.

but the impression that lasted in our minds longest was the fact that in luxemborg, you have to pay to pee. converted to peso, that is P30/piss. by the way, the europeans call their comfort rooms/restrooms as water closet or casemate. when you pay to pee, that surely ain't a comfort.

brussel landmarks

2005-04-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

the arche de triomphe is magnificent, the tomb of the unknown soldier is lonely. the royal palace is very much a palace and we were told the king was inside. (so what am i supposed to do with that information?)

the grand' place is indeed grand. it's a market square that is teeming with nightlife, gothic structures, each corner a creation of guilds. a st. michael statue stands at the highest building of the square.

we tried the cherry beer. (we wouldn't recommend it) their ale is good. mayet and i shared an authentic belgian waffle with whiff cream while the statue of don quixote dela mancha in our view. i smoke another cig at the square in europe's cold and windy night. PRICELESS!

the manneken piss is a hype. kids pissing of the streets is common in the philippines. good anecdote though.
1o:30pm we're back at the hotel. jet lag setting in but we still have to prepare for the next day. it never fails to amaze why vacations are always tiring?

losing pounds in europe

2005-04-11T19:44:00.000-07:00

weight watchers will find it easy to lose pounds in europe. we ate a burger that is P400 a piece. we advised ourselves to stop converting or else we will end up not eating anything. well that's a good way to lose pounds/kilos. we saw a deli and bought our overnight supply there and eventually got more for the same amount we spent for the burgers.

6pm, we eyeballed with our tour director. a man named boris. he gave us instructions and advised us that there will be a guided tour at 7pm. earlier, we were tempted to go on a self-tour. it looked like midtown of boston, mass. but paranoia set in. besides the brussels city tour is cheap compared with the other packages.
boris turned us over to a local guide. the guide summarized belgian history in three statements
1) chocolates began as coating for bitter pill prescribed by a local pharmacist (bitter pill to swallow?)
2) french fries are not actually french, they are belgian
3) belgium is still monarchic and the masses are still uncomfortable with the euro.

london to brussels

2005-04-11T19:28:00.000-07:00

the flight out of london was delayed for another hour. except the excited few like us, the brits don't seem to mind that the plane is late. in another hour, we will land in brussels, belgium. well, if this plane actually leaves.

we finally boarded the plane. evidently, the crew didn't even have the time to clean up. we were given biscuits that we finished about the same time the pilot announced our final approach.

brussels customs. made the mistake of volunteering our receipts to the custom guys who it turned out was just looking for an event to wile his time away. we're eventually let go.

we got into a cab whose driver is more formally dressed than me (an uncle of the debutant sort). 30 pounds away, we arrived at the tulip brussels boulevard. the cosmos group from the london leg hasn't arrived yet so we decided to take a brief stroll along the shopping area.

my very first blog pix

2005-04-10T21:42:00.000-07:00

heathrow is cold

2005-04-05T21:21:00.000-07:00

it's cold even when inside the heathrow airport where we are to stay for several hours for our connecting flight. we are supposed to claim our baggages to have it transferred to the plane that will take us to belgium. it is however located in an area that requires a british visa. (we intentionally skipped london in our tour package as advised by many friends and even our travel agent. we are to meet them in brussels.) anyway, the immigration lady gave us a 24-hour pass but we decided to simply wait. (in a global race like this, you cannot afford to get lost or miss a flight. words of wisdom from an amazing race contestant.)
heathrow airport is labyrinth and indeed as busy as what we've seen in the film "love actually". (i even recognize the male lead in the british spoof "shaun of the dead").
the brits are really big on soccer. almost all arcade games at the airport are inspired by the sport.
i also did what i've been planning to do once i set foot in european soil (aside from walking down the abbey road)...smoke a cig. my mind silently wished we've landed in the netherlands where one can smoke pot without being morally confronted by society, or arrested by cops (whichever comes first!)
it rained and i got to use the gloves and the jackets we brought for the trip. i wonder how those in our cosmos trip who met in london are making the most out of the london leg.
they also have to cross the english channel -- and the waters might be less than nice. well, that's a good name for a tv station in london - THE ENGLISH CHANNEL.

pope's death

2005-04-02T17:34:00.000-08:00

at 3:37 am manila time, pope john paul II passed away. we were at the studio and these are rare times that i'm not a bit excited in breaking the news in our possession. the world knows that the pope will eventually succumb to his illness but death is death and it always comes a surprise. he is a good man and the only catholic leader i've known who tried to reach out to people who do not share the catholics'view of spirituality.
what i'm excited to know is who will be the next pope and what are his plans to revive interest in the waning religion, and spirituality in general?

now back to my euro reminiscing.

international dateline

2005-04-02T04:13:00.000-08:00

flying towards london, no not to visit the queen, just a connecting flight. long haul. an opportunity for some serious thinking again.

the international dateline never fails to amaze me. in a split second day becomes night. what bothers me is the possibility that if i'm in the middle of a breakfast, and we crossed the international dateline, it is safe to assume that i've just had my dinner?

i also have a suggestion to future airline owners and plane builders. since the window-isle thingy is always an issue with passengers (i've heard it sparked world war ii because hitler refuses to vacate the window seat alloted to an allied president), why don't they just build an all-window plane, so no one complains. or just renovate existing planes and provide the aisle and center seats with fiberglass view of what's down there.

pilot: you are now cruising over kathmandu. and what you're seeing right now are kathmandu clouds with a mix of haze from the forest fires of indonesia...

and there should be dateline-friendly watches that adjust automatically once you cross the dateline. well in doing so, that removes a good point of conversation. for long haul flights, even small talk matters.

thai plane food and thai surnames

2005-04-02T03:44:00.000-08:00

finally arrived at the bangkok airport. it is huge and peppered with duty free stores. it's a long walk , it's a trek towards the edge of the world. my wife and i felt that had we decided to walk a bit further than our gate, we might end up in Pasay City. bangkok is an hour late but the baht is stronger than the peso. talk about justice. the philippines faces the world earlier than thai but their currency is stronger than ours.

aboard thai airlines. this is a rare case of me finding plane food as palatable to say the least. must be very hungry. they served us an appetizer that's so good i asked the stewardess for another pack. it's a mix of sunflower seeds, wheat grains and anchovy. sarap pulutan.
thai women speak so softly -- tenderly -- you could hardly hear what exactly what they want to say. so i end up asking them to repeat it for me. and their last names are tounge-twisters. the stewardess are stunners but i think CHICACORN is name that discourages romance in the philippines.

inthai airlines

2005-04-02T03:25:00.000-08:00

after another hour, we finally made it inside the pal lounge for the thai airlines that will take us to bangkok, and finally, to london. with an amazing race hang-over, i prayed dearly -- with subtitles, so the viewers can emphatize with my emotion at the moment -- that this is a non-elimination round.

while checking in, the security staff told us we can't take with us a roll of masking tape we brought just in case we need to rearrange our luggages. what, do they fear that we might tie the entire crew with the masking tape? it's not even duct tape. and with width that's not even enough to serve as erap's alternative wristband.

we were to travel to bangkok with a bunch of pinoys that we correctly guessed as nurses, caregivers and merchant marines. their collective noise betray a mix of fear and hope. in the same token, they might have suspected that i'm a tourist. my shorts, a handicam, a digicam and my backpack may have betrayed me.

manila to bangkok

2005-03-31T18:37:00.000-08:00

in manila, my wife and i waited for more than two hours to check in our luggages for a two-hour trip. afterwhich we waited for the actual flight that took place three hours later.

that gave me time to think over some basic questions: what do you call the citizens of thailand. the other half of my bored brain suggested THAINESE as in chinese, japanese. my brain's other half posited the theory: the level of jokes in this connecting flight is directly perpendicular to the number of hours we have to wait in the airport. i then called the office to ensure that my phone is on a ROAMING mode. i'll be in ROME and i don't want complications.

darn, ten more minutes!

which made me think: if the philippine government is really bent on preventing sexual promiscuity among the youth, it should ask motels, hotels, drive-in, quickie holes to apply the airport checking-in method. it is the perfect anti-climax. while waiting for your turn, you can already say three full novenas, and if you're not catholic, begin considering your life's options.

prayers for pope

2005-03-31T18:34:00.000-08:00

before i go on with my europe reminiscing, let me encourage all you to offer a moment of silence for pope john paul ii. he's been given the last rites and may pass away anytime. i'm no catholic but i believe it is just prudent to say prayers for him, as a leader of the faith.

europe2004

2005-03-30T17:55:00.000-08:00

my slice of the pisa pie brought me down memory lane of a not so distant past. hehehe. yesterday, i unearthed the notebook that i brought in our trip to europe. we took part in a cosmos package trip on several countries of the continent, and visit worldwide landmarks that i've only seen in social studies textbook.

but allow me to tell it to you in a sequential manner starting with our manila to bangkok trip.

pisa pie

2005-03-28T15:09:00.000-08:00

i've read that the city of pisa is set to get another leaning tower. reports say the modern office building will be located southeast of the original and will simulate the world-wide famous tilt, using a trick of lighting. there are a number of people who see this proposed modern leaning tower as a scandal. they have valid reasons. one is that the new tower will deface the view. i agree. i've seen the leaning tower and the majesty of the landmark is in the history attached to it. the construction of the new one, this time achieved only through the trick of light, will undo its grandeur.

the intention is to get more tourist to visit the city. i think the idea is ill-advised. as a tourist, i would not spend euro on the next best thing.
i can imagine the confusion this will create in the city's tourist information center. "so sir, which pisa tower, would you want to visit, the thin crust pisa or the thick one. and do you want fries -- err...fish and chips -- with that?"

binge drinking

2005-03-27T23:25:00.000-08:00

a u.s. study shows 18 percent of students in college drink excessively. most say they do it to relieve themselves of academic pressure. the same study shows 15 percent of out of school youth they interview spend most of their time drinking. now go figure.

tony soprano & me

2005-03-23T17:40:00.000-08:00

i've just finished season 2 of the sopranos on dvd. and i'm almost done reading mario puzo's omerta. i intend to do a marathon of the godfather series. tony soprano got me started in this mafia mood.

who would not want to be a member of the mafia? your cosca's rackets allow you to live high. buy what you want to buy. or have some of your underlings steal these for you. you can be ruthless and dirty your hands at night, but in the morning you can be the family man who attends the school performances and ballgames of your kids. and unlike the yakuza, being in the mafia allows you to be emotional.

but in hindsight, being a mafioso is good as long as you're already at the top of the food chain. or least working for the big and yet just bosses. come to think of it, that is something you can never achieve here in the philippines where the idea of sharing justly is not acceptable to most. and you cannot just kill them to be the top guy.

we'll i'm confused now! well, dr. melfi may be able to help me on this.

maundy thursday

2005-03-23T17:11:00.000-08:00

it's maundy thursday and i'm here at the office thinking of some fitting things to think during this holy week.
question number 1: why, unlike christmas, the holy week is not fixed? 2: why is thursday called MAUNDY, friday (the day christ supposedly died) is called GOOD and 3: why is saturday called BLACK.
i know i can do some googling or yahoo-searching but that i think defeat the purpose of some serious thinking in these times.

the who and the why

2005-03-19T15:43:00.000-08:00

i'm already 35 years old and i think i've earned my right to some of the angst associated with mid-life crisis. 35 is definitely not mid-life to me. mafia bosses still run their coscas at this age. but 35 is a number that allows you to comment on anything. and that i will do. that is my mission. to liberate the uneducated from the bonds of disinformation. today the philippines, tomorrow the world! hehehe!