8 Day Non-Working-Holiday (Happy 8 Bill)

It is Saturday and a start of another long weekend here in the Philippines as Monday is an official holiday. Tuesday would have been the fourth day for slouchers had not the president decided that it is too much vacation already. However, December is fast approaching and I am pretty sure that all of us are as excited as I am for the days off coming. And yes, bonuses are expected!!! Woohooo!

Did you know that there is a motion to add more vacation days during the Christmas season. Oh yeah! I am not kidding. Id this motion is passed, not only are we going to have the longest Christmas season in the whole world, but we are also going to be having the worlds longest official non-working holiday during the already looong Chrismas season.

Another reason to celebrate for most employees especially for the weekend warriors. Another bitter taste in the mouth on the side of big business ,foreign investors and also to the taxi drivers and others like him in the city.


A group of Manila employees turned weekend warriors enjoying a long weekend in Northern Luzon.

Just recently, House Bill 3152 was filed by a Cebuano representative in the lower house. Coined as Happy 8, it is "An Act Declaring Dec. 25 to Dec. 31 and Jan. 1 as Special Non-Working Holidays." According to the main proponent of the bill, he is just copying a bill in the United States where holidays are long weekends.

I am an employee, and I am pretty sure that I am going to benefit from this. It is either that I do not report for work at all during the said period (AS IF!!!) or that I work and be given additional pay incentive. Haha! Lucky me! But then again, I want this post to be socially relevant (LOL) and so I will try to prolong my rant.

The former administrator of the Republic of the Philippines (PH or PHL for short according to ISO standards ) made it automatic that holidays be celebrated the day next to Saturdays or Sundays for the very same reason. This allows people to travel and boost tourism and help SME's in the countryside. This is why we have seen in the last few years the surge of people going to the different tourist hotspots all over the Philippines. Now, just one look at the recent feeds in Facebook and we'd see photos and updates regarding our friends travels locally or even as far as going nearby countries . It used to be that mostly this type of trips happen only during the Philippines summer period. It is a different case now. Why do you think local travel and touring businesses peaked even if there was recession? Employees will not travel if there is a gap between the two day week-end and a holiday falling on a Tuesday or Thursday. That is not just practical. And so due to this, Anawangin was discovered by not just a few but by the throngs of Weekend Warriors who finally were able to find a way to spend holidays away from the city without thinking of the need to rush back after only one day of stay in Bohol or Pagudpud. And that is also the reason why Maricris Francisco and Jverly Pornea are in Sagada as of this writing hehe (sorry guys just cant help it since you did not invite your other classmates LIKE ME!!! LOL :D ).

Now back to where I was, the proponent of the bill was quoted by the Philippine Star as saying, ""The bill that I filed is very simple. It's called the 'Happy 8.' You know, I'm smart. My bill is only one page. I don't want to spend a lot of time on it. I just want to make something that will make people happy,"

First, to some degree the bill is a duplication of what is already being done or what was already being done. The previous administration made it a point to recognize long weekends, which is why they used to call it the holiday economics.



Big business like my man Ayala won't be taking the biggest hit, the ones to really lose are the small time guys left trying to make a living in the city who can't go to any province as there is simply no money to allow them to.

Second, the current administration basically said before that they find the former administrations holiday economics as unappealing to them. The main proponent of the bill is part of the current administration so there goes the question about the support factor from the current President who incidentally was widely supported by Big Business (except of course by Manny Villar's). If this bill passes, will Aquino sign it considering that it seemed they find almost all of Gloria's works as questionable. This the very same reason why November 2 was made a non-working holiday and then at the last minute the powers-that-be-had-second-thoughts and totally wiped out the idea.


Third, he based this from US standards. Compared to the Philippines, how many non-working holidays does the US have? The Philippines almost has one holiday every month. The US tends to celebrate only the Thanksgiving weekend, Christmas, Independence Day... (feel free to post a comment if there is any other holiday as I can't think of anything else.)

Personally, even if I find this beneficial to my personal needs for more moolah (hate this materialistic world LOL heheh), I find it still unfair for the company that I work for. There are some businesses who relies on fixed income especially the ones whose income are based on US working days. There are a lot of companies who are not tourism based. And there are companies who are in the brink of getting bankcrupt and it just so happened that the company that I am working for is one of those about-to-be-discarded (no I am just exaggerating). And I really think that they will bear the brunt of the 8 day non working holiday proposed by our smart Cebuano friend.

I can understand the vision of the honorable legislator but then again, he's got to look into the other side of the coin. Just this morning, my wife and I were talking about this abd the cab driver all of a sudden said, "How about us? If they are going to do that how many p[assengers will be left in the city? Those congressmen have all the money already, they do not even have to work even if it is not a holiday!"

Alright, alright he spoke in Tagalog and he added some slurs of hate but are you getting my point?? I am just translating it so our non-Tagalog speaking honorables will understand better!

It has to be balanced. All sectors has to be given adequate study. Anyways, that is what a law should be.. fairness for all.

My feelings for this... 50/50. Happy halloween guys!! Cheers!!

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A Family Reunion

When we got home last night, my wife had to jump back and make a double turn, spooked by what she saw as soon as she entered our gate.



I have never seen a manananggal in such a lil wendy hair and smile. Must be some rushed school project is what I thought. This chiz curl inspired creature could have been more of a character straight out of sesame street than one to be used for scare tactics. But still, my scared (pride on the line) wife disagrees. LOL NO worries there, it is almost halloween anyways.

Speaking of November 1, it has been a year since that impromptu reunion and inuman of sorts that our family had in Batangas. It is by tradition that the whole Magti clan will be gathered in the old Lino and Mariquita's abode every All Saints / Souls Day. Typically, the whole family will pray for our dearly departed and then have a salu-salo consist of whatever is put on the table by our Tita Mercing and Tiya Lucing. But last year was different, as it was more special. This was because two memebers of the family were to get married in a few weeks time. Maris was to marry Allexis, while yours truly was to be tied to my now wife. So it was also the day where we were able to introduce the about to be members of the clan to the whole gang. It has never happened before also that after the prayers and the salu-salo there would be an inuman. It started with about 2 to 4 younger members of the clan sitting in a semi-circle with beer at hand. After some time, the elder ones amongst the cousins joined in. It was a night of laughter. It has been a long time since were like that. Last time I think (but without the red horse) was when I was still in gradeschool when our granmother Mariquita was still living and singing songs about the tamarind tree. It was really a fun night with Kuya Jun and Kuya Boy serving as "bangka" while Ninong Gonie through the sponsorship of Kuya Father Alex as "taya". When the night ended, every one realized how memorable it was, that soon talk about doing it again after one year came up.

To be honest, I am excited. I am not sure if it is going to be the same as last years. But still I am looking forward to that day. I just hope I do not have to go to work which would really be a bummer.

The Hosts:


Prayer time:


And then these:

[Updated] Miami slimed green by the Celtics btb Kobe being Kobe

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UPDATED: In a champions fashion, the reigning heavyweight Los Angeles Lakers trounced the Houston Rockets in a thrilling come from behind win! Who else is involved in the game winning play? Of course, it is the Black Mamba itself through a slick assist pass to new teammate Steve Blake! (My cousin Ina is surely celebrating right now!!!)

And did I say "Nuf Said" earlier??? Lakers will 3-Peat!!!

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This is just quick. Given all the hoopla about Lebrons coming to Miami, the "uninformed" all of a sudden thought that their drive through the season would be easy. Again, I like Wade and Spoelstra, but adding James into the picture just did not put me in a lockjaw moment for the reason that I have mentioned already in some previous posts I made: The LakeShow is "The" Team.

Now, most of you readers would have heard the news already, James attempt at winning started again in futility. They were clobbered by the Defending Easter Conference Champs. They could pile up all the best players in the league in their team but it does not guarantee a winning result. Only 5 players can be on the floor and only one person can have the ball at any given time. And if one of those 5 is LeBoink, man he sure is gonna choke... again! Nuf said!

Lakers will 3-peat!!!


This Lakers cap was given to me after the Lakers won last seasons championship straight from LA. I have it with me while watching todays game. :)

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Up in Bangui

When I was a kid, I used to look at the map and can't help but be curious on how it would feel like if I am on top of the country. I imagined myself falling off it as I thought the gravitational pull would be different since being on top means you are the edge of the world. Well my imagination is just that. As soon as I got off the van and stepped into the Bangui beach which is near the northernmost tip of Luzon, I knew I was safe. I forgot that the beach was facing north so I was looking towards the sea for the sun. It was only when I saw the sun to the right side of the beach that I realized that I could be seeing Taiwan ahead of me if only the world is flat as a map.

The Windmills of Ilocos is just awesome. I have to give kudos to Bonggang bonggang BongBOng Marcos for this. My feeling is biased against the family considering what we all know about the Marcos years but this one just allows one to think about the positives instead. Forgot how many windmills there are but they are huge.

The Windmills are located in Bangui, Ilocos Norte. I took the photo above at about 8 or 9 in the morning in our last day of our Northern Philippine trip. Had fun while we were there. Wish we had more time. But then again, there is always time to go back, just like this blog. Or maybe we can go further next... Hmmm.. Anyone thinking Batanes?? :D LOL

Here is another photo of the Windmill:




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Back! And No Turning Back!

Whoah! I am welcoming myself back to the blogging world. It has been so long since my last post I could not remember where the New Post button is on this blog. But since I found it already, fun times are back!

I've got lots of things happening to me lately and not just those friendly neighborhood or not-neighborly "inumans". We got to travel some and got to practice a lot of my supposed photgraphy skills as an extra in weddings and prenups. Went out with my family a lot also in the last few months, bonded with my wife, reunited with some close relatives, bought something really pricy but a very good investment, made upgrades on my gear, fb. Woooh! I assure you if I discuss everything, I'd be nuts in no time.

Moving on, I am planning to make this more and more a photoblog. I am really liking shooting streets lately that I'd be posting some shots I took in Boni in the coming days. And since I love shooting lovers, I think you will also see some of my wedding and prenup shots here. But not all photos will be posted as a friend and office mate is already setting me up a website specifically for that genre. DreamVinta is coming guys...

And speaking of, I am also offering back up photography services at least to my friends for now for weddings. I just want to be more familiar with the ins and outs of the job. Recently, some friends allowed us to shoot their prenups. The first one was in Batangas with Melody and Erwin. And about two weeks ago it was Tac and Nanette's. I then went back to Batangas a few days after to cover the actual wedding this time of Melody and Erwin. I want to thank them. A lot of learning and realizations are due. I am planning to be a pro but right now I am not yet there. But I will be.

Good thing that I have yet to meet a fellow photographer who is not keen on teaching a noob like me. At least that is in person, I encountered some online and I think they're just that because it is easier to shy away from teaching a noob shooter online than in person although I have a feeling that if I am face-on talking to that person he would not have second guessed himself and teach me some tricks of the trade. I am not sure, but I have a feeling that each photographer had to start from something and because of this he or she feels obligated to share what he / she learned from those master who came and taught him / her before. And that is cool.
One thing though, they will not teach you any if you are not even keen on reading the manuals of your gear as that is the basic rule. If not you'll only get RTM responses from fellow hobbyists.

So there.. a reborn, the return, the comeback.. whatever you call it.. I am back abd there is no turning back.. tis a new life to crunch out some blog attacks!

Lakers Will Defeat Miami Come Next Season

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It is the Off-Season so it is not really the time to blog about the Lakeshow... Yeah right!

I'd rather talk about the Lakers than go silly with what is happening in the PBA (PBA what?).I just got so excited with the news that the Lakers are able to acquire Matt Barnes and Theo Ratliff. Huwaw! Notwithstanding that Steve Blake signed up already earlier, these are three veterans coming to the fold. And so right here and right now I declare, WE WILL BEAT MIAMI!!!

Ok, so Miami has Wade, LeBoink and Bosh. So what? LA has Kobe and Kobe and Kobe! Add Pau and Fish and Ronron and Will, how's the Heat gonna dry up the Lake? No way Jose!!! Let us just say that even if there is a group of big time playa's plus one con from Akron playing in South Beach, that means nothin'. Hear me? It seems that everyone forgot that such group already exists and at the fore for the last two years in Hollywood. Everyone is saying that Miami is now the favorite. I am like, "HUH!?!"

We are the Champs!!! So give us a break! Will you?

The latest roster according to NBA.COM is as follows:

Lakers Roster

37 Ron Artest F 6-7 260 11/13/1979 St. John's 11
5 Steve Blake G 6-3 172 02/26/1980 Maryland 7
12 Shannon Brown(FA) G 6-4 210 11/29/1985 Michigan State 4
24 Kobe Bryant G 6-6 205 08/23/1978 Lower Merion HS (PA) 14
17 Andrew Bynum C 7-0 285 10/27/1987 St. Joseph HS (NJ) 5
Derrick Caracter ** F 6-9 265 05/04/1988 Texas-El Paso R
Devin Ebanks ** F 6-9 215 10/28/1989 West Virginia R
2 Derek Fisher G 6-1 210 08/09/1974 Arkansas-Little Rock 14
16 Pau Gasol F-C 7-0 250 07/06/1980 Barcelona, Spain 9
28 Didier Ilunga-Mbenga(FA) C 7-0 255 12/30/1980 Kinshasa, DRC 6
6 Adam Morrison(FA) F 6-8 205 07/19/1984 Gonzaga 3
7 Lamar Odom F 6-10 230 11/06/1979 Rhode Island 11
21 Josh Powell(FA) F 6-9 240 01/25/1983 North Carolina State 5
50 Theo Ratliff C 6-10 235 04/17/1973 Wyoming 15
18 Sasha Vujacic G 6-7 205 03/08/1984 Maribor, Slovenia 6
4 Luke Walton F 6-8 235 03/28/1980 Arizona 7

C - Captain
** - Unsigned Draft Pick
(FA) - Free Agent


Now do you see what I mean??? Lakers will 3Peat!!!


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Is PAGASA to Blame?

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Everybody is again playing the blame game with the much maligned Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). No less than the President of the Republic of the Philippines repremanded our poor weather forecasters for "not doing what they are supposed to do", as he claimed. He also admonished them "That information it is sorely lacking and we have had this problem for quite a long time."

I can not help but feel for the employees of PAG-ASA. Each time something like this happens, they are sure to be blamed. In fact, even when there is no weather disaster , everyone is pointing their fingers already at them. PAGASA is guilty not by reasonable doubt but by mere default.

No one is looking for the exact reason for the failure of the system. The President can wash his fingers straight from Poncius Pilate's bowl of water by hurriedly issuing statements like the ones he stated. The media can mock hopelessness at the institution and show their arrogance as if they are well aware of everything. And everybody else can grumble and taunt the forecasting team. But what everyone lacks is the common sense to just sit back, think and think again.

PAGASA, contrary to the accusations of the President and everybody else, is doing its job. It has been doing its job for a very long time. It did its job when Milenyo came, during Ondoy and when Basyang arrived. These forecasters are scientists and mathematicians. Their jobs specification is to do the Math. They calculate the incoming weather and estimate its approach. It is an exact science. All information are provided by their current system and all they needed to do is do the necessary calculations using the prescribed formula. It is not as if PAGASA is blurting out weather alerts by simply going online and looking at the satellite shots shown on the monitor like what most of us internet addicts are doing. It is not as if they derive conclusions based on what is safe and covenient to say in public. No that is not how they work.

They conclude based on the data not because the President and the public would have liked to hear something else from them.

If we are to blame anyone, blame it to the inutileness of the politicians. (Oooops! Duck Noynoy as this might hit you!) PAGASA from time immemorial has been complaining about the lack of support it is getting from the government to make sure that they are going to be able to provide accurate forecasts especially during the typhoon season. This is older than before Ernie Baron started forecasting for TV Patrol. It has been there already even when Noynoys mom was still the President. I remember hearing about this issue already back in the days when lahar was just starting to devastate Central Luzon.

It is only during the time of the previous administration of Gloria that PAGASA was handed out two new doppler systems to better track down weather systems. But given the vast area and the topology of the country considering its mountain ranges, two doppler radar systems will not be enough. Five more doppler radars are to be installed this year as part of that upgrade commissioned by Arroyo.

If only this was done at a much earlier time, maybe we could have made better preparations for Milenyo, Ondoy and Basyang.

The President is correct though in saying that "we have had this problem for quite a long time". The question is what did he do about it? What did his mother do about it? What did all his politician friends, relatives and co-horts do about it? They have been in power for so long, why didn't he do anything about it?

My guess, he can not do anything about it! Heck, he can't even pass any law as a Congressman which is his job before. Wait? Who again is not doing what he was supposed to do?

The Philippine forecasters are doing their job Mr President! In fact they are very good at what they are doing. This is the reason why most of them are are now giving their services outside of the country as succesful weather forecasters in the Middle East, Australia and other countries who have better equipments. If you notice, Ka Tani is not the one being interviewed on TV any more. At present, the ones that you would see are unfamiliar faces, some of whom seem to be new graduates.

The best forecasters are already gone, Mr President. Who can blame them? They are not being properly treated at home...

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MuzikPoint in Ibaan

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As a kid in Batangas, me and my cousins were encouraged by our elders to learn instruments and be more active musically. Unfortunately, music never liked me as much as I craved to be a musician. I used to study piano through my aunt in Ibaan but basically bailed out one night due to boredom. So when a grade 6 student asked me if I can help her with her music project, I was left wondering why I did not pursue music the same way that my cousins in Ibaan did. Now, I am contemplating on going back to the basics even if I am a little bit older to begin lessons. I know exactly whom to approach.

Good thing MusikPoint is established. MuzikPoint is a band rehearsal studio complete with all band instruments needed by enthusiasts to use. The place is managed by one of the foremost musical phenom in Ibaan, Batangas. His name... John Paul Pateña. This musical genius is the man to look for when it comes to learning, experiencing, (and if you are old) reliving music into your heart. He is practically trained in all kinds of musical instruments like Guitars, Piano, Drums, and a lot more. He is also very much adept at using indigeneous musical instruments. John Paul is so gifted as a musician, I am starting to envy him. Good thing I look better than him or else, I would have killed myself already. :P

Mr Pateña offers tutorial services. He does piano / keyboard, guitar, and drum lessons. Voice lessons are also being offered by members of his family. So if ever you are interested in making it big as a musician and you are in the vicinity of Ibaan Batangas, there is only one man to look for and one place to go to, MuzikPoint!

MuzikPoint is located at I. Guerra Street, Poblacion in Ibaan, Batangas. You can reach the Maestro himself at 09216268048.

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Nikon 55-200mm VR Lens

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Had the chance to test a Nikon 55-200mm Lens with my Nikon D60. An officemate of wifey was nice enough to lend it to us overnight. He is actually trying to sell it.

I have heard so much about this lens in the forums. They say that it is good enough paparazzi lens for poor photography hobbyists like me. I find it good though not as powerful as I thought it was. I could not understand also why there seems to be some specs of noise no matter how bright the surrounding light is. Tried it also early this morning to get a taste of how it is going to be with natural light around but I was still not able to find it really acceptable for me. Maybe I had overestimated what it can do given the praises I have read about it in the forums. Or maybe I am just really not a good photographer, which is perfectly acceptable also hehe. But it is with a just yet. I promise, I will get better at this GRRRRRR!

For one, I find it very limiting since most of the time I want to be able to take wide angle shots. I normally take portrait shots and then add wide shots of the subject. With the 55-200mm it will not allow you to take as much wide area shots as possible. The only way to do so is to try to step back and recompose through the viewfinder. And I found it difficult to always switch glasses from the 55-200mm to my kit lens eveerytime I need to shoot wide angle. Maybe I wanted the 18-200mm instead.

It could have been a good buy since the lense was being sold at 8500 pesos only with hood. And my wife was told that it could be payed in delayed terms. However, I am not an instinct buyer. I buy when I think it is time to buy and when it is ok to buy (trans: I do not have the money heheheh). Also, I noticed some scratches on the glass itself also. I think I also heard some subtle whirring sound that is far different from the sound it usually makes when the lens is trying to focus. That added some additional sirens to my gut feel. The owner said it was just about 2 -3 months old but I think I'll go for broke instead and buy it a much higher price from one of the Hidalgo shops if ever.

Thank you however for letting us try it boss.

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A Taste of the Batangueño Dialect

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Most non-Batangueños think that the Batangueño slang is a separate dialect in itself. I do not agree to that notion. Although I am not a linguistic scholar, I tend to normally explain that the words we tend to use is still Tagalog, albeit much (for lack of better word that I can think of) "deeper" hehe (trans: malalim, tunge!) as most of them are words from the olden days that the people in Manila is not using anymore. Almost all of the other words we Ala-eh citizens use are still Tagalog and should be understood easily by other Filipinos. If not for the way we Ala-ehs speak and the way our intonation is blurted out, every one should not find it hard to communicate with us. Aside from that, there is no difference at all.

A fine example is my wife's experience. When I first brought her to batanggas she was quite inconvenienced by the fact that she can not seem to understand what were talking about. Everything was new to her and she can not comprehend even the simplest of terms. This is because we in Batanggas tend to talk at a much faster phase and weith that distinct diction and intonation. However, when she got used to it, she realized that there was really not much of a difference like I said earlier.


Here is a piece that I wrote. Most of the words you wouldn't understand are either pronounced by Batangueños differently or merely from the olden days of the Katagalugan.


"Ala! Ay ngali-ngali ko nang hinagad ang akala mo'y lungkuying kawatan kung hindi ko laang naisip na sanaw ang parteng pulta ng kalihon at mababasa ang aking bagong ribok. Di ang aking ginawa na laang e pumalahaw para ang manghagad e yung mga ahit sa kadais na tanghuran. Matagal tagal ding nagpagatan, ay di kaya pat na-korner din. ALa ay nung masumbi at matangkab ng ninakawan e nagwasang na parang pagirpir ang luko. Palakat na eh! Piro nakuha pang kumana! Kainaman na! Nung magdikit e nagpasirok sirok sa hagdan pariho. Dagasa na sa may banling. Magaling na laang at naawat ng mamay na galing pa sa balinghuyan paano'y tatamaan ang kanilang banggerahan. Mababasag ang mga tapayan. Kung hindi ay baka lalung naliyo iyon. Ay sa kaulaga naman noong pulis na dumating din. Sa halip na pusasan eh, ang ginaway nakipaghuntahan pa. Ay di ayun, napagdali pa uli ung suspek. Magaling nga at hindi nataga ng gulok. Nung matapos e hapong hapo ang partido ng ninakawan eh. Pandagisdis ga naman sa sulok nung mapitserahan sabay na-kumpu pa ni Piyet. Nayapaw pa nga iyong bilot ni Ka Maring. May nawal-an pa ng gura. Kagagaling din, pagkayayama naman e nung makaraos. Ika eh, ipapalamon raw sana nila sa guyam, wala laang nakitang hantikan. A-ah ay kauntik na!"

What do you think. Can you translate this?

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Mood Swings, Night Scenes and PapaJack Prank Call

[o]

Was in a bad mood when I got home earlier tonight when I realized that I forgot my keys along with my wallet inside the house earlier this morning. I got no dough no more except for about 5 pieces of 25 cents in my coin purse. What made it worse was that nobody's home to open up the house. My sisters and my wife went to the movies. Grrr....

I temporarily waited at McDonalds but opted not to stay there for long as the smell of burger and fries made me hungrier. I decided I have to get away from that stupid clowns resto as I felt that he was teasing me. Creepy, but I imagine him laughing at me coz I couldn't buy me a spaghetti. Crazy.

Good thing I have my DSLR with me. I gather that I can just put my mind into something that will let me forget my pitiful state (lol). So acting like I am full, I took out my D60 and shoot my way towards EDSA, went up the MRT station and tried some long exposure shots of Highway 54 with the MRT as a hightlight. But alas, I couldn't capture the train. My timing was a bit off though I think I still made progress as I was able to get acquainted with the different settings that I need shooting night scenes. More practice needed however.

After some time, I walked my way back to Boni again starting to get pissed. I am so ravenous, I will eat whoever tries to ask me for a fight. I noticed a bunch of RTU students converging in a phone booth in front of the PLDT building. Still out of my element, I rested at the stairs right next to where they are standing. I could see one of the guys using the phone while the rest of the group was huddled beside him. It did not take long for me to realize what they are doing, they are listening to the radio, and I know the familiarity of the voice. Hehe it is Papa Jack , deym! The man on the phone is actually talking to Papajack while his buddies are listening. Obviously it was a prank call and the bunch are having to much fun. I was tempted to take their picture and post them here but I feel that them guys would not appreciate it so I just kept my voodoo inside my bag. Deep inside I really am having a blast at hearing some guys doing a prank call live on air. Hehehhe. It basically wore off my hunger. The freaking call lasted for almost an hour, I thought I noticed the dude talking to PapaJack made a hand gesture that he is out of five peso coins already. Still smiling inside, I took off.

Good thing that wifey is already home. I ate. I blogged. Kissed wifey goodnight. Now, I am going to sleep. Ngooorrrkkkk....


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ASUS EeePC 1201T-SIV005W

[o]

The great war is over. War over who is going to use our current ASUS laptop that is.

Me and wifey went laptop hunting earlier. We were looking for a netbook which is powerful enough to handle JAVA IDE development, well at least that is the primary concern. Of course, we were looking for another ASUS since this brand has already been proven by us as very reliable. We kind of looked into some MSI's and Dell's as well just for curiousity's sake though.

We went first to VMall in Greenhills. In the first shop that we checked into, we were offered an ASUS Eee PC also. The attendant was quite nice however we feel that we are being lied into as they were telling us that they have no other stock of the model we selected. We were being offered to get the displayed item instead. We do not want it as we know that normally displayed items most likely are demo types, meaning that it is either overused already. The front panel of the laptop in fact is somehow oily already with matching finger prints on the surface yet they are telling us that no one has ever touched it yet before. I told the salesman that we will have to decide about the purchase first and that we'll get back to them. But no, I was decided already. We will look somewhere else.

The second shop where we found the model that we want sure has lots of stocks of it. There is one problem though. They have a very slow process. Wifey decided already to purchase it from them but had to change her mind as they kept us waiting for them to finalize the order while still trying to assist other customers. When we noticed that the salesman was not prioritizing us, wifey stood and we hurriedly left. Benta na, nawala pa! Sorry for them.

We got tired of Vmall at that point and the whole Greenhills area. So where else do we have to go? Off to the ever reliable Megamall. We had to scour all the shops at the Cyberzone area. Since we know already which model we are aiming for, we only had to ask for the price of each and of course what freebies can we get. That is important especially since we realized that all shops were offering that model for the same price (must be an ASUS requirement).

We finally were able to get our hands on the laptop through a salesman/girl. He/she is really very accomodating. Customer service tops in our list so since we know that all other shops are almost offering the same items only, we stayed put with him/her. The product is this:

ASUS EeePC
1201T-SIV005W
AMD Athlon
2 Gig of RAM
320 Gig HDD
12.1 inches
With protective sleeve
Free mouse and flash drive

This has no OS yet though except for the ASUS supplied Express Gate which is not a problem. We will be installing Linux CENTOS into it anyway.

Andrew Lloyd Webbers's "Cats" In Manila

[o]

I met my wife as a fellow student and member of a student organization called the Thespians Guild. We basically have the same love for theater althought she has all the talents and me just all the wacky ideas. And since we are celebrating our original anniversary every July, I thought of buying tickets to watch Andrew Lloyd Webbers Cats which will have a limited run at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) beginning July 24, 2010.

And since it is said that the main cast will be led by no less than our very own Ms Lea Salonga as Grizabella, it serves a double whammy for us. My wife loves and adores everything Lea. She was even thinking of using one of her songs before as our wedding March because she really likes her. I am proud to say also that my wife was at some point in time been mistaken for Ms Lea Salonga also. I could not count anymore how many times total strangers will talk to her just to tell her that she looks like Lea.

I want my wife to love me more this July hehe so I gotta have those Cats tickets. If you guys are also interested, you can watch it on any of the following dates:

SHOW DATES (as of April 2010)
SAT July 24 Matinee
SAT July 24 Evening
SUN July 25 Matinee
SUN July 25 Evening
TUE July 27 Evening
WED July 28 Evening
THU July 29 Evening
FRI July 30 Evening
SAT July 31 Matinee
SAT July 31 Evening
SUN August 1 Matinee
SUN August 1 Evening
TUE August 3 Evening
WED August 4 Evening
THU August 5 Evening
FRI August 6 Evening
SAT August 7 Matinee
SAT August 7 Evening
SUN August 8 Matinee
SUN August 8 Evening
TUE August 10 Evening
WED August 11 Evening
THU August 12 Evening
FRI August 13 Evening
SAT August 14 Matinee
SAT August 14 Evening
SUN August 15 Matinee
SUN August 15 Evening

The following are the ticket pricess though:

Ticket Prices:

Matinee
SAT (3:00pm)
SUN (2:30pm)
PhP7000 PhP5000 PhP3500 PhP2000 PhP1000

Evenings
TUE, WED, THU (8:00pm)
SUN (7:30pm)
PhP6000 PhP4500 PhP3000 PhP1500 PhP750

Evenings
FRI, SAT (8:00pm)
PhP7000 PhP5000 PhP3500 PhP2000 Php1000

Ticket Prices are exclusive of Ticketworld fees.

Again this is to be done at the Cultural Center of the Philippines inside the Tanghalang Nicanor Abelardo. See you there.

For more information about the event, you can visit their Facebook or Tumblr pages.

http://facebook.com/catsinmanila or http://catsinmanila.tumblr.com

Now if I can just get a ticket for free. hehehe LOL.

The Black Pencil Project

[o]

Who does not want to be an advocate of something good for a change? Even the most dreaded criminal must be thinking of doing something good for others once in a while. I guess that is a fact. People has, even in the most unlikeliest one, a few inch of goodness in him to care for others.

I basically admire most those people who are not really powerful individuals but instead normal regular guys like us who are able to start sharing and helping in their own way. Such is the humble beggining of the advocacy group known as the Black Pencil Project.

It started when three photography hobbyist climbed Banaue primarily to get photographs of the landscape and its people. However since it is the start of the school season they brought along a bunch of black pencils to be given to the small kids that they know they will meet in the area. This small step became their initiation to better understanding their roles in the community. It was on that day, "humbled by the warm hospitality of people of Banaue, that they realized the shared value of social responsibility and vowed to continue the effort in their own little way."

Through the help of friends and different online social media, their advocacy grew from a movement of three people to a collection of different people in the society. From photgraphy clubs, to mountaineering organizations, private individuals and tourists alike.

There are a lot of ways to help. One could just literally send in a pencil and that will be counted as a great assistance already. Others tend to adopt-a-box for companies and other institutions abd be returned filled with school supplies. providing cash donations will also help. The more adventurous individuals can be sherpas that will help carry the items to be distributed to the target community. Normally the objective communities are in far flung regions so one is expected to shell out his or her own transportation fees and at least be able to walk long distances and climb steep terrain. Corporate partnerships are very much welcome.

As for me, I am reblogging this. I hope I am able to help by doing this. And I hope a lot of people will be able to read this also. Maybe this will help in making them realize that they too can do something on their own by helping the Black Pencil Project or by doing something else on their own. I am also trying to make contact with a local group in my hometown right now. Who knows, maybe we can adopt one box.

To learn more about the Black Pencil Project, you can visit their website blackpencilproject.org or click here.

Calamias Childhood Memories

[o]

I happen to see from FB some relatives whom I have not seen in a while. It so happened that these guys used to live two houses away from our own house in our hometown. Now they are far off living Down Under. After browsing some of their pictures, nostalgia started to creep.

The place where we grew up in is a little barrio in a small town of Ibaan, Batangas. Everybody knows everyone as almost all are of blood relatives. It is almost as if the whole barrio was owned by our "mamay sa tuhod" who I think the name is Guillermo Rabino. I used to hear stories of him like when he is at odds with someone, he would tell him not to set foot on his land or else something might happen. The threathened will then have to go around the whole barangay just to go to what is beyond our great grandfathers domain.

As young kids, we had nothing to do as there used to be no internet, phone lines were only connected during the latter part of the '90s. The main source of income for most people are farming and the usual "paglalako". And so as kids we got used to playing in the fields, swimming in a very very small river and playing backyard games. The closest guys I grew up with are my cousins. These guys are mostly my second cousins. The bunch of us used to call ourselves the Paltik Gang. The oldest among us I think was about 11 years old only when we started to call ourselves such. Paltik is how we in our area of Batangas calls a slingshot. I had fond memories of those days when we would go from fields to fields playing like soldiers armed with slingshots. We will always target our grandfathers fruitbearing trees most especially the mangoes during summer. It is also during summer when we always get to setup a mini-beach in our area locally called "layon". Since the only flowing river that we have in our place is narrow and not deep at all, what we used to do was to create some sort of a dam that will allow the water to overflow into the banks. We would then pile more and more rocks along the waters path to make it deeper. I remember how these mini-dams were given names like Julian Beach, Arong Beach, Haba-Kipot etc. But there was always danger in putting such dams everytime. This is from our palu-palo wielding kakang's, tita's, tiya's, ate's and lola's. This is because the same narrow river is also the place where our older women relatives are washing clothes. And by us doing the dams this creates tension as the water normally gets muddy whenever we youngsters are doing our little picnics. We are not allowed to dive into the water as long as they are not finished. Oh I cannot count anymore how many times Kakang Soledad and Ate Nita (not my mother) would come after us wielding their "pambugbog" because we used to constantly disregard this unwritten rule. Now that I am thinking about it, "hehhehe sorry po".

Ohhh there are lots of stories, beautiful and exciting, and all these I miss so much. Not that I again will run after jeepneys at night naked like what we used to do when we were young. It is just that these memories should be kept and should be told to our grandkids also. I miss being young and living the life that our lolo's taught us. One day though, I promise, I will write a book about all those experiences. And that will be complete with all the characters involve especially the the members of the Paltik Gang.

Flash Acquired

[o]

Went to Mayers in Hidalgo earlier to get the Nissin Di622 Speedlite that I was craving for since reading a review about it by David Tong. I was thinking of getting it from Henrys but for some reason I think destiny (bwehehehe) do not want me to buy it from them. I first checked out their website henryscameraphoto.com to check for their phone number as I wanted to make sure that their open today being a holiday due to President Noys Inauguration. However the webpage is showing that it is suspended. So I had to check other resources to get their number. I tried two of those but no one was answering. Finally, I was able to contact them at about 12 noon but as luck would have it, they have no stock of the flash model I am looking for. The man I talked to tried to persuade me to get a Sunpak brand instead. But I am really decided already to get the Nissin model. So it is one lost sale for them.

I then called up Mayers afterwards even if I was having second thoughts about it as Mayer has a reputation of being uncourteous to some customers. I am just really in the mood of getting a flash and at least have a little bit of upgrade to my gear so even if it is from Mayers I have to get one today. TUrns out they do have a stock of the Di622 and they are offering it at a price lower by about 300 pesos compared to what is indicated with Henrys website (I checked before their site got suspended.)

I am currently in test mode as of the moment. Gotta check out each and every feature as this only has a one week store warranty. It would be of a hassle if I find out after that 7 day period that there is a defect since by then the warranty would be from the manufacturers already. This means return will take a much longer period of time and I do not have that.

My initial tests are very very reassuring. This is indeed a very nice buy. Sulit! I even tested it a very low light where only the tv is on and it still brought amazing results. I will bring it to work tomorrow and test it in my office environ. Gotta burn this flash bulbs like crazy to really see its mettle.

The Meloto Mindset

[o]

“I can do more for the country by not being a Cabinet official”!

Wow! And I mean another, "HUWAW"!!!

It is not every day that we will hear such statements, but yes we did! This is the exact pronouncement of Mr Tony Meloto, one of the founders of Gawad Kalinga. You see, he was offered a Cabinet post by our new President and he declined it exactly for the very reason stated above. He can do more for his country without getting a public post. Sorry, but I have to say another "WOW!!!!" to that!!!

This is in total contrast to what we always hear from our politicians. When ask why they are running for public posts, they will always exclaim that it is so that they can help the poor. I always thought that this is farce and with these kind of statements alone, I find myself rooting for them to lose. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

Sigh... If only Pacman, and all other individuals who are already considered movers of the society can have the same state of mind, surely they will make wonders for the country. The new President himself is in that position already, given the resources that he and his family already have. But no, because in the context of Philippine politics, the child should inherit his parents political position. In this case he gave more weight to the Philippines natural political tradition : Trapoism.

This now makes me ask, Are these guys really becoming more helpful by merely taking in public posts? I tried to look for any studies regarding this but did not find one.

I tend to believe however that Mr Meloto is spot on correct on his decision. And because he declined the post and ultimately did not give in to temptation of having almost an absolute power in our society, I find him to be one of the most honorable Filipino we have in the country. Mabuhay ka Ginoong Meloto! Sana ay dumami pa ang kagaya mo!

Flash Required

[o]
The time has come, hehehe, that is for me to get a flash for my DSLR. The past few shots I took really made me think that I need one already. I cannot make a good enough shots in the dark and I am having headaches with adjusting and readjusting my camera settings to compensate for the lack of light. Not good if I want to excel more in this hobby.

I have been casing the possible flash models that might do well for me. I have been reading reviews and of course I am checking out the price catalouges as well. (This hobby is really eating up my wifes budget LOL hehehehe.) I think I am going for Nissin Di622.

Nissin Di622, according to reviews, is a high-quality camera at a very low cost being from an OEM. It is actually manufactured by Nissin Marketing of Japan. According to Mr David Lee Ong, " The Nissin Di622 (Di622 hereon out) is a mid-level flash model for the Nissin brand and it’s intended to match up against the mid-level offerings of Nikon and Canon (SB-600 and 430EXII, respectively) in terms of output and features."

Since the review is coming from a well respected photographer like Mr Ong. I am sure going to get this one instead of the SB Speedlight series which I was inclined to get before reading the reviews. For more of Mr David Lee Ong's Reviews click here.

The Day of Reckoning: Lakers VS Celtics

We are in for a show! The NBA has never been this exciting since the Jordan Era. It is less than two hours before gametime and as early as yesterday, you can feel that every body can't wait for the game to start. I will be following the game at work (huhuhu too bad :( ). But I will still be cheering for our Laker team.

LAAAKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRRRRSSSSSSSS!!!... AHOO! AHOO!

I HeART Makati: i ♥ the Philippines. i ♥ being free.

[o]
Woohoo!!! Just got my ID and permit to use my Nikon D60 here in Makati and take photos til my batteries run low. For those who do not know (and also to those who do not care), Makati CBD does not allow the taking of photographs of any areas of of the Makati CBD be it private or public. This is more for security purposes. And since this area is really one whole private location owned by Ayala Land Inc., there is really nothing that photographers like me can do about it (except of course to snap it out the Guerilla Way). This "once in a lifetime event" (lol, just kidding) is to celebrate our country's Independence Day and the vitality of the Makati Central Business District being hosted by Ayala Land Inc.

With the theme "I HeART Makati: i ♥ the Philippines. i ♥ being free.", all photo enthusiasts are welcome to join the following photo competitions - Photography Club Members Photo Competition and the On-the-Spot Photo Contest. The second category is divided to three levels, (a) Kids (b) Hobbyists / Enthusiasts and (c) Professionals.

Activities will start at 8 AM for registrations on June 19, 2010. By 9 AM there will be an opening remarks from Meean Dy, ALI Vice-President. And then all participants will be briefed by Mon Corpuz who is the President of the Pinoy Photography Organization (PiPho). There are also going to be Phot Sessions with John Chua, Edwin Martinez and Francis Inton respectively.

The Contest Proper will start at 11 AM. Awarding will be at 5:30 PM.

BTW, free food is available to contest participants hehehe. I wont miss it. LOL.

For registration and other details, you can visit the site: I HeART MAKATI

Click! Click!

June is the Dengue Awareness Month

[]
I first witnessed Dengue when I was still enrolled in an all male school somewhere in Lipa City. There was a breakout causing about 25% of the student population to be infected. Most are mild cases and were treated right away. But there are some who had to be confined for days in the hospital. One in particular caught my attention as we all were not aware that he was already in an alarming stage. The person seemed to have lost control of his mind and started to run in circles at the second floor of our dormitory. That is when we realized that he got the disease and so he was brought to the hospital. A classmate even had to donate blood for him. We were told that if he were brought to the hospital a few hours late, he would have died. That is how bad his dengue stage was during that time.

The Department of Health recently announced that this month of June is declared as Dengue Awareness Month. The DOH warns the public that the number of dengue cases in the Philippines is alarmingly getting higher. From January 1 to March 27, 2010 alone, they have already listed 11,803 cases which is 61% than the number of cases reported in the same period last year.

More information from DOH:

DENGUE HEMORRHAGIC FEVER is an acute infectious disease manifested initially with fever.

Transmission

Aedes aegypti, the transmitter of the disease, is a day-biting mosquito which lays eggs in clear and stagnant water found in flower vases, cans, rain barrels, old rubber tires, etc. The adult mosquitoes rest in dark places of the house.

Signs and Symptoms

a. Sudden onset of high fever which may last 2 to 7 days.
b. Joint & muscle pain and pain behind the eyes.
c. Weakness
d. Skin rashes - maculopapular rash or red tiny spots on the skin called petechiae
e. Nosebleeding when fever starts to subside
f. Abdominal pain
g. Vomiting of coffee-colored matter
h. Dark-colored stools

Prevention and Control

>> Cover water drums and water pails at all times to prevent mosquitoes from breeding.

>> Replace water in flower vases once a week.

>> Clean all water containers once a week. Scrub the sides well to remove eggs of mosquitoes sticking to the sides.

>> Clean gutters of leaves and debris so that rain water will not collect as breeding places of mosquitoes.

>> Old tires used as roof support should be punctured or cut to avoid accumulation of water.

>> Collect and dispose all unusable tin cans, jars, bottles and other items that can collect and hold water.

And Show Up They Did

[]
We were all watching out at how Bynum will come out when being introduced by the Staples Center announcer, and we liked what we saw. The Staples Center crowd was unlike their usual self. Getting into the game at the sound of the buzzer. There was a sense of urgency. It really did something to energize the men in purple and yellow. Something was up when Ron Artest made that three. And we saw a glimmer of hope when Farmar dived down the parquet to keep the ball and then later on driving from the sideline and challenged KG for a layup. And we became believers after Browns tremendous alley-hoop-one-handed dunk off the pass from Gasol!

These Lakers did show up! Not just Kobe, but all the other Lakers! This was what I asked for in my last entry. For them to let Boston feel that Kobe Bryant is just a single presence. That their might is bigger than Laker-Celtic rivalry itself when the whole team plays.

Doc Rivers tried to insert his bench again to try to claw their way back but that came at a high price. These Lakers learned from what happened in Game 4. Nate might be able to do this over and over with superman but not with a superteam with a Mamba's head. And then it is all over. When the dusk setlled, Perkins was down, Rondo went down and for a time after committing a foul, I thought Tony Allen was down too.

I hope everybody is healthy come Game 7. If that is to be, then the best team will take the cake!!! I am not going to try to be no seer no more. The last few times I did that, my Lakers lost. I just hope that this same team that showed up tonight will be a more intensified team come Game 7.

REMEMBER BOSTON

[]

Let us face it! Lakerland is in the brink of falling into the abyss of no return if the other Lakers do not show up again tomorrow. And there will be no coming back this time. So very much unlike that 2008 defeat when everybody knows that the Lakers will try to avenge their loss by winning everything the next season, this time that is not going to happen. If the Lakers lose again to this airhead Celtic team there is no way that Kobe and Pau and Fish will again be present as Lakers to take vengeance.

The Players union are threathening to go for a one full season lockout if the CBA negotiations become unfavorable to them. If that lockout ever happens, the Lakers and more on the Celtics will be two year older. I think a much matured KD will eat KG and KB (24 that is) alive at that point (although I will still root for Kobe of course and yes it is KD and not LBJ as the latter is nothin but a myth). If that happens, ther will be no more Celtics vs Lakers in the Finals for at least a few seasons.

Now going back to the game. The other Lakers should step up. The Fish should step up! Artest should step up! Gasol, Vujacic and even an injured Bynum should step up! And Lamar, my dear Candyman, Are the kardashians the only guys you can keep up with???(pun intended) Step up man!!!!

I remember the 2009 Playoff Season when they are on the verge of being defeated by other teams in the West, their battlecry was "REMEMBER BOSTON!!!". They were able to pull it through albeit less the Celtic team that they sought for the whole time. They had to face a much younger and inexperienced superman in Orlando. Now they do not have to remember Boston! Boston is in their faces mocking their supposed growth or whatever you call it.

Man, as a Lakerfan, this is exasperating!!!! (Sigh) BOSTON SUCKS!!!!

[]

Derek "KING" Fisher

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



To whom it may concern:

This is to certify that Kobe is not the only Active Laker who has four rings already. I am still here.

Seriously,
Derek

After posting this letter, came the barrage of shots and it is all over in Boston for Game 3. We have to give credit where credit is due though. Boston sure made it an exciting game coming from a 17 point deficit in the first half cutting it to just a one point Laker lead in the fourth. But Alas comes the KingFisher, and Bostons hardships came for naught.

Taking over the game almost at will late in the game, he made Rajon Rondo look like a kid. And before the Celtic Loudmouths could recover, Kobe came off to finish off the game.

Now how about that Boston fans and Laker haters! Two more to go!!!!

Taal Volcano

Phivolcs, which is the main body monitoring seismic and volcanic events in the Philippines, announced recently that they have heigthened its Volcano Alert Level to Alert Level 2 for Taal Volcano.

According to the Phivolcs website:

In view of the above observations and the interpretation that a fresh batch of magma has been intruding towards the surface, as manifested in the seismic swarms in 1992, 1994, 2000 and 2004 to present, Taal Volcano’s status is now raised to Alert Level 2, meaning that the volcano is undergoing magmatic intrusion which could eventually lead to an eruption. PHIVOLCS reminds the general public that the Main Crater remains off-limits because hazardous steam-driven explosions may occur, along with the possible build-up of toxic gases. Areas with hot grounds and steam emission such as portions of the Daang Kastila Trail are considered hazardous. PHIVOLCSreiterates that the whole Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) and permanent settlement within this area is strictly prohibited.

I have always thought that the whole lake and not just the little real volcano used to explode thousands of years back. I believe that the little island at the center of the lake is just a remnant of a much older volcano from long ago. I basically derived this theory from the same kind of volcanic eruption that occured in Indonesia before which was studied by Scientists. Scientists claim that a whole lake in Indonesia which is much bigger than that of Taal used to be the crater of a volcano which probably caused super cooliong of the earths athmosphere thousands of years ago when it erupted. In fact when they collected soil samples from mountains in the different borders of that Indonesian volcanic lake, they found out that they are of the same type and quality. This is the same theory that I am applying now for Taal Volcano and the entire Taal Lake.

I do not think that Taal Volcano is the smallest in the world. I think that in fact, it could be one of the biggest. This is if it could be proven that the whole Taal Lake and its sorrounding mountainous edges are part of one big crater.

This belief basically made my wife mad. You see, we were scheduled to go to Tagaytay this weekend for our 6 months celebration of being husband and wife. But after I heard the news about the Alert level in Taal being heightened, and Tagaytay being part of my so called Taal crater, I told my wife to cancel the booking. In effect this means lost money as the terms of Agreement that we have for the hotel we are going to stay at claims no refund for bank deposits. I sure am gonna be whipped when I come home tonight. Wish me luck. But let us all wish the whole Taal area more goodluck. Be safe mga kabayan!

Ray Allen and the Loudmouths

My prediction went south!

I boldly predicted my Lakers winning it all in four games. But when a hand like that of Ray Allen is as hot as a meteor then I guess there is no Nostradamus in me. He single-handedly took the Lakers out in the first half scoring via 7 three-pointers. And I hated it.

Truth be told, of all the Celtics, Allen is the the one I like most. It is because, unlike his loudmouth teammates, he is soft spoken and humble. So much unlike Garnett who constantly barks at his opponents like they are his minions, or Pierce who once said that he is the best player in the world (Is that the reason why he cant even make the playoffs when Garnett and Allen were not around yet???) or Rondo who stupidly tried to belittle Chris Paul (as if he is better than CP3).

However, like him or not, I still regret it that he is a Celtic. It foiled my chance at being a seer. And more importantly he made all these haters rise up again when all they can do was cry in silence after game One.

Floyd Mayweather Retires... Againnnnnn????

The man is not a real man. His latest antic about retiring again seem to boil down to one and only one reason only. That is to avoid being pummelled by Manny Pacquiao.

He retired once before, supposedly for lack of opponents. Manny Pacquiao is waiting now and he would say he would retire. Obviously he wont say that this time it is due to lack of valid foes coz we know who is waiting in the wings. This time around, he is saying that he is retiring to help those who are in need and to help the poor. Cmon!!!!?!?!?!? We all know that that is pure bullsheet masquerading as a charitable layoff.

All you blokes trying to defend the may-at-times-dumb-weather, can't you just tell your man (supposedly) to stand up and avoid hiding in his fathers and relatives dresses. And do not use unknowing kids as pawns in your lies. You sucka! Fight Manny or you will be known as the greatest fighter because your a sissy!!!!

Ron Artest

Update: I just found out that Artest has a Filipino kid living in Puerto Rico. Wow! I cant believe this! And there are vids on youtube showing him eating Filipino food. And he likes Halo-halo!!! Whooooooh!! Artest you the man!!! See the vids here and here and here and singing Celine Dion in a Filipino house here.

It was the first few seconds of the game and someone from the Lakers squad officially announced to the whole world and more importantly to that hated Celtic team that this year is not 2008. This is 2010! This is the year when the Los Angeles Lakers are the defending champs! And even if Ron Artest is not part of the team that won it last year, he made sure that everyone knows that he is very capable of defending the ring that he never got in 2009.

And so it all began... and ended with Pierce most likely still scratching his nuts on how he could get over that big bulky and strong wall that was not there the last time out. In a game that featured more fouls than what the Celtics dreamed of, it was Ron Artest who made the biggest impact (well of course that is if Kobe is sleeping).

The three-pointers went in. Every defensive move made is momentous, including the one with 6 minutes left on the clock. He pumped his fist, showing his grit and his intensity. He didn't show it by exchanging verbal jabs with the Celtic Loudmouths. He did it by doing his job. Showing patience and determination at the same time. Even that former-Knicks-coach-and-now-analyst emphasized how Artest has changed over the years, exclaiming that there is something definitely wrong if Artest is the showing up as the voice of reason. And just like that, he is not just the deliverer of that Game 5 win versus Phoenix and not the 2nd best man of the Western Conference Game 6. He is the pivotal figure in the pivotal first game.

This is the same man who barged into the Lakers locker room after that tumultous lost in Game 6 of the 2008 Finals. This is the same man who proclaimed to Bryant that he can help the Mamba be physical with Boston. That is exactly the same man that showed up in Game 1. And as long as he is keeping up with that universal proclamation, the Lakers will win these Finals.

Lakers in 4!!!

Chris Tiu

I was browsing the web when I chanced upon this webpage with this header "Whats it gonna take for the NBA to draft Chris Tiu?"

I was like "Holy Ligo Sardines!!!" Am I reading this right? Chris Tiu to the NBA? Now that is not such a bad idea!!! Well, I am not really a huge Chris Tiu fan but I know a lot of people who are! He has chosen to play for the flag instead of delving into that so called PBA (pro-league?), so that is a plus point for him. Although I favor Ateneo more than La Salle, this is not the reason also as to why I got a little excited readin the articles "nominating" Chris Tiu to the NBA. Just the thought of a Filipino in the NBA is sheet and Slick man!!!

It has been long since the time that the possibilities of a Filipino running around the Staples Center as a Pro baller was taught of. Remember the time when Johnny Abbarientos was supposedly being looked out for by the old Charlotte Hornets? That was during Flying A's prime. It has been more than 10 years.

Apparently that webpage is actually a blog whose sole purpose is to give Chris Tiu a chance to be noticed by NBA scouts for the upcoming June 24 NBA Draft. Trying to mimick the type of media hype scored by Wang of China for the NFL, the page has gone from giving analysis on why Chris Tiu with teams like the Timberwolves, Heat and the Bucks. It even compared Chris Tiu to David Beckham.

Reality Check:

I really wish that he can be at least enrolled in the draft. If Chris gets to be drafted , we will all surely be proud of him. However, Chris Tiu is Chris Tiu. He is not better than John Wall of course. And teams are not really looking that much into the draft right now. Why would they when the free market is loaded with all the NBA superstars. So I really do not think that this project will fly. But hey no harm in trying right. Way to go Chris Tiu!!!

Click here to check out that Chris Tiu blog.

Lakers in 4! Sweeeeeep!!!! Now that is for real!!!

Steve Nash

Wow!!!! I am a die hard Laker and Kobe fan! No doubt in my mind that I like them better now compared to when Shaq was still with the team. However, this is not about Kobe or the Lakeshow or that dumb-ass-cant-find-no--loyal-home-team Shaq. This is about Steve Nash. The proverbial Steve Nash! The one and only great Canadian! The unstoppable point guard cum MVP of the Suns. The Sportsman. Damn! I really like this long haired soccer-loving baller. If not for Kobe, I really think that the Suns will go to the Finals and meet with those Green Thugs of Boston all because of Steve. Instead, Steve will again go away from the hardcourt and leave.

When I saw on YouTube his being emotional after their Game 6 lost to the Lakers, I had to really admire him more. Watch it here. Imagine still being able to go to Kobe with your daughter and congratulate him even if he feels really really down. He sure is no Le-Hype, he is for real. I really cant help but be sorry for the guy. Man, it really sucks to lose. I hope Steve can be a Laker that way we'll all be able to better appreciate how good he is coz Im sure he'll win a championship wearing the purple and gold. I assure you, NASH IS MUCH BETTER THAN THAT SELF ADULATING CON FROM AKRON!!!! Hope you win a ring someday Nash at least before you retire. Good luck to you sir!