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DMIA as new international gateway
2008-02-04 05:25:00
I'm not so sure how true this news item is about the closure of NAIA, one of the most horrible airports in Asia, but I do hope the government does it soon.At the very least they should turn the NAIA complex as a domestic terminal and no longer the premiere gateway of the Philippines as the place is really shameful, not an airport befitting a newly industrializing country such as ours (if Wikipedia is to be believed).If plans push through and barring another NAIA Terminal 3 fiasco, this is how our new international gateway in Clark would look in as little as five to ten years:Quite impressive, I must say. It is said to be as big or even bigger than the Hong Kong International Airport, according to some airport geeks in this forum.Well, wishful thinking. But who knows?
More About: Gateway

Obama narrows Clinton's lead in poll
2008-02-01 02:56:00
Below is the latest Gallup poll on the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. This is turning out to be a nail-biter. The graph doesn't take account John Edwards' exit from the derby which could ultimately deliver victory to whoever he endorses.So both Obama and Clinton are understandly fighting tooth and nail to get Edwards' endorsement. Time to kiss ass, so to speak.Gallup's summary: The latest Democratic numbers show Hillary Clinton with a 43% to 39% advantage over Barack Obama among Democratic voters nationwide. That four-point lead is the narrowest since early January, and it is a continuation of gains by Obama. The impact of John Edwards' exit from the Democratic race is less clear. Wednesday night's numbers (the first with Edwards excluded from the ballot) show no clear indication that either candidate is benefiting disproportionately. Clinton and Obama will debate in California tonight, which could affect Democrats' support for the two candidates going into ...
More About: Poll , Lead , Linton

HappySlip Manila meet & greet hijacked
2008-01-31 08:13:00
I got this e-mail from Yehey.com yesterday in response to HappySlip's Manila meet & greet.Hi All, Thank you for signing up to Happy Slip Meet -and-Greet happening on February 7, 2008 at Mag:net Café, Bonifacio High Street from 11:00AM-3:00PM. We regret to inform you that there are no more available slots for this event. However, we’ll keep your contact information for future blogging event invites.I felt gypped. I signed up the moment I got the feed from HappySlip. Not even five minutes elapsed between the time the feed was sent and the time I got it and the time I signed up.Yet, I wasn't able to get a slot.I knew there was something fishy. The registration implied that you have to have a blog. Huh? What does a blog have to do with wanting to meet Christine Gambito? Only after I received this notification that I realized, the blog was for determining if you have enough web influence and therefore, enough clout in promoting Yehey.com which sponsored the meet and greet. In sho...

New York Post endorses Barack Obama
2008-01-31 02:42:00
The New York Post took the words right out of my keyboard. I do hope Democrats see Senator Barack Obama in the same light. (Swear, if I were an American I would be one of Obama's campaign volunteers by now.)From the New York Post:January 30, 2008 -- Democrats in 22 states across America go to the polls next Tuesday to pick between two presidential prospects: Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.We urge them to choose Obama - an untried candidate, to be sure, but preferable to the junior senator from New York.Obama represents a fresh start.His opponent, and her husband, stand for déjà vu all over again - a return to the opportunistic, scandal-scarred, morally muddled years of the almost infinitely self-indulgent Clinton co-presidency.Does America really want to go through all that once again?It will - if Sen. Clinton becomes president.That much has become painfully apparent.Bill Clinton's thuggishly self-centered campaign antics conjure so many bad, sad memories that it's hard...

No nose jokes please for new Thai PM
2008-01-30 11:10:00
But what can you do? He doesn't only have an ugly nose, he is flat out (no pun intended) ugly, period.Apparently, thumbing one's nose has taken on a literal meaning of disrespect for Thai land's new Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej.Which, I really find hilarious. For how can Thais not have chosen Abhisit Vejjajiva (below) a dashing, Oxford-educated politician, so they wouldn't have had to struggle with this nose issue in the first place?With their new prime minister, I feel lucky for having GMA as our president. (Which made me wonder, so how should GMA be mentioned through sign language? By placing one's thumb and forefinger in a pinching motion?)
More About: Jokes , Nose

Creative Guild in Boracay, February 29
2008-01-30 03:36:00
Beer-guzzling, ego-centric and awards-obsessed Filipino advertising creatives will invade Boracay on February 29 for the Creative Guild Awards.Personally, I'd rather not have an advertising awards show on the island. Any beach would have sufficed, but Boracay, no. For me the island is still the perfect refuge, inspite of the overcrowding and the pollution that are threatening to ruin it (if not yet).Ads are the last thing I want to think about when in Boracay. Advertising can be a rough, dirty game, especially when it comes to awards. All those bickering, hooting and sneering. They don't belong in a paradise island.That's why win or not, I won't ever attend an awards show in Boracay.

Juan Francisco Casas ballpoint drawings
2008-01-30 02:41:00
No, these are not photographs. Yes, these are drawings by Spanish artist Juan Francisco Casas which he did using only blue ballpoint pens. How many it took, and how long it took to draw these, I have no idea. But I now believe you have to be a little insane to become a great artist for how can anyone with a normal mind slog through hours and hours of doodling to come up with these artworks?
More About: Drawings

Why I'm all for Barack Obama
2008-01-29 03:27:00
Last night I kept yakking to a friend about the U.S. presidential race, specifically the Democratic wrestling match between senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton with former president Bill Clinton serving as Hillary's attack dog (poor Obama).My friend's banker-type boyfriend abruptly cut me off, asking why should I care about the U.S. presidential race? Short of asking him if he's really serious about pursuing his law ambitions and lecturing him about globalization, I simply blurted out a trivial reason (the better for his shallow mind to comprehend), "'Coz it's exciting."All I got was a blank stare. (Ah, how my beautiful friend ended up with a neanderthal still escapes me.)Anyway, to the caveman's credit, he got me thinking. Why should I care? And more importantly, why I'm rooting for Barack Obama.Apart from the obvious reasons that the U.S. president is the de-facto ruler of the world (last I checked we're still part of this world) and that this election may well be hi...

Biblical events seen on Google Earth
2008-01-28 02:49:00
What if, some time in the distant future, a Google Earth Time Machine edition is invented wherein you could actually see satellite images of events from the distant past?Well, Sydney-based creative group The Glue Society speculated on such a possibility and came up with these amazingly realistic Google Earth snapshots of Biblical events. (For a background on the project, read the Creative Review write-up.)Adam and Eve in The Garden of Eden Noah's Ark lodged on a rocky outcrop as the great flood subsidesIsraelites crossing a parted Red SeaJesus Christ's crucifixion on GolgothaWell, if I were to choose which Philippine historical event I'd like to see through Google Earth, the Battle of Mactan would certainly be tops.
More About: Events

Good news on the Philippines
2008-01-25 11:18:00
What's this? Tell me I'm not dreaming. There's been a deluge of good economic news today for the Philippines . Look, look, look:Moody's raises RP outlook rating to positive. Philippine banks' outlook rating raised to positive. Philippine bonds jump on ratings upgrade. Napocor outlook changed to positive. Shares expected to rise next week. 2007 GDP fastest growth rate in 30 years.I think I'm old enough to assert I don't ever recall having read such a deluge of good news for the Philippines in a single day. Has our time finally come? Are we no longer the "sick man of Asia?"Are we really ready to kick some butt?I definitely hope so. I hope nobody will be insane enough to do another Trillanes caper with all these news today. I'm crossing my fingers. Feet included.
More About: News , Good News , Good

HappySlip is now in Manila
2008-01-25 10:21:00
She's here. HappySlip is really here. I don't really get it what she's crying about (hey, I'm a guy) but it's the first time I actually saw her this emotional. Maybe she just realized how bad Manila looks and just wants to go home pronto.Anyway, I'm anxious to know when is her meet and greet. I'm pretty sure thousands of others are waiting for her announcement. The thing is, I've never really been a fan of anyone until I started watching her videos. Granting I do get to meet her, what should a fan say? "Hi! You're so awesome, you're so pretty, I heart you!"Ugh.Or should I just sneak up to her, grab her by the arm and demand to have a photo taken with her? That would sure freak her out but at least I don't have to resort to stupid small talk.Take for example these two jerks from the Inquirer who interviewed her just several hours ago. They're groping for words, obviously. Now I don't want to look like them.So maybe, the best thing to do is just introduce oneself, welcome...

Recreating D-Day with only 3 actors
2008-01-25 02:51:00
So how do you re-create the World War II storming of Omaha Beach on D-Day using only three actors and a budget that is .000000001% of the budget spent in filming Saving Private Ryan? Watch this. It's mind-blowing.
More About: Actors

Life created from scratch
2008-01-25 02:01:00
Ever wondered how God looks like? Well look at the photo below. That's probably him. And his name is J. Craig Venter. The first man to create life from scratch--sort of. Which technically makes him God. For how else would you call someone who can create life? Okay, he may not be able to perform miracles--yet. But it's a start. 500 years from now, man may be able to create another planet Earth.Think about it. 500 years ago, in all his infinite genius, never in Leonardo Da Vinci's wildest imagination would he have thought of things like iPods, laptops and mobile phones. 500 years from now, we would all look so primitive in the eyes of our descendants.They would probably be laughing their heads off that in 2008, a scientist who was able to create life made headline news when creating life is merely part of nursery lessons in 2508.
More About: Life , Scratch

A newly industrialized country
2008-01-24 05:35:00
Amid the global stock market freefall yesterday, I took an obsessive interest in learning a few things about globalization.During the course of my trawl through the net, buried in obscure terms such as "decoupling," "bear market" and "write-offs," I had the biggest shock of my life. Our dear country, the Philippines, the one we often regard as a third world nation, is now classified as a newly industrialized country. Photo courtesy of Ville MiettinenOne more time. The Philippines, the one we often regard as a third world country, is now classified as a newly industrialized country.Map of the world's NIC'sEither someone from the Arroyo administration wrote that Wikipedia entry or I am having a pleasant dream.But seriously, though it's hard to believe, maybe it's true. Consider that India is also a newly industrialized economy even though Mumbai is home to the world's biggest slum area and hundreds of millions more live below the poverty line across the entire Indian subcontinent...
More About: Country

Financial crash of 2008: Is it 1997 again?
2008-01-23 06:43:00
Below is the Inquirer's front page today. Please don't tell me it's 1997 all over again. Just when things are looking up, here we are again, with investors behaving like a panicked herd scrambling for the nearest exit, taking with them some 528 billion pesos. Can't blame them, what with the possibility of a US recession. Heck, even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke seems to be panicking.Question is, since Filipinos seem to have this instinct to immediately leave the country in times of trouble, where will we run to if things turn from bad to worse, given that no part of the planet will be spared from the impending global economic meltdown?There's just nowhere to hide. And that's a big problem.
More About: Financial , Crash , 2008

Heath Ledger, 28
2008-01-23 05:53:00
Heath Ledger , one of the cowboys in Brokeback Mountain and as The Joker in Batman: The Dark Knight, is dead. Whether from suicide or overdose is still unclear. He was 28. Though I haven't watched Brokeback Mountain since I've already read the short story before the film was released, I've always regarded Heath Ledger as one of Hollywood's underrated actors. Maybe due to his not being involved in scandals, he is thus often not in the limelight.Boy, is he in the limelight now, albeit ironically.Well, sayang (what a waste). He could have become a bigger star after his stint as The Joker. Kinda creepy seeing Heath in the photo above. Reminds you of Brandon Lee's accidental death while filming The Crow (where he was wearing a similar white mask).Even creepier if you tie his death to a phenomenon known as Blue Monday, supposedly the most depressing day of the year based on mathematical computations.Well, phenomenon or not, lesson here is, try to avoid this make-up if you're an actor.
More About: Heath Ledger , Heath

Filipino rap group The OBS in TIME
2008-01-23 01:50:00
Yey! Pinoys once again lord it over the Asian music scene as TIME picks Pinoy rap group The Out of Body Special as one of the five Asian acts to watch in 2008.Shame on me, I've never even heard of the OBS until I read about them in TIME. Blame it on me not listening to local radio anymore and not particularly interested in the local music scene anymore as bands came and went over the years, most of them either one hit wonders or doing nothing but remakes.Maybe it's about time to check out the local music scene again. Young Pinoy kids nowadays have unprecedented access to music from all over the world. With our musical talent, I can only guess what kind of funky Filipino music we'll hear in the future. Before we know it, we might soon have Filipino international music stars.Let's all hope so. Here is the OBS' Soundcheck from their first album, Is love.
More About: Time , Group

4,000-peso iPhones
2008-01-22 06:30:00
Oh yes, they're here. Chinese made "iClones" can now be had in Divisoria for P4,000 to P6,000 depending on the slimness and the features.As I've posted before, these units are nothing to be sneezed at as they function as good or even better than the real iPhones. But don't take my word for it. Remember, these are being sold in Divisoria, the haven of con artists.But for just 4,000 bucks, who cares if you get a dud?
More About: Peso

Stereotypes of 55 nationalities
2008-01-22 05:26:00
Chris of nomad4ever has an interesting post on national stereotypes. He searched the net for what people think of each other, and I must say it's an eye-opener.While we Pinoys love to demean ourselves, it seems other nationalities have a kinder view of us than most of us think. At best, we're regarded as happy and fun-loving people. At worst, we're OA (overacting), neurotic and melodramatic. Which, in my opinion, isn't really that bad compared to how other nationalities are seen.So how does the rest of the world see us and our Southeast Asian brothers? Read below. (For the complete list of stereotypes of 55 nationalities, click here.)Filipinos - “region of natural and man-made disasters” (refers to the Philippines); religious; have large, extended families; neurotic; modest; love to watch soap operas; cars are old patched American jeeps (jeepneys); tricycles are everywhere; chaotic traffic; colorful; kidnapping of foreigners is a favorite past-time - besides cock-fighting; o...
More About: Stereotypes

Cheaper medicines bill about to be passed
2007-12-18 02:27:00
For the first time in my life, I'm having a soft spot for our lawmakers.House Bill 2844 known as An act providing for cheaper medicines and for other purposes, better known as the Cheaper Medicines Bill has already passed second reading.Now to most Filipinos this may not mean a lot but try to have a chronic disease such as hypertension and diabetes and you'll understand why I am willing to forgive all the evil deeds that congressmen have done.My mom has both diabetes and hypertension. She has to pop several types of pills each day, for life, as there is no cure for her condition. Mind you, the price of each of those pills is enough to feed a family of four each day. That's how expensive medicines are in this country. Although I don't understand why it has to be that costly, all I know is that medicines are way cheaper in most countries in Asia.I also understand that pharmaceutical firms here are willing to spend as much as one billion pesos to lobby against the passage of the bi...

Filipinos as snacks
2007-12-17 08:35:00
Got this photo from one of Howie Severino's posts on his trip to Spain. Asked Howie, "Is naming a snack food after your nationality offensive to you?" Well not really. I've heard about German franks, German cockroaches and German Shepherds.But of course, those are not in the same vein as naming a product specifically "Filipinos " rather than "Filipino chocolates."But still, I wasn't offended when I first heard about these chocolate bars. At least they think we're yummy enough to eat. And that we're not some kind dogfood, rat poison or worse, a type of plague.I wasn't that much offended likewise when Filipinos were defined by the Oxford dictionary as "domestic helpers." That incident only showed that even Oxford scholars can be dumb enough to not know what they're talking about.And as I've always maintained throughout this blog, we shouldn't concern ourselves over such petty things. We know ourselves to be better than whatever stereotype is thrown at us.Or do we?
More About: Snacks

Coke Happiness Factory The Movie
2007-12-17 03:43:00
If this is the future of TV advertising then it's a bright future indeed. In a perfect world where clients would allow creatives to use their quirky imagination to deliver the brand message, the result would be something like this--a TV ad you'd actually want to watch.This is one of TIME Magazine's top 10 TV ads for 2007. I couldn't agree more.
More About: Movie , Factory , Happiness , The Movie , Coke

SEA Games should be scrapped
2007-12-14 05:54:00
Now I am not being a sourgrape, especially after the Philippine boxing team virtually handed the champinoship to the Thais as a sign of protest at the 24th Southeast Asian Games in Thailand. (Seems Pinoys are so good at raising a ruckus on almost anything.)Thais assert, "our boxers are better." Which I tend to believe since they fielded Olympic gold and bronze medalists while our team fielded untested fighters.However, I still believe that the SEA Games is nothing more than a national ego-boosting exercise to the host country. How can you explain Thailand's phenomenal 150-plus gold medal haul? Although Thailand is the region's sports powerhouse, from a statistical standpoint, their gold medal tally is nothing short of a miracle.Same with our own 113 gold medals when the games were held here two years ago. Same with Vietnam when they hosted the games back in 2003. I mean come on, when a country hosts the games, does that mean their athletes suddenly find superhuman abilities? That ...

Arroyo most corrupt Philippine president?
2007-12-13 04:12:00
According to an October 2007 survey by Pulse Asia, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is considered by 42 percent of Filipinos as the most corrupt president in Philippine history. The survey was even the Inquirer's banner headline yesterday, December 12. Which should never have been made the banner headline in the first place.See, any communication research student will tell you numbers don't matter if there's no in-depth interpretation of the data. Numbers will only matter in a numbers game such as an election.In the Inquirer news, it only parroted the numbers but there was no interpretation of the data. Especially on why, despite the negative take on the Arroyo administration, few would be willing to take to the streets to remove her from office. This shallow reporting only revealed the self-serving motives of the Inquirer.In surveys, the framing of the question and the time at which the survey was taken can largely influence the results. In the Pulse Asia survey, respondents we...

Super Luxury Motorcycles
2007-12-13 02:49:00
I'm not really into motorcycles no matter how they've become so popular these days. I'm more of a car guy. Motorcyclists call cars "cages." I don't care. As Volvo counter-argued with an ad featuring a diver inside a cage while a giant Great White shark circles him, "cages save lives."Riding a motorcycle on Manila's roads seem more like a death wish to me than an homage to freedom. I'd only consider riding a motorcycle if a) I live somewhere in the Australian outback where I have all to myself endless stretches of highway and b) If I have one of these two-wheeled ego-boosters featured in the latest issue of TIME Magazine.Which only means I would never get to ride a bike.Ecosse's Heretic starts at $74,800 and is handbuilt by welders, machinists, painters and upholsters.Ecosse's Titanium Series RR can be yours for just $275,000. Only 10 Titanium Series RR bikes will be produced.Bourget's Bike Works of Phoenix, Arizona builds their motorcyles according to clients' requests."Wh...
More About: Motorcycles , Luxury , Super

The stupidity of office Christmas parties
2007-12-12 04:22:00
It's that time of the year again. There are very few things I hate more than the office Christmas party. If not for the food and the booze, I think office Christmas parties are the most stupid things you can ever attend this season.I don't mind going to parties. But going to a party with a theme and having to fret about the look you're aiming for is just sheer madness.Yeah, it's all in the spirit of fun but come on, an office Christmas party is, by all intents and purposes, legalized coercion.Like I mentioned, there's the customary theme. Like hello, should there be always a theme for people to have fun? Only those who lack imagination can't have fun without thinking up of a theme. Why can't people just go as themselves, gorge on food, listen to some live music and get drunk and hopefully get laid in the process? If you think about it, those are the only reasons anyone goes to parties. If there are any more compelling reasons then you can go ahead and shoot me.Second, the awa...
More About: Office , Stupidity , Parties

Hot football chicks
2007-12-11 11:26:00
I just have to post these photos. Any warm-blooded guy would understand why. These are a series of print ads for some Chinese sports brand or TV show. I have no idea, but heck, who cares? I don't play football but get me to a pitch filled with chicks like these? Game on! And yes, just the thing I'd do if given the chance to play with them.
More About: Football , Chicks

The 300 Workout
2007-12-11 05:14:00
Neither rain nor snow nor Christmas hams should stop a Spartan from hitting the gym! Thus hollered King Leonidas to his overly-ripped followers. The problem with the Christmas season is that it's just three months before the summer season. That time of the year when you have no choice but to bare your sorry torso at the beach for the world to see. And ridicule.As any gym rat knows, three months is simply not enough time to shed off those extra hams and fruitcake you've stuffed all over your body during the holidays. Unless you're a celebrity doing a period film such as 300 which requires you to be in the gym 12 hours a day for three straight weeks, you have no chance of cutting up your physique in just three months with three-day a week, hour-long workouts.That's why in this season of overflowing food, I tend to workout double time precisely because I'm taking in double the amount of calories. Come February or March, I just have a few pounds left to get rid of and have the nerv...
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Emir spares Marilou Ranario's life
2007-12-10 12:19:00
I don't know if this should be good news or bad news. Probably good since Marilou Ranario will not go to the gallows, after all. But still bad since her sentence has been commuted to life imprisonment.I have no idea what kinds of prisons for women Kuwait maintains. But judging from how Saudi Arabia incredulously convicted a woman after she was gang-raped, I'm pretty sure the same injustice against women exists in Kuwait.What President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo merely achieved was prolong Marilou Ranario's stay in hell. I just hope the efforts to save her don't end in the commutation of her death sentence. She should be brought home.Otherwise, Marilou would simply have suffered a fate worse than death. In time, she'll probably end up begging to be executed just to end her agony.
More About: Life , Emir , Ares , Pare

Manny Pacquiao vs. Floyd Mayweather
2007-12-10 09:04:00
Sad day for English boxing fans. Sorry, Floyd Mayweather Jr. or "Pretty Boy Floyd," as his fans call him, was just too classy and too skillful for the British pug known as "The Hitman."Now, this is just the second time I was able to watch Floyd Mayweather Jr. fight. The first time was when he won over Oscar de la Hoya early this year.Pretty Boy Floyd's smashing win yesterday should further solidify his hold on the title as the world's best pound-for-pound fighter, leaving Manny Pacquiao gnawing at his heels once again.Now I am not suggesting a Mayweather-Pacquiao fight as my post title misleadingly states. I don't believe Pacquiao is physically capable of matching up against Mayweather.What I'm writing about is a fool's assessment on why Nike has chosen Pacquiao as its global boxing icon instead of Mayweather, given that Mayweather is the undisputed king of pound-for-pound boxing. (Unless I'm really stupid to not know Mayweather has a contract with another outfitter.)Here's w...