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EDITH GOT BUSTED FOR DRUGS
Posted 4/21/2008 1:07:22 AM I just got home this morning but the news was relayed to me by my friend, Engle, last night. He told me that I have to hear the news straight from IV (if you frequent Puerto Galera, you know who IV is) So I went straight to Engle’s place and off we went to IV’s. You might be wondering what’s so important that I didn’t get a change of clothes first, read on and you’ll understand. Edith and I haven’t been speaking for months now and the reason for that I’ll just keep to myself, that’s the least I can do and what I’ll reveal in this post are only what is relevant in relation to this. Also, bear in mind that the agency/department that I’ll be mentioning will be under an alias that I only have knowledge about and I have no further information if you can decipher what I’m saying. In this country where I reside anyone especially in the echelons of power can manufacture or reverse engineer anything you say so that they can have false and trumped-up charges against you. Trust me; I already have first-hand experience hence the need for aliases. So here goes, as it was narrated and as I remember it, anyway this conversation is just two-hours old. ALIASES: IV – you know who; EDITH –busted; PDE ass –maybe you know them 16 April 2008 Wednesday Morning: Edith was texting IV if he knows where to buy ecstasy. According to her, she needs 100 or at least 80 pieces of the damn tablets. IV replied saying that he’ll ask around and just text her later. Later: IV texted Edith that the damn tablets are out of stock. Evening: Edith texted IV if he has already. IV said yes. Edith said that IV brings the damn tablets to her condo at Makati. IV said that it can’t be done because that is not how the deal works. IV lectured her that in deals like that, she should entrust her the money and IV will be back in a few minutes with the damn tablets. ADD: all the time they were texting, Edith replied ASAP but when IV tries to call her, Edith did not answer. 17 April 2008 Thursday Before lunch: Again Edith texted IV if he can bring the damn tablets over to her condo. IV still said it can’t be done. What can be done though is that they meet somewhere at QC. Edith replied that the deal is off she’ll just try someone else because she knows a lot of them. She asked IV if he knows what number I’m using and IV complied. Afternoon: Edith, again, texted IV if he still can get the damn tablets for her and her friends, IV said yes but Edith insisted that IV bring the damn tablets over, still IV said he cannot comply, IV had an idea though, he said that he’ll leave his phone, watch and cash over Edith’s place in exchange for the 65K which will be used to buy the damn tablets. Edith declined. Again, the deal was put on hold. Early evening: Edith texted IV that she would meet her terms and she is just waiting for a mode of transportation. IV said that they meet somewhere at Timog, she said yes and IV got set to meet her. Later: IV was at the meeting place but Edith declined saying that the deal is off. ADD: this time when IV calls Edith answers her phone. 19 April 2008 Saturday Before lunch: Edith texted IV if they can still pursue the deal. IV replied that he’ll try since she cancelled already last night. Afternoon: IV’s friends replied yes and she now agrees that she and IV meet Edith at her place. IV then texted Edith that they’ll be bringing over the damn tablets to her place (all the while IV thought that they have the damn tablets already) Later: IV and his friend took a cab to a place which IV recalls Olympia at Makati. The cab enters a gated subdivision of sorts. Just barely did he leave the cab, suddenly there were at least four cars of different makes and men with guns pointed at him shouting invectives and the words “DAPA! DAPA!” They frisk him and ask him where the damn tablets are. They search the cab and IV’s friend and then brought the two of them to their ‘headquarters’ somewhere at Bicutan. They were then put into two separate rooms for questioning and further frisking. Then the usual psyche-out talk. IV was stripped off his belongings, his watch, phone, cash etc. etc. The PDE ass found nothing on him but insisted that he blurt out his source. IV had nothing to say. There were many more that IV narrated to me but I can’t remember all of them exactly. What I do remember to the letter is the following conversation: PDE ass: putang ina mo kaibigan mo yan Dondon na yan eh. Tawagan mo at ibigay mo samin ang numero ng cell nyan. IV: sir hindi ko po alam. PDE ass: sabihin mo na! Yan talagang Dondon na yan ang puntirya naming e! Simula Miyerkules hawak na namin si Edith! IV: sir, huli ko po nakita si Don eh sa talyer pa nung nagpapagawa siya ng kotse. PDE ass: san yan talyer na yan? IV: sa Marikina po. PDE ass: basta ibigay mo samin yan Dondon na yan o ang source ng south. IV: sir yan lang po na number nya sa cell ko ang alam ko na number nya. PDE ass then tried calling the number for three hours to no avail (the SIM is no longer in use ‘the subscriber cannot be reached…) IV was then cleared for release at around 6pm that night but he did not go home until 11pm because that was the only time that his watch and phone was returned to him and don’t you ask anything about the cash. Now you’re asking yourself what is my intention is posting this. This is not to shame or expose anything. I am posting this to clarify and correct any insinuations or allegations that might arise after all that happened last week or after news of these come out. Here are the facts: 1. These past few weeks, I have been happily cooped-up in a place somewhere in Manila watching DVDs, cooking and sleeping since my review starts this week and I know for a fact that it’s gonna be a hell of a review. 2. I’ve been sober for so long now and whatever Edith is telling the PDE ass that is all the result of her vivid or drug-ridden imagination. 3. I have no direct or indirect information of the when’s and how’s of drug deals wherever part of this country. South, north, east or west. All of those again might be the result of Edith’s very irrational imagination. So why was name dragged into all these nonsensical brouhaha? For all I know she got caught dealing small time and was then asked to produce a ‘palit-ulo’ and being bitter and all, what better name can she think of catching her fall than me. It’s like killing two in one throw. She gets back at me and she gets away with her small-time drug business. I also know that Edith might have been coerced to have that conversation with IV or even compelled to produce a name for the ‘palit-ulo.’ Still, why my name? I’m clean for a very, very long time already. And why squeal IV’s name? It just doesn’t add up. No matter which way you look at it. My advice to her: When you’re business isn’t legit you better be prepared to shell out serious cash. And don’t forget about the right connections. Didn’t you learn your lesson when your older brother was incarcerated for two years or three maybe? Barely a year later and here you are getting busted for the same fucking offense. No offense and all but we learn from the mistakes of those around us especially from siblings because if you don’t, well, you’re really fucked in the head, right? The profit from those damn tablets is really tempting but then you’ve got to ask yourself, is it all fucking worth the risk? You live your life a queen now but later spend it as a pauper giving head to those jail guards just to get you by later. Now is that the life you want your lifetime to be? Last time I checked, peddling drugs is a non-bailable offense and with how the wheels of justice eventually rolls flat in this country it could take you years just to get a hearing for bail. You need an IQ over 120 to be able to commit and work big time where the real money flows like stream and trust me you don’t and you can’t, so just lay off the fucking drug deals. And if you’re getting high in your own fucking supply then better stop taking it altogether because if you don’t it fucks up your sanity big time and you lose it all. Remember what they used to say? “Take ecstasy and lose your head.” Don’t go using Christianity like a damn costume on Halloween. Don’t brag to anyone that you’re a Christian and you’re concerned with all of God’s creatures specifically those street kids roaming ATC. I know it’s all an act. For people around you to see you as someone who is so good that the only thing missing is the halo. Well, I told you before, you can’t fool me only those others around me. I know that since you got busted they now can see the real you. Do NOT give Christians a bad name. I told to stay the fuck off my friends and family but it seems you can’t. Is it really that hard to have your own set of friends that you go on picking them off my backyard? Is it really that hard to have a family you can call your own not just by words but by heart? Oh, I’m sorry, I know for a fact that it’s really that hard for you. Richard has suffered enough because of your ill-advices to his spouse. Can’t you just shut the fucking faucet off and leave them be. Richard never did anything to hurt your bloated ego. Live and let live. After all, you’re ruining the life of a married couple and with it the two kids. IV trusted you because he knows me still you brought him down with you. It’s what I’ve been saying all these years. Any information that you might know because you heard it from me or while me and my friends are discussing it does not mean that it is your right to know, you are just privileged because you know me, and you can’t bounce around telling everyone what you know and that privilege ends after the ties are severed. I think that’s all. Last set of questions though, is it fair that you drag my name in your illegitimate business? Knowing all too well how my family suffered enough already way before your brother was busted. I never talk about you except when warning my friends how your incoherent reasoning mind works and that as much as possible they avoid you, too bad it was all too late for IV before those warnings fell on his ears. Is it fair that when you needed a home my family took you in like family and in return you manufacture lies about me? My life has been clean and crystal clear and I’m very happy with it now. I even told Xay at YM that she give me a month or so because I have my future locked in my sights. You don’t know me, how my mind works and how I plan everything. You just assume you know. And those assumptions are gonna get you killed that is if you being a rat to everyone who still trust you doesn’t get you killed first. May God have mercy on you. Live and learn. Last and again, after saying all of these, I just have to ask again, is it fair?
THE SANTOS UNTRUTH
Posted 2/24/2008 12:41:12 AM A few days ago I bear witness to Lozada’s former employee, Erwin Santos’ testimony of graft practices being done with his knowledge and compliance by no other than Lozada himself. It was broadcasted over the government’s NBN station. It was what I totally expect in a demolition job except there was overkill because they had Santos break down into tears a la Lozada when he was testifying in the senate. It was that overkill that killed it all for that damning but untruthful testimony. Lozada already admitted being involved in graft practices when he was in government service and that those practices are ones that he cannot be proud of with. It was Miriam Santiago who had all the documents furnished to her by maybe powers-that-be of all the anomalous acts Lozada committed while president of Phil Forest who first brought to all of it to light. Lozada: Mea culpa! How do we get witnesses to plunder or organized crime? We build cases. We stake-out. We persuade the very ones who knows the inner working of a syndicate to rat on their superiors offering them immunity or a lesser sentence. Take the case of Singson for example, though his frustrated whacking was the very reason for his testifying against Estrada, still, being a member of the midnight cabinet who is deemed very close to Estrada then, he knows who buffers who and who buttons who. Now where can you find a better witness than that? Take note of one of GMA’s friend who undermines Lozada’s truth because according to her, how can you believe anyone who admits that he himself committed anomalous acts? That question in itself fortified Lozada’s testimony. Lozada is more believable because he acted as an adviser; he was tasked to ‘moderate the greed’ as if greed now is almost a virtue. It was to be expected though because at the grass root levels of the Filipino society, greed is already in exercise. You don’t believe me? Try researching about the Sangguniang Kabataan and you’ll know what I’m driving at. It doesn’t take one to be a genius to know that this sort of demolition job on Lozada is just what it is—a demolition job. Anything that can be used to discredit Lozada’s testimony is bound to be unearthed and seeing how this government magically produced a million votes in the last elections we can also expect this government in the event of not finding anything they can use against Lozada to manufacture one. Well, here we have one, Santos’ tearful yet very unbelievable testimony. It disgusts me as it should disgust anyone else how this government thinks that they can discredit Lozada in the eyes of everyone by producing a nemesis which also cries. Is this how this government thinks how imbecile our IQs are? Is this how this government thinks they can get away with it all? There’s Lozada and they produce a Santos. Sick! I need not elaborate more on how to discern the blatant spat on our faces. I need not tell you anymore why this blow is one way below the belt. Its right in front of your face and it fucking insults my and your goddam intelligence. It boggles the mind that there are still who believes in GMA. It amazes me that the cabinet is not resigning amidst this latest brouhaha. Perhaps they’re thinking when you’re in power you want it to stay that way no matter what. I grew up in a traditionalist family where the legacy is more important than anything else. So this is the legacy that GMA and her minions would want to impart to the history books. A cabal of thieves, murderers, cheats and plunderers who are so intoxicated with the power they wield that they see no end to it. Well, we as a nation who thinks otherwise should make it that they see the end of it. I remember Richard telling Daffy in The Beach something Daffy pondered on and then committed suicide and that is how I’m tuning my final note. No offense and all, but if you still believe what GMA and her government has to say, you’re fucked in the head.
THE LOZADA TRUTH
Posted 2/13/2008 7:25:22 AM It’s been a while since I got glued to the television for a day. I accomplished nothing the other day being in front of the TV all the time. I have no idea why but it just came naturally for me that I have to watch Lozada’ testimony being clarified by the senators and GMA’s men's lies being “difficult to clarify” as Lozada smartly puts it. It’s quite easy to judge who is telling lies from the proceedings seeing how each resource person answered the questions hurled at them by the senators. Putting all subjectivity aside let me analyze again why in my opinion or anyone else who has a functional brain knows that what Lozada is telling is the truth. And since all the fake president’s men ganged-up on Lozada’s testimony I’ll scrutinize their ‘truths,’ Lozada’s truths and the real truths. In this country where truths tend to be true only when it benefits the fake president, truths now come in a chronological order. Maybe I can squeeze back some sense into everyone’s mind that the truth is the only truth, one truth and nothing else. I’ll approach this simple. So simple that even a child would understand. Simple enough that anyone who has common sense would know. Lozada attested that he was held against his will when he arrived from the airport. He narrated how Mascarinas and the gang that includes Atutubo gave him the VIP treatment and how they drove him around against his will, again as a VIP. Atienza, Razon and the rest of the gang are in chorus that it was at the request of Lozada that he be given security and protection and the VIP treatment is at the behest of Lozada’s fear for his life. Now what is wrong with the said equation? It is the fact that Lozada DID NOT ask for it. He vehemently denies that it is the kind of security he needs. It is the fact that in VIP situations, you order the men who are treating you as a VIP where you want to go; what you want to do and when do you want to go home. In Lozada’s VIP situation, it was the exact opposite. Call it as you may but for me, when you are held against your will automatically translates to kidnapping. It is the absence of freedom without a jail sentence that makes a kidnapping a kidnapping. Common sense would dictate that Lozada was kidnapped. Ah, common sense, in the age of the fake president, it seems that it is not so common after all. Here comes Bautista the lawyer, who he claims is Lozada’s lawyer. But then there’s a catch—Lozada has no idea that he hired Bautista the lawyer. I’ll save up on my fingertips and just let your common sense which is rare nowadays to analyze what is, again wrong with that. Bautista the lawyer came to the senate all fired-up. He even cited his former clients; the books he authored and his numerous accomplishments on national TV. I’m not being biased, but seeing how the senators grilled him afterwards was bliss. I’m no fan of Lacson but I had a smile from ear to ear when he sarcastically praised Bautista the lawyer for being an expert when it comes to the law. Bautista the lawyer’s claim is that Lozada asked him to prepare an affidavit for him so that it would his ‘guide’ when he testifies at the senate. My answer, two words rolled into one—bull and shit, BULLSHIT. Bautista the lawyer’s legalese of a third party involved in hiring him is also a lot of bull. To surmise it up, Bautista the lawyer was successful in his appearance at the senate—he succeeded in making an ass out of himself. Atienza, another GMA henchman, claims that Lozada feared for his life so he arranged for his security hence the VIP treatment. But as Lozada’s words put it as to what Atienza said to him when he was allowed to make his trip back home “ok na, dumaan ka lang sa immigration hindi ka na nila i-hohold.” Now from Lozada’s story and also from the admittance of the VIP entourage, Lozada never passed thru at the immigration. He was whisked away from the tube. It’s clear proof that the VIP entourage was not the security or the planned reentry plan for Lozada if there really was a plan or arranged security in the first place. But what struck me like a bolt of lightning was Joker Arroyo. I knew beforehand that he was an administration senator. But I fondly remember his role in the impeachment trial of Estrada. I admired the guy then however I lost all that admiration the minute he blew his top when he himself opened the can of worms when his wife was mentioned. My dear senator should I remind you that you were the one that said Lozada favors some senators and favors some TV stations? Lozada just tried to prove to you that he did not favor just some. But then you cut him off, imposing yourself to be high and mighty being a senator. You remind me of a professor when corrected by student, refuses to admit his mistake and instead maintains the incorrect information resulting in misinformed students who would probably be elected like you at the senate. The PNP is bragging that they succeeded in their mission to protect Lozada because he is alive and well. But that is just what they have to do. If Lozada was made ala Dacer then that would be a bigger liability for the age of the fake president. It would have sparked the revolution overnight. Lozada needs to be alive but singing the tale that he was not abducted and protecting the NBN project. That is the reason for the affidavit. That is the reason for the debriefing via VIP treatment. This government cannot afford the death of Lozada. They thought they have everything in the bag after that mafia-style coercion of Lozada; it just goes to show that nothing is really for sure in this world. And we have to thank Lozada for that. It bothers me how the state is using the legitimate resources of the state against a hapless citizen who only wants to tell the truth. Unimaginable as it may seem but you have the upper echelons of the government involved in this conspiracy. The PNP top-brass; the airport heads; E.S. and Ma’am; and the DENR. Their appearance in the senate proved what they want to disprove, that there really is a conspiracy. All the fake president’s men would really take the fall for their Ma’am. And I’ll be not surprised if there will be resignations in weeks to come just to appease the public clamor to oust the fake president. Heads will roll but the fake head of state would sacrifice everyone around her just as long as it is not her head on a spit. Plus, expect a demolition job on Lozada. That is how a conspiracy works especially when it is the very government who has sworn to protect its citizenry is at the helm of it all. The senate investigation for me is but a spark. We have to work with it. If it continues for too long then Lozada’s testimony would be all for naught and everything will soon be forgotten and the public will soon grow tired of watching it. And seeing how we have decayed with our morals when it comes to the shocking scandals Malacanang is involved with. We might again sweep all of this under the rag. And once again, evil succeeded because the good men did nothing or just tried to make a living or went to school. I believe Friday is D-day at Makati. Let me paraphrase the Makati Business Club’s statement. If a little economic instability is the price we pay for good governance then we should pay that price, the Filipinos, after all have shown that they can rise again no matter what as long as we have the truth on our side.
PRESS FREEDOM SODOMIZED: FOR
Posted 11/22/2007 9:22:58 PM Why was the NPC mural with the theme of ‘Press Freedom’ censored? Who stands to benefit from its defiling? I’m going to take time to analyze the edited parts of the mural. 1. The erasure of a big portion of the newspaper held by the central figure, containing the statement of the International Federation of Journalists regarding the perceived effects of the anti-terror law on press freedom, and replaced by a hideous bird-monster in a cage. If you’re wondering why anti-terror laws can have adverse effect of press freedom, take these as an example: it criminalizes the sowing and creation of “widespread and extraordinary fear and panic among the populace, in order to coerce the government to give in to the unlawful demand;” and it allows punishment for “conspiracy to commit terrorism.” In a country like ours where trumped-up drug charges are abundant as hooligans in the PNP, those two points in quotes can easily be used to curb dissenting speech. Even the editorial or an opinion article in a daily can warrant surveillance. Simply put, an idealistic journalist is branded a terrorist by powers-that-be. They thought the bird in a cage replacement in the censored version may suffice as it may well imply “ibon man may layang lumipad.” It is their own wishful thinking that they can fly away with such a despicable edit. Since Erap’s downfall, most of those who think already know the caged truth of our existence. In this case, it is just as disgusting as it should be very disgusting to see a caged bird instead of the statement of the IFJ. 2. The alteration of the headline of the newspaper Jose Rizal is holding from “Press Freedom Fighter’s Son Abducted” to “Press Freedom Fight is on” and the defacement of Jonas and Edith Burgos’s pictures as well as the erasure of Jonas’s name. Who is Jonas Burgos? Who the hell are the Burgos’ anyway? Jonas is the son of the late newspaper publisher, Joe Burgos. Jonas by the way is an agriculturist who provided technical training to leftwing farmers and made the famous quote “I am just an activist” when he was being whisked away by suspected military personnel. If this abduction isn’t reminiscent of the extra-judicial kidnappings and killings of the Marcos-era then I insist that you have no idea of the Marcos-era. An activist being kidnapped by activists doesn’t make any sense at all, however, an activist being whisked away by the military makes some sense. Press freedom fight pales in comparison when you read abduction in bold letters imprinted on the front page of a newspaper. 3. The change of the tattoo on Andres Bonifacio’s left arm from the alibata “K” to a sappy red heart pierced by an arrow. Why would a symbol of the Katipunan be censored? Andres Bonifacio is a hero. Many would protest that I would nominate him to be the national one for the reason that he took to arms and fought oppression head on. The conspiracy-sense in me tingles at the thought that Jose Rizal was installed as the national hero for the very purpose of aligning the psyche of Filipinos to how Jose Rizal fought oppression. But that’s just me. The alibata on Bonifacio’s arm, how leftist it maybe to the narrow-headed paranoid mind is a symbol of him and the Katipunan and defiling it with a sappy heart found on most arms of inmates is an abomination of the extreme kind. 4. The erasure of the name of the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines from the banners of the rallyists. Is it because the NUJP is the one in reality at the forefront of press freedom or the NPC is afraid of being dethroned? Whatever is the case, the NPC swallowed their very own hook, line and sinker. Not only did they prove beyond reasonable doubt if there was really any doubt anyway, with how they censored their very own mural on press freedom. 5. The lengthening of the hair and beard of the figure identified as academician-columnist Prof. Randy David beside columnist Conrad de Quiros. The addition of beard and mustache and the change of hair color from white to black of the pugo and balut vendor identified as columnist and Martial Law detainee Juan Mercado. Juan Mercado and Randy David both freedom fighters, I need not elaborate their contributions to our society. So why in whoever’s name would censor their appearance in the mural. A cheap shot in my guess like when you see someone in a magazine or a comic book who dispute your good-looks or someone you know you could not kill but very much detest, a cowardly act by my book. All those graffiti, alterations and abominations were done not because some frat-worshipper wacko got hold of a can of spray paint. And I am positive that the one responsible could not possibly ask Isaac Mendez in his elevated state to alter the state of the mural. So the big question is… for who and why? It was alleged that the Presidential Security Group coerced the NPC to have the mural altered. If that is the case then it wouldn’t take a wise man clutching incense and myrrh to discern who is responsible. Frankly, you need not watch the news or read the papers to know. The word of mouth that is very mouthful at that, points to the one, not the One of The Matrix kind but the one who most people in the street blurt out to why we are in this wretched state. Moreover, given the fact that the PSG did not coerce the NPC, you would just have to inquire who the present heads of the NPC are, who are they aligned with or who appointed whom. So who? It can never be more precise. It is the doctrine of hierarchical accountability—The Yamashita or Medina standard. Who? COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY. [To be concluded]
PRESS FREEDOM SODOMIZED: V
Posted 11/22/2007 4:56:33 AM It has been weeks since the National Press Club (NPC) mural was sodomized for the reason that there are many leftist elements inculcated in the mural by the Angono artists. I for one was shocked when I read the paper that day. I have been meaning to write a protest blog for that fiasco but due to previous engagements I decided to postpone it for a week or two, knowing all too well that due to the initial alarm that such attack on press freedom, a tsunami of protest and violent reactions would surely ensue and after a couple of weeks the public would then forget about the whole fiasco. You may call it a blessing in disguise or I may call it prolonging the public outrage over such a despicable assault on the freedom of the press. So, here, now, after weeks of silence, I am now sounding my indignation on why the NPC which stood by the motto of the freedom of the press is at the forefront of censoring it. However, I am saving my disgust for the disgusting alteration of the NPC mural for my next post. As a pre-cursor, I’ll be sharing with you the speech of V from the movie V for Vendetta and hope against hope that you find the parallels that I found. Good evening, London. Allow me first to apologize for this interruption. I do, like many of you, appreciate the comforts of every day routine- the security of the familiar, the tranquility of repetition. I enjoy them as much as any bloke. But in the spirit of commemoration, thereby those important events of the past usually associated with someone's death or the end of some awful bloody struggle, a celebration of a nice holiday, I thought we could mark this November the 5th, a day that is sadly no longer remembered, by taking some time out of our daily lives to sit down and have a little chat. There are of course those who do not want us to speak. I suspect even now, orders are being shouted into telephones, and men with guns will soon be on their way. Why? Because while the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation; words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth. And the truth is, there is something terribly wrong with this country, isn't there? Cruelty and injustice! Intolerance and oppression! And where once you had the freedom to object, to think and speak as you saw fit, you now have censors and systems of surveillance coercing your conformity and soliciting your submission. How did this happen? Who's to blame? Well certainly there are those more responsible than others, and they will be held accountable, but again truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty, you need only look into a mirror. I know why you did it. I know you were afraid. Who wouldn't be? War! Terror! Disease! There were a myriad of problems which conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense. Fear got the best of you, and in your panic you turned to the now high chancellor, Adam Sutler. He promised you order, he promised you peace, and all he demanded in return was your silent, obedient consent. Last night I sought to end that silence. Last night I destroyed the Old Bailey, to remind this country of what it has forgotten. More than four hundred years ago a great citizen wished to embed the fifth of November forever in our memory. His hope was to remind the world that fairness, justice, and freedom are more than words, they are perspectives. So if you've seen nothing, if the crimes of this government remain unknown to you then I would suggest you allow the fifth of November to pass unmarked. But if you see what I see, if you feel as I feel, and if you would seek as I seek, then I ask you to stand beside me one year from tonight, outside the gates of Parliament, and together we shall give them a fifth of November that shall never, ever be forgotten. [To be continued]
THE MARK TWAIN REALITY
Posted 10/14/2007 11:39:54 PM [This is in response for the Blog Action Day; October 15, 2007, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future. Bloggers of the World unite!] I’ll be veering away from the political factor or any other factor of the environment issue and just concentrate on one and the most important one—us. Not the political us or the greedy us for that matter but the ass that is us, to be exact, the psyche of us that is ass. I’ll be assuming that you’re familiar or very familiar with the award-winning documentary, An Inconvenient Truth by the best president America never had—Al Gore. If not well, there you go being an ass of us. There’s also The 11th Hour documentary which I haven’t seen yet, (Philippines release date is on Oct 10 but hey, we have Quiapo and Greenhills here.) now that makes the two of us—ass. When I say us doesn’t mean that I’m addressing it to the extremes meaning all of us rather it just simply means, most of us or the majority of us that is ass. But for now I’ll stop introducing asses and talk about us err the psyche of us. Rest assured I have no degree in psychology and there will be no scientific basis for my analysis rather my opinion and analysis only so there is no need to flame me. Al Gore’s documentary used the quote from Mark Twain that would eventually be my guiding quote for the environment—“What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know, it’s what we know for sure but just isn’t so.” Now what makes that quote a reality so disturbing especially when you apply it to our psyche towards the environment? I’ll be going like an elementary school teacher here and cite a very elementary and very simple example. It is elementary knowledge that when you cut down trees and leave the mountains and watersheds bald translates to floods and water shortages. Still we let our mountains and forests be shaved like there is no tomorrow. And then we complain of floods and water shortages later. Stupid isn’t it? Well actually my answer is no, it’s not stupid; it’s VERY, VERY STUPID! Take the case of Al Gore warning us that if we do not cut down or at least reduce our carbon dependency, Gaea, as what we know of her now will cease to be in the next 50 years or so. How did we heed that warning? Some took it seriously while most of us did not. Now that latter is what really scares me and what really harrows Mark Twain’s reality. Most of us are counter-punchers. We only react when we experience the ultimate result. In this case the demise of Gaea. We cannot be counter-punchers in this case. We need not experience the ultimate result for if we wait until then, it will all be irreversible. Warnings are there because quite literally there is danger that lurks ahead. I’ll be a hypocrite if I do not admit that there are also warning signs that I take lightly. For example the government warning that smoking kills but I’m slowly realizing that I need not be diagnosed with lung cancer to stop. I have to go cold turkey sooner or later lest I see the ultimate result. In my case on nicotine and our case on the environment, the quote “let’s cross the bridge when we get there” absolutely does NOT apply. We must discontinue or reverse altogether our psyche being described by me as Mark Twain’s reality. The environment is in trouble, we are in trouble and that is a fact that we all know. There have been countless warnings even before Al Gore’s. There are also many ways to reverse the clear and present danger the environment is at now. What we have to do is compel ourselves that we have the ultimate result now. All the signs are here, the changing climate etc. etc. its all happening NOW. So what do we do? Yes, us!
SINGAPURA DIARIES 808
Posted 6/12/2007 10:51:59 AM EZEKIEL The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the iniquities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers... Date: June 12, 2007 (Philippine Independence Day) Time: around four in the afternoon Setting: Lucky Plaza Cast of Characters: DON • got duped by ‘singkit’ for 100SGD for a Nokia cellphone two months ago. • Has always been looking forward for revenge ever since. • Thought that he already had his revenge about a month ago when he duped a guy (he thought was singkit) that he was buying his PSP for 500SGD. • Figured in a shouting match at the PSG shout box about two hours earlier and was looking forward for their EB fight at Orchard. • Got disappointed in that shouting incident and supposed to be EB fight because the guy made excuses “na hindi talo” in other words, the other guy chickened out. SINGKIT • The one who duped Don two months ago. • Has managed to elude Don’s vengeance the preceding days after the incident by being absent or relocating his workplace. Narrator: having finished a sumptuous feast of ‘tosilog’ at Jologs resto, Don decided to make a stroll of Lucky Plaza. And then suddenly someone approached him with a big smile on his face. SINGKIT: oh-la! My friend! I remember you! DON: (surprised) who me? SINGKIT: yah! DON: (remembers) oh! It’s you! The one who sold me my super over-priced cellphone (reaches for his cellphone and shows it to the guy) Narrator: Singkit and Don argues, Singkit explains but Don does not want to understand. The arguments continue for about 30 minutes or so when Don quickly manages to photograph Singkit. SINGKIT: (furious, tries to wrest the camera phone from Don) WHY?! Why do you have to take a picture of me? Are you my mama?! (grabs hold of Don’s collar) DON: you can’t give me my money’s worth I’ll report you to the authorities. SINGKIT: (points finger at Don) you do not know my temper! Narrator: now Don and Singkit has their chest pressed and faces centimetres away from each other. A crowd of ‘uzizeros’ has begun to form. And Singkit’s friends are in a semi-arc formation. DON: (keeping his cool, knowing all too well in his 60-day stay in SG that whoever throws the first punch is liable to pay the 1000SGD/hit) DO IT MAN! CMON! Throw the punch! SINGKIT: you do it! I’ll fuck you! DON: (peripherally sizing Singkit’s friends and adding up that he can take all of them) FUCK YOU! DO IT! SINGKIT: FUCK YOU! You don’t know me! DON: (smiling) you do not know me, who I am where I came from. DO IT ASSHOLE! SINGKIT: FUCK YOU! DON: let’s take this outside or at the toilet where no one can see. SINGKIT: FUCK YOU FILIPINOS! DON: I know how Singapore laws work man! Let’s take this where no one can see, CMON! SINGKIT: FUCK YOU! DON: well then DO IT! DO IT HERE! CMON! SINGKIT: (cools down) I’ll fuck your momma! DON: (still smiling) I’ll fuck yours too! FUCKING COWARD! CMON! DO IT! Narrator: the fight is finished Singkit makes his way back to his stall and with crowd being tripled from the original number of ‘uzi’s were quite disappointed. As Don was about to leave... DON: FUCKING COWARD! I got your picture, remember?! You FUCKING ASSHOLE! Narrator: outside Lucky Plaza, it took Don only five minutes to puff away three sticks of nicotine. And he made his way back to the train station. DON: (thinking and whispering to himself) punyetang Singapore to! Kayang kaya kalaban di pa magkatamaan, lecheng batas yan! Miss ko bigla batas ng Pinas! Magtagal pa ko ng isang buwan dito sigurado di nako marunong sumuntok at sa langit na punta ko! Tangina! Di pa kami tapos ng singkit na yun! ...and you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee. –Ezekiel 25:17
SINGAPURA DIARIES 707
Posted 5/15/2007 9:48:55 PM INFORMATION SUPERHIGHWAY It has been a month of my existence here in Singapore and weeks since I last posted anything on my blogs. I even said to myself that I’ll post again after landing a job. Well this is one of those false alarms. I heard that so much has been going on back home. I don’t quite want to be really informed of all the parties and events going on, but news are just news and in this world that has grown so small because of advancements in communications and leaps in terms of connectivity. It’s like an information overload just waiting to explode, if you get my drift, plus the bullshit that G-8 has been peddling that globalization is the wave of the future, I can never really stay disconnected from information. Talk about globalization, well globalize my ass! Third world countries will eventually be at the losing end when everything else ends or when those in the third world choose not to realize the clear and present danger that globalization brings forth. So much about that, I’ll post in the near future why I am against and aghast to globalize. I was informed that Kaskade went back to Manila during my first week here. Damn! My fave and I didn’t even get to party to his ‘Everything’ the second time around. (Immediately plays Everything on WMP: ...I see it’s changing everything, don’t you know the way you move me, it’s so right, it’s better than anything) I also heard Puerto Galera is still teeming with henna and beach bums, well, that’s on account of what Ivan said, Bonnie Bailey also good-vibed and spread the love at Boracay and I’ve been constantly being ‘e-mail bombarded’ by this convergence party at Warehouse 135 sponsored by CTA happening sometime later this weekend. Oh and the elections, still looking very Filipino with all the cheating and violence. We have GMA being duped and embracing in all her stupidity globalization yet she cannot and will not automate and computerize the elections. If jumping into the bandwagon of globalization is the future then why the hell can she not know that computerized elections is the wave of honesty decades ago. She knows, you know, I know, everyone knows! It just won’t be ‘dagdag-bawas-friendly’ to Team Unity. So no matter how primitive, they let it be, we let it be. Which brings me to share with you and let you ponder on what Mark Twain said and hope that we all agree and take action that we take no more crap from the present administration, it goes like “what gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know, it’s what we know for sure but just ain’t so” SMORGASBORD Now getting back on track or tact, these past few weeks has been really interesting for me. I learned that those ‘food stalls’ that I was telling you about was actually called ‘hawker centres.’ We ate at one at Newton circus and that’s where my palate first got laid with a dish called Grilled Stingray. It is what it’s called and it’s so delectable. At first I’m thinking it’s an acquired taste but after I’ve scooped spoonfuls and spoonfuls of it, nah it isn’t acquired, it’s perfectly yummy! My cousin actually ordered a feast literally and figuratively for my taste buds. There was a dish called Cereal Prawn which was, well, prawns (obvious ba?) deep-fried with oats. You could bite into it with its shell covered with oats, scrumptiously crunchy! Oh and you should try the Satay, Singapore’s version of the Pinoy BBQ and Japan’s Yakitori. It is served with a peanut sauce or so I guess. Hmm...It’s like grilled Kare-Kare on a stick. There’s also this mouth-watering Black Pepper Crab! And the Chicken BBQ which would have tasted like all BBQ had it not been for the calamansi which you have to squeeze over it before eating, sarap! I remember Xay having the same secret ingredient. I went home that night so full as if I’ll be strapped to the electric chair the following day. I have to really revisit Newton Circus! BURP! A few days later we went to Marina Bay where the ‘Steamboat’ is. Now this is neither a boat nor a ship thought there is steam and lots of it. If you’ve been to Tongyang, ‘steamboat’ is the version here. All you have to do is bring with you the trusty Knorr Tamarind Soup Base Mix and some Sprite and sweet chilli sauce or ketchup and you can cook you and your friends Sinigang and Chilli Shrimps fit for a sumo-wrestler’s appetite. It only costs 12SGD/head and you eat all you can. But “all you can” is all you can only. If they catch you with leftovers then that’s additional 5SGD per 100 grams. I really enjoyed steamboat that I even asked Chel and Coy to accompany me there again last Saturday. BURP! Last Sunday we met at Tanjong Pagar and I was introduced to another Pinoy resto—Kamayan. In a wild presumption, this is in no way a franchise of what’s back home but the food there sure is great, well except for the Beef Steak which was just Beef made into a dish that suppose to be called and taste like Beef Steak. Not! What really smacked me is the Sinigang na Spare Ribs. I never had the chance to cook Sinigang here, because the Kangkong eludes me in supermarkets that I hunt it. So you could just imagine the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious feeling in me when I finally tasted Sinigang here. BURP! DENSE DESTINY Now out of a record breaking 250++ applications that I’ve sent only a handful replied and set interviews. Well that 250++ is the gross actually because I even sent out applications to those that said “Singaporeans and PR ONLY.” I never did quite keep track of how many carried that ONLY tag but I’m guessing that 70% of my applications would account for that. Yahoo didn’t quite make me say YAHOO! But I sure hope that Google ogles and notices. Your ideal job really does not exist the first time. Or what is destined for you. Here you might say, why the talk about pre-determined fate when the very author has been a harsh opponent of the notion of destiny. Am I contradicting myself? Maybe, but not that I am, but to say the least or the most, actually, it is not contradictory, let’s say I’m learning or to serve both worlds, a pre-destined fate which you get to choose like a ‘pre-pre-determined’[sic] path was already known beforehand and you had ample time to prep for it. It is like a pre-determined path which you have to determine thru hard work. On the contrary, it wouldn’t be then destiny if you have to work for it right? (There is something quite not right with this paragraph) Hmm...I get it! We are all destined to die and it says in the Bible that this world would eventually end. Now that is destiny. But we can choose how we die or how we end this world. I can choke myself with cigarettes and die of lung cancer when I’m 40 or I can choose to stop smoking (during my stay here, my alcohol consumption has been drastically reduced by 98% and I eventually managed to cut my smoke intake by half, I now consume only a pack/day) and die of old age. We can also deny the fact that the Earth as we speak or read right now is getting hotter and that global warming is not something that we should take for granted or not bat an eyelash and set the countdown for doomsday 50 years from now or we extend exponentially Gaea’s life stream for the future generation by lessening if not totally wiping out our dependency on carbon. “We choose how to acquire our destiny,” now both you and I would agree, that sounds right. STRIKE 3 Now let me tell you the real reason that I posted. I moved in to a new house here at Clementi. Now this is very different because I now live with a family of four. The walk from the bus stop is more than double the distance and I’m not even allowed to smoke when I crap. Shit talaga! Potah! Plus the bus passes by in half hour and 45-minute intervals, unlike when I was billeted in Century Mansions; the bus has 15-minute intervals. And I’ve grown fond of the church there. And since it was a Saturday when I moved in, I will have to hear my first Sunday mass in a church near where I live. I logged on to www.streetdirectory.com, its Singapore’s online ‘how to go anywhere’ website. It’s like your online GPS. I even jotted down what buses to take and what bus stops do I wait. The first time I looked for the church I spent 1 ½ hours of walking around the National University of Singapore (NUS) I had clearly pictured in my mind the map where it is located and it’s just around NUS. To my dismay, I couldn’t find it and I was very tired so I just took any bus that is passing by Jurong East Interchange. The next day I was even more determined to find the church. I checked on streetdirectory.com again and made sure I now get things right. So off I went to NUS again. This time it took me two hours and still the church is nowhere to be found. I’m getting the feeling that I’m being taunted by the devil himself ala ‘agony in the garden.’ So my second day of locating the church was another big disappointment and I decided that I’ll just hear mass at St. Joseph Church near my previous house this coming Sunday. Yesterday my cousin accompanied me to ICA to get my visa extended. She even took time off from work so she could meet me there. Unfortunately we didn’t know that I can have it extended online. So that’s just what we did and she went back to work and I was very thankful for her being very accommodating and helpful. I went to Barrio Fiesta and had my dinuguan-bliss again, had my haircut for 20SGD and went back home. There was an immediate e-mail response that my extension application was approved just in principle and I have to pay thru credit card to know the real status. I immediately PM’ed my cousin and she was more than willing to pay for it using her card (another act I’ll be forever grateful) I took a quick puff outside and then she called me and said I was approved. Now I planned to go to St. Joseph Church because I make it to a point that I pray not only in times of need but also thank Him in times of grace. I don’t know what made me check thru streetdirctory.com again. But in just a few clicks and a couple of map enlargements, I saw what went wrong. NUS actually has two campuses, the one where I thought the church is on the other side of the expressway—the University campus. The church is near the High school campus! They are actually on the extreme opposites of the expressway! How could I miss those details when I was very meticulous the second time I tried to search for the church? Not wanting to pre-empt success and the “careful king of kings, first you need the victory” phrase being directed by Achilles to Agamemnon whose bragging that Troy will fall even before Troy fell is constantly drumming a beat in my head, I immediately took my route back to NUS. This time I didn’t cross over to the other side and just followed the curve around NUS HS. And then there was that feeling again that I made a mistake. In my head I said to myself “strike three! You’re out!” but something made me walk on. And as I glanced to the left just after the curve, I saw a building undergoing construction but no sign of the church. I know you’ve already felt the sensation when you’ve found something that you’ve been desperate to find and the disappointing numbness when you can’t get hold of something you’ve always wanted to achieve. So I know you have an idea how I felt last night. I continued to walk a few more paces and began to turn around to make my way back home. A quick glance at the building undergoing repairs and there I saw... a cross on its facade. I finally found the Church of the Holy Cross.
SINGAPURA DIARIES 505
Posted 4/26/2007 5:06:13 AM EXILED FROM PARADISE (WMP playing Voices by Dario G... we sailed over seven seas, searching for that missing key, unlock a new world harmony... climb the highest mountain range, then we took the longest train, looking for our perfect refrain...) Everything is almost like a routine for me now so I’m not that active in posting anymore. Nothing really significant has happened unlike my first few days of my stay here. Last Sunday I went to church but wasn’t able to make it to mass. Last mass at St. Joseph Church is set at 5:30pm. Blame it on me; I never thought it was already 6:30pm when I left, well, the sun shines here up to almost 7:30pm. So I just prayed outside the church. Monday I got my hands on some ingredients for Nilagang Baboy, only thing is I didn’t find any fish sauce so I had to make do with the local salt. Good thing it still tasted good. I and John ate and feasted on it. And I would feast on it in the coming days. Andame ng kalahating kilo hehehe! I’m planning to cook Sinigang this coming Sunday; I just hope that I find some Kangkong and Tamarind Soup base at West Mall or BPP. I was told that I can buy all the ingredients for Pinoy dishes at LP but I don’t think that it’s a good idea to travel that far just to buy fish sauce or any ingredients for my cooking. Unless I’m going to buy a new cellphone again or if I get a sign from heaven that “singkit” is gonna be there. (WMP playing Breathe by Michelle Branch...if I just breathe, let it fill the space in between, I’ll know everything is all right...breathe, every little piece of me, you’ll see, everything is alright, if I just breathe...) Tuesday we went to East Coast Park. Picture yourself in Eastwood City but with an added attraction—a beach. Imagine Manila Bay minus the thrash, well then it wouldn’t be Manila Bay if you remove the trash anyway. And do not ever misunderstand me that I like Singapore better than my own country; I’m just kind of like ‘sour-graping’ why we do not have a country like this. There is still no place like home. I’ll be getting political here so I think I’ll just save my whining for another post. East Coast was good. Travel time is almost is longer than going to Orchard. There’s a rollerblade park. Tangina kasi eh! Kung di lang ako sumemplang dati sa roller-skates; I would have tried rollerblades back home till I’m X-games calibre. Wednesday is D-Day. My cousin agreed to subscribe to M1 Mobile broadband. She would have to do it for me. I don’t have the necessary papers which are required for approval. Another favor I’ll be forever grateful. We ate at this place called Pastamania. And I got to taste the best Lasagna I’ve ever had. Almost after eating we received a call that the laptop’s ready. At last! An internet connection at home! No more trips to McDonalds. No more draining batteries. It was like I can walk again! (WMP playing Kingdom of Pretty by Bonnie Bailey... every day is our first time for something new, as compelling as you are to me I am to you, curiosity has me peeking to your kingdom of pretty...a formless flow, a magical symphony consumed by the fragrant possibilities; curiosity has got me peeking to through your kingdom of pretty...) Let me assess myself for what I’ve learned this past week. 1. 50SGD is different from 50PHP, always remember that, especially when you’re drunk and riding the cab back to your place. 2. Learn to cover your mouth with an always available hanky when you cough, especially the smoker’s kind of cough and especially when you can’t take the smell of what they call “anaps” that’s sitting beside you (Polo Black pales in comparison!) 3. To be right you have to keep left in everything, unless you’re in a hurry in using the escalators. Singapore is an RHD country and everything else follows suit. 4. Do try those food houses that abound everywhere. It’s like our carinderias but here they are much more sanitary and much more appealing to eat in. 5. As much as possible bring your own 2X2 pictures from the Philippines with your hard copy to boot. 20SGD is just way too expensive for a CD copy and four pieces of 2X2 pictures. Also bring with you as many resumes as you can. 6. If you’re bringing your own cellphone, make sure to have it “open-lined” before you go here. You don’t want to have to transact with another one of those “singkits” 7. A 100SGD Absolut is better than four 6-packs. 8. Again, always remember 50SGD is different from 50PHP lalo na pag lasing ka na hehe! (WMP repeats Voices... Na-Na-Na-Na-Na-Yey-E-Yeh, Na-Na-Na-Na-Na-Yeh...There are hidden rhythms in the sun, in the sun, I hear voices in the sky, in the sky) A lot of my friends are asking me why I chose to leave. Aside from the fact that I want to be independent and my version of self-rehabilitation for my vices back at home, I really have no idea. I guess I really won’t have the answer for that anytime soon. No one forced me to leave; I didn’t even force myself to. It’s just that when I woke up that Wednesday morning it all dawned upon me that I’m leaving. It never really hit me until, well it hit me. It’s been a week since then and by now I should be showing a sign of home-sickness but it’s not showing, yet. I’m not sure, maybe in a month or two I’ll be like desperate to go back home again. It’s not that I don’t miss my loved-ones back home, it’s just that I have to learn on my own. Paraphrasing a Filipino hero, if not now, when? If not us, who? I’m beginning to like it here and after that one week which I told everyone that I’ll familiarize myself to this place which is now done. I have to pursue my other plans. Though there is still so much more that I don’t know of. I’ll just learn to familiarize that as I go on. For the mean time I have to sustain myself here. My blogs might become dormant again unless I find something that I would really want to share with you. It may not be as life-changing as a cure for cancer or some political scandal that could topple governments. I’ll post something that really interests me or made me ponder on life and what is in store for me, even if it’s as simple as a bird I saw while waiting for a bus. For now, I park my pen err close my laptop. The hunt for the job begins. I would like to reiterate what I told everyone just when I was about to board the plane last week. Also, just in case you’re thinking that I titled this chapter of Singapura Diaries wrong, well it’s not. I really exiled myself from paradise. I may have grown to like this place a lot. But this is just a phase or an encounter. I’ll be back home again because just like what Di Caprio said near the ending of The Beach, “I still believe in paradise but now I know it’s not some place you can look for because it’s not where you go, it’s how you feel for a moment in your life and if you find that moment, it lasts forever.” I left those “moments” back at my country, my home—the Philippines.
SINGAPURA DIARIES 404
Posted 4/23/2007 12:09:00 AM SUPERSIZE ME Wah! Another McDonald’s breakfast! I noticed that McDonalds here at Bukit Batok MRT is somewhat the hub of teenagers. Well, that’s bad news for me because almost half of the teenage patrons are also availing of their Wi-Fi and that translates to an almost dial-up connection. Arrgh! Mobik Wi-Fi isn’t redirecting me to its login page. Almost half of my battery is gone and I still can’t fucking connect. I told the manager of my predicament. I’m getting impatient and regretful that I paid a 7SGD meal just because of the free Wi-Fi and here I am with no Wi-Fi. Bad morning or maybe it’s because of this lousy hangover having downed almost 12 Heinekens last night. The manager isn’t helpful and doesn’t even have the necessary knowledge about modems and Wi-Fi, well, that is from my point of view. So in the most tranquil manner I told her that since i’m not being redirected and everyone else seems to be connected besides me, what she could do is reset the connection by restarting the router because sometimes when there’s too much traffic in the network, connection errors like what I’m having happens. She complied and tadah! I’m connected. Being grateful, I ordered another large fries. I always make it to a point that this laptop drains its battery so as to maximize my limited battery capacity plus to get the worth of any McDonalds meal that is supersizing me as I Wi-Fi away. Drained! Next stop is the “singkit” at Unlucky Plaza. It was past 3:00pm when I arrived at Orchard. I hurriedly made my way to “singkit’s” stall. Unsurprisingly, he still was nowhere to be found. He had three colleagues there so I asked them where I could find the guy who sold me my massively overpriced cellphone. Maybe they knew that I was overpriced by their sorry excuse for a colleague so they came in his defence. I told them what I know and they reasoned out another very sorry and lame excuse for a reason. Now my temper has almost reached its breaching point and I wasn’t paying any attention to any excuse that is coming out of their mouths, well, as if, I understand what they are saying anyway, another sorry excuse for speaking in English, well fluent English is a gift by my book, what i’m hearing from those guys is more of like shrieking from the stupid idiot taxi driver I almost had a brush the other day. As I was sizing all three of them, (Diyos ko e, kayang-kaya pare! Sama pa nila iba nila tropa! Panish! ) I remembered the story Coy told me last night about two guys who slugged it out somewhere here in Singapore. Every punch you make costs 1000SGD. In a ‘core 2 duo’ like calculation, I need 6000SGD to give those three assholes two smacks in the face each before I bring them down but I can’t be too sure so I have to allot at least a kick or two to the groin, just to be sure that they don’t get up. But I have no idea how much a kick costs. Add the fact that I remembered that I’m in Singapore and not in some stall in Quiapo plus what everyone advised me that I can’t be a tough guy here. I’ll always be on the losing end even if my calculations are correct. I’ll never ever forget that moment when I just turned my back on them, made the sign of the cross, tried to contain the shiver vibrating from both my fists because of an unreleased anger and backed-out from a fight I know i’m right and gonna end up kicking my opponent asses, these are the times when I miss the Philippines. If I was back at home all it would take is me and my loaded gun and like Bob Marley, I’ll sing “everything is gonna be alright...” FIGHT CLUB To douse cold water on a very heated encounter I again treated myself to Barrio Fiesta. This time I told the cashier “ate, pwede yun Nilaga panay taba?” she replied as if in shock “sigurado ka?” I said yes. I also ordered Dinuguan. PAMBIHIRA! NAKATATLONG PLATO AKO NG KANIN! Hehehe! Solb! I then went back home I was a little dazed after downing all those “taba.” But the train ride seemed to take my dizziness away so I decided to stroll around West Mall which is right beside Bukit Batok MRT. I then slept when I got home. At around a little before 6:00pm, I received a call from my cousin. We were going to a get together with her Filipino friends later that night at some condominium near the city. I forgot the name of the place but we arrived there a little past the hour of eight. I was introduced to everyone and I saw some who I met last night at DXO. We were by the pool and we ate. The spaghetti was delicious and so was the shrimps and fried chicken. I noticed everyone owns a PSP, i’m guessing that it’s the trend here. Guess what? They’re playing Tekken. Now I hope I remember King’s six-throws. I have got to get myself one of those PSPs. After the PSP fight was the alcohol-match. First in line was Jack Daniels which we all finished in record-time then Absolut Vodka. But with no more soda in sight, everyone was not in hurry to drink. Good thing someone brought Calamansi juice. They mixed vodka with it and it tasted great! Now the problem is there’s still a bottle of Jose Cuervo next in line. Well, everyone decided that we should save that for next time and that we all should go to this club named Momo which a Filipino partly owns and that said club is closing for three weeks to renovate and it’s the last night we can go there. Almost everyone agreed to go home, get-dressed and just meet there. We, however, waited for my cousin’s friends to get-dressed and to while our time away, we played PS3’s Tekken 5. Wow! I’m also getting my hands on one of those PS3s and try remembering King’s six-throws. Momo was packed. And we were ushered to a table near the where the billiards are. The tunes were a lot like DXO’s. Free drinks flowed freely. Like those ‘jugs’ that MOS serves. I heard from John yesterday that at Momo, it’s a mix of Vodka and soda. I never got to taste it being tipsy or maybe drunk from Jacks and Absolut earlier. I just helped myself to some Heinekens and watch our companions beat the hell out of those other nationalities in every game of 8-ball. Pinoy rules! Hahaha! My cousin’s friends were very accommodating and I felt easy to be with them. I had a grand time watching the billiards game which as I said earlier was dominated by us Pinoys. At around 4:00am we called it a night. Just when we were about to step out, the exit was blocked and we were told that there’s a fight outside. May gulo! Amp! We couldn’t get out just yet. A couple of minutes passed and the exit was finally opened. The fight is finished and the police are swarming. I got home before 6:00am. I had the grandest time here when we were inside Momo just a little before the fight.
SINGAPURA DIARIES 303
Posted 4/22/2007 7:27:02 AM BARRIO FIESTA – A TASTE OF HOME Now it’s imperative that I buy a cellphone here with a kababayan sim to communicate. Che and Coy was more than willing enough to accompany me. I’ll be forever thankful to them they made my stay here seem like I never left home. Coy is one cool guy and very friendly at that. He reminds me of my friends back home, so easy to get along with. I actually find him and my cousin a perfect match. First time we had dinner at Bukit Benjang Plaza I was even asking Che if I get to hear wedding bells soon. We took a cab to a place called Orchard. We went straight to Lucky Plaza. We found one but I forgot the model no. for 100+SGD. We then proceeded to the upper floors and I found myself in a place called Barrio Fiesta. This is not the Barrio Fiesta that you see at the Philippines. It’s one stall pretty much like what you see at the food courts. But don’t let looks deceive you. I ordered Papaitan and Dinuguan. Ang galing! Meron pala pinoy cooking dito! Nice! I can’t express to you in English how the food tastes so to all those who knows how I talk, I’ll describe it in Tagalog so you’ll have an idea how it tastes, here goes: ANAK NG PUTA! ANG SARAP! THE BEST YUNG PAPAITAN AT DINUGUAN! GRABE! After that sumptuous dinner we headed back home by train. They taught me how to transfer trains; which route is the fastest; and what bus to ride so I don’t have to waste all my money on taxis. Che even gave me an EZ Link card which is like credit card which you ‘tap’ on terminals of buses and trains. Hell! You could even use it to buy at McDonalds. You just have to load credits on it and you don’t even have to bring cash when travelling around Singapore. We arrived home in less than an hour. I arranged my contacts and texted everyone my cellphone number; blogged and blogged until my eyes grew weary and sleepy. UNLUCKY PLAZA My order for the day is to go online and familiarize myself with the trains and explore Orchard. As soon as I awoke I got ready and took the bus to Bukit Batok. I found McDonalds; ordered food and “Wi-fied.” In the back of my mind I was thinking, I need to find a new place where there is free Wi-Fi access. If I keep up with this McDonalds diet I might end up supersizing myself. There is one thing I noticed about McDonalds here. Back at home when you order fries they automatically give you ketchup to go with it. Here they automatically give you chilli garlic in sachets. And boy it’s spicy! And delicious! Also I found out that they have the small, medium and large sizes for the fries. The large one is double the size of the large size back home. The medium is the size of the large. I haven’t ordered the small size so I can’t compare it to anything. After draining this laptop’s battery I took the train to Orchard. I took the long route so I could enjoy the scenery and man was it long! It was fine though because I enjoyed the sights. I arrived at Orchard station and I immediately went to Barrio Fiesta. I told you that they serve delicious Filipino food and now this is proof. I wouldn’t be eating twice there if it wasn’t delicious or they have free Wi-Fi access. In this case, the reason is the former. This time I ordered Nilagang Baka and Caldereta. By the way it only costs 5SGD for a meal consisting of two viands, one drink of your choice and unlimited rice. It’s a steal if you compute it compared with the cost of living here plus its Filipino cuisine, I wouldn’t mind paying for more as long as it tastes of home. The Nilaga tasted good but it would have been better if there is more “sinuso.” Just in case you’re wondering what “sinuso” is, its cow fat but not the fat that solidifies at roof of your mouth when the soup gets cold. Hmm... How do I explain this, think of it as super tender fat that melts in your mouth and explodes of rich flavour. You can actually take three to five spoonfuls of rice with a small piece of “sinuso.” That’s how flavourful it is. The Caldereta was great though my Caldereta is best, yabang ko ampotah, hehehe, indulge me na lang. Burp! I was having a hard time using my cellphone so I planned of trading it for another. Off I went to where we bought it last night. The shop where we bought it is managed by Singaporeans or Chinese I guess; well for me they all look alike. I liked the Nokia 6101 because of its size. After haggling from the original price of 220SGD plus trade of my 100+SGD cellphone, I managed to buy it just by adding 170SGD. Again it’s a steal if you compare it with the Phillipine index of cellphones. I continued with my order for the day which is to explore Orchard. I found myself mall-hopping. There was Tangs, Isetan, Paragon and many more which I can’t remember the names of all of them. I especially liked Paragon and I would have liked it even more if there was a Camper Boutique. I also found out that there are more Filipinos in Lucky Plaza (LP) than in any other malls around Orchard. Maybe one reason is that more stalls at LP are managed by Filipinos. Last night I was warned that there are many tourists who have complained of being fooled and duped in LP mostly by those “singkits.” I didn’t actually take it seriously having lived in the Philippines where I’m used to and experienced with tomfoolery and hoodwinks. Well, I should have heeded the warning. As I was about to go back to the train station I decided to make one last round of Lucky Plaza. I was informed that I have friends who work here so maybe I could bump into one. Unluckily, I bumped into no one. Luckily, out of nothing I asked one stall that sells cellphones how much they are selling a brand new Nokia 6101. The guy said 180SGD. I asked if that’s all I pay. He said yes and it includes everything. I turned my back on him and angrily made my way to the stall where I traded my cellphone. As I was turning my back he said “OK, 160SGD.” Furious, I looked for the “singkit” who I sold me my cellphone. Unluckily, he was nowhere to be found. MINISTRY OF SOUND – THIS IS IT! (NEVAH BETAH) I was on Bus 173 which is the bus that passes by Century Mansions and planning how I would plaster that “singkit’s” eyes so that he won’t be able to blink while I bound his arms and legs and pour McDonalds’ chilli garlic sauce into his nostrils and eyes until he gives me my money’s worth when Che texted me that we’re going to the Ministry of Sound Bar (MOS) later that night. YES! Kandi Bar by Hed Kandi is the talk of the town back at home but I was informed that MOS is way more famous. We decided to meet at McDonalds Bukit Batok and took the train to Clark Quay. After we got out of the subway I was awed by what I saw. River Point is beautiful! The architecture of the buildings around was just stunning. I saw the “reverse bungee.” That’s one tourist attraction here that I’m not trying, not in this lifetime or the next being afraid of heights and all. We were greeted by a long line at MOS. I immediately had my picture taken with MOS logo hovering at the background. We fell in line and were lucky enough to have arrived early so the 25SGD entrance fee still does not apply. It’s a lot like Embassy back at home but bigger and there was this giant mirror ball at the centre of the dance floor which goes up or down. The crowd was a mix of nationalities but mostly of “singkits” driving Ferraris, SLKs or any dream car you might be dreaming of. Tiger Beer which by the way is Singapore’s SMB costs a little over 10SGD. It tastes good though. And there’s this drink that’s famous here, I don’t remember what it’s called kind of like “jug.” It costs 41-47SGD at MOS. I was told that it’s a mix of whisky and cola poured over ice and served in pitchers with straws. I tried it and it tasted like whisky! Duh! Hehehe what do you expect. After MOS we were going to meet Che’s friends over at DXO (formerly known as Embassy) We made a quick stop over at Kandi Bar which is more of like a lounge bar for chillin’ and C Clinic where the chairs look like hospital beds with matching dextrose stands and the waitresses are in nurse get-ups. We took a cab to Esplanade and I saw what they say is “durian” whatever building. It was awesome! We then walked a little to where DXO is. Inside DXO, you’ll find that it’s a lot like Club Industry back home. At first the usual club music and as the night deepens they shift to music more of mainstream. Imagine Decades or Pier 1. I get to meet Che’s friends and had a great time downing bottles of 14SGD a pop Heinekens. But when I get back home I’m making the “waterfall.” If you have no idea, well, then, it’s a surprise. Though my cousin already has an idea of what it is. Speaking of ideas, I had no idea what time we went home. I was smashed to the highest heavens
SINGAPURA DIARIES 202
Posted 4/20/2007 11:53:48 PM WI-FI MORNING It was around 9:00am when I woke up. Honestly, I thought I was just dreaming that I’m here. Though I had a great time since I landed here there is really nothing more depressing than a sober morning in a new country. It took me a quick trip to 7-11 for iced coffee and tuna sandwich to overcome that unhappy morning rise. So I then went on my usual morning rituals like praying and thanking God for a safe trip while having coffee but this time in front of the TV, I usually say my prayers on our front yard waiting for the day’s paper while having hot coffee, well, what the heck a little change in my morning rituals won’t really change anything being in a new country after all. As we were discussing last night, my new found friends told me that instead of going to Starbucks or McDonalds for free Wi-Fi access, I should just try first if I can detect and connect to any unsecured networks here at home. I did just that and what do you know? Well, they’ve all learned how to secure their networks, that is the wireless networks whose reception are good, all the other that are of low strength signals, well, they’re still unsecure but being poor in reception, they couldn’t serve my purpose anyway. I prepared myself for my first solo bus trip here. I went to the bus stop and waited there and then came the bus. I was very friendly to everyone and as the bus moved towards our destination, I found myself enjoying the sights and smiling. I’m beginning to get that feeling I usually, well—feel when I was exploring a new found beach or an unfamiliar mountain range when I was back at home and being adventurous. Hmm... I think I’m going to enjoy exploring Singapore. Starbucks wasn’t hard to locate. I ordered a venti of my favourite espresso frap, whoa! almost 8SGD with whipped cream (almost 250PHP) it wouldn’t have mattered had their Wi-Fi is free turns out no matter I try to ‘get around’ their secure networks, I can’t, well I would have really tried, since every programmer knows that ‘brute force’ to any secure network is the key to victory but there’s this one employee who I think knows I’m ‘brute forcing’ their network. In all disappointment I left my half-done espresso frap and proceeded to McDonalds. At last I’m finally online. My e-mail is packed, my BB’s and forums are full of unanswered posts and I as much as possible would want to YM anyone who appears online in my list. BABEL I had no idea it was already noon had this laptop didn’t drained on me. Instead of catching lunch I decided to shop for groceries and things important for my survival err slight comfort and living in my new house. Now this is hilarious, for me, if you saw me: near the entrance of Fairprice Supermarket I saw a line of grocery carts like those at Shopwise back home, they were all chained together and there was what looked like a key hanging on the first cart for grabs. I approached it slowly and tried to use it but like bullet-speed I realized I was wrong so I immediately entered the store, hoping no one noticed and in the back of my mind I was convinced that those cart are for member-shoppers, kind of like their privilege. But then I thought I might be the only non-member shopping there because everyone had their own carts even the those who looked more of like tourists than me, and in one inquiring peek at their carts I saw an inserted dollar coin. Alas! Now I know! I immediately got my own cart! (Lesson: learn to ask) Now I have a full cart and made my way to the taxi stand and when I say a full cart, I mean FULL! Luckily there’s a cab waiting, I pointed my cart and he immediately opened the trunk after loading everything I returned the cart, well surprises of surprises, my inserted one dollar was returned to me hehehe! Inosenteng inosente ako dito potah! Now this is the part where you’ll either pity me or laugh at me, anything will do, learning experience kumbaga hehehe: I closed the door and put on my seatbelts, the cab made its way to the main road. I immediately asked the driver if he understands English. He made a slight nod which I thought was yes so I told him the address then he suddenly shrieked and made noises like that of a menopausal monkey. I showed him the listed address and he shrieked even more but this time he sounded like gorilla in heat with no other gorilla in sight, he gestured like a drunk and hysterical retard. I was no circus trainer so I just motioned him to stop and I’ll just take another cab, good thing he understood and with all the power I could muster I controlled the urge to punch him until there was a gaping hole in that face of his. (woosah) I told myself I’d be famous here but not ala Flor Contemplacion’s fame. Better if I get featured in Forbes magazine (wheh! You wish Don! hehehe) Another cab came along which was way better driven by that previous stupid idiot. And I finally got home. I cleaned my room and toilet but that episode did remind me what my father told me before I left the Philippines. He said the language barrier was one wall I’ll have a hard time passing thru. He’s right. All along I thought this was like America and I could very well communicate in English. I thought there was truth that ‘SingLish’ was Singapore’s language, I thought wrong again. I now have to ‘barok’ my English because when I talk in straight fluent English with the locals all I get were jaws dropped and eyes telepathically telling me “what the hell are you saying? There is no tower of Babel here fool!” (to be continued...)
SINGAPURA DIARIES 101
Posted 4/19/2007 10:47:47 PM I’M ON MY WAY As I sat by the window, I saw the buildings and houses getting smaller; next was the islands until my vision of my country literally morphed to that of a bird. There were butterflies constantly fluttering in my stomach to say the least. Now I know how my family felt when they left for the United States. Here I am, bound to a destination, three hours away while my family endures 12-14 hours of skies. The only difference is when they land they have almost all of my paternal side of the family with them. Where I’m going, I have but one of my maternal side of the family waiting for me. Have you ever known how it feels like when you’re going to another country and not knowing when you’re coming back? It feels like hell! Hell! Worst than hell! I thought of every one I’m leaving behind and I began to really think of going back once we land. It was sunny skies all the way with some turbulence that some passengers really mind which for me was nothing compared to the sadness that had suddenly wrapped all over me. And this is coming from someone who had always loved adventures; exploring the unknown; experimenting with what mix feels and hits good. I guess the very quote that I tell everyone has boomeranged on me--"there's always a first time.” The majestic view above the clouds and the movie starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz (I forgot the title) has both lost their value to entertain me. The feeling is far worse than the greatest “crashing” I’ve gone through in my entire life. Sad, it was all that all the way—sad. CHANGI AIRPORT It was 6:15 pm when we landed. I contemplated of my plan to go back and decided that I should give it a shot to try it here. If I lasted three hours of sadness along the way maybe I could last a day and if I last a day maybe I could last a week and so on. You have got to love Changi Airport. But don’t just take my word for it. Try to experience it yourself by vacationing here and not like what I planned to do here. The custom officials and airport police are way more polite than what we have back at the Philippines especially the immigration officers. I even declared the cigarettes I have because of how kind the immigration officers are. Too bad I had to pay 30SGD for duties. Turns out the cigarettes I’ve brought with me plus the 30SGD I paid for is cheaper compared to 11SGD a pack sold locally. I finally got out of the airport after I paid duties for my smokes. Che, my cousin fetched me and we rode the cab, we passed thru the expressway all the way to “West Singapore.” She complained about the traffic because of the rush hour. I said “what traffic?” dang! If this is rush hour in Singapore then I wouldn’t mind driving a cab! After a couple of minutes, we met Koy, her boyfriend at Century Mansions where he introduced me to my new housemates. SINGAPORE BIG BROTHER I got introduced to Jayson and was shown my room. It was bigger than I expected of a master’s bedroom. Good thing also is I have my own T&B. I left my luggage which just by looking at would put an impression that it was 10 kilos excess of the allowed weight. (That’s 5KPHP I’m talking about) After that Che, Koy and I rode the bus to BPP. My first bus ride in Singapore though someone guided me, inside my head I said, I’ll do this tomorrow on my own. I’ll try to explore Singapore ala The Beach which starred Leonardo Di Caprio. We ate at the food court of BPP I forgot what I Che ordered me but it was delicious and also it was my first to eat that...err whatever it is called. Bottom line, it was delicious and so was the carrot cake which according to Che contains no carrots at all. After dining we went to Che’s house where she lent me pillows and beddings (Amp! Talk about preparing, I even put the beddings on the top of my list when I was packing at home. Yet still I forgot, damn parties! Koy and I then took the cab back to Century where and he introduced me to my other housemate—John. I asked them if they want to bend elbows and they said yes. So off we went to 7-11, syet! Walang San Mig Light, so I settled for Heineken. Wow! 20SGD for a six-pack, you do the math. Potah! Ang mahal ng bisyo dito! I bought two six-packs and some Sprite for the Absolut Raspberry. Overall I had a fun night, drinking with new friends. Thank God they all have IT-related jobs; I had no effort blending in. It was around 1:00 am when we decided to call it a day. My first 40 winks in Singapore... (To be continued)
BLOGPOSTS IN A BLOGPOST
Posted 3/26/2007 11:23:31 PM I’ve been very busy and there were many times I tried to post but time is always an inconvenience hence most of my blogposts remains unfinished so I thought of just posting them as is, in parts and not elaborated. LIE-CENSE Ever since it was confirmed that there was a leakage in the 2006 Nursing Licensure Examinations I have argued that there should be a retake of the said exams. Oftentimes I would receive a barrage of negative reactions particularly from those who took the said exams. As I have said before to them and to my friends who took the exams, it is but a bitter pill to swallow for the greater good not just for their batch but for the batches after them. I also argued that just like in the CAT or COCC, when one in your group commits a mistake either that one admits to it or the whole group is punished for that mistake. My stand does not stem that those who took the exams be treated in a military way of punishment instead they understand that as a group who took the exams they are all responsible collectively of discipline. There is a reason why in the COCC they are issuing collective punishments—to curb anyone from covering up the mistake of others or conniving or just turning a blind eye. For who would just turn a blind eye to cheating if they know that all of them would be punished, well, in the recent exams, be made to take the exams all over again? It took the CGNFS to wake them up to reality that only in the Philippines where a fake president still reigns where cheating has become the number one in GMRC will they be able to get away with it. Do not mistake me for being insensitive to the plight of our local nurses I have many friends in that batch. It’s just that I knew in the first place that the United States of A, the sole reason why nursing schools are making a killing would not tolerate such behavior. (Makes me wonder why GW Bush is still around) If batch 2006 do not retake the exams the reputation of Philippine nurses would be tarnished forever. A simple choice between the red and the blue pill wouldn’t you agree? OVER MY [his] HEAD I was never going to post this since Pacquiao backed-out his candidacy but then again he backed-out from his candidacy back-out. Congressman Pacman, the fighting representative of GenSan! Or how about Manny Pacquiao for president! This has got to be the greatest height of Filipino political stupidity and the peak of Pacman’s idiocy. I know I’m courting flames for posting this, for Pacman as the whole world knows is a demigod in boxing. I also am a Pacman fanatic however that is where it ends. So go ahead flame me for all I care but take the round break to read and understand why the hell Pacman should leave the Philippine political hell to the demons that have thrived there for so long. Before Pacman, I conceived boxing as one of the very dirty sports especially with the likes of Don King around, promoting and fixing everything. (but that’s for another blogpost) but having witnessed Pacman’s humble beginnings with Mano a Mano and his storied quest for where he is now in boxing, I reconsidered boxing. Plus the fact of how he united Filipinos with those lightning punches and quick footwork considering the fact that Filipinos are so disunited that a set of jackstones thrown for the around the world trick would have shown a better example of unity. Pacquiao should start listening to The Fray and not to those around him because better than him they know when they’re over their head. But then again methinks there more than meets the eye here. As we all know Pacquiao knows boxing then again he knows cockfighting and billiards and he knows the politicians err the politicians know him. To those damn politicians Pacquiao is nothing more but a winning lotto ticket combination never mind the 1-2-3-4-5… combination he throws in the ring. Here’s a challenge to those who are pushing Pacquiao to run for Congress: if you believe in him so much, why don’t you make him run for president instead? Pacquiao is going straight to Congress, why not shoot for the stars and go for the presidency? He has a shot at it, right? You’ll probably say no and cite reasons why. But those exact reasons are also the exact reasons why Pacquiao should leave politics alone. Or maybe they know that GMA versus Pacquaio translates to a landslide by The Pacman. And if ever Pacquiao reads this and underestimates the Filipinos intelligence and mine by answering that no one is prodding him to run. Well, Manny, you’re one very stupid idiot if you do run. You say you want to help unite the Filipinos that is why you’re running for Congress. Didn’t it occur to you that you’re doing exactly that when you climb onto that boxing arena? I have never seen the Filipinos unite like that before. You have the Filipino spirit inside your gloves with every hit you make or every combo you do. Spare us from losing another hero to politics. Keep on uniting us Pacquiao by fighting in the boxing ring and not in the political arena. THE GREAT GOOD SHEPHERD Sex and the city asked the question why are there so many great unmarried women and no great unmarried men? I’ve been meaning to go extreme lengths just to prove it otherwise. But then again as I scour my god-given onboard memory that has been wearied and teared by pharmaceutically enhanced moments of retrospection I’m beginning to believe that maybe there is truth to the question. I could debate on it extensively and devote my time heavily to disprove it. And then it hit me. The answer to the question need not my devotion and I need not elaborate it on this post. You just have to watch The Good Shepherd directed by Robert De Niro. I’ll stop at this line and let you discover the answer. The least I could do is not spoil the element of surprise. The most I could give you is a hint—the answer is already in the question. PRISON BREAK A LEG Prison Break season one’s first eight episodes puts you at the edge of your seat. You have to relish the fact that how a plot so outrageous as getting yourself jailed so you can break out with your brother who is in death row for a crime he did commit would conclude. But that is just for the first eight episodes. After that the story begins to drag and you begin to wonder how much bad luck did Michael Scofield unintentionally tattooed in his whole body along with the blue prints of Fox River penitentiary. But do not mistake my observation as a remark of a non-admirer of Prison Break. I’ve actually watched the whole first season and episodes 1-16 of the second season. And I also admit being an aficionado though John Abruzzi, my most wanted of the most wanted fugitives died during the first quarter episodes of season two. Also, I’m still a fan though there are many loop holes in the story and how they’ve gone overboard by putting Brad Bellick, a former Correctional Officer, in prison along with the other inmates whom he gave a really hard time before (I really hate karma stories). As I’ve argued with some of my friends and how my some of my friends agreed to my argument. Prison Break’s plot is incredible and it would really be pushing the envelope if they exceed, well, 12 episodes. Their main staying power lies with the actors. All of them really played their characters very well. Maybe it’s just me who loves the series because I too would have gone to great lengths to save a brother in need and this is based on real life experience. A brother’s love is really a brother’s love. Plus the head villain is a lady vice president who gets to be president after poisoning the president and has gone great lengths to cover up the trail of her ambitions which includes murdering anyone who has a say or knowledge of her madness to become president. Reel life imitating real life or to be blunt about it reel life imitating GMA’s life but I know you know that already. But then again a series that is only good for 8-12 episodes and getting extended to a second and third season, I guess there are millions more of viewers who are watching. However I remain steadfast to my belief—Prison Break would have been one of the best mini-series up there in my pedestal of classic mini-series’ along with Taken if they just concluded it in one season. Well, that’s Hollywood for you. I said they should push the envelope yet they pushed it the wrong way all because of profit. Lost cause? Maybe not, I’m still a believer of Prison Break; movie endings where the bad guys end up happily ever after and Prison Break’s season two ending where the president... well, again, I’ll not spoil the surprise. Let’s just hope life really imitates art for our beloved president. Until then break a leg to all of us.
deJA vu
Posted 1/31/2007 9:38:27 AM Have we met before? Shit! Nangyare na to eh! Well it has been quite a while since I’ve “blogged”. And what a coincidence or is it destiny that I’m “blogging” again right after the night when I said to JA that I would be quoting her response of my response that “right is right…” as “morbidly poetic.” Or maybe it’s just the movie or perhaps déjà vu then again maybe it’s the sum of all that. Let’s define déjà vu. In psychology it is the illusion of having already experienced something actually being experienced for the first time or an impression of having seen or experienced something before. John Scaksteder’s summary of the movie Déjà Vu is as follows: After an explosion on a ferry that kills over 500 people including a large group of party-going sailors, an ATF agent (Denzel Washington) investigates the crime. AN FBI agent (Val Kilmer) also joins the investigation. Impressed with the ATF agent's skills, the FBI agent invites him to join a new team that has a new program that uses satellite technology to look backwards in time for 4-1/2 days to try to capture the terrorist (Jim Cavieziel). Meanwhile a young woman (Paula Patton) who was burned washes up on shore. Meant to look like part of the explosion, the body arrives at its location too soon, which leads the agents to believe her death is related to the explosion. As they use the new technology to study the woman, the ATF agent determines that this is not satellite imagery but somehow is using a time warp. From this point in the film, the movie moves from a crime film to a sci-fi time paradox film. Nonetheless, the action is non-stop and always captivating. The end of the film may be confusing to some people, but it is all laid out if one cares to look carefully. Let’s expound on what Scaksteder said as “sci-fi time paradox” and add a reality based exponent. Albert Einstein’s relativity theory actually states that time travel might be possible and up till now no one has really proven him otherwise but also no one has really proven it either. Here’s a crash on how time travel works. If we think two-dimensionally, the shortest route between two points is a straight line on the contrary, in a three-dimension (or a four dimension universe, time being the fourth dimension) it is not. Imagine a piece of paper; point A is five inches from point B. so how far would our pencil travel to connect the two points? Five inches, right? Now try folding that same piece of paper so that point A and point B is directly on top of each other. Now you got yourself your very first time machine; a crude one but with the same concept—warping space. I am not saying that Déjà Vu or any other sci-fi time paradox film like Paycheck, Back to the Future or Butterfly Effect is possible. I’m just open to the fact that Einstein maybe right. However, that is where I draw the line for I believe that we could never change our past. And never try to. Because if we could do that, then who needs a future when we could always go back in time and change it. (CTRL-Z or UNDO for humans?) And think of the countless alternate or parallel universes each of us who goes back in time would create. It would eventually choke us out of existence. In the film we see Denzel Washington try to change the past the first time by sending a note to himself warning him of the bomber who’ll be present at the dock but instead of foiling the tragedy before it happens, he actually is responsible for the death of his friend who sees the note instead of him and is killed and burned by the bomber and the countdown to the explosion still continues. Now the debate on ‘destiny’ kicks in. It is said that no matter how you change factors if something happened it will still happen but this time with a new set of factors, still, the outcome is what you tried to prevent in the first place. How do you live your life knowing that there is already a pre-determined path for you to take? All along the yes or no or the right or left (right JA, life is a gamble) you chose were all just for the fun factor. Because no matter which, you’ll still end up with what your destined to have or destined to be (tragic irony or poetic justice?) Can you accept the fact that the world really is a stage and we are all merely actors who have scripts to follow and roles to act? That’s not my cup but if you insist then you can absolutely have mine. The ending was a let down, for me. Denzel Washington eventually changes the present by changing the past clearly dislodging the notion of ‘destiny’ at least in the movie. It would have been more interesting if the events during the opening still transpired. Let me call it lack of realism, well, for a movie about time travel, you might brand me as one sick idiot looking for realism but hey, as what Gabriel from Swordfish said “it’s pushing the envelope.” And didn’t I try to interject some sense of reality in the prospect of time travel. But my cause might be all for naught for this is Hollywood we’re talking about and happy endings translate to bigger earnings. Or I’m just being morbidly poetic again. As a conclusion, let me say that it is correct that we look for a present that is best for us or a future where we are at our best but we cannot do that by changing the past rather we learn from the past and use what we learned to construct a better future for ourselves. We do not need time machines or decipher Einstein’s theory of relativity so we can have a better present. For all we know, the present we have now is already the best present there is and we just might end up screwing it up by looking for alternate universes. What has been done has been done and time lost is in reality—time lost. We can never have it back again, at least for now. But we can pick up where we left and start all over again. It sure can be very hard to start from scratch. But it’s just like what if you had to tell someone the most important thing in the world but you knew they’d never believe—you try.
CRUISIN' by NALIN and KANE
Posted 1/3/2007 8:31:33 PM yeah let's go to the beach..... I feel the breeze my top is down and all I do is ride around and where I go I just don't care a place to chill to get away I take it day by day no work or play nowhere to stay and I just need to clear my mind to find my role in space and time I'm just cruisin' and I wonder if Ill ever find my way? I'm just cruisin' down this highway of life and I'm looking for a place where I can hide away just cruisin' just cruisin' two months and now I take it slow I'm in my flow so I can find the fields of joy where life is peace where I can safely rest my soul the sun is glowing winds keep blowing I'm still growing and I try to do the best I can go down this road is there a plan
DECIPHERING CHRISTMAS
Posted 12/23/2006 11:03:20 PM I got this from some website about a year ago. Think of this as an electronic Christmas greeting card. Trivia anyone? The Twelve Days of Christmas Song No one seems to know who wrote what seems to be a nonsensical song, but legend has it as being written during the period of time when Roman Catholics in England were not allowed to practice their faith without punishment (which would explain why no one credits themselves for penning it), the song was to help children to remember the tenets of their faith. Many consider this another urban legend though, mainly because everything in the song goes along with both the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church doctrine. And that it seems to have a French origin, not English. The true love was God Himself. The me was any baptized person. The partridge in a pear tree was Christ and may of referred to Matt. 23:37 and Luke 13:34. The 2 turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments. 3 French hens stood for faith, hope and love. (1 Cor. 13) The Theological Virtues The 4 calling birds were the 4 gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Four Evangelists The 5 golden rings recalled the Torah or law; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. The Law or Pentateuch. The 6 geese a laying were the 6 days of creation. The 7 swans a swimming were the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 7:30) The 7 Sacraments. The 8 maids a milking were the eight Beatitudes. (Matt. 5-6). The 9 ladies dancing were the 9 truths of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5). The 10 Lords a leaping were the 10 Commandments. The 11 pipers piping were the 11 faithful apostles. The 12 drummers drumming symbolized the 12 points of belief in the Apostle Creed. Note: In the original version the first 5 gifts were all birds, 1st day = Partridge, 2nd day = 2 Turtle Doves, 3rd day = 3 French Hens, 4th day = 4 Colly Birds (Blackbirds) not Calling birds, and on the 5th day = 5 Golden Rings (referred to ring-necked pheasants) not jewelry. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!
EAT SHIT REACTION
Posted 12/17/2006 8:11:28 PM This is some dude's reaction in one of the forums I'm active in. Some people just have no idea what they are talking about =) dense? =) Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 10:54 pm Post subject: Reply with quote `n00b^in&out said: Yeah, what jamir said. IMHO, don's article is nice. Of course it speaks the voice of the anti-chacha. As the article said, it is not a matter of how many times we use EDSA for People Power and some other means to impeach a stupid/cheater/dictator president--I disagree, respectfully. People Power actually lost its meaning since the people started using it for nonsensical rallies after Erap's impeachment. Crap. Every issue they see, they march up to EDSA and cause traffic but to no avail. It has become overrated. People Power 1 has so much meaning.. Chacha may be good for us. It may also be bad. The problem with us pinoys is that we always look at things negatively. We are being presented some new stuff and we see the bad it will cause as soon as the idea's spoken yet we fail to see the bad things that are happening now all because.. this is what we have now and this "seems" to work still or this has been in effect for the past millennia~ We are so scared to take some risks. Parliament system isn't so bad. Maybe we aren't ready for it yet but it doesn't mean it won't work for us. Besides, having lesser people in control could also mean easier and lesser time to pinpoint who's corrupt and who's doing their jobs well. But that's just me. I've never liked politics although I've been drawn to politically inclined forums, debates and what have you. I was never Arroyo's supporter and the Opposition has never impressed me. I am still open to the idea that Arroyo might have cheated on the last election but I'm quite happy with the way the economy's rising now. We have had all kinds of presidents. We've had a dictator, a stupid actor, a cheater and an honest housewife who talks a lot now as if the Philippines progressed in her time. To all these kinds, I was and still am impressed with the dictator's way. If only he didn't have his wife beside him.. But he's gone now. From all that's left, I'd say I'd like to see what happens to the Philippines under the cheater's way. She may have her evil side and she may be "the dictator part II" but a little progress is better than none at all. We've been stuck at being a 3rd World country. We have a chance to make the world know us instead of just "Phili--what?" or "Philippines? Where is that?" No, it won't happen overnight, but it could still come true. The article may also be right in saying that the problem isn't in the form of government. But it doesn't just lie on the people who are in the government either. We want an honest government? Let's do our part and be honest with our taxes and simple traffic rules, too. We want a better future for our kids? Let's be wise in making choices now and open our eyes to the things that could help us progress and not just talk and be mad or go rally on EDSA because Mentos used to be .50 Php only and now it's 2 Php/ea. In short, if we want to change anything, let it start with ourselves. The problem is also us, the people. We have people rallying over things they don't know, too. Plus, we have so much people who aren't paying taxes, people who just have fun, make dozens of kids but can't raise them properly and people who talks a lot but aren't looking at how they're not helping either. They march up to wherever there's a rally and shout for the cheater to come down. They walk on the streets that taxpayers paid to be paved, they also cramp up the traffic and make the taxpayers have headaches before they even reach work. The worst part is, the traffic they're causing makes the taxpayers late for work. Rolling Eyes Another thing, there's no such thing as a perfect leader. If we've nothing against impeaching presidents over and over just as long as our needs are satisfied, then never mind the cost our economy would pay whenever an impeachment is on just as long as that leader's kicked out of the Palace? As jamir said, 'the smart people are smart enough to not go into politics,' and he speaks the truth. We do have the silent majority. These are the people who'd rather shut up, work and earn money, people who care less for what's happening and the people who do care but know better than to join the fun--er--rallies. @don Peace tayo, manong don. Opinions lang naman natin ito. Smile I SAID… @NiO peace naman talaga e, opinions lang Coolhealthy discussion kumbaga hehehe Cool I’m a Marcos loyalist myself. Now, what I wrote in that article is what Apo Marcos is to everyone else besides us loyalists. I called him a dictator because that is what he is. (Try not to leaf thru the pages of the Guinness Records because that’s worse) I have to be objective lest my article be tarnished for being biased if I only mention the names of ERAP and GMA. On Topic: I’m assuming that you already know how a parliamentary system works. But for those who don’t have the faintest idea, here’s a crash: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parliamentary_system All forms of government would work just fine for any country. But we are all not blind of the mindset of our present officials. We’re not even yet in a parliamentary form but look at how the Lower House of Congress works. Now try putting those same officials in a parliament. God forbid! (There is a reason why Pandora’s Box has to remain closed) Look at it this way, ever since the aftermath of the “GMA helloed GARCI” elections, GMA has been working triple time to satisfy all the needs of all those who supported her. I don’t want to enumerate so I’ll be assuming that you read the papers or log in to INQ7 or CNN. Now let me reiterate what I said in my previous post. In a parliamentary system [fake]Pres GMA or House [noSe]Pea[ic]ker JDV will only have to bribe the members of the parliament and they could rule on as long as the country’s can still borrow cash so as to feed their minions in parliament so there will be no vote of a no vote of confidence. [Sic] People power may have lost it’s meaning to some but it will forever be the last resort of the hopeless. Push someone against the wall for far too long and you’ll know what will happen next. People Power 2 was ignited because the people have lost hope in the ERAP impeachment. Revolution is always the last resort. That is after exhausting all legit means to remove a “presidente-non-grata” [sic] My dissent on “cha-cha” doesn’t mean that I or any of us against it are looking things in a negative way. As I always say, ask me if a glass is half-empty or half-full, my answer always is the latter. On my part I am all for progress; for change; for the advancement of technology. But with the current set of the majority in Congress. Cha-cha is no more to them but another devious scheme to hold on to power forever. There is a reason why political dynasties are abundant here even though the Constitution forbids it. But in the event of a Parliamentary government we can all say good bye to that constitutional provision. And my anti-cha-cha stance doesn’t also mean that I’m no risk-taker. I love taking risks and I go by the motto, in order to win big, you have to bet big. Again I’m against cha-cha because it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know why there is a big fuss about it and why [fake] Pres GMA and House [noSe]Pea[ic]ker JDV is vigorously pursuing it. Lesser people in control does not equate to less time to pinpoint who is corrupt, look at us now, we already know who is corrupt and? Lesser people in control means lesser people to bribe and those lesser people are the one controlling us because only those lesser people can vote for a vote of no confidence. And who, may I ask, will be willing to point a finger at themselves when in fact they are raking in billions and at the same time in control? And trust me [fake] Pres GMA cheated. Even if people can’t decipher the Hello Garci tapes which my high school cousin decoded in record time and I quote “ay kuya, ang tanga naman ng magsasabi na hindi yung boto pinaguusapan nila” there are family friends of ours who are working in the upper echelons of [fake] Pres GMA's government who are all disgusted how she channeled funds for her campaign. I won’t mention names here but I’ll probably blurt it out during the EB when I’m drunk. Yeah I agree with you and Jamir about smart people being smart enough to not go to politics. But then again we have Ninoy Aquino, Jovito Salonga and Raul Roco to name just a few and they all entered politics. They lost in the elections because ______ well, you could fill that up. Those rallies do annoy me too. I once got caught in traffic for three hours because of that. But, hey, democracy, and that’s the beauty of it. And about that silent majority, I always thought that youthfulness advocates idealism. The reason why there are many student activists is because those older people who lead them uses the youth’s idealistic point of view to enable them to think that they are making a stand, that no matter how small in numbers they are or how weak they’re voices may be compared to the boom of water cannons and tear gas, at least they made they’re stand and that what they are doing is for the benefit of next generation. My advice to the youth of this generation is to not lose those ideals and make Rizal proud. To wrap it up, though I may also be a part of that silent majority in some way or another, that silent majority really bothers me. We go on with our daily lives; try to live our normal lives and just let the oncoming “cha-cha” not bother us. Who cares? We all might be residing in some other country in the near future and our future families would also partake in that future. But in the event that that future materializes, Do you know how it feels like when you hear two Americans chatting freely in some park in San Francisco or New York and you happen to hear them say “look at those PI-fools, they’re in the news again, how could they expect respect when they can’t even tell if they’re leader is fake” Ahh, the silent majority, clearly reminds me of a phrase I heard from some of my friends from UP “all it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing.” Peace! Cool _________________ "Work hard, party harder"
EAT SHIT
Posted 11/11/2006 5:32:02 AM Cha-cha’s first step, which is the People’s Initiative was just shot down by the Supreme Court declaring it as an “elaborate deceit scheme” however trust [fake]President GMA and her minions to find a way to get around it. And with all those sugar and sweets coating the need for “cha-cha” as [fake]President GMA and her cohorts are peddling, trust its content to be nothing short of bitter, sour and icky pretty much what I picture the taste of the Pasig’s murky waters near Malacañan Palace would taste like if you ever be persuaded in drinking it, like how the signatories of that damned “People’s Initiative thought that charter change would actually be beneficial to them was persuaded in signing. Or maybe there were really only a handful of those who really signed it and we were only duped to see six million signatories where in reality there were only 600 signatories (well who knows, if Garci can come up with a million votes and he is only one person, imagine how many votes a whole Lower House could produce) Back to “cha-cha,” as I’ve said earlier, the proponents of “cha-cha” is claiming that a shift in government will be good or actually is the best for this country since the election is no longer in the hands of us voters, (our only chance to vote is when we vote for our representatives which is at present—the congressmen) but in the hands of congressmen, who in a parliamentary form of government, will elect among themselves who becomes prime minister hence the chance of having another ERAP for president is reduced to null. But then again that’s all a lot of bull. Who in his right mind would not know the fact that a parliamentary shift will only pave way for three things? 1. GMA rides the crest of the wave parliament; becomes prime minister and stays beyond 2010, she’ll be giving Light Buzzyear a run for his slogan and steal it like what she did to our votes in the last election and eventually claim that her motto of staying in power, we can very well picture and hear it eerily echoing in our ears, GMA standing, one fist raised to the sky screaming “to infinity (2010) and beyond!” 2. House [noSe]Pea[ic]ker JDV with his high and mighty rainbow coalition will finally have the chance to be president err prime minister minus the agony of a very shameful defeat like what he had when he went head on against ERAP. 3. Corruption will be at its peak and at its finest since there will be only the parliament to bribe. If you saw how the present House of Representatives connived and gang-banged on demise of the impeachment complaint, Bang Bus would have to make a run for its money when you try to imagine what gang-bang they could do to everything in a parliamentary form of government. As I have said since time immemorial err again, ever since [fake]President GMA and her minions started all the fuss of a parliamentary shift being the salvation of this country—The form of government is NOT the reason that the Philippines is at the bottom of the well and still digging a hole to further deepen the abyss where we are in. Democracy works just fine. The reason that we are in a rut that completely understates the meaning of the word is the people who run the government. We need not change the government. We only have to change the one who leads this government. You might say that they are all the same since power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, so why shift the leaders. Hell, then the more we should be more vigilant. Leaders come and leaders should go when they do not serve the purpose of leadership and become slaves to their purpose. It is not a question of how many times we have to impeach or we have to go to EDSA rather it is answering the call of EDSA every time a fake president like GMA; a jueteng lord like ERAP; a dictator like Marcos exists. Lastly, it is truly not the question of how much shit are we willing to eat from [fake]President GMA rather the question “Do we really eat shit in the first place?”
COSTUME PARTY Posted 10/31/2006 5:38:12 AM Think of this as a Halloween greeting card. A couple was invited to a swanky masked Halloween Party. She got a terrible headache and told her husband to go to the party alone. He, being a devoted husband, protested, but she argued and said she was going to ta |