.:Hanging Out...:.
So while hanging out with a couple of friends, Helga and Tahn, and while we were talking about relationship woes left and right, guess what song started blasting over Butter Diner's sound system?
That's right. "Nobody Wants To Be Lonely", by Ricky Martin and Christina Aguilera. Heh.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Sunday, June 07, 2009
You're Not CONning *my* @$$...
.:No, No, A Thousand Times, No:.
While the Senate stumbles on private parts and busy themselves over Hayden Kho, the lower house, on the other hand, is trying to sneak one under our noses and have passed HR 1109, which puts them in a prime position to amend the constitution in a way that would be most advantageous to our current disposition.
Hasn’t eight years with our current president been enough? Why are they rushing to have this passed in the first place? Why is it nobody seems to want to change the constitution early on during a president’s term?
The sheer audacity of our House of Reprehensibles at railroading what is obviously a sham of a resolution is just disgusting, and I cannot stand it any longer.
This is exactly why yesterday, I attended the “No To Con-Ass Facebook Eyeball”. I met a few familiar faces, and while there were only a few of us thanks to the terrible weather, it was still a great start to what can hopefully be a peaceful movement of dissent against this travesty against our democracy.
The writing is on the wall, and I know, more than ever, that we cannot simply tolerate these shenanigans. It simply shouldn’t happen. I may not agree with Honorable Roilo Golez all the time, but on this count, I certainly do: No to Con-Ass. Enough is enough.
As such, I would like to register my contempt for my Congressman...
While the Senate stumbles on private parts and busy themselves over Hayden Kho, the lower house, on the other hand, is trying to sneak one under our noses and have passed HR 1109, which puts them in a prime position to amend the constitution in a way that would be most advantageous to our current disposition.
Hasn’t eight years with our current president been enough? Why are they rushing to have this passed in the first place? Why is it nobody seems to want to change the constitution early on during a president’s term?
The sheer audacity of our House of Reprehensibles at railroading what is obviously a sham of a resolution is just disgusting, and I cannot stand it any longer.
This is exactly why yesterday, I attended the “No To Con-Ass Facebook Eyeball”. I met a few familiar faces, and while there were only a few of us thanks to the terrible weather, it was still a great start to what can hopefully be a peaceful movement of dissent against this travesty against our democracy.
The writing is on the wall, and I know, more than ever, that we cannot simply tolerate these shenanigans. It simply shouldn’t happen. I may not agree with Honorable Roilo Golez all the time, but on this count, I certainly do: No to Con-Ass. Enough is enough.
As such, I would like to register my contempt for my Congressman...
All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
- Anonymous
Friday, June 05, 2009
More Random Thoughts...
.:It’s Still Too Soon...:.
... to crack one-liners about the bizarre but unfortunate passing of David Carradine. I don’t want to have to go into the specifics because of its grisly nature, so my apologies if I will have to keep you hanging...
Yep. I decided not to right an obituary for the guy even if I loved Kung-Fu and Kill Bill. The irreverent in me just kept on finding ways to turn it into a joke. I'm so terrible.
.:Congratulations, Jane!:.
My good friend, Jane, is Nuffnang’s featured blogger for the month of June! I’m very happy that she was featured, considering how awesome a writer she is. She deserves the recognition she’s getting. =)
.:This Week’s Tough Hit...:.
I’ll share my other tough hits in some other post, but for now, since my good friend Chy requested me to cover this song...
... to crack one-liners about the bizarre but unfortunate passing of David Carradine. I don’t want to have to go into the specifics because of its grisly nature, so my apologies if I will have to keep you hanging...
Yep. I decided not to right an obituary for the guy even if I loved Kung-Fu and Kill Bill. The irreverent in me just kept on finding ways to turn it into a joke. I'm so terrible.
.:Congratulations, Jane!:.
My good friend, Jane, is Nuffnang’s featured blogger for the month of June! I’m very happy that she was featured, considering how awesome a writer she is. She deserves the recognition she’s getting. =)
.:This Week’s Tough Hit...:.
I’ll share my other tough hits in some other post, but for now, since my good friend Chy requested me to cover this song...
Have I told you guys yet that I’m really not a singer? LOL.
May 24: Summer Pet Fair In The City!
.:Who Let The Dogs Out?:.
I’ve never hosted a pet show in my life, so my first experience of being surrounded by dogs, some turtles, and an iguana was an incredibly memorable experience. Last May 24, I ended up hosting SM North’s “Summer Pet Fair in the City,” and it was a blast!
So there I was in SM North, just completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who were there, and obviously the sheer number of dogs as well. I love dogs, but to see that many of them in one place, all running around, all completely well-trained, well, it’s quite a sight.
I’ve never hosted a pet show in my life, so my first experience of being surrounded by dogs, some turtles, and an iguana was an incredibly memorable experience. Last May 24, I ended up hosting SM North’s “Summer Pet Fair in the City,” and it was a blast!
So there I was in SM North, just completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of people who were there, and obviously the sheer number of dogs as well. I love dogs, but to see that many of them in one place, all running around, all completely well-trained, well, it’s quite a sight.
It’s a petting zoo!
Kids had fun with the animals, and the adults were competing in Mondial Ring, weight pulling, and even Frisbee throwing. We managed to see a dog pull well over 3,000 pounds, and it was simply unbelievable. Apparently, the Philippine record for weight-pulling for dogs was held by the white American Bulldog named Justice. Dogs demonstrated their abilities to jump, to know when to attack and not to attack a stranger based on their gestures, and so on and so forth. It was just so much to take in, and I had to learn the “language”, so to speak, as many terms and activities seemed to be standard practice for the participants, and I was rather uninitiated to them.
And yeah, the R. Lapid’s Chicharon jingle? Incredibly LSS-inducing.
One of the highlights from the non-competitors that day was this dog that I encountered, a Labradoodle. Apparently, it’s possible to crossbreed a Labrador and a Poodle, and this is what you get...
The one to my right, silly!
I also met a bulldog who had a heat stroke...
Poor doggie...
And amusingly enough, the turtles were the only ones who ever managed to bite anyone during the entire event (Not counting the owner protection demos, of course.). That being said, I have a cool picture of me with an iguana...
Ferocious!
Having said all of that, this was one amazing experience, and I’ve discovered for myself that I can actually handle hosting pet shows now. The event was capped by a special performance from Atty. Byron and his German shepherd, Booger, who apparently can dance to “Staying Alive”, by the Bee Gees!
The dog is even trained to pose for the camera...
Nice doggie...
One for the books, no question about it. I’ve always been a dog person, so acquitting myself well by hosting this huge event is quite a feather in my hosting cap, to say the least...
Thursday, June 04, 2009
My Thanks To Everyone...
... who made My Beloved's birthday last Tuesday a happy one.
No thanks to the people who rained in on the parade, though.
No thanks to the people who rained in on the parade, though.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Blogosphere Tidbits...
.:You Keep On Using That Word. I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means:.
I’m alarmed and amused at the same time by people I see who seem to like throwing words around maybe because it sounds so good to them, or intimidating, or even profound.
In reality, it just makes them look terribly silly.
A check can only “bounce” when you take it to the bank and there are insufficient funds from the account you’re drawing the check from.
A woman can only be a “chauvinist” if she thinks men are inferior to women, not when she is taking offense to something she is perfectly well within her rights to take offense to.
A person can only be a “backstabber” when the person he’s supposedly backstabbing has no idea that he speaks that way about her. The minute she does, he could be “rude” or even “tactless”, but a “backstabber”, he is not.
A person can only be an “airhead” if he’s an idiot. If you can eff up even the shortest of sentences, if even the slowest of my Korean students understand something as simple as subject-verb agreement better than you, then you lose the ascendancy to call anyone an “airhead”.
Lastly, a "friend" is not someone who will side with you even when you're wrong. In fact, if there's one person you want to tell you what's wrong with you, it should be a "friend", since they'd do it because they care about you and aren't just out to get you.
Pardon me if I scoff at people who like throwing around words, big or small, whose meanings they don’t even fully grasp. It makes them look especially ridiculous.
.:The Next Time Someone Tells You “It’s My Blog, I Write What I Want...”:.
... show them this article.
I’m especially struck by the line: “Defamation is defamation no matter whether it is written on paper or on a blog.” Truer words have never been said, and that’s precisely why I’ve been, for the most part, avoiding hurling epithets at people on a whim, especially people who are not public individuals. Libel is something a lot of bloggers have been guilty of, but what boggles the mind is that just because nobody’s willing to enforce the law, we all continue to write with impunity.
Why is this? Is this the truth to the adage that even the most righteous man would become evil if nobody saw him?
I find this trend alarming, truth be told. It’s okay to do something wrong, so long as we don’t get caught is the kind of morality that you can expect from a kid, but not from fully-grown adults who should know that being a good person doesn’t end once you step out of the classroom or the office. What makes this even worse is the way we try to weasel our way out of it when we get caught. Hey, look. You made your bed. Lie in it. Since there’s no way I can condemn wrongdoing itself without condemning myself in turn, let me instead take a long, harsh look at the lack of responsibility we seem to be having for our own actions.
While I read that article, I saw how the commenter was acting shocked she got sued. Newsflash: ignorance of the law? Not an excuse. We keep on forgetting our manners just because we’re online, and we even have the audacity to call out people for taking offense to how we conduct ourselves. I’m almost inclined to believe that hackers are more responsible once they get caught. They’re not going to play dumb, and they know more likely than not, that what they’re doing is wrong. Considering that the laws on free speech in America are incredibly more lenient than they are here, that she has managed to find herself sued for defamation should be a message to us over here, where name-calling is not included under “protected speech” the way it is in America (That’s how Penn and Teller get away with their expose show, “Bull$4!7.”).
I’m a very pluralistic-minded person. I excuse most kinds of behaviour, even ill behaviour, so long as the person is willing to take responsibility for the consequences of their behaviour. For example, I respect the grumpy old man who is prepared to be isolated from the rest of the world due to his actions. What I don’t have much regard for are people who act the way they do then are surprised when they receive backlash for it.
I’m reminded strongly of Juned’s talk last I-Blog 5. When someone breaks taboo, there will be consequences. Ostracization, censure, even gossip are all side effects, and those ones are mild in contrast to jail time and fines and a civil liability.
We are still responsible for what we write, whether it’s on a blog or on a newspaper. Don’t assume action won’t be taken on you just because you’re a blogger, especially not if you actually want bloggers to be recognized as valid opinion leaders. If they are, then the converse must be true: they must be held responsible for their words, given the power their words possess.
.:However, This Is Just Overkill...:.
The Right Of Reply Bill currently covers bloggers, cellular phones, and I-Pods.
That is just the height of insanity right there.
What? If I texted Maro that “this government sucks big-time,” do I have to text Maro the reply the government deems fit for me to publish, like maybe, “this government sucks only small-time?”
First of all, the right of reply is already inherent in blogging. It’s called the comments section. It’s called the ability to write another blog. Forcing bloggers to publish a counterpoint to their own opinion is just ridiculous and impractical when anyone can make their own blog and then write their own counterpoint. To say that bloggers need to devote their own space to a reply to an opinion they publish is counterproductive to the nature of internet. So long as the blogger is not well within libellous grounds, then his speech should still remain as protected speech.
Cellphones and I-Pods, on the other hand, are mainly modes of private communication or in the case of the I-Pod, private listening, not public dissemination. The Right Of Reply Bill in its current wording covers these devices too, and the sheer absurdity of the bill on this matter alone is so glaring I don’t even have to make a joke about it.
I am not a lawyer, so don’t take my very basic understanding of libel law as the Gospel, but I think that in this case, it doesn’t take a lawyer to see that the entire concept of the Right Of Reply Bill is flawed and oppressive to free speech. This is especially when you consider that mass media’s space costs a lot of money. Being obligated to publish a reply with the same prominence and the same time would hurt these publishers and broadcasters in the long run.
Some politicians went as far as to say that this will solve the problem of journalists getting killed, since offended parties now have the right to reply on the same space they were lambasted. Why are we not just cracking down on journalist killings instead?!? This is non-sequitur reasoning at its finest. Why would people stop killing journalists who annoy them just because they can respond now? It just doesn’t follow.
As a former media practitioner, as a blogger, as a person who has a cellular phone, this is a law that we shouldn’t allow to see the light of day. Why do we blackmail the media into decriminalizing libel if and only if they accept the Right Of Reply Bill? If anything, while I’m not a fan of the limitations on free speech we have right now, the status quo is infinitely preferable to the alternative, where a lot of time will be wasted on counterpoints, and as such, curb the media’s desire to report anything that could be perceived as worth reacting to by the parties concerned.
If nobody’s willing to report for fear of expending airtime at their own expense, or text messages at their own expense in the worst-case scenario, why would anyone ever want to express a contrary opinion, period?
I disagree with a lot of things and topics and issues. But one thing I will always maintain is that I will defend a person’s right to stand by these things, topics, and issues. This Right Of Reply Bill inherently discourages that by forcing people to air out both sides of the story, whether or not they are journalists. We don’t need toothless commentary, or wussified discussions on issues. We need people who are willing to call it like it is, and in the event they are wrong, they will be made to pay in the proper avenue. To force them to put on kid gloves the way the Right Of Reply Bill does is a grave insult to free speech.
I can only hope that this travesty will not come to pass.
I’m alarmed and amused at the same time by people I see who seem to like throwing words around maybe because it sounds so good to them, or intimidating, or even profound.
In reality, it just makes them look terribly silly.
A check can only “bounce” when you take it to the bank and there are insufficient funds from the account you’re drawing the check from.
A woman can only be a “chauvinist” if she thinks men are inferior to women, not when she is taking offense to something she is perfectly well within her rights to take offense to.
A person can only be a “backstabber” when the person he’s supposedly backstabbing has no idea that he speaks that way about her. The minute she does, he could be “rude” or even “tactless”, but a “backstabber”, he is not.
A person can only be an “airhead” if he’s an idiot. If you can eff up even the shortest of sentences, if even the slowest of my Korean students understand something as simple as subject-verb agreement better than you, then you lose the ascendancy to call anyone an “airhead”.
Lastly, a "friend" is not someone who will side with you even when you're wrong. In fact, if there's one person you want to tell you what's wrong with you, it should be a "friend", since they'd do it because they care about you and aren't just out to get you.
Pardon me if I scoff at people who like throwing around words, big or small, whose meanings they don’t even fully grasp. It makes them look especially ridiculous.
.:The Next Time Someone Tells You “It’s My Blog, I Write What I Want...”:.
... show them this article.
I’m especially struck by the line: “Defamation is defamation no matter whether it is written on paper or on a blog.” Truer words have never been said, and that’s precisely why I’ve been, for the most part, avoiding hurling epithets at people on a whim, especially people who are not public individuals. Libel is something a lot of bloggers have been guilty of, but what boggles the mind is that just because nobody’s willing to enforce the law, we all continue to write with impunity.
Why is this? Is this the truth to the adage that even the most righteous man would become evil if nobody saw him?
I find this trend alarming, truth be told. It’s okay to do something wrong, so long as we don’t get caught is the kind of morality that you can expect from a kid, but not from fully-grown adults who should know that being a good person doesn’t end once you step out of the classroom or the office. What makes this even worse is the way we try to weasel our way out of it when we get caught. Hey, look. You made your bed. Lie in it. Since there’s no way I can condemn wrongdoing itself without condemning myself in turn, let me instead take a long, harsh look at the lack of responsibility we seem to be having for our own actions.
While I read that article, I saw how the commenter was acting shocked she got sued. Newsflash: ignorance of the law? Not an excuse. We keep on forgetting our manners just because we’re online, and we even have the audacity to call out people for taking offense to how we conduct ourselves. I’m almost inclined to believe that hackers are more responsible once they get caught. They’re not going to play dumb, and they know more likely than not, that what they’re doing is wrong. Considering that the laws on free speech in America are incredibly more lenient than they are here, that she has managed to find herself sued for defamation should be a message to us over here, where name-calling is not included under “protected speech” the way it is in America (That’s how Penn and Teller get away with their expose show, “Bull$4!7.”).
I’m a very pluralistic-minded person. I excuse most kinds of behaviour, even ill behaviour, so long as the person is willing to take responsibility for the consequences of their behaviour. For example, I respect the grumpy old man who is prepared to be isolated from the rest of the world due to his actions. What I don’t have much regard for are people who act the way they do then are surprised when they receive backlash for it.
I’m reminded strongly of Juned’s talk last I-Blog 5. When someone breaks taboo, there will be consequences. Ostracization, censure, even gossip are all side effects, and those ones are mild in contrast to jail time and fines and a civil liability.
We are still responsible for what we write, whether it’s on a blog or on a newspaper. Don’t assume action won’t be taken on you just because you’re a blogger, especially not if you actually want bloggers to be recognized as valid opinion leaders. If they are, then the converse must be true: they must be held responsible for their words, given the power their words possess.
.:However, This Is Just Overkill...:.
The Right Of Reply Bill currently covers bloggers, cellular phones, and I-Pods.
That is just the height of insanity right there.
What? If I texted Maro that “this government sucks big-time,” do I have to text Maro the reply the government deems fit for me to publish, like maybe, “this government sucks only small-time?”
First of all, the right of reply is already inherent in blogging. It’s called the comments section. It’s called the ability to write another blog. Forcing bloggers to publish a counterpoint to their own opinion is just ridiculous and impractical when anyone can make their own blog and then write their own counterpoint. To say that bloggers need to devote their own space to a reply to an opinion they publish is counterproductive to the nature of internet. So long as the blogger is not well within libellous grounds, then his speech should still remain as protected speech.
Cellphones and I-Pods, on the other hand, are mainly modes of private communication or in the case of the I-Pod, private listening, not public dissemination. The Right Of Reply Bill in its current wording covers these devices too, and the sheer absurdity of the bill on this matter alone is so glaring I don’t even have to make a joke about it.
I am not a lawyer, so don’t take my very basic understanding of libel law as the Gospel, but I think that in this case, it doesn’t take a lawyer to see that the entire concept of the Right Of Reply Bill is flawed and oppressive to free speech. This is especially when you consider that mass media’s space costs a lot of money. Being obligated to publish a reply with the same prominence and the same time would hurt these publishers and broadcasters in the long run.
Some politicians went as far as to say that this will solve the problem of journalists getting killed, since offended parties now have the right to reply on the same space they were lambasted. Why are we not just cracking down on journalist killings instead?!? This is non-sequitur reasoning at its finest. Why would people stop killing journalists who annoy them just because they can respond now? It just doesn’t follow.
As a former media practitioner, as a blogger, as a person who has a cellular phone, this is a law that we shouldn’t allow to see the light of day. Why do we blackmail the media into decriminalizing libel if and only if they accept the Right Of Reply Bill? If anything, while I’m not a fan of the limitations on free speech we have right now, the status quo is infinitely preferable to the alternative, where a lot of time will be wasted on counterpoints, and as such, curb the media’s desire to report anything that could be perceived as worth reacting to by the parties concerned.
If nobody’s willing to report for fear of expending airtime at their own expense, or text messages at their own expense in the worst-case scenario, why would anyone ever want to express a contrary opinion, period?
I disagree with a lot of things and topics and issues. But one thing I will always maintain is that I will defend a person’s right to stand by these things, topics, and issues. This Right Of Reply Bill inherently discourages that by forcing people to air out both sides of the story, whether or not they are journalists. We don’t need toothless commentary, or wussified discussions on issues. We need people who are willing to call it like it is, and in the event they are wrong, they will be made to pay in the proper avenue. To force them to put on kid gloves the way the Right Of Reply Bill does is a grave insult to free speech.
I can only hope that this travesty will not come to pass.
The World Owes You NOTHING. Stop Acting Like It Does
.:I Don’t Read Neil Gaiman, But He Still Pwns:.
Yes, I know. Blasphemy. Despite that, I still believe that Neil Gaiman is awesome and deserves all the props in the world for this entry.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again... I’m getting rather sick and tired of people who feel entitled to things they really aren’t. The whole “the customer is always right” adage has been used and abused to the point that people have been spoiled. Everything’s amazing, but nobody’s happy! I don’t get it, really.
I know people are entitled to take offense, to complain, but at the end of the day, the world owes you effing nothing. You didn’t do anything to earn being alive. You were alive just because, and the world doesn’t magically owe you anything just because your conditions are less than optimal or whatever other cockamamie reason you can think up. It’s so easy to whine and to rant and to complain, but it’s so difficult to just sit down there, focus, and finally do something constructive for a change. People are entitled to complain, but the minute that’s your defining trait? Boy, you better rethink what you’re doing with your time.
I’m really glad he came out with this post, really. Because let’s face it: a lot of people feel entitled even if there is no sensible reason why they should be. When I guested on Ruffa and Ai a few weeks ago, I had people who took offense to me because I did not want to be textmates with them.
Listen, let me give you a tip: just because my cellphone number was displayed on television, it doesn’t mean you’re entitled to ask me how my lunch was at three in the effing morning. I’m a professional. I am not your monkey. I am not your bitch. If you can’t respect me as a person, then I see no reason to feel bad at being labelled as “suplado” when I don’t owe you a single mothereffing thing. You don’t feed me. You don’t know me. So take your insensitivity and find someone else to bug.
No, the customer isn’t always right. Not when they disrespect the other person, resort to insulting them, calling them names, and stepping on their dignity as a human person. I don’t get why we tolerate that kind of crap being hurled in our direction just because. As I said during the Alec Baldwin issue, people are entitled to take offense, but that doesn’t entitle them to act like idiots and resort in kind. I thought we left that stupid “eye for an eye” schtick in the Old Testament? So why are we running back to it again?
I ain’t havin’ it. This sense of entitlement crud really has got to stop. Just because people are doing their job does not give you the right to treat them less than human. We are not your effing monkeys.
Yes, I know. Blasphemy. Despite that, I still believe that Neil Gaiman is awesome and deserves all the props in the world for this entry.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again... I’m getting rather sick and tired of people who feel entitled to things they really aren’t. The whole “the customer is always right” adage has been used and abused to the point that people have been spoiled. Everything’s amazing, but nobody’s happy! I don’t get it, really.
I know people are entitled to take offense, to complain, but at the end of the day, the world owes you effing nothing. You didn’t do anything to earn being alive. You were alive just because, and the world doesn’t magically owe you anything just because your conditions are less than optimal or whatever other cockamamie reason you can think up. It’s so easy to whine and to rant and to complain, but it’s so difficult to just sit down there, focus, and finally do something constructive for a change. People are entitled to complain, but the minute that’s your defining trait? Boy, you better rethink what you’re doing with your time.
I’m really glad he came out with this post, really. Because let’s face it: a lot of people feel entitled even if there is no sensible reason why they should be. When I guested on Ruffa and Ai a few weeks ago, I had people who took offense to me because I did not want to be textmates with them.
Listen, let me give you a tip: just because my cellphone number was displayed on television, it doesn’t mean you’re entitled to ask me how my lunch was at three in the effing morning. I’m a professional. I am not your monkey. I am not your bitch. If you can’t respect me as a person, then I see no reason to feel bad at being labelled as “suplado” when I don’t owe you a single mothereffing thing. You don’t feed me. You don’t know me. So take your insensitivity and find someone else to bug.
No, the customer isn’t always right. Not when they disrespect the other person, resort to insulting them, calling them names, and stepping on their dignity as a human person. I don’t get why we tolerate that kind of crap being hurled in our direction just because. As I said during the Alec Baldwin issue, people are entitled to take offense, but that doesn’t entitle them to act like idiots and resort in kind. I thought we left that stupid “eye for an eye” schtick in the Old Testament? So why are we running back to it again?
I ain’t havin’ it. This sense of entitlement crud really has got to stop. Just because people are doing their job does not give you the right to treat them less than human. We are not your effing monkeys.
And Archie Chooses... (SPOILERS)
.:And Archie Has Chosen...:.
DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED!!!!!
DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED!!!!!
Veronica!
In what appears to be a landmark storyline for Archie Comics, the 600th issue will feature a “future” storyline wherein Archie proposes to Veronica Lodge after college. As this is a storyline that is out of the “continuity”, since after this arc is done, we revert to the status quo of the eternal love triangle.
Nonetheless, I’m hoping to get my hands on a copy of this special issue. I want to know how the storyline plays out, and I want to find out what’s in the books for Betty, if she really doesn’t end up with Archie.
This definitely bears watching.
Another Political Lambaste...
.:Finally, They Wise Up:.
Mike Defensor has said he intends to drop his perjury case against Lozada. Citing the fact that the judge in charge of the perjury case was clearly biased in favour of the accused, Mr. Defensor felt that it would be better to just drop the case instead, and I, for one, am happy about that.
What should’ve been settled a long way back has instead dragged on, thanks to all the side issues that popped up, including this whole HK scandal. Back then, a few more conscientious bloggers were wondering aloud about what has been happening to Jun Lozada, and now, we find out that to this very moment, he’s obviously still in jail.
If one Hayden Kho needs protection from a drug pusher, there is no question that one Jun Lozada needs even more protection, seeing who his enemies happen to be. Vigilance is necessary. We all have our own concerns and causes and stakes in the country. It’s best for all of us to not allow ourselves to become swayed by the storm of issues that could sidetrack our main concerns.
Just a thought, really. I don’t have anything snarky to say about Mr. Defensor.
.:Welcome To The Circus!:.
It’s facepalm-inducing, the kind of ruckus the senate is generating over this whole scandal. I really wish it would just go away. They should really know when to quit it.
Senator Jamby Madrigal, when she ran for senator last time, claimed she’s anti-traditional politics. I don’t really see anything “untraditional” about how she’s comporting herself at the moment, sadly. Senator Bong Revilla’s attempt at being the paragon of machismo, on the other hand, is simply backfiring. The fact is, Mr. Kho’s groundswell of support is unbelievably getting stronger and stronger by the day, and a lot of that is simply because clearly, the response to this whole issue has been bloated and exaggerated.
What’s even crazier now is that the OMB, given directives most likely from above, have been ignoring other pirated DVD’s and seizing only the scandal videos of the people concerned. If that isn’t turning a blind eye to everything else that’s obviously illegal in selling pirated DVD’s, I don’t know what is. That even pirates are saying that selling the scandals are “prohibited” while everything else being sold is apparently not is quite a glaring sign of misplaced priorities here.
Let me paraphrase the title of an album from one of the bands I am an eternal fan of, Radioactive Sago Project...
T@ngina mo, ang daming nagugutom sa mundo, papogi-pogi ka pa diyan sa Senado?
Mike Defensor has said he intends to drop his perjury case against Lozada. Citing the fact that the judge in charge of the perjury case was clearly biased in favour of the accused, Mr. Defensor felt that it would be better to just drop the case instead, and I, for one, am happy about that.
What should’ve been settled a long way back has instead dragged on, thanks to all the side issues that popped up, including this whole HK scandal. Back then, a few more conscientious bloggers were wondering aloud about what has been happening to Jun Lozada, and now, we find out that to this very moment, he’s obviously still in jail.
If one Hayden Kho needs protection from a drug pusher, there is no question that one Jun Lozada needs even more protection, seeing who his enemies happen to be. Vigilance is necessary. We all have our own concerns and causes and stakes in the country. It’s best for all of us to not allow ourselves to become swayed by the storm of issues that could sidetrack our main concerns.
Just a thought, really. I don’t have anything snarky to say about Mr. Defensor.
.:Welcome To The Circus!:.
It’s facepalm-inducing, the kind of ruckus the senate is generating over this whole scandal. I really wish it would just go away. They should really know when to quit it.
Senator Jamby Madrigal, when she ran for senator last time, claimed she’s anti-traditional politics. I don’t really see anything “untraditional” about how she’s comporting herself at the moment, sadly. Senator Bong Revilla’s attempt at being the paragon of machismo, on the other hand, is simply backfiring. The fact is, Mr. Kho’s groundswell of support is unbelievably getting stronger and stronger by the day, and a lot of that is simply because clearly, the response to this whole issue has been bloated and exaggerated.
What’s even crazier now is that the OMB, given directives most likely from above, have been ignoring other pirated DVD’s and seizing only the scandal videos of the people concerned. If that isn’t turning a blind eye to everything else that’s obviously illegal in selling pirated DVD’s, I don’t know what is. That even pirates are saying that selling the scandals are “prohibited” while everything else being sold is apparently not is quite a glaring sign of misplaced priorities here.
Let me paraphrase the title of an album from one of the bands I am an eternal fan of, Radioactive Sago Project...
T@ngina mo, ang daming nagugutom sa mundo, papogi-pogi ka pa diyan sa Senado?
Monday, June 01, 2009
Random Amused Thoughts...
.:Jericho Rosales’s Hilarious Sunsilk Commercial...:.
I don’t need to add any commentary to this, really...
“Mga ‘tol, si Echo ito. Usapang lalake lang, mga bro. Huwag muna kayo bumili ng Sunsilk sachet. Baka kasi manalo kayo ng trip to El Nido kasama ako. Hindi naman sa ayaw ko kayo kasama, pero mga bro, El Nido yun. White sand, sunset, tapos ka-holding hands niyo ako. Dyahe naman, diba?”
.:Break A Leg? Why?:.
I don’t get why people always tell me to “break a leg” when wishing me luck.
Whose leg am I supposed to break? Mine? How is this supposed to give me good luck?
But I think it makes sense now, if you think of the leg as a wishbone. Yeah. That’s what it is. A wishbone. But I’m still not breaking my own leg...
.:The Last Known Survivor Of The Titanic Has Passed Away...:.
Now that she has passed away, there are effectively no more Titanic survivors.
One does wonder if she was an organ donor, though. That way, her heart could go on.
I don’t need to add any commentary to this, really...
“Mga ‘tol, si Echo ito. Usapang lalake lang, mga bro. Huwag muna kayo bumili ng Sunsilk sachet. Baka kasi manalo kayo ng trip to El Nido kasama ako. Hindi naman sa ayaw ko kayo kasama, pero mga bro, El Nido yun. White sand, sunset, tapos ka-holding hands niyo ako. Dyahe naman, diba?”
.:Break A Leg? Why?:.
I don’t get why people always tell me to “break a leg” when wishing me luck.
Whose leg am I supposed to break? Mine? How is this supposed to give me good luck?
But I think it makes sense now, if you think of the leg as a wishbone. Yeah. That’s what it is. A wishbone. But I’m still not breaking my own leg...
.:The Last Known Survivor Of The Titanic Has Passed Away...:.
Now that she has passed away, there are effectively no more Titanic survivors.
One does wonder if she was an organ donor, though. That way, her heart could go on.
Happy Happy Joy Joy
.:After All These Years, Still A Rusher...:.
Ah, tradition.
I must’ve taken a lot of people by surprise when I walked in on the Rusher monthly eyeball, as I’m sure the older Rushers never expected me to show up.
Well, I’m back, and I’m certainly still a solid Rusher, through and through. It’s really funny, considering how long I’ve been out of touch with the Rushers, but I saw them all, and despite mostly being composed of new people, it’s like I’m still with the same group of people.
I guess that’s a good thing. Once a Rusher, always a Rusher. I’ve been tuned in to Chico and Delle for as long as they’ve been a tandem, and I must say, the relationships I’ve managed to have with the various Rushers over the years has been nothing short of life-shaping. It felt just like yesterday, seeing these people, even if most of them, I’ve only ever met for the first time in my life that day.
.:Happy Birthday, The Explainer!:.
Yes, last Saturday, we celebrated the great MLQ3’s birthday, and there was much fun to be had, as conversations on a wide range of topics, from politics to weird missent text messages to people who have no idea what it means to bounce a check.
That being said, it was a great night, with amazing company, and very interesting conversations all around. Phoebe was especially hilarious with how she made Urbanguru practically cringe over her line of questioning. Much laughs were to be had as well at the expense of National University because of the whole “we don’t exist” joke... and then Tito Fort, the guy who proved to me that N.U. actually existed, walked in on our conversation shortly afterwards...
Again, belated happy birthday greetings to MLQ3!
I'd Like To Offer A Prayer...
... to Kit's father. He was the one I donated blood to, last time out. I feel rather saddened by it, but I certainly believe he is in a better place now.
Godspeed to you, kind sir. I may have never met you, but perhaps, in an almost literal way, para na rin kitang kadugo. May you rest in peace.
Godspeed to you, kind sir. I may have never met you, but perhaps, in an almost literal way, para na rin kitang kadugo. May you rest in peace.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
On Professional Courtesy In Magic
In light of finding out someone ripped my magic off today, and after having him flaunt it in my face that he did precisely that, I figured it would just be fair that I write this...
.:On Professional Courtesy: An Ethical Issue:.
There are many issues on professional courtesy in magic, whether undercutting other magicians and the like, but allow me to discuss the most glaring one: outright plagiarism of other magicians.
.:On Professional Courtesy: An Ethical Issue:.
There are many issues on professional courtesy in magic, whether undercutting other magicians and the like, but allow me to discuss the most glaring one: outright plagiarism of other magicians.
In the age of torrents and YouTube and piracy, people seem to forget their manners. The internet is indeed the perfect place for people to act as if the rules of propriety and respect don’t apply, but just because everybody does it does not make it right.
As magicians, especially professional magicians, we invest into our material. From purchasing videos and books to watching seminars, learning from other fellow performers, learning the history of our routines, and never performing routines if we can’t do them justice.
Magic has always been an industry of secrets, and we have seen unscrupulous magicians in the past, dating all the way back to the heyday of Vaudeville, who would actually steal each other’s routines. While we do not have true ownership of our tricks, the presentations we employ, and even the inspiration for routines we come up with or appropriate for ourselves, are issues that we must be sensitive towards.
We are no longer in an era where people actively sabotage each other in the realm of magic solely to get ahead in this industry. There is indeed still competition, but in general, competition has not eliminated the concept of simple professional courtesy to each other. If we know a particular magician has developed a reputation based on a particular routine or presentation, we don’t try to upstage them by using the same routine on their time. It’s common professional courtesy.
I remember when Mr. Sonny Minoza taught me one of his prized routines, the one where he stands and has several people push a stick he is holding, and they are unable to push Mr. Minoza. I am unaware if this is originally his, but he taught me the routine, and gave me the blessing to perform it, except on television. Out of respect to the man, I complied, and he has never had a problem with me when it comes to that. Even during a Comedy Cartel show where Mr. JB Dela Cruz performed psychokinesis, despite requests that I perform the same thing after the show for some friends of a comedian, I declined, citing that another performer has done the same thing a while ago. Consider that I have built a reputation as a performer based on the psychokinesis routine, and you would get an idea of how stringent I am when it comes to giving due respect to fellow magicians.
While some people may rightly point out that I have no legal leg to stand on, I was never a legalist when it comes to my love for magic. What I have always emphasized, though, was the need to be an ethical performer, such that we do not act in a way that degrades the art form of magic, nor act in a way oppressive to our other fellow magicians. It’s basic good manners and right conduct. You don’t have to be a magician or an ethicist to know that if someone gave you a good idea, you thank them for it, or better yet, ask their permission to use it, especially if you’re making money off of it. I don’t think it’s too much to ask. Do you?
Look... if you didn’t pay to learn your magic, whether you learned it from YouTube or a friend taught it to you, learn to give the source credit. If you actually have a way to reach the actual source of the routine, you actually ought to ask their permission for it, because that’s their intellectual property. Even a simple translation of patter from English to Filipino already means that the new Filipino patter you’re using is already the Filipino speaker’s intellectual property. As a general rule of thumb, if it’s not yours and you didn’t pay for it, you ask permission and you give credit. This is their livelihood. If you want it to be your livelihood as well, you better learn to respect the intellectual property rights of your fellow professionals.
I’ve been beset with acts of sheer unprofessionalism in the past. Whether it’s an unprofessional client who strings you along until the last possible minute and then backs out on booking you, or an unprofessional colleague who actually grandstands and performs one of your routines despite the fact that you booked him not as a magician but as an aura reader, I’ve experienced these disappointing acts.
By no means did I tolerate them then. By no means will I tolerate them now. As a professional, I hold myself to a higher standard. I do not believe I should expect any less from a fellow "professional".
This particular performer has done this to another magician before, and I’m sure that I won’t be the last person he’d rip off from. He ripped off this other magician’s routine, then had the nerve to ask this other magician if he could get the music this other magician used when he performed the routine. This is outrageous! Why are we tolerating this kind of behaviour? The routining, the wording, everything about the magic act is somebody’s intellectual property. Ripping that off wholesale is just shameful and a slap in the face of all the magicians who work hard to improve their craft.
As a professional, I have always emphasized ethical behaviour, and key to that is respect for the art form and for the artists. Even though my stand on exposure has always been liberal, I have never used that as an excuse to disrespect other performers and thinkers. I invested time, money, and even my intellect into coming up with routines that fit my personality and fit my character onstage, using words that suit my character best. If I learned something by watching, say, a YouTube video, I make sure to credit, or if I can reach the performer, ask permission from the performer, to use a certain approach or nuance to a given effect.
Simply put, when in doubt, I research. That way, I can credit and ask permission. If I want to get anywhere in this industry, throwing away my professionalism is the worst thing I can do, because being unprofessional assures me that I will not only earn the ire of my contemporaries, but I will also alienate my clients who expect me to be on my best behaviour. When you’re being paid an average worker’s entire monthly salary for a mere half-hour of your time, there is no reason to take shortcuts and to shortchange the people who have it made it possible for you to have that kind of livelihood.
As a person who is only getting into standup comedy, I actually see that there is so much more leeway in magic when it comes to intellectual property. Since many magic routines incorporate the same principles, since so many performers technically sell not only the routine but their performance itself, we seem to think that we are entitled to rip off anything we see from other performers. Standup comedy, being the way it is, is downright strict: you don’t use another comedian’s jokes, period. Would I say that magicians have been spoiled and don’t understand what it means to respect another person’s body of work? I would say that some magicians are, but certainly not all.
Newsflash: we are not entitled to do whatever we want to do just because. When you’re being paid thousands of bucks to do what you do, is it so much to ask for a little credit from the people who gave you the idea to do what you do? Or is it already second nature for you to screw them over and not care about their livelihood, their efforts, and their intellectual property? If it is, really, you’re in the wrong line of work. If you can’t respect the art form and the artists, magic is not for you.
As a performer who has been nothing but respectful to everyone in the industry, as a performer who refuses to speak ill of contemporaries to laypeople, as a performer who has taken the pains to write his own material and line up his routines painstakingly to maximize his client’s entertainment, and ultimately, as a performer who takes pride in his body of work, I have done nothing but show my utmost love and respect for my art form.
With this kind of respect I have given to my art, am I supposed to take lightly any disrespect to me as an artist?
I don’t think so.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
My Third Open Mic...
.:Toyz Comedy Showcase Tuesdays: Finally, Progress!:.
Last night, the effects of the Comedy Cartel show seemed to have carried over, and everyone who performed at the Comedy Showcase Open Mic Night in Toyz Cafe seemed to be performing on a different level as well, and that included the open mic people.
Well, admittedly, I haven’t been that proud of my first two attempts at doing Open Mic, but this night was rather different. With a very supportive audience on our side, I managed to go up there and finally start doing a hybrid of standup comedy and standup magic that I feel is right up my alley. As one of the biggest fans of Michael Finney, that’s one guy who has mastered the art of mixing and matching the two, and I can’t help but take after him when it comes to this.
Anyways, it was a good night all around, as the audience was extra appreciative of our comedy last night. There was an Australian guest who was laughing even at jokes that were cracked in the vernacular, and it was just weird but gratifying to see that kind of appreciation for comedy. As a guy who really appreciates stand-up, finding a restaurant filled with people who are just as appreciative is nothing but heartwarming. There’s also quite a moment of joy that a standup comic gets when you don’t just get laughter, but the much-cherished applause + laughter combination. During my comedy magic shows, I live for moments like those.
I know I technically cheated since I used my magic as a way to bridge the confidence gap I have when performing comedy, but I think it worked out pretty well for me last night. It was also a good opportunity to bond with the other comedians, especially Noel and Ryan. Thanks a lot for the kind words and the votes of confidence! I sincerely, sincerely appreciate the shot in the arm.
For once, I’ll actually let you in on how I did. It’s not perfect, but if you saw how my first two sets went, this was definitely a noticeable improvement... hope you like it!
Last night, the effects of the Comedy Cartel show seemed to have carried over, and everyone who performed at the Comedy Showcase Open Mic Night in Toyz Cafe seemed to be performing on a different level as well, and that included the open mic people.
Well, admittedly, I haven’t been that proud of my first two attempts at doing Open Mic, but this night was rather different. With a very supportive audience on our side, I managed to go up there and finally start doing a hybrid of standup comedy and standup magic that I feel is right up my alley. As one of the biggest fans of Michael Finney, that’s one guy who has mastered the art of mixing and matching the two, and I can’t help but take after him when it comes to this.
Anyways, it was a good night all around, as the audience was extra appreciative of our comedy last night. There was an Australian guest who was laughing even at jokes that were cracked in the vernacular, and it was just weird but gratifying to see that kind of appreciation for comedy. As a guy who really appreciates stand-up, finding a restaurant filled with people who are just as appreciative is nothing but heartwarming. There’s also quite a moment of joy that a standup comic gets when you don’t just get laughter, but the much-cherished applause + laughter combination. During my comedy magic shows, I live for moments like those.
I know I technically cheated since I used my magic as a way to bridge the confidence gap I have when performing comedy, but I think it worked out pretty well for me last night. It was also a good opportunity to bond with the other comedians, especially Noel and Ryan. Thanks a lot for the kind words and the votes of confidence! I sincerely, sincerely appreciate the shot in the arm.
For once, I’ll actually let you in on how I did. It’s not perfect, but if you saw how my first two sets went, this was definitely a noticeable improvement... hope you like it!
Comedy Cartel Raised The Bar Last Monday Night!
.:I Loved Angels And Demons!:.
Just a quick aside before I get to my main point...
In my opinion, it was better than the book, thanks to the fact that they didn’t use one particularly idiotic plot twist in the film adaptation.
Thank goodness.
.:Completely On Fire!:.
Last Monday night, the Comedy Cartel had their Comic Strip standup night happening in Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2.
Let me tell you that this is, bar none, the best show I’ve ever seen from the Comedy Cartel thus far.
Something about Monday night just really lined up neatly for the Comedy Cartel, as their entire roster was on fire from top to bottom. The audience was just really into it, and they definitely went there to be entertained by the Comedy Cartel.
I must say that Noel Gascon’s strong opener really set the tone for the night, and it was pretty obvious that the crowd was going to ride with HK references throughout the night. You just knew the other Cartel members were going to capitalize on that, and boy, they definitely did. Marlon’s ADMU-DLSU joke got the biggest reaction of the night, Ryan debuted in Spicy Fingers with a bang, Stanley’s pacing was amazingly on that night (and he even made an MR reference and linked her name to me... lol), Red had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, Victor was made of win, JB definitely wowed people with his magic, and Mike Unson of course main evented with much aplomb.
Special mention has to go to Richie Fernandez, who practically could’ve declared his candidacy or something, considering how many people went there because of him. Heh. Also, thanks for having me over at his table, as meeting his friends was really quite an experience. It’s just amazing what conversations you can find yourself in with people who are in a jovial mood thanks to top-notch comedy. My brother even dropped in on the show, and he was definitely pleased as punch by it.
I’ve been supporting the Cartel precisely because I know they’re this damned good. These guys are awesome, and I hope that as time goes by, more and more people would see and appreciate these guys for the comedic geniuses that they are.
If you want to find out more about them, feel free to go to their website. Their next show is coming this June 13, in Conspiracy Bar. It’s gonna be Mike Unson’s birthday show, so watch out for that!
Just a quick aside before I get to my main point...
In my opinion, it was better than the book, thanks to the fact that they didn’t use one particularly idiotic plot twist in the film adaptation.
Thank goodness.
.:Completely On Fire!:.
Last Monday night, the Comedy Cartel had their Comic Strip standup night happening in Spicy Fingers in Greenbelt 2.
Let me tell you that this is, bar none, the best show I’ve ever seen from the Comedy Cartel thus far.
Something about Monday night just really lined up neatly for the Comedy Cartel, as their entire roster was on fire from top to bottom. The audience was just really into it, and they definitely went there to be entertained by the Comedy Cartel.
I must say that Noel Gascon’s strong opener really set the tone for the night, and it was pretty obvious that the crowd was going to ride with HK references throughout the night. You just knew the other Cartel members were going to capitalize on that, and boy, they definitely did. Marlon’s ADMU-DLSU joke got the biggest reaction of the night, Ryan debuted in Spicy Fingers with a bang, Stanley’s pacing was amazingly on that night (and he even made an MR reference and linked her name to me... lol), Red had the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand, Victor was made of win, JB definitely wowed people with his magic, and Mike Unson of course main evented with much aplomb.
Special mention has to go to Richie Fernandez, who practically could’ve declared his candidacy or something, considering how many people went there because of him. Heh. Also, thanks for having me over at his table, as meeting his friends was really quite an experience. It’s just amazing what conversations you can find yourself in with people who are in a jovial mood thanks to top-notch comedy. My brother even dropped in on the show, and he was definitely pleased as punch by it.
I’ve been supporting the Cartel precisely because I know they’re this damned good. These guys are awesome, and I hope that as time goes by, more and more people would see and appreciate these guys for the comedic geniuses that they are.
If you want to find out more about them, feel free to go to their website. Their next show is coming this June 13, in Conspiracy Bar. It’s gonna be Mike Unson’s birthday show, so watch out for that!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Swung By The Morning Rush Yesterday Morning...
.:They Are Still Made Of Win:.
I love Mojo and Grace Lee like anything, but there's no question that Chico and Delamar are the two jocks who have influenced me the most, bar none. Although Chico's on vacation until Friday, the show was still very interesting, as it was manned by Delle and Radio 1 student jock Suzie.
I've sung Chico and Delle's praises for years already, so I have little to add when it comes to that. As such, allow me to sing Suzie's praises.
As a student jock who has been training with Chico and Delamar for a while already, Suzie has what it takes to be a full-fledged jock in due time. She has a very assertive but likable attitude on the air, and she knows how to develop rapport with other people.
She's witty, thinks quickly on her feet, and she can express herself very candidly without any hesitation. Most student jocks find it intimidating to talk around a dj on the air because they don't know if they talk too much. Suzie seems to know those limits very implicitly, and as such, always has something good to contribute to the discussion whenever she speaks up.
Few people can train her as well as Chico and Delle could, so she's in really good hands. Suzie can go a really long way, and it only goes to show, with people as promising as her, that radio is still an industry that is far from dead.
I love Mojo and Grace Lee like anything, but there's no question that Chico and Delamar are the two jocks who have influenced me the most, bar none. Although Chico's on vacation until Friday, the show was still very interesting, as it was manned by Delle and Radio 1 student jock Suzie.
I've sung Chico and Delle's praises for years already, so I have little to add when it comes to that. As such, allow me to sing Suzie's praises.
As a student jock who has been training with Chico and Delamar for a while already, Suzie has what it takes to be a full-fledged jock in due time. She has a very assertive but likable attitude on the air, and she knows how to develop rapport with other people.
She's witty, thinks quickly on her feet, and she can express herself very candidly without any hesitation. Most student jocks find it intimidating to talk around a dj on the air because they don't know if they talk too much. Suzie seems to know those limits very implicitly, and as such, always has something good to contribute to the discussion whenever she speaks up.
Few people can train her as well as Chico and Delle could, so she's in really good hands. Suzie can go a really long way, and it only goes to show, with people as promising as her, that radio is still an industry that is far from dead.
Much props to you!
.:Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken:.
Senator Chiz Escudero had a very candid interview this morning on AM radio while I was in the cab on my way to RX. Essentially, he was saying that while he respected the senators' move to have to Subpoena the women involved in the HK scandal, he was not going to participate in it, and he felt that there were more important issues to address.
Indeed, the issue needs to be addressed, and slowly, the Anti-Voyeurism bill is being refined into something that actually has worth and merit, but Senator Chiz is correct in saying that there are more pressing matters that need to be dealt with, and perhaps, it is best to just do this one-of investigation for a day in that it is truly "in aid of legislation" as far as the AV Bill is concerned, but beyond that, leave the resolution to the proper avenues.
I am not ignoring the necessity of dealing with the issue, but I feel that we are overestimating its importance. I actually feel that calling some of the women involved in the scandals would do them more harm than good and put them under unfair scrutiny. It sickens me the kind of double-standard imposed here that some people look at these women horribly just because they got intimate with a man, especially the lady doctor. For crying out loud, she was in a relationship. Why is that reason to judge her adversely?
Double standards are terrible, but they will only be aggravated by this media circus. Meanwhile, we conveniently are drawn away from other pressing issues...
And seriously... what's going on with Jun Lozada? Why do we seem to have no idea what happened to him ever since this whole mess started?
That, and what verification can be had that the COA findings that clear Joc-Joc Bolante of the fertilizer fund scam was indeed a fair and unbiased investigation?
Inquiring minds would really like to know.
Monday, May 25, 2009
A Day Of Victories!
.:Worst Film, Best Director...:.
Indeed, one man's trash is another man's treasure.
Notwithstanding the critical panning one Roger Ebert gave the film "Kinatay", Brillante Mendoza's vision as a director was still recognized, leading to the first time a Filipino has won "Best Director" in Cannes.
As I have yet to see the film, I can only offer congratulations to the director, and oftentimes, there is this trend where a director is recognized for his skill and expertise even if his film may not have quite been as well-received as he himself is.
There have been very polarizing reviews about the film so far. Either people outright loved it, or outright hated it. There's very little opinions in between, and I believe that given the nature of the subject matter, it was certainly going to be the case as the film definitely seems to be more than willing to push a lot of buttons.
So congratulations, Brillante Mendoza! Your work has been recognized, and I'm certain you have more films to do and more stories to tell.
And who knows? Maybe next time, a happy story?
.:The Great Book Blockade Has Been Lifted:.
And as Dominique Cimafranca put it, now what?
In a move people have been praying for, President Arroyo asked that the tax on books be lifted immediately. Say what you want about the president, but she didn't just waste our time with privilege speeches about the issue, and simply just asked it to be taken out.
Indeed, this is a laudable exercise of "blogger power", as it were, but this is merely the tip of the iceberg for us. Our crusades don't end here, and only in a perfect world should we expect never to find a cause worth fighting for.
We've already opened up to the people that reading has merit and that we don't want to leave it to the wayside. Now, what are the avenues we may explore to promote reading to everyone? Even if books become affordable, we need to find a way to aid the declining book-reading population in the country.
At the same time, how much are you willing to bet that some unscrupulous Customs agents will ignore this directive and just play dumb anyways? Somehow, I don't think I'd be too surprised if that happened.
We still have a lot of work cut out for us, but any victory we can take is a victory we must cherish.
Or did they just close this issue so people can focus even more on this silly Hayden Kho brouhaha? Meh.
I'm glad that bloggers managed to do something right, though. Goes to show there's more about us than libel and general asshattery. Much more, I'm sure.
Indeed, one man's trash is another man's treasure.
Notwithstanding the critical panning one Roger Ebert gave the film "Kinatay", Brillante Mendoza's vision as a director was still recognized, leading to the first time a Filipino has won "Best Director" in Cannes.
As I have yet to see the film, I can only offer congratulations to the director, and oftentimes, there is this trend where a director is recognized for his skill and expertise even if his film may not have quite been as well-received as he himself is.
There have been very polarizing reviews about the film so far. Either people outright loved it, or outright hated it. There's very little opinions in between, and I believe that given the nature of the subject matter, it was certainly going to be the case as the film definitely seems to be more than willing to push a lot of buttons.
So congratulations, Brillante Mendoza! Your work has been recognized, and I'm certain you have more films to do and more stories to tell.
And who knows? Maybe next time, a happy story?
.:The Great Book Blockade Has Been Lifted:.
And as Dominique Cimafranca put it, now what?
In a move people have been praying for, President Arroyo asked that the tax on books be lifted immediately. Say what you want about the president, but she didn't just waste our time with privilege speeches about the issue, and simply just asked it to be taken out.
Indeed, this is a laudable exercise of "blogger power", as it were, but this is merely the tip of the iceberg for us. Our crusades don't end here, and only in a perfect world should we expect never to find a cause worth fighting for.
We've already opened up to the people that reading has merit and that we don't want to leave it to the wayside. Now, what are the avenues we may explore to promote reading to everyone? Even if books become affordable, we need to find a way to aid the declining book-reading population in the country.
At the same time, how much are you willing to bet that some unscrupulous Customs agents will ignore this directive and just play dumb anyways? Somehow, I don't think I'd be too surprised if that happened.
We still have a lot of work cut out for us, but any victory we can take is a victory we must cherish.
Or did they just close this issue so people can focus even more on this silly Hayden Kho brouhaha? Meh.
I'm glad that bloggers managed to do something right, though. Goes to show there's more about us than libel and general asshattery. Much more, I'm sure.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Ted Failon's Pyrrhic Victory...
.:NBI Investigation Reveals: Trina Etong Committed Suicide:.
Finally, it can be confirmed that Ted Failon did not attempt to kill his wife. The investigation was very clear and though this is not cause for joy but merely relief, I’m sure that Ted Failon must be feeling significantly better now that he is not being suspected, at times even accused, of having killed his wife.
I write about this story because I personally find it to be a very important lesson to people who enjoy doing nothing more than speculating and bandwagoning. The sheer number of armchair CSI specialists who turned up in Plurk and on the blogosphere alike was ridiculous, and I hope all of those insensitive souls who were quick to assume the worst out of Mr. Failon are eating crow right now.
I don’t have much to add when it comes to the NBI findings, really. I just feel that this moment is a victory, albeit a pyrrhic one for Mr. Failon. I would never know if the man is a saint or whatnot. I don’t know him personally. But when people started to go on a witch-hunt and when they decided for themselves that watching CSI on TV was going to be enough education for them to bypass due process, I was admittedly disturbed by the trend I saw. Just a year or two ago, I left this kind of sensationalism up to anonymouse bloggers or Brian Gorell, but now, I see so much sensationalism in blogs and Plurks alike, I find it difficult to tell them apart from seedy tabloids.
So to the people who went ahead and accused Mr. Failon of being his wife’s killer, are you decent enough to offer an apology to him, even if he may never read it? We bloggers keep on talking about our power and our ability to voice out what we think, but are we responsible with what we write or say? Or is libel just the standard operating procedure in cyberspace?
I could’ve sworn that wasn’t the blogosphere I spent almost seven years in all this time. When did it all take a turn for the worse? When did bloggers get so full of themselves that they think the rules of decency and propriety no longer apply to them?
If I didn’t make it clear enough, to the people, be they bloggers, politicians, plurkers, or whomever else who accused Ted Failon of killing his wife, to those who aggrandized themselves by thinking they’re some wonderful forensic experts despite not having set one foot in the “crime” scene, shame on you.
Shame on you for milking your traffic with theories about why he acted the way he did despite being a journalist. The next time your wife gets shot in the head and you’re going out of your mind trying to save her life, I hope you’d know exactly what to do and not let a single ounce of emotion get in the way.
Shame on you for accusing an innocent man of wrongdoing for no other reason than it sounds sensational and it “seems” to make all the sense in the world.
Shame on you for being insensitive to a man who just suffered a tragedy.
And shame on you for not understanding the concept of “innocent until proven guilty”.
Finally, it can be confirmed that Ted Failon did not attempt to kill his wife. The investigation was very clear and though this is not cause for joy but merely relief, I’m sure that Ted Failon must be feeling significantly better now that he is not being suspected, at times even accused, of having killed his wife.
I write about this story because I personally find it to be a very important lesson to people who enjoy doing nothing more than speculating and bandwagoning. The sheer number of armchair CSI specialists who turned up in Plurk and on the blogosphere alike was ridiculous, and I hope all of those insensitive souls who were quick to assume the worst out of Mr. Failon are eating crow right now.
I don’t have much to add when it comes to the NBI findings, really. I just feel that this moment is a victory, albeit a pyrrhic one for Mr. Failon. I would never know if the man is a saint or whatnot. I don’t know him personally. But when people started to go on a witch-hunt and when they decided for themselves that watching CSI on TV was going to be enough education for them to bypass due process, I was admittedly disturbed by the trend I saw. Just a year or two ago, I left this kind of sensationalism up to anonymouse bloggers or Brian Gorell, but now, I see so much sensationalism in blogs and Plurks alike, I find it difficult to tell them apart from seedy tabloids.
So to the people who went ahead and accused Mr. Failon of being his wife’s killer, are you decent enough to offer an apology to him, even if he may never read it? We bloggers keep on talking about our power and our ability to voice out what we think, but are we responsible with what we write or say? Or is libel just the standard operating procedure in cyberspace?
I could’ve sworn that wasn’t the blogosphere I spent almost seven years in all this time. When did it all take a turn for the worse? When did bloggers get so full of themselves that they think the rules of decency and propriety no longer apply to them?
If I didn’t make it clear enough, to the people, be they bloggers, politicians, plurkers, or whomever else who accused Ted Failon of killing his wife, to those who aggrandized themselves by thinking they’re some wonderful forensic experts despite not having set one foot in the “crime” scene, shame on you.
Shame on you for milking your traffic with theories about why he acted the way he did despite being a journalist. The next time your wife gets shot in the head and you’re going out of your mind trying to save her life, I hope you’d know exactly what to do and not let a single ounce of emotion get in the way.
Shame on you for accusing an innocent man of wrongdoing for no other reason than it sounds sensational and it “seems” to make all the sense in the world.
Shame on you for being insensitive to a man who just suffered a tragedy.
And shame on you for not understanding the concept of “innocent until proven guilty”.
Alec Baldwin Apologizes. The Other Guy: Still A D-Bag
.:He Apologized Already. Let’s Move On, Mmkay?:.
Alec Baldwin apologizes, and proves he’s a bigger class act than certain people we know...
Alec Baldwin is not a perfect person. His life isn’t even measured in years, but in public apologies. Despite all that, he’s still a much classier person than Senator Revilla, who threatened him with bodily harm. Never mind that the also-“insulted” Russians didn’t even bother reacting to the issue. Never mind that nobody seems to care that Krusty the Clown also insulted the Philippines, and Roger Ebert slammed a Filipino movie during Cannes. Of course, I’d be doubly amused and annoyed if they picked up on those issues and used it to grandstand some more.
But really now. The passive-aggressive apology was just classic Baldwin. He said what I hoped Chip Tsao would’ve said: that it was merely said in jest (Or in Tsao’s case, in the course of a satire.), and that while he meant no offense, he apologizes to those who took offense. It’s a clean admission of (non) guilt, and does not condone the hate messages that flew in response to what was merely perceived as a racist remark.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why a lot of Filipinos are so uptight over the lightest remark, and are willing to resort to fisticuffs just to defend their honor. Sen. Revilla and Rep. Golez seem to be made from the same mold.
If you’re a foreigner, you can’t say anything negative about the Philippines. That’s racism.
If you’re a Filipino, you can’t say anything negative about the Philippines, either. That’s crab mentality.
Ergo, nobody can say anything negative about the Philippines. Period. Absobloodylutely brilliant.
Will we ever get to see this country get its head out of its own @$$?
Who knows? The Shadow knows.
Alec Baldwin apologizes, and proves he’s a bigger class act than certain people we know...
Alec Baldwin is not a perfect person. His life isn’t even measured in years, but in public apologies. Despite all that, he’s still a much classier person than Senator Revilla, who threatened him with bodily harm. Never mind that the also-“insulted” Russians didn’t even bother reacting to the issue. Never mind that nobody seems to care that Krusty the Clown also insulted the Philippines, and Roger Ebert slammed a Filipino movie during Cannes. Of course, I’d be doubly amused and annoyed if they picked up on those issues and used it to grandstand some more.
But really now. The passive-aggressive apology was just classic Baldwin. He said what I hoped Chip Tsao would’ve said: that it was merely said in jest (Or in Tsao’s case, in the course of a satire.), and that while he meant no offense, he apologizes to those who took offense. It’s a clean admission of (non) guilt, and does not condone the hate messages that flew in response to what was merely perceived as a racist remark.
For the life of me, I cannot understand why a lot of Filipinos are so uptight over the lightest remark, and are willing to resort to fisticuffs just to defend their honor. Sen. Revilla and Rep. Golez seem to be made from the same mold.
If you’re a foreigner, you can’t say anything negative about the Philippines. That’s racism.
If you’re a Filipino, you can’t say anything negative about the Philippines, either. That’s crab mentality.
Ergo, nobody can say anything negative about the Philippines. Period. Absobloodylutely brilliant.
Will we ever get to see this country get its head out of its own @$$?
Who knows? The Shadow knows.
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