Automated Polls in the Philippines?

How about a wager on this one? Sa pula, sa puti. Sa pula, Magkakaroon ng Automated Elections. Sa Puti, hindi. Any takers? Magkano kayo?

Nobody takes this crap seriously so why take this seriously? Let's just gamble on it. At least sa sugal may ilang taong sasaya. Eh dito? Lahat ng Pinoy, malungkot ulit. Nakakatamad na kaya magsulat ng pangalan ng kandidatong iboboto mo lang dahil sa kawalan ng tinatawag na "viable options." Viable options? Okay, relatively viable options.

In President GMA's BEAT THE ODDS battle cry, "Automated Elections" is the letter A. I hope she could fulfill at least this easiest task.

This or Balance the Budget (Letter B)?! Can the Presidency still do that? They can't. They've tried by taxing even the educational books but even so, they won't fulfill this promise. That's why go with the most simple. With this at least you can say you were able to make a "difference."

We're running out of time... We got 10 months to go...

33rd National Milo Marathon

I participated in the 5K Fun Run of the 33rd National Milo Marathon Manila Leg this morning. It was an enjoyable experience despite lack of sleep the night before. Fellow runners were Bubbles, Concep and Bogs.

Thousands of people participated in the event, a perfect opportunity for politicians to take advantage. :) Mayor Fred Lim and MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando graced the event.

Good thing I was able to time myself because the clock for the 5K fun run was not working when I arrived the finish line. I made 5K at 49:31. Dismal performance due to lack of sleep and lots of runners who obviously were just required by their PE professors to join, thus slacking in the race.

Overall, it was fun. Conquering a certain feat like finishing a 5-kilometer race simply gives you the natural high. Next goal is to outdo the 49-minute performance. :) Next year ulit!

Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen

Just a few bullet points:

-- More Robots!! Whoopee!
-- Funnier Bumble Bee
-- More kick-ass scenes from the Only living Prime: Optimus Prime (Whoa!)
-- Dirtier Megatron
-- Hotter MEGAN FOX!
-- Faster, more complex fight scenes!
-- More cool cars!
-- More action!
-- More Starscream whooping from Megatron!

What else do you want from a fun-filled, action-packed action movie?!

To those critics who looked for depth, plot, cohesiveness, and all other artsy-fartsy Art-class topics, you're looking at the wrong film, guys.

Looking forward to the third installment where as expected, Optimus Prime finally whoops Megatron's ass for good.

Farrah Fawcett, 62 and Michael Jackson, 50

The world lost two great icons of two different eras: Farrah Fawcett, one of the most famous personalities of the 70's for having been one of the three gorgeous undercoer agents in Charlie Angels. She succumbed to her long battle with anal cancer. She was 62.

At the same time, the world lost another person from the musical monarchy, King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who suffered cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles home. He was 50.

The whole world mourns the death of these two superstars, as it has lost another two precious gems of the entertainment industry.

May they continue to live in our memories with their contributions to their respective fields of art. I'd say I was more connected to the 80's Pop legend because he has been a part of my growing years, watching his movies, music videos and danced moves in his concerts, and listening to his cassettes. I remember my mom owning an LP of Thriller, and I would often ask my mom play it in our phonograph when I was I think 4 or 5. Who will ever forget the denied lover Billie Jean, the cool and war-freak tunes of Beat It, and the horrific and graceful dances steps of Thriller (and of course that creepy ending laugh)?

His musical influence really spanned from the most developed to the most far-flung areas of the world, spreading like virus in the ears of the most mundanes citizens of nations. No one will ever fill the void that Michael has left the music industry. And I'm sure he will be immortalized by his valuable contribution to the industry he loved and served since his early childhood days.

Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson, Gone Too Soon...

Wow Bohol! Day 3 - April 5, 2009

Day 3 of the Wow Bohol Summer Trip.

Itinerary:

• Early morning mass at Dauis Church
• Relax at the Bohol Beach Club
• Dinner at Cafe Lawis

Since it was Palm Sunday that day we decided to take an early morning mass at Dauis Church. We waited for the mass to start, only to find out that it has already started. The lay ministers clad in Apostle costumes paraded with the churchgoers as they relived the days that Jesus entered Jerusalem. The mass was offered in the native Visayan language.

The Majestic Dauis Church

After hearing mass, we walked back to Coco Grove to ready ourselves for a relaxing day trip at Bohol Beach Club.

Since it was no longer part of our 3-day, 2-night tour, we needed to source a van that would take and fetch us to BBC. We were able to haggle at a cheap price for a round trip (PhP900 if I recall correctly).

We stayed in Bohol Beach Club the entire day just to feel the summer breeze, enjoy the powdery white sand and simply relax with the help of the soothing waves, the hammocks that were attached to the trees, and the beautiful view.

Symmetrically planted trees with relaxing hammocks attached to their trunks

Checking out the view

White Sand

PB and J with Bords

We ate buffet lunch at the clubhouse, which offered a wide array of Filipino dishes. I can never forget the tandem of the Lechon Kawali and Pork Binagoongan! Whoa!

After lunch we decided to simply hang out at seaside. Some took pictures whiles others slept.

Checking out the... uhm... Wave!

The inviting Nipa Cottages of BBC

We were fetched by the van at around 4:30 pm. We then headed back to Coco Grove to get dressed for our last dinner of the trip at Cafe Lawis, the coffee shop beside the Dauis Church.

This day was the most relaxing of the 4-day, 3-night series. :)

If you haven't visited Bohol yet, well it's never too late. The island is filled with beautiful wonders, from hills, to rivers, to flora and fauna, to churches, to caves, to beaches. I've already been there thrice, but if I have another chance to go there, I would never think twice.

Explore the Philippines!

Manny Pacquiao in Fortune 100 Celebrities

Isang pagpupugay kay Manny Pacquiao na muli na namang pinatunayan ang kanyang katanyagan sa buong mundo, sa kanyang pagiging kabilang sa 100 pinakamakapangyarihang celebrity, ayon sa Forbes. Siya at pang limampu't pito, at ang kaisa-isang Pilipinong napabilang sa hanay na ito. Ang nanguna sa talaan ay si Angelina Jolie, na siya namang dinaig ang batikang TV host na si Oprah Winfrey.

Sa 18 manlalaro sa iba't ibang larangan na napasama sa talaan, si Pacquiao lamang ang natatanging boksingerong napabilang, at nagtamo ng pansampung puwesto.

Ang nasabing talaan ay tinitingnan ang media value, web value, kinikita at abot ng kaalaman ng madla sa mga batikang tao sa larangan ng entertainment at palakasan. Si Manny ay napabalitang kumita ng $40 milyon, ayon na rin sa Forbes.

Mabuhay ka Manny! Patuloy mong pinapasikat ang lahing Pilipino!

Mabuhay din ang mga Pilipinong world class! Ayos!

P.S. Huwag ka nang tumakbo, Manny... Tumulong ka na lang sa naghihingalong industriya ng palakasan sa Pilipinas.

Cookbook Kitchen, Mandaluyong

As I was browsing the local channels (for lack of choices due to absence of Cable TV), I stopped at QTV to watch Ang Pinaka, hosted by Rovilson Fernandez. It featured the best hole-in-a-wall restaurants around the metro. I just caught the top three restos: 3. Som's, 2. Nomnomnom, and 1. Cookbook Kitchen. With its unique location and being the number one among the list, I decided to try out Cookbook Kitchen with Bubbles one Friday dinner.

The place was difficult to find if you did not consult with the website for directions! It was located behind Nissan Shaw -- from Manila/Shaw, Take a left at Torres St., Then left at the end of the street, and left at the first street. I managed to find it easily, though. :)

The place was quaint and cozy. It gives you the comfortable feel, special thanks to the paintings on its walls and the comfortable seats. It can occupy around 40-50 persons.

We started off with mixed greens with Honey Mustard dressing.

I needed to try their bestseller, the Parmesan Crusted Fish Fillet. The reviews about the fish did not lie! The fish melts in your mouth, the mixture of the tastes of parmesan and other spices made this dish mouth-watering.

Bubbles tried out the Shrimp and Basil Linguine Pasta. Delicious. Enough said. The tomato and spices were just right(not too sour, nor too bland), and the mixture of the herbs and spices made the dish all perfect.

For dessert, we tried out their "Secret" Cake. This one, I have to say that there are many more pastry stores out there that are better tasting. The cake was just okay.

But overall, our dining experience in Cookbook Kitchen was well worth the adventure of finding it. Good main course, hospitable crew, and affordable price simply made Cookbook Kitchen the number one hole-in-a-wall restaurant for Ang Pinaka. For me, I'm not really an expert in rating restaurants, but this will surely be a top-of-mind suggestion if someone would ask me a good dining or date place. :)

Cebu Inmates do the Jai Ho!

Ayos! Nakakabilib talaga ang mga Cebu Inmates. :)




Salamat kay Pam at sinabi niyang may ganitong performance ang mga Inmate. :)

Jai Ho!!!

Hayden Kho and A(H1N1)

There are only two headlines alternating broadsheets these days: Hayden Kho's sex scandal Katrina Halili and The increasing number of infected Filipinos of the deadly A(H1N1) Virus, also known as the Swine Flu.

These issues have somwthing in common: Both Hayden's Sex Scandals and the Virus spread quickly and in multiple proportions! The former in your favorite pirated video store, the latter via liquid transmission.

Both the virus and the scandal are dangerously contagious, and both destroy: The virus destroys the body immune system, while the scandal destroys the the Filipino psyche.

The casualties of these two issues have also been bad: The virus has reported almost a hundred deaths worldwide, with the Philippines reporting around 14 infected. The scandal has brought out the worst of the Senators involved in the investigation, it brought out how sorry we are for electing them for Senate. The scandal also delayed a number more important, more relevant investigations and bills.

These are the primary reasons why both issues are strong contenders in next few days' headlines. :) God help us...

Who's it gonna be?

It's Orlando Magic 3-2 over Cleveland in the East. Lakers lead over Denver in the West. We will soon find out who will be the finalists in 2009 over the weekend.

Fearless Forecast: Orlando vs. LA!

Manila by Sunset

Nothing beats the sight of the sunset in Manila Bay. It is breathtaking to witness how the sun changes color from bright yellow to orange as it fades towards the water, and how its colorblends with the color of the sky.

Luckily, I was able to capture the breathtaking sight. :)

It is amazing to see how the sun majestically graces the end of our every day.

Thank God for the traffic in Roxas Boulevard, I decided to take a few shots. :)

Hayden Kho Scandal

Cheers to the Philippines' version of Edison Chen!

Thanks to this controversy, Filipinos have already forgotten other more important matters like the A(H1N1) outbreak. Jun Lozada's plight has been sidelined. Several dozens of Senate bills delayed review due to the scandal-related privilege speeches and planned investigations. Samuel Ong died silently. The crazy regulation on book tariffs was disregarded in the headlines (well at least Malacanang already did something about it). Alec Baldwin was easily pardoned.

Will new laws on pornography or cyber crimes be created with this controversy? This has long been demanded even before the iloveyou virus was created. And now, another scandal broke out, and no governing law can apprehend the culprits but the far-fetched Anti-abuse on women and children law, which is a very very weak accusation when it comes to this issue. How can you bring the victims to justice if there is not even a clearcut law that would pin them down?

Alec Baldwin Racial Slur

I don't see the reason why we overacted in Alec Baldwin's statement on Filipina Mail Order Brides. First, I personally think that he had no intention of hitting on Filipinos in general. He was just joking about the often neglected side of the Filipino social picture, that is the human trafficking among Filipino women.

I personally found it not too offensive, definitely not like the previous "jokes" on Filipinos, like that of the Desperate Housewives episode, or that of Chip Tsao's. In these two previous incidents, they hit on respected Filipino workers, doctors, domestic helpers, servants. To me, these are much more offensive.

I consider the joke by Alec Baldwin as a wake up call to our citizenry, and most especially, our government, that transactions like mail order brides are stilll rampant today for it to merit Mr. Baldwin's attention. If you search the words "bride" or "pinay" over various search engines, you will be surprised to see hundreds, if not thousands of posts on Filipino Mail Order Brides. Even in social networking sites such as Multiply or Friendster, there will definitely be a side advertisement on such by-order brides. With this, I think Mr. Baldwin is simply stating a fact, and thus, does not merit any special attention or ire.

Let's check it out to see if it is really offending:







I've watched it over and over again and I can't seem to find the offending part in his interview.

Perhaps it is much more offending to see politicians prioritize investigations and privilege speeches and waste tons of taxpayers' money for some sex scandal!