Merry Christmas!

Dahil gusto ko happy ka!

almost BUT not QUITE

December 23, 2011

In Front of my Computer
Near the Window,
Philippines

Dear SantaKlaws:

I was advised that I made it to you "nice" list. Thank you very much. I am looking forward to the day the DHL person would hand me your gift (presumably from the North Pole). I was just surprised that you are not utilizing the reindeers, why, what happened? Flu?

P.S.:

Could you please be extra nice, and send some more to our brothers down south (redundant, i know). They've had a bad week prior to Christmas day. It pains us, that we get to enjoy these gifts (for being nice)  while they mourn their losses. Santa, please - make them happy - especially the kids.

Repost: Perilous times

Editorial: Manila Standard Today

http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/sectionOpinion.htm?f=2011/december/14/editorial.isx&d=2011/december/14

HIS administration's decision to ram the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Renato Corona through the House of Representatives this week is so fraught with danger that we are almost at a loss where to begin.

Certainly, the one-day sensation confirmed the complete subservience of the House to the wishes of President Benigno Aquino III.

The one, overarching mental image of the Speaker of the House punching out a text message on his cell phone to dutifully and promptly report to the President the success of his signature campaign against the Chief Justice speaks more eloquently than words could ever do of the extent to which Congress has surrendered its prerogatives to the Palace. The celebratory lunch that followed the next day at a five-star hotel became yet another venue for the President to publicly attack the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court with his folksy, self-righteous rhetoric

Another clear and present danger is the death of judicial independence.

If the brown shirts in the President's Liberal Party can impeach the Chief Justice at will because they dislike the way he has passed judgment, will other justices of the Court and judges of the lower courts dare to rule against the administration again, right or wrong? Already, there are rumbling about the next targets for impeachment. True or not, these rumors would certainly have a chilling effect on the Judiciary, which has already had to contend with this administration's selective adherence to court rulings, and its open defiance of the Supreme Court.

It is easy to dismiss as hyperbole Judge Antonio Eugenio's warning comparing Mr. Aquino to the German dictator Adolf Hitler, but the words of the incumbent president of the Manila Judges Association ring true.

“They act by sheer numbers. They act on the basis of popularity,” Eugenio said of the President and his allies in the House.

“But remember history. When Hitler assumed power in Germany, he was the most popular figure and trampled upon the rights of everyone because he was popular. We all know what happened to Adolf Hitler,” Eugenio said.

The warning tells of the third major danger in the latest impeachment drama—public apathy. In an environment that demonizes any person associated with the previous administration, it is difficult to raise the alarm over the loss of our rights and the diminution of our democratic institutions without being smeared by broad, yellow brush strokes. Yet these are already happening under our noses, thanks to a President who has cynically used his popularity to subvert the institutions he has sworn to defend and uphold.

PPP: Pnoys (xmas) Party Presentation

Harry Fatter

After telling Pnoy, that attacking the Judiciary is wrong because:

So while we completely sympathize with PNoy in his current confrontation with the Court, the reality is that he himself invited into his house the Devil that now haunts him. What is regrettable now is that having failed at first instance to do what is right, he is now destroying the very institution that that is indispensable in achieving public order in society. With his repeated attacks against the Court, he has achieved much in destroying the people’s faith in the Court as an institution. If he thinks he is doing the country a service by doing this, he better think again. For when people lose faith in the courts, they will have no further recourse but to take the law into their own hands.

Then he went into his old self again and concluded his piece with:

But all is not lost. Justices Corona and Del Castillo are both guilty of betrayal of public trust. The constitutional remedy is to remove them through the constitutional process of impeachment. PNoy does not only command the loyalty of both Houses of Congress. He also has the overwhelming support of the people. He can certainly cause the successful impeachment of these justices. Meanwhile, let’s spare the institution. You do not rebuild an already damaged institution by laying bombs at its foundations.

you are the 1%

When Malacanang (via Lacierda) invoked the fact that Pnoy only has 1% of Hacienda Luisita, what does that mean?

Katrina Stuart Santiago
http://www.radikalchick.com/on-pnoys-1-of-hacienda-luisita/

1% of 6443 hectares = 64.43 hectares of land.

what is 64.43 hectares of land?

Intramuros is 64 hectares.
SM Mall of Asia is only 42 hectares
The La Mesa Eco Park is 33 hectares (extraneous to the watershed and forest)
The Heritage Park in Taguig (we’re talking the cemetery) is 76 hectares
Ateneo de Manila University is 83 hectares

1%? STOP USING IT TO EXPLAIN AWAY FEUDALISM.

PS: according to the Supreme Court decision, the Cojuangcos earned a total amount of PhP 1,330,511,500 from selling land.

1% of that is 13,305,115. that’s 13 MILLION, 305 THOUSAND, 115 PESOS. let us not kid ourselves about that 1%.

Drugged and Muled

I say, go execute them. Harsh, yes! These are adults who know fully well the illegality of their act.

** This presupposes that they were accorded due process; Of course, it is different when someone would be executed by mere suspicion.

Maginhawang Buhay

OFWs who decide to work abroad do so not because there are not enough jobs here. There are jobs here. In the farms, in the factories, in the SM malls, in the call centers, etcetera etcetera. There are jobs. It's just that local industries cannot absorb so many skilled workers, leaving so many to be underpaid. But many, if not all, Pinoys love their families so much that they are willing to work abroad to earn more, double or fourfold of what they can earn here. All for the sake of MAGINHAWANG buhay for their families.  Some get lucky, some are not and would fall victims in these foreign land. These are the risks many OFWs take so that their parents, their wives, their children would have more in life. 

This COKE video offers a glimpse of that (tears).

ctrl + h (search and replace)

Whenever I am in Old Manila, I relish the novels of past - the old calles, tributaries, and pueblos of Noli and Fili. Hence, I find the nonsensical urges of pompous politicians on renaming places. Hell, they call South China Sea as West Philippine Sea! Now it is Edsa becoming Cory Avenue?! 

See, it's all to please the power that be. Sirs, where's is your sense of history? 

for me

"looking for something

I saw your pic instead

and then our pic

we were happy"

not excited. na-ah.

mirror - mirror

Mirror-mirror on the wall, whose smile looks foolish of them all?

:():

Going to the dougie +

So, i'm going to dance this ;)

REPOST : Why the fiasco in Basilan

*** Hmmm, the plot has thickened.
--------------
by Move.PH on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at 7:25am
Maria A. Ressa,
Author-in-Residence & Senior Fellow
International Centre for Political Violence & Terrorism Research, RSIS

(To share or comment on this story, visit or 'like' www.facebook.com/Move.PH. Also follow @MovePH on Twitter.)

MANILA, Philippines -- How could good men with good intentions go so horribly wrong?  You’ve seen my summary of what actually went wrong.  This is my attempt to figure out WHY it did.  Keep in mind that just because the October 18 operation in Basilan was inept (and led to the deaths of 19 soldiers in Al-Barka) doesn’t mean the individual soldiers are inept.

Two officers have been relieved: Lt. Col. Leo Pena, 4th Special Forces Battalion Commander, and Col. Alexander Macario, head of the Special Operations Team-Basilan (SOTF-B).  Speaking with high-ranking officers familiar with the case, one more officer, they say, should have been questioned – if not relieved - as well: Col. Alminkadra Undug, Army Special Forces Regiment Commander based in Zamboanga.  He is Pena’s immediate superior in the Special Forces chain of command and the man whom sources say gave Pena the target intelligence package for the operation.  Col. Undug handled MIG9 (the Military Intelligence Group) in Zamboanga and was implicated in the Hello, Garci scandal.

Col. Macario is outspoken about being bypassed.  When Lt. Col. Pena told him about the operations, troops had already been deployed.  “Wala akong operational lapses,” Macario told me.  Yet, 19 men died so he did what he felt was honorable and volunteered for court martial.  The only man aside from him who had the authority to mobilize the operation is Col. Undug, who allegedly bypassed the area commander.  I could not reach Col. Undug for comment.

This is part of the reason sources say Pena had the courage to “just fyi” Macario, and why Macario allowed the operation to continue.  Both Army Chief Lt. Gen. Arturo Ortiz and Secretary of Defense Voltaire Gazmin are Special Forces.

There are at least three other underlying complications that may offer additional insights:

A new paradigm in military processes and operations

An unspoken rivalry between the Scout Rangers and the Special Forces

The PMA culture of “Take Life”

Special Operations Task Force-Basilan (SOTF-B) is less than a year old.  When I visited Basilan several months ago, Macario was moving quickly on operations.  He has been effective – leading 22 successful combat operations in 7 months. 

His team is an experiment that may be partly based on a US model.  US operations in the Philippines are carried out by the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P).

Part of the reasoning behind the change was the observation that conventional territorial forces were easily tracked and “made too much noise” which alerted their enemies who were more agile and mobile.

It also, however, meant a new command process that - as October 18 proved – had not been fully tested.

Secondly, some soldiers spoke about a rivalry beneath the surface – between the Scout Rangers and the Special Forces which made up Macario’s team.  The Rangers were chosen to lead the 22 successful operations.  Macario is a Ranger with Special Forces training.  Some SF soldiers said they thought he was partial to the Rangers. He told them: “I don’t want you to die in Basilan.  You are not yet operationally capable.” 

This is the first time the 4th Special Forces Battalion acted as territorial forces - part of the reason why they underestimated both the terrain and their enemy, according to a classified investigation report titled “Encounter in Basilan” written on October 20.

Finally, numerous sources spoke about a culture that celebrates courage, a practice they called “take life” – part of officers’ training and culture going back to the Philippine Military Academy.  “Take Life” means having the courage to jump in and take the consequences.  At least two officers cautioned Pena about the dangers of his plan, but he overruled them, allegedly saying “take life.”

I am not a conspiracy theorist; I prefer Occam’s Razor: “the simplest answer is often correct.”  I only offer some possible strands of reasoning which explain why the fiasco in Basilan happened.

REPOST: Fiasco in Basilan

by Move.PH on Monday, October 24, 2011 at 5:44pm

By Maria A. Ressa

(To share or comment on this story, visit or 'like' www.facebook.com/Move.PH. Also follow @MovePH on Twitter.)

MANILA, Philippines -- Philippine President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino faced a dilemma last week after the deaths of 19 soldiers in Al-Barka, Basilan.  Despite the public outcry and mourning, he resisted numerous calls to declare war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and break a ceasefire that’s been in place since 2008.  Instead, he decided to hold the military accountable.  He also chose not to tell the public about the numerous mistakes that led to the tragic deaths.

Results of a classified military investigation paint a picture of incompetence that seems hard to believe.  There are conflicting statements from military officers regarding the purpose of the mission: a high-ranking officer said the troops were supposed to serve a warrant of arrest against the Abu Sayyaf’s Long Malat Solaiman.  Army spokesmen, however, publicly stated their goal was to serve a warrant of arrest against the MILF’s Commander Dan Laksaw Asnawi, who was involved in the beheadings of soldiers in 2007.  However, these statements do not explain why soldiers are doing a police function.

According to a classified report, details of which were confirmed by military officers familiar with the investigation, the battle between the military and the Abu Sayyaf began less than 2 km. away from a designated safe zone called the Area of Temporary Stay (ATS) of the MILF’s 114th Base Command.  The battle lasted 10 hours and moved 4.3 km away from the ATS, disproving the MILF’s claims that soldiers violated the ceasefire rules.

In the first two hours, the report said the troops “were in control of the situation” until reinforcements from “the MILF ATS, MNLF community and ASG stronghold” arrived on motorcycles.

It deteriorated rapidly from that point on because of several fatal mistakes:

1.     The operations were “planned unilaterally” by Lt. Col. Leo Pena, commander of the 4th Special Forces Batallion.  According to another classified document, there was “little coordination” with the 13th & 19th Special Forces Commands as well as the students of Scuba Class Nr 42.  The planning also bypassed the area commander, a serious breach of protocol.  This is important because it meant troops who may have helped in the battle were unprepared.  Sources say Pena is a bright, ambitious young officer.

2.    This is the first time many of these soldiers fought in Basilan, most of whom had no combat experience.  It was positioned as a training exercise for the students of Scuba Class Nr 42.  This is also the first time the 4th Special Forces Batallion fought as a territorial unit.

This partly explains why the troops underestimated their enemy.  They were unaware of two common practices Basilan veterans would have anticipated.  The first is “Pasa Bilis” – the area’s quick information dissemination.  As soldiers move, members of the community sympathetic to the Abu Sayyaf and the MILF text their location and other information.  The second is known as “Pintakasi” – when civilians join the fight against a common enemy - the military.  One intelligence source said, “this is our version of Black Hawk Down.”

3.    After “more than 8 hours of continuous fighting,” 4 of the 6 officers were killed.  Most of the remaining soldiers were young and inexperienced, with the rank of Private First Class (PFC).

4.    The 9th Field Artillery Battalion “responded late and failed to hit the target” while air support “arrived almost six hours late.”

5.    The soldiers had no help.  No reinforcements arrived.  During the planning, members of the 13th Special Forces Command asked for more troops, but it was denied “because of the nature of the operation that is Special Reconnaissance Direct Action (SRDA) Exercise through water infiltration.”

The classified report concluded that “SRDA type of operation is not suitable” for Basilan’s terrain and enemy conditions, and that “the exercises should have been done in a controlled situation.”

This is the 6th battle between the military and the Abu Sayyaf/MILF in Al-Barka since January 2011.

The report concludes “there is strong indication that Al-Barka residents are peripheral members of the rebels, as seen from the quick reinforcements of rebel support at the encounter sites.”

So who is to blame?

Lt. Col. Leo Pena, the young officer who pushed and planned the operation, was relieved of his command, but senior military officers say he couldn’t have acted on his own.

The head of Special Operations Task Force-Basilan (SOTF-B), Col. Alexander Macario claims he was bypassed in the planning although he was “informed of the operations after troops were already prepositioned in the rear.”  He said in a phone interview that Pena “was under pressure by some officers more senior than me.”

Macario is a highly decorated combat officer, who planned and headed 22 successful operations in Basilan in the past 7 months.  Under his watch, he centralized mission planning and carried them all out successfully – except this last one.  Reports said Macario was relieved of his command last Friday, but he said “hindi ko matanggap na operational lapses” (I couldn’t accept I had operational lapses).  Macario told me he took full responsibility for the deaths of 19 soldiers (as the officer in charge) and volunteered for court martial proceedings so he could defend himself.

Macario is certainly aware of the dangers in Basilan.  In an interview last March, he admitted “may collusion iyong tatlong grupo [ASG, MNLF, MILF].  Iyong ASG pupunta sa MILF.  Tutulong sila.  (tr.  There’s collusion between the three groups [ASG, MNLF, MILF].  The ASG runs to the MILF, who helps them.)

The military claims that of the 19 soldiers killed in Al-Barka, six were captured alive and later shot and hacked to death by the MILF, which the MILF denies.

The MILF claims the soldiers were battle casualties after the military attacked them in the designated safe zone.  The classified military report debunked that.  Officers said it was the MILF who violated the rules by helping lawless elements like the Abu Sayyaf.

“We are bent on running after these lawless elements,” said Maj. Gen. Francisco Cruz, Deputy AFP Chief of Staff for Intelligence.  “If the MILF were to obstruct this, then we would consider that a criminal offense.”

On Monday, Mr. Aquino maintained a delicate balance: he said he would continue the ceasefire and talks with the MILF, but arrest criminals, including those from the MILF.

“It is so easy, out of frustration, to close the door on negotiations at this time,” he said.  “If we go down this path, more innocent civilians will be put in harm’s way.  We will not pursue all-out war.  We will instead pursue all-out justice.”

Partly to assuage the military, Mr. Aquino authorized air strikes for the first time in 3 years in areas where the Abu Sayyaf and other “lawless elements” operate and warned the MILF against protecting them.

Sources close to Mr. Aquino said he was deeply disappointed by the military’s shortcomings.  He said the calls for war come “from those who do not have a full awareness of all the factors at play.” - Move.PH

Spokesperson

Finally,  3 weeks respite from all the hassle of Hassleganistan.

The death of our valiant soldiers is disturbing enough. But what and how our Commander-in-Cheap has been handling the issue got to be more disturbing if not more frustrating. Take for instance the sacking of the AFP's spokesperson, this was their explanation I read from the Philippine Star: "Malacañang, meanwhile, advised government spokespersons not to voice out their personal opinions - especially if these are contrary to the official position."

So, that explains why Valte, Lacierda, and Carandang speaks the way they speak. Talking trashily about official issues- which seems their personal opinions, too. Yet, no sanction from the Palace. So, too was the mistweet of Mislang. OMG - these bruitish loquacity is sanction by the palace.

OMG is an understatement.

utak bang bang

More here.

into the perimeter of netherworld

Prelude to a week in hell. A thought of it is enough to give me epileptic shock.

But hey, Sarah is here to keep me from the fires of hell! Mahal na kita talaga Sarah :) Saraaaaaahhhhhhh.... LOL.

fanboy mode*

Sarah, akin ka na lang para hindi ka na malungkot :)




Paulit-ulit-ulit ko itong pinapanood dahil mahal na kita, Sarah. :)

Lost in translation

This was a paragraph from a news report today, it goes:

MALOLOS, Bulacan—President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday confronted criticism that he was nowhere to be seen at the height of Typhoons Pedring and Quiel, saying he was not like a vampire who could split his body into two to please everyone.

In his interviews, what Pnoy said was manananggal. A mananaggal is unique to our culture (?) and it won't equate to a vampire. Lost in translation. Why won't they use manananggal?

Death Cab

A life spent well.

Thank you for the vision & the innovation

Thank you for my imac, iphone, & ipod

celebrity *

(News v Opinion/Feature) writing

Aquino is widely known as a slacker and is usually late for appointments and also was known to have cancelled several appointments to give in to inertia.

I'm not sure if the underscored clause fits in a news item. Oh well, I'm not a journ major nor any of it's allied courses..

Where is Wally?

Missing in Action ba si Wally?

abate: un-masterbate

Dear Santaklaws,

Yesterday was a sad day because the Senator we voted whose election slogan shouted "Gusto ko Happy ka!" announced the opposite. He sweepingly said that masturbation is tantamount to abortion, and Reflecting on this statement made me realized that I'm a recidivist, a repeat offender, an abominable creature unworthy of heaven.

With this, would I still receive a gift from you, Santa?

Hail, Holy One!

send in the klawns

$ 1M

I wonder when will the government give the Province of Bulacan their $1M?

outcast

I liked the photo. Farm Animals on the rooftop after their owners evacuated their submerged homes. Upon closer look the dog on the left looks like an outcast. No wonder why, he's either shunned by the group or on self immolation because of his "galis aso." Ang aarte rin pala ng mga hayop. :)

LYN RILLON/ Inquirer.net

DPWH: dahil busy kami

More busy-body photo ops here!

from Pex

UPDATE: Wow, these busy-buddies made it to the Washington Post!

Queen Guine-beer

Your Royal Highness, were you denying that you are an alcoholic?
Bloody thirsty ain't you? uLOL.

x-x-x

Dear Santaklaws,

The queen wants to live an exciting life, to the exclusion of the mundane. Please, give her a truckload of SanMig, Redhorse, and StrongIce. And since you are near Finland, please give her a barrel of vodka, too.

riddle me ???

Yesterday, a riddle was posited by a friend. Enigmatic as it is, I was itching to ask somebody whom could have easily answered it. I was about to hit the send button, when suddenly a thought came up. NO. I would wait for it to unravel. Yes, wake me up when September ends. I would hate it if I'd spill the beans, or spoil the fun. So there, EQ points for me.

x - x - x

Dear Santaklaws, 

Are you reading this? See, I have restrained myself from spoiling the fun (I have a funny feeling about this). You owe me a gift Santa for this amazing muscle control I'm exerting. It's hard to control the muscle of my middle finger from hitting the send button.

song of rice and curry

Yey.. song and dance number :) yesssss cheeef!

coffee and coffin

My maximum intake of coffee is 1 cup, beyond that -- I would fell asleep. My limbs heavier, eye lids in auto-shutdown mode. So yes, coffee is my sleeping tonic.

And then, last night as I forced myself to sleep-- I dreamed a bad dream. It was so bad it was about death. Death of a highschool classmate. I saw the long procession of mourners. The mourners, I recognized - they are my classmates. And there's the coffin of my dead classmate, and a tarpaulin. A tarpaulin to let everyone know who is in the coffin. 

But why was I not one of the mourners? In that dream, I was even surprised that nobody apprised me of her death. (silly as I am, dreams are compartmentalize - it does not show nor tell the complete story, or maybe it does; it's just that we only remember the climax?). 

faster than fast

I wonder what would the gang of Dr. Sheldon Cooper says about this development.


Particles Moved Faster Than Speed of Light?
Ker Than
for National Geographic News
Published September 23, 2011

Neutrinos—ghostly subatomic particles—may have been observed traveling faster than the speed of light, scientists announced this week.

If confirmed, the astonishing claim would upend a cardinal rule of physics established by Albert Einstein nearly a century ago.

"Most theorists believe that nothing can travel faster than the speed of light. So if this is true, it would rock the foundations of physics," said Stephen Parke, head of the theoretical physics department at the U.S. government-run Fermilab near Chicago, Illinois.

...

Relativity Still Very Close to Right

Even if the OPERA results are confirmed by other scientists, they wouldn't totally invalidate Einstein's theories of general and special relativity, Stanford University's Strigari stressed. Those theories still explain a remarkable range of observed phenomena in the universe.

"I think it's long been understood that the theories we have today aren't the full answers," Strigari said.

"If this observation holds up, then it's probably a good piece of evidence that the theories we currently have need to be reworked."

Drexel University's Goldberg agreed that physicists won't be discarding Einstein's theories anytime soon.

"Even if relativity turned out to be wrong," he said, "it's clearly very, very close to being right."

x-x-x-x

Here's how physicist converse... nosebleed. LOL

1. Andrew Foland says:

   September 23, 2011 at 3:12 pm

   The coordinate system used in their geodesy note linked above is Cartesian. Should you doubt that, you can take the square root of the sum the squares of the locations in Table 1 and find that it equals the earth’s radius. So they did not goof on curvilinear coordinates (at least, not in this way.)

   Reply
2. Conan776 says:

   September 23, 2011 at 4:34 pm

   Shouldn’t measuring the distance between two locations on Earth by the use of a satellite in orbit involve parabolas somehow, simply because the the Earth’s gravitational well? And so, like an object in a parabolic side-view mirror, the two locations might be closer than they appear?

   Reply
3. scott gray says:

   September 23, 2011 at 5:42 pm

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz-violating_neutrino_oscillations

   Reply
4. Joseph Bridgewater says:

   September 23, 2011 at 7:24 pm

   Can we review the design and simulation models for the FPGA used for time stamping?

   Reply

And if you wish to replicate and actually test the experiment, here's where you can download the OPERA paper.

valte is volta + storm

Enough of the rant. Here's something sober from Mr.Bong Austero of Manila Standard Today.

"But as a teacher, I feel I need to remind Valte three things.

First, the Palace should not take student protests lightly—aside from the fact that Benigno Simeon Aquino III (and the late Corazon Aquino, for that matter) owe the presidency to the student protest movement, history has shown that the collapse of many governments can be traced to sustained student protests.

Second, Valte probably needs someone to explain to her that the students are protesting something that affects them directly. In fact, if students take matters sitting down, they may not have the opportunity to do exactly what Valte tells them they should be doing; they may not be able to go to school anymore.

And third, I don’t know if Valte joined protests when she was a student (if she did, she probably didn’t learn anything from them), but there are a lot of things students can learn from joining rallies and demonstrations. I am not embarrassed to admit that I attribute many of my competencies (dealing with all kinds of people, public speaking, writing manifestos in ten minutes or less, even assertiveness, among others) from having joined and led student demonstrations when I was in college."

Bagyong Pedring

Sunday Rant: F*ck You Valte!

How can you tell the students and the faculties of the SUCs to focus on their studies when they stand to lose from these budget slashes?

And since you are a product of a private university, you are ignorant of the plight of the students from the SUCs, you are ignorant of their traditions. You despise these walkouts and protests and dismiss it simply as annoyance, or a nuisance. But your fat face and pearl accessories won't be able to understand any of these because you refused to do so. You are nothing but a barking dog. A lawyer by profession, yet nothing brilliant comes out of your f*cking fat mouth.

Yes, madam, you are one of the trash talkers of Malacanang, nothing but trash comes out of your fat mouth. Yes, this is non- sequiturs, and ad hominems, but you cannot deny the fact that you spout nothing but trashes! Please send sensible message.

Why not explain why the budget should be slashed that hard, explain perhaps why the funding for the CCT needs to be increased, explain why the President needs an X amount-in-billion personal budget.

And like you, I am barking at the wrong tree, I want to shoot the messenger who brings nothing but trash, don't you dare go to an SM mall.

So, yeah-- f*ck you Valte!

CCT v. Budget Cuts

picnapped: JOSEPH AGCAOILI/InterAksyon.com

I hope this administration wakes up from its vaunted narrow-minded path, and developed more sensible policies especially for education.

I was hoping that the amended UP charter will somehow unshackle the university from this yearly budget squeeze. Or at least, that was one of the selling point of that amendment. That had UP been declared a national university, the government would have no choice but to take care of it. 

It really is stupid to expect from our legislators, a number of them graduated from the State U, to passed a decent budget for the SUCs because after all they are focused on how much they could get for themselves. Or of kowtowing to what the palace wants so that their pork barrels would be released faster.

How could they explain these cuts? Why not abolish the CCT and realign its billion budget to something that is worth this country's while -- education, job creation. etc.

Hoy, gising! 

say cheese :)

Pnoy and other leaders at the Open Government Partnership in New York.

crashing

http://www.dragoart.com/tuts/2114/1/1/how-to-draw-a-meteor.htm

A Falling Satellite Catches the Popular Imagination
By KENNETH CHANG
Published: September 22, 2011

The odds that a falling satellite will kill you on Friday are probably zero — but maybe not quite.

NASA, via Associated Press -- A dead hulk of a NASA satellite the size of a bus is skimming the top of the atmosphere, and as air molecules bounce off, its orbit is decaying until gravity finally pulls it down as a fiery meteor.

To be specific, 26 large pieces of the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, the heaviest about 330 pounds, are expected to survive all the way and hit the surface. The debris will stretch along a 500-mile path.

...

Launched in 1991 by the space shuttle Discovery, the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite was decommissioned in 2005 and placed into a lower orbit so it would not cause any problems for the International Space Station. Now, in what NASA calls an “uncontrolled” re-entry — there is no more fuel to guide it — it will plop down somewhere on Friday afternoon, give or take a few hours.

planking o flunking

Grabe. Henyo. Palakpakan para kay Rep. Castelo ng QC!

May anti-planking bill. Ano na nangyari sa FOI?

eh, kung anti- Dynasty bill na lang kaya ipasa niyo?!

Doctor No_y

Honoris Causa from Fordham, a Jesuit institution

sm +

SM now has a new moniker,


Suicide
Mall.

In a span of 5 days, 2 shooting incidents have been reported to have occurred in 2 different SM mall. The same involves matter of the heart. Sadly, today's shooting involves a minor. And the past week has been abuzz about how minors today are so brazen in committing petty and serious crimes for they know that they won't be punished.

How and Where did this minor get his gun?
How does the DSWD, or the police force determine if the minor has acted with discernment?

picnapped from : http://www.flickr.com/photos/life_begins_with_4t/2344050462/

daddy bieber

He represents the extreme left of my celebrity bell curve-disgust. He makes me puke (why Selena, why?). On the extreme right belongs to "the" Madame Auring and whoever is the granny's newest boytoy from some far-flung mountain, literally.

Yeah, the platitudes of love. love-conquers-all-drama. I am not against the teen pregnancy issue. Why would I, when it is happening in this gad-forsaken-baby-factory-3rd-world-country. It is a reality in this   predominantly Christian country whose literacy rate exceeds 85%, where the priests would rather savor in this reality than let the government inform the populace and distribute some condoms.

I am simply disgusted by Bieber. owo-howo-wohoho.period.

Galing & Talino*

MANILA, Philippines - The government must play its role as a conduit to the peace process but the ultimate solution must come from the people of Mindanao, former defense secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr. said the other day.

picnapped: http://jefreyapuli.blogspot.com

Style

Patricia Evangelista wrote:

"This is Manila, home of the brave, the bold, the beautiful. This is where Manny Pacquiao fought his way to number one, and whose image a president once hoped to use in a tourism campaign. This is the Philippines of white beaches and giant eagles, where every hand is outstretched in welcome and every man, woman and child stands proud. This is the Philippines that ad agency Campaigns & Grey persisted in selling in spite of the creative limitations imposed by committing plagiarism. This is the Philippines that the new tourism secretary claims will sell as easily as Chickenjoy."

I like the way she juxtapose the events... 

yami-er version

pneruda: puedo escribir...

Si Becky

My officemates were huddling in a corner, heads down, as if sniffing each others breath. I caught some words they were murmuring... Becky... Si Becky. With all these office politics, I wonder who Becky was... A new employee? a promoted employee? 

From murmurs, day passed and they now talk about Becky in normal decibels. But still, I don't know who Becky was. She seems to be the subject of an undying chismis.

So, I hazard to ask one of my officemates, Ms.X, who this Becky is -- the one person who's always the subject of their animated conversations.

I was confused with the reply, I was confounded by her reaction, She's looking at me with disbelief as if she cannot decide who's funnier --- Becky or the fact that I don't know who Becky was.

coke zero mode+

PNoy hurls issue of ARMM reform back at SC

13-Sep-11, 4:31 PM | Chichi Conde, InterAksyon.com
 

MANILA, Philippines – (UPDATE 2 - 7:51 p.m.) A disappointed President Benigno Aquino III on Tuesday hurled back the issue of reforms in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao at the Supreme Court after it issued a temporary restraining order against the appointment of officers-in-charge for the region.
...

Reacting to the TRO, Aquino said “the issue is simple” and raised four questions for the SC:

“Are you happy with the situation in the ARMM? Are you happy about the COA (Commission on Audit) report about the loss of 80 percent of (ARMM) funds that should have benefited the people? Is it that easy to forget the 57 people massacred in Maguindanao? Is it reasonable to expect reforms to happen if those who run and win if the (ARMM) elections push through are politicians whose focus will be to stay in power?”

x--x--x--x--x--x

Pnoy is barking at the wrong tree. Sir, no matter how noble your intentions are if they are stupidly against public interest and is palpably unconstitutional, the courts have to strike it down. If, you sir, think they are within the bounds of law, have your lawyers defend them as if their lives depended on it. But alas, poor craftmanship and dictatorial tendencies has caught up with your follies.


WTF, asking the court if they are happy? KAMOWN, are you serious mr. president? I guess, it would be easier if the courts would just decide cases base on their happiness of how things are, indeed, they are simple -- and laughable.

winner # 3

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) stopped Tuesday the implementation of Republic Act No. 10153 that postponed the election in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and synchronized it with the 2013 national elections.

During its full court session, the SC also stopped the law’s provision that allowed President Aquino to appoint officers-in-charge for ARMM until the 2013.

..............................

Clearly, Rep. Lagman is correct when he said that Noynoy's folly “violates the constitutional guaranty of elective and representative regional officials in the ARMM.” You know that something's not right with the palace's legal think tank when their proposals and issuances are being trashed by the Supreme Court left and right.

winner # 2

Because nobody's perfect. God must have really thought that letting her win will make her perfect. But no, God is fair.

UPDATE: While busy here, my cousins outside are watching bandila. Shamcey is currently answering stupid questions from Karen Davila, and you really have to admire Shamcey for not blurting expletives towards the stupid questions of Karen. Wow, she's really grounded. No tinge of bitterness. Many have their say, some even question the question of Lea Salonga for being too easy. Many are downtrodden and affected as if the world has conspired to rob Shamcey of the crown. Yet listening to Shamcey and her explanations give you this feeling of fulfilment, a sense of balance that many if not most of the critics lack.

Winner

Yeh bah!

ninEleven

picnapped: http://waronterrornews.typepad.com

Terrorism is not new, but the scale and audacity of the attacks in New York and Washington make it obvious that familiar defensive strategies are inadequate and that the fight against terror must move from the periphery to the center of American national security planning and operations. An unconventional and frightening assault on the American homeland has commenced. The American people and their leaders must mobilize the resources to meet it.

...

Americans have long known that these resentments existed. The nation must now recognize and address the fact that hatred has turned into a malignant threat that can destabilize the underpinnings of the world economy and civil society. The World Trade Center was not just a symbol of American prosperity. It was an economic nerve center.

As horrible as it is to imagine, the United States must also consider a future in which the assaults carried out yesterday may be overshadowed by even more lethal nuclear, biological or chemical attacks by terrorists. We have long known that these dangers could be part of our future. It is now clear they may be nearer than most people thought. A concerted national effort to remake the nation's defenses must begin immediately.

NOTE: This is an editorial published by NY Times a day after the attack.

song & dance number

we need not be needy :)

sounding the alarm

“[In] 2016 I’m going to run [for] vice-president. No more boxing at [sic] that time” - Manny Pacquiao

wish list # 2

Dear Santaklaws,

I wish for a British Accent, i know right... I think Mr. Soriano's disdain for the language of the kalye (by the way SantaKlaws, he said it was just a satire, just that- a satire) and the love for the language of Math, Science, and pretensions is incomplete without this accent. This will surely separate me from the posse and the pretentious. By then, I am on a higher level of pretentiousness.

wish list # 1

Dear Santaklaws,

At the corner of my puny brain, I wanted a porsche. Please, pretty please... If not this year, may be next year. or the year after next. But you really have to give me a porsche, santa.

I wanted it, not because our president once owned a carrera but because someday I want to step out of my shiny porsche and walk to a guard and punch him in the head, in his mouth, in his belly, and kick him like a poor animal. I really like the "angas" of one of our legislators from the south. Like him, I would treat everyone like oompaloompas -- fealty creatures, because unlike them, I knew I am born into nobility, a sense of entitlement etched and flowing in my veins.

P.S.

Santaklaws, is there a school or an institution that would train me how to have that "angas"? Maybe you can also give me a GC for that.

what say you?

The drop in the ranking of UP, Ateneo, DLSU, and UST in the list of top universities have been worrying many sectors, and currently being debated upon. For one, Ateneo must be fuming mad since it is actively seeking to improve its rank, while UP publicly claims it was not participating yet emerges as the top PH school.

Only UP (or other State U's) can claim that the meager budget it received from the government has a direct correlation with what facilities it can maintain and how much happy their staff and faculties would be, but the same cannot be claimed by the private universities.

So what ills our schools?

Kaabang-abang

Dear Santaklaws,

Si Maja na lang po sana i-regalo niyo sa akin, para mailayo ko siya kay Coco at Matteo.

Oo nga po pala, inaabangan ko ang sasabihin ng palasyo. Kung paano nila sasabihin na mali ang mga ipinahayag ng embahada ng Amerika na ikinakalat ng wikilieaks tungkol sa "diffident and unassertive" na si Noynoy pero tama na kasangkot sa smuggling si Mike Arroyo.

Paano rin po kaya nila babawiin ang sinabi nila na ang dating Ambassador na si Kristie Kenney ay na co-opt ng Malacañang gayung malinaw na meron din naman pala silang cable tungkol sa malawakang pangungurakot na pinangunahan ng dating unang ginoo.

P.S.

Paano po kaya na-e-enjoy ni Mike Arroyo ang pinaghirapang niyang kulimbating yaman, gayong mahina naman ang kaniyang katawan? O nagpapanggap lang po siyang mahina?

Eto po pala reaksiyon ni Noynoy, lubhang hindi talaga siya nagiisip ano?


"US should improve Intel"


Sa tingin po pala ni Noynoy eh malalim na intel at pag e-ispiya ang ginugol ng nasabing embahada para lang maidikit sa katauhan niya ang nasabing diskripsiyon. Tsk.

diffident and unassertive

Use diffident and unassertive in a sentence:

“Previous contacts with Senator Aquino, often accompanying his mother... left the impression of a diffident, unassertive man continuing a political tradition handed on by his parents but not carving his own legacy” 

~ Former U.S. Ambassador Kristie Kenney

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 MANILA 001901 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/10/2019 
TAGS: PGOV PINR KDEM RP
SUBJECT: SENATOR AQUINO DECLARES PRESIDENTIAL BID 
 
REF: A. MANILA 1856 (MOMENTUM FOR AQUINO PRESIDENTIAL 
        BID GROWS) 
     ¶B. MANILA 1845 (DEFENSE SECRETARY DISCUSSES 
        ELECTION PROSPECTS) 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Kristie A. Kenney, 
reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)...

COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶10. (C) Senator Aquino's confident, energetic announcement today was a stark contrast to his diffident performance last week, when he appeared unwilling or unable to sustain the momentum created by Senator Roxas' decision to abdicate in favor of his colleague.  Aquino's spiritual retreat with the 
Catholic nuns who served as his mother's spiritual advisors appears to have strengthened his conviction to launch a full-fledged campaign.  It remains unclear whether Aquino can turn his shy, reserved qualities into strengths, appealing to 
voters by portraying himself as a man drawn reluctantly into the race by the will of the people rather than by ambition. 
However, in the span of just one week following his personal sequestering, he seems to have grown in confidence to carry out a grassroots campaign in the spirit of his mother and father, who are the most widely cherished figures in Philippine politics.  Aquino may be perceived as having had a 
lackluster political career, but he also appears to have a relatively clean record with no baggage of scandals, which could be a distinct advantage. 

Stimulate

Columnist Maceda wrote:

"President Aquino had expected his huge CCT releases to stimulate the economy. It did not. Isn’t it time to rethink the CCT program which is programmed to cost (the government) P306 billion up to 2015 with P39 billion programmed for 2012."

Questions:

1. Did the President really think CCT will stimulate the economy?
2. How? 

*** CCT is tantamount to a government gratuity, it's main purpose is to "transfer cash" to DSWD-identified recipient (supposedly the poorest of the poor) so that they will continue sending their god-forsaken kids to school. From this premise, the effect of this program would not be felt until this god-forsaken kids actually graduate, find jobs, and uplift their status to poor (from poorest of the poor).I never liked this CCT, not before (Arroyo), not now (Aquino). The gall of Sec. Soliman to increase their funding is beyond appalling.

fck

inquiry #1

Dear Santaklaws,

Paano po si Senator Ping, napaka naughty niya (eto po santaklaws ang babasahin) -- he does not deserve any gift from you. Siguro po ampalaya diet siya habang nagtatago noong nakalipas na taon. Nasabi ko po ito kasi walang tigil ang pagkalkal niya sa mga nakalipas na anomalya.

Hindi naman po sa hindi ito dapat halukayin. Sana po, mag file na lang sila ng mga kaso sa korte, kesa naman po sayangin ang oras ng senado para sa mga ito.

Dear Santa, pag lang po may natanggap na regalo si Senator Ping, at wala akong natanggap... I will cry.

good deed #1

Dear Santaklaws,

Eto ang unang good deed ko to qualify sa list mo ng mga mabibigyan ng regalo. Nahanap ko na po ang long lost sister ni Flo Rida - at sikat din pala ito. Malamang maganda ang genes nila, hanglalaki ng mga braso, e.

Ang mga larawan ay nakuha sa:

• http://www.ritmic.com/music/img/es/gal_florida096.jpg
• http://www.essence.com/2010/07/03/serena-williams-wins-fourth-wimbledon-ti/

ultimate Xmas song

The making of a classic xmas song (daw). enjoy!

At dahil ayokong may magsumbong kay SantaKlaws na naughty ako, i'll try real hard to be nice. Like this very original and xmas-inducing-mood mtv. Very relaxing. :)

kagabi, si Salman

I watched bloomberg and gazed at it's marquee showing how much paper gains or losses investors had. Not me, I don't have such investments. Yet, I am fixated at this marquee, green letters, arrow up, red letters, arrow down, NASDAQ, NYSE, Nikkei, the Hang Seng, etc. it never fails to lull me into the void.

But last night, it was different - there was an interview with Salman Rushdie.

unfair

Myx v. MTv

Isa marahil ito sa magandang halimbawa ng pagiging unfair. Dito sa amin na kung saan, sky-cable ang pangunahing "cable provider," walang MTv. Wala akong basehan pero sasabihin ko pa rin na malamang taktika eto ng kompaniyang pagmamay-ari ng mga Lopez na siya rin namang may-ari ng MYX.

Masaya ako para sa MYX, gawang pinoy at programang pang-pinoy.  Pero ang tangkilikin ito dahil walang MTv or Channel [V], ay halimbawa ng monopolisasyon o unfair competition. Magaling ang Myx, hindi na nito kailangan pang sukulin ng mga Lopez ang kakompitensiya.

Bigyan niyo kami ng pagpipilian!

Nasabi ko ang mga bagay na ito dahil hindi ko napanood ang pagtatanghal ni Adele sa ginanap na VMA 2011. Nakalulungkot :(

tweens, fail.

No Barbie, I will not cyberbully you. Many people are already doing that, and I will leave it to them. But yes, you are an irritating sight to behold.

Movie Review for Tween Academy: Class of 2012

Kids Today?

by Philbert Ortiz Dy
posted on Thursday, August 25, 2011 in Movie Reviews

"Tween Academy: Class of 2012 is truly bizarre. Even the title is weird: none of the characters are tweens, and the three main characters aren’t even in the Class of 2012. And then there’s the rampant product placement. Then there’s the cyberdate, which will probably go down as one of the strangest and most awkward scenes ever committed to film. It feels like no one involved in the production has ever really been around young people, and has crafted this facsimile completely through rumor and conjecture. High school films tend to feel familiar. This one doesn’t even come close."

 And I remembered "A little thing called love." I watched the movie in it's thai language, and despite this unfamiliar nasal language, I felt I was in HS all over again.