12 months of thoughtful spot

So it's the last day of the year. Here are some of the major blog post I did during the last 12 months of 2006.

Jan-- media bashing because erroneous report about miners trapped.
Feb-- Arroyo declaring national emergency, Ultra stampede, Leyte mudslide.
Mar- blogged about that very gory Hostel movie. Bloody hell !
Apr-June-- Four u.s marines charged and mostly some personal vague crap.
July- war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah..it went on and on and on....
Aug-- planet became pluto..less , terror plot uncovered at Heathrow, Mel Gibson arrested.
Sept-Dec-- mostly random babble.

First 4 months of 2006 was bliss. The rest was disappointing sad months and was spent worrying about things of personal nature. But still I got through the rest of '06 still feeling very blessed and thankful about everything. I hope 2007 will be a better one.

Dead and done

Saddam Hussein executed! He's pffft! No vids or photos released yet. But will there be one?

*edit... Iraqi t.v released video as he was about to be hanged. Photo of Saddam (via AP/Yahoo). I saw the new vid while watching cnn and there's several of them now showing in You Tube.. just search for it.

Gripe. I added labels with my previous post but when I click I thought it would show all post I made with that labels (i.e. all blog entries I made with words Daniel Smith) I added..but now it's a no show. Maybe I'm not understanding how it works. low tech mind I have. Whatever.

Tags are way better. Google should've added tags instead. Something similar to Flickr.

Daniel Smith back now at the U.S embassy

Fresh news. Lance cpl Daniel Smith was transferred from Makati city jail to the embassy just few minutes ago before midnight. Smith, the U.S. Marine convicted of rape. He's been detained at the Makati jail since last month. His stay there created problems between U.S. and Philippine officials. The rape complainant "Nicole" and her lawyer are opposed to it. And now lawyer is seething mad at this sudden transfer.

*edit.. According to this report Smith's lawyers, the U.S. Embassy and the Philippine departments of justice and foreign affairs have agreed that his detention violates the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement, which governs the conduct of U.S. troops in the Philippines.

On this day...

Jesus was born. Of course we call it Christmas day. Have a merry one.

I'm soo full right now. Don't think I could take another bite of anything. I've been eating since earlier. Since yesterday actually.

Christmas eve (also new years) is usually the day we have a feast. If Americans prepare food and have their buffet table full of wonderful dishes during Thanksgiving, here it's this day.

While eating, was watching the telly (again..cos whatelse is there to do) gee, I thought I wouldn't have to endure another Santa Clause movie but turns out I spoke too soon. Part two was shown earlier but watched Polar Express instead. That was earlier. Right nowjust watching Nightmare Before Christmas. Oh yes, Jack and Sally again. Me likes it.

Buttwarming the season

It's past 3 in the afternoon and yes, the ultimate nothingness blog. I'm just blah blah because well, do I have to have reason? Sheesh.

So here I am alone. And what should I do but hey rot in front of the telly and eat. Kinda like yesterday. Cycle repeated it seems. Oh well it's the holiday season.

Christmas just only a day away and it's weekend and okay so here's what happened yesterday. I didn't do anything at all except to buttwarm my bed.I watched whatever the idiot box was showing. Mostly holiday themed movies and specials. I've already endured Tim Allen's Santa movie the other day so luckily he's absent from the screen yesterday. Hooray! So that's it. Ho Hum.

Oh by the way, sis bought ham. Gotta have the ham . It's Christmas after all.

So far, so nothing, so blah blah

Ah yes, the ultimate nothingness blog. I'm doing so because well, do I have to have reason? Sheesh.

So I didn't do anything at all yesterday. And I mean, I really literally didn't do anything....except to buttwarm my bed. I've not been lazy just that there really wasn't anything to do at all. I watched whatever the idiot box was showing. Mostly holiday themed movies and specials. I already endured Tim Allen's Santa movie the other day so luckily he's absent from the screen yesterday. Heh. So that's it. Ho Hum.

Oh by the way, sis bought ham. Gotta have the hams . It's Christmas after all.

Angsty

Early morning and I feel the emptiness stirring once more.

I don't find anything joyful this season and 9 days before Christmas, I'm still without nothing. I am as poor as rat. Hell, even rats have cheese. I only have whine! It sucks. I've never felt the holiday mood. No Christmas tree or holly or any red and green things. Just the house is plain as a fuck. And so am I. Sad really.

I'm hungry.

3 U.S. Marines aquitted, 1 found guilty

Past one in the afternoon when the decision was handed down by the judge.

Verdict is out for the year long Subic rape trial of four United States service men. Lance Corporal Daniel Smith was found guilty while three others; Staff Sargeant Chad Carpentier, Lance corporals Dominic Duplantis and Keith Silkwood were aquitted (read news here, photo of four marines)

Judge said the three couldn't be made accessories to the crime (lack of evidence..it seems) while Smith, who was really the principal accused by the rape victim "Nicole", found strong evidence that he knew the victim was drunk, unconscious and still had sex with her. Lance corporal Smith was also asked to pay 100,000 pesos in compensatory and moral damages

He , Smith, said in the trial (or interview.. I forgot) that it was consensual sex. Obviously the judge didn't believe as evidence the girl was drunk and traces of semen was found. But then again, who knows what really went on inside the van on the night the supposed rape happened.

Lance cpl Daniel Smith from St. Louis, MO, will serve reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment at the Makati jail until there is an appeal by his attorneys and also while U.S. and Philippines review the VFA (visiting forces agreement) because there are provisions there that states or requires that any U.S. servicemen found guilty of crimes in local soil (meaning Phils) could stay in the custody of U.S. official. I think its the embassy in this case. While again appealing decision to the higher court.

Smith is the youngest of the four U.S. marines and he's about 21. If the appeal isn't succesful he could be in jail till he's about 40 or50 or 60.. depending, I guess.

So now what? Hmm. I had the hunch that the verdict would come out that way it did. Of course the judge had to think hard of his decision and I guess he has to please both sides though I think that really wasn't the intention. As a judge, one should be fair an take into account all the evidences presented and just so happens the one against Smith was strong. Probably.

Maybe Smith shouldn't have mentioned the the sexual act was consensual when the victim was fully drunk and unconscious. It didn't helped his side at all.

The victim was happy with the decision of the judge though. Looks like she could care less about the three others who were aquitted and she's satisfied with the one guilty verdict. She was interviewed and when asked if she can now forgive Daniel Smith she replied " I don't know yet..let's see. " Wonder what she meant. But obviously she's rejoicing.

May this case serve her a reminder that she should never go to bars frequented by visiting U.S. servicemen and don't drink too much and dont get so drunk and make sure she knows who she's flirting with.

Actually I don't think that the accused, Lance cpl. Daniel Smith didn't go to the (Nepture) bar with the intention of getting the victim "Nicole" drunk and then raping her. She was already to heavily drunk ( she drank a lot obviously about 6 o 7 drinks, I think) when they met. But the thing is Smith knowing she's drunk already, shouldn't have had sex with her. Her mind wasn't fully straight. Whether she consented to having sex in drunken state or not, still if she was sober, maybe she'd have said no (cos she said she had u.s. serviceman as b/f at that time.) but if she was with her b/f then why drink so much and then be all 'friendly?" And how come the b/f didn't do anything at all? "Nicole" said her u.s. servicemen boyfriend left her. Hmm. Why is the question.

But anyway, you know, it's not like the Smith forced her to drink and then raped her . She came in the van on her own (drunken) volition with the marine(s) and then she claimed rape occured (like I said, nobody really knows what went inside the van). Whether rape occured or not, if foud guilty, one has to serve and suffer the consequences of crime.

So with the guilty verdict, it's kind of sad to see that somebody so young (Smith being 21.. the vicitim is 23) could rot in jail. He looked scared as he was being whisked away by Makati police. He's good looking marine and have whole life ahead him. Perhaps this is his battle. He won't be assigned (anymore) to Iraq or any war torn countries but being soldier, he'd rather be deployed in battle zone and die with princples rather than rot in jail (for the crime he firmly believed he didn't commi..according to him). The young marine is cute. Sweet looking face. And my golly so young. I mean 21 is really just a boy.

I'm sure he's probably saying to himself that he wished he wasnt called to particpate in the military excercise. He would never be in the situation he's dealing right now.

All of the accused were here November of last year via USS essex from Japan for joint military excercise.

*edit... The three Marines who were aquitted went back to Okinawa immediately but I wanted to say, I saw the anger from Chad Carpentier's face as Smith was being led away by the cops. He didn't want to leave him alone as Smith was the baby, being the youngest of the four accused.

"Nicole" said she felt sad seeing Smith in jail. *Snort!* Oh gee now she's feeling sympathetic.

I'm not lawyer, but if I was, I'd represent Smith. Not because he's good looking but perhaps, I believe in him. Okay! Sue me for being unpatriotic to the cause and plight of the complainant.. but perhaps, there's something there that isn't right.

Sources and videos: gma news, inq7 Yahoo/AFP
View more blog related posts:
He said, she said (article and interview)
Accused Marine Daniel Smith speaks out (AP interview)
Interview with the accused (Chad Carpentier)
Subic rape case: four u.s marines charged with rape
Subic rape case may not be a case after all
Military tales, Military woes

These books are made for reading

If reading is pleasure, turn me (on) page by page. Ha.

For you book whores. The 10 best books of 2006, and 100 notable books of 2006. And if you want more.. just click this Man Booker site. Most of my book collections are of authors shortlisted or winners of the prestigious book award.

Okay maybe some aren't to your liking but might find something cool to waste time if stuck at home or you're in bookstore or browsing Amazon. I haven't nothing new to read and I wanna buy some but I have far more pressing urgent needs for money than getting some new reads. Books ain't cheap ya know. Once I get to have money, I'll buy me new ones.

The fiercest calm took it's toll

Storm update....

The whole Bicol region was pummelled (sp?) by super typhoon Reming/Durian that looked more like hurricane. Seen from different news feeds, it unleashed mighty winds and never ending rain and tore up houses and uprooted trees and powerlines and phone towers fell. Mud flow from nearby volcano buried 8 villages along with the families. Almost 400 are feared dead. I even saw dead bodies just lying wrapped in blankets and others on top of one another. It's sad to see the sufferings of the residents of Bicol and other provinces and to think it's going to be Christmas in few weeks time. I'm thankful the storm spared Manila and didnt make landfall here or we'd have suffered the wrath of nature.

News and video via gmanews inq7

*edit.. it's 800 now dead or missing and two foreigners missing: one from Australia and the other from New Zealand.
---

December already and it's holiday season. It's al so the beginning of new month and the last for the year but somehow I don' feel any of the holiday mood. Right now I just feel bare. The giddiness is gone. It's been replaced by empty soul that's been missing the essence of Christmas spirit and the joyous feelings it brings. Not only do I feel the bareness, even the house lacks the trappings of essential holiday mood.

I know 'tis the season to be jolly but hard to enjoy the coming holidays with life being empty and dealing with empty pocket. I want to complain so much but I feel like shit if I do knowing people strucked by that super typhoon are suffering far more worse compared to me.

So in a nutshell happy holidays is more like hollow days. And I *sigh* to that.

Calm before the storm

No rain yet but a super typhoon heading our way and is predicted to make landfall tomorrow evening and hit Metro Manila by Friday evening. Weather bureau sadi it's powerful storm and probably with thesame intensity gustiness or even worse than that of milenyo. I just hope basic services like phone and electricity doesn't get affected like it did the last time...which made people curse Meralco!

Newsies

Saw from the news yesterday that court's decision for Subic rape trial of four U.S. Marines will be handed down Monday the 27th 4th of December. I'll just blog my own two cents worth of thoughts later. Right! Like people would care what I think. Ha!

*edit... the verdict for the Subic trial has been moved. The judge said more time needed to study and think and weigh in before making decision. By the way our courts have no jury system. So it's up to the judge. But sometimes public opinion affects decision in favor of or against. But that should not be the case.

'Pacman' king of the ring! finishing Morales with KO!

Woohooo! Nation is rejoicing! Oh yes! the whole of Philippines was at stand still. Everybody and I mean everybody watched the whole Manny Paquiao vs Eric Morales fight earlier in the day and boy it was thrilling three rounds. Just three rounds! It didn't even go to the full 12. Manny won via knoclout in the 3rd round of the fight (I think..cos Morales fell 3x and couldn't get up anymore--too bruised and tired). Once again the 'Pacman' proved to the boxing community he is the best of his class! Pound for pound punch for punch, he's got the power the stamina and determination and he won! He is boxing's superstar at the moment! Hooray!

I'm no boxing fan but hey, gotta support our own. :)

Going crazy for Sony PS3! I'll take Nintendo's Wii, thank you very much!

Let the frenzy begin! Sony debuting the new PS3! Oh my goodness!!! Diehard gamers, dying literally just to have their hands with the new PS3. People are killing each other, braving the cold weather, saved months of money just to buy the newly released Play Station 3! The retail price $500 (25,000 pesos) but man, at Ebay it sells for$9,000! Whaaaaatttt! that's a whopping 450000 pesos (if my calculation is correct). but I'll betcha, the fools gonna seel theirs for more than $9,000 maybe as far as $15000 ot $24000. Absurd! FOOLS! I think I can say oh my damn goodness again! Shit! I can buy myself brand new car for that money and even for the retail price, I'll buy me a new cellphone! or go on a shopping spree!

My newphew would probably want PS3 but he's 10 and he's not a serious gamer yet so he's into gameboy advance.

And what of Nintendo's Wii? better! I'll have it! Good price, nice console cool remote control wand. I saw the CNN report about the console and boy, I agree with the kids that were interviewed! asked to choose from Wii or PS3 guess who won? I think Wii.. will be wii..nner! success!

http://wii-wii.us/ click the link to find out more about specs , consoles, games and evertyhing to do with the Wii.

Just remember I'm still here for you

No amount can equal caring words-- unless of course, one wins the powerball or lotto... maybe. Heh. Thank you.

Hiding on empty, captured in full

I some how find myself empathizing with the former Senator Gringo Honasan; the master of disguise, the fugitive soldier who's been hiding for the last nine months was captured by police operatives. Honasan is accused of masterminding the failed overthrow of the Arroyo administration was arrested the other day in the wee hours of the morning in an exclusive subdivision in Quezon City. Read details and report.

If he really wanted to, I guess he wouldn't have been captured. He's been soo good eluding the authorities but reports say he's been in Manila for a month now so I'm leaning towards the theory he's supposed to surrender next month, but yes, maybe the administration double crossed him. Looks like he's interested in running for senator again. Oh boy, he aged! his hair is silver strand of greys and gone is the trademark moustache.I betcha though his charisma is still there. For the benefit of those who don't know Honasan, well.... he was once part of the group that toppled the Marcos regime and he plotted several coup attempts against the Aquino administration.

And the plot comes to an end.. or is it just the beginning of a new chapter?

The decision not to exist

Again.. Empty. Sullen. Void. Gone. I'm always afraid that one day I'd end up in the gutter begging for mercy. I have nothing and no one and it's hard.

I posted this two days ago but deleted it now it's back again....for a good while (thinking of selling the pc but.. I dunno yet *sigh*). Des laddie, sorry didn't see the comment cos I deleted the post w/o looking. Yes no one, just siblings, couple of friends. Yes nothing. I am [feeling] blue.

An a polling situation

Midterm madness indeed. Every politician and their supporters and have their own gimmicks, tactics. Final attacking ads from left wing liberals and right wing conservatives sending voters in frenzied confusion.

The push poll -- designed to disseminate information about the candidates, rather than collect it -- is just one of the last-minute tactics inundating, and in some cases rankling, Maryland voters in the final week of a campaign. (Washington Post)

Yes. From stem cell research to having the phrase "under God" removed n out or have it remain with the pledge of allegiance.

And then the ads... dumping tens of millions of dollars just to convince people to vote for them. According to Evan Tracey of the Campaign Media Analysis Group. "Politics is probably the only business in the world where they spend the most money when they have the least number of available customers to pitch to" (Washington Post)

Man, these politicians and their fund rasing supporters are swimming in bucks. Televisions gonna be inundated with campaign ads. Voters gonna be swimming in television confusion. Shit. I have two ads, the left and the right... whom should I vote, please tell me! Convince me! Oh yeah!I think for some of the people voting, they make up their minds minutes before casting their ballots. And for others, they know already who they want to see lead their state.

We're going to experience similar frenzied motions, and money dumping ads and different gimmiks of running candidates next year for our May elections. Heh. Politics kills me. It's is soo exciting don't you think so? Boringly exciting. Lets see who leads the nation as people exercise their right of suffrage.

Life is... Stranger than Fiction

If Will Ferrell gets nominated for an Oscar......eh.

Read some article he's good. I'm waiting for the movie to be shown. There seems to be Oscar buzz for comedian Will Ferrell for his role as the IRS man who is the subject of novelist trying to complete her book and narrating and he hears her voice which affects his life, work, love and yes, even death. It's comedy but serious comedy.

Jim Carrey probably mumbling. Hmm, I should've had that role. Hah.

Stranger than Fiction

For your political fantasies...

How about joining Fantasy Congress. A web site created by four students at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California. Now think of it as the fantasy football or baseball of the politicians and the whole congress. Read more from NYTimes article

And in the words of it's Website owner, Andrew Lee ... “Everyone knows about football, but more people need to know about Congress,” Mr. Lee said. “If as many people knew about Congress as knew about football, baseball and basketball, we’d all be more educated.”

Okay. Amen to that. Oh hey, I'm thinking maybe I should start something like that here. Heh.

In another blog blahs... browsing to tech page of the times and hihihi to one of the headlines We're Google. So sue us. Great title. Uh huh, they are Google indeed. Big company! Internet giant is facing plenty of legal battles most issues of copyrighted materials. They are the "government of internet" as one said. It'll be very hard to fight them and win a lawsuit.

Friday, I am skint

I hate Mondays and Tuesdays sucks and Wednesday was crap while Thursday was long uncertain blah blah day. And now Friday, I am skint.

You know, for somebody who's got what it takes.....I'm nothing.

Here's hoping the rest of the weekend will bring forth something good.

Rumors abound through cell technology!

So I was recipient of a forwarded text message about a supposed bombings that will simultaneously happen this weekend in a mall has prompted the military to be on heightenwd alert. The text still spreading like wildfires and seems everybody has been getting the same sms. Well at least this is not like Iraq or Afghanistan. No bombings here in the Metro.

Let's have some food porn

This girl is hungry! I'm craving for some broccoli(sp) cheese soup. I want to devour delicious swiss mocha cake (white frosting..yum!), taste a cup of choco cookie mint ice cream. A half a serving of chicken barbeque salad (that's from CPK), couple of shrimp dumplings, and katsudon, gindara with butter sauce. Oooh lalala!Yummness! Am I hungry or what, huh? Hehe. I'll probably look bloated after eating all that! Yayness! Haha! Oh but it's just all in the mind..the food. I think I'll just have some strawberry pocky sticks!

And models looks like stick figures! heh!and I'm neither! Wahehehe :)

Religious discrimination at work

An employee is suing British Airways for religious discrimination and suspending her just because they said she violated dress code by wearing necklace with christian cross! Damn! who the hell makes the rules at British Airways? Corporate fucktards, apparently! So what if she's wearing necklace or chain or whatever with crucifix symbol? That is not a damn crime! what gives? I don't think it's wrong to display such things of faithness. C'mon it's only necklace with cross for crying out loud! What a discrimination!

Here in my country almost everyone brings a rosary, wear's a scupular, has cross necklace and other symbols of their faith and religion and it's perfectly fine at the workplace. Of course here 70 percent are Catholics (and the rest are Muslims and of other religious sect).

You can bet your damn life if such a thing happened here like being suspended(at work, or shool or anything) for wearing symbols of faith, the Catholics will revolt!

Fashion press at the White House garden

President Bush complimented Kevin Corke' s suit.

"If I might say, that is a beautiful suit," he told NBC News correspondent Kevin Corke at yesterday's news conference in the Rose Garden. "My tailor appreciates that," replied Corke, wearing a $1,500 custom pinstripe number by Tom James with bright-red tie and pocket square. (Washington Post)

How insane! $1500 for a suit? For a correspondent? My goodness, that's like 55,000 pesos! That could be the earnings of our reporters/journalists even soldiers, policemen for a whole year. Maybe half (I guess, if they have sidejobs. Heh) but really, I find it to be too much. I mean of course one needs to dress nicely and be presentable but really.... c'mon! Uhm okay, if it's freebie or paid by the company, well, how lucky to get suited up fashionably. Hah.

Okay.. so the whole article actually is all about Bush making small talk because news is not so great especially for the republicans (being mid term elections and all) and other foreign policy matters. But hey even with small fashion talk, he can't get way with reporters questions.

Mulling GoogleTube and condemning North Korea

GoogleTube? Haha.

You knew it was only a matter time before big company buys one of the web's rising star for the moment. Of course if you're still clueless, Google bought Youtube. Geez, what will happen next they're gonna put videos and incorporate that here in blogger (Google owns Blogger) oh puhleeze! Nah ah! No fucking way! I'm getting enough dose of crap from my idiot box offline so I hope they don't put video thingy here. Ugh!

Gosh, these deals are everywhere. First, Myspace bought by Murdoch, then Flickr bought by Yahoo. I wonder what's the next hottest aquisition. Hah!

And now for some concerned piece of what's happening in the world...

North fucking Korea condemned and rightly so for testing yet again their nuclear weapons shit. They tested long range missiles. That is damn scary! Why? Because damn, we're talking testing of nuclear arsenals of that communist reclusive country! The Phils is nearby you know. God, the weapons of mass destructions probably and most likely in North fucked up Korea. Scary!

Blah. It's early morning and guess what? I'm hungry.

Does Windows still matter?

According to this Is Windows still relevant article, yes, Windows still does matter.

Looks like "yesterday's product" still has a few more tomorrows left. The reality is that Windows remains as important as ever. Web-based AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) applications may be the tech world's future, but there's a long transition between now and then.

That to their arch rivals and nemesis, Windows make or break their products. In the long ago years since windows became synonymous with our computer life, we feel lost without it guiding our path to geeky techlife. But with the web 2.0-Flickr-Youtube-Google-iMac- iTunes-Myspace age we live in, of course new technology will certainly overrun the old one and will likely slam the doors to the ageing ones. Like Windows.

Years has passed. Past is not the present anymore, and with Microsoft having had to endure gazillions of viruses, many antitrust and monopoly and other strings business malpractice and course court hearings and so on, generation web 2.0 people probably could care less about the Windows of their geeky life! But to the older ones ( hehe..moi?), Windows still is has the drive-hard and soft- and the Vista to change and compete and still there to lead the rest of the generation to a happier social networking geeky fashion tech life.

Cassettes has come and gone, the Atari has been replaced by sophisticated and expensive consoles (and companies trying to outdo each other is only upping up the competition), IBM now with Lenovo China, and guess what Windows still around. They better improve and make it more appealing to the new geekazoids and old (still loyal, I guess) consumers who still has faith with Windows.

He said, she said

In an exclusive interview, Lance Corporal Daniel Smith, 21, from Thibodaux, Louisiana, told GMA News that he was confident the Philippine court handling the case would acquit him and three other Marines of the rape charges. "Even if there was an attempt to settle, I wouldn't want to because this is my life here and I'm being accused of what I feel is the worst thing anybody can be accused of," he said. Click the link above if you want t see the video.

For the complainant's part, click this link

And as he speaks, new batches of US servicemen just arrived from...I forgot (Japan probably). They're now in Subic for a military exercise. There's more coming. R and R for these servicemen are not allowed most likely due to what happened last year. Eh, the Subic rape case scandal, as it ends. The court's decision and verdict next month. I think.

View more blog related posts:
Accused Marine Daniel Smith speaks out (AP interview)
Interview with the accused (Chad Carpentier)
Subic rape case: four u.s marines charged with rape
Subic rape case may not be a case after all
Military tales, Military woes

Silent water runs deep with treatment from the damned

It's raining here and the mood elevates my nonsense thinking to a new low. I feel neurotically fucked up! But I don't give a flying fuck. Because for fuck's sake I don't even fucking think. I maybe numb but I'm not dumb. Haha. The problem with me... if it doesn't matter then I wouldn't think about it so much. Fool! Skyefool! more like Skyeflakes! Oh crap! Dyslexia of confusion! I sigh.

Damn. Life is weird. I am vaguely weirder. Slightly bordering on the illusions of grandeur desire. Skylark squaloring skintness of feelings. I don't want t be in depth of ruins. Where is the missing piece? I want to feel. But maybe, the piece doesn't want to. Fuck.

The mind talks to nobody

So much to say but can't even say a word. Isn't it funny how we have a lot of things to say and we feel so much but yet can't even say it. I always check my feelings. Some days, I am such a dead giveaway. It's always nice to be fortright and just be blunt about whatever's ailing the mind and troubling the feelings, but I get embarassed. When I don't feel like feeling is when I feel a lot. I have so much inside this mind. I do say a lot when it matters and when I need to but often, I would just shut up. Shrugs to that.

For some unknown reason, I've been humming to Light and shade.

*edit. Late afternoon already. I went to "corporate America" had blah blah blah, did a blah blah for a blah blah. I'm quite tired. I feel hollow. Empty feelings sinks deeper into my emotions. As always.

Yahoo's gift and political gayness

Some are criticizing it. Yahoo's $1million gifting and granting foreign journalists for a a mid career fellowship program at Stanford University. It's not without controversy like the 'ethics of accepting the money.'

Doesn't all accept something as a form of thank you for nice write up. Money or something. I don't know. Or maybe it's just a practice here. Ach. Maybe not the hardnosed journos.

Political gayness yet again!

Scandal in the (US) house as more ickey dickey Foley newsies make the rounds. Gosh them freaky politicians! If they're not gayness, they're perverts. Former Rep. Mark Foley (resigned because he's el shitty perverty dudey) checked himself to a rehab for alcoholism and behavioral problems. Yeah, like sending sexually implicit emails to young boys. Geez, and you thought priests were bad lots! (news link via St. Petersburg Times)

*edit. The former Rep. said he was molested between ages 13 and 15 by a clergyman. So is that supposed to justify his acts of malice?! Lawyer for Foley said no, and inapropriate behavior has nothing to do with the congressman being traumatized. Uh huh so what gives!? Oh and he acknowledges he's gay! Yes, just like ex Gov. Mc. Greevey. Gayness as well! I recently saw an interview done by Larry King, he was promoting a book or something along with his 'partner.'

So when will out local politicians here come out of the closet? Hmm, there's quite a few of them. Hah! Jack off Jill....come out, come out!

Light at the end of the vision tunnel

Yes. Back. Poor Meralco (Manila Elec. Company), if voices and complaints could kill, everybody would be charged with murder! Can you even say murder is such sweet power sorrow?! Hah.

---
I'm still around. Solitary musings. It's like dark confinement of third kind. So fuck. What's wrong with my attitude, huh?! Read a statement of fact (it seems) and I wanted to retort back. I didn't. But I mean hey, if attitude like mine makes people want to avoid me, so be it. As long as I haven't done anything wrong and/or stepped on anybody's shit, I'm fucking fine! I know I am a good person! I'm always grateful for whatever small mercies comes my way.

I'll blagh and blog later as I gather my thoughtful spot.

Cinderella bleeds

She once had a life. She felt the glow. A beacon of hope it was. As the horizon appeared, blue became grey, yellow was not to be. Black became imminent. The beginning was fairytale. The middle was rockyroad. The end, a slow painful death of Cinderella. I read and wept.

As she read and re read, she felt sad and bitter. Mostly for the poignancy of everything

She has always been grateful and thankful. Never complaining. Always giving. As the chapter of life ends and book seemingly closes, I want a fairytale.

The politics of peace and religion

So much politicking going on around the globe. So much carnage and deaths and bombings and killings. It's draining to the brain. The eyes wants to see but most people don't even care! They try not to give a damn, but ultimately, everything hinges on us. How we are to them matters. The politicians, the military, the church. Religionism and lack of understanding about different ideologies and the lack of respect for each beliefs puts us all in dangerous situation. Troops deployed in war torn countries are suffering so much. Death and casualties of war ignites passion for call to peace. But how can we have peace when most (of us) doesn't really understand what is the root cause of all the hatred. For most Muslims, they think the west is an evil empire taking away the sanctity of their own faith. And for that, people suffer. Iraq and Afghanistan- these two nations can't seem to move on because of that very problem that exist. The hatred for the west. Extremist has planted in the minds of radicals, that to gain back their existence, the west must be wiped out. And they do these by bombings. They are stilled by hatred. To them, the west is the mighty God, dictating the future of everyone. To understand is to learn. Maybe through learning we'll gain peace. But peace is hard fought. People are out there forsaking their lives for us. Defending the very nature of bringing peace. The least we could do is to understand! We are shackled by our own religionism which prevents us from gaining that elusive peace. Holy ramadan month starting and bombings and killings doesn't solve anything. With many suicide bombing and terror and all that triggering battle, Muslims killing each other as result. Peace still nowhere in sight.

I know I didn't make any sense. I wanted to post about things inside my mind. Whatever really! It's raining now. I'll blog out. Maybe I'll delete this. Yes.

So who's brain is better, huh?

Reading now this article from WashPost. Got me laughing. I don't know. Good stuff there. Heck, female brains has" juice?!" Uh huh. "Males and females may perform similar calculations, but they use different "circuits." Woman is Mac. Man is PC. Blame the brain".

So, the Brain of the woman is well more equipt to handle everything, in softer kinder way, and men, they tend to shut the crap up. Well pardon, obviously I'm female and think some aspects of the men's brain is really much more better than women. They excel more (though now there are more bums than ever. Heh) and sure they "think about sex every 52 seconds, while a woman does only once a day, while a woman does only once a day." Baloney! There are a lot of nymphos out there who always think about (having) sex every 52 seconds! (oh not fricking me, I belong to nunnery once a day..or week perhaps..swear not lying, hehe). But I think this right here "a woman knows what people are feeling, while a man can't spot an emotion unless somebody cries or threatens bodily harm" is not really true, I mean, yes, it is right but not all right is true. There are men who are sensitive who can spot feelings. But maybe most of them are just defensive to readily admit that they do feel. Wimpy willow! Heh.

So the consensus: men are good, but women are better? Uhm, I don't how to use mac! Er, cos I don't have one!

Hounding barks, frightening dream

Damn it. I dozed off while laying down in bed and I dreamnt about a pouring rain, an unknown man, darkness and big dogs. The rain, the man,the dogs barking (advancing and sniffing) scared the mind. Vivid vision of the dogs with fangs got me the chills. The dream lasted five minutes. Creepy. I have dog phobia. Getting sleepy. I'm rambling babbling scary crap hence not making sense.

*edit.. Siesta time. Boredom blog. Bad me! I didn't go to the blah blah for some blah bah. I let it pass..yet again! Had a bit of white lie (we all make white lies from time to time!). I reason upset stomach. And earlier, I just didn't feel like it again.

Too fast too furious

Get well soon Richard Hammond! The 36-year-old was thought to be driving at about 300mph on an airfield near York when he crashed on Wednesday. Hammond was driving a jet-powered dragster similar to the Vampire - used by Colin Fallows to set the British land speed record. It is thought Hammond was attempting to break Fallows' record of 300.3mph (BBC)

If you don't know who he is, you don't obviously watch BBC's Top Gear motor show and you probably wouldn't give a shit. But I watch the show, the presenters are charming, plus cars are awesome! Richard is one of three presenters (along with Jeremy Clarkson and James May)

And this according to Clarkson "I would just like to say how heartened Richard will be when I tell him just how many motorists and truck drivers on my way here wound down their windows to say they were rooting for him."

Aww, sweet really. Hope the " Hammond " recovers and be back presenting.

New word to hate: "Repurposing"

That's according to Judy Muller. Link via Romenesko. Article here

Yeouch! Got me thinking now. Hmm, I wonder if I'm guilty of"repurposing?" Eh, I don't think I am so but anyhow, my blog is just amateur wannabe trying hard to be professional but failing by long long standards plus it's personal crap hardly newsies but when I blog a certain news item from other newsources- like many online news sites- (yahoo and others, I give credit and links). I don't post anything as my own 'cept my personal dramatics and nonsensical social commentary only I would bother to blog about.

And yes, plagiarism definitely sucks and is evil. Heck one blog entry I made was plagiarized before.

On a sunday morning, hunting high and low

I'm hungry. I remember breakfast before but not anymore. It leaves a bitter pill of thought inside and I want to rage but I'm devoid of anger. I know when to stop and look. But I still hunger.

So what's for breakfast right? My thoughts and they are good. Freeflowing with richnesss only I could I taste. I'll share it but, it's contagious. Either it'll bring one to madness or I get slammed but whichever, I'll still share...the hunger.

*edit. But I eat breakfast alone.

Late pm: I'm redundant. Thesame blog for now (minus breakfast whine).

Fuck. I'm grinning! Stoooooop it! to feel a feel is but wonderful, even as I'm the only one who feels. I don't care. It's stupid really(on my part) but as long as I feel, I'm fucking alive! And thelark still grins! changes mood. I feel solitary desolation. *sigh*

No need to apologize

This is what triggered the Muslims reaction of protest and violence:

Pope Benedict cited the words of a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman," particularly "his command to spread by the sword the faith."The pontiff did not endorse that description, but he did not question it, and his words set off a firestorm of protests across the Muslim world

The Pope said he regretted offending Muslims with the remarks he made, I don't think he needs to apologize!

I won't expound and give any long blog thoughts because it's about religionism and plus I don't really know the whole philosophy of being Muslim. But as a Catholic, I could say a lot about Catholicism and it's doctrines but I won't. I know nobody reads this crap but one might chanced upon this and I don't think I'd want to inflame anybody's beliefs and whatever the hell their religion might be.

Newslink via Yahoo/AP

US supreme court transcripts now free online

Bound by the revolution of the world wide web, oral arguments transcripts will be made public and easily accessible to everyone via their website http://www.supremecourtus.gov.

Coupled with another recent innovation, the identification in the transcripts of which justice is asking a particular question, the court's new policy "creates the potential for more intelligent speculation by more people than just those who were in the courtroom.(WashPost)

I don't think we'll see these mighty oldies in black robes pretty soon in our idiot box but at least trasncript are now free. If you're potential lawyer in the works, this is helpful.

---
I'm sleepy. *yawns*. I feel like lazy tired kitten. Hungry as well. Damn. I'm always either sleepy, tired or hungry. I bore myself!

The big F

Tired and worn out at the end of the day. I went up the mountain, came down on hill! For the second time, I felt the stung of Failure lashed at me. I'm flailing at life. Downcast right now. Maybe third time will be lucky one. Haay, I dunno. The trip to heaven wound me up in hell.

I'm hungry and haven't eaten. It's hellish outside.

*edit... forgot to add. I'm giving myself a pat on the back. I did a random act of kindness earlier :) Not much really, but I bought me a large orange juice from Starbucks and after couple of sips, didn't feel like it anymore. I looked for some streetkids loitering but couldn't find any then I saw this young girl pushing a cart and sweeping the streets. Yep, you guessed it right... I gave my still full to the brim juice to her. Got rewarded with a smile and a thanks. I guess that made it up for feeling disconsolate (not really *sigh*). Oh well it was so freaking hot and she was cleaing the street so...

Shit. I a think I just didn't feel like carrying a large cup of juice! But nah.

The mind is fragile

I'm sleepy. I'm still tired one. Funny thing is, I don't do anything. Yet I'm tired. Tired of fucking empty space! Tired of nothing! Just feeling empty makes iteven more tedious. The fact that I'm still able to express hate probably means there is something more deep and intense longing. Bound by the pride of trying to prove once more. It drives me to the brink of insane delight. Fuck. Maybe I cherish my misery alone. Damn it! Plight of the pathetically apathetic! Heh. The future is blurred by visions of nothingness. Uncertainty leaves me wondering.

On the other hand I'm crushing and it gives me something to feel. I'm sleep bound for now. Maybe in a little while.

9/11 lest we forget..

This from NPR

9/11 (with Allen Ginsberg in mind)
by Andrei Codrescu

Listen to the poem read by the author.

9/11, I can barely remember you, they’ve buried you in so much hype!

9/11 I wept when you were first on television! I wept for New York, for the dead, for all of us, for myself, for the world!

9/11, I was sure that the world had changed forever because bad guys wanted America dead and hated us because we listen to rock 'n' roll and wear no miniskirts on our naked faces!

Click the links to read or listen to the whole poem. It's the reality of the sad tragedy.

Tired

Water was everywhere. It started to rain heavily and when heaven opens up, the house gets washed away..inside..literally. Knee dip in floodshit. The whole of the inside quickly turned into water park. Had to wait for the rain to subside before cleaning the ark. So for almost 5 hours been doing nothing except cleaning.

And now I'm tired. I don't think I''ll stay all the way till sunrise. Mmm, I wouldn't mind a back rub.

I'm hungry and sleepy. The knackered one off to la la land.

The madman and his cohorts

The 9/11 anniversary just two days away, Al- Quaeda shows a video of Bin Laden and other hijackers planning the seed of terror that would become 9/11.

Video footage in which Osama bin Laden is shown meeting some of the hijackers responsible for the 11 September attacks on New York and Washington was aired last night on al-Jazeera television. In the film Bin Laden is seen sitting with Mohammed Atef, a former lieutenant, and Ramzi Binalshibh, another suspected planner of the suicide hijackings. Bin Laden is also shown greeting several of what the tape said were the hijackers. The film, produced by As-Sahab, al-Qa'ida's media branch. (Belfast Telegraph)

All I can say is bless this world we live in. Get those terrorists!

The illusionist or delusionist

Arrrrgh. Whew. One of those early morning Fridays. Heh. I'm staring. As usual. Meandering of the mind plays. I'm full of thoughts about nothing and everything. Personal bleedings of the mind. Matters of importance to me. It's mostly the great expectations. Failed endeavors of fucked matters of the soul..which left me feeling a bit phobia..tic. Still trying to be optimistic. I will try once more but I don't expect much now. Dont wanna be crushed again and feel the need to drown once more in my own sorrow.

I should put this in the journal but don't feel like babbling crap there. the journal is full of heart and feelings and once I start I won't be able to stop and whine will turn sour and I need some cheese for that so.. here is where this accomodates a short personal social sentiment. I must be having delusional thoughts right now. Blah. I'm currently not reading the book on the left. Halfway through, I got bored. Must be me I guess... or the book sucks! I dunno. I'm pretty sure I'll delete this nonsense blog later for it doesn't really make sense. Just psycho babbling here.

Just a thought before I blagh out. For Catholics 08 Sept is Mama Mary's Day. So now you know.

Oh and uhm, by the way, maybe title fits British PM Blair! said to be resigning within a year. Perhaps a realist. Politics kills us all, if you noticed! Hah.

Psycho rambling goes on and I still bleed from the mind. Thinking. Oh well, there's always comfort.

Raging bull...

Read something from CW Nevius of SFChronicle

36-year-old assistant coach of a youth football team from San Joaquin County, watched a kid blindside his 13-year-old son at a game in Stockton. In response, Petero basically lost his mind. On the video, he can be seen sprinting onto the field. He tracks down the kid on the other team and rams him from behind, knocking him flat. The sight of Petero, a grown man, clobbering the kid is enough to make anyone wince.

What kind of man would do something like that? What kind of father would allow himself to lose control so completely? Can you imagine someone who would?

I can. Me.

The kid saw a chance to tee off on a smaller, unsuspecting kid, and he did it. Petero's blood must have boiled. Bet he wishes he'd managed to control his temper. Continue reading

Haaay, just blogging this. Life's a lesson.

Croc hunter, Dead!

Steve Irwin was killed by sting ray while making underwater film documentary.

The job killed him. If it wasn't the crocs, it was bound to be something of animal nature.. but a stingray? Now you know how dangerous those stingrays are.

Convert of terror?

There's an American in Al-Quaida. He wants you to convert! Scary!

Is it Christmas already?

Oh my dollars! whew! a $10,000 tip left to bartender and the tab was only for like $26. Lucky lady! Company declined to name the man who left that whopping tip. Must be santa clause!Hey, I am here.. alone and I've been good! *SIGH* oh well when you're lucky. Now I feel sad. *sigh*

Bored outta my wits!

Yes, the days of blogging whine! I should be sleeping. It's past six in the morning here. Sheesh, I must be freaking loser eh! I suppose I could have fun with my mind. Yeah..larky sheesh. Skye is high Skye will fly if those CO's arn't dumb maybe Skye will not be numb so then Skye high will ride and she'll fly high! Wootness! is that poem or is that frigging poem?!?!?! Talk about limerick freaking lark! the frggin' title says it all!

Aww fck it! Too freaking bad I don't drink! Yeah, a Catholic shmuckness! Larkiness..ugh ugh! Two minds should be consensual..with the bodies entwining! But aloneness leads to nonsense wittiness! or wetness! bwahahaha!

Okay. I've calmed down..just dull now. Weirdo me.

Careful you never know who's reading!

Saw this article. It tells a lot about how one should think what sends via SMS and later on selling that old cellphone! Yikes!

WASHINGTON - The married man's girlfriend sent a text message to his cell phone: His wife was getting suspicious. Perhaps they should cool it for a few days.

"So," she wrote, "I'll talk to u next week."

"You want a break from me? Then fine," he wrote back.

Later, the married man bought a new phone. He sold his old one on eBay, at Internet auction, for $290.

The guys who bought it now know his secret.

The married man had followed the directions in his phone's manual to erase all his information, including lurid exchanges with his lover. But it wasn't enough... Read more

Ugh. And I always send text internationally!

But so okay... isnt' it that all informations are stored in the sim card? or is that stupid question!?! Haha.

A Year After the Flood of Emotional Disaster

One year after the worst hurricane disaster, people are still coping with the loss. Mentally and emotionally. They're slowly rebuilding but the trauma of the past year really makes it hard for some..maybe for most to get on with their lives. It's not only in New Orleans, other states too like Mississippi, and even some parts of Alabama are still coping with the disaster, one year after. People are optimistic though. Despite the continuing argument about the slow federal response and what the government should've done when the magnitude of the hurricane started to unleashed before everybody else's eyes, resiliency of the many residents and their determination to bring back everything to normal is great challenge to them but at the same time challenging themselves to rise after the storm of disaster. The photo is the remnants of hurricane Katrina. The homes and possessions of many residents became trash.

Photos by AP/WashPost. News link via WP

Fox journalists freed

The two Fox new journalist describes their ordeal while in capitvity.

In a phone call with Fox News, Centanni said they were abducted Aug. 14 by four masked gunmen on a side street in Gaza City. He said the assailants covered his head with a black hood, and crammed him and Wiig into a small car. Their possessions were taken, and their wrists were bound behind their backs. "I still have some sore wrists," he said. "It was digging into my wrists really badly." In captivity, Centanni said, he was laid face down in a dark garage and tied up in painful positions.

We were forced to convert to Islam at gunpoint," Centanni told Fox.

I guess when somebody points a gun on you.. you have no choice but to abide. Scary. Glad they're free now. Got soft spot for journalist/reporters.

Idiot!

I decided to upload pics from cam, after uploading, I deleted everything. Idiot! So now, all the 100 plus pictures are gone from the comp and the cam. Idiot!

Value

I saw this while browsing. Just blogging it here.

To realize the value of one year:
Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

To realize the value of one month:
Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

To realize the the value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize the value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.

To realize the value of one minute:
Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize the value of one second:
Ask a person who has survived an accident.

To realize the value of one millisecond:
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics.


Nice isn't it? If I can add up to this.. it will be something like ...

To realize the value of friendship or love: Don't be annoying.

To realize the value of humility: Try saying sorry.

I'll add some more but..my brain's a bit spaced out. Happy Sunday morning.

Old piece of blahness

Blogging an old news. I was fixing my documents and I saw I had saved this one I made. I lost the link somewhere but nevermind. Everybody knows about this since it's old. And so....

Incumbent Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman got blogged down by his multi millionaire opponent, Ned Lamont for the primary battle for the Democratic race for the states senate seat. Man, it pays to have good blogging support group eh? The powers thy bloggers yield in this tech savvy world of politcal crapness. Eh.. *scratches head* Hihi. Poor Lieberman, he will run now as an independent. Lets see if Republicans will back him..for all it's worth. Heh.

One thing I can surely say about my blogs, I don't have that yielding clout power. This blog sucks and I'm the only one sane enough to read it. Of course..it's my damn blog! But hey, if I can use this blaaaahg to help (someone/something) in a positive way..I'll glady blaggghing do it :)

Oh yeah, make love not war! :)

Oh no we're Plutoless!

Planet Pluto demoted to being a 'dwarf' by leading (Goofy) astronomers!

For now, membership will be restricted to the eight "classical" planets in the solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Much-maligned Pluto doesn't make the grade under the new rules for a planet: "a celestial body that is in orbit around the sun, has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a ... nearly round shape, and has cleared the neighborhood around its orbit."

Pluto is automatically disqualified because its oblong orbit overlaps with Neptune's.

Aww. Why oh why did they do that?!?! Our solar system will not be thesame. Oh pluto! Nine planets will be come eight.. ack! we're Plutoless!

Hotness!

I feel the sweat trickling down my tummy!

Fartness! I was laughing so hard hearing this one performer comment "Oh vanilla Ice is back?!?" referring to the performance of guy named Federline. Hahah.

Newness! Blogger, yes the one who publishes my blogs you're readng right now has new beta features. One needs to switched from the old to the the beta version so one can use it. Looks good. About time they change something and enhanced their blog features. Remember it's beta so there's still some bugs. Eh..squash those bugs ye hear!

Reviews for the Spike Lee documentary

When the Levee Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts. Click this HBO link for more information.

Even when Lee's subjects are calm and composed, their words cut to the bone. Along with visuals that capture all aspects of the disaster, these bitter, wounded, poignant, thoughtful, expert and often foul-mouthed voices are knitted together in a tightly edited film that manages to sustain four hours without a central narrator. (Washington Post)

Although seeds of hope are woven into this tapestry of rage, sorrow and disbelief, the inability of government at almost every level to act quickly and decisively leaves you aghast at what amounts to a collective failure of will. Some of the stories that hurt the most describe indignities suffered by ordinary New Orleanians leaving the city, like those who were turned back by armed police officers as they tried to cross a bridge into the town of Gretna. (NYTimes)

In this way, "When the Levees Broke" isn't so much investigative as impressionistic, the kind of storytelling you still get on a radio show like Ira Glass' "This American Life." But it's the accumulation of anecdote, not the rhetoric, that makes this such a valuable document. "When the Levees Broke" is like the New Orleans jazz funeral — a dirge on the way to the cemetery, an up-tempo parade in the deceased's honor on the bittersweet walk back home. (LA Times)

I'm not sure if HBO Asia will air it here but I hope they do. I've seen 9/11 docus before (haven't seen Oliver Stone's film, WTC or the film flight 93,though). I'm sure Hurricane Katrina, will resonate with emotional thug just as 9/11 documentaries.

Btw, I hope HBO Asia plan to show the Kevin Carter documentary also.

Source for many reviews from Metacritic

Truce be told...

Israel has right to defend it's nation. And if that means stopping (by raiding) re arming of Hezbolla by Iran and Syria then what's wrong with that? And UN peacekeeping force from muslim nations like Indonesia, Malaysia and Bangladesh..c'mon, if ever there's conflict again, do these UN peacekeeping force have the power to even patrol the borders or prevent militias? Unifel wasn't even a success you know. Hezbolla extremist and their masters, Syria and Iran could wipe them out. Plus the fact that Malaysia recently hosted an Islamic conference that included calls for Israel to be "wiped off the map."

Okay enough said.

Newslink via Washington Post

Photographer McCusker out of the hospital

Link via Romenesko. Article from Photo Distric News. I blogged about this guy who snapped and wanted to die (8/13 blog). He seems alright for now. He's out of hospital but will still be facing four criminal charges.

Finally a suspect murderer arrested!

John Mark Karr, a 41 yar old American teacher was arrested in Thailand. He said that '" he loved Jonbenet" and that "death was accidental."He confessed to the killing.

What led to his arrest was the emails sent to journalism professor which became suspicious of him

Oh my God. I can't help but cringe and get scared. This man, who is now a very much suspect in that brutal murder of a child beauty queen had been living in Asia. A decade ago six year old Jonbenet Ramsey was brutally murdered. It became a high profiled case and for ten years the Boulder police didn't have any success finding out who killed the little gir (they suspected the parents). And now this breakthrough and the guy all along had been in Asia.

The little girl, would've been 16 years old right had she lived.

Sadness, Anger and Grief Took it's Toll on Him...

This is what Hurricane Katrina did to well known local photographer John McCusker.

He wanted to die.

“You have to understand the depth of the horror that the city was,”

This is from the New York Times article (NYTimes reg req'd)

NEW ORLEANS, Aug. 9 — On the morning after Hurricane Katrina, when members of The Times-Picayune’s staff found themselves marooned in its flooded building here, John McCusker refused to join most of his colleagues in relocating to a remote newsroom in Baton Rouge.
After the building was evacuated, Mr. McCusker, a photographer for the paper, swam through muck while managing to keep his equipment dry and, from a kayak, captured some of the most harrowing images of the storm’s immediate aftermath. Then, for months, he lived the misery he had been photographing, having lost his possessions, his family’s home and his entire neighborhood to the hurricane.

On Tuesday, nearly a year after the storm, he seemed to snap.....read more

Please... if you're interested. I wanted to post all but it's quite long. It's a reminder really that people still are dealing with the mental grief and trauma hurricane Katrina brought to them. New Orleans residence still suffering from the tragedy.

In many instances like in strife torn places and countries were poverty is rampant, people suffer from the trauma of what they're going through.

I'm not a photographer but seeing and snapping photos of tragedy can really take it's toll and then one just snaps. Pulitzer-prize winner Kevin Carter of South Africa is an example. After seeing the famine in Sudan and snapping that now famous photo of vulture waiting to eat a child, he committed suicide. (Click here to see the photo).

Emotions and tragedy are potent mix. For some it's hard to disassociate themselves from the subject of their profession. It's hard not to get affected. Snapshots of tragedy specially, can trigger despairing feelings and then one just wants to end it all and just die to block it all out.

It's all sad.

Amazing wonderful shots from Afghanistan

Saw this beautiful Flickr photo by violinsoldier a US flag flying and with a close up of the rainbow so vivid. The other similar photos with the rainbows are just as amazing. Click the link will ya. It's really lovely.

So who do you side with?

The innocent civilians of course and especially the children. They are really the victims in these tit for that bombings. Telly is on right now and Haifa hit by heaviest rocket attack by Hezbolla. Somebody please not glorify militias and extremist groups!

News link (AP/Yahoo)

Un hibernating, un hiatus for today now

I'm still sad about about last Thursday (7/27). But I will try again! Last week I thought I would be on cloud nine but turned out to be hell. Frustration turned into tears and silence soon followed and sadness never left. I hope to rectify everything. But for now...ciao.

Ganging up on Mel Gibson

Un hiatus for today. I am adding my own two cents worth of blahg! Not that it matters. And so....

Yes. He deserve all the hate and bigotry and for his drunken anti semitic slurs. But c'mon! He already said sorry! He apologized and I believe he is sincere and he meant it. Of course some would argue, he should have said the apology right then and there and not when he sobered up did he profusely apologized to the jewish community.

There are conservatives defending him. In defense of Mel Gibson, John Derbyshire in his NRO column said....

The guy was drunk, for heaven’s sake. We all say and do dumb things when we are drunk. If I were to be judged on my drunken escapades and follies, I should be utterly excluded from polite society, and so would you, unless you are some kind of saint.

But yet again people would argue, is it really the drunken state or there really is more deeper hatred against the jews hence anti semitic tirade?

Where is Hollywood and why wont they defend one of their own? They're nowhere to be found. They are silent. Hell, most of Hollywood bigwigs are Jews. Deep inside they are disappointed with Mel and his tirades. Would they Abandon him? It looks to be heading that way..for now it seems. Will he lose fans and his movies will tanked? Yes. He did make an ass of him out there. Getting drunk, and saying those slurs. He deserved it. No excuse for it.. except him being drunk and all. He is paying the price now for his actons. His image tarnished.

But... Mel Gibson is one powerful movie star you rarely hear anything from his family..his wife especially, his children had been shielded mostly and free from all the hollywood brouhaha. So Give the guy a break!

Celebrities and famous personalities have been charged with drunk driving too many times, and this time around, Mel Gibson arrested for misdemeanor DUI created a lot judgement because of his anti semitic slurs, truth is if it weren't for those remarks, it probably would made less of an impact. Of course it would be created a lot of publicity because he is a big star. Powerful hollywood player.

At the end of the day once sober, he apologized and made amends again and owned up to his very very stupid grave mistake (that will probably ruined him in hollywood and with friends as well though I doubt. Heck, hollywood is hollwyood if you know what I mean.). He should be getting help now and for his alcoholism problems.

Missing peace

Give war a chance? I've seen and heard that reference while watching the cable news and browsing sites. Israel has the right right to defend itself from those rockets raining on them. My thoughts exactly. [edit 24.06]

They say is a conflict but really it's like a war with bombs and rockets going off in Israel and Lebanon and people leaving in exodus. Innocent civilians(on both sides) caught in the fighting as they flee for safety and plea for peace.

The latest news is that Israel might launch a full scale invation to stop the Hezbollah.

Annan said Hezbollah's actions in launching rockets into Israel and abducting Israeli soldiers "hold an entire nation hostage" and set back prospects for Middle East peace.

Anyway, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues as rockets fall inside Israel and bombs shower Lebanon. So many people fleeing the dangerous situation. The foreign nationals evacuating by the thousands and then there are the locals who's feeling the chaos thats happening in their homeland. Tough for all these people and children especially. I see the news and everybody looks tired and weary and scared. Who wouldn't be!

I wouldn't want to experience anything like that. I mean sirens blaring warning of rockets going off and bombing would be everywhere. Just the mere thought of bombs makes me shudder. What more if similar things happened here in Manila. But I seriously doubt anything like that would occur. Save for a coup d' eta t(we've had so many it's like yeah okay it's bloodless revolution..but you'll never know) or an all out war happens(knock on wood!) and Americans need allies to join (Philippines being one of them) then we would be forced to do something. I mean our soldiers. Yikes.

It's scary what's been going and seeing the news about rockets going off and bombs falling. Both Israel and Lebanon have had casualties. People are suffering with this crisis. The "Road Map to Peace" has been shelled and bomb.

It must be said though that Israel's fight is with the Hezbollah and not the Lebanon itself. Hezbolla (I think) is based inside Lebanon and the thing is the government isn't doing anything at all to stop Hezbolla from launching those rockets to Israel. I think everything started because two Israeli soldiers were kidnapped or captured by the Hezbollah and then everything escalated to what it is now.

As I sit here and do this blogs others are fearing for their safety. Lets all hope everything will be resolve.

Accused Marine Daniel Smith speaks out

Lance cpl Daniel smith, the U.S. Marine accused of raping a Filipina, is telling his side in response to questions submitted through his lawyer by The Associated Press.

What he said...

"I think it's horrible what I've been accused of"

"This place has taken a year off of my life that I can never get back and I just hope the lies will stop and the people will start to see the truth,"

"My career and my life in general has come to a screeching halt,"

Well..there's always two sides to the story. That's his side and the complainant, pretty well shielded has had her time in court testifyingto everything that has happened her the night of the alleged rape.

Btw, I hope I won't be condemned by saying this but..... Daniel Smith is a cutie!

Click for more blog related post (since obviously not using Word Press so can't do categories).

Billionaire Boys Club...

I'm just looking at the Forbes website and reading about and finding out who are the World Youngest Billionaires and America's Youngest CEOs. There's a bit of gossip there as well. Hehe.

Google founders (Sergey Brin,32 Larry Page, 33) tops them all and a Prince as well.. with a very long name :). As for the Young CEOs.. Matthew McCauley(he's only 33) of Gymboree childrens clothing. Michael Rubin-GSI Commerce Michael Chaser-Nasdaq listed Blackboard and others as well so click the links to know who these richie richie dudes are.

Man, these billionaires are just wow. I need to think of an internet based idea with billion bucks potential that would propel me to be right there with the boys and also just because there aren't any women in the list. Ack. Boo hoo. I'll be the first.. yeah right! =)

War and Conflict in the M.E

Israel Attacks Beirut(AP/Yahoo]

Looks like Israel has a lot on their hands and armor fighting two wars- Palestinians and Hezbolla. With two of their Soldiers captured by Hezbolla and then one soldier still in the hands of Palestinian last week. Hmm...where's the road map to peace?

Rotoscoping drug paranoia movie

Blah. I feel lonely :(

Anyway...nothing to blog about so.... Pirates of the Caribbean 2 washing away all the competition. Hehe. It's a box office summer hit! I haven't seen the first one so I don't really care(besides, the only Johnny Depp films I liked were Donnie Brasco and Sleepy Hollow). The movie was shown same day as was A Scanner Darkly (it was only shown though in select cities). Now that's movie I wanna see.

It's a film directed by Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Slackers, Waking life...etc) based on the 1977 sci-fi novel by Philip K. Dick. He used the rotoscope technique as he did with the Waking Life film several years ago. The effect really is like fluid dreamy like animation. That and the story itself about drug, called the Substance D and the paranoia that is induced by it. The movie had favorable good reviews from critics

It may seem odd in this context to talk about performances, but the actors, rotoscoped though they may be, are phenomenal -CSM

The brilliance of "A Scanner Darkly" is how it suggests, without bombast or fanfare, the ways in which the real world has come to resemble the dark world of comic books - LATimes

Rotoscoping makes certain sense for a film about cognitive dissonance and alternative realities, though both the vocal and gestural performances by Mr. Reeves, Mr. Harrelson and, in particular, the wonderful Mr. Downey make me wish that we were watching them in live action -NYTimes

I think the film is not for everybody. "Either you're on it, or you're not'' to quote(R.D Jr's ?) line in the film. Hehee. But but of course, ulitmately the moviegoer will be the ones to decide. Critics review is just there to help guide.....okay maybe influence(?) somewhat. Hehe.

Seeking answers about humanity

Yahoo answers, one of the many Yahoo services, tapped brilliant, genius physicist, theoretical Author (Brief History of Time, The Universe in a Nutshell) and Univ. Cambridge mathematics Professor Stephen Hawking as one of 10 celebrity questioners for their ask the planet campaign.

The question: In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years?"

Nearly 17,000 yahoo user responded. Some had brief answers others gave long ones offering resasons and explanations. Some were vague.

Check the website link. The answers and inputs of people are soo interesting. :)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20060704195516AAnrdOD

Officials at the University of Cambridge, where Hawking is a mathematics professor, confirmed that Hawking wrote the message but said he would have no further comment.

Link via SFChronicle

My own two cents worthless piece of answers. To sustain the human race for another one hundred years, well... get rid of all the bad ones (terrorist, muderers..) retain the good ones (hmmm...*thinks*). Find new planet to dwell, copulate, procreate(??? er, hehe). Cloning(?) the best and the brightest individuals (but cloning is bad!....tsk tsk. I'm catholic..sue me!). Get rid of nuclear weapons and missiles.

Yay. I'm not gonna act like I know anything about everything cos honestly I dont... hence my own crappy sentiments. Hehee. I just like to blog about things that interest me.

Missile reaction

Damn, it's scary! North Korea launching test missile. One of then landing somewhere off the Japan waters. They were furious. Of course who wouldn't be. It's very scary. China should do something... I think. According to Washington Post

The Taepodong-2 was the third of at least six missiles launched beginning at 2:33 p.m. EDT and ending four hours later. They included two short-range Scud missiles and three medium-range Nodongs, another type of Scud... "None posed a threat," a Pentagon spokesman said in an e-mail account of the incident, and "no action [was] required." The Taepodong-2 missile failed after about 35 seconds, he said

Right.. but remember the Nodong is a medium-range Scud missile. The Taepodong-2 is a multi-stage missile with a possible range of 2,175 to 2,672 miles, meaning it could hit parts of Alaska.

The thought is scary.

Interview with the accused

One of the accused in the Subic rape case..Marine Staff Seargeant Chad Carpentier interviewed by GMA news

Carpentier said it was painful to be branded a rapist and feared that his two children may find it hard to understand what has happened to him.

Admitting that the past eight months had been hard...Smith, who allegedly raped Nicole, was described by Carpentier as “very quiet” and “reserved.”

“He’s just a kid,” he added. “We’re humans, we’re not the monsters we’re made out to be and I think that’s starting to come to light as the trial moves on,” Carpentier said. Carpentier also said he was “not angry” with Nicole because “I know she’s attempted and tried to do what’s right.” He described the complainant as “a victim,” not “of us” but “of some of the people surrounding her.” Carpentier said he had “nothing to hide” and that, on the night of the alleged rape, there was “another person in the van” where the incident supposedly happened – “the Lord.”

Okay..... I'm not sure if that interview has the blessings of the of embassy officials or lawyers for that matter but at least he was able to say what he wanted to say.

Tomorrow the victim 'Nicole' will be testifying. That's gotta be so nerve wracking and scary. But if you got raped you should be prepared to testify and tell all exactly what happened no matter how much painful it is in recalling ugly meories of that rape crime.

Like I keep saying....if guilty...punish. If not ...let go.

Click for more blog related post (since obviously not using Wordpress so can't do categories).

*edit.. Marines attacked by accuser. (10 July). Venting anger so can't really blame her I guess.

For whom the Liberty bell tolls

Happy 4th of July fireworks day to all you Americans!

You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism. ~Erma Bombeck

Here in my country, we celebrate independence day 12 June and no we don't feast on food nor have fireworks. We do that during Christmas and New Year celebration. Hehe.

The President and media

As usual President Bush angry at the media. NYTimes in particular for publishing secret tracking of terror funds. Link via Romenesko

I think most most Presidents have love- hate affair with media whether they're journalist, broadcasters or talk radio host, bloggers for that matter. If it's favoring the Commander-in-chief, media gets pat on the back but once the attacks about domestic policies or international issues gets negative reaction by the press, President get's mad. Even here in the Philippines it's thesame thing.

Grrrr! Don't you know blogging etiquette?!

Copy Cat! blogger lazy squash ztidytrish: http://bludrush207.blogspot.com/ whoever the shmuck you are...
Host Name: 210.213.147.52.pldt.net(Mydsl_professional)
IP Address: 210.213.147.52

If you're going to copy word for word one of my blogs at least give a link or acknowledge where you got it from. Doofus! I mean shit, even the typos were copied. That plagiarist blogger made it seemed like s/he made it Freaks me out!

Damnit. Plagiarism could land you in jail you know. Grrrrr!!!!

Holy Kettle Corn

My sister gave me a whole bag of popcorn. I ate it all. My tummy's gonna pop pretty soon. Ugh. I wish I had a slice of German cake Karl said he was eating yesterday. Yummmy.

I wonder why it's called Holy. Hehee.

The saga of that heartbroken MySpace romance

And so the story goes for a young Palestinian man meeting a western girl through MySpace.com (social networking craze of fad right now) and thepromise of love and romance cut short and left pain and anguish and heartbroken feelings.

Abdullah Jimzawi, a 20-year-old high school dropout who lives with his parents in Jericho and Katherine Lester, 16 years old were supposed to meet and have fun, get to know each and marry in the future but sadly....

Lester was en route to Tel Aviv airport when she was intercepted in Amman, Jordan, by U.S. authorities who seized her passport and put her on a flight back to the United States.

Jimzawi, a shy soft-spoken young man with close-cropped hair and a two-day beard lives in Jericho, a town of 17,000 that is largely immune from the violence plaguing the rest of the West bank.

Katherine Lester is now in seclusion with her father after returning from Israel and hasn't spoke to reporterss yet.

Jimzawi was initially reluctant to talk to the media because of what he said was unfair treatment following Lester's ill-fated trip. However, he eventually agreed to be photographed in shorts and sandals, showing AP reporters the computer on which he said he met Lester eight months ago.

Read the whole article and be fascinated by their love story. I feel somewhat sorry for the young man. But I thnk he really should've been the one to go there in Michigan instead of the girl. But anyway he said his next step was to apply for visa so he could travel to the U.S. They should give him one.

About a mall and I'm not even mallrat

Blahg.

I haven't been to SM Mall of Asia. Too far from where I am right now (Quezon City) but hopefully my friends and I can go there next week(yeah if they're not tired of treating me.. yet again. Hehee. Such good friends they are). I wonder what's new with that mall. They do have the IMAX theater but I've been to one already in Darlinghurst. They say the Mall is really huge and four times the size of Megamall. Hmm. I'm not the type who enjoys long walks inside the mall.... unless of course I have money to shop. Hehe. But it's SM so maybe it'll look like thesame as all the other SM malls. My sister said it's really different from the others and she said design was good and it's beautiful. Well see then.

I'm done with my download.

Subic rape case hearing

According to US NCIS report- it was "consensual sex"

Naval Criminal Investigation Service agent Guy Papageorge, quoting from his investigation report dated Nov. 9, 2005, said Lance Corporal Daniel Smith "admitted he had sexual intercourse with the Filipino woman inside the van and that the other Marines cheered him on."

Actually the US embassy at first would not allow the other NCIS agents to testify citing something about diplomatic immunity thing.

"Consistent with our commitment to seeing that justice is served in a fair and impartial trial, the government of the United States has agreed to allow several US Government employees to testify at the trial of four US Marines accused of rape…. The US government has waived [the immunity] for the limited purpose of testifying at this trial," the US Embassy said.

Expect three more to testify for the prosecution.

And but so there you go. Daniel Smith had admitted to having had consensual sex with the victim..

But....I'll say it again and again. Going to a bar frequented by US servicemen, it's given thing already that one should expect that there would probably be some kind of sexual thing that would likely happen. She Should have avoided bars like that in the first place. I'm not chastizing the victim nor am I defending the servicemen.

Rape is something else and it's very grave and violates our worth as a human. One shouldn't get away with it..if found guilty.

By the way .... Carpentier, Smith, Silkwood, and Duplantis are members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Force stationed on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa. They had finished counterterrorism maneuvers with Filipino troops when the alleged rape occurred in a van.

** Related blog topics
Subic rape case: four u.s marines charged with rape
Subic rape case may not be a case after all
Military tales, Military woes