Dangers of being a Journalist

It's tough being out there and covering the news especially in dangerous place like Iraq.

Correspondent Kimberly Dozier, cameraman Paul Douglas and soundman James Brolan - were reporting from outside their humvee and are believed to have been wearing their protective gear. Douglas and Brolan, both London-based, were killed. Dozier sustained serious injuries in the attack and underwent surgery at a U.S. military hospital in Baghdad. She is in critical condition, but doctors are cautiously optimistic about her prognosis. [CBS News]

Here in the Philippines, Journalist are getting killed one after the other and they didn't even have to cover any war.

The nanny PUK my cell

It's only small incident but I'm Pissed!

The nanny here (that looks after my niece) borrowed my cellphone last night. I didn't want to but I'm such a good one I said okay. But guess what? My phone got PUK! Shit! then she asked are you mad? Damn right I am! I was cursing. I didn't know what she did to my cellphone! obviously PUK it! Never gonna let that nanny use it again. It's a cheap ass cellphone but still it's mine and when somebody borrows something they better take care of it. I didn't wanna fix the cell so she couldnt use it but again out of the goodness of my heart I did. If I was in a good mood, I might've let it pass but was in a foul irritating mood!

Nutso hi tech products

According to PCWorld (via yahoo news] these are the 25 worst worst tech products you wish you never had!

1. AOL( how do we loathe AOL? let us count the ways)
2. Real Player (Real annoying) soooooooo true!
3. Windows ME (aka Mistake edition)
4. Internet Explorer 6 (Hoping IE7 springs fewer leaks)
5. Comet Cursor (curse you comet cursor!) gives my pc a headache! comet crap!
   
6. WEB. TV (excruciating)
7. ROKR ( not rockin)
8. IOMEGA Zip Drive (the sound of data dying)

No complete and they're not in order. I just put the ones that I'm familiar with it.

Heres the complete lists of losers

Having these products just makes you go bonkers and make you so fckingcrazynuts.

Six degrees of separation and nothingness

It's halfway through another weekend and I just finished a long journal entry. I had a lot to babble. Rant actually. I'mjust pissed it's making me sad. I know I don't have the right to but I couldn't help it. I know I should be happy and excited but...my phone's not ringing. I haven't heard anything at all. It sucks!

I don't care about about Da Vinci Code

There's still a question mark whether the movie will be shown here or not.

Censor here has yet to grant it a release permit despite a slated opening date of May 18. "We will decide on the permit based on whether the film attacks a religion, creed or doctrine, and if it defames a person living or dead," the censor, Consoliza Laguardia, told local radio on Monday.

Personally I could care less. I haven't read the book.

I know it's a best seller. Millions of people read it (hence the excitement over the movie, I guess). My sister has the book here. Karl even bought one as well. Even my friends (few that I have) who've read it says it's exciting and controversial. Still it doesn't interest me. Jesus having an affair with Mary Magdalene and siring a child and all that. Heh. Riiiight! it's a work of fiction you know.

Lets and wait and see if the movie will be shown here. I think SM cinemas will not show if it's 18 and above. SM has the most number of cinemas here. But their patrons are mostly C and D crowd.

You know what, I thinkI'm more interested about A Scanner Darkly. One of the most anticipated summer movies.

*Edit.. Censors here gave Da Vinci Code R-18 classification. SM cinemas not showing it.

Movie was shown to the press at Cannes Festival. Veridct:
Critics hate it. Majority of them!

Reactions ranged from halfhearted admiration to boredom to derision among journalists.

Ouch!

Wishing on another lucky star

The song really is poignant. JD Souther wrote it.

I like the movie Permanent Record (one of the earlier films of Keanu Reeves along with Rivers Edge..and who says he can't act?!?!.. a lot! haha) it's one of those obscure sleeper movies that hardly anybody paid attention back then. It deals with teen life and how one deals with suicide. I've seen it a number times already. I wanna have the dvd of the movie and also Rivers Edge.

I'm done. I'll just blog when I have something to blog.

I remember, I remember and I saw it

There's something I wanna blog so I'm back from not really wanting to blog cos I have nothing to blog really..but I have one now...

If I heard it correctly, SM (mall of Asia...Pasay which will open sometime this month) will have an IMAX theater(?) and the first movie they're going to show there is Everest. First of all if there's gonna be IMAX here it will be the first one for the country. Second....I've seen Everest(the movie) already back in Sydney summer of 98 inside IMAX theater as well. Just brings back memories.

The interest about Mt. Everest is getting more and more exciting There's this Filipino guy, Romy Garduce attempting to be the first Filipino to climb the summit of Mt. Everest. The very top. Oh yeah hail the pinoy!

Subic case: four US Marines charged with rape

Four U.S. Marines refused to answer rape charges against them Friday in the Philippines, prompting the judge to enter a not guilty plea for them

It seems the Judge for the case threw out the motion of the DOJ for the 3 (Silkwood, Carpentier and Duplantis) to be just an accessory to the crime and (Smith) be the only one charged.

Pozon said he could not allow a downgrade of charges against the three "on the basis of the evidence not yet presented."

Lance Cpl Daniel Smith was actually the supposed date of the rape victim then others joined the two of them in the disco then subsequently inside the van were the alleged rape took place.

The defendants belong to 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 at the former U.S. Subic Bay naval base near Olongapo city, west of Manila. U.S. officials have refused to disclose their hometowns.

Well, under the Visiting Forces Agreement, US authorities don't have to turn over the American servicemen facing criminal charges. And that's why there's been lots of protest here for the scraping of the VFA.

The court hearing was the first public appearance by Lance Cpl. Daniel Smith, Lance Cpl. Keith Silkwood, Lance Cpl. Dominic Duplantis and Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier since the alleged Nov. 1 rape of a 22-year-old Philippine woman.

(By the way, the second and the third one looks cute.. hehehe. Yay).

Anyhow, there were actually six that was initially charged (Albert Lara and another one which I forgot the name). But due to lack of evidence, the prosecution dropped the charges against the two servicemen. I think they went back to Okinawa.

Rape is serious and if these men were guilty, they should be meted proper punishement but if they're not...let them go. They were here for some military exercise and then had some relaxation I guess. They probably shouldn't have gone out of the USS(whatever cos I dunno the name) or their quarters.

Many servicemen go to [war]torn places and they've had enough to deal with as it is. Not that I'm defending them over my own race but like I said if they're guilty punish them if not.. set them free (hehe, it's not like they're inside a jail though, but they've been inside the Embassy for the several months now I think).

The thing I don't get it is that, if you're a girl and then knowing that a lot of servicemen go to that bar you're going to wouldn't it be obvious that there's gonna be bad connotation about you(ie: bar girl), then you'd have avoided it. Not that I'm saying the girl is such..but of course even if..it's still not an excuse to commit rape.

Punish the guilty. If not..set free.

Okay enough, I know nobody reads my blogs thats why I bravely share my thoughts and opinions and I keep blabbing. Hehe.

How blogging is perceive in the Philippines

Blogging in RP still seen as an 'elitist' activity--blogger

BLOGGING is currently perceived as an “elitist” activity limited to people who are educated, have access to technology, and earn higher incomes, said Dr. Ronald Meinardus, blogger and resident representative of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation.

“In most countries, blogging is an activity done by higher-income and educated people,”

“In the Philippines, most political bloggers are from the opposition and are critical of the current administration. In short, political blogs in this country are mostly anti-Arroyo,” he added.

I do agree with that. Mostly the blogs (this one included) I read are the ones that has a lot to say about the Arroyo administration. But as far as blogging being an "elitist" activity..maybe somewhat it is. I mean to be able to blog you need a computer and majority of Filipinos doesn't have one and those who has access to a computer and do blog doesn't really blog about political scene or current events. They would rather spend their time playing pc games or going to sites like My Space or Friendster or surf porn. Yay. Things I don't really do online.

So am I an elitist? Hardly!

Happy Easter

Rejoice for Christ has risen.

Whats with eggs and bunnies during easter? I don't like bunnies. We had one several years ago but after a few days, he died. The poor thing was left inside a cage in the garden in a pouring rain. Somebody forgot to bring it inside the house. Aww.

The world through the eyes of a lensman

View everything here and know more about life and nature.

How do I love thee (cellphone) let me count the hits!

This Washington Post article cracks me up! Hahahaa.

To paraphrase the Marine Corps Rifleman's creed:

This is my cellphone. There are many like it, but this one is mine. My cellphone is my best friend. It is my life. My cellphone and myself know that what counts is not the calls we make or the cuteness of our ring tone. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit.

Some people are so damn attached to their cellphone even making it their weapon of mass/ self destruction!

Hit: Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) is accused of "stabbing" or "jabbing" a Capitol Hill policeman with her cellphone.

Hit: Supermodel Naomi Campbell allegedly smashed Housekepeer with her cellphone

Hit: Actor Crowe, you recall, was arrested last June for assaulting a New York hotel staffer with a telephone.

Meanwhile, the "cellphone bandit," Candice Martinez, stuck up four Virginia banks last year while talking on a cellphone...

Read whole article :)

Oh boy, am I glad I have a very ancient cellphone that only thing I can do with it is to call and text. Hahaha. Ooop, actually I can freaking hit somebody as well.It's biggie! Yay!

To speak or no to speak...English

When Erap testified at his plunder case yesterday, he wanted the proceedings in tagalog but the laywers argued that it's going to be hard for them and the stenographer as well. They wanted to use the English language (easier for them to do their job). Both parties made a compromise. The lawyers will ask questions in English and Estrada will answer back in Tagalog.

And so the interchange was done in Taglish.. Yikes!

It's funny to think about how we are all Filipinos here and yet the court has to have an interpreter just so it can translate Estrada's answers into English. How silly. Hehehe.

Hell, what happens if you're defending somebody poor who can't even understand the English language? Lawyers will just continue their gibberish slangs and and lexicon blabs without them knowing and understanding what the fuck is going on! Just look what happened during Ultra stampede hearings. The victims (mostly poor ones) were so clueless as to whats going on cos prosecutors and and everybody else was talking in english!

The PC [political correctness] movement exists not in order to improve the well-being of those whose oppression it purports to combat. Rather, its purpose is to wrap its proponents in a kind of verbal comfort-blanket. Beneath its complacent cosiness and nauseating sanctimony, the intrepid shock-troops of 'populist authoritarianism' pretend that suppressing the language of prejudice is the same as eliminating prejudice itself. Smug and self-satisfied, having assuaged whatever guilt they may have felt through their attacks on the 'non-PC', they ignore the real inequalities, ignominies and powerlessness of those whom they pretend to champion. They are instead complacently content at their 'victory' in contorting the language of 'acceptable' discourse in the classroom, in the textbook and in the mass media. ~Erik Kowal, as posted on The Wordwizard Portal

Uhm

Maybe Lawyers should realize that if their clients cannot speak much less understand English, they ought to go down to their level of understanding and talk to them and explain things to them in Tagalog. If you're a Filipino though you should be able to speak and talk argue and defend in your mother tongue and rephrase words in the most effective way.

On the other hand.....

Many agree that when it comes to court cases and hearings, English language is best used for arguments and questions and everything else. They said that terminology and articulation is but hard and will be difficult for them to translate into Tagalog words. Okay maybe they are right about that. Also if you want to be successful in the corporate world and be a professional (Doctors, Lawyers...etc) and travel abroad of course you need to speak good English-correct grammar and the right pronounciation and enunciation. One doesn't need to be so fluent (although it helps a lot).

Communicating effectively is a must. Whether it's in your native tongue or different language.

And just so you know, I speak fluent Tagalog.

Anyhow...

If you can speak three languages you're trilingual. If you can speak two languages you're bilingual. If you can speak only one language you're an American.

Hmm. I have nothing more to say.

Why Cory doesn't like Gloria

I think I know why.. it's probably not a secret but here's my theory, it's because PGMA and Mrs. Marcos are talking. Meaning to say, that Mrs. Marcos thinks that with this present government of Arroyo she can get a deal to bury her late husband, and then at the same time, the government was willing to enter into an out-of-court settlement with Marcos over her tiaras, bracelets and necklaces in an attempt to speed up recovery of the assets.

As you know, if was the Marcoses who jailed Ninoy Aquino (Cory's husband) and thought to be the one who killed him which in turn sparked EDSA revolution.

And now, the government is entering a deal with Imelda Marcos ( about the ill gotten wealth cos PCCG said it has been so long.. already and nothing happening..to that effect) .

You get what I mean? Oh well, I know majority of Filipinos doesn't like PGMA. Heh!

The (Subic rape)case may not be a case after all

Accordng to this Reuters report: Manila may drop rape charges against US marine

Last year, Philippine prosecutors charged the four with raping a 22-year-old Filipino woman in early November but, following an appeal by defense lawyers, the government is reviewing the charges before the marines are formally arraigned.

"What I'm studying now is whether the culpability of all these people is the same," Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez told Reuters.

When asked about media reports that the Philippines will drop all charges against three of the four U.S servicemen, Gonzalez said "I do not think so."

The case is weak I think.

The girl who granted news interview (shown on t.v) several weeks ago said she's educated, she's college graduate( Ateneo de Davao.. If I'm not mistaken) and that she was only in Subic vacationing. But why go to a club frequented by marines? Hoes go there! Where there are U.S servicemen, naturally hoes would be there as well.

Gory Hostel Movie

Hot hot heat. Holy crap! It's practically summer already. Just couple of weeks more and it will be official. I wanna write something long and crappy and something quixotically boring about my life but my diary site is gone which is bummer cos that's where I blab about me, myself and my aesthetic crap. My journal of thoughts. My day by day existence(sp?). I hope they fix that site AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!

Saw the movie Hostel and that was so fucking gory! Blood gory body parts spilling all over-eye gouching arm breaking knee bending heel cracking finger cutting goriness! I sat throughout the duration of the movie covering my face not because it was scary but because of the blood and yucky cutting body parts thing. Eww.

Bush hit by cricket pitch ball.Yeeeouch!

Uh oh. Something for the late night talk shows monalogues. View photo slide here or watch the video from you tube. You know how they like to make fun one of the President Bush or anybody for that matter. I guess he should stick to baseball. Hehe.

Btw, was gonna post the embed vid but covered a bit of my sidebar.

End Presidential Proclamation 1017!

"I am tired of chasing the bully" she once said. But... isn't it the bully who chases the wimps?!

Enough warrantless arrest! Enough crackdown on media! Enough curtailing freedom of speech and the right to free assembly! Enough being stupidness and hungering for more presidential powers. Enough sucking up to her! End greed! End the so called Martial law like PP1017!

She's been the President since EDSA 2 and will continue to be that way untill 2011! Man, that's like almost 10 years of GMA. It's sickening already. Enough!

Edit* President Arroyo lifted state of national emergency the following day. As far as I'm concerned,....she should lift herself out the Malacanang palace throne!

Saving what I can, missing routinary d-x updates

Yippee. I finally was able to salvage several yearly archives(different months and all that) of my D-x journals through yahoo cache and internet archives. It's not everything but at least I got to save hundred or so from the combined 5 years of journal entries I had with Diary-x. I thought I wouldn't be able to retrieve my life online but..thank goodness for caches. I placed all archives saved in geocities accoount I have since forever.. but I gotta to fix them to make it fucken gruven archive site with custom layout and what not. :)

I'm waiting for d-x to resurrect from it's tomb, In the meantime, I will blahg a bit of my so called life here..until of call the new d-x is ready with it's spanking new life! Okay enough this!

Death of Diary-x: Requiem for my online journal

It;s just a journal.. a an online site to rant about life to and update angst and to mull over things mundane as they can be. But.. with so many words and thoughts gone.. it's kinda hard not to feel something. I use d-x to further improve my writing skills and share my thoughts.

Grieving for the loss of my journal. Five years of my online journal gone. Five years of my life gone. I spent five years sharing my depeest innermost thoughts and secrets to my online journal(especially about the death of my mom) and now I learned that it's dead! the site will be close due to unrecoverable drive failure.

Five years of thoughts and words and memories saved.... and it's all gone. I am sad. I invested my brains and writing skills, my emotional outburst, my happy thoughts, sad painful sorrows of life. Me, myself and I..my life basically since 2002 I shared everything in there. my wit and whining, candor and crappy thoughs about my everyday life. My crushes, my friends, stories of love and hate and melancholy musings. Everything's empty now. I'm gonna miss the long hours of confiding to my journal and updating it everyday. I feel bad that all the hours I spent laboring infront of the pc making layouts are gone (I have 14 layouts there). But mostly I just feel sad that five years of life love and tears and angst that was entrusted to my online journa gone down. All gone.

I'm not mad at Stephen but knwing that it's an online jounrnal, all measures should have been taken care off because hundreds of people uses his site to publish journals. It's easy, it's simple to use (just like blogger) and have good reviews that's why I picked it host my life online so.. why did it came to this? I should've back up my files before but..I didn't.. next time I'll know better.

Bye diary-x. It's not gonna be thesame. I have to start anew. Just glad I have this blog same time I started my online journal.

Crisis gone pffttt!

Argh. Standoff inside Fort Bonifacio left me hanging. I thought there would batallion of marines and throngs of people making a solid stance against government. I was looking for more action. More of the drama. I'm no war freak and I'm very peaceful loving individual. I wanted something significant to happen but in the end went pfffft. Shit! Bitin!

Btw, crisis was solve just before midnight. It was internal problem within the Marines. Military! Tsk tsk! :)

It is exactly like Martial Law!

I'm pissed! disturb actually. The turn of events here and the proclamation of national state of emergency is putting paranoia in my head.

CIDG raided offices of Daily Tribune! Arrested opposition personalities! It is like a pre martial law. And it's happening again. When she declared national state of emergency, she is trying so hard to hold on to her power and will do anything not to be overthrown via military coup or another people power (which nearly happened during the so called EDSA 3). Arroyo is so scared that she's doing these things and actually is the one inciting fear and causing alarm to every Filipino.

If events like what happened this morning continues-arresting people and rading a newspaper company, warning the reporters and journalist they will be next, scaring different media outlets, then martial law is slowly happening. The ghost of martial law is happening again. This time, people will not tolerate it. The first time it happened ithe Marcos era, everybody was helpless against the dictator. Not this time!

I'm putting my own two cents worth of blogging opinions here. I sometimes fear that I better be careful of what I blog and what I say regarding her. But this is the venue for me to rant about what I think of her and the political situation of our country. Freedom of speech, the right to speak should never be stopped. I know hardly anybody reads these blogs but still with what's happening now gotta be aware of what I input here. I remember looking at my tracker and seeing an IP add coming from office of the president Yay! That was surprising. Oh well, maybe somebody browsing there.

Smack Down!

Curtailing freedom of speech and even thinking of shutting down media outlets is damn fucking outrageous! Arroyo declared state of national emergency and with that comes powers that could put people in jail. The news media, television stations and other entities were warned by NTC(telecommunications body here).

National Telecommunications Commissioner Ronald Solis also warned media Friday not to broadcast calls for the forceful removal of Arroyo, urging television and radio networks to "cooperate" with the government for the duration of the state of national emergency. Solis asked for "balanced reporting" from broadcasters when covering events surrounding the alleged coup attempt foiled by the government on Friday morning.

Fuck. If you shut down media outlets..you are creating an even more fear and panic! People Power is being commemorated by thousands of Filipinos today and it's one of the reason why we have democracy right now!

Freedom to speak out and be heard should never ever be prevented! Does she even understand the word democracy and what it means! Goodness! Let the people know what the fuck is really going on! That there is (was) a revolt against her but it sorta of fizzled out cos some of the men in unform became wimps..I guess). It's gonna be her downfall if she shuts down media!

President Arroyo was lucky today for the coup and the revolt didn'tmaterialize. Pres. Arroyo is hanging by thread..again. Up to when can she hold on to the ropes of power? Only the "plotters" know.

--
Since I wasn't able to blog yesterday and dx still dead site...

Friday morning. Had breakfast outside then went to the booktsore and came back here. Watched most of whats going on via the telly. I kinda grew tired of it. So while people were out marching/protesting/rallying/ commemorating people power anniversary, I went Cubao. No I did not watch WWE silly gross action slam bang. Went to Gateway instead and watched Final Destination at the Cineplex. The movie was entertaningly suspensefully funny( shrugs.. most people inside the theater were laughing...er, "gaysters."). Wanna see it again. Hehe.

So where were you when it happened?

People Power in EDSA. Do people still care about that historic moment? I hope they do. After reading and seeing(news and documentaries) what it was like during the Martial Law years and the sufferings of people back then-those who were fighting for freedom of everything!, I think taking out the tyrannical ruler through that historical event, should always be remembered. The world was looking in awe as we deposed and and took out Ferdinand Marcos from his high pedestal throne from Malacanang Palace.

Tomorrow will be the 20th year anniversary of the revolution. Do people still care about it. I dunno. I'm blogging about it just because...it's an event. A moment in our nation's history to be proud of and feel good.

The time is ripe for a new People Power revolt but I think most are tired of it. Then again....if it's a way to change and have a better government..why not. Make sure it's bloodless!

Ahh, the Jetson life once more

In the future....

Trash cans will be Touchless!

When you move something about 6 inches from the lid, a magical AI Smart Chip II opens the lid and closes thanks to patented SilenX silent lid closing thing.

Uh huh. Comes in handy for carrying tons of crap. Order it here if you like.





We can now test water right in the comfort of our own hands! Ugh. Am I drinking shitty water full of bacteria? Lemme get my Water Qaulity Tester. Place a single drop of water from any source onto the device then it will display either a happy face or a sad face depending on the quality of water.

Oooh Happy face.. it's safe to drink! *Chug chug*.. Ahhh.



Being lazy or just cost cutting ? Bye bye fastfood crew hello Touch Screen Ordering. This is just a large touch screen where all of the ordering and paying happens. Yeah but what if the customer is blind!? Hello? Anybody here?!

No more work for people who can't find work! Awww!

Links via Gizmodo

Buried in landslide

A village in southern part of Leyte is now buried in mudslides 1,500 feared hurt or dead

I was watching the news earlier and and saw people covered in mud and others digging through and trying to find the missing. Couple of days back floodings in Leyte in was reported in the news even though there weren't any rainstorm and now this tragedy. It's horrible.

Music to my ears

Yey. John Legend won at the grammys for Best Male R and B performance and Best New Artist. I really like his song Ordinary People.

We're just ordinary people
We don't know which way to go
Cuz we're ordinary people
Maybe we should take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow (Take it slow oh oh ohh)
This time we'll take it slow

Take it slow
Maybe we'll live and learn
Maybe we'll crash and burn
Maybe you'll stay, maybe you'll leave,
maybe you'll return
Maybe you'll never find
Maybe we won't survive
But maybe we'll grow
You never know baby youuuu and  I

Oh yeah I'm singing it now!

Freedom of speech and clash of culture

Poor Denmark and Danish people. They hardly ever figure in any international issues and events and now all because of local newspaper (Jyllands-Posten) cartoon drawing of Prophet Muhammud in a turban depicting that of a bomb, the muslims are now burning their flags and storming their embassy and protesting. What was supposed to be a cartoon aimed to be humorous (I guess they thought it would be that way) turned out differently.

According to the LA Times

It's not the decision by Jyllands-Posten and other European newspapers to publish the cartoons that is appalling, it's the response from the Muslim world. If the Muslim outrage is really about demanding respect for others' beliefs (a valid argument), Arabs should be insisting that their own media stop the almost-daily depictions of Jews and Christians as bloodthirsty cannibals and murderers of children. One tasteless act does not excuse another. Tolerance is a two-way street.

And what of the cartoons? The real issue is not that some of the cartoons portrayed Islam unflatteringly but that the prophet's image was drawn at all. While Muslims are prohibited from depicting Muhammad, and doing so is considered blasphemy, this prohibition should not apply to non-Muslims. Demanding that non-Muslims abide by such a religious edict is tantamount to ordering them to follow an Islamic halal diet or cover their women's hair. In a world with more than a dozen major religions, no faith can prescribe such behaviors to others.

Where does one draw the line for freedom of speech and expression and the respect for other religion? There's an identity crisis happening. Remember what happened in France last year. The riots by Muslims? A clash of culture once again happening.

Btw, Iran said they're gonna boycott Danish products...well...there goes the yummy Danish cookies!

Philippine stampede reflects poverty

It's just a game show giving away prizes (money, car, house and lot) for their first anniversary but more than 70 people were killed in the stampede trying to get inside stadium in the hopes of their names would be called and they might win something.

The stampede just shows how poor we Filipinos are

To the poverty-stricken, such tempting prizes are worth dying for. To many of them, the program is the only way to get hold of some money that, perhaps, could finally set them free from the clutches of poverty.

I don't watch the said show (I watch the rival one..cos it's much better..hehe) but sometimes I catch glimpses of it when channel surfing. The show has many poor contestants and for many it's a way for them to get meager sum of money to augment and alleviate their poverty needs.

The solution would for people to have jobs. Game shows and the prizes won will only bring relief for time being. In the end money will run out and it's back to scraping for food and joining contests instead of getting a job or looking for one. Goverment should provide jobs to the many unemployed.

I salute them

Media people who write the news, report the news. cover the news. They who often becomes a pawn or the ace to create fear and to bargain in exchange for something by the terrorist, has been targeted by these militia men. Ruthtless and no mercy. It's tough job. It's hard and one's life is put to danger telling and reporting the atrocities and and committed by these terrorists. They risk a lot by doing so.

Reporter for the CSM Jill Caroll weeps as she pleads for her life in a video

ABC co-news anchor Bob Woodruff and camera man were seriously injured when they hit roadside bomb.

So many others as well. Not just in Iraq but Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Philippines and a lot more countries. Many journalist had been killed and/or kidnapped already.

For being what they are and knowing how very dangerous it can be yet not stoppping to bring the news and letting that fear get in the way of what people really ought to kno. Their life put in to peril because of the war on terror and just by reporting the truth and doing so, I salute them

This blog's a bitch!

Haha. Sarcasm saves you from telling someone what you really think about them! I can't help but be a meanie. Plus the movie Jarhead was corny!

It's so like valley girl talk English. Ugh.

According to this report

"Valley Girl has gone beyond a fad and is now rooted in different forms of English around the world," Ms Tagliamonte said. "Girls are the single most powerful force in the English language today." The research was among work discussed at the annual meeting of the American Dialect Society in New Mexico over the weekend.

Sali Tagliamonte, associate professor of linguistics at the University of Toronto, believes the strongest recent shift has been the spread of Californian "Valley Girl" style, promoted around the globe by television shows such as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The OC (which I don't watch..just cos it's not my type of show..thank you very much).

This style of speech is characterised by inserting drawled words such as "like" and "so" to add emphasis to a sentence, which rises in pitch at the end.

Damn. It's so like annoying. Like it's so duh and so irritating. Ugh. Just shut the fuck up!

What one gets for being honest

Cristina Bugayon, the 12 year old girl who found a bagful of money amounting to more than $3000 (140,000 pesos) and returning it to it's rightful owner, continues to get more rewards from different sectors of society for her honesty. The company who owned the money, Techpoint computer, gave her..whatelse.. a computer! Geez. She should at least get some monetary reward. I think when the news broke out and she was interviewed, she and the mother as well was hoping for a reward..a cash reward! Well, a councilor gave her close to $100 (5000 pesos). She should get more just to compensate for her honesty.

Man, if it was me who had found that huge amount..hmm..haha! I dunno. I would've gotten some bills! haha but..I do have conscience though so go figure!

In the defense of the media

From Editor and Publisher.com

In perspective, the media did not create the rumor that the miners were safe. Miscommunication, misheard phone exchanges, and optimistic gossip probably lay at the root of the bad information. Officials, too, were at fault for not immediately clarifying what they knew and what they did not. But the fact is, most Americans, including probably people who knew the miners, believed the three hours of saturation news reports on television and the Internet that the miners were "rescued.It's not really their fault. They just wanted to tell the story as it is.

I dont think the media should get all the blame from the erroneous reporting. I know they should've at least check and re check and confirm the accuracy of the reports and hearsay that indeed miners are alive. The mining officials should share the blame for not really saying anything...not until all the erroneous reporting came about.. and yeah after 3 hours at that. It's their job to give information. Correct one.

Media bashing

So now most media outlets like wire services, network television and most especially newspaper are under the radar of scrutiny because of the false and erroneous report saying 12 miners alive and survived the blast there by giving false hope to many of the miners relatives when in reality they were dead already! Whose to blame of all these bad reporting?

Mike Fetters, a spokesman for The Newseum, a Washington, D.C.-based museum about the media, says that slightly more than half of the 250 U.S. newspapers examined Wednesday by the staff at the museum published front-page stories that said the miners were alive.

Few of those stories raised doubts about the report's credibility. Most did not make clear to readers, for instance, that the news was based on secondhand accounts from family members of the trapped miners just before midnight ET Tuesday. Officials from the company that owned the mine had not confirmed that the men were alive.

Greg Mitchell, editor of the trade magazine Editor & Publisher, called the media's performance "disturbing and disgraceful" in an online column Wednesday morning.

"The job of reporters and editors is to stop and say 'we've got some possible good news, but it's not confirmed yet,' " Mitchell said later Wednesday in an interview. "That really didn't happen."

Read complete article here

Changing lanes

More like changing networks. Ted Koppel has joined Discovery Channel and left ABC network and his long running Nightline show. I used to watch that show back when cable here was still cable with good channels. Hehe. One of the best documentaries I've seen was from Nightline and it was about Sarajevo after the war.

I wonder why he left the network though. Shrugs.. just blogging some media news

Erroneous report turned joy into to sorrow for miners relatives

Miscommunication!

It's sad for those relatives of the miners hearing that only 1 has survived that mining tragedy instead of the reported 12. Erroneous reporting is blamed for the confusion.

Ben Hatfield, president of the International Coal Group said the erroneous information spread rapidly when people overheard cell phone calls between rescuers and the rescue command center.

Several relatives fainted when they were informed of the miner's death by company officials and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin during an early evening briefing inside the Sago Baptist Church. Others rushed ashen-faced from the scene, uncertain of the identity of the dead miner, each fearing he was a loved one.

Link via LATimes

The erroneous report only added to the rage felt by tired, angry and devastated relatives of those miners who are now feared dead.

Bashing big hairy creature

Watched King Kong last night. Upon the demise of Kong, one of the caharacters(played by Jack Black) said it's beauty who killed the beast.. I say...it's more of the sappy love scenes by the gorilla and the lengthy slow pace that killed the movie! Hehe. Read more

See evil, hear evil, stop evil AKA spying!

President Bush in a controversy again about domestic spying. He admitted such spying had taken place. From USA Today report

In this latest case, the administration authorized the National Security Agency to eavesdrop on international phone calls and e-mails of people within the USA without court approval. It defends the practice by saying post-9/11 plots have been broken up

Yikes..I wouldn't want my calls screened! Don't want snoop dogs out there listening to my conversations and screening my emails.. that's privacy violation. It's kinda like wiretapping..American way. Ugh.

While it is essential that the government take action to stop such attacks before they happen, the administration has yet to explain why it needs to act without a warrant to accomplish this

Sure, it's nice to capture and know what the heck terrorists are up to...but may be they need to do something pratical and important like.. don't let anybody enter airports with guns! Check thoroughly for weapons of hijackand terrorists destructions.

Just incase one flew over the White House nest

Well, it's not yet there but just incase it hits the U.S., a flu pandemic readiness test was done at the White House..minus the President and the Vice. Bush went for a bike ride in suburban Maryland on a cold winter morning. Vice President Dick Cheney also stayed away. I think they should've at least been there. According to the news report

Fears of a pandemic have increased in recent months as a virus infecting millions of birds has spread throughout Asia and parts of Europe. While the virus has not yet appeared in the United States, or spread from person to person, officials worry the bird flu could eventually mutate and become as contagious globally as the annual flu.

The administration is working under the worst-case assumption that as many as 90 million Americans would become sick and 2 million would die during a worldwide flu pandemic.

Scary to to think. Is it exaggerated? I dunno. There's no bird flu case there but yet. but better be prepared than sorry.

If you're tired and owerworked....

Listen up read and click 6 signs you're boss is killing you- and 6 ways to fight back

Haha..revenge.

All about chocolates

Chocolate has been linked to chemicals which cause happiness in humans, as well as with making children smile--Happy news

Who can't resist a good heavenly chocolates huh? I have sweet tooth.I love chocolates and the sinful guilty pleasures it brings whenever I put one in my mouth, swirl and bite it. Happynews happy living section has many articles on just about anything to do with chocolates like recipes for hot choco or all about Ghirardelli chocolates (which is one of my favorite! So yummy!) or about Lindt chocolates. If you're a chocoholic...go to site and enjoy!

I'm craving for chcolate right now. Waah...no more Hersheys symphony!

Boob-tube booboos

Courtesy of Nestor Torre's Viewfinder.

HOST: WERE YOU AT THE SCENE of the shootout when it happened?

Guest: No, we arrived right after, in time to see the died persons all over the place!

(Ay, the died persons!)

* * *
Host: So, you did not see the exchange of fire between the police and the (criminals?)

Guest: No, but one of our group says he saw one of the coup disgrace.

(Coup disgrace?—Oh, coup de grâce!)

* * *
Quizmaster: If red wine is made from grapes, what is white wine made from?

Contestant: Coconut!

(Wrong! The answer is still grapes.)

* * *

Host: What’s the secret of a long and happy marriage?

Guest: You have to agree first in the beginning, dapat it’s a give in take relationship!

(Ay, give in take relationship!)

* * *
Host: What about the raid do you object to?

Guest: Before you raid, you have to get a church warrant. They did not have a church warrant, so they should not have raided.

(Church warrant?—Oh, search warrant!)

Hahahahaaa..I wanna laugh... hahahaa

Military tales, military woes

6 US servicemen charged with rape as US military investigates the case

THE United States military is conducting a parallel investigation into the alleged rape of a 22-year-old Filipina by its servicemen last week at the Subic Bay Freeport

Hard to be in the military.....you either get killed by roadside bombing, suicide attack or by accident.. and to think, they're just doing they're jobs or you go to court. Not all are rapist.

Lets hope there's good news for them like troops coming home for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

There are good guys and heroes. Of course the ones that are bad needs to be punished.

Catcher in the Rye moment

Today is All Souls Day (or Saints day.. I'm not really sure..but it's a holiday) and people go to cemeteries to visit grave of loved ones. Remember their dead and bring flowers and all that.

According to Holden Caulfied....

Boy, when you're dead, they really fix you up. I hope to hell when I do die somebody has sense enough to just dump me in the river or something. Anything except sticking me in a goddam cemetery. People coming and putting a bunch of flowers on your stomach on Sunday, and all that crap. Who wants flowers when you're dead? Nobody. - The Catcher in the Rye, 1945

Since it's been raining the past few days and for two days people will flock to the cemeteries to bring flowers, this line from the JD Salinger book came into my blogging mind.

High end technology fashion

If you want to be hip and be a fashionista geek you gotta spend big bucks.

Louis Vuitton sells a $305 "international telephone case." Dior sells a $315 case for iPod Minis, as well as a $295 travel case for all of iPod's accessories.

Geesh, I can't even afford a new phone!

Link via Washington Post

Happy News

Browsing Cyber Journalist and I saw news item about a site that features good news. If you're tired of reading and seeing negative news why not try Happy News.com. This site brings all the good news. The positive ones. Finally a wesbite that lets us know all the good things that are happening ins tead of the bad ones.

If you want to start your day right....read some positive news.

Slippery opinion, it's the slippers stupid!

Oh man, here's a question. Why do people wear slippers inside the malls and practically eveywhere?

Ugh, I think it's stupid! Here's an observation. Some people are just so "Slippered!" Dunno if there's such a word but I've noticed everywhere I go, the malls especially, people everywhere are wearing damn slippers! I mean most girls I see wear them. Seems to be the trend right now. But sheehs, I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a damn slippers inside a mall! Christ! I mean, I see them girls, wearing good clothes then when it comes to the their feet, they're wearing spartan like slippers. Heck, it doesn't matter wether you're wearing Havaianas or whatever kind of flip flops it's still a damn fucking slippers! Hehehe. I don't mean to sound like some damn elitist( cos I'm not!). Ugh. People! Fashion emergency please! Read more?

Easy does it

Pride of the Philippines Manny Paquiao recorded TKO on the sixth round earlier (Saturday night, LA time). I was waching the fight and it was exciting although the news that he had won was broadcast by ANC prior to seeing the bout. Solar Sports aired it on delayed basis hence the news of "Pacman's" win had been announced already. I'm no boxing fan. I don' like the sport but it's cool when one of your own brings pride to the country

Btw, There were so many commercials of the broadcast that it was soo annoying!

Well, doggone me!

I'll be damned! A stuffed dog webcam!

New design to put something different on top of your PC/notebook. The Look 312P is in the shape of a stuffed animal but has all the features you normally find in a web cam. We put the web camera in the nose because we believe that “high technology” should be more than just a product. You still get the same results.

Arf arf!! Talk about voyerism! Yikes.

And to quote gizmodo... "pay no attention to the vast collection of plush stuffed dogs scattered around my apartment." He he.

No wonder I don't like dogs oh and stuffed toys. Ha ha ha. Btw, now you know why it's called stuffed toys! Nyahahaha.

Hooray For Andre

This good news from AP via yahoo.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Andre Agassi bounded onto the court with the joyful grin of a child, his eyes wide as he soaked in the adoring cheers of the U.S. Open crowd.

At 35, he is ageless, his tennis a timeless classic.

When the match finally ended at 1:09 Thursday morning, Arthur Ashe Stadium was still full and fans at home were mesmerized, knowing they'd been treated to something rare.

Andre Agassi won his match against James Blake at the US open. He still has the magic and just the sheer energy to come up with unbelievable shots and like everyone was cheering for him. Classic Andre. Vintage moves. Man, I hope he wins the open.

Cheese for President!

Cheese is the name politics is his game. Seeking the truth is his mission and people are supporting that vision! Ha ha. I'm soooooo "cheese..y." Hehe. What a speech, what a mind! Aye!

Eloquence of his speech last nigh at the congress just emphasized how smart he is. I'm talking about, Minority Floor Leader Francis "cheese" Escudero. He spoke with candor and passion and the truth about impeachment and the consequence for everyone involved. His speech done in Tagalog and English was just so stately, dignified. Firm yet ably understood in explaining to everyone, to the majority members of the house, why there's an impeachment. Why the need for it to proceed. Uhmm, cos Arroyo cheated.. that's why. But Minority failed to gather 79 signatures for the impeachment to proceed.

And as I blog right now, congress still in session this wee hours of the morning interpellating (?) Justice Committee report.

Reporters plea

Judith Miller, the NYT jailed reporter wants federal shield law for journalists.

Former Senator Bob Dole, who said he had visited Miller in jail, commented, "For the life of me, I don't know why she is there," he said. "She never published anything."

Most Powerful Richest Country Suffering

Just to see those images on the net, tv, different photo blogs of what's actually happening in New Orleans. Looting, rape, fire, explsions, lawlessness. Man, it's a terrible tragedy and just imagine it's in the US not Sri Lanka nor any other 3rd world country hit by tsunamis last year. And also, the Americans are now being called "refugees." right in their very own backyard.

They've been concerned with other nations but looks at the US now reduced to anarchy. Well, just in one state. NOT the whole country.

And with this horrible natural disaster, a lot of other major news in the world has been left back pages of the paper and broadcast. Iraq..well, not in the headlines anymore.

Hurricane news source via WashPost Yahoo news

US planes in Zamboanga

Here they come..hunting down the Abusayyaf!

US Globemaster military transport plane unload soldiers and equipment inside the tightly guarded Edwin Andrews Air Base (EAAB). The second plane was smaller and believed to have also come from the US Air Force.

Link via Sunstar

Edit-- Ugh. 6 comments came from a comment spam.. From now on comment verification is on!

People have no mercy..esp..looters!

Americans are experiencing their own kind of tsunami and it's disheartening to see the distraught faces of people affected by the hurricane. But what's sickening is to see some jack ass people taking advantage of others miseries and tragedies by looting and stealing other peoples belongings.

Right now New Orleans is a city gripped by chaos as looters ran wild, food and water supplies dwindled, and bodies floated in the flood waters.

Looters brazenly ripped open gates and ransacked stores for food, clothing, television sets, computers, jewelry and guns, often in full view of helpless law-enforcement officials. Dozens of carjackings, apparently by survivors desperate to escape, were reported, as were a number of shootings.

People are mad, people have nowhere to go, the streets flooded, no electricity,some lay dead on the streets... inside the hotels, underneath collapsed house. It's chaos.. and Those looters have no fucking mercy at all. How sad the situation is.

News source via NYT

Looks similar but it's not thesame

Hah. No doubt hurricane Katrina devastated Lousiana, New Orleans, Mississippi and Alabama and left utter destruction (duh!). I was gonna compare it to Asian tsunamis but after seeing quite bit of the news videos of the hurricane, I changed my mind. What happened here in Asia with the tsunamis back in December brought a much catastrophic effect to lives of people.

But tragedy is tragedy not matter which part of the world you are, people are the ones who suffer. Oh, and also the reporters. I noticed, watching CNN couple of their reporters were crying and voices breaking while trying t to report. Well, they're only human. Seeing utter loss of others can get to them and their emotions. Just like it gets to me.

By the way, here in the Philippines, we don't really have any hurricanes. The worst would be a storm signal number 4 (a sort of category 1 or 2 hurrincane, I think). We have severe flooding though because people dump trashes everywhere and loggers kill trees!

What exactly is an American Accent?

People who can't get a job of their choice mostly end up in "sunshine industry" meaning call center. Outsourcing has become the "in" thing for the past several years and working for a call center seems to be the option to take when one can't really find a work. It's a highpaying job which requires long hours of sitting infront of the computer and blah blah to whatever the customer needs. They said one has to have an "American accent" but what is exactly an "American accent?." I heard somebody talking and it is audible in my bionic ears but the person speaking was veryirritating and doing it a garbled messed up accent, I wonder how the hell could someone understand him? Cos I didn't.

"American accent" shouldn't be slang. Not all Americans speak with a twang. In each state, they talk and enunciate words different from that of another state.

Okay enough said. I'm just doing some blahgging time.

ABC News Anchor Peter Jennings passes away.

Peter Jennings died of lung cancer. From the New York Times ...

Mr. Jennings had disclosed that he was suffering from lung cancer on April 5, first in a written statement released by ABC and later that night on "World News Tonight," the evening news broadcast that he had led since September 1983. In brief remarks at the end of that night's program, Mr. Jennings, his voice scratchy, told viewers that he hoped to return to the anchor desk as his health and strength permitted. But he never did. As an anchor, Mr. Jennings presented himself as a worldly alternative to Mr. Brokaw's plain-spoken Midwestern manner and Mr. Rather's folksy, if at times offbeat, Southern charm. Read more about Peter Jennings death and his life via this NYTimes article

I remember how my mom (bless her soul) used to tell me that she had a crush (fondness I should say) on Peter Jennings and thinks that he's soo good looking. Yeah, hes's dapper and suave alright. Add to the fact he's one the best anchor and journalist. I remember watching a documentary special about Sarajevo(or Bosnia) after the war and genocide and it was one of the best I've seen.

Read tributes, remembrance and perspective

Finally, Deep Throat Revealed

No. 2 official at the FBI was Watergate's "Deep Throat" and that is former deputy FBI Director Mark Felt.

President Bush is anxious to learn more about deep Throat...err, the identity that is.

The Star Wars Experience

Wow. The galaxy far far away left me wanting more of the same. Watched Star Wars Episode III earlier in the wee hours of the morning. All the screening times were full last night so had to watch the 12:45 instead. There was even a 1:120 a.m as well just to acommodate the many who weren't able to reserved a ticket because cos the seatings were all full. Left past 3 in the morning wanting a lightsaber sword. I loved the movie. Light saber battles and galaxy shots were all fantastic. The reviews were right, this Star Wars probably the best of them all. I guess. I can't remember the previous ones though so maybe that's why. I wanna see the movie again.

Btw, I still dunno what Sith is..maybe the Chancellor. Hehe.

Thumbs Up (reviews) For The Galaxy Far Far Away

Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith got a very good review from NYTimes.

"Revenge of the Sith," which had its premiere here yesterday at the Cannes International Film Festival, ranks with The Empire Strikes Back (1980) as the richest and most challenging movie in the cycle.

Anyway, nobody ever went to a "Star Wars" picture for the acting. Even as he has pushed back into the Jedi past, Mr. Lucas has been inventing the cinematic future, and the sheer beauty, energy and visual coherence of "Revenge of the Sith" is nothing short of breathtaking. Some of the most arresting moments are among the quietest - an evening at home with the Skywalkers, for example, as they brood and argue in their spacious penthouse overlooking a city skyline set aglow by the rays of the setting sun, or a descent into the steep, terraced jungle landscape of the Wookiee planet. Read more

The Washington Post Review: Sith: A Promise Fulfilled, echoes the same sentiments as well.

I'm hoping to see the film this weekend. Opening day tomorrow or tonight. I'm not sure but it's this week. Hmm, I wonder are the Siths. I wanna know. Yeah, gotta watch the movie.

Surviving Idol

I''m watching the American Idol now I don't really care who wins but maybe I'll root for Carrie or Vonzell or Bo. Waah! no Constantine!

Newsweeek Apologizes

If you erred, you must acknowledge.

Newsweek magazine has apologized for errors in a story alleging that interrogators at the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay desecrated the Quran

Newsweek Washington Bureau Chief Daniel Klaidman said the magazine believes it erred in reporting the allegation that a prison guard tried to flush the Koran down a toilet and that military investigators had confirmed the accusation.

When reporting, gotta checked re checked and checked again. I'd be outrage too if I hear or read about somebody flushing a Bible down the toilet. Not that I read the Bible everyday just that I'm a Catholic and no one should desecrate my religion by flushing something that symbolizes faith.

Converting to Wordpress

I downloaded the zip file already and I'm having hard time! I'm trying to and would like to import files from blogger into Wordpress and I can't seem to get it. It sucks. Well alright, I do get it. I gotta have a server and the rest is easy. Bah! Somebody host me! err, my site

The Most Dangerous Places

The countries listed have several things in common. War or civil strife has shredded their economies, their police forces are corrupt or non-existent and some even harbor elements of terrorist regimes such as Al Qaeda or the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. According to Stratton, "the most dangerous environments are found in failed states where there has been a total or partial breakdown in governance and, therefore, in law and order. Criminals and terrorists can operate with virtual impunity, and the state affords no protection to Western companies and their personnel.

Most dangerous destinations for travellers (Employees of high-profile companies in the security-consulting or defense sectors expect to put their lives at risk on a regular basis).

My Country not part of it! (Thank God). But the thing is, Philippines most dangerous country for journalist. Not good at all for country's image. Just recently journalist Klein Cantoneros was gunned down

It's tough to be in place (plague with war and terror[ist]) doing business or just trying to earn your keep because your life could end by just trigger of a gun or worse a rocket propelled grenade.

Shattered Lies

Just finished watching the film Shattered Glass and I enjoyed the movie. (yeah, after two years they finally showed it here in the Philippines). The film is based on the life Stephen Glass (played by Hayden Christensen) and his fabricated articles for The New Republic .

I somehow could relate to the office politics and the everyday going ons of running a newspaper. Not that I'm working for one but that my mom had been a journalist and in the media even before I was born. During the many years o of her career as a columnist/reporter and eventually becoming editor, I've seen some dirty politicking by the company she worked for and the people appointed by the government (newspaper was a sequestered one). My mom stayed true loyal until office politics drove her out of her position. She's one of the best well respected by her peers in the media business. Greed and jealousy by some of the higher ups in the paper she worked pushed her out of her job but she recovered and eventually worked for one of the Metro's popular broadsheet until her death

But anyway, read more about the work(fabricated ones..or most of it) by former New Republic associate editor Stephen Glass

http://www.rickmcginnis.com/articles/Glassindex.htm

Hello? Your Phone is Calling your Car!

Hop in your car, turn the key and your phone book stares up at you from the liquid crystal display screen in your dashboard. Scroll through a list of missed calls or recently dialed numbers. Find the name you're looking for, press a button and the call rings through the car's sound system, all while your phone remains untouched in your jacket pocket. At the moment, you can find it only in 2005 Audi A6 and A8 models, and only if you use certain phones, including Palm One's popular Treo 650 P.D.A. phone.

Link via NYTimes Tech page (reg req'd)

Nice technology..if you're rich, lazy or forgetful :0) Oh and I don't have the car nor the phone.

Fingering the lazy male

A Spanish designer has come up with what could be the perfect solution for the woman who feels frustrated that she has to do all the house chores.

It is a washing machine called "Your Turn", which will not let the same person use it twice in a row. It uses fingerprint recognition technology to ensure the job of loading is not dumped on just one individual. "It's an invention that has a philosophy behind it and I hope both women and men will think it's time for the men to do more around the house." Your Turn requires both partners to register their fingerprints on the sensor while it is hooked up to their home computer. When the sensor is then plugged into the washing machine, the software will only allow the wash programme to start if a different finger is placed on it each time.

Link via BBC News

I didn't ask, but thanks

I received a Flickr Pro Account from contact Mark Adams. Now I feel as if I'm obliged to post more. Heck, if it's only cos he wants me to post some more (decent!) photos then why the hell not.

Blahgging in a foul mood!

Yeah you can bet your bottom dollar on it! Vexing again because of an ever changing mood swings and I'm trying to blot it out of my system so here I am blogging about nothing. Music always cheers me up so I'm gonna listen to the sounds I downloaded. Yeah, The Remedy!

Author Mitch Albom, disciplined

Several days ago I blogged about Mitch Albom's Flap and it looks like disciplinary action has been taken against five employees, including Mitch Albom, for their roles in putting Albom's April 3 coulnm into the paper

Link via Romenesko

New Pope for us Catholics

The announcement was made official the other day that German born Cardinal has been elected as the one who will lead the almost one billion Catholics worldwide. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI will be installed formally and have mass mass this Sunday.

How exciting to witness the great announcement. Well, even though it was just through television screen. Basing from the news, it seemed like Pope Benedict will continue what the late Pope John Paul started- Catholic doctrines of no divorce, no to abortion, no to gays and same sex marriage.

While majority are celebrating, the Gays and AIDS activist dismayed about the choice because he is likely to be even more rigid than his predecessor, the late John Paul II, on questions regarding the use of condoms to prevent the spread of AIDS gay rights activists said.

Text messages as evidence in court

SMS admissible says the Supreme Court (here in the Philippines).

A saved text message from a Court of Appeals (CA) employee trying to extort P1 million from a litigant proved to be the court worker's undoing.

In deciding the case of indicted CA employee Elvira Cruz-Apao, the Supreme Court (SC) ruled that under the present rules on electronic evidence, the short-messaging system (SMS) or text message sent by the latter to her intended victim is sufficient evidence, which corroborates the other proof held by law enforcers against her.

text messages were properly admitted by the committee since the same are now covered by Section 1(k), Rule 2 of the Rules on Electronic Evidence which provides: "Ephemeral electronic communication" refers to telephone conversations, text messages and other electronic forms of communication the evidence of which is not recorded or retained."

"We have no doubt as to the probative value of the text messages as evidence in determining the guilt or lack thereof of respondent in this case," the SC said. Read full news article via Sunstar Online

Crossing the threshold of Pope

PopeJohn Paul II is now in near death as he lies in his Vatican place with shallow breathing. All the faithful could do now is to just wish him a good trip in heaven. He has served all Catholics with passion, pride, with love for all even those who belongged to different sects. He one of the most influential and revered person the world has known and now Many are weeping for what might be the inevitable.

There is sadness all over the world at the news of his grave ill condition. I for one share the feelings of many. He is and will always be the most beloved pope of all time.

"Pacman's" revenge next time around!

It's been almost days now since Manny Paquiao lost his bout with Eric Morales and still people here in the Philippines are still talking about it. Maybe it was fixed. Who knows really but the thing is I guess if, he, Manny really wanted to, he could've KO'd his opponent. But speculations still on what really happened still going the rounds of manila streets and coffee shops and afficionados.

Anyway, there will be a nex time and by then... he'll win!

Journal entry: Free To Wear Sunscreen

Tomorrow will be Palm Sunday. Officially, the start of Jesus's cavalry to death and back again through resurrection. It also signals a long week of lenten season culminating into Easter Sunday. But with Filipinos along with observing the Holy Week, it's also long holiday, so to speak; Going to the beach, long road trips to the provinces, going out of country and other places bonds the family together and presents an opportunity to get out of the office and enjoy a long weekend but (knowing Filipinos) without negating their Catholic obligations to what Holyweek is really all about. Read more?

The poem Free To Wear Sunscreen they say was an internet chain letter and made to appear to be Kurt Vonnegut's work when infact with was a Chicago Tribune columnist's speech and part of a Baz Lurhmann movie/musical

Minty Chocolate Drink

Yummmy Chocolate Mint Milkshake! Hehe. I saw the recipe while checking out My Yahoo.

What you need to know when blogging

It's been there for some time now but here it is again. The Blogger's Code of Ethics courtesy of Cyber Journalist.

A BLOGGERS' CODE OF ETHICS
Be Honest and Fair
Bloggers should be honest and fair in gathering, reporting and interpreting information.
Bloggers should:
• Never plagiarize.
• Identify and link to sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources' reliability.
• Make certain that Weblog entries, quotations, headlines, photos and all other content do not misrepresent. They should not oversimplify or highlight incidents out of context.

First one is really important!

And again to the hospital he goes

For the second time in a row, the Pope was rushed to the hospital once more because of the recurrence of the flu.

The whole Catholic entity be filled with void if something grave were to happen to the Pope. For so long he's been at the helm of the Catholicism and morality. Of what is proper and what people of all walks of life need to do in order to be good in the eyes of God. Also he has gone through a lot and seen history made with different nations. Despite some not fully agreeing with his beliefs and teaching, sermons and rules (I think), he has done wonders for the whole Christian community. Get welll soon..again to the Pope

Get well soon Pope

Pope John Paul II was admitted to the hospital.

He's been battling with flu and I hope he recovers prettys soon.

Capturing the day the wave strucked

This is gruesome. But along with that, some heroes emerged saving lives.

Guilty Pleasures, sinful delights

Since I like eating junkfood and such. This site review and rates snack food/ junk foods. Chocolate bars and chips and all the fattening things you can chew one and enjoy. Right now I think I'm craving for something like Aero Mint Bar from nestle and the Reese's milk chocolate dipped cookies. These fattening delicious junkies making me salivate.. Hehehe. I wanna have some too!

Wild, wicked and wanton

I'm cold. This weather we're having right now seems to make my skin all tingly. Normally December up to February would be cold months. I dunno if it's just me or the weather actually. I suppose it's partly due my red hell days and tummy aches. It makes me want to get away from anything that emits cold air. Talk about weirdness! Haha. Read all

The world's richest man speaks out.

Bills Gates granted interview to one of my favorite tech blogs Gizmodo

And from CNET news a perspective of a more kinder, gentler media friendly Bill Gates.

Throughout the '90s--when tech was booming and tech CEOs lined up to wax eloquent about their latest business plans or products and to jab the competition. It was fun to listen. Ellison talked up the Network Computer, Schmidtmapped out his plan to turn around Novell, and Bezos stressed "get big fast." Jobs was a magazine cover boy. Gates, meanwhile, struggled to define his image and endured pies in the face when he showed up in public. While the media was making celebrities out of dot.com CEOs and other "Davids," Goliath Microsoft was portrayed as the "evil empire" and out of touch. Read more

The tech news seems to be all about Firefox, Apple, browser wars and others. At least a Bill Gates interview is different one.

An "Apple" for the Poor!

Apple unveiling cheaper products at the Macworld Expo.

For those seeking to have one but cannot afford. Gee, how thoughtful! And I say that with a hint of sarcasm.

Apple Computer Inc. introduced a cut-rate computer the size of a paperback and a tiny iPod that starts at $99 but holds far fewer songs than the company's hard drive-based music players.

Ah, okay..it holds fewer songs! Like only 120 songs! The iPod shuffle lacks a display.Designed not to play songs purchased from online music stores that compete with Apple's iTunes.

And there's even mac budget desktop! Which I dunno what it can do because smaller than even some standalone external computer drives, they lack a monitor, mouse and keyboard. The 40-gigabyte Mac mini will cost $499, an 80-gigabyte model $599.

Great! cheaper apple, yeah! As if $499 is cheap! It's still big bucks! It lacks feature!...gah! Just buy the expensive ones bcause I know some people wouldn't mind spending if it has all the features and is much better.

The spread of web design influence

From Jefrrry Zeldman: Web design: A decade under the influence

If you're into web designing. Making layouts and such.

Hi tech new year gadgets

Ah, the wonders of technology even comes to clothing! Now you can have any images and convert it to embroidered patters. The Innov-is 4000D will do that for you. Heh. Homemakers out there will like the techie thing . Oh and Gizmodo says it's one "bad ass sewing machine." Hahaha. View product here.

And for gaming how about some Nintendogs. Lets see if it becomes a hit.

The curse of the new year. A Hollywood breakup!

I wasn't gonna blog about it but what the heck. Why not. We've been inundated with tsunami stories anyhow. And so....it's the end for Brad and Jen as they head to splitsville town. Awww. But putting my onw two cents worth of blogging thoughts. I think Gywneth and Brad was a better match and couple! Haha. Yeah I'm very showbiz you know!

Video blogging the tsunami disaster

The power of the internet and blogs proven again. Tsunami video blogs are a hit! Many of videos from the horrible tsunami disaster came from amatuers be it locals or tourists vacationing when disaster struck. ( many news organizations are now paying tons of dollars even for just a few minutes for their videos). It didn't matter if it were captured through cam phone either. It's been quite a success some you could watch for free but others do charge fo them now.

Web blogs and the bloggers proved that it's not just mainstream media who can offer many viewers information and videos and those wants to see for themselves what really transpired that awful day when wave of water crashed down and swallowed up many lives. Many Asian bloggers are recounting their tales nows and [video]Blogging about their ordeal.

This is funny

Better get the Portable Cellular Phone Booth invention for you rude folks out there. Ha! Who knows it just might be the latest gadget craze. It's too squared and bulky though. Yay. Haha.

Link through Gizmodo

On the brink of starvation, a 'Miracle' helicopter flew by

Link via Manila Times thru AFP it's the story of the 'Miracle' helicopter

I think it's good that that happened because most of the Aid Agencies are now in place in the most hardest hit nations and areas by the horrible tsunamis. Donations of money and from government, corpoeration and rich individuals are flowing but it's the logistics that bt the American that needed now. They're the onese whose got the capacity to bring in most of the relief goods with the use of their fleets, cargo planes, and soldiers to distribute immediate needs of the many victims most especially the basic needs such as clean drinking water and food and medicines and medical needs.

Philippines Included in Deadliest Places for Journalists

Still a look look back at 2004 as Iraq was named deadliest place in the world for journalists . Philippines along with India, Brazil, Mexico and Bangladesh.

There were about several journalist that were killed here. It has been deadly place especially in South of the country.

Freebies

I'm sleepy. I downloaded two more extensions for Firefox and signed up with Flickr. I'm blogging off.

Death toll rising

BBC: Tsunami toll 'to exceed 150,000

Hope it stops there cosit's just too much

In their opinion

Got this news link from Google news. Toronto star has been dissecting the Anatomy my of a Disaster. It's quite long and here's part of what they said Okay...

If you happened to be in Toronto — where it was seven seconds before 8 p.m. on Christmas night — that single, brief shiver along the planet's rigid skin was humanly imperceptible, just as it was to people in most parts of the globe.. Read more

Should've been detected

Git this new link from Google news. Toronto star has been dissecting the Anatomy my of a Disaster. It's quite long and here's part of what they said Okay...

If you happened to be in Toronto — where it was seven seconds before 8 p.m. on Christmas night — that single, brief shiver along the planet's rigid skin was humanly imperceptible, just as it was to people in most parts of the globe.. Read more

Philippine News of 2004

Well, we had Presidential election here but unlike in the U.S it took weeks and several hearings and arguments before Supreme Court declared President Arroyo the winner. But some say the late FPJ was cheated hence he lost the elections.

A spate of storms hit the country resulting death and destruction especially in the Quezon province area. Illegal logging is being blamed for contributiting to the deaths of so many. Fernando Poe Jr's sudden heart attack and passing away left a void in the movie industry here. His politcal allies saying the fight will go on.There was good news for us though. Manny Paquiao won a title bout. It was actually te night FPJ had an attack.

I wonder what 2005 headlines will be. Destabilization and coup rumors probably.

News That Made The Headlines Of 2004

Happy New year everyone and while it was a very sober welcoming celebration for 2005, here's a look back at some of the major news of 2004

• President Bush winning a re-election and convincingly too. Apparently there were more red states!
• Beslan Siege in Russia last September the killed hundreds of children and evoke emotions of hatred and anger for those terrorist who stormed the school that ended in bloody rescue.
• Madrid Train Bombing in the early part of the year that killed dozens.
• Iraq Bombings..on and on and on. Soldiers dying almost every week.
• Americans and other Nationalities being abducted and getting killed by radicals.
• Death of PLO leader Yasser Arafat. Left a vaccum of leadership in array.
• December Earthquake that triggered tsunamis all In most South Asian Countries. More than 100,00 deaths.
  

Other major grabbing news in field of Entertainment and Tech Industry

• Mel Gibson created a mega hit with his popular but very controversial movie The Passion Of The Christ. It made Mel go to the back though and count lots of money!
• Michael Moore--either you love him or you hate him. (I never liked the guy if you ask me) Got lambasted by Senator John McCain in the Republican Convention.
• LOTR geting most of the oscar trophies--it was expected

Technology

• Browser Wars! Mozilla Firefox trying to topple IE--succeding actually.
• Search Engine Wars! Yahoo, Microsoft and host wanting to offer stiff competition to leader of the pack Google.
• Cellphones with camera and video recorder, Digicams. PDA's a must have essentials.