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!