On the outside looking in

Nerd Quiz

2005-08-16T06:21:00.000-07:00

Can't say I was surprised, really. Let me know your scores!

Banished Words 2005

2005-08-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

Lake Superior State University has published its 2005 Banished Words list. Among the entries: 'improvised explosive device' (as opposed to bomb?), 'you're fired' and 'izzle' speech (shizzle).

My partial list:
* insurgents - just call 'em rebels
* 'that's hot' - really now, does anyone still think this is cool?
* world class - goes without saying

Does anyone have any other words they'd like to see obliterated from the face of the earth?

Its alive! Its alive!

2005-08-03T05:54:00.000-07:00

1931's Frankenstein and 1935's even better Bride of Frankenstein remain two of the best horror pictures around*. The classic line 'It's alive!' shouted by Henry Frankenstein (Victor was his ancestor) has become a common image for anything that's been resurrected from the grave. Which brings me to this blog. For various mundane reasons, its been eight months since my last post. I really hope this blog's really back from the dead.

* Of course there's Mel Brook's Young Frankenstein (1974) with Gene Wilder, but that's another post.

The Dead Letter Office

2005-01-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

Do you think you'd have anything to say after you died?

The Dead Letter Office allows us to give the world a parting shot. Some are sad. Some are funny. There are angry letters, but many more are touching.

What would you say?

If only my body didn't think otherwise!

2005-01-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

How old do you act? Apparently, I'm 18! I know these are not scientific, but they're fun. Take the quiz here.

Local online book auction

2005-01-13T06:53:00.000-08:00

I recently found this great (local) book auction site called avalon. They have quite a few hard-to-find books on history, trivia and sci-fi (right up my alley). I've already bought 3 books and haven't been disapponted yet. You might want to give this a try if your budget's taking a beating from all your book purchases.

btw, I'm not affiliated with the site.

I quit!

2005-01-11T06:44:00.000-08:00

INSTRUMENT OF ABDICATION

I, Edward the Eighth of Great Britain, Ireland, and the British Dominions Beyond the Seas, King, Emperor of India, do hereby declare my irrevocable determination to renounce the Throne for myself and for My descendants, and My desire that effect should be given to this instrument of Abdication immediately.

Edward VIII
__________________

Of course we all know that this is the famous abdication of Edward VIII so that he could be with Wallis Simpson. His broadcast was much more personal, I think. My favorite line:

But you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.

What would give up for the one you love?

Read this and other historical letters of resignation here.

Fantastic

2005-01-06T20:45:00.000-08:00

Want to try your hand at this? I was cognizant of this book prior to this post, but only saw a full manuscript today. A 50,000 word book without utilizing that which is most common, as shown in this.

That's right - a book without an 'e', Gadsby.

* You'll note that I only used one 'e' in this post (excluding this line). It was tougher than I thought!

What do you believe in but can't prove?

2005-01-05T17:03:00.000-08:00

Every year, the Edge asks a provcative question and asks its members (some of the most 'interesting minds in the world') to answer. The membership boasts of novelists, scientists and other 'thinkers'. Many of the answers are unecessarilly (in my mind intentionally) obtuse and pompous, but quite a few are thought-provoking.

This year's question is: What do you believe is true even if you can't prove it?

Here are some of mine:

* A part of us goes on after we die.
* We are all connected somehow, but some connections we have are stronger than others.
* Fate exists, but its not what we think.

Happy New Year

2005-01-05T16:56:00.000-08:00

New year, new look. Well, not really. I've received comments that my previous template wouldn't display properly on Firefox and so I decided to change it. Not really having the time to mess around with the codes for now, I picked the most simple 'standard' template from Blogger.

I'm considering moving to TypePad like my blogger-friend Dominattyrix. Does anyone else use this service? What do you think?

Me and OCD

2004-12-14T17:37:00.000-08:00

Ever get the feeling that you just have to do a certain thing (no matter how irrational) otherwise things just don't feel right? Ever check and recheck if you've set your car alarm? Or checked the stove to make sure that the gas is off even if you're sure you just checked it? These may be milder manifestations of an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Lately, this condition has had increased visibility with the media has portraying sufferers as endearing - Monk and As Good as it Gets are two that spring to mind.

These shows, however do not show the mental anguish that sufferers have to go through. I should know, I continue to suffer from this although it has abated significantly over the past few years. Contrary to what some may believe, people suffering from this do not have a choice but perform the rituals that they obsess over. I suppose the closest thing to describe it is having a terrible itch which you just have to scratch. It gnaws at you until you actually do it. And you do feel better when you do it.

So what rituals have I had? When I was a kid, I would feel the need to stare at certain things in the room. It got so bad that my parents had to take me to a doctor - they were told that it was a 'kid thing' and that I'll grow out of it. Well, I did, after a fashion.

As I grew older I developed more sophisticated rituals. When driving around, I get the nagging feeling that I've hit something or have run down someone. I often make a U-turn to check if I have. I haven't (thank God) and I always know I haven't, but can't shake the need to check anyway. It gets weirder. I always prefer the left side of things - anything. I put on the left shoe first. Put my left arm first in shirts. When selecting a book, I would grab the leftmost. Little things like that. I used to be wary of buying books, especially when there are lots of copies available - it would be good if there was only 1 left so I didn't have a choice. But if there are, say, 10, I'd spend a lot of time picking out the 'right' one. At its worst, it could leave me mentally paralyzed for what seems like ages.

Paradoxically, many of these behaviors attach only to certain things (i.e. the book selection) but not others. I would function quite normally in most situations.

What has always bothered me is that I see myself as a highly rational and (if you don't mind me saying) intelligent person. Not being able to understand and control these behaviors have been difficult to accept. Thankfully, I have been fortunate to be among understanding friends (who see me as 'quirky') and family (who accept my condition). Someone even gave me a copy of this book.

Thankfully, I seem to have 'outgrown' almost all of these behaviors, although I still get the occasional bad episode maybe once a year. I don't know what caused the change - I certainly haven't taken any of the medications usually prescribed for this condition nor have I seen a therapist for ages. I would like to think that I mentally forced myself to be better but I'm sure others would disagree. Today, I would say I'm 95% back to 'normal', whatever that means.

Uh-oh

2004-12-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

Super-typhoon (Yoyong, international name Nanmadol) is headed our way. It is expected to make landfall by tonight (Thursday, 2nd Dec). The latest sattelite photo shows cloud covering almost the entire country. Some parts of the country is under the almost unheard-of Public Storm Signal No. 4.

Let's all pray for our countrymen who are still reeling after being hit by 'Winnie' a few days earlier.

80's ≠ Music New Wave (or the Alternative 80's Playlist )

2004-11-30T06:13:00.000-08:00

I'm glad to see that the 80's revival still seems to be going strong. It all seems to have started with the Wedding Singer which was set in the 80s. It was a kick to those of us who actually remember the era, with all the references to Miami Vice, a pre-Hagar Van-Halen and De Loreans among others. 50 First Dates, although not set in the 80s, featured music from that era covered by today's artists. There was even a short-lived (read as 'crappy') show by the makers of 'That 70's show' called, you guessed it, 'That 80's Show." Even arcade games from the era are being reissued. I won't bother analyzing it, but will instead revel in it. It's our turn, baby!

One about the 80's that everyone remembers is the music. Its a pity then that the record companies seem to churn out the same old songs in one compilation after the other. They all seem to contain Wishful Thinking (China Crisis), More to Lose (Seona Dancing), Gold (Spandau Ballet) and Melt with You (Modern English). Don't get me wrong, these are fine (even great) songs, but surely there are other songs that from that time that are just as good? And wWhy do they just feature New Wave songs?

I've therefore decided to come up with an alternative 80's playlist. There are only 2 criteria: anyone who listens will go 'I remember that!' when they hear (or in this case, read) and that they wouldn't normally appear on an 80s compilation.

Here' my list so far (in no particular order):

* Hunting High and Low (A-Ha) - yes, they did more than just Take on Me
* Dance Hall Days (Wang Chung)- 'Take your baby by the hand...'
* Dancing With Tears in My Eyes (Ultravox) - 'Waiting for a memory of a love that died...'
* Let Her Go (Strawberry Switchblade) - featuring Jane Weidlin of the Go-Go's!
* She Blinded Me With Science (Thomas Dolby)
* A Girl In Trouble (Romeo Void) - 'A girl in trouble is a temporary thing...'
* Major Tom (Peter Schilling) - '4, 3, 2, 1... earth below us, drifting falling...'
* The Safety Dance (Men Without Hats) - 'We can dance if we want to..'
* Drive (The Cars) - 'Who's gonna drive you home, tonight?'
* Legal Tender or Planet Claire (The B-52s)
* Talking in Your Sleep (The Romantics) - 'I hear the secrets that you tell..'
* I'll Fly for You (Spandau Ballet)
* What Kind of Fool am I? (Rick Springfield)

Does anyone have any songs to add?

An essay on Scripsi's Blog

2004-11-29T01:29:00.000-08:00

Excepts:

When one is faced with people of today a central theme emerges - Scripsi's Blog is either adored or despised, it leaves no one undecided. It is intrinsically linked to adolescent inner acclimatisation.

Economic Factors

Our world is driven by supply and demand. We will begin by looking at the Custard-Not-Mustard model. For those of you unfamiliar with this model it is derived from the Three-Amigos model but with greater emphasis on the outlying gross national product.

Annual Military Budget
		Scripsi's Blog

The statistics make it clear that Scripsi's Blog is a major market factor. Of course the annual military budget plays in increasingly important role in the market economy. Perhaps to coin a phrase Scripsi's Blogeconomics will be the buzz word of the century.

--- End of Excerpt ---

Its claptrap of course, but quite clever. Its generated automatically at the Essay Generator. What caught my attention is that one of these essays was submitted to a teacher and was actually just 1 point off of the A-levels (UK standard). Unfortunately the essay has been taken down at the request of the school. Makes you wonder though.

Stolen Chain

2004-11-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

Let's lighten things up:

(A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie
2. a book
3. a musical artist, song, or album

(B) I want everyone who reads this to ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.

(C) Then I want you to go to your journal, copy and paste this allowing your friends to ask you anything; say that you stole it from me.

I stole this from Dominattyrix who stole it from Lady C who stole it from Pinay Hekmi!

^KB and ^KK

2004-11-25T01:53:00.000-08:00

Imagine a word processor that doesn't require you to lift your hands from the keyboard. What about never having to interrupt 'the flow' to fiddle with the mouse just to make something italic. A word processor that never crashed and just allowed one to simply write. Too good to be true?
Remember Wordstar?

I was browsing through Books for Less and found a book called 'Mastering Wordstar' for P80. This takes me back to the earliest days of PCs (yeah, I know this dates me). Wordstar (the early versions at least) fit in 1 360kb diskette and allowed one to simply write. Sure it didn't have the fancy bells and whilstles of MS Word, but to me it seems like a writer's word processor. It appears I'm not alone in thinking this, here's an excellent article written by sci-fi author Robert Sawyer.

To take this even further, I recall a story about one of my favourite writers, William Gibson, writing some of his first cyberpunk novels on *gasp* a typewriter. I can understand Stephen King writing Carrie on an old Royal, but the father of cyberpunk? There must be more to this.

Simply put, Wordstar (or any typewriter for that matter), forces a writer to actually write. Working on a PC can be extremely distracting: you'll be working on your masterpiece and a Yahoo message pops up. Or you have mail. Or you remember this website you just had to visit. Or the latest Star Wars trailer is ready for download. I know, i know... we just need a little discipline. But to those of us mortals who find discipline hard to come by, perhaps the best way to conquer temptation is to make it impossible to appear. But, looking at that blank screen (or piece of paper) sure is intimidating.

Last weekend, I visited what must be one of the last remaining typewriter repairmen in the city. In fact, the old guy is actully selling agricultural products now, but confesses that typewriters are his 'first love.' He actually seemed happy to see my two battered typewriters which I brought for him to repair. Now if I can only find a computer with a 5.25" drive, I can boot up my old copy of Wordstar and just maybe find some of the old magic.

In case you're wondering, ^KB and ^KK (control KB and control KK) are the keystrokes required to make text bold in Wordstar. I still remember the keystrokes to this day.

Suspension of Disbelief

2004-11-22T01:35:00.000-08:00

Suspension of disbelief is what enables us to escape into books, movies and TV. It is an art that for children come as second nature and one that, as adults, seem to desert us. Over time, I have increasingly felt that this facility harder and harder to come by. I have found myself reading non-fiction more and more. My desire to watch the latest blockbusters from Hollywood is waning. Like Peter Pan who lost his shadow, I seem to have lost the ability to harness imagination.

What happened?

My first reaction was that films nowadays have declined. Now nothing more than vehicles to demonstrate special effects, today's films engage us as a rollercoaster ride would: quite gripping, but the effect only lasts for a few minutes. How fitting then, that critics call action movies a 'rollercoaster ride.' Just like a thrill ride, it leaves its audience wanting for more because the thrill is so fleeting.

While I believe that there is some truth to this, I do not believe that this is the cause of my current malaise. Its not like I used to watch 'deep' films when I was younger. Having grown up in the 80s and 90s, I gobbled up everything on offer: slasher flicks, teen coming-of-age movies, sci-fi, comedy. Everything. But somehow, those movies could take me away. Even as I watch these old movies now, they still seem to be able to do the trick.

Maybe its because something called 'life' happened. Having gone through some of life's experiences (both good and bad), facing real responsibilities and disenchantment has played a part.

Today special edition dvds come out that explain in excruciating detail how a movie was made. Director's commentaries discuss each scene, its purpose, the changes it has undergone. Books discuss film theory, camera angles, lighting and the creative process. I'm just as fascinated with this as everyone else - but I now have second thoughts. This peek behind the scenes ruins the illusion - much like a magician who reveals the secrets of his tricks, once you know the magic vanishes (pun intended).

Frankly, at this stage, I couldn't care less about how movies are made - I care about their ability to take me away, to make me believe, to allow escape.

Things I don't understand

2004-10-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

I've been living in this country for some time now and I love it. But I must say there are still so many things that perplex me, particularly when driving around:

* Cars that have foreign (usually American) license tags. These are either displayed in the rear view window (not so bad) or have actually replaced the real ones (bad). Why? Does it earn the owner brownie points because they've been to the states? I suppose related to this are those stickers that have a country's initials (D - Deutchland, EU - European Union). I've yet to come across one with RP on it.

* Really lame displays of authority. For instance, security guards have these metal detectors that seemingly beep at random (absence of metal notwithstanding). Neighbourhood traffic enforcers all have whistles and large IDs (these are usually turned wrong way round so you can't really tell if they've just hung their library cards on their neck). Baranggay 'tanods' walk around in photographer's vests (don't forget the cap!). And why so many different kinds of traffic enforcers? Oh. And cars that have IDs on the rearview mirrors with 'Media', DOTC or some other acronym emblazoned on them. Are these meant to ward off 'evil' spirits?

* Cars that have had their lights re-wired. Reverse lights (the white ones) turn on when they step on the break. Turn signals (yellow) are constantly on. Is this some sort of artistic expression?

Not transport related:

* Why are ostensibly government projects inscribed with names of the mayor or congressman? Did they personally pay for it? Its not so bad if there's a sign that proclaims 'this is a project of so and so' what's bad if the name is actually part of the structure.

* Why are there scantily clad dancers gyrating on noontime t.v.? More to the point: why do es it seem that many women think this is ok? I've seen kids imitating these dancers to the delight of their parents!

Am I missing something here?

How and Why Wonder Books

2004-10-19T08:40:00.000-07:00

I was rooting through my old books and found my old (grade school) How and Why Wonder Books.

Man oh man I wanted all of them (I think there were 70 or so), but managed to get my grubby hands on a mere handful. I'd pester my Mom until she bought me the latest one... Sadly, they're all yellowed now, but they bring back so many memories. If only life were as compartmentalized as these books made it seem... maybe we should have a How and Why Wonder Book of Relationships. Or Dealing with Loss. Or Worry. Sigh.

Goodbye Norma Blancaflor

2004-10-12T17:29:00.000-07:00

Norma Blancaflor, star of countless LVN movies in the 40s and 50s, died last night at 88.

We love you Lola Lydia.

Here she is with Rogelio de la Rosa.

Image from kabayancentral.com.

Curiouser and curiouser

2004-10-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

Anent to my previous post about a possible discovery of a new type of ape, the BBC is now reporting of a Sumatran Yeti. Called 'orang pendek' by the locals, it has orange fur and walks like a man. Scant evidence includes footprints (a la the Himalayan version) and some hair.

I sure hope this doesn't turn out to be another hoax, like the famous film that caught bigfoot back in the 60s.

What's next? Proof that Nessie is true?

A New Ape Discovered?

2004-10-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Various sources have reported the apparent discovery of a new type of ape in the Congo. Locals call these apes 'lion killers' as they have been known to kill fully grown lions. These are apparently look like gorillas (but are a lot bigger), and are very ferocious.

As the area in which they are found is quite remote, it has been difficult to get more detailed information on this.

If these reports are true, then it would rank as one of the most amazing finds so far this century! I am always surprised when something like this happens. At the back of my my mind, I think that most of the large animals have been found, identified, named, catalogued and probably killed off.

This is on the heels of the recently discovered bird in the northern Philippines. See related post here.

What a Drag!

2004-10-08T18:58:00.000-07:00

I must admit that one of my secret guilty pleasures is watching movies about drag queens. Having known a few myself, once you get beyond the persona, they are some of the most 'real' people you can get to know. Which is probably why I enjoy movies about them (at least those that treat the subject with respect).

I just finished watching Connie and Carla - I was quite entertained once I got beyond the 'Bosom Buddies' plotline. It stars Nia Vardalos (recently starred in My Big Fat Greek Wedding) - she looks great in the film, after losing some weight and Toni Collette (who was the mom in About A Boy). Oh and David Duchovny (X-Files) played the obligatory boyfriend-to-be. A good 'lazy afternoon' flick.

This joins my other 2 favourite drag queen movies:
1. The Birdcage, starring Robin Williams and Nathan Lane. Seeing Gene Hackman in drag singing 'We are Family' will forever be burned onto my brain.
2. To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar. Same thing except with Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze and, oddly, John Leguizamo.

Sadly, I haven't watched Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I love the tagline though: "Finally, a comedy that will change the way you think, the way you feel, and most importantly... the way you dress." Brilliant.

I think that sums it up about what I admire about drag queens: They live their lives as they like, everyone else who don't (or won't) understand be damned. Its not that they don't care what people think, its just that they don't let other people dictate how to live.

Are there any other drag queen movies I've missed?

Bibliophile Heaven

2004-10-06T19:16:00.000-07:00

This must be a great time to be a bibliophile. Books continue to be relatively cheap here - to my continuing relief. We have the venerable National Bookstore. Powerbooks is also a good option, although I'm not too thrilled that the Pasay Road branch moved to Greenbelt. We now have several specialty book stores like Fully Booked which has turned into my favourite bookstore.

There are also 2nd-hand booksellers, the most popular being Booksale at which I've found several gems. They also sell back issues of magazines, which is a good idea, but something I've only seen here. There's also Books For Less, which is more upmarket than Booksale (and more expensive too, although with a wider selection). Luckily there are two branches in Makati. National bookstore seems to be getting into the act as well, as they've started selling P99 (!) hardbound books, apparently culled from libraries in the states. I don't really mind reading second-hand books, especially if I find annotations and other bits of personal details left behind by the previous owner.

To top it off, free books abound online. Planet PDF's free PDF books offers PDF versions of classics for download. Then there's Project Gutenberg, apparently the oldest producer of eBooks on the web. They have over 12,000 books in the public domain available for download as text files. If you don't like the stark, ASCII-formatted text of Project Gutenberg, Mazarin does something clever with the Gutenberg ebooks: it reformats the ascii text into more readable HTML (often complete with table of contents). These appear to be completely legal downloads.

There are other, shall we say, less scrupulous places to find books online (read: P2P file sharing), but that's a contentious area I won't get into here.

I don't know about you, though, but I find it hard to read books on the screen. Somehow, having a solid book in your hands, feeling the paper and being able to flip through the pages is a more satisfying experience. I usually end up printing these ebooks (I know, I know - I'm killing trees but if it helps I use a really small font and I print back to back ).

Are there any other places you know of where we can find our beloved books?

Bonfire of the Vanities

2004-09-28T05:25:00.000-07:00

I have lost quite a few books over the years - usually by lending these out to friends who then either forget to return them or like the books so much they couldn't part with them. (Thinking that its the latter is somehow comforting).

Some of my 'lost' books weren't even mine at the time - sometimes I would see something I really like at a bookstore and not be able to buy it. This is usually because I've already spent too much on books (or am low on funds!) or maybe I didn't think the book was worth buying at the time (I'm usually wrong on this). I quickly learned to formulate my own maxim when deciding whether or not I should buy a book: when in doubt, buy it. (Note that this only works on books).

The pain that a book lover feels for a lost book can only be understood by fellow bibliophiles. I've maybe lost, oh, 15 or 20 books in this way. That seems like a lot, but when you consider all the lost books of history, it seems miniscule.

Consider the title of this post. The Bonfire of the Vanities (not the book by Tom Wolfe or the movie adaptation), but the actual event. In 1494, after the overthrow of the Medici, Girolamo Savonarola (a Dominican priest), became the sole ruler of Florence. He then went about transforming Florence into a 'Christian and religious republic.' In 1497, he and his followers went around Florence to collect books, paintings, mirrors, dresses and other works associated with 'low morals'. This was the infamous Bonfire of the Vanities. Many irreplaceable books and works of art was lost in that fire long ago at the Piazza della Signoria.

Or the famous library at Alexandria. At its peak, there were approximately 400,000 - 700,000 scrolls, the largest in the Medterranean world at the time. How did it get so big? Part of the reason is that Ptolemy III required that all visitors to the city surrender all their books and scrolls - copies of these were made and given to their owners. The originals remained in the library. Now there's a bibliophile! It is also said that Aristotle's own private collection helped start the library. Its an obscure fact that only a small fraction of the works from the 'classical' period have come down to us - many of the plays and comedies exist only as fragments. Who knows what other treasures we would have if the library wasn't destroyed by fire, as some say? (Note that how the destruction took place is a matter of some debate).

All these lost books make mine miniscule in comparison, but it still doesn't take away the sting.

Star Wars Original Trilogy Out

2004-09-27T07:43:00.000-07:00

In 1977, my parents took me to a relatively unknown movie (at the time) called Star Wars. I don't precisely why they took me - they're great movie fans, but dislike sci-fi. Like many of my generation (and generations since), the movies had a tremendous impact on my then impressionable mind.

I could write reams about what Star Wars means to me, but the point of this post is that the original trilogy is now out on DVD. To a non-fan, or even a casual one, this event is the is the culmination of a long and arduous wait. The fans signed petitions. They even took out a full-page ad on Variety. Finally its available on DVD, in pristine condition and with the best available sound.

No matter that he's tweaked it yet again (yes, he's inserted Hayden Christensen into ROTJ - hiss). No matter that there are no deleted scenes. The fact is they're here on the best available format (until HD comes along, that is). They're here and for at least a few hours, I'll be back in that theatre long ago, watching wide-eyed at the screen.

Lazy Blogger

2004-09-27T07:34:00.000-07:00

I've been reviewing some of my recent 'posts' and have come to the sad conclusion that I've become lazy! Posting a few comments on a few offbeat websites and quizzes do not a blog make.

Don't get me wrong, I think these are perfectly fine if I happened to post other, more original content. However, I've discovered that I haven't been posting anything original for quite a while. So, I've taken down a few of those crappy, nonesense posts. I put on more original content in the next few days.

Haaay.

I've got Gmail Invitations

2004-09-23T01:01:00.000-07:00

By now, you must have heard about Gmail, Google's new email service. At the moment, it is by invitation only.

If you want an invitation, please let me know. I've got 3 invitations left to give out. Oh, if you want to return the favour, you can do so by telling folks about my blog. I'm always keen to read comments and (constructive) criticism.

Thanks again to Karen who invited me in the first place.

What High-School Stereotype are you?

2004-09-14T05:46:00.000-07:00

Take the What High School
Stereotype Are You? quiz.

Living to a 100

2004-09-08T22:02:00.000-07:00

The Living to 100 Life Expectancy Calculator was designed to translate what we have learned from studies of centenarians and other longevity research into a practical and empowering tool for individuals to estimate their longevity potential.

Try to see an estimate on your life expectancy and for some useful lifestyle suggestions.

Wacky George II

2004-09-08T21:48:00.000-07:00

Does your ob-gyn practice love on you?

The president, in a televised speech decrying frivolous medical lawsuits, uttered bizzarely "Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country."

I'm not kidding.

Wacky George

2004-09-08T16:08:00.000-07:00

1. Uh, George? What ARE you doing? Funny clip.

Legislation I'd Like to See

2004-09-07T22:15:00.000-07:00

Tired of having to play 'patintero' with cat-like jwalkers? Support "The Better Pedestrian Bill" otherwise known as the "Deathrace 2000" law. If a pedestrian is hit by a vehicle on anywhere except a pedestrian lane, the driver is free from any prosecution or liability. A softer version could limit this to within 50m of a pedestrian lane or walkway.

If you want to do something about reversing our penchant for electing our favorite actors, actresses, singers and mediamen even if they have the qualifications of a gnat, support the "Who We Need, Rather Than Who We Want" bill. This proposes to create a monarchy in the Philippines, much like monarchs in other countries. Our king (or queen) will reign, but not rule. He or she will have a tremendous amount of prestige, but not much else. This will enable those who actually have the ability to make a difference be elected on merit and not have to suffer the indignity of singing and dancing in some god-forsaken province.

The 'Serves You Right' bill, suspending the application of traffic rules and regulations to tricycle and motorcycle drivers. As many of you know, these guys don't follow any rules anyway, so why not make it official? The caveat here is that this also takes away their right to claim any damages or insurance if they happen to splatter their brains all over the pavement for whatever reason.

Finally, we have the 'Thanks for Nothing' bill. Any self-aggrandizing politician who attaches his or her name to a road, bridge, lamp post, walkway and any other project will be required to actually pay for it. If they're going to get the credit for spending taxpayer's (our) money, they may as well get it out of their own pockets!

Does anyone have any legislations they'd like to see?

Reason over madness

2004-09-05T17:53:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of Stanslav Petrov? Didn't think so. Neither did I until I read a Moscow News article about this man's defining moment.

Petrov was stationed at a Ballistic Missile Early Warning System command and control post in Russia. His job: push the button that will launch nuclear weapons against the United States in case the USSR was ever attacked. In 1983, his computer screens showed that such an attack was indeed taking place. What did Petrov do? Thinking that this was a false alarm, he trusted his intuition and decided not to push the button, averting what could have been WWIII. A full report can be found here.

Although Petrov was not punished for not doing his 'job', he has since received many awards most recently the World Citizen's Award, as the 'Man Who Saved the World'.

To those of us who were too young to remember the cold war and the terrifying prospect of nuclear war, this is a chilling reminder of the madness of the whole thing. Remember, it was Petrov's duty to push the button and needed no further approvals from his superiors. If he did, the US would no doubt have responded in minutes.

This reminds me of the Doomsday Clock, a gauge of how close we are to nuclear war (12:00 is doomsday), is now set at seven minutes to midnight, back in 1983 it was at 3 minutes to midnight. Chilling to think that our lives were (and continue to be) in the hands of a few individuals. What if it had been someone else on duty that night?

P's post from the UK

2004-08-30T20:30:00.000-07:00

Just visited the British Museum's reading room, where the Reading Room is housed (formerly the British Library).Guess what I found - Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo were prominently displayed in one of the cases!

It turns out that he was one of the select few issued reading passes which allowed him access to the library's resources. I imagine him sitting in one of the carrels, perhaps even writing one of his pieces.

Here's a pic of his name in the registry near the entrance:

And a view of the reading room itself:

Just when I was feeling homesick, I find a little oasis that reminds me of home.

P originally started out this blog. I took it over when she left for the UK last month.

Pictures of my cats

2004-08-27T01:39:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics of my cats.

Phoebe is a ragdoll, who are known for their sweet dispositions. One unusual trait is their tendency to relax their muscles and go limp when you're carrying them (hence the name). I believe they're somewhat uncommon in the Phils.

My other cat is Phay-cua (pie-kwah), he's a Persian, known for their long fur and round eyes. Its kind of hard to tell, as mine seems to be constantly sleeping. BTW, his name means 'ugly' (hee-hee).

Which of the 7 Deadly Sins are you?

2004-08-26T20:55:00.000-07:00

That's right folks! I'm Gluttony! Mmmm.....

Nibbling a cookie at the moment by any chance? You don't just like your food, you love it. And there's nothing wrong with that. However gluttony isn't just about food. It relates to anything that you gobble up more then you should of. You tend to 'take your cake, and eat it too' - excuse the horrific pun. Perhaps if you don't be so consumed with having every little thing you'd be better off. On a plus side, you know what you like, what you want - and you go after it. You tend to have good instincts about things, and excellent taste in your life.

Congratulations, You have the best taste out of all the 7 deadly sins!

?? Which Of The Seven Deadly Sins Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

The Rule of Four

2004-08-26T20:19:00.000-07:00

Finished The Rule of Four over the weekend. I had such high hopes for this, particularly after the disappointment that was the Da Vinci Code. Imagine, a 500 year old book (a real one to boot)! A mystery! Murder! But it was not to be.

The book is more a story about coming of age and life in Princeton than a thriller. What discussions there were on the Hypnerotomachia Philiphili were very cursory. Their apparent solution to the puzzle of the book is nothing more than a word search, much like you'd find in children's activity books. Although I was realistic enough not to expect a real solution (if indeed there was a puzzle to begin with), I expected a much more clever solution than this.

If you're expecting another Name of the Rose (like I was), you're in for a disappointment. If you want a couple days of diversion, its not bad. I think I'm going to re-read Eco.

Tricks of the Trade

2004-08-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

Found this great article in The Morning News, which talks about various 'tricks of the trade' in various professions. For instance:

Newspaper Headline Writer
If you can’t think of a headline for a story, use one of these three magic verbs: “weighs,” “mulls,” or “considers.” They’ll work for pretty much anything from court stories (“Hamilton mulls plea deal”) to government stories (“Governor weighs Paseo extension”) to entertainment (“Colvin considers new album”) to features (“Benson mulls those who consider weighing Kasey’s artwork”).

Over here, it seems to be that a trick of the trade is: if you can't find anything newsworthy, show grisly footage of crime victims. If you can't find these, hang out in the nearest police station and get footage of crime victims beating on suspects. These are strangely compelling for some reason. Schadenfreude anyone?

Vintage photos and postcards

2004-08-24T19:05:00.000-07:00

Looking at old photographs always leaves me with a longing to go back to that time and place. Some of the photos are so clear you could almost be there.

To those of you who enjoy looking at old photographs and postcards, here's a great site.

Closer to home, the photo archive at the Filipinas Heritage Library has an even better collection, categorised by subject and year. Too bad the pics themselves are small.

Here's something for which I actually drove all the way out to Cavite, the awkwardly-named Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes Museum . Their web site is slow to load and not all the photographs are online, but a visit to the actual museum is well worth it. Look for the one of the newly painted Binondo church.

Blair Witch Redux?

2004-08-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

I found this web site while trawling the web. Apparently, some guy found a digital camera out in the woods somewhere and shared the pics online. That's when people started seeing some pretty creepy stuff in them: someone peeping behind a tree, glowing eyes, strange faces in the windows, something that looks like a baby hanging from the trees.

The pictures really are creepy, although it may be our mind playing tricks on us (a la the 'face' on the surface of Mars). What do you think?

Note: long load time as there are a lot of pics. Read through later comments for their 'analysis' of the photos.

A New Species of Bird

2004-08-18T02:36:00.000-07:00

They've found a new species of bird in the Philippines! Read about it here. I hope they make sure the remaining 200 pairs don't get poached.

Calayan Rail (Courtesy Des Allen & BirdLife International) and www.cbc.ca

Only in the Philippines?

2004-08-15T21:07:00.000-07:00

A well-known and respected citizen gets tells his driver to park in front of his favorite restaurant. He tells him to wait in the car as he goes in to order take-out. When he gets back out to his car, he sees that police officers are questioning his driver. When he asks what is going on, he is told to get back inside his car. When he refuses, he is handcuffed (and to many accounts), treated roughly by the policemen. He gets hauled to the precinct and charged with disorderly conduct.

The man claims that he was not unruly and only wanted to find out why his driver was being questioned. Many witnesses at the restaurant (including the owner), support the man's version. Because of the ensuing outrage, the mayor says he will investigate.

Just another day day in the Philippines? Think again. The old man is Mike Wallace, the veteran US broadcaster from 60 minutes. The city is New York. Read all about it here. Did I mention Wallace is 86?

Test of the week

2004-08-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

Another one of those tongue-in-cheek tests.

I AM 10% WHITE TRASH!

I, my friend, have class. I am so not white trash. . I am more than likely Democrat, and my place is neat, and there is a good chance I may never drink wine from a box.

Take the WHITE TRASH test at Fuali.com

Passionate Pilgrim's Question

2004-08-12T18:35:00.000-07:00

Blogger friend Karen over at The Passionate Pilgrim posed a question: What are YOU willing to contribute to improve the Philippines?

For me (read as: this may not apply to everyone), the mere fact that I'm here is a good start. Amidst many friends who can't wait to get out - I, strangely enough, am here. This is not a criticism to those of us who long for a better life - I question my decision to come back almost every day. I'm sure I'm not the only doing so.

One may argue that we can contribute to the Philippines even while overseas (via remittances). But the economy is not the only thing. By being here we contribute to enriching the Philippines in innumerable ways.

'But you're not even Filipino!' I imagine someone say. The fact that I don't happen to be a citizen is immaterial - that is an accident of fate. I was born here. I'm as Filipino as you.

A friend and I wrote a little bit about this in a previous post. I've reprinted it here.

"Why do you hate the Philippines so much?" asked a friend the other day.

It was a question that left me, for once, unable to respond. I was flabbergasted. I thought, me? Hate the Philippines? Is it because of my constant complaints about the sheer stupidity of most drivers in the Philippines? Or my utter disgust at the 'Feel-Ams' (not Fil-Ams, mind you)? Feel-Ams are 'Feeling Americans' - people who speak with a strong American twang yet probably have never even set foot in the US or for one reason or the other shouldn't have an American accent but do. Is it because of my contempt for most politicians? At the inanity of the electoral process where for a time politicians to pretend to be one of the 'masa' yet spend 99% of their tenure kowtowing to the rich? The Filipinos who hate how it is here yet are doing nothing to improve things?

Maybe. But I voice these things out as a cry of outrage at what IS and what SHOULD BE. Having lived overseas and choosing to come and live here (strange as it may seem to most), I know what a well-run country is like. The Philippines is not one of them. That angers me. Because I know it could be otherwise. To know that things could be better and yet know it wouldn't be is frustrating. Frustrating because no one, it seems, can be bothered to change things.

Edmund Burke wrote "To make us love our country, our country ought to be lovely." That the Philippines isn't (or not as lovely as it should be) is our fault. All of us. But you know what? I'll start with me. In a place where seemingly everybody wants to get OUT, I'll stay IN. I'll follow the traffic rules. I'll pay my taxes honestly (no matter if it gets stolen along the way). I'll even complain and rage. And rage I will. Its my birthright.
Idealistic? Hell yeah. Idealism is not a dirty word.

Me? Hate the Philippines?

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

2004-08-12T18:18:00.000-07:00

I saw Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind over the week. Always refreshing to catch a flick that is rather more intelligent than the regular Hollywood fare. Don't get me wrong - I love watching 'twitch' movies just like the next person but very often I want my films to actually make me think long after I've left the cinema.

Blogger pal Dominattyrix has some interesting comments on her blog here.

This is certainly a film to be watched again in order to catch all the subtleties. For instance: what is the significance of Clementine's hair color? Of the color red? (she wore a bright red jacket when the 'first' met - both times). Who erased whom first? Is it possible they've been erasing and re-meeting each other for many more times than the movie hinted?

The firm that does the erasing is aptly called Lacuna, ('a gap or place where something is missing'). In many ways, what Lacuna does is merely to accelerate the process of getting to grips with loss. Notice the first step of gathering all of the mementoes that can remind you of someone you want to forget - isn't that what many of us do when we, say, break up with someone? I know I do - I'd put all their stuff in a box and lock it up in one of my closets (talk about a Freudian reference).

I can't help noticing a similarity (not in content, but in context) with other films and books that deal with memory, identity and loss. There's Strange Days (Ralph Fiennes) in which memories are bought and sold like we now buy DVDs. If you buy one of these memories, you get to experience as if it were happening to you. The kicker is that once you sell it, you lose it for good. This concept of commodifying of memories was started off by William Gibson in his cyberpunk novels.

Oh and for the first time in a long while, I didn't have to shush anyone in the theater.

My Current Top 5 Quirky Films:
○ Mulholland Drive
○ Being John Malkovich
○ Memento
○ High Fidelity
○ Lost in Translation

Booklist

2004-08-12T18:04:00.000-07:00

A Different Bookstore finally called - my copy of The Rule of Four is here. After the disappointment that was The Da Vinci Code (my review is here), I was somewhat apprehensive about another book about an obscure manuscript with codes. After having read the first chapter online (here), I had to admit it looked promising. So, what the hey.

For the curious, at the centre of the story is the Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, a real book first published in 1499. Considered one of the most beautiful books ever printed, it has only been completely translated in 1999 because the work is so inaccessible. An electronic version happens to be online at MIT's website.

This incunabula (I love this word) is filled with obscure reference to architecture, art and eroticism. Written in Latin, it nonetheless has Greek, Hebrew and Arabic passages. And hieroglyphs. This should be good.

This didn't stop me from dropping by Books for Less, mind you. I picked up a 2nd-hand copy of The Lighthouse at the end of the World by Stephen Marlowe. It's about the last few days of Edgar Alan Poe's life and set in 19th century America. How can I resist? Its fiction, but based on real events in the great author's life and works. This satisfies my reading lust for now. Until my next visit that is. Hee. I'll post reviews when I'm done.

Its official!

2004-08-12T18:02:00.000-07:00

Interesting leadership test (link below). It turns out I'm Einstein.

What Famous Leader Are You?
personality tests by similarminds.com

Things that make you go 'huh'?

2004-08-10T01:07:00.000-07:00

My views on the American presidential race notwithstanding, in a recent speech the most powerful man on the planet said:

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we," Bush said.
"They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."

I can't wait to vote in November.

Another Psych Test

2004-08-04T17:29:00.001-07:00

Yet another psych test in my quest for self-analysis. Or not.

Check out my blirtatiousness!

What kind of elitist are you?

2004-08-03T22:06:00.000-07:00

Interesting quiz here. Surprise, surprise. It turns out I'm a 'Book and Languages Snob.' My results:
You speak eloquently and have seemingly read every book ever published. You are a fountain of endless (sometimes useless) knowledge, and never fail to impress at a party.
What people love: You can answer almost any question people ask, and have thus been nicknamed Jeeves.
What people hate: You constantly correct their grammar and insult their paperbacks.

On Reading

2004-07-28T19:28:00.000-07:00

There are four kinds of readers.
The first is like the hourglass and their reading being as sand, it runs in and runs out, and leaves not a vestige behind.
A second is like a sponge, which imbibes everything, and returns it in nearly the same state, only a little dirtier.
The third is like a jelly bag, allowing all that is pure to pass away, and retaining only the refuse and dregs.
The fourth is like the slaves in the Golconda, who, casting aside all that is worthless, retain only pure gems.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

I am a reader, just like my father before me. Mom tells me that as a baby, he patiently watched over me, waiting for the moment I would first turn onto my belly (in preparation for crawling). We're not normally superstitious, but in this instance my Dad believed that if he placed a book on my head at this exact moment, I would be a reader too. So one summer day long ago my Dad placed a Reader's Digest he happened to be reading on my head at that moment. And so began a lifelong passion with reading and with books.

I love books. Everything about them fascinates me. Between its covers lie other worlds, other vistas and ideas that I have not even begun to dream of. Books enable me to converse with others far away or from long ago. It is in books that I feel most connected. It is in books that I find hope.

There is nothing like a new book - not necessarily newly purchased - as it sits there, an implied promise of something wonderful. The very physicality of a book tells me that here is the embodiment of an idea, a story. Of knowledge. Of things yet undiscovered.

I know that it has nothing to do with the quality of a book, but I always prefer a thick, weighty book. The thicker the better. A friend once observed that when I speak of a certain book, I unconsciously indicate how thick it is with my fingers. Perhaps it is because I want a good book to go on forever. I know this isn't so, but perhaps I subconsciously think thick books are somehow 'better'.

Many of my books are paperbacks. I don't mind paperbacks, but hardbound books last longer because of its superior paper. Hardbound books usually use these heavy, creamy paper. The type on this is extremely pleasing to the eye. Sadly, hard bound books are so much more expensive and I try to get them when I can - but no matter. I have a several cherished yellowing, tattered paperbacks with which I will never part.

So what do I read? Everything. Mom tells me that as a kid, I'd read anything, even the newspaper that's been used to wrap fish from the palengke. Fiction. Non-fiction. Horror. Sci-fi. History. Historical novels. Technical manuals. Psychology. Philosophy. Comics.

Where do I get my books? Anywhere I can get my hands on them. Bliss is spending at least one Saturday morning a month at Fully Booked, eager to find out what's fresh from the box. On the other side of the spectrum, I can never resist dropping by Booksale and Books for Less, hoping to uncover hidden treasure. Of course there's good ol' National Bookstore. There's the internet. Amazon. I mooch off of friends.

Speaking of which - a good friend's grandfather, another reader, died last year. As nobody else in the family read, I had the run of his book collection that dated back to the 50's and 60's. Most of the books were biographies and war stories - I must have brought home 20 or 30 books that day. At first I found it creepy, carting away someone else's beloved books but when I got home things changed. On the first page of each book he wrote his name and a date. Maybe it was when he bought the book or when he started/finished reading it. No matter. Here was a fellow reader - someone who cared enough to keep a faithful record of his books. I felt a comfortable affinity towards my friend's grandfather even if I have never met the man. We were readers.

I have always found it difficult to comprehend how someone can be a non-reader. I've often been told to 'get a life' half-jokingly by non-reading friends. I always counter by asking them how it feels to 'live' with one hand tied behind their back. Or with one eye closed. Some even find virtue in being non-readers or make an excuse that they have no time. These are the same people who watch the telly 4 hours a day. This is why it is such a relief to find fellow readers. They understand.

Do you lend your books out? This is always a struggle for me. On one hand, I would like to encourage people to read and so I often lend books out. However, I am loath to part with good books so I don't lend out the very best. Or I buy a second copy and give it to them as a gift. I can't help it.

I read and I re-read. Seriously. There are books that I've read three or four times - on each reading a good book reveals further insights, deeper layers - like visiting an old friend and catching up. I have books that I re-read for comfort, others I re-read to remind myself of who I was when I was younger, more naïve. No matter what storms that life throws a reader's way, we will always have books. Some may call reading escapism. I call it a means by which we cope with the vagaries of life. Some may call reading a solitary, lonely activity. I call it establishing a connection with people far away or from long ago. Some question how I can sit in one place all day long - what they don't see is that I am soaring in my mind.

I often wish I could go back and experience again the pleasure of reading all those books for the first time. Who can forget the pleasure of realizing that you 'get' what an author is trying to say? Who can forget finishing their first book? It is with a sense of loss that I realize that I will never again read a beloved book for the first time. I only find consolation in anticipation of yet more books to come.

Read in order to live.
Gustav Flaubert letter to Mlle de Chantepie, June 1857.

For more on readers and reading, see A History of Reading by Alberto Manguel.

What do you remember from school?

2004-07-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Take this nifty test and see if you recall anything from all those years in school. Sample question:

Algebra: The formula A² + B² = C² is

The quadratic equation

The Pythagorean theorem

Avogadro's number

The universal combination for opening all lockers

My score: 8/10. And no - I'm no nerd. Really.

Eternal Questions

2004-07-26T17:50:00.000-07:00

Why did the chicken cross the road?

The definitive and oddly intelligent answers can be found here. My favorites:
Thomas de Torquemada: Give me ten minutes with the chicken and I'll find out.
Ernest Hemmingway: To die. In the rain. Alone.
Aristotle: It was in its nature to cross the road.
Immanuel Kant: The chicken, being an autonomous being, chose to cross the road of his own free will.
Colonel Sanders: I missed one?

Mmm... funny.

An Apology (?)

2004-07-26T02:37:00.000-07:00

Just read this hilarious piece from Colin Mochrie (who you may know from Who's Line is It?).
Here's my version (except for the 2nd to last paragraph, which I copied verbatim).
------
On behalf of Filipinos everywhere, I'd like to offer an apology to the US.

I'm sorry about our taking away American jobs when outsourcing took off in the Philippines. Just because you took away Filipino jobs when local factories closed when you dumped your products on our shores doesn't give us the right to eke out a living. And its not as if American firms are making tons of money in the process.

I'm sorry about our government's decision to pull out our humanitarian mission out of Iraq to save one of our own. Its not like you did the same in Iran, Somalia and Beirut.

I'm sorry for my countrymen who ask for US Visas. I'm sure we give you guys just as difficult a time when you want to enter the Philippines. We're sorry for Rob Schnieder, Lou Diamond Philips, Tia Carrere and countless other notable artists of Filipino descent. We're also sorry for the nurses, programmers, managers and other workers we sent your way.

We're sorry Mt. Pinatubo erupted so you had to leave Clark and Subic*. After all, when Manila got pulverized for being an American city during World War II, you helped us rebuild our city and in return we gave you the best business deals this side of Manhattan.

We're sorry for being Feel-Ams (feeling Americans). There's no excuse for not retaining our national identity even if we're bombarded with your TV shows, movies, food and pop-culture.

And finally on behalf of all Filipinos, I'm sorry that we're constantly apologizing for things in a passive-aggressive way which is really a thinly veiled criticism. I sincerely hope that you're not upset over this. Because we've seen what you do to countries you get upset with.

And to those who can't take a joke, I'm sorry.

*I know our senate voted them out. Satire, remember.

They're on to me. Not really.

2004-07-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

I've been misquoted! There's no permalink, so search for scripsi.

Actually this is a self-writing blog. Type your name in and hit the button. Neato.

Capitulation

2004-07-23T22:43:00.000-07:00

I'm glad that Angelo de la Cruz is home. But is the problem over? Fellow blogger Karen makes some very good points in her recent post here.

My views:
While I understand the position our government's actions, I can't say I agree with the decision. Ignoring for the moment the potential damage on international relations, consider this: what happens the next time someone gets kidnapped? What if they demand ransom? or some outrageous demand like asking GMA to step down? Will we capitulate then? By taking this action, we have just shown that we can be cowed by terror. I do not think this is a road we want to be on.

Don't get me wrong - if I were in the place of Angelo's family, I would demand that the troops be pulled out. This is a natural (and completely understandable) reaction when emotions are involved. Family is family. We, however, are not involved in the same extent as his family and are therefore able to look at the situation more objectively. By giving in to the terrorists, we endanger the other workers (Filipino or otherwise) still working in Iraq and other countries where terrorists abound (including the Philippines). By helping prove that such methods are effective, we invite similar actions in the future.

At best, our government chose not to be objective about this (one of our own was in trouble, a Pampango no less, and we'll do anything to get him home safely). At worst, it acted for political (i.e. self-serving) gain - can the government really take more brickbats from its political opponents? This has nothing to do with political affiliation, but objectivity and priorities. This also has nothing to do with what our allies will say - as Atty. Palabrica writing in the Inquirer has shown here - the US is no stranger to pulling out its troops once the death toll (and therefore public opinion) has become untenable.

So, should we have let Angelo die? Absolutely not. But I'm not convinced we exhausted all our options. Nor did we think about the long term - by saving one person's life now, we may have just endangered countless others in the days to come.

Errors in Logical Reasoning

2004-07-22T22:02:00.000-07:00

"Truth is as mysterious as it is inaccessible, and it must be fought for eternally" - Camus

With today's constant barrage of information, it is easy for us to go with the flow and simply adopt whatever opinion is currently in vogue. Listening to AM radio (and observing people listening to it), it is so easy for us to agree with whatever the announcer is saying. After all, he's saying it forcefully enough and it seems to make sense. Newspapers are not much different - anything in print appears to have an aura of 'truth' about it. To those of us who prefer to have our own opinion (and yet be open to others), what tools do we have to wade through this morass?

Logic. Spock will be proud.

I am not referring to formal or symbolic logic - but rules that enable us to evaluate arguments. Culled from various sources, here then are rules that I have found useful.

Avoiding Non-Sequiturs

Non-Sequitur is Latin for "it does not follow" - it means that the conclusion does not follow from the premises, no matter how true they are. For instance:

Statement a: If I voted, I am a Filipino citizen.

Statement b: I did not vote.

Conclusion: Therefore, I am not a Filipino citizen.

Not ignoring the identify of the arguer

These are the "ad-hominem" (to the man), which attack the personal characteristics of the arguer instead of the argument being discussed. For example:

Boss: I'm reprimanding you for your persistent tardiness.

You: But you're always late yourself!

Many of us put a lot of weight on the identify of the speaker because we should be on the lookout for deception or bias. Wrong. Arguments should be evaluated based on the veracity of the premises and that the conclusion follows from the premises. A statement is true or untrue based solely on its own merits. This is counter-intuitive, but this is elementary logic.

Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc Fallacy

Latin for "After this, therefore because of this" and refers to our penchant for assuming that because something happens after an event, it was also caused by it. For instance, "As soon as Mayor xxx took over, all sorts of calamities befell the city. Let's impeach him now or more will come!" This also is the basis for many of our other superstitions.

False Either/Or Arguments

This assumes that only two options exist for any given situation. For instance "Either we pull out our troops or the hostage will die".

Bandwagon Appeals

This suggests that simply because something is popular, we should accept it.

More to follow if anyone finds this interesting.

Over and out

2004-07-20T21:01:00.000-07:00

Alas real life must intrude yet again. I'm off to the UK on business, back I don't know when. I'm leaving Trillian to do most of the blogging for now but will try to post once in a while. There will undoubtedly be blogging opportunities, but I expect work will take up much of my time.
Signing off for now.

One-Hit Wonders

2004-07-19T21:23:00.000-07:00

VH1 recently had a special on One-Hit Wonders (OHW) hosted by William Shatner. Yes - Kirk. As my mind boggled coming to grips to why Shatner would host such a show, I remembered. Dylan's Mr. Tambourine Man. Or more specifically, Shatner's cover of the song on his much-maligned 1968 album, The Transformed Man. It made sense. Vh1's site is here.

It was a better show than I expected. Besides the length (4 hours), it brought back a lot of memories. Who doesn't remember Unbelievable by EMF, or Whip It by Devo? Twisted Sister, anyone? This is the complete list. The show featured interesting bits of trivia and interviews.

I suppose we must ask ourselves - is it better to have had this limited success (only to have it taken away) or never to have had it at all? Is success even a good measure? In a celebrity-obssessed society where success is measured in money and fame, does it even matter?

"Becoming famous was so much easier than staying famous." - Gary Numan, singer 'Cars'

"How do you find your way back in the dark?"

2004-07-08T02:15:00.000-07:00

There are rare moments when we see ourselves not from within, as we usually do, but from without - as an observer. It is during moments of unusual clarity such as this that we are afforded a glimpse of ourselves that is otherwise inaccessible.

At these times, I think about the person that I am and wonder what has become of the person I thought I was. In my mind, I am unchanging. I am the same daughter, student, employee, friend, lover as I ever was. I am eternally, forever, me. When held up against the light that this self-realization brings, I mourn the lost Me. I see that I have become so different. I am no longer.

I mourn the loss of the person I was when I was young, idealistic, unsullied by the vagaries of life, the universe, everything. I fear that this lost self is at once irretrievable and yet is plainly still here in me. It is in the duality of knowing and not knowing that I feel most alone, mourning that which only I could have lost. And perhaps only I could ever hope to regain.

The title is the last line Marilyn Monroe ever spoke on-screen

The chichiria of my youth

2004-07-06T03:54:00.000-07:00

They had such enticing and strange names to my young ears, the chichiria of my youth. They made each trip to the neighborhood sari-sari store or the grocery such an adventure. The anticipation of getting my hands on these goodies was almost as good as the actual eating. Almost, but not quite. Here's a quick list, dredged from the recesses of my mind:

Butterball - these were hard, round, yellow candies that tasted (to my mind at least), vaguely like butter.
Choc-nut - these are still thankfully around, to the uninitiated, this is a chocolate bar that tastes of, surprise surprise, nuts. There's nothing like them.
Serg's - Aah. The classic chocolate bar. These were perfect - not too sweet and not too bitter. They came in regular (yellow wrapper) and one with almonds (light blue wrapper). They stopped making these a few years ago to everyone's loss. My Dad used to bring these to my Mom when they were still courting.
Fat 'n Thin - These are salted watermelon seeds that came in a colorful paper packet with Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel's picture on it. I don't know if this was actually licensed - but mention salted watermelon seeds and this immediately springs to mind.
Tira-tira- long, sticky candy.
Big Boy Bubble Gum - I recall that these were red and extremely sweet. Excellent for blowing bubbles. Strangely, I recently smelled a toilet air-freshener that smelled exactly like Big Boy.
Chippy - The quintessential snack food. Remember when these came in transparent bags instead of tinfoil as they do now? I vaguely remember them being available in tall jars as well. I loved these so much that when I was living overseas, I had my Mom send these over. Or else I had to buy them at the Filipino store at cut-throat prices.

Childhood was a time when the only imported chocolates and candies were the ones my Dad brought home from business trips abroad. Or if we went to buy 'PX'. Somehow, back then, it didn't matter - these were candies more than just candies. They, like my toys, afforded a glimpse at a world beyond our gates.

Its a pity you can't get many of these any more - I feel like I've lost part of my childhood. Today, these are comfort food - when life looks grim, a bar of Choc-nut or packet of watermelon seeds gently gently remind me of a time when things were good... and that things can always get better again. In a world where local snack foods still exist at the neighborhood sari-sari store, how can they not?

Bizarre site of the week - The Gematriculator

2004-07-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

The Germatriculator is a service that uses the "infallible" methods of Gematria developed by Mr. Ivan Panin to determine how good or evil a web site or a text passage is.

Basically, Gematria is searching for different patterns through the text, such as the amount of words beginning with a vowel. If the amount of these matches is divisible by a certain number, such as 7 (which is said to be God's number), there is an incontestable argument that the Spirit of God is ever present in the text. Another important aspect in gematria are the numerical values of letters: A=1, B=2 ... I=9, J=10, K=20 and so on. The Gematriculator uses Finnish alphabet, in which Y is a vowel.

Results for this blog:

Which means it is 26% evil. Hmm.

Book Quiz

2004-07-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

New quiz and its on books - woohoo!

From the Llama Butchers via Sarcasmo's Corner.

1) What is your favorite type of bookstore?
A. A large chain that is well lit, stuffed full of books, and has a café.
B. A dark, rather dusty, used bookstore full of mysterious and vaguely organized books.
C. A local independent bookstore that has books by local authors and coffee.

B. Burrowing through used bookstores is like archaeology. You never know what will turn up, but its often good. You have to go to the chains to get the latest ones though.

2) What would excite you more?
A. A brand new book by your favorite author.
B. Finding a classic you've been wanting to read.
C. Receiving a free book from a friend in the mail.

B. I have a mental list of books I've lost, lent out or simply failed to get. Ticking them off is my mission in life. Heh.

3) What's your favorite format?
A. Novel
B. Short story
C. Poetry

A. Novel, definitely. Short stories are fine, but novels due to their nature has the capacity to convey more detail.

4) Favorite format, part II.
A. Contemporary fiction.
B. Classic novels.
C. Genre (mystery, espionage, etc.)

All three, actually. But if I had to choose, C. Bring on Gaiman, King, Sterling, Gibson, Adams!

5) Favorite format, part III (none of the above) Fiction or non?
A. Almost entirely fiction.
B. Almost entirely non-fiction.
C. A mix of both.

C. I need both.

6) Does the design and condition of the book matter?
A. Yes, I love a well designed book and keep mine in mint condition.
B. No, the words are what matter.
C. Yes and no, I appreciate good design and treat my books with respect but I am not obsessive about it.

A. Words matter most, but there's nothing like holding a hefty book in your hands, pristine high-grade quality paper that won't yellow with age... it almost beckons you to take a dip inside and lose yourself.. hmm. where was I? Oh, I cover my books with plastic - the OC in me demands it.

7) On average how many books do you read a month?
A. I am lucky to read one.
B. I am dedicated. I read 4 or 5.
C. I am a fiend. I read 10 or more!

B, wanting to be C. But some of us have to work. sigh.

8) Do you prefer to own or borrow?
A. There is a particular joy in owning a book. I have a large library.
B. Why spend money when you can read it for free? I use the public library.
C. Different tools for different job. I do both.

A. If I see a book I like, I prefer to own it. I try to avoid borrowing because I can never let the book go.

9) Where do you get (the majority) your book news?
A. Newspapers.
B. Magazines.
C. TV
D. Blogs.

B.

10) Are books a professional obsession?
A. Yes, I work in the field (writer, reviewer, publisher, teacher, etc.).
B. No, I do it for fun.
C. Kinda, I write the occasional review but have a regular job outside of books.

B. I'd love to work in the field though.

11) Is it wrong to write in a book you own?

A. No - books are tools for expressing ideas.
B. Yes - books are sacred. Marking in them is disrespectful
C. It's ok to write in paperbacks only.

B. I often re-read books and writing and I find that my view can change over time. I'd keep annotations separate. Besides, it feels like desecration to me.

And, a new question of my own:

12) How do you feel about lending out your books?
A. Books are meant to be shared. After I read it, I freely lend it out and don't mind if it comes back.
B. It depends on who I lend it to.
C. Unthinkable.

C.

Poof!

2004-07-01T01:32:00.000-07:00

Since 1977, The Lake Superior State University (LSSU) out in Michigan has been publishing its annual list of Banished Words. Words that are misused, overused and are of general uselessness are banished from the Queen's English indefinitely (there have been some reversals). 2004's list include Bling-bling, Metrosexual and anything prefixed with X (as in Xtreme). This is their website.

Here is my own personal list, in the context of the Philippines.

Invite As in, 'Win some invites to tonight's show'. Invite is verb. What's wrong with invitation?

World-class. This phrase tries too hard to impress, as if it lends an aura of 'goodness' to whatever it is attached to. To my mind, if your product is of high quality, people will know, no need to hit them over the head with it. You don't hear Sony saying that their TVs are 'world-class.' The phrase also implies that everyone else isn't. So for every local singer hailed as world-class, the implication is that many other singers in the Philippines aren't.

Scion How come whenever there's any news about the son of some prominent businessman or politician, why does the media say 'A scion of a prominent clan...' almost automatically? Why not say 'Belonging to the xxx family'?

Tinutugis ang mga masasamang elemento Often used by reporters to say that police are off chasing the people responsible for one crime or the other. Often used in place of 'hot pursuit operations.' (Ok, I know this is a phrase and not a word but its my list. Hah!).

Kapamilya, Kapuso, etc. When used by large media corporations in an effort to reduce the impersonal nature of corporations. It is empty and insulting. Does anyone actually buy into this?

Kalalakihan Used to denote men, as in 'tatlong kalalakihan ang nahuli kahapon.' Why not say 'lalaki' instead?

Do you have any of your own?

More on politicans (pun intended)

2004-07-01T00:28:00.000-07:00

The Inquirer yesterday reports of an assistant commissioner being removed from office by the Ombudsman because of undeclared assets amounting to 16m pesos. As he only earns approximately 365,000 annually, his argument was that his wife was a businesswoman and that his kids has lucrative businesses. What takes the cake is that he had the gall to say that the on-going lifestyle checks are selective and that there are other folks at the DPWH who are also raking it in. As if that was an excuse to steal. He also conveniently forgot that he needs to declare the assets of his wife in his SAL.

Makes one wonder how it is that the wives of many politician and other public 'servants' seem to have lucrative businesses. Do they attend some sort of class? Is there some sort of secret sorority?

If business is so good, why not quit government and go into business full-time? Oh, that's right - they're in government because they want to serve the people. Bleh.

Bizarre site of the week - Which Random Gaelic Phrase Are You?

2004-06-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

Take the quiz: "Which Random Irish Gaelic Phrase Are You? "

Heh. Here's mine.

Go n-eithe na peisteoga thu
Go n-eithe na peisteoga thu - 'May the worms eat you.'You're one sick bastard. When you die, you're going to to a very warm place. That is, if you don't already run it.

Lemmings

2004-06-23T23:52:00.000-07:00

Lemmings are small rodents usually found in the arctic. The species is prone to periodic population booms, they tend to disperse in all directions seeking food and shelter. Here's the interesting bit: there is a myth that once the lemmings' population reaches a certain point, they become suicidal and leap en masse off cliffs into the sea. The story goes that if one of them jumps, all the others follow resulting in a lot of dead lemmings. Its not true, of course, but this it makes for an interesting story anyway.
More on lemmings here.

Its interesting how some of us often exhibit similar behavior detailed in the story. Pop-culture is a particularly fertile ground for lemming-like 'behavior.' How many of us know of friends who always seem to be so engrossed with the latest pap coming out of the Hollywood assembly line? They seem to immerse themselves so completely in it only to just as quickly discard it for whatever comes next. This is often accompanied by an air of deep knowledge about the subject, as if they have been ardent followers for years. Witness: The Lord of the Rings trilogy has spawned countless Tolkien experts with a two-week shelf-life. Same with Harry Potter. Or, for that matter, The Da Vinci Code. If someone is into it, so will they - jumping from bandwagon to bandwagon.

For some reason, this is somewhat irksome to many who have genuine long-standing interest in these subjects for various reasons. Personally, I view my interests as extremely private - having everyone and their uncle suddenly into in the same things I like diminishes the uniqueness of my interests somewhat. It makes them, well, common.

I don't think that the new-found interest is necessarily bad however. For one, it enables growth - public interest encourages writers to write more books and film-makers to shoot more movies. Another upshot is that you will find people with whom you can discuss these things and may offer fresh insights into staid books and movies. However, invariably people who jump from interest to interest will not have a deep understanding of the subject and will therefore mean less than stellar conversations.

Nothing makes me crestfallen more than being told 'I'm reading (insert name of book that everyone else is reading)'. I know this is a generalization, but in my mind I'm going 'This person probably has no originality whatsoever.' In short, a lemming. Although I do get pleasantly surprised once in a while, this is less often than I would like.

What is it with this phenomenon? Is it a survival mechanism? There's strength in numbers after all. Or do we have little time to find out what we really like and instead co-opt someone else's? Or are there other more 'important' things to think about? Are we lazy?

As for me, I prefer my contrariness. I'll read what I want to, no matter if it isn't on everyone's list. I'll watch obscure movies. I'll be the judge of what I'll get 'into.' I don't need some daytime talk-show host to tell me what to read.

The Da Vinci Code

2004-06-17T00:28:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon Dan Brown's 'The Da Vinci Code' on Amazon, while reading a review of another Da Vinci book I was reading, Leonardo: The first Scientist by Michael White. I ordered it when it first came out - on hardback, before I became aware of all the hoopla that surrounded the book. When friends later asked about the book, I refrained from giving a response as I was aware that many people were either reading it or were going to read it. I didn't want my opinions to influence their reading of the book. Now that almost everyone I know has read it, here goes.

I waited for the book with great anticipation. Visions of vast conspiracies, hidden history, mystery and thought-provoking exposition swirled in my head. Having always been interested in ol' Leonardo, I rubbed my hands with glee. I finished reading it within a couple of days.

It was almost, but not quite, a complete waste of time.

For the most part, the 'mysteries' in the book (i.e. the nature of Mary Magdalene, the Templars, Jesuits, etc.) have been extensively covered in other books - Holy Blood, Holy Grail, for instance. That's not necessarily a bad thing - it is interesting how Brown has managed to weave these various mysteries together. However, I found the book quite derivative.

Much has been made about the factual inaccuracies in the book - ordinarily, I would have no problem with this. This is a work of fiction after all and the author has to take some liberties to make the story work. However, the author shouldn't claim every description is a 'fact' when in reality he takes several liberties with them. In this context, the book is rife with poor scholarship.

This provides a more detailed discussion.

I do have an issue with the book's pacing. It seems to have been written for the screen - it is very script-like. Very little detail is provided, quick pacing and even quicker scene changes. The characters are two-dimensional and are like dolls being placed in scenes only to be quickly plucked and moved to the next one by one very visible puppeteer.

And who could believe that the female protagonist Sophie, ostensibly very intelligent, could somehow just tag behind Robert Langdon with a perpetual expression of wonderment at his brilliance going 'I see! I didn't think of that'? Her main role in the book seems to be as a sounding board - someone to whom that Langdon can explain things to for the benefit of the reader.

I accept that to someone who isn't aware of the ideas presented in the book, these could be quite astounding. But from the hoohah that has arisen from the book, one expects something more substantial than this Hardy Boys mystery.

I realize that my view of the book has been tainted by my disdain at the lemming-like behavior of the people who have flocked to this book. Who, upon reading, feel as if they've been initiated into some sort of shadow society with a shared secret. Or, maybe I expected the book to be another 'Name of the Rose' (Eco), a book that is both more intelligent and witty than this one. Perhaps, but these do not detract from my opinion that the book is at best average.

The biggest indictment I have for this book is not its lack of originality, but that it is ultimately unsatisfying. We deserve something better.

Burning Bridges

2004-06-16T01:46:00.000-07:00

In a recent sampling of incoming freshmen, 90% failed to score 45 points in a 90-item test. Worse, half of the sample of 45,000 students got a raw score of 27 out of 90. With approximately 700,000 incoming freshmen this year, it makes me shudder to think what sort of high school graduates we'll have in 4 years.

To fix this, the department of education has proposed a 'bridge' program, essentially an extra year to enable the students to play catch-up.

But this is not the bad news.

The bad news is that a furor has risen from the parents and even teacher's groups. Their claim? That the bridge program will cost too much (allowances, fare, what-have-you). The point that these people seem to be missing is that their kids have NOTHING in their heads. If, as is their wont, the parents want their kids to get a high-school diploma (no matter if they earned it or not) so that they can work - one begins to wonder what type of work they expect their kids to get. It almost seems that it doesn't matter if their students live perrenially in duhs-ville, as long as they get that piece of paper.

I'm sorry but I don't buy the whole cost angle. It smacks of short-range thinking or, worse, misplaced priorities. Surely, dad can spend less time in beer gardens or buy fewer cigarettes?

And where's the backlash against the teachers whose jobs, ostensibly, it was to teach these kids in the first place? They deserve a failing grade as much as the students to whom they have taught absolutely nothing.

And now, the dep-end has blinked - the bridge program is mandatory. This is a good move in my books - if the parents are willing to let their children go mindlessly through life, so be it. I'd rather spend (waste?) my tax contributions on more worthwhile pursuits.

On the Philippines

2004-05-26T03:24:00.000-07:00

"Why do you hate the Philippines so much?" asked a friend the other day.

It was a question that left me, for once, unable to respond. I was flabbergasted. I thought, me? Hate the Philippines? Is it because of my constant complaints about the sheer stupidity of most drivers in the Philippines? Or my utter disgust at the 'Feel-Ams' (not Fil-Ams, mind you)? Feel-Ams are 'Feeling Americans' - people who speak with a strong American twang yet probably have never even set foot in the US or for one reason or the other shouldn't have an American accent but do. Is it because of my contempt for most politicians? At the inanity of the electoral process where for a time politicians to pretend to be one of the 'masa' yet spend 99% of their tenure kowtowing to the rich? The Filipinos who hate how it is here yet are doing nothing to improve things?

Maybe. But I voice these things out as a cry of outrage at what IS and what SHOULD BE. Having lived overseas and choosing to come and live here (strange as it may seem to most), I know what a well-run country is like. The Philippines is not one of them. That angers me. Because I know it could be otherwise. To know that things could be better and yet know it wouldn't be is frustrating. Frustrating because no one, it seems, can be bothered to change things.

Edmund Burke wrote "To make us love our country, our country ought to be lovely." That the Philippines isn't (or not as lovely as it should be) is our fault. All of us. But you know what? I'll start with me. In a place where seemingly everybody wants to get OUT, I'll stay IN. I'll follow the traffic rules. I'll pay my taxes honestly (no matter if it gets stolen along the way). I'll even complain and rage. And rage I will. Its my birthright.

Idealistic? Hell yeah. Idealism is not a dirty word.

Me? Hate the Philippines?

Bookpile

2004-05-24T02:36:00.000-07:00

Hoarding books again... In libris libertas (In books there is freedom)!

Currently reading:
The Forensic Science of CSI

Just finished:
Pattern Recognition - William Gibson
How To be Alone - Jonathan Franzen
Culture and History - Nick Joaquin
Smoke and Mirros - Neil Gaiman
The Confusion - Neal Stephenson - Book 2 of the Baroque trilogy.
Speaking with the Angel - Nick Hornby
The Historical Jesus
Samurai William

Want to but can't right now:
From Dawn to Decadence - 500 Years of Western Cultural Life - Jacques Barzun
The Discoverers - Daniel Boorstin
The Creators - Daniel Boorstin

First Post

2004-05-23T23:42:00.000-07:00

I'm planning to use this blog to offload some of the things that have been clogging my mind. A brain dump, if you will. I intend to cover a wide range of topics, but these will most likely include history, books, SF, spleen-venting, obsessions and observations in various combinations. Did I say books?