a thought (about love?)...haaaay...

as much as possible, i avoid those "what makes a good boyfriend" or "a perfect relationship" articles and other what-nots coz they kinda bring a dull ache to my stomach. it's not hunger. well, maybe it is. just not the for-food type, if you know what i mean.

maybe it's because my ex-boyfriend was one of those idiots who know nothing on handling a decent relationship. them people go f*ck around and get their lovers pregnant and appeal to the girlfriends' conscience that they SHOULD be taken back because it's one silly mistake they made, never mind the fact that there IS a baby on the line. an irresponsible bunch of horny jerks.

i mean, really. men are as complicated as women are, and romance is much too overrated.

can't we all just have wild and consuming sex and be done with it?

An open letter to Tagalog pocketbook authors and editors

I asked my mom to buy me some books I could read while I did my "warding" duties to my lola in the hospital. Little did I know that I would be bombarded with outrageous mistakes in spelling and grammar in all the stories I read. It would have been fine if the same bloopers were made twice, but all throughout the story?!

Ano kaming readers, bobo?

I do love to read cheap books especially if they're quite a steal, but to subject the readers' senses to multiple errors is just not right. They don't add to the stories' humor, if the stories are supposed to be humorous.

Writers, I'm also a writer. I do know how hard it is to rectify your own mistakes when it comes to grammar. And spelling. However, "convinience" 10 times in a book is...unimaginable! Kahit isang beses man lang, di natama? Hanubayan!

Editors, you're supposed to check for errors in the manuscripts you receive. Why, oh, why didn't do your job properly? Really, is it too much to ask?

Occasional mistakes are fine. I'm a very forgiving person. Besides, I do commit the same ridiculous errors sometimes. But I'm a writer for the new media; I can change those blunders even after 3 years; I am my own editor.

Sana naman ay di gaanong nakaka-eskandalo ang mga pagkakamali natin sa maiikling nobelang sinusulat natin. Kung computer ang gamit sa pagta-type ng mga storya, gamitin kahit man lang ang spell checker.

No offense meant. Thank you po.

Yours truly,
Shari Cruz

Theater Talk + Liquor Ban = Disaster

Muchos gracias to Gibbs Cadiz and (author ) Karla Maquiling for giving me a chance to attend Theater Talk Atbp with Floy Quintos last Saturday. They invited me to come when they showed up in Bloggers’ Kapihan 2.0: Blog Ed 101.

It was an interesting and fun-filled night as well-rounded artist Floy Quintos shared his insights about the state and art of (appreciating) theater in the Philippines. The ambiance was great and the food was equally great, but the company was even better. The night would have been a raving success if it wasn’t for the fact that it was only a few good hours until the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections, ergo, the infamous liquor ban.

It was very timely; my grandmother was given a go signal to be discharged from the hospital on Saturday morning. I was relieved of my “warding” duties earlier than expected. I busied myself for the next few hours by bathing the dogs and going online as soon as we got home. Left at around 3PM to attend the Theater Talk event. Traffic in Marikina was awful especially outside the Loyola Memorial Park, so I decided to drop in and pay a visit to my grandfather’s grave. It seemed like many people celebrated the All Soul’s Day a week early.

Some Quick and Bulleted

• Took the taxi; exchanged a few text messages with LA; was supposed to meet him and Jhed until I realized that, hey, I was already in PETA Theater Center.
• Took 2 IDs: “Shari” and “Sharline.” Both Karla and I were a little confused, wondering why I had been provided with 2 sticker IDs.
• Got to talk with AJ, Walter, and Jules before we were ushered upstairs to the room where the event would be held.
• Scanned the list of attendees then realized that there really was a Sharline that would be attending the event…and it wasn’t me! Shoutout goes to Sharline Bareng.
• Got paired up with Philippine Star columnist and Ateneo de Manila University professor Exie Abola during the introduction phase of the program.

Theater, as told by Floy Quintos

• Theater isn’t as popular or as celebrated as the other mainstream media industries, but
• in fact, it serves as a “breeding ground” of talents for them
• It provides an alternative and fresh worldview of an otherwise established text
• The world of theater is a demanding one, both from the production and the audience
• Two different actors will always have different interpretation and delivery of their role, even if both are powerful
• “Gay” is “in” in theater nowadays…”mabenta,” in other words
• Passion is a very important key in sustaining and appreciating the theater industry
• Theater has the ability to add or subtract certain elements to add more power to the whole production
• One needs to rid his/her minds of cobwebs to truly appreciate the beauty of theater

It was an overwhelming experience, all in all. Floy Quintos talked animatedly for a couple of hours without ever losing his audience (although I had to step out for a few minutes to answer a call from my mom ). He kept the whole room engaged the entire time. ‘Twas really a delight and such an honor being a part of the group.

And hey, I won P500 worth of Starbucks gift certificates during the raffle! Haha! I’m not exactly a Starbucks fan, but at least now I won’t have to make a lousy excuse (no moolah, pak!) why I don’t like it there. ;) Here are some eye candies for you to masturbate on.

These pictures are taken from Gibbs Cadiz’ Multiply site. There are 3 photo albums which you can view to see all photos.

Liquor Ban

This is where everything went a little downhill. It’s been quite an adventure having to stroll the streets of a famous Quezon City gimik spot just to find someplace that wouldn’t bore us to tears. Taga-Q.C. ako, but I’ve never really been a well-traveled person. Mostly I stay at home and try to keep my expenses at a minimum. Can’t blame my frugal nature for that. ;)

So anyway, LA, Jhed, Alan, Calvin, Marco and I waited for Kevin and Irvin (and Rens, at first) to arrive so we could do some serious drinking before the liquor ban could cut our fun short. But then, the ban still spoiled the evening. Seriously, one to two bottles that night was definitely…pathetic.

We trudged our way to Starbucks in Tomas Morato. We filled the night with outrageously funny stories, some political talks, and a bunch of sexual remarks (well, that’s mostly on my part, I admit ). Coy, Faith, Jeff and Joe joined us soon after. Unfortunately, I had to leave early as I was about to fall asleep with my eyes open. Turned out my dad was just coming home from his own boozefest, so he said he’d pick me up. Got home. Slept.

Did you know?

I just realized that there is something not many people know about me as opposed to what I told SIr Exie during our “introduce yourself and your partner” part. I’m really not a very social person. I tend to be very quiet when surrounded by many people, and chances are I’d only be able to comfortably talk when in my “own crowd.” Some people think that I’m either snotty or loud, but really, I’m not. Not even close. :D

So anyway, I know I haven’t talked with everyone who attended the event, but I hope that we all enjoyed and learned from the experience.

Need to make a learned opinion, not an opinionated opinion….

The best quote hands down.

82% Intellectually Sexy

Your Score: Intellectual Inferno

You have an intellectual sexiness factor of 82!

Who am I to give you advice? You already know everything you need to know, and if there's something you don't know, you're eager to check it out. You are among the few special minds in the world that are truly free, totally creative, and absolutely sexy. The downside is, it's hard to find partners who can keep up with your quick, vigorously sexy mind. You often find yourself bored with anything less than exciting sex, and only those who equal your intellect, your openess, and your creativity can provide that excitment. You're an avid reader, a deep thinking, and a sexually liberated person. You enjoy learning for its own sake just as much as you enjoy sex for pleasure's own sake.Your partner, if he or she is able to keep up with you, is extremely lucky to have you.

Link: The Intellectual Sexiness Test written by dr_eros on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

I'm a Surprising Lover

Your Score: The Surprising Lover

59% partner focus, 28% aggressiveness, 55% adventurousness

Based on the results of this test, it is highly likely that:

You prefer your romance and love to wild and daring rather than typical or boring, you would rather be pursued than do the pursuing and, when it comes to physical love, your satisfaction comes more from providing a wonderful time to your partner than simply seeking your own.

This places you in the Lover Style of: The Surprising Lover.

The Surprising Lover is a wonderful Lover Style, and, like the name implies, is often filled with hidden delights and talents that might not be apparent from a surface knowledge of the person. The Surprising Lover is rather like a geode--sometimes rough on the exterior, but filled with beauty and wonder. The Surprising Lover is thus a gem to find, though it can sometimes be difficult to do so because they often tend to be humble and unwilling to reveal their inner greatness unless they're in a rewarding relationship.

In terms of physical love, the Surprising Lover really shines, often highly imaginative and utterly devoted to bringing the heights of pleasure to the one that they truly love. Given a rewarding, reciprocative relationship, and the right lover, the Surprising Lover can be a delight in bed.

Best Compatibility can probably be found with: The Carnal Lover (most of all) or the Exotic Lover, or the Suave Lover.

Congratulations!

Link: The Lover Style Profile Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

I'm such a dork

Your Score: Pure Dork

47 % Nerd, 34% Geek, 69% Dork

For The Record:

A Nerd is someone who is passionate about learning/being smart/academia.
A Geek is someone who is passionate about some particular area or subject, often an obscure or difficult one.
A Dork is someone who has difficulty with common social expectations/interactions.
You scored better than half in Dork, earning you the title of: Pure Dork. Like our friends Napoleon Dynamite & co.

It's not as though you were some whiz-kid in school. Oh, sure, you probably did okay in some classes, but were probably awful in others. Certainly most people thought you were smarter than you thought yourself to be. And it's not that you have some overriding passion, like computers or Star Trek that sets you apart for the crowd, though you likely share some interest in some of those sorts of things. You just like to be yourself, and want to express yourself for who you are.

And, really, there's nothing wrong with that. Being who you are often invites scorn, and so it's a difficult thing in a world that rewards conformity. Be proud of your dorkiness, for often it's just another word for individuality. (I'd vote for you!)

Congratulations!
Thanks Again! -- THE NERD? GEEK? OR DORK? TEST

Link: The Nerd? Geek? or Dork? Test written by donathos on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

I'm a ROBOT

Your Score: Robot

You are 57% Rational, 0% Extroverted, 14% Brutal, and 14% Arrogant.

You are the Robot! You are characterized by your rationality. In fact, this is really ALL you are characterized by. Like a cold, heartless machine, you are so logical and unemotional that you scarcely seem human. For instance, you are very humble and don't bother thinking of your own interests, you are very gentle and lack emotion, and you are also very introverted and introspective. You may have noticed that these traits are just as applicable to your laptop as they are to a human being. You are not like the robots they show in the movies. Movie robots are make-believe, because they always get all personable and likeable after being struck by lightning, or they are cold, cruel killing machines. In all reality, though, you are much more boring than all that. Real robots just sit there, doing their stupid jobs, and doing little else. If you get struck by lightning, you won't develop a winning personality and heart of gold. (Robots don't have hearts, silly, and if they did, they would probably be made of steel, not gold.) You also won't be likely to terrorize humanity by becoming an ultra-violent killing machine sent into the past to kill the mother of a child who will lead a rebellion against machines, because that movie was dumb as hell, and because real robots don't kill--they horribly maim at best, and they don't even do that on purpose. Real robots are boringly kind and all too rarely try to kill people. In all my years, my laptop has only attacked me once, and that was only because my brother threw it at me. In short, your personality defect is that you don't really HAVE a personality. You are one of those annoying, super-logical people that never gets upset or flustered. Unless, of course, you short circuit. Or if someone throws a pie at you. Pies sure are delicious.

To put it less negatively:

1. You are more RATIONAL than intuitive.

2. You are more INTROVERTED than extroverted.

3. You are more GENTLE than brutal.

4. You are more HUMBLE than arrogant.

Compatibility:

Your exact opposite is the Class Clown.

Other personalities you would probably get along with are the Hand-Raiser, the Emo Kid, and the Haughty Intellectual.

*

*

If you scored near fifty percent for a certain trait (42%-58%), you could very well go either way. For example, someone with 42% Extroversion is slightly leaning towards being an introvert, but is close enough to being an extrovert to be classified that way as well. Below is a list of the other personality types so that you can determine which other possible categories you may fill if you scored near fifty percent for certain traits.

The other personality types:

The Emo Kid: Intuitive, Introverted, Gentle, Humble.

The Starving Artist: Intuitive, Introverted, Gentle, Arrogant.

The Bitch-Slap: Intuitive, Introverted, Brutal, Humble.

The Brute: Intuitive, Introverted, Brutal, Arrogant.

The Hippie: Intuitive, Extroverted, Gentle, Humble.

The Televangelist: Intuitive, Extroverted, Gentle, Arrogant.

The Schoolyard Bully: Intuitive, Extroverted, Brutal, Humble.

The Class Clown: Intuitive, Extroverted, Brutal, Arrogant.

The Robot: Rational, Introverted, Gentle, Humble.

The Haughty Intellectual: Rational, Introverted, Gentle, Arrogant.

The Spiteful Loner: Rational, Introverted, Brutal, Humble.

The Sociopath: Rational, Introverted, Brutal, Arrogant.

The Hand-Raiser: Rational, Extroverted, Gentle, Humble.

The Braggart: Rational, Extroverted, Gentle, Arrogant.

The Capitalist Pig: Rational, Extroverted, Brutal, Humble.

The Smartass: Rational, Extroverted, Brutal, Arrogant.

Be sure to take my Sublime Philosophical Crap Test if you are interested in taking a slightly more intellectual test that has just as many insane ramblings as this one does!

About Saint_Gasoline

I am a self-proclaimed pseudo-intellectual who loves dashes. I enjoy science, philosophy, and fart jokes and water balloons, not necessarily in that order. I spend 95% of my time online, and the other 5% of my time in the bathroom, longing to get back on the computer. If, God forbid, you somehow find me amusing instead of crass and annoying, be sure to check out my blog and my webcomic at SaintGasoline.com.

Link: The Personality Defect Test written by saint_gasoline on OkCupid Free Online Dating, home of the The Dating Persona Test

Random Gentle Sex Master, I am!

SInagot ko ito, haha!

The Playstation Random Gentle Sex Master (RGSM) Easy to turn on. Hard to beat. You are The Playstation. You're a nice girl, and you have lots of sex (I haven't even had sex for...LOL!). It's therefore highly likely that you're attractive (aysus, pakyu!), and you're certainly outgoing & friendly. Plus, this healthy physical attitude of yours indicates deeper emotional well-being and stability (kaya pala baliw ako). Unheard of. When guys dare to dream, they dream of you (whoa, nightmare!). You don't get attached too easily (not true..in fact, I get attached TOO easily), and, to wit, you're not necessarily looking for something long-term right now. That's a bigger asset than you know. Though, physically speaking, you're open to anything, you're keeping your emotional side well-protected. This means there won't be a lot of wreckage to clean up whenever you decide to settle down. In the meantime, the men you share yourself with actually respect you. Like them, you enjoy sex for its own sake and don't need any other validation for pleasure than pleasure itself. Hopefully, you have the good sense to blow off anyone who thinks less of you for that. Usually, this is the part of the description where we offer some life-correcting advice, but honestly, we can't think of anything about you we'd change. Keep on fucking, partner (who?). Your exact female opposite: The Priss Deliberate Brutal Love Dreamer Always avoid: The Mixed Messenger (DBLD) Consider: Anyone else

Link: The Online Dating Persona Test @ OkCupid - free online dating.

Alfred Hitchcock Will Film My Life

Alfred Hitchcock

Your film will be 49% romantic, 41% comedy, 41% complex plot, and a $ 53 million budget.

One of the best film directors EVER to exist. Your life must be something special if we're going to dig up Hitch to direct the film version. His films are studies of masterful technique and visual storytelling. He also has six distinct signatures he puts in each of his films, one of them being his fleeting cameo walk-by appearance. I think another one is that the leading man is always wrongly persecuted for something he didn't do, and the leading lady is usually a blonde. He made many more films than just The Birds and Psycho. PLEASE go rent, buy, or view North By Northwest or Vertigo!

My test tracked 4 variables How you compared to other people your age and gender:

You scored higher than 99% on action-romance

You scored higher than 99% on humor

You scored higher than 99% on complexity

You scored higher than 99% on budget

Take the test here.

Pardon Erap? Pardon Me?!

Perhaps I will never ever understand the world of politics. Philippine politics, specifically. But, come to think of it, I don’t think the politicians do either. That’s why if they’re not at each other’s throats, they “unite” to get at another’s.

Former president Joseph “Erap” Estrada was unseated during the People Power 2 amidst all the numerous allegations against him. Some people questioned the legality of the process, but I believe the Filipinos (well, some, if not most) had spoken their displeasure over his presidency. Then a few weeks ago, the Sandiganbayan found Erap guilty of plunder after a 6-year long trial. He was sentenced to a penalty of reclusion perptua.

Before the trial, Erap said he would…

• respect the decision of the Sandiganbayan
• NOT ask for pardon from the president

After the trial, Erap said he…

• has “lost faith” in the Philippine justice system when he was found guilty
• is willing to accept a pardon from Mrs. Arroyo (and what do you know, he and his lawyers even seek for a full, free, and unconditional pardon)

How quickly we change our mind, eh? And all these despite the fact that he is being given a special treatment, so unlike the other criminals convicted of a crime less than what he did. Take into consideration that he fooled not only one person, but the whole nation. And now, the Arroyo and her cohorts want to give the twerp a *drum roll* pardon!

Hear ye the words of the wise who calls the Arroyo administration a spineless wimp!

But holy bejeezuz, I think I knew that this would happen all along. I think it’s just another “bati-bati na tayo” political culture in the country, where people are enemies at one term, then allies the next. Especially when power and influence all come into play. GMA is evidently saving her own skin from being flayed by the Erap supporters.

This might be grasping at straws as thin as Joey de Venecia’s hairline, but I think one of the reasons why “poor Erap” was convicted is because he was a former president. You know people, the bigger fish they catch, the bigger the glory and better the spotlight would be. If the sole reason why he deserves to be jailed is to show everyone that justice, as well as hypocrisy, knows no bounds, then why not convict the other corrupt officials of the same crime? All talk and no work makes the government lose whatever credibility it has left.

Dean Bacobo presents an interesting angle to what Eugine Villar says is a conspiracy theory:

Strange talk among erap insiders is that he may support chacha and make a big political comeback. personally i think he doesn’t want dona mary to die thinking of her son as a convict in detention. he may be doing it for her, because for so long, as you say, he insisted he would never admit guilt and would clear his name.

Ding Fuello feels that a pardon for Erap makes a mockery of justice. Bebadz says that it “would set a bad precedent,” and would in fact “embolden public officials to steal some more.” Monaco gives “top ten (+1) serious and frivolous reasons on why erap is not worthy of a pardon” (the last one being outrageously funny, haha). Ederic Eder asks, “Ganyan na lang ba?” He adds,

Ang nakapanlulumo at nakapagtataka, nakagagalit at nakapaghihimagsik, halos wala kang maririnig na anumang pagtutol sa ginagawang ito ng kasalukuyang administrasyon. Para bang normal na bahagi na ng kalakaran ng buhay na ang isang mandarambong ay siya pang lalapitan at hahainan ng kapatawaran. Ano na ang nangyari sa atin? Tuluyan na kayang binaluktot nina Erap at Gloria ang pagpapahalaga (values) ng buong bansa?

So where does that leave me? Let’s just say that I’m against any moves of giving pardon to Erap, “full, free, and unconditional” or otherwise.

POLL: Do you think I should let my hair grow longer?

I just miss those days when I had longer hair. A longer, less damaged hair, haha. I think I was prettier then. Well, not that I'm saying I'm pretty NOW. Just that, you know, I looked a little less like a fucking retard and a little more like a...well, lady...Yuck. Anyway, basta.

Here's a pic taken...last year?...when my hair was a lot longer and didn't have that "mahangin ba sa labas?" laos hair fashion statement. What do you think? Yay or nay?

And just for the record, I'm 50 pounds lighter in that pic, nyahaha.

Today is THANK YOU DAY

So THANK YOU, everyone. :)

MUSHY: People come and go

A thought. A very short one.

I wonder why most of the good friends I have have already migrated to the [insert country here]. It's just sad. I want to see them badly, pero anong magagawa ko? We're thousands of miles apart.

Halos wala na ngang matira rito sa Pinas eh. Yung 2 sa pinakamalapit sa puso ko, sina Ate Susan (best friend ng mom ko) at Ate Dianne (pinsan ko) parehong nasa ibang bansa na. Sina Larcey (happy ending), Nico at Chiqui (4th year high school best buds), nag-migrate na sa ibang bansa. Kahit hindi ko naman sila nakakasama lagi nung andito pa sila, ibang klase pa rin yung pinagsamahan namin.

Hanggang Friendster at chat na lang ngayon.

Shempre natutuwa pa rin ako na kahit papano, napunan ng blogging ang social life ko. Nagkaroon ako ng maraming kaututang-dila at kasama sa mga gimik. Pero yung mga taong matagal ko ring nakasama (well, technically not, pero you know what I mean), ayun, nagsi-alisan na.

This year is one of the saddest years of my life, blog events notwithstanding. Ang dami kong pinoproblema. Kahit lumawak na ang network ko, madrama at feeling empty pa rin ako.

Ange, Jez, at Love, wag kayong lilipat ng ibang bansa sa ngayon ha. Naku, sinasabi ko sa inyo, pasasabugin ko eroplanong sasakyan niyo. :p

Security (Applications) for my Windows XP

Still stuck with Windows XP as my operating system. I want to convert completely to Ubuntu, but that's gonna have to wait until my BayanDSL application gets processed. Kailangang magtiis sa dual-booting. :)

I wanna share my list of the most precious applications I use in my Windows install. Ako kasi yung tipong paranoid; ayoko ng virus, popups, malwares, at kung anik-anik pa. Isa pa, my brother also uses this computer at kung anu-ano ini-install niya, kaya kahit na resource hoggers ang ibang apps, okay lang, basta secured ang computer ko. Eto yung mga apps na gamit ko:

• CCleaner (formerly Crap Cleaner) - Gaya nga ng nabanggit ko sa Show Off Your Desktop post ko, ito na ata isa sa pinakamagandang nangyari sa PC ko. Ang laking space din ng nababalik sa akin pag ginagamit ko ito.
  
• avast! Home Edition - Anti-virus program. Despite some bad reviews I've read about it (read: 2 pa lang, hehe), it does its job well on my computer. I tend to be more partial with simple programs like this and AVG Anti-Virus instead of, say, Norton and McAfee, because they're faster and less resource hungry.
• a-squared Free - A good complementary program to anti-virus programs.
  
• Comodo Personal Firewall - Firewall ko, duh? :p
• Comodo BOClean Anti-Malware - Free realtime anti-malware program
• SpyBot S&D - An after the fact scanner. Tsaka may Immunizer din, which is very useful. S&D stands for Search and Destroy ;)
• SpywareBlaster - This is neither a realtime scanner nor an after the fact scanner; it prevents malwares from being installed in the first place.

Ang dami noh? Sabi na sa inyo eh, paranoid ako. ;)

Kayo, ano'ng gamit niyo?

I named 74 HTML elements in 5 minutes

74

Tip: Start from the beginning of a structured document. Yung basic elements muna. Tapos, isipin niyo, kunwari, forms and tables. Anu-ano yung mga elements na nasa loob ng form at table? Ganun lang. ;)

I forgot

APPLET, AREA, BASE, BASEFONT, BDO, COL, COLGROUP, DFN, DIR, DT, ISINDEX, KBD, MAP, MENU, PARAM, SAMP, TFOOT, TH, THEAD

Can't believe I forgot the ones in bold. I'm slacking, he he.

And just a warning: You don't have to press Enter every time you type an answer. Kaya naguluhan ako nung una eh, kasi gusto ko i-type ins pero pumasok bigla yung i. And yes, kasama ang mga deprecated elements dito.

I named 72 HTML elements in 5 minutes

74

Tip: Start from the beginning of a structured document. Yung basic elements muna. Tapos, isipin niyo, kunwari, forms and tables. Anu-ano yung mga elements na nasa loob ng form at table? Ganun lang. ;)

I forgot

APPLET, AREA, BASE, BASEFONT, BDO, COL, COLGROUP, DFN, DIR, DT, ISINDEX, KBD, MAP, MENU, PARAM, SAMP, TFOOT, TH, THEAD

Can't believe I forgot the ones in bold. I'm slacking, he he.

And just a warning: You don't have to press Enter every time you type an answer. Kaya naguluhan ako nung una eh, kasi gusto ko i-type ins pero pumasok bigla yung i. And yes, kasama ang mga deprecated elements dito.

Show Off Your Desktop

I saw this meme on both Lexie and Aja's blogs, so I decided to do it too. For the record, I typed the title of this entry before I dropped a visit to Aja's site. ;)

The "tagged ones" are supposed to post a screen shot of their desktops, and list their top 5 favorite applications.

My desktop actually proves how lame I am when it comes to designing/decorating anything. I really don't bother to find wallpapers or screen savers on the internet; the default ones are always good enough for me. I'm using the Microsoft Windows XP Professional wallpaper. And yes, I suffer from obsessive-compulsive disorder, that's why there are only six shortcut icons there: Recycle Bin, Nero StartSmart Essentials, Winamp, GIMP, Firefox, and Pidgin. I obsess on having only one column of shortcuts, and I make sure that what's there are those that are, let's say, important to my offline and online existence.

Instead of listing my top faves, I want to list the top 5 most used and abused applications in my computer. I think they say a lot about me. ;)

• Mozilla Firefox - I'm becoming more and more frustrated with Firefox these past few months though. Even after reformatting my PC, it starts and runs sooooo sloooowwwwlllyyyy it's killing me. *snorts* I can replace Firefox with any other equally great web browser, sure. I do love Opera, but the extensions, or "widgets" as they call it, are lacking for my taste. I don't think I can live without my favorite Firefox Addons (idea taken from Aja, hehe): ColorZilla, FireFTP, HTML Validator, and Web Developer.
• Araneae and EditPad Lite (2 counts) - Not the most powerful text editors, but they're both simple and useful enough to meet my absolute needs in coding and editing themes and plugins for WordPress. May it be trick or tweak that I do, they do an excellent job. I also use TopStyle from time to time ever since a good friend gave me a cracked installer months ago.
  
• CCleaner (formerly Crap Cleaner) - Because my computer is as old as time, it's quite...slow. Enter CCleaner, one of the best things that ever happened to my PC. It removes unused and temporary files from my system so Windows can run faster. I use this application almost everyday.
  
• Calculator - I don't know why I'm so addicted to this program! Grrr! I just open it every freaking minute and do random operations. Maybe that's why I'm getting stupider in Math.

I think that's it! Anyone who wants to take this meme is free to do so. ;)

Invitation to Attend the Bloggers' Kapihan 2.0: Blog Ed 101

After the resounding success of the first ever Bloggers’ Kapihan 1.0: Blogging Beyond the Basics, the BK crew once again comes around for yet another virtual-becomes-real venture.

The BK Crew presents Bloggers’ Kapihan 2.0: Blog Ed 101. This time around, let us tackle the importance of blogging in learning, learning in blogging and blogging as a tool for alternative education. The event will be held on October 13, 2007, 1:30PM at the Ramon Magsaysay High School in Quezon City.

Blog Ed 101 is in cooperation with the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, a nationwide network of educators from different schools, colleges and universities.

Blog Ed 101 will feature some of the country’s most prominent teacher-bloggers as resource persons: Sir Martin Perez, Social Studies teacher of the Philippine Science High School; Prof. Danilo Arao, Department of Journalism at the University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication; and Mr. Tonchi Tinio,chairperson of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers. Lalon dela Rosa will be the student-reactor of the event.

For more information, please visit the Bloggers’ Kapihan website.

neTVision, Pinoy IPTV Service

This post is long overdue, but it’s always better to be one month late than never.

From TV to PC — that’s what neTVision, a relatively new service that offers digital content online, stands for.

neTVision aims to make available online Filipino movies and TV shows and provide them on their website as webcasts for the Filipinos overseas.

From the company’s about page:

neTVision now has access to the largest Filipino video library and aims to offer this local content to Pinoys living or working abroad who would ordinarily have limited access to Filipino programming. neTVision will continue to acquire more content targeted to the Filipino audience and will keep abreast of IPTV developments.

With the IPTV technology, there’s no need to download anything just to watch the show you want. All you need is a web browser and a fast internet connection, and you’re all ready to go. There are already a couple of dozen movies in their database, and still counting. Some of them old, some of them hard to find, some of them R-18, yes. The site also offers free live streaming of some local and cable channels.

Perhaps the service that most people my age (read: 20) will find most interesting is nMusic. Think MTV on the web, and you’ve got yourself a “next generation Pinoy music chat portal.” You can see the “hippest Pinoy music videos” while chatting with your fellow audiophiles. Tracks and full albums from your favorite Pinoy artists are also available for download.

neTVision was supposed to provide a live stream for the upcoming Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera fight so people in the Middle East could watch the match, but because HBO feels “threatened” by the webcast, neTVision had to cancel (only a few days before the fight) due to “contract conflicts on the international rights for the Internet webcast.“

ABC's "The Daily Show" Labels Cory Aquino "Slut"

Story here: http://www.gmanews.tv/story/63181/The-Daily-Show-segment-labels-Cory-slut

It's no doubt offensive to the Aquino family, yeah, sure sure sure, whatever. I mean, yeah, "slut" is too strong a word, and like I mentioned before, an offensive remark is an offensive remark, no matter how or where it was said. But what I don't like is what they're saying that one doesn't dare treat a former president, a woman who "faced down dictators," someone chosen by the Filipinos to lead, etcetera etcetera etcetera, like that.

Nonoy Aquino, you are not-so-indirectly implying that your mother needs to be treated with respect because of what she was/is. So where does that leave the ordinary Filipinos, eh? You don't treat someone with respect [append special reason here]. You SHOULD treat EVERYONE with respect, period.

But that's just me. Coz, you know, I'm never really fond of people who "want to serve the Filipino people" when they can't even serve their own community properly.

HACIENDA LUISITA, ANYONE?!

Free Burma!

Words are not necessary. The graphic says it all.

Take part in this action for a Free Burma!

1. Publish a posting (Bulletin Board, Forum, Blog, Social Network, Static Website…) on the 4th of October with the header: “Free Burma!”
2. Tag it if you can with “Free Burma”
3. Choose a grafic from our Grafics page
4. Link to www.free-burma.org there your readers will find some informations about the campaign and Burma and a participant list which you can join. Even if you’re a webmaster of a bulletin board or social network you will find a special Group List to join.
5. Add our Petition Widget to your blog/website.
6. Feel free to write any additional text you want.

Desperate Housewives Producers and ABC Network Apologize

Many Filipinos have expressed outrage over a dialogue in the hit TV show Desperate Housewives. The remark has drawn a lot of attention from the Filipino community, tagging it as “racist” and “offensive.”

Now, ABC and the producers of the show have issued an apology to the Filipino people amid the complaints they got.

“The producers of ‘Desperate Housewives’ and ABC Studios offer our sincere apologies for any offense caused by the brief reference in the season premiere. There was no intent to disparage the integrity of any aspect of the medical community in the Philippines.”

“As leaders in broadcast diversity, we are committed to presenting sensitive and respectful images of all communities featured in our programs,” it concluded.

I find this one a bit…how do I say this?…makapal though (for clarity’s sake, I’m referring to what Nadal said about the “more substantial gesture,” not the apology itself nor the demand for a public apology). I honestly think this is taking it too far. Given that we’ve also thrown far more insulting remarks their way (even if sometimes, they haven’t done anything to seriously offend us, and they’re not even complaining), I’d say quits na tayo.

Nadal also suggested that the show’s producers and ABC executives could make a more substantial gesture than an apology, through scholarships or donations for Filipino and Filipino-Americans and community groups.

Filipinos and other minorities also should be depicted on TV as “prominent, positive role models,” Nadal said.

Hey, Nadal, I suggest we show them that we are “prominent, positive role models” first before making such a bold “request,” don’t you think?

Well, can we get on our lives and prove them wrong with action now? Like, say, fight for something with a cause? Like, say, the Free Burma campaign?

Desperate Housewives' Rather Insulting Remark about Medical Schools in the Philippines

I got an email from Rob Klaproth this morning that points to a scene in a recent episode of well-known TV show Desperate Housewives, which he and his Filipino boyfriend found offensive and racist.

In this particular scene, Susan Mayer Delfino, played by actress Teri Hatcher, is talking with her doctor, which, I presume, is her OB-Gyne. She then tells him this line which marked the spot:

Okay, before we go any further, can I check those diplomas? Coz I would just like to make sure they are not from some med school in the Philippines.

You can listen to the 56-second MP3 of the dialogue that Rob sent me, which I uploaded on my Multiply.

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