Pre-election rants...and more rants

Summer's hot, and so is the coming election.

As much as I loathe to talk stuff about politics (especially the been-dirty election junks), I have to because I have declared myself a good and responsible citizen of this country and do believe that my vote will make a difference to the future of all Filipino people. Gee, I have to keep my fingers crossed then. How in tarnation shall I determine if my vote will be counted, anyway?

Five days ago, I was surprised to receive a mail from a senatorial candidate. I mean, who am I to be sent a letter from the Office of the Senate? Such letter, I believe, was mass produced and delivered randomly. But as to how I was included in one of the addressees, I never cared to figure out.

Anyway, the incumbent senator generally asserts in the letter his authored laws in education, health, agriculture and social welfare, and other major legislative measures he is currently pushing through (which I basically prefer not to elaborate here). The content opens about returning thought at the more significant events of 2006--both positive and negative--pointing to the turbulent Philippine political atmosphere and some moments of economic upturns. On the other hand, the end part tackles about his optimism to reducing poverty and uplifting our nation's living standards, and that he will remain our partner in working towards a stronger Philippines and a better life for all Filipinos. Yadah, yadah yadah!

Now, what are these blabberings all about? I supposed you're sooooo stupid if you missed the point he is trying to punch to. If you happened to receive this letter, you would say he simply wants to be seated in the senatorial post. Well, this is not entirely mockery. I still believe of hardwork and achievement that's kept yet for a good cause rather than letting the whole damn world know about them!

In this vein, I also detest watching those political ad campaigns that harass our supposed-to-be television viewing pleasure. Those infomercials provoke the freak of me. Don't you just hate those crappy jingles? Don't they titillate your spines? And where are the decent platforms? Let's see whose promises are just mere facade.

Hitching in the political wagons are actors, magicians, exhibitionists and what-not. Even celebrities (who happen to be the politician's sister, best friend or wife) become endorsers in their campaigns. You know, popularity is the only investment to be more appealing. You see, the more tricks they know, the better are their chances of bringing home the bacon. Now where are the competent and credible people (should I say the messaiah) we've been looking for to salvage us from eternal damnation?

Am I asking too much? Or are they just doing very little? Be my cynicism forgiven.

Oink, oink! It's year of the Yin Fire Pig!

Kung hei fat choi!

The Chinese all over the world will be once again celebrating their colorful New Year festivity, hoping that the year of the pig will bring them endless harmony, more luck--and money.

Chinese months are ushered in by the lunar calendar, with each month beginning on the darkest day. Traditionally, New Year festivities begin on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. As for how an animal like the pig came into play, legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality traits.

Those born in the Year of the Pig are believed to have excellent manners, make and keep friends, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners. Sounds like someone you want to paint the town red with, right? If your friend or partner is a pig person, or if you’re simply feeling festive and want to be in solidarity with our Tsinoy countrymen and women, check-out some places where celebrations abound this Chinese New Year.

Source: http://www.clickthecity.com/metro/?p=1511

Crazy for chocolates this Valentine's?

It's exactly seven days before Valentine's Day. In this month of heart, the god of love will be sending forth his battalion of cherubs and once again, the town will be painted in red. Don't you wish to be hit by a cupid's arrow? Oh, love is in the air. However, I will not speak of love in all its splendor.

Let's go straight to business. I mean, chocolate cake business.

My friend's sister and her amigas come out with a simple business venture this Valentine's season. We know that aside from the demand for roses, chocolates is the next all-time favorite gift. But they won't be reselling chocolate bars; instead, they will home-bake chocolate cakes, only with a twist. For only P135, you get to choose from seven varieties: rocky road, vanilla brownies, mocha brownies, german choco, choco mint, orange creme and mini choco cupcake. It comes in square shape (12"x12") which you can have it sliced into 12 pieces (except for the cupcake). You can also request for customization.

But here's the catch: A postman will deliver the cake straight to the recepient for FREE! Isn't that sweeeeet? It's perfect for busy people who want to surprise their loved ones despite time constraints come Valentine's day.

But if your budget is limited, you may place an order for a three-piece chocolate rose which only costs P75 . This awesome edible gift can be your simple way of saying 'I love you' without worrying about spending some pennies. Compared to real roses (and with proper storage), the chocolate may last for a couple of months--including the memories.

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Wishing everyone a wonderful Valentine's season.

Snowfall in the Philippines?

Forgive my illusion that winter is coming to the Philippines. Or that Christmas breeze is a month delayed. But with frosty weather that we nowadays experience soon after the sun would bid good night (in irony of the torrid daytime condition), who will not think that snowfall is far from impossible?

Yeah. I know it's impossible.

You know, only in "ber" months that the country's weather would normally go cold. But it's February and summer is supposedly greeting us. Not unless you live in the City of Pines (Baguio City) or Tagaytay, then cool climate is an all-year round grace. And besides, we have only two seasons. We expect nothing more than rain or shine.

Is this a reverse of cycle in the state of atmosphere? Or a phenomenon of sudden and inevitable weather change? One news informed that this is caused by the melting of ice in Siberia. Another hearsay told North pole snow thaws. To whether they are true or not, I could not be certain. However, it is said that this chilling effect will last only until March.

Oh, by the way, I gotta slip on my thick-layered coat before darkness fall. It'll be an open refrigerator out there!

My blog got PR 4!

After a month-long hiatus, finally, I'm back! Just for the record, for the past month I was preoccupied with heavy workload, newly discovered interests and all. Another year has just commenced and what can I say but to hope--again--for a better future. Well, I guess it's not too late to utter a New Year's resolution.

Anyway, I feel pathetic about myself of not being able to update my blog for 40 days. It was a surprise in disguise though. My frustration was practically over. My blog got PR 4. (Just a single notch lower than Bryanboy's "faggotry" blog). Isn't that a call for a celebration? The last time I knew was that it doesn't have a page rank.

To give your site a 4/10 ranking in a matter of six months isn't a short-term endeavor, knowing that I don't have the time in the world to work my ass off blogging. I know I'm exaggerating but I think my effort deliciously pays off. In fact, I didn't expect to rank that much because in the first place, this blog was born for mere reasons of monetizing from the ads and, what else, but to find a place to rant and ramble.

So to all my fellow bloggers, I'm still alive!

The 10 Christmas Commandments

I don't have a lengthy Christmas message in mind for everyone. It's because the important thing, they say, is that it must come from the heart. Oh, come on. I dislike being mushy.

Meanwhile, I was entertaining thoughts of what's in store for me this Christmas season when I came across with this list of 10 Christmas Commandments. I just found out that it does exist. So before I get hyped at jumping off to a long Christmas vacation, let me share this thing to you. This is in replacement of my supposed-to-be selfish wish list or foolish blaberring--again!

"The following item appeared in a church newsletter and contains some good advice that will help us keep selfishness in check this Christmas:

1. You shall not leave ‘Christ’ out of Christmas, making it ‘Xmas.’ To some, ‘X’ is unknown.
2. You shall prepare your soul for Christmas. Spend not so much on gifts that your soul is forgotten.
3. You shall not let Santa Claus replace Christ, thus robbing the day of its spiritual reality.
4. You shall not burden the shop girl, the mailman, and the merchant with complaints and demands.
5. You shall give yourself with your gift. This will increase its value a hundred fold, and the one who receives it shall treasure it forever.
6. You shall not value gifts received by their cost. Even the least expensive may signify love, and that is more priceless than silver and gold.
7. You shall not neglect the needy. Share your blessings with many who will go hungry and cold if you are generous.
8. You shall not neglect your church. Its services highlight the true meaning of the season.
9. You shall be as a little child. Not until you become in spirit as a little one are you ready to enter into the kingdom of Heaven.
10. You shall give your heart to Christ. Let Him be at the top of your Christmas list.

Anyone keeping these commandments is sure to have a blessed Christmas."

Credit: http://www.appleseeds.org/Christmas-quotes.htm

Christmas sickness--I mean literally!

While Christmas day is only a few counts of fingers away, some viral attack has crippled my celebratory mood. I'm getting sick these days. I'm not allergic to Christmas, I know. In fact, it's my favorite time of the year. But for four agonizing days already, I've been running a mild fever. More hostile are the cough, sore throat and runny nose that accompany it. Couldn't they come only one at a time? Well, I blame my lame body resistance. Ughh!

However, I could still manage to report to office or go to public places and mingle with "healthy" people. (Just minus the ice bag and thermometer in the mouth.) But the treatment I receive is like that of a cast-away. Every time I sneeze or cough (like a machine gun firing in spurts), all heads would turn to me. I'm dreaded by everybody as if I carry the deadliest virus ever discovered. And from time to time, I have to look for a restroom when I need to discharge those disgusting slippery substances out of my nasal cavity. Ewwww... Now I have to find ways to regain my composure!

Anyway, I can already feel the cool breeze Christmas brings. For those who haven't yet picked out a Christmas present for me, (be a generous Santa!) a new Nokia N80 will perfectly do. It's better to give than to receive. You know that! ;)

I look forward to attending dawn masses or "nine mornings" and keep my fingers crossed that our request for a long Christmas vacation be granted. A blessed Christmas season to one and all!

Get ready for Spidey 3

Juice up your excitement as I give you the trailer to the much anticipated Spiderman 3.

Beware of Friendster theft

WARNING: Friendster account theft at large!

This is to warn everyone to be very careful in keeping your personal password. Many of my friends have already experienced this: their profile was allegedly manipulated by some wackos after having a full access to their Friendster account. They freaked out upon learning that their profile information and photos have been maliciously altered, making a sabotage of their real identity to their friends. Worst is, they couldn't anymore log in to their account since their password has been changed by some dumbass.

PLEASE DON'T forget to log out every time you visit your account. If you happen to open it in an internet cafe, make sure that you've completely logged out (you should see the message 'You have logged out of Friendster' on your screen) before leaving. In case of power interruption prior to your signing out, Friendster doesn't guarantee a complete log out from your account so it is best that you check it again as soon as the power is back. ALWAYS click the 'Log Out' link (DO NOT just directly close the browser) once you're done. This will securely keep you away from trouble. Or else you give some half-ass losers an opportunity to play a "sasko" of your profile.

Don't become a victim of this Friendster "scam". Remember that Friendster doesn't have a high security feature of preventing this theft. After all, we are smarter than any computer systems.

Today is my...

Glittery texts by bigoo.ws

Not a SMART idea: A bad news to texting addicts

SMART did a nasty thing again. And they did it just a couple of weeks ago.

I'm talking about the unlimited texting promo of Smart network which has been running for quite a long time. So what's the fuss then? It's a big disappointment for my part (and basically to every Smart user) when they started the exclusivity of unlimited texting service to each network. Great--this means that Smart subscribers who are registered in unlimited texting could apply the promo only to another Smart user. This also works to Talk n' Text users. No wonder, one time, when I heard that displeasing "Check Operator Service" sound while I was sending a series of text quotes to my friends even though I was "unlimited". Worst is, there was no announcement from the network of the said adjustment. If there was, it wasn't that effective.

It's a downright insincerity to their advertising line SMART UNLIMITED TEXTING GETS EVEN BETTER! Weren't they earning enough from the previous setting? They seemed to have patterned this from Globe wherein subscribers are entitled to take advantage of the unlimited texting only for Globe to Globe or TM to TM. But to think that they lead the country's competition in the field of telecommunications with the biggest numbers of subscribers (and still growing), do you think they would suffer a multi-million peso loss without doing such move?

I admit that I could save a hefty amount of load from Smart's previous promo. Now, I'm spending too much, and the network is earning a shitload of money. This time, I will be forced to spend an extra load to text my friends who are Talk 'n Text users aside from the Globe ones. Meanwhile, I've also started to notice that their service gradually bugs down. Is this still part of their upgrading?

My problem for now is how to identify which numbers in my phonebook are Smart buddy or Talk 'n Text lest I message each one of them and end up with a zero balance.

Now I ask: Are these simply amazing?

Waaaaaah!!!! I'm back!!!!

I hate this. Two weeks na at hindi pa ako naka-post ni isang entry. Para sa mga ka-blogger ko diyan na nagtatanong bakit nawala ako sa ere nang matagal, eh may mga sagot ako sa tanong ninyo. Hindi naman talaga ako nawala, dito lang ako sa office nagtatrabaho (as usual boring yung work ko), nag-bablog hopping, nagbabasa ng mga nakakaaliw na mga post at nag-aabang sa shoutbox ko ng mga bagong bisita. By the way, heto ang mga rason ba't hindi ako nakapag-post:

*Una, nagkasakit ako at sinipon in almost a week, so nasira yung concentration ko sa pagsulat. Instead na mag-isip ng idea, pahid-sipon yung inintende ko. Yucky, dba?
*Second, ang daming trabaho na nakatambak. Career pa rin kahit walang ka-challenge-challenge. Kung may spare time man ako, hindi ko na magawang magsulat kasi lupaypay na yung katawan ko pati utak ko.
*Third, imbes na magsulat, na-didivert yung attention ko sa friendster, atbp.
*Fouth, tinatamad lang talaga ako minsan.

Sa totoo lang meron akong mga entry na naka-save as draft lang kasi hindi ko matapos-tapos. From time to time, may mga naiisip akong bagong topic kaya ayon, pending lahat. May mga pre-halloween horror story sana ako dito, eh tapos na kaya ang halloween, so save ko na lang yun for next year. bwahaha

Tsaka pala, ito na yata ang kauna-unahang entry na naisulat ko sa Filipino (maliban na lang sa last entry ko na isang text quote), pero pasalamat ako kasi andaming nag-post ng comments. Hindi ko sinubukang magsulat dati sa Filipino kasi mostly yung readers ko global so baka sumakit lang ang ulo nila. Who cares ba naman? Ang reason talaga ba't ako napasulat sa Filipino, kasi mas dumami yung Filipino readers ko--mga kapwa Pinoy blogger ba. Kaya ayun, Tagalog naman.

At ngayon balak ko namang palitan yung template ko. Aside sa bored na ako sa hitsura nito, nagrereklamo yung mga friend ko kasi ang tagal daw mag-load ng page (yan kasi dial-up lang ang gamit niyo *grin*). Pasensya na, ang dami ng ads ko at wala akong balak alisin ang mga ito.

So paalam na, ngayong alam niyo na. At tsaka overtime na ako dito sa office. Baka next week, maka-post na ako regularly. Tsaka nga pala ulit, birthday ko na next week. Sa hindi pa nakabili ng gift para sakin, may four days ultimatum pa kayo! Waaaaaahaha.