dEaTHscyThE

Fantastic Facts about some ENGLISH words..

2009-10-08T16:55:00.006+08:00

I have always been mesmerized by the English language. Ever since I was in in elementary, English has held a special place in me. It's not that I don't love our very own language, Filipino, but there is such a curiosity that only the English language can satisfy. I need not account here how many experiences have I had with the English language that made me more attached to it. Some of these were worth keeping that up to now I still remember them pretty clearly.

And so when I chanced upon these awesome trivias about some English words while I was browsing messages in our Yahoo Groups (SSE61), I did not think twice in posting it here and share it for everyone to see. Enjoy and have fun!!

Just keep scrolling down.
This is very interesting!
Some of these items I already knew, but what the heck, at least you will learn too.

'Stewardesses'

is the longest word typed with only the left hand

'Lollipop'
is the longest word typed with your right hand.
(Bet you tried this out mentally, didn't you?)

No word in the English language rhymes with
'Month', 'Orange', Silver', or 'Purple'.

'Dreamt'
is the only English word that ends in the letters 'mt'.
(Are you doubting this?)

Our 'Eyes' are always the same size from birth,
but our 'Nose and Ears' never stop growing.

The sentence:
'The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog'
uses every letter of the alphabet.
(Now, you KNOW you're going to try this out for accuracy, right?

The words 'Racecar,' 'Kayak' and 'Level'
are the same whether they are read left to right or right to left (palindromes).
(Yep, I knew you were going to 'do' this one.)

There are only four words in the English language which end in 'dous':
'Tremendous', 'Horrendous', 'Stupendous', and 'Hazardous'.
(You're not doubting this, are you?)

There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: 'Abstemious' and 'Facetious.'
(Yes, admit it, you are going to say, a e i o u)

'Typewriter'
is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.
(All you typists are going to test this out)

A 'Cat' has 32 muscles in each ear.

A 'Goldfish' has a memory span of three seconds.
(Some days that's about what my memory span is.)

A 'Jiffy' is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

A 'Shark' is the only fish that can blink with both eyes.

A 'Snail' can sleep for three years.
(I know some people that could do this too.!)

'Almonds'
are a member of the peach family.

An 'ostrich's eye' is bigger than its brain.
(I know some people like that also)

Babiesare born 'without kneecaps'.
They don't appear until the child reaches 2 to 6 years of age.

'February 1865'
is the only month in recorded history not to have a full moon.

In the last 4,000 years, no new animals have been
'domesticated'.

If the population of China walked past you, '8 abreast',
the line would never end because of the rate of reproduction.

'Leonardo Da Vinci'
invented the scissors.

'Peanuts'
are one of the ingredients of dynamite!

'Rubber bands'
last longer when refrigerated.

The average person's left hand does '56%' of the typing.

The cruise liner, 'QE 2', moves only six inches for each gallon of diesel that it burns.

The microwave was invented after a researcher walked by a radar tube and a chocolate bar melted in his pocket.
(Good thing he did that.)

'The winter of 1932' was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.

There are more 'chickens' than people in the world.

'Winston Churchill'

was born in a ladies' room during a dance.

'Women' blink nearly twice as much as men.

Now you know more than you did before!!

Pokemon Power Backfires..

2009-09-30T11:21:00.006+08:00

I have always been mesmerized by these cute and cuddly Pokemon dominating the TV screen. They seem to be very amiable and sometimes I find myself wishing they were real and that I could own at least one of them. Lucky if it would be a legendary Pokemon. These small, cute, and cuddly creatures unleash tremendous powers that could potentially destroy if you anger them.

But have you wondered what would happen if the power and attacks of these Pokemons backfire on them? What would they look like if their best defenses become their worst enemies? Check it out here to see your wildest imaginations come to life..

PIKACHU's Thunderbolt

CHARMANDER's Flamethrower

WEEDLE's Poison Sting

KOFFING's Smog

SQUIRTLE's Water Gun

BULBASAUR's RAZOR LEAF

MEOWTH's Scratch

CUBONE's Bonemerang

POLIWAG's Bubblebeam

This are just some of the curious pics that I happen to chance upon while browsing the Internet. I just found myself laughing when I saw what will happen when Pikachu gets electrocuted.. Ahaha.. But kidding aside, I really was bedazzled by the hands behind these cunning caricatures. Very Impressive, ain't it?? Admittedly, drawing is one of my greatest frustrations.

Credits go to jublin (the mind and heart behind these wonderful creations). A very warm Kudos. See more of his work HERE..

Ads that Change your View

2009-09-30T10:02:00.003+08:00

I always find the creativity and humor in numerous advertisements very very entertaining. I just caught a glimpse of these wonderful ads as I was browsing through the net and they're commonly seen by most of us as we travel. Most of them will make your heads turn, whether you're driving on the road, flying on a plane or riding a public transportation. Some of them are also seasonal. Which one do you think is the best? By the way, I'd like to cite where I'd got these nice ads. Check it here. Nice work and observation, Mr. Johnson Koh.

There are lots of them but I chose what I liked the best.. Ain't it curious how great were the minds behind these wonderful marketing strategies. Sometimes really, the simplicity of these things makes things better than we thought it would have been had we gone for its complexity. Check out more of these pictures HERE..

Great Robbers Always Resemble Honest Folks..

2009-09-24T13:06:00.012+08:00

Around the World in Eighty Days has been one of the timeless classics of contemporary literature. Though the story's plot might seem vaguely simple, it encompasses so many thresholds left untouched by modern literature. The story brings with it an element of suspense and anticipation as readers travel around the world together with Mr. Fogg, Passepartout, and the bunch of characters that made the story appeal to readers of all ages.

The story revolves around a wager made by Mr. Phileas Fogg and his friends from the Reform Club that he could travel the world in eighty days. This was based on a research conducted by a well-respected group. Mr. Fogg's friends doubted the idea of travelling in eighty days thus the wager began.

The wager made Mr. Fogg leave London that same night bringing with him a servant whom he barely knew which he had just hired hours earlier. The servant, Jean Passepartout, bacame uneasy at the prospect of navigating the world in eighty days. He was as hesitant as the others that his master could actually accomplish such big task.

This wager brought to life experiences that these two people never dreamed they would experience - from unfinished railways, burned steamers, elephant transportation, even exotic and ravenous tribespeople.

So much in providing you folks with a gist of the story. Besides, it'd be better to look at it on my own perspective and on a side where I could allow you to be enticed onto it. Better read it for yourself to experience an exhilarating ride towards the various path in traveling thew world.

Reading this story brings to mind so many short stories that I've encountered but this one still stands proud among others as the bearer of the torch for travel stories. Very rare in all my years of being fascinated by reading have I been introduced to such a wonderful tale woven into a plot I would never imagine imagineable.

The elements involved in these wonderful tale has haunted me with the creeps and the chills and the delight that I had was beyond comparison. Aside from the obvious fact that this classic guides you to a journey around the world, readers can also glean from this countless ideals and views on how to take life.

What interests me most is the character of Mr. Fogg. The cool and decent demeanor he has shown all throughout his travels seems most mysterious to me. It seems like nothing could stagger him and distract him from his goals. Not even a weather condition, a band of wicked tribesmen, a group of monks, or an unfinished railway. He didn't even show any emotion to all of these things though it may be implied that he is somehow affected with his temporary loss of his trusted servant, Passepartout.

Moreover, it needs no telling that the world has earned a great artist in the person of Mr. Jules Verne. The wit and the power he has shown in narrating such a story only confirms a critical and sensible mind behind the simple and mesmerizing words. Verne has depicted what a true disciple of the arts should be: captivating, sensible, has an eye for detail, and mystical.

Oh my Murphy!!

2009-09-24T11:52:00.001+08:00

Have you ever heard of Murphy and his laws? Perhaps it somehow rings a bell somewhere at the back of your mind. Here's a short recollection of the man behind so many classics that we've become accustomed to growing with.

Murphy's Laws

Everyone has heard of Murphy's first law: "If anything can go wrong, invariably it will." But hardly anybody has even a foggy idea of who Murphy was.

The search for Murphy's notebooks led to a garage in Toledo, Ohio; an inventor's junk loft in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania; and the home of a retired female blackmailer in Sarasota, Florida. It was learned that Murphy had no first name, that he never could hold a job, and that his writings were returned by the post office for insufficient postage.

It seems everything Murphy wrote about had some explanation for why things go wrong. Consider a few more Murphy classics:

Nothing is ever as simple as it first seems.
Everything you decide to do costs more than first estimated.
Every activity takes more time than you have.
It's easier to make a commitment or to get involved in something than to get out of it.
Whatever you set out to do, something else must be done first.
If you improve or tinker with something long enough, eventually it will break.
By making something absolutely clear, somebody will be confused.
You can fool some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time, and that's sufficient.

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Seeing it here, Murphy is somewhat a man who takes into a account so many explanations why things do go wrong. At first it might seem very superficial but unveiling the veil behind superficiality reveals far deeper understanding of why things go wrong when it seems so absolutely right.

An Interesting Read

2009-09-24T11:45:00.000+08:00

Two Kinds of People

There are only two kinds of people on earth today

Two kinds of people, no more I say.

Not the rich and the poor, for to know a man's wealth

You must first know the state of his conscience and health,

Not the happy and sad, for in life's passing years,

Each has his laughter and each has his tears.

No, the two kinds of people on earth I mean

Are the people who lift and the people who lean.

In which class are you? Are you lifting the load

Of some overtaxed lifter who's going down the road

Or are you a leaner who lets others share

Your portion of toil and labor and care?

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So which are you from these two, my folks? Hope you have gleaned something from this short but meaningful poem. It simply mirrors the side of us which we fail to see and understand. Would you prefer to be the leaner or the lifter? Think again..

Anecdotes

2009-09-24T11:40:00.000+08:00

Here are some of my well-loved anecdotes.. Hope you'll like it too as much as I've learned from them..

A lesson from a Mad Hatter

One of the first steps to accomplishing great things in your life is to cease dwelling on the negative things in your past. Carefully assess your present strengths, successes, and achievements. Dwell on those positive events in your life, and quit limiting your potential by constantly thinking about what you have done poorly. Alice and the Mad Hatter in Wonderland had a conversation that illustrates this concept:

Alice: Where I come from, people study what they are not good at in order to be able to do what they are good at.

Mad Hatter: We only go around in circles in Wonderland, but we always end up where we started. Would you mind explaining yourself?

Alice: Well, grown-ups tell us to find out what we did wrong, and never do it again

Mad Hatter: That's odd! It seems to me that in order to find out about something, you have to study it. And when you study it, you should become better at it. Why should you want to become better at something and then never do it again? But please continue.

Alice: Nobody ever tells us to study the right things we do. We're only supposed to learn from the wrong things. But we are permitted to study the right things other people do. And sometimes we're even told to copy them.

Mad Hatter: That's cheating!

Alice: You're quite right, Mr. Hatter. I do live in a topsy-turvy world. It seems like I have to do something wrong first, in order to learn from what not to do. And then, by not doing what I'm not supposed to do, perhaps I'll be right. But I'd rather be right the first time, wouldn't you?

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You are Wonderful

The following true story captured our heart. It happened several years ago in the Paris opera house. A famous singer had been contracted to sing, and ticket sales were booming. In fact, the night of the concert found the house packed and every ticket sold. The feeling of anticipation and excitement was in the air as the house manager took the stage and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your enthusiastic support. I am afraid that due to illness, the man whom you've all come to hear will not be performing tonight. However, we have found a suitable substitute we hope will provide you with comparable entertainment." The crowd groaned in disappointment and failed to hear the announcer mention the stand-in's name. The environment turned from excitement to frustration.

The stand-in performer gave the performance everything he had. When he had finished, there was nothing but an uncomfortable silence. No one applauded. Suddenly, from the balcony, a little boy stood up and shouted, "Daddy, I think you are wonderful!" The crowd broke into thunderous applause.

We all need people in our Lives who are willing to stand up once in a while and say, "I think you are wonderful. "

Life's Little Ironies

2009-09-23T14:07:00.000+08:00

These ironies I speak of are things to ponder when you don't have shit to do. Have fun and don't think too hard.

1. Why do people drive on a parkway, and park on a driveway?
2. Why is it called cargo if it goes on a ship, and a shipment if it is on a car?
3. Why does your nose run, while your feet smell?
4. Hooked on Phonics is for people who are illiterate, in other words, they don't know letters, yet the telephone number is 1-800-ABCDEFG!
5. Why is Iceland green, and Greenland ice?
6. Why is there brail on drive-thru ATMs?
7. Light travels faster than sound...is that why some people appear bright until you hear them speak?
8. What do little birdies see when they get knocked unconscious?
9. Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
10. What was the best thing before sliced bread?
11. If you buy a TV set, why do you only get one?
12. If con is the opposite of pro, what's the opposite of progress? [:)ha ha]
13. Why do they sterilize the needle for a lethal injection?
14. Why are there interstate highways in Hawaii?
15. If Wal-mart is open 24/7, 365 days a year, including holidays, why are there locks on the doors??
16. If a person with multiple personalities threatens suicide, is that considered a hostage situation?
17. Just think how much deeper the ocean would be if sponges didn't live there.
18. If a cow laughed, would milk come out her nose?
19. If olive oil comes from olives, where does baby oil come from?
20. Whose cruel idea was it for the word "lisp" to have an "s" in it?
21. What's the speed of dark?
22. After eating, do amphibians need to wait an hour before getting OUT of the water?
23. Why don't they just make mouse-flavored cat food?
24. If you're sending someone some Styrofoam, what do you pack it in?
25. Is Disney World just a people trap operated by a mouse?
26. When people are driving and looking for a street address, why do they turn down the radio?
27. Is it true that cannibals don't eat clowns because they taste funny?
28. When a man talks dirty to a woman, its sexual harassment, but when a woman talks dirty to a man, it's $3.95 per minute.
29. If it's tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
30. How come abbreviated is such a long word?
31. If it's zero degrees outside today and it's supposed to be twice as cold tomorrow, how cold is it going to be?
32. Why do people press harder on a remote control when they know the battery is dead?
33. Since Americans throw rice at weddings, do Asians throw hamburgers?
34. Why are they called buildings, when they're already finished?
35. Why are they called apartments, when they're all stuck together?
36. If the universe is everything, and scientists say that it is expanding, what is expanding into?
37. What would a chair look like if knees bent the other way?
38. If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to see it, do the other trees make fun of it?
39. Why is a carrot more orange than an orange?
40. When two things almost collide, why do they call it a "near miss"?
41. Do fish get cramps after eating?
42. Why are there 5 syllables in the word "monosyllabic"?
43. Why do scientists call it research, when looking for something new?
44. If vegetarians eat vegetables, what do humanitarians eat?
45. Where does a word go when it gets erased?
46. Why is it, when a door is open it's ajar, but when a jar is open it's not adoor?
47. If barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?
48. When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane!

Surprise for everyone..

2009-09-23T13:49:00.001+08:00

INTERESTING CONVERSATION

An Atheist Professor of Philosophy was speaking to his Class on the Problem Science has with GOD,the ALMIGHTY. He asked one of his Students to stand and...

Professor : You are a Christian, aren't you, son ?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, you Believe in GOD ?
Student : Absolutely, sir.
Professor : Is GOD Good ?
Student : Sure.
Professor : Is GOD ALL - POWERFUL ?
Student : Yes.
Professor : My Brother died of Cancer even though he Prayed to GOD to Heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn't.. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent )

Professor : You can't answer, can you ? Let's start again, Young Fella. Is GOD Good?
Student : Yes...
Professor : Is Satan good ?
Student : No.
Professor : Where does Satan come from ?
Student : >From . .. . GOD . . .
Professor : That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this World?
Student : Yes.
Professor : Evil is everywhere, isn't it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?
Student : Yes.
Professor : So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer)

Professor : Is there Sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the World, don't they?
Student : Yes, sir.
Professor : So, who Created them ?

(Student had no answer)

Professor : Science says you have 5 Senses you use to Identify and Observe the World around you. Tell me, son . . . Have you ever Seen GOD?
Student : No, sir.
Professor : Tell us if you have ever Heard your GOD?
Student : No , sir.
Professor : Have you ever Felt your GOD, Tasted your GOD, Smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any Sensory Perception of GOD for that matter?
Student : No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.
Professor : Yet you still Believe in HIM?
Student : Yes.
Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
Student : Nothing. I only have my Faith.
Professor : Yes,Faith. And that is the Problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as Heat?
Professor : Yes.
Student : And is there such a thing as Cold?
Professor : Yes.
Student : No, sir. There isn't.

(The Lecture Theatre became very quiet with this turn of events )

Student : Sir, you can have Lots of Heat, even More Heat, Superheat, Mega Heat, White Heat, a Little Heat or No Heat. But we don't have anything called Cold. We can hit 458 Degrees below Zero which is No Heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as Cold. Cold is only a Word we use to describe the Absence of Heat. We cannot Measure Cold. Heat is Energy. Cold is Not the Opposite of Heat, sir, just the Absence of it.

(There was Pin-Drop Silence in the Lecture Theatre )

Student : What about Darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as Darkness?
Professor : Yes. What is Night if there isn't Darkness?
Student : You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the Absence of Something. You can have Low Light, Normal Light, Bright Light, Flashing Light . . . But if you have No Light constantly, you have nothing and its called Darkness, isn't it? In reality, Darkness isn't. If it is, were you would be able to make Darkness Darker, wouldn't you?
Professor : So what is the point you are making, Young Man ?
Student : Sir, my point is your Philosophical Premise is flawed.
Professor : Flawed ? Can you explain how?
Student : Sir, you are working on the Premise of Duality. You argue there is Life and then there is Death, a Good GOD and a Bad GOD. You are viewing the Concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can't even explain a Thought. It uses Electricity and Magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view Death as the Opposite of Life is to be ignorant of the fact that Death cannot exist as a Substantive Thing. Death is Not the Opposite of Life: just the Absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your Students that they evolved from a Monkey?
Professor : If you are referring to the Natural Evolutionary Process, yes, of course, I do.
Student : Have you ever observed Evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a Smile, beginning to realize where the Argument was going )

Student : Since no one has ever observed the Process of Evolution at work and cannot even prove that this Process is an On-Going Endeavor, are you not teaching your Opinion, sir? Are you not a Scientist but a Preacher?

(The Class was in Uproar )

Student : Is there anyone in the Class who has ever seen the Professor's Brain?

(The Class broke out into Laughter )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's Brain, Felt it, touched or Smelt it? . . ..No one appears to have done so. So, according to the Established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that You have No Brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then Trust your Lectures, sir?

(The Room was Silent. The Professor stared at the Student, his face unfathomable)

Professor : I guess you'll have to take them on Faith, son.
Student : That is it sir . . . Exactly! The Link between Man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that Keeps Things Alive and Moving.

NB:

I believe you have enjoyed the Conversation . . . and if so . .
You'll probably want your Friends / Colleagues to enjoy the same . . . won't you?
Forward it to them to Increase their Knowledge . . . or FAITH.

The student was ALBERT EINSTEIN

Bickering Old Brat..

2009-09-23T13:46:00.000+08:00

THE TRUTH HURTS. A MUST READ FOR ALL FILIPINOS
‘The Philippines is a nation of starstruck ignoramuses’

by Dero Pedero Of Philippine Star

Last July 23, I wrote about Nasty (short for Anastacio), a balikbayan from Los Angeles, who, while vacationing in Manila, had nothing to say but negative comments about the Philippines and the Filipinos. The article elicited a deluge of comments from our readers. Though some agreed with his curt observations, most were enraged at the repulsive way he acted and whined.

For me, he was the classic epitome of the ‘crow perched on a carabao,’ thinking and acting nauseatingly superior just because he has become an American citizen, inequitably comparing everything here to how they are in the first world. I was particularly irked by his repulsive ‘know it all’ attitude and peeved no end by his irritating Waray-American twang.

Those who have not read that article may access philstar.com and click archives, then select July 23 and click Lifestyle_. The article is entitled ‘Little Brown Americans.’

As a backgrounder, here is an excerpt:
The next day, I took them on a little city tour and accompanied them to do extra shopping at the duty-free shop. They were to leave two days later for their respective provinces (Randy is from Pampanga, Nasty, from Samar).

‘God, ang dilem-dilem naman ditow (it is so dark here)!’ screamed Nasty in his characteristic Taglish slang, ‘At ang inet-inet pa (and so warm)! * * *

All throughout the day, Nasty complained about everything. He griped that all Filipinos he encountered were dense and inefficient (I hope that didn’t include me!); that the traffic was horrendous and drivers ‘drove like they were late for their funerals’; that the pollution from the smoke-belching vehicles was irritating his dainty, surgically-pinched nose. He was disgusted that water closets didn’t work; horrified that there was no toilet paper in public toilets (’God, how do you people do it?’ he bewailed); petrified by street children begging while soaking wet in the rain (’Where are the parents of these kids?’ he nagged).

He moaned about the proliferation of slums, people crossing the superhighways (’There should be underground or overhead walkways for pedestrians! ‘ he demanded), the potholes on the streets, the disgusting garbage and filth all over the city, and the annoying floods! And all these he observed in just one day!

Weeks after the publication of the article, I took Nasty’s silence to mean that of contempt and anger. I must admit that I didn’t care because I was really turned off by his arrogance. The good news is, Nasty has finally decided to break his silence and give us his side, loaded with a big piece of his mind. The bad news is, he hits more sensitive chords and it stings.

Nasty’s E-Mail :

Dear Dero,
My Zen master says, ‘Never fight fire with fire.’ So, I sat in a lotus position, imbibed the ethereal qualities of cool mountain water and stoically resisted the temptation of answering back to defend myself in rebuttal of your article. I kept quiet while you and your readers had a charlatan holiday, dissecting and fanning sarcasm on my every comment about your country and your people.

I am not mad at you for writing that piece. I was never upset at any point, even after your readers from all over the world e-mailed in their two-cents’ worth. In fact, I found it rather amusing and carnival-like. I even felt happy that people still came to the defense of your Philippines!

If you noticed, I now refer to the Philippines and Filipinos as your country and your people. Every time I went back there for vacation, my Filipino-ness always took the better of me (blame those damn green mangoes smothered with bagoong!) and made me forget that I am, in all reality, what you aptly called a ‘Little Brown American.’ I have come to terms with my own identity- I am, after all, an American citizen carrying an American passport!

What precipitated my quick decision to sever my ties with your country (aside from your ***** of an article) were the Abu Sayyaf abductions (que barbaridad!) , the Payatas-like downslide of the peso (eat your hearts out, I earn sweet American dollars!), the ‘devoid of conscience’ graft and corruption in your government (this has gone on for the longest time-how shameful!), and lately, the stupid ‘Juetengate’ and juicy but enraging ‘Boracay’ mansion gossips. With all these, who would be proud to be a Filipino? Besides, to tell you frankly, those Erap jokes are no longer funny- they are passe and leave a bad taste in the mouth and heart.

No Apology
If I sounded brash and insensitive with the way I threw my comments, well, I cannot do anything about that because that is the way I am, and I offer no apology. Here, in America, you have to tell it like it is or you’ll never be taken seriously. I have learned to drop my ‘Pinoy sugarcoating’ because out here, you get nothing done if you are meek and sweet and pa-api. Hindi puwede mag-Anita Linda dito!

When I commented about your pollution, street children mendicants, slums, potholes, toilets that don’t work, garbage, floods, and most of all, the Pinoys’ chronic lack of discipline, I was merely putting into words what I saw. I can’t blame your being blind about your country’s situation. My Zen master says, ‘One cannot easily see the dirt in one’s eye.’

I am sure though that you are aware of those sordid details, but have grown accustomed to them (like most Manileños have). All the complaints I aired may have hurt your pride but what I wanted you to realize is this: The things I pointed out are all symptoms of a failing, falling nation!

Suffering A National Karma?
Could yours be a country cursed with a huge national karmic debt? It could be payback time, you know. Look back into your history, look deep inside your hearts-what could you have done as a nation to deserve this fiasco you are in today?

What you are faced with didn’t just happen overnight-it developed and grew into a monster in the course of time. Deeply imbedded in the psyche of the Filipino is the amalgamation of the characters and events that have impacted your lives - Dona Victorina, Dona Concepcion, poor Sisa as well the other hilarious and tragic characters of Dr. Jose Rizal…

Stonehill… the notorious gangsters immortalized by your Filipino movies like Asiong Salonga (hmmm!), et al…the killers in your (I thought they’d never end!) massacre movies..those cheap, appalling _title_s of your movies…those staged ‘religious miracles’ that your naive masses believed…family men with pushy queridas (mistresses) …your crooked politicians, undependable police officers and greedy customs collectors.. .your bribe-hungry court judges…Imeldific, gloriously smiling and crying at the same time, bejeweled. (How very Fellini!)

What you are is the sum total of your history, your heritage and culture,your education, the crap that your press sensationalizes, the bad icons that your movies glorify, the artificial values your advertising extols, the bad examples your leaders and role models project. What you feed your country’s mind is what it becomes. You have become the ugly monster that you’ve created. You are now crying all the tears your sickeningly sentimental movies wailed out for years and years!

Your Biggest Fault
If there is one thing that comes to mind, I think your biggest fault would be your individual greed. ‘Ako muna!’ seems to be the national mantra. The trouble is, very few people think for the common good in a deplorable ‘to each his own kurakot’ festival. Coupled by your crab mentality of pushing down others, this can be fatal. You think barangay, not national. Hello, everybody else around the world is thinking global! Europe is unshackling her national boundaries while you are building fences around your nipa huts.

Do yourselves a favor and look at your nation as a ship. All of you are in it and it is sinking! Realize your oneness-what hurts your brother hurts you, too. Think about the future of your children and the succeeding generations, and do something about it quick before your poor little banca plunges forever into the irretrievable depths of despair.

Star-Struck Nation
You are a nation of star-struck ignoramuses. You are easily awed by your movie stars who are usually nothing but uneducated, aquiline-nosed and light-skinned ******** picked up from some gutter somewhere. I have seen what these artistas illusionadas can get away with. They just flash their capped-tooth smiles and policemen let them get away with traffic violations; they bat their false eyelashes and customs officers impose no duty on their suspicious balikbayan boxes.

Worst of all, with the Filipino movie industry taking a nosedive, hordes of actors and show personalities went into politics. It is, as they say, the next best ‘racket’-there is more money to be made in the politicking business than in show business! (And what is this I hear that in the coming elections, more are jumping into the arena? Mag-hara-kiri na kayo!) How can you expect these comedians and actors, who only know how to take directions from their directors, to direct your nation? For them, politics will just be an ‘act’. No big surprise here, for they are mere actors with no original _script_s to speak, no original visions to share. So what can you expect but a government that is a comedy of errors. Serves you and your star-struck nation right!

My Zen master says, ‘Give unto Caesar what is due to Caesar, but keep Charlie Chaplin on the silver screen to make us laugh.’ To survive, you must teach your citizenry to say no to three things - no to drugs, no to stealing and graft and corruption, and no to artistas in politics. I hope you’ve learned your lesson by now. (Yours is the onl y country where Mexican soap stars are received like royalty in the presidential palace. How shoddy! God forbid-Fernando Carrillo might end up being your next president. At least he has great abs and doesn’t wobble like a penguin when he walks!)

For those artistas who honestly believe that they can make a positive difference in the Filipino masses’ life, they must first study law, business and public administration, and immerse themselves in the life and passion of Mother Teresa. Politics is not an art for dilettante artistas to dabble in. It is called Political Science,’ hello?!

Educate Your Masses
Educate the masses - especially your electorate. What you need is an intelligent vote aside from, of course, intelligent candidates. The University of San Carlos in Cebu City, founded in 1595, and the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, established in 1611, are the oldest universities in Asia, and are even older than Harvard. But the standard of Pinoy education has deteriorated so much that the Philippines ranks among the poorest in the educational hierarchy of Asia. Education, education, education - that’ s what you need in this age of information, information, information.

If all your social, religious and political sectors don’t sit down now and decide to take the Right Way, the Philippines and your children’s children will be grand losers in the worldwide rush to the future. Education is one sure way to salvation. Teach what is right, good, beautiful and beneficial. Downplay all negativity if you cannot eliminate it altogether.

The Ideal President
I’ve got news for you.. (As if you didn’t already know.) No matter whom you put up there as your leader or president, it will be the same banana. Even a holy man can turn into another J.E. (Judas Escariot) for a few pieces of silver.. Kumpares, alalays, relatives and cronies will encrust like flies and maggots on his cordon sanitaire. And it will be the same despicable ‘Sa amin na ‘to!’ hullabaloo all over again.

Take an advice from Aling Epang: ‘Pumili ng matanda, mayaman, mabait, at madaling mamatay.’ Get a president who is old - so that he is full of wisdom, rich - so he won’t need to steal more money, goodhearted - so he will render heartfelt service to his people, and is in the sunset of his life - so that he will think of nothing but gaining good points to present when he meets his Creator. And may I add: At iisa lang ang pamilya! This is, of course, asking for the moon. Just pray fervently for an intelligent leader with a pure heart who genuinely loves the common tao!

Magpakatotoo Kayo! Wake up and look at the real you. Enough with looking at your reflection in glorious, self-embellishing mirrors. The tropical sun can play tricks, you know. Do not wait for darkness to fall before you take that much-needed long, hard look at your real situation.

Magpakatotoo kayo, ano? This isn’t a wake-up call - it is the final alarm!

Save the ship while you still can. Don’t wait till your people have no more dreams left to hang on to, no more hope to sustain their broken spirits. I came home, spent my penny-pinched savings so that even in the minutest way I could help your bruised economy. Your politicians sit on their fat, farting butts and get balatos (kuno!) in the millions. Receivers are as guilty as the givers. Now, tell me, who is really nasty?

I Have Made My Decision; So Should You.
My Zen master says, ‘Life is all about decisions, not choices.’ I have made a decision which I know will be very hard for me to keep- You will never hear from me again (not in this vein) and I will not even think of visiting or buwisiting your Manila ever. This is my way of letting you know that I have given up on you. Bahala na kayo! Only you can help yourselves because at the stage you are in, nobody would want to help you. My Zen master says, ‘You have to fall to learn to rise again.’

How much lower do you want to go?
Anyway, regarding the Philippines as a tourist destination, you have a lot of cleaning up and face-lifting to do before foreigners would dare go to your islands again. The Abu Sayyaf episode has done your tourism industry more damage than you could ever imagine, and it will take a long time before the world forgets. (By the way, your tourism projects are lusterless and have no global impact. If you want real business, spruce up your infrastructure and do aggressive marketing on the World Wide Web!)

Of course, I would gladly reverse my decision if someone offered me exclusive lordship over lotto, bingo, jueteng, pintakasi and the jai alai.Think about it: this will be to your advantage because I never give tong or blood commission to anyone! (If only your president used the millions he received from those gambling lords to build homes for the masses, you wouldn’t have any more squatters. Huling hirit: defrost those Marcos billions, pay off some debt, place the rest in high-yield investments, feed your hungry, and spread bounty and joy to every Filipino! Are you stupid or what? - That’s your money sucked from the blood of your people!)

My Zen master says, ‘Vox populi is not always the voice of God.’
Come over to L.A and I’ll show you a great time!

Our friend Randy says hello! We will be going to Vancouver to feast our eyes on the colors of autumn. Wish you could join us.

The new Miss America, Angela Perez Baraquio, is of Filipino ancestry. Dero, her parents hail from Pangasinan just like you! But keep in mind that she is an American (in case some wise fools over there claim her to be Filipino like they always do whenever someone becomes successful). Wait for the girl to say it, don’t put words in her mouth!

Mabuhay kayo (SANA)!
Sa totoo lang, MAGDUSA KAYONG LAHAT!
(Don’t you just love my Waray-Kano accent?) He-he-he!

I have made my decision, now make yours. I would hate for the day to come when I’d have to say, ‘I told you so!’ Good luck! (You need it.)

An ex-Filipino
J. Anastasio
‘Nasty’

My Short Reply :

Dear Nasty,
Thanks for your e-mail. I swear you sort of stole the words from right under my tongue. Now, I am utterly speechless.

Send my regards to Randy. Wishing you the best!

God Bless

———————-End of article——————————

My Mental Balance...

2009-07-22T13:17:00.000+08:00

I just took this test to determine how balanced my mind is. I am somewhat surprised with the results that I got though most of them really constitute for a fact.

Here are my results. You might want to check yours too.

Your Brain Usage Profile:

Auditory : 52%
Visual : 47%
Left : 52%
Right : 47%

Joshua, you are one of those rare individuals who are perfectly "balanced" in both your hemispheric tendencies and your sensory learning preferences. However, there is both good news and bad news.

A problem with hemispheric balance is that you will tend to feel more conflict than someone who has a clearly established dominance. At times the conflict will be between what you feel and what you think but will also involve how you attack problems and how you perceive information. Details which will seem important to the right hemis- phere will be discounted by the left and vice versa, which can present a hindrance to learning efficiently.

In the same vein, you may have a problem with organization. You might organize your time and/or space only to feel the need to reorganize five to ten weeks later.

On the positive side, you bring resources to problem-solving that others may not have. You can perceive the "big picture" and the essential details simultaneously and maintain the cognitive perspective required. You possess sufficient verbal skills to translate your intuition into a form which can be understood by others while still being able to access ideas and concepts which do not lend themselves to language.

Your balanced nature might lead you to second-guess yourself in artistic endeavors, losing some of the fluidity, spontaneity and creativity that otherwise would be yours.

With your balanced sensory styles, you process data alternately, at times visually and other times auditorially. This usage of separate memories may cause you to require more time to integrate information or re-access it. When presented with situations which force purely visual or purely auditory learning, increased anxiety is likely and your learning efficiency will decrease.

Your greatest benefit is that you can succeed in multiple fields due to the great plasticity and flexibility you possess.

Source: http://mindmedia.com/brainworks/

Acne Treatment Products

2009-07-15T16:12:00.000+08:00

Acne treatment products have sprouted almost everywhere. Each claiming they have the best product technology could offer. Each waving a banner of how they go beyond what is necessary. Are these acne treatment products as good as they claim to be? Will your acne really be cured by the products they offer? How can we maximize the use to our money at the same time minimizing the tendency of falling into scams?

This article is intended to provide a review of the companies offering acne treatment. This is geared towards guiding the us (the consumers) what's the real thing in the world of beauty and skin care. The idea here is that we optimize what we have and we avoid what we don't want to have.

In the world of beauty and skin care, it is not surprising to see so many claims for so many things. Yet, one of the things that bugs consumers the most is the failure of the products to live up to what they claim to be. Acne treatment products for example, might trigger a thousand responses from millions of company. But who do you trust?

Dermystique Skin Care addresses this for you. Their in-house roster of beauty surgeon and beauty experts have spent time to come up with the best acne treatment product that technology could provide. Chemicals used have undergone a strenuous process to better treat those acne problems.

Acne treatment nowadays is not as complicated as before. A bunch of acne treatment products offered by Dermystique gives you the key to the solution you've always sought. The acne that bugged you for months will now be gone in no time with these acne treatment products. Dermystique's acne treatment solutions are effective but does not compromise your health. Fear not from potential side effects in using their products because Dermystique only offers proven and tested products.

Worried about the cost and maintenace? The acne treatment products of Dermystique comes at a very reasonable and affordable price. You wouldn't mind spending a few for a long-lasting effect, right? Acne treatment is at the tip of your fingertips so why ignore it? Grab the opportunity that Dermystique offers especially for you.

Dermystique's acne treatment products are a part of a vast collection of skin care products. For a complete set of these and appointment schedules, feel free to visit their website at:

http://acnecontrolformula.com/

Cheezy Lines

2009-07-10T11:27:00.000+08:00

Cheesy pickup lines are perfect ice breakers for those awkward moments. Humor is is often a good way to get the ball rolling into a conversation. Girls may say they hate pickup lines, but it's a sure sign that you're truly interested in her which keeps the mind games down. Here's a short list of some common cheesy pickup lines. I'd like to think I was easy on the cheese but I guess it depends on one's palette.

Here are some cheesy lines you might enjoy reading. Have a nice time!

" You turn my software into hardware! "
" Do you want to do math? Let's add a bed, subtract your clothes, divide your legs and multiply! "
" I'm not Fred Flintstone, but I can make your bedrock! "
" What has 148 teeth and holds back the incredible hulk? My Zipper! "
" My magic watch says that you don't have on any underwear. (She says yes I do) Damn! it must be 15 minutes fast "
" I'm like a Rubik's Cube ... The more you play with me the harder I Get! "
" You may fall from the sky, you may fall from a tree, but the best way to fall... is in love with me. "
" Do you work at subway? Because you just gave me a footlong! "
" Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk by again? "
" You must be a general, cause my privates just snapped to attention! "
" Was your Dad a baker? Because you've got a nice set of buns. "
" If your left leg is Thanksgiving, and your right leg is Christmas, can I visit you between the holidays? "
" Lets play carpenter. First we get hammered, then I'll nail you! "
" Use index finger to call someone over then say, "I made you come with one finger, imagine what I could do with the rest."
" Is that a ladder in your pants... or the stairway to heaven? "
" I wish that you were my homework so I could do you on the table! "
" How about you sit on my lap and we talk about the first thing that pops up? "
" Do you have a mirror in your pocket? 'Cause I could see myself in your pants. "
" I have a snake and he wants to enter your garden. "
" I hope you know CPR, because you take my breath away! "
" I'm like a video game, You can play with me all day long! "
" I lost my trumpet. Can I blow yours. "
" What has 2 legs in the morning and 4 legs at night (what?) You will tonight. "
" They say milk does a body good, but you're living proof! "
" Was your Dad in the Air Force? Because you're da bomb. "
" Are you a gardener? I have a bush that needs a trim. "
" Do you have an eraser? Because I can't get you out of my mind. "

Totoo ba ito?

2009-07-10T10:32:00.000+08:00

The Programmer and his Code

Malinaw dapat ang relasyon ng Programmer sa kanyang Code. Ang Programmer ang parating masusunod. Kung ano ang gusto niyang mangyari kay Code, yun dapat. Hindi dapat sumusuway kay Programmer si Code. Ang layunin ng Programmer ay tutuparin ni Code.

Pero fuchsia, nakakaasar talaga kapag ang pino-program mo ay hindi sumusunod sa gusto mo. Nakaka-frustrate. Sooner or later gagana din yan, ba't pa kailangang patagalin, diba? Badtrip.

Tapos uwian na. Uuwi ka na pero di pa rin sumusunod sa gusto mo yung code. Uuwi kang problemado. At mapapansin mong susunod na sa'yo ang code. Susundan ka ng code..

..mula pakikipag-usap sa sarili..

..hanggang sa pakikipag-usap sa iba..

..kahit hindi ka nga kinakausap eh..

Kaya sa susunod na makatagpo kayo ng programmer na sumisigaw at nagsasabing "Napagana ko rin!", plis, intindihin niyo na lang.

Unless you're a programmer yourself, you'll find it hard to understand
how deep
the relationship is
between a Programmer
and his Code.

Bow.

Today I rise, and you fall

2009-06-29T09:23:00.000+08:00

Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots in the classic Transformers, was one of the timeless characters I've known since my childhood days. Timeless in such a way that it has carved its own niche in the hearts of those who have grown up with him around. Sometimes he is outshone by his contemporaries but most of the time he shines like a blade of a silver dagger in a gloomy cavern.

My weekend was mostly spent on wondering how to make the most out of nothing. Nothing - in the sense that weren't anything for the day that is worth looking forward to. I'm not in the mood to stretch myself to its extent and do some work-related stuffs.

So, it all boils down to watching Transformers and everything was like a withered plant watered after weeks of experiencing drought. The transformation of the day was imminent as a bright perspective of a wonderful day was opened over the horizon.

It has never been a question that Transformers was really a classic in irs own genre. Nothing can compare to it with the way it has influenced the lives of many who has allowed themselves to be carried to its depths.

Now Optimus Prime is back with his allies, the ever dependable Autobots to battle it out with Megatron and hos cronies of Decpticons. Truly, Transformers brought a shining ray of light to the withered plant and it now boasts the most beautiful flower it has ever produced.

Necessity weighs more than Will

2009-06-24T09:48:00.000+08:00

Hi!

I really am not much of a blogger. This blog was a result more of a necessity than will. However, there's no harm in making the most out of it.

The idea of blogging has not fascinated me much as it does on other individuals. The mere thought of me sharing my thoughts over the internet read by millions of users worldwide was unimaginable. I might be an extrovert but that doesn't constitute for the fact that I'm not at ease when sharing what I have in mind for various individuals to ponder into. I feel that there's more to it than meets the eye.

I am also unfamiliar with the usual length a blog takes. It might even be longer than this one but as a novice in this vast area, I feel like this is more than enough. And as I venture into this, I hope that I would learn to appreciate it the way that others has appreciated it. Of how this mere blogging would put me out of my own mediocrity in this endeavor.