Silent Scream

Please dont hurt my TL!

2008-07-18T05:17:00.000-09:00

I love my TL sooo much - that even though I am no longer in that company I still care for her so much. I heard stories that are just plain untrue and I hope that these stories wont be circulated anymore.

If you still do, then be prepared for the consequences!!

And bdwy, I heard a story that I know I should not tell but I cant resist telling. It is about Person A (a supervisor) who is having a relationship with Person B (not a direct report though). I know I dont have a right to question their relationship but what can I do if the floor knows the story.

My only advise is be careful. People know more than you think they do!

News Flash: Mimi (Mariah Carey) is not Mrs. Nick Cannon

2008-05-01T06:26:00.000-09:00

Thanks to perezhilton!

http://perezhilton.com/2008-05-01-huge-news-2

Dark Side of Manila's Socialites

2008-03-23T03:24:00.000-09:00

Im a big sucker for juicy gossips - the more shocking the better. And what a better story there is than Manila's socialites in the middle of coke addiction and estafa.

The Blog of Australian Brian Gorrell is a tell-all about the Gucci Gang which includes Embassy co-owner Tim Yap, Star Writers Celine Lopez and Dj Montano.

In an effort to get back his life saving which were taken by Dj Montano. Brian Gorrell tells everyone the dirty little secrets of the group in what is Manila's version of Britney's brouhaha.

Read it at: http://delfindjmontano.blogspot.com/

How I Renew my Spirit

2008-02-24T11:17:00.001-09:00

What Renews You?

My Result: Spending Time With Others

When life's storms set you adrift in a sea of worries, you know you can always find an anchor in the people closest to you. Whether it's a long weekend talk on the phone with that relative you miss, an afternoon at a café with a dear friend, or a morning snuggling in bed with your sweetheart, you feel rejuvenated when you've made a connection with someone who knows you well. This doesn't necessarily mean you don't like to spend at least some time alone with your thoughts. It's just that you're particularly good at drawing energy and inspiration from those around you. So next time life makes you feel squeezed and pulled in too many directions, set aside some time to center yourself by spending time with friends, family, or your special someone.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=renewogt&c=50652

Smarter than a 5th Grader?

2008-02-24T10:02:00.001-09:00

Could You Pass 5th Grade?

My Result: Excellent

You did so well you might actually be in 5th grade right now! Or are you a 5th grade teacher? Either way, you've definitely got what it takes to make the grade in the classroom — and beyond! Book smart and motivated, you're probably the type to make sure you're always on time for class or work (or even that hot date!), and can't wait to read the new book that everyone's been talking about.

That's not to say you're a brown-noser. Not even close. You just love to know stuff — whether it's relevant or not. Who cares if you'll never have to know that a dolphin sleeps with one eye open or that a sneeze can travel at over 100 miles per hour. So if you don't mind, can we copy your test answers from now on?

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=fifthgradeogt&c=50652

Im Blogging Again - and this is a good thing, right?

2008-02-24T05:13:00.000-09:00

After a few months hiatus, Im blogging again. I have to admit I learned my lesson when I got caught by my former TL surfing the net in the office. I though I would get the the ax - but he gave me last chance to amend my ways. And that is what I am doing.

Yes, I know! There are still other ways of surfing the net - legally - but its kind of hassle. You see, its different when you do it in the office while waiting for your next call and when you are fed up talking with your friends. Its an effective way of keeping your sanity. And its different when you access it at home or at the cafe - there's no bored factor involved.

But thankfully, I can send these blogs through an ordinary mail. Thanks to Multiply's revolutionary technique, I could now create a new albums, post a new playlist or write a new blog from a ordinary e-mail. And that is what I am doing right now.

Now, I just have to worry how I will be able to read your blogs or your comments.

Justin?!?!

2007-12-25T07:02:00.000-09:00

Im sooo missing him.

I thought Im soo over him... but then again... you cannot dictate what your heart tells you.

Lakas ng Tama

2007-12-25T07:00:00.000-09:00

In between you-know-who talks and Stan trying to kill me, I am still here trying to make coherent sentences at Xyra's house for a Xmas Party. Right now, Ace, Corcor and Abby are already dead drunk that they are sleeping. And I am trying to fight the alchohol as I am typing this blog.

It has ben a while since my last log-in. Our computer experienced a bug ahd had to be rebooted so that is why I was not able to log back in. But hey, Im back so that means more of the landian and secret sharing moments.

Stan is singing "whats going on" and I am already too drunk to write anything else.... so till next time.

Merry Xmas and a HAPPY New Year to all those vaklahs out there.

Special mention to Sage who is beside me at this moment.

Love you Sage,

Dumbledore is Gay

2007-10-20T15:39:00.000-09:00

I just heard the news - and its quite a shocker.

Yes guys, the beloved Headmaster of Hogwarts (God bless his resting soul) is gay. And this has been confirmed but no less than JK Rowling. She had said in an interview that Dumbledore is smitten with his friend and enemy Grindelwald.

Shocking but true.

Zac Efron is sooo Gay!!

2007-10-14T01:47:00.000-09:00

“I was the kid that if I saw a great movie that I enjoyed, I’d go and see it twice, thrice, 10 times and then, of course, go buy the DVD. Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music was very important to me. I also loved Cinderella. When I was younger they were huge for me.”

- Zacquisha Efron tells Britain’s Observer

thanks to perezhilton.com

Best Line of the Week

2007-10-06T07:31:00.000-09:00

I was watching Startalk (Im a showbiz fan sorry) and they were showing the issue between Patrick Garcia- Mark Herras-Jennalyn Mercado bruhaha. As we all know, Patrick is Jen's boyfriend and Mark is her love-team.

When Patrick was asked if he felt insecure about the Mark-Jennalyn Love Team, he said the best line of the week for me.

"Im just a boyfriend. Im not a love-team material".

ANG TARAY NG LOLO MO

per Daily Show: Cory=Slut

2007-10-04T21:51:00.000-09:00

After the insult made by Desperate Houswives that Medical Practitioners in the Philippines are of poor quality, another ABC show namely The Daily Show with John Stuart made quite a stir when it displayed a picture of Cory with the word slut on it.

And quite a lot of Filipinos are outraged again. But dont count me in. I mean those people really doesnt understand what the Daily Show is - its a New Satire!!

So it makes sense that they would make such moves to Cory and its not only her. They made funny comments amount Margaret Thatcher as well.

Cmon Guys, this is a satire show so what do you expect. That they portray Cory as the last prophet of God and saviour of the Filipino race.

And what is funny, Kris said that her elder sister doesnt know what the word "slut" means. Talaga lang ha!

Bakit Bukas ang Ilaw ng Garahe

2007-10-03T02:04:00.000-09:00

Bakit nga ba bukas ang ilaw sa garahe?!?

Bago na ang schedule ko sa opisina kaya kailangan kong gumising ng mga 3 umaga habang tulog pa ang tao sa bahay. Kinailangan kong tiisin ang malamig na tubig at magbihis nang madali.

Lumakad ako patungo sa sakayan ng tricyle. Maulan-ulan noon kaya sukbit ko ang aking payong. Sa limang minutong tagal ng biyahe ko sya napansin - bakit nga ba bukas ang ilaw sa garahe?

Mahigit sa 95% ng mga bahay na aming dinaanan ay bukas ang ilaw ng garahe. Bakit kaya? Dahil panabla to sa magnanakaw o sa multo ba o sa anong impyernong meron sa Pilipinas. Baka naman takot lamang talaga tayo sa dilim pero bakit garahe lang ang may-ilaw?

A sad day for the Ateneo

2007-09-29T20:30:00.000-09:00

It is my very sad duty to inform the Admu Community and those who scorn us,though not personally, that the Admu lost to LaSalle today with the score of 64-60

It is very sad indeed but win or lose its the school we choose.

GO ATENEO!!

ADMU-La Salle Game Panalo Ako - Breaking News

2007-09-26T20:21:00.000-09:00

Thank god panalo kami. 65-64.

Multiply is Back

2007-09-18T16:11:00.000-09:00

After the long draught - meaning no multiply for more than a week, my parents had come to their senses and got us a Globe Broadband Internet. Which means Multiply is back.

Its soo nice to back. I soo miss everyone.

Split in Couples for Christ May Hurt GK Housing Projects

2007-08-24T09:45:00.000-09:00

from newsbreak. i just want to share

The split in the Couples for Christ (CFC) has far-reaching consequences on the Gawad Kalinga Foundation (GK), its popular social arm that has become a favorite beneficiary of big corporations and wealthy individuals here and abroad.

Gawad Kalinga has grown tremendously since Antonio Meloto founded it in 2000 as the CFC’s social arm. It now has a portfolio of 1,200 communities all over the country, which translates to about 22,000 homes for impoverished families nationwide, including Muslim-dominated provinces in Mindanao.

It has gained worldwide fame, likened to the Grameen Bank of Bangladesh, an initiative that earned Muhammad Yunus his Nobel Peace Prize in 2006. Meloto himself earned his Ramon Magsaysay Award for leadership in 2006.

But on July 30, CFC founder Frank Padilla and a few hundred supporters announced that they were leaving the group in protest over how GK was being managed. They complained that GK has shifted its focus “from the spiritual to the social.”

Padilla cited instances when GK chose not to push for natural family planning because some of its corporate partners favored population control and the use of contraceptives. “We clearly are going separate ways,” Padilla said in an open letter to members of the Catholic group. “We will focus on evangelization.”

Padilla and Meloto resigned from the Couples for Christ council in February 2007 to give the council a free hand in resolving the tension between the two of them. According to a close associate of Padilla, the failure of the new council to act on Padilla's concerns caused the split. (The elected members of the Couples for Christ council become automatic heads of Gawad Kalinga.)

The split has reached various corporate and institutional donors that have been supportive of Gawad Kalinga.

Gerardo Ablaza, Jr, chief executive officer of Globe Telecoms, which has sponsored a number of "Globe Villages" all over the country, told Newsbreak that they partnered with Gawad Kalinga because it is "aligned with the values of the company," not because it's a "religious organization."

The GK777 program aims to benefit 700,000 families by building 7,000 communities in seven years, or by the end of 2010.

While the funds and operational set-up needed for these targets will not be a problem, the split will most likely affect the projects’ constant supply of dedicated volunteers from the Couples for Christ.

Beyond Building

A Gawad Kalinga village usually stands out because the houses, which were built by both the house recipients and volunteers, are coated with colorful paints.

It’s a program that goes beyond building houses and donating construction materials. For each village, a "caretaker team" introduces value-formation seminars even before construction begins. After the houses are built, the team would continue to assist the villagers in education (usually a school is built on-site), employment (livelihood projects), and health, among others. This makes Gawad Kalinga unique from other program-based housing projects; it doesn’t intend to leave an area.

The concept has attracted the rich and the do-gooders. They have since been pouring their money into Gawad Kalinga. In 2006 alone, they donated P600 million.

For 2007, GK finance officer Michael Goco expects donations to reach P1 billion, making Gawad Kalinga one of the biggest non-profit organizations in the country. "As of now, getting donation is not a problem," Goco told Newsbreak. "It's more on how we deliver the goods."

And there lies the problem.

The cash donations account for just one-fourth of the total cost of building and maintaining a Gawad Kalinga village, where each house is valued at about P300,000. Donors essentially spend only P75,000 per house since their money is leveraged by the equivalent cost of the donated land, counterpart labor of the beneficiary, and most importantly, the man hours put in by volunteers.

Make or Break

The volunteers play a crucial part because their dedication to being part of the caretaker team can make or break a village.

Companies that have "adopted" Gawad Kalinga villages usually send employees—as part of their corporate social responsibility thrusts and work-life balancing efforts—to help during construction or to facilitate in various "transformation" seminars for villagers (to encourage them to be good neighbors, spouses, and parents). Schools such as the Ateneo, La Salle, and the University of the Philippines have also signed up their students to help out. But these volunteers usually come and go.

Most of those who commit to the program on a long-term basis are the members of Couples for Christ. They tirelessly see the village from conception to birth to its maturity.

Jun Valbuena is one of them. He has been shepherding Gawad Kalinga villages in the Baseco area in Tondo, Manila, since the group built eight colorful homes from the fire that gutted the shanty houses there in 2004.

Now he's been heading the team that tends to 21 villages in the same poor community. He visits the villages at least once a week, occasionally dealing with criminals and drunkards, and egging the parents to help their kids with their homework. "I do this not because I have to, but because I used to be a bad boy myself and I was reformed. This is my ministry."

But with the split, members of Gawad Kalinga have to make a decision: to stay with the current Couples for Christ leaders and continue their work in Gawad Kalinga, or join the breakaway group.

Easter Bunny

The other group is referred to as the Couples For Christ Foundation for Family and Life. They are more popularly known in church circles as the Easter Bunny Group since they openly expressed their concerns about GK on Easter day.

It’s not yet clear how many of the Couples for Christ members will be joining the breakaway group.

Padilla founded Couples for Christ in 1993 after breaking away with its main organization, Ang Ligaya ng Panginoon.

The split is a classic story of how two groups deal with ideological differences within the Catholic faith. At the center of the debate is whether GK should be used as an evangelization tool.

The Easter Bunny Group believes that GK should principally evangelize; other GK leaders prefer to work even with people who don’t strictly adhere to Catholic teachings.

In his open letter, Padilla alleged that Gawad Kalinga has "imposed silence on the connection of Gawad Kalinga to Couples for Christ because of the fear that some potential partners will not want to participate in a work that is ‘religious’.”

He also did not favor Gawad Kalinga's partnerships with corporations and universities that promote birth control and contraceptives, which are frowned upon by the Catholic Church.

"We are so intent on having as many partners as possible that we do not want to risk offending anyone. We are not pushing natural family planning in Gawad Kalinga areas simply because we know some corporate partners are for population control and strongly support the use of contraceptives," Padilla said in the letter. He refused to be interviewed for this story.

Gawad Kalinga was first conceptualized as a means to evangelize and recruit more members into Couples for Christ. The initial project, which was funded by Answering the Cry Of the Poor (Ancop), a foundation based in the US, was in Bagong Silang, Caloocan.

The strategy was to entice poor families to join Couples for Christ as GK builds houses for them and helps them find work. The success of this pilot pushed Couples for Christ to expand its social mission by inviting corporate partners. The rest, as they say, is history.

Meloto told Newsbreak that he and Padilla had been discussing the issues since 2003, the same year that Gawad Kalinga was spun off and registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

God’s Army

Currently, Gawad Kalinga is into lifestyle evangelization, not your typical hard-core Catholic preaching. It's almost equivalent to charm offensive.

The dedicated volunteers share their own life stories when they interact with or facilitate a seminar for the villagers. Those who are moved would be invited to attend the Christian Life Program, a Catholic training for would-be Couples for Christ members.

Meloto explains that although Gawad Kalinga started with a spiritual mission, it need not be rigid in its goal of simply converting villagers into Couples for Christ members. "I realized while doing Gawad Kalinga work that my mission does not end there. It has to be the whole process—from the self, to the family, to the community, to the nation."

Nation building, Meloto said, inevitably involves engaging with other Christian groups and religious organizations.

"God used [Couples for Christ] as an army to build Gawad Kalinga on the ground but that army cannot do it alone. It has to partner with other religious organizations and unite the factions that divide the country. It's not a shift. It's an expansion of the mission."

Padilla disagrees. He raised fears in his letter that the Mormons, for example, would recruit Gawad Kalinga beneficiaries and turn them into their own missionaries.

Meloto's reply: "We are opening to other religions but not compromising our own charism and faith. I told the Mormons, I don't want to go to your church. I don't want to discuss religion. I want to find out what you are doing to the poor." The Mormons help in the water sewerage system of Gawad Kalinga communities.

Expectedly, the Catholic bishops empathize with the Easter Bunny Group.

"The bishops are much concerned about these complaints because they involve the integrity of faith and morals," said Bishop Gabriel Reyes in a letter to Couples for Christ members on August 6.

Last August 10, Archbishop Angel Lagdameo, president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), said a Mass at Christ the King in Greenmeadows, Pasig, to "consecrate" the Easter Bunny Group.

The CBCP’s Episcopal Commission on the Laity is scheduled to meet with the two factions on August 28.

No one is more bothered by the split than the Couples for Christ members themselves. For Nonoy Marquez, a Gawad Kalinga project head in Tondo's Paradise Heights, he could only hope for a reconciliation between the two factions. All he could say was, "I'm praying for it.”

CFC Fiasco

2007-08-24T09:43:00.000-09:00

This is a sad sad news for me. Now that Tito Tony has formally announced his split with the Couples for Christ and Gawad Kalinga. Even though the international leaders convened an assembly last June 22, the audacity of the "old four" to include themselves on the voting even though they were part of the problem is both shameful and disgusting. When the Catholic Church in 1400s found itself with three Popes, they called the Council of Constance in 1414 to settle the dispute. The three popes were never included in the selection of the new pope and thus Pope Martin V was elected. This should have been the case with the July 22 CFC meeting.

And so it pains me to tell everyone, including my close friends in the CFC and its ministries whom I served for more than 10 years, that I do not recognize, under the pain of my conscience and my love for God, the newly elected council.

****

Split rocks CfC; Meloto quits Gawad Kalinga

CHICAGO, IL — In a struggle often described in biblical terms, the Couples For Christ (CfC), one of the biggest Catholic lay organizations with membership in 160 countries, announced it has split into two, with the larger segment remaining as CfC.

“It is with a heavy heart that I relay to you the Joint Statement of Frank Padilla and the CfC International Council declaring the split," Ricky Cuenca, CfC USA Country Coordinator, said in a letter obtained by Philippine News.

This developed as Cuenca urged dissenters “to stop all these negative emails, accusations and personal attacks on certain leaders and all other conduct unworthy of Christian leaders."

“Like Joshua, today we crossed the river Jordan under the continuing guidance of the Lord," Cuenca told the members of CfC. “Just like most of you, I had agonized and struggled with the conflict within CfC."

Until the release of the letter dated August 16, the internal dissension was kept under wraps and discussed in hushed tones by members of the CfC, including in the Chicago area.

Under the leadership of Padilla, the splinter group will be known as Restoration Movement. It is also referred to as the Easter Group.

Padilla is one of the founding members of CfC, established in the Philippines in 1981. After 26 years of service, he resigned last February as member of the seven-man CfC International Council, the governing body of the entire organization. He reportedly quit in protest of the CfC concentrating much of its resources on Gawad Kalinga (GK).

Padilla also questioned the legitimacy of the newly elected council, before officially leaving CfC last August 1.

Here in the U.S., Cuenca quickly re-aligned the CfC-USA Council, replacing those loyal to Padilla, who until his resignation was overseeing the entire North America region. Joe Duran was named national director.

In Chicago, Cuenca named Norman Canete to represent the Midwest in the CfC-USA Council. Canete will now face the task of keeping most of the members from further dissension, as erstwhile head Manny Hermano sided with Padilla in the dispute.

Cuenca himself admitted that he agonized in his decision to stay with CfC.

“Just like many of you, I had suffered in pain and agony, seeking hope for reconciliation," he said. “My direct, actual and personal experiences with both sides before, during and after the elections in Manila have also led me to this decision."

Two Kingdoms

In his response to the announcement, Vincent Pineda, a member of CfC with his wife Tess, sounded resigned to the break-up.

“As in the Old Testament, the house of Israel was divided into the Kingdom of Israel and the Kingdom of Judah; so is now with Couples For Christ," Pineda said. “Who among us is with the House of Israel or the House of Judah doesn’t matter. Though the House of Israel was divided, both Kingdoms remained people of God - - brothers and sisters to one another."

Cracks in the CfC leadership first surfaced when Padilla, along with two other CfC council members resigned in February. The resignation left four council members to administer the CfC until the June 22 election.

According to sources within the CfC-USA, before his resignation, Padilla and his allies questioned CfC’s emphasis on GK, which is accused of working with “anti-life corporations" as well as other religious groups such as the Mormons. Padilla’s group reportedly viewed it as a distraction to the goal of CFC to recruit more members.

One email message circulating in different CfC online groups asked: “Are we building God’s Kingdom (GK) villages? [Or] are we building instead altars for foreign gods of some GK partners: wives of Solomon? (Anti Life Corporations?)"

In response, British national and GK volunteer Dylan Wilk wrote: “Compared to what some say about GK not bringing people to Christ, the areas where we see great numbers of people being evangelized to CfC are actually in the GK communities themselves."

“If you visit any GK site, you will most likely see row after row of houses, most of which have CfC stickers on the doors. So far I have not seen that in any subdivision," said Wilk, a millionaire businessman who donated his millions to GK. He is based in the Philippines and is married to the daughter of former GK head, Tony Meloto. Meloto himself resigned as GK head in an apparent move to diffuse tension within CfC.

“Our CfC members and leaders have been living in their subdivisions for many years but have not succeeded in the massive evangelization of their neighbors that GK has done in the sites," Wilk pointed out.

As one of the “seven pillars," GK is under the supervision of CfC. GK promotes “discipleship of Christ" by helping the poor and providing them livelihood and decent shelter. The program has earned international recognition, as well as accolades for Meloto, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award and the 2007 Person of the Year by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. However, GK also earned scorn as it was accused of overshadowing the work of CfC.

Throughout the whole saga, Meloto remained silent, even as Wilk continues to emphasize that it is through GK that “people see the Gospel being lived out that they join CfC."

“It is not the house, if you listen to the testimony of almost any beneficiary, they will tell you that what changed them was the great love shown by their CfC caretaker team on a daily basis," Wilk wrote. “If every CfC member did this, we would already have seen GK777 be fulfilled and 100,000s of new members in CFC. That would be the power of we - God working through us as a Christian community."

Final breakup

Meanwhile, internal strife continued to brew even as the June 22 election of the CfC International Council in Manila was concluded.

At issue, Padilla’s group wanted the remaining four members of the council not to seek re-election. It insisted the four were “part of the conflict," and have “lost their moral ascendancy to govern…being unable to resolve things in the Lord."

Padilla’s group stood firm that the newly elected council, which counts as it members the original four, “does not have the mandate to govern." It added that because of the council’s “disrespect to the bishops," the CfC risks official Church recognition, including from the Vatican.

“The Council does not have the blessings of the Church, and so does not have the blessings of God," the statement “in behalf of Frank Padilla," said.

“In fact, the Council is the prime cause of our present difficulty with the Church hierarchy. The Council has endangered our relationship with our shepherds, and has threatened our very mission for Christ."

The dispute eventually led to the breakup, when Padilla’s Restoration Movement formally announced separation from CfC in his July 30 and August 1 letters.

Meanwhile, as head of the U.S. delegation, Cuenca said the development “gives a clear mandate for Couples for Christ USA to move on."

“Although saddened by the Joint Statement of the split and its impact on the community, it may on the other hand be the best solution for greater transformation of the two groups, as a house divided will also have difficulty moving forward," he said.

Cuenca also defended the seven-man international council saying they “are capable leaders, honed in the CfC culture and values. True to the leadings of the Holy Spirit, they are united, of one heart and of one mind."

He urged the members to “remain and stay within Couples For Christ."

“Amidst the apparent confusion, do not worry. For while there is a universe of truths, with each side taking its own slice or portion of the truth, God knows the whole truth," he said.

Thoughts on Random Things

2007-08-24T08:02:00.000-09:00

I am shocked and disgusted at this news. An in-law of Philippine Consulate in San Francisco is being charged by the NJ Attoryney General of involuntary servitude for treating the Filipina like a slave - by not allowing her to go out and paying her a fraction of the supposed wage.

It is one thing for another person to maltreat a Filipino but for Filipino to do it to his kababayan is just plain unacceptable. And what more a relative of the Philippine Consul General. Creepy.

“For two full years, the defendant controlled and exploited this victim, taking advantage of her youth and immigrant status,” Milgram said. “Human trafficking takes many forms, but the common thread is exploitation of the vulnerable, particularly women and children.,” the NJ Attorney General Said.

****

If it happened in the US, Americans will be at arms but in the Philippines, we just dont care if our soldiers die needlesly in Mindanao. We even have the audacity to downplay their importance by calling for a ceasefire. Its no longer shocking that the insurgency and terrorism thrives in the Philippines because we are all coward and we just dont care about our soldiers.

****

I have to brace myself again for the bruhaha that is the Hello Garci Investigation. And the Palace is ready to use its best known defense - EO 464. Hays!! I dunno when this will ever end. Like the Senate would use the investigation in aid of legislation. They should be honest by telling us its for publicity sake and for their presidential ambition. Just a waste of taxpayer's money.

I Miss Multiply

2007-08-21T20:04:00.000-09:00

A few weeks back I would visit my multiply site a gazillion times that is before it was banned in the office.

Yup. It was banned meaning you cannot access the site anymore. You will then be redirected to a page that tells you that access has been denied. It is really a bummer.

But then again, surfing in the office has been illegal since time immemorial so we were kinda lucky to have had an initial access on the first place.

And so the "pasaway" David has been a good agent so far - and i hope I will be able to do it till I get promoted. And I hope it does not take long.

:)

Hay. I super miss multiply.

Beyond Deathly Hallows: Rowling Reveals

2007-08-02T03:36:00.000-09:00

taken from The Leaky Cauldron

J.K. Rowling has just answered a whole onslaught of post-DH question in a Web chat on Bloomsbury.com. We have reordered the questions so that it reads top-down; answers are here about the characters’ future lives, the state of the wizarding world, the other two title potentials for Deathly Hallows, and much, much, more. More than 120,000 questions were sent in; and as it’s the first time J.K. Rowling has been able to answer questions so freely in a fan chat, there are spoilers and details GALORE. Read on! But here is some…

SPOILER SPACE

HAVE YOU READ DH?

IF NOT YOU’RE GOING TO BE SPOILED

Transcript coming:

J.K. Rowling: I’m here and I can’t wait! Bring on the questions!

Leaky Cauldron: What, if anything, did the wizarding world learn, and how did society change, as a direct result of the war with voldemort? (i.E., not as a result of harry, ron and hermione’s future careers.)

J.K. Rowling: The Ministry of Magic was de-corrupted, and with Kingsley at the helm the discrimination that was always latent there was eradicated.

J.K. Rowling: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny et al would of course play a significant part in the re-building of wizarding society through their future careers.

Ryan Love: From your fans at thesnitch.Co.Uk. Weren’t we supposed to see ginny display powerful magical abilities in “deathly hallows” and find out why it’s significant that she’s the seventh child? Was her main role in the books only to be harry’s love interest?

J.K. Rowling: Hi Ryan! Well, I think Ginny demonstrated powerful magic in the final battle, and that for a sixteen year old witch she acquitted herself pretty well. I don’t remember ever saying that her ‘seventh child’ status would prove particularly

J.K. Rowling: important in the last book, though – are you sure I said that?!

J.K. Rowling: No, the Malfoys weaseled their way out of trouble (again) due to the fact that they colluded (albeit out of self-interest) with Harry at the end of the battle. Georgina: Did lucius malfoy, and all the other escaped death eaters, go back to azkaban

Elisabeth: In the chapter of kings cross, are they behind the veil or in some world between the real world and the veil?

J.K. Rowling: You can make up your own mind on this, but I think that Harry entered a kind of limbo between life and death.

Renee: From reading about the original owners of the deathly hallows, the peverell brothers, i’m wondering if harry and voldermort are distantly related voldermorts grandfather ended up with the resurrection stone ring?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, Harry and Voldemort are distantly related through the Peverells.

J.K. Rowling: Of course, nearly all wizarding families are related if you trace them back through the centuries. As was made clear in ‘Deathly hallows’, Peverell blood would run through many wizarding families.

Fomy: What did you feel when you finally wrote the kiss, awaited so much by the fans, of ron and hermione

J.K. Rowling: I loved writing it, and I loved the fact that Hermione took the initiative!

J.K. Rowling: Ron had finally got SPEW and earned himself a snog!

Angela Morrissey: Why is it that albus dumbledore can see harry under his invisibility cloak at certain moments? (during the series is the cloak only infallible to those who do not own a deathly hallow).

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore, who could perform magic without needing to say the incantation aloud, was using ‘homenum revelio’ -

J.K. Rowling: – the human-presence-revealing spell Hermione makes use of in Deathly Hallows.

Jamie Lewis: What ever happened to winky

J.K. Rowling: She’s still at Hogwarts, and she was one of the oncoming house-elves who attacked the Death Eaters in the final battle.

Katieleigh: Does hermione still continue to do work with spew and is life any better for house elves!

J.K. Rowling: Hermione began her post-Hogwarts career at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures

J.K. Rowling: where she was instrumental in greatly improving life for house-elves and their ilk. She then moved (despite her jibe to Scrimgeour) to the Dept. of Magical Law Enforcement

J.K. Rowling: where she was a progressive voice who ensured the eradication of oppressive, pro-pureblood laws.

Tineke: Did teddy grow up living with his grandmother?

J.K. Rowling: Yes, Teddy was raised by Andromeda.

J.K. Rowling: However, unlike Neville, who was also raised by his grandmother

J.K. Rowling: Teddy had his godfather, Harry, and all his father’s friends in the Order, to visit and stay with.

Blodeuwedd: Hi jk, first of all thank you for all the books I have enjoyed each and every one of them could you tell us what professions harry, hermione, ron, ginny and luna go on to have did the trio do their final year at school and take their newts who became hea

J.K. Rowling: Harry did so (just because Voldemort was gone, it didn’t mean that there would not be other Dark witches and wizards in the coming years).

J.K. Rowling: Ron joined George at Weasleys’ Wizarding Wheezes, which became an enormous money-spinner..

J.K. Rowling: After a few years as a celebrated player for the Holyhead Harpies, Ginny retired to have her family and to become the Senior Quidditch correspondent at the Daily Prophet!

Camille: What or who is peeves exactly, is he linked with the blood barons story?

J.K. Rowling: Thank you! I’ve already answered about Hermione. Kingsley became permanent Minister for Magic, and naturally he wanted Harry to head up his new Auror department.

Camille: What or who is peeves exactly, is he linked with the blood barons story?

J.K. Rowling: No, Peeves is not linked to the bloody Baron’s story.

J.K. Rowling: He is a spirit of chaos that entered the building long ago and has proved impossible to eradicate!

Jessie: Were the deathly hallows based on any realworld myth or faerie tale

J.K. Rowling: Perhaps ‘the Pardoner’s Tale’, by Chaucer.

Alicepie: What happend to luna, did she get married who to?

J.K. Rowling: She ended up marrying (rather later than Harry & co) a fellow naturalist and grandson of the great Newt Scamander (Rolf)!

Rosi: What does in essence divided mean?

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore suspected that the snake’s essence was divided – that it contained part of Voldemort’s soul, and that was why it was so very adept at doing his bidding.

J.K. Rowling: This also explained why Harry, the last and unintended Horcrux, could see so clearly through the snake’s eyes, just as he regularly sees through Voldemort’s.

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore is thinking aloud here, edging towards the truth with the help of the Pensieve.

Superhans: What was duldeys worst memory?

J.K. Rowling: I think that when Dudley was attacked by the Dementors he saw himself, for the first time, as he really was. This was an extremely painful, but ultimately salutory lesson, and began the transformation in him.

Superhans: What was duldeys worst memory?

Casey Kunze: Who killed remus and tonks I think if I knew this, I would get some closure over the very sad, but understandable, death of two of my favorite characters

J.K. Rowling: I’m so sorry! I met a couple on launch night who had come dressed as Lupin and Tonks, and I felt dreadfully guilty as I signed their books!

J.K. Rowling: Remus was killed by Dolohov and Tonks by Bellatrix.

Laura Trego: Was the absence of snapes portrait in the headmasters office in the last scene innocent or deliberate

J.K. Rowling: It was deliberate. Snape had effectively abandoned his post before dying, so he had not merited inclusion in these august circles.

J.K. Rowling: However, I like to think that Harry would be instrumental in ensuring that Snape’s portrait would appear there in due course.

Stephanie: If the wand chooses the wizard, then why do wands work when passed down from father to son eg neville had his fathers wand

J.K. Rowling: As established by Ollivander, a wizard can use almost any wand, it is simply that a wand that chooses him/her will work best. Where there is a family connection, a wand will work a little better than a wand chosen at random, I think.

James Farrell: How did umbridge manage to conjure a patronus while wearing the locket when harry wasnt able to

J.K. Rowling: Because she is a very nasty piece of work. She has an affinity for this horrible object, which would help rather than hinder her.

Tineke: What happened to percy did he return to his job at the ministry

J.K. Rowling: Yes, the new improved Percy ended up as a high-ranking official under Kingsley.

Su: How did neville get the gryfindor sword, is there a link to the hat

J.K. Rowling: Yes, there is very definitely a link to the hat!

J.K. Rowling: Neville, most worthy Gryffindor, asked for help just as Harry did in the Chamber of secrets, and Gryffindor’s sword was transported into Gryffindor’s old hat

J.K. Rowling: – the Sorting Hat was Gryffindor’s initially, as you know.

J.K. Rowling: Griphook was wrong – Gryffindor did not ‘steal’ the sword, not unless you are a goblin fanatic and believe that all goblin-made objects really belong to the maker.

Steph: Will azkaban still use dementors?

J.K. Rowling: No, definitely not. Kingsley would see to that. The use of Dementors was always a mark of the underlying corruption of the Ministry, as Dumbledore constantly maintained.

Smallbutpowerful: On behalf of all harry potter fans who consider themselves to be hufflepuffs could you please describe the hufflepuff common room as it is the only common room harry hasn’t visited

J.K. Rowling: The Hufflepuff common room is accessed through a portrait near the kitchens, as I am sure you have deduced.

J.K. Rowling: Sorry – I should say ‘painting’ rather than portrait, because it is a still-life.

J.K. Rowling: It is a very cosy and welcoming place, as dissimilar as possible from Snape’s dungeon. Lots of yellow hangings, and fat armchairs, and little underground tunnels leading to the dormitories, all of which have perfectly round doors, like barrel tops.

Camille: How is george getting along without his twin

J.K. Rowling: Well, I don’t think that George would ever get over losing Fred, which makes me feel so sad. However, he names his first child and son Fred, and he goes on to have a very successful career, helped by good old Ron.

Jessica Lynn: Did hagrid have to be able to see thestrals in order to train them if so, whose death did hagrid witness

J.K. Rowling: Hagrid has seen many deaths in quite a long life, so yes, he can see Thestrals.

Allie: What did dumbledore truly see in the mirror of erised

J.K. Rowling: He saw his family alive, whole and happy – Ariana, Percival and Kendra all returned to him, and Aberforth reconciled to him.

Snapedinhalf: You promised that someone will do magic late in life in book 7. I’ve now read it three times but cant work out who it might have been! Please help!!

J.K. Rowling: I’m sorry about this, but I changed my mind!

J.K. Rowling: My very earliest plan for the story involved somebody managing to get to Hogwarts when they had never done magic before, but I had changed my mind by the time I’d written the third book.

Christiana: How did voldemort get his wand back after he was in was exile

J.K. Rowling: Wormtail, desperate to curry favour, salvaged it from the place it had fallen and carried it to him. I admit that would have been a bit of a feat for a rat, but they are highly intelligent creatures!

Amanda: Hiya, ive grown up with harry and the gang, did any of the characters change in any unexpected ways as they grew up

J.K. Rowling: They all became pretty much what I expected/planned them to become.

J.K. Rowling: Of course they changed as I wrote, but nobody surprised me very much!

Ravleen: How much does the fact that voldemort was conceived under a love potion have to do with his nonability to understand love is it more symbolic

J.K. Rowling: It was a symbolic way of showing that he came from a loveless union – but of course, everything would have changed if Merope had survived and raised him herself and loved him.

J.K. Rowling: The enchantment under which Tom Riddle fathered Voldemort is important because it shows coercion, and there can’t be many more prejudicial ways to enter the world than as the result of such a union.

Lechicaneuronline: Do you think snape is a hero

J.K. Rowling: Yes, I do; though a very flawed hero. An anti-hero, perhaps. He is not a particularly likeable man in many ways. He remains rather cruel, a bully, riddled with bitterness and insecurity – and yet he loved, and showed loyalty to that love

J.K. Rowling: and, ultimately, laid down his life because of it. That’s pretty heroic!

James Farrell: Voldemort never told anyone about his horcruxes, so how on earth did regulus black discover his secret

J.K. Rowling: Horcrux magic was not Voldemort’s own invention; as is established in the story, other wizards had done it, though never gone as far as to make six.

J.K. Rowling: Voldemort dropped oblique hints; in his arrogance, he did not believe anybody would be clever enough to understand them.

J.K. Rowling: (He does so in the graveyard of Little Hangleton, in front of Harry). He did this before Regulus and Regulus guessed, correctly, what it was that made Voldemort so convinced he could not die.

Jaclyn: Did lily ever have feelings back for snape

J.K. Rowling: Yes. She might even have grown to love him romantically (she certainly loved him as a friend) if he had not loved Dark Magic so much, and been drawn to such loathesome people and acts.

Boggo: Would you choose the hallow that is the cloak, like youre supposed to, and would you be tempted to use the others

J.K. Rowling: My temptation would be Harry’s, ie, the Stone. But I believe, as does Harry ultimately, that the greatest wisdom is in accepting that we must all die, and moving on.

Cornersoul: So what happens to all the dementors where will they go will they be destroyed if so, how

J.K. Rowling: You cannot destroy Dementors, though you can limit their numbers if you eradicate the conditions in which they multiply, ie, despair and degradation. As I’ve already said, though,

J.K. Rowling: the Ministry no longer used them to torment its opponents.

Michael: Why didnt fawkes come back to help harry I would have thought that since harry was so loyal to dumbledore, fawkes would have been harrys new pet

J.K. Rowling: Something had to leave the school for good when Dumbledore died, and I decided that would be Fawkes. Dumbledore was a very great and irreplacable man, and the loss of Fawkes (and the fact that he was ‘non-transferable’!) expresses this symbolically

Roseweasley: Why was colin creavey still a student at hogwarts when he was muggleborn surely he would have been locked up and interogated, not allowed back to school therefore, he shouldnt have died

J.K. Rowling: Colin wasn’t a student. He sneaked back with the rest of the DA, along with Fred, George and the rest. He ought not to have stayed behind when McGonagall told him to leave, but alas – he did.

Delailah: How does dumbledore understand parseltongue?

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore understood Mermish, Gobbledegook and Parseltongue. The man was brilliant.

Jessie: Will lockhart ever recover?

J.K. Rowling: No. Nor would I want him to. He’s happy where he is, and I’m happier without him!

Annie: Does the wizarding world now know that snape was dumbledores man, or do they still think he did a bunk

J.K. Rowling: Harry would ensure that Snape’s heroism was known.

J.K. Rowling: Of course, that would not stop Rita Skeeter writing ‘Snape: Scoundrel or Saint?’

Vio91: Is teddy lupin a werewolf

J.K. Rowling: No, he’s a Metamorphmagus like his mother

Nippy23: We see socks a lot throughout the series, such as dobby’s love for them and dumbledore’s claim to see them in the mirror of erised, what’s the reason behind all the socks

J.K. Rowling: Nothing deep and significant, I’m afraid. They’re just a comedy item.

Lady Bella: Whose murders did voldemor use to create each of the horcruxes

J.K. Rowling: The diary – Moaning Myrtle. The cup – Hepzibah Smith, the previous owner. The locket – a Muggle tramp. Nagini – Bertha Jorkins (Voldemort could use a wand once he regained a rudimentary body, as long as the victim was subdued).

J.K. Rowling: The diadem – an Albanian peasant. The ring – Tom Riddle snr.

Sampotterish: Why did dumbledore want ron to keep his deluminator

J.K. Rowling: Because he knew that Ron might need a little more guidance than the other two.

J.K. Rowling: Dumbledore understood Ron’s importance in the trio. He wasn’t the most skilled, or the most intelligent, but he held them together; his humour and his good heart were essential.

Carol: Do dementors have souls

J.K. Rowling: No, that’s what makes them frightening!

Jess Mac: What was the third smell that hermione smelt in the amortentia potion in hbp (ie the particular essence of ron)

J.K. Rowling: I think it was his hair. Every individual has very distinctive-smelling hair, don’t you find?

Natalie: Are house divisions as prevalaent in harry’s children’s hogwarts as in the previous generations

J.K. Rowling: Slytherin has become diluted. It is no longer the pureblood bastion it once was. Nevertheless, its dark reputation lingers, hence Albus Potter’s fears.

Nithya: Lily detested mulciber,averyif snape really loved her,why didnt he sacrifice their company for her sake

J.K. Rowling: Well, that is Snape’s tragedy. Given his time over again he would not have become a Death Eater, but like many insecure, vulnerable people (like Wormtail) he craved membership of something big and powerful, something impressive.

J.K. Rowling: He wanted Lily and he wanted Mulciber too. He never really understood Lily’s aversion; he was so blinded by his attraction to the dark side he thought she would find him impressive if he became a real Death Eater.

Alborz: What does it mean to be the master of death

J.K. Rowling: As Dumbledore explains, the real master of Death accepts that he must die, and that there are much worse things in the world of the living.

J.K. Rowling: It is not about striving for immortality, but about accepting mortality.

Barbara: I was very disappointed to see harry use crucio and seem to enjoy it his failure to perform that kind of curse in the past has been a credit to his character why the change, and did harry later regret having enjoyed deliberately causing pain

J.K. Rowling: Harry is not, and never has been, a saint. Like Snape, he is flawed and mortal.

J.K. Rowling: Harry’s faults are primarily anger and occasional arrogance.

J.K. Rowling: On this occasion, he is very angry and acts accordingly. He is also in an extreme situation, and attempting to defend somebody very good against a violent and murderous opponent.

Nicole: What do you think is the funniest moment you have written in the series

J.K. Rowling: It sounds very vain to answer this! My favourite in this book is probably that line of Ron’s ‘really captures the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn’t it?’

Courtney: What child did harry give the marauders map to if any

J.K. Rowling: I’ve got a feeling he didn’t give it to any of them, but that James sneaked it out of his father’s desk one day.

Karin: What did petunia wanted to say to hary at the end of the dursleys departing

J.K. Rowling: I think that for one moment she trembled on the verge of wishing Harry luck; that she almost acknowledged that her loathing of his world, and of him, was born out of jealousy.

J.K. Rowling: But she couldn’t do it; years of pretending that ‘normal’ was best had hardened her too much.

Leaky Cauldron: Please pose and answer the question you’d most like to address about the series! (a ha, turned it back on you.)

J.K. Rowling: Oooo, you’re tough.

J.K. Rowling: I must admit, I always wondered why nobody ever asked me what Dumbledore’s wand was made of!

J.K. Rowling: And I couldn’t say that, even when asked ‘what do you wish you’d been asked…’ because it would have sign-posted just how significant that wand would become!

Nora: Is auntie muriels tiara important

J.K. Rowling: No, sorry… except to illustrate what an old bat she is.

Nigel: Can harry speak parseltongue when he is no longer a horcrux?

J.K. Rowling: No, he loses the ability, and is very glad to do so.

Nikki: How did sirius twoway mirror end up with aberforth or is it another twoway mirror

J.K. Rowling: You see Aberforth meeting Mundungus in Hogsmeade. That was the occasion on which Dung, who had taken Sirius’s mirror from Grimmauld Place, sold it to Aberforth.

Tierney Roth: If moody got a magic eye, and wormtail got a magic hand, couldnt there be some way to form a magical ear, if only to cover up the hole and make george look more symmetrical

J.K. Rowling: Yes, he could wear a false ear (I’m starting to giggle at the thought. Perhaps he’s better off with the hole!)

Lucy: What is dumbledores boggart?

J.K. Rowling: The corpse of his sister

Pablo: What is toadface umbridge doing now

J.K. Rowling: Glad to see you like her as much as I do!

J.K. Rowling: She was arrested, interrogated and imprisoned for crimes against Muggleborns.

Tina: Do the muggles notice that there arent any weird things going on now that voldemorts gone

J.K. Rowling: Yes, the world seems a much sunnier place (literally – with the Dementors gone the weather gets better!)

J.K. Rowling: We are having a heavily Dementor-influenced summer here in the UK.

Katie Mosher: How exactly do muggleborns receive magical ability

J.K. Rowling: Muggle-borns will have a witch or wizard somewhere on their family tree, in some cases many, many generations back. The gene re-surfaces in some unexpected places.

Maggie: Is rita skeeter still reporting

J.K. Rowling: Naturally, what could stop Rita? I imagine she immediately dashed off a biography of Harry after he defeated Voldemort. One quarter truth to three quarters rubbish.

Maggie Keir: Was hermione able to find her parents and undo the memory damage

J.K. Rowling: Yes, she brought them home straight away.

Lola Victorpujebet: Was minerva in love with albus

J.K. Rowling: No! Not everybody falls in love with everybody else…

Rachel Nell: Jkr, thank you for such amazing books! I would like to know how come noone seemed to know that lily and snape were friends in school they were obviously meeting for chats, etc didnt james know their past

J.K. Rowling: Thank you for your thank you!

J.K. Rowling: Yes, it was known that they were friendly and then stopped being friends. Nothing more than that would be widely known.

J.K. Rowling: James always suspected Snape harboured deeper feelings for Lily, which was a factor in James’ behaviour to Snape.

Abbey: Will the chuddley cannons ever win the quidditch world cup

J.K. Rowling: Bless them, perhaps. But they’d need to replace the entire team and down several cauldrons of Felix Felicitas.

Hayleyhaha: Why did regulus have a change of heart

J.K. Rowling: He was not prepared for the reality of life as a Death Eater. It was Voldemort’s attempted murder of Kreacher that really turned him.

Stephval: Is scorpius as misguided as his father, or has draco improved and taught his child(ren) better

J.K. Rowling: Scorpius has a lot going against him, not least that name. However, I think Scorpius would be an improvement on his father, whom misfortune has sobered!

[The previous question was posed after the answer appeared.]

J.K. Rowling: Sorry, technical hitch – just answered a question before seeing it!

J.K. Rowling: I am clearly getting better at Legilimency.

Lona: Did draco and harry lose their animosity towards eachother when voldemort died

J.K. Rowling: Not really. There would be a kind of rapprochement, in that Harry knows Draco hated being a Death Eater, and would not have killed Dumbledore; similarly, Draco would feel a grudging gratitude towards Harry for saving his life.

J.K. Rowling: Real friendship would be out of the question, though. Too much had happened prior to the final battle.

Hannah: Why was snape so badly groomed

J.K. Rowling: Hmm. Good question. Poor eyesight? Did he look in the mirror and believe he was gorgeous as he was?

J.K. Rowling: I think it more likely that he valued other qualities in himself!

J.K. Rowling: I think not. I imagine that it was squashed into the ground by a centaur’s hoof as the centaurs dashed to the aid of the Hogwarts fighters, and thereafter became buried.

Adwait313: Has the jinx on the dada teaching post at hogwarts been lifted

J.K. Rowling: Yes, at last! Incidentally, I know some have asked about Quirrell with regard to this question.

J.K. Rowling: He was teaching at Hogwarts for more than a year, but NOT in the post of D.A.D.A. teacher. He was previously Muggle Studies professor.

Emily: What ever happened to aberforth

J.K. Rowling: He is still there, at the Hog’s Head, playing w

Lee: I recently purchsed nimbus twothousand it has a terrible knack of veering left is their anything I can do (wihout the use of a wand it was broken by a hippogriff) to repair it back to it original straight flying state

J.K. Rowling: Hm. I would advise a trip to Arkie Alderton’s Kwik-Repair Shop. Never attempt to mend a broom at home, the consequences can be disastrous.

Abjoppotter: Is narcissa malfoy really a death eater

J.K. Rowling: No, she never had the Dark Mark and was never a fully paid-up member. However, her views were identical to those of her husband until Voldemort planned the death of her son.

Emzzy: Did mr weasley ever get around to fixing sirius motorbike

J.K. Rowling: Of course, and it ended up in Harry’s possession.

Lulu: Do you think dumbledore was a little more fond of ron than either ron or harry believed

J.K. Rowling: Yes, I do. Through Harry’s account of Ron, and from reports of the professors who taught Ron, Dumbledore understood Ron better than Ron ever knew, and liked him, too.

Chelatina: Was firenze ever welcomed back into the herd

J.K. Rowling: Yes, the rest of the herd was forced to acknowledge that Firenze’s pro-human leanings were not shameful, but honourable.

Kristy: What was your favorite scene to write in deathly hallows?

J.K. Rowling: Chapter 34: The Forest Again.

Chely: James patronus is a stag and lilys a doe is that a coincidence?

J.K. Rowling: No, the Patronus often mutates to take the image of the love of one’s life (because they so often become the ‘happy thought’ that generates a Patronus).

Jon: Since voldemort was afraid of death, did he choose to be a ghost if so where does he haunt or is this not possible due to his horcruxes

J.K. Rowling: No, he is not a ghost. He is forced to exist in the stunted form we witnessed in King’s Cross.

Angela Morrissey: Were there seven horcruxes not six as dumbledore intimated to harry if so, does this mean that voldemort had an 8 part soul not a 7

J.K. Rowling: Yes, Voldemort accidentally broke his soul into eight parts, not seven.

Laura Trego: Did hermione really put a memory charm on her parents she says she did but then about 50 pages later tells ron shes never done a memory charm

J.K. Rowling: They are two different charms. She has not wiped her parents’ memories (as she later does to Dolohov and Rowle); she has bewitched them to make them believe that they are different people.

Maura: How come voldemort was no longer employing occlumency against harry, as he was in the 6th book

J.K. Rowling: He is losing control, and unable to prevent Harry seeing into his mind. The connection between them is never fully understood by Voldemort, who does not know that Harry is a Horcrux.

Gandalfxj9: Did krum ever find love

J.K. Rowling: Of course, though he had to go back to his native Bulgaria to do so.

Twinkletoes: Why did you feel that hedwigs death was necessary

J.K. Rowling: The loss of Hedwig represented a loss of innocence and security. She has been almost like a cuddly toy to Harry at times. Voldemort killing her marked the end of childhood. I’m sorry… I know that death upset a LOT of people!

Lecanard: Will we see harry and his friends having their own history on chocolate frogs cards

J.K. Rowling: Definitely, and Ron will describe this as his finest hour.

Mike: What is the incantation for creating a horcrux

J.K. Rowling: I cannot possibly tell you. Some things are better left unsaid.

Samantha: Was snape the only death eater who could produce a full patronus

J.K. Rowling: Yes, because a Patronus is used against things that the Death Eaters generally generate, or fight alongside. They would not need Patronuses.

Jess: How did nagini could see harry and hermione if they were under the invisibility cloak

J.K. Rowling: Snakes’ sense are very different from human ones. They can detect heat and movement in a way that we can’t.

Chucky: Have you had another alternatives as book title apart from deathly hallows

J.K. Rowling: The two other possibilities were ‘the Elder Wand’ (used instead as a chapter title) and ‘the Peverell Quest’, which I decided against quite quickly. I think the word ‘Quest’ is a bit corny!

Iglooanne: What would your patronus be

J.K. Rowling: I’d like an otter, like Hermione, but I’ve got a feeling it might be a large dog.

The Stoic Cycle: Why is it that voldemort is unaware that the gaunt ring is a hallow, when he has worn it (such as in the memory the diary shows harry in book 2)

J.K. Rowling: Wearing the ring would not make the stone work. The stone existed outside the ring originally, and to use it you had to turn it three times in your hand.

Finchburg: Does the dark mark remain on those that voldemort has branded after his death or does the tattoo dissapear now he is gone thanks for considering my question!

J.K. Rowling: My pleasure, Finchburg! The Dark Mark would fade to a scar, not dissimilar to the lightning scar on Harry’s forehead.

J.K. Rowling: Like Harry’s, these scars would no longer burn or hurt.

Katie Mosher: How is the quibbler doing these days

J.K. Rowling: Pretty well, actually. It has returned to its usual condition of advanced lunacy, and is appreciated for its unintentional humour.

Camille: Dear mrs rowling, while im here I want to thank you for making me laugh, cry (a lot! Most of all for sirius!) since im 11 quite a long time for me as im 20 harrys magic and yours will be with me forever! Thanks!

J.K. Rowling: Thank you very much, Camille, and I’m sorry about Sirius. That man’s got a lot of fans.

J.K. Rowling: Mostly female, I might add.

Nicofr: Does winky still drink a lot of butterbear

J.K. Rowling: She’s dried out a bit now.

Isabel: Did bellatrix ever love her husband, or did she have love only for voldemort

J.K. Rowling: She took a pureblood husband, because that was what was expected of her, but her true love was always Voldemort.

jenny: How did snape keep his patronus secret from the rest of the order?

J.K. Rowling: He was careful not to use the talking Patronus means of communication with them. This was not difficult, as his particular job within the Order, ie, as spy, meant that sending a Patronus to any of them might have given away his true allegiance.

Darchey: Did voldemort ever love a girl

J.K. Rowling: No, he loved only power, and himself. He valued people whom he could use to advance his own objectives.

Leo: What would your wand be made of

J.K. Rowling: I’d like Harry’s wand – holly and phoenix feather.

Brian: Did the da keep the coins?

J.K. Rowling: Naturally. They would be like badges or medals of honour – proof that the owner had been at the heart of the fight against Voldemort from the start! I like to imagine Neville showing his to his admiring pupils.

Tracie: How relieved are you that you can finally talk about the series no more secretkeeping!

J.K. Rowling: I’m elated! It is great to be able to do this at last, I’ve looked forward to it for so long!

Lou: How did snape get into grimmauld place to get the second half of the letter, if there were protection spells on the house stopping snape getting in

J.K. Rowling: Snape entered the house immediately after Dumbledore’s death, before Moody put up the spells against him.

Koen Van Der Voort: Why is the scar on harrys forehead lightning shaped

J.K. Rowling: To be honest, because it’s a cool shape. I couldn’t have my hero sport a doughnut-shaped scar.

Louie: Did mariettas pimply formation ever fade

J.K. Rowling: Eventually, but it left a few scars. I loathe a traitor!

Katie B: Why was kings cross the place harry went to when he died

J.K. Rowling: For many reasons. The name works rather well, and it has been established in the books as the gateway between two worlds, and Harry would associate it with moving on between two worlds (don’t forget that it is Harry’s image we see, not necessarily

J.K. Rowling: what is really there.

J.K. Rowling: We seem to have over-run. We’ve had over 120,000 questions, I’ve been told!

J.K. Rowling: What can I say? Thank you so much for sticking with me, and with Harry, for so long. You have made this an incredible journey for Harry’s author.

J.K. Rowling: I like this question, so I’ll take it for my last.

Tess: What muggle song do you imagine would be played at dumbledores funeral

J.K. Rowling: Surely ‘I did it my way’ by Frank Sinatra.

J.K. Rowling: I’m very aware I haven’t answered everything… keep an eye on my website, and I’ll try and answer some more questions in due course!

J.K. Rowling: Thanks very much everybody, I’ve had a great time, and I hope I’ve covered some of the outstanding questions (I hear a distant roar of ‘YOU DIDN’T GET TO MINE!’)

J.K. Rowling: That’s it… I’m Disapparating. Bye!

True Bloodedness

2007-07-31T22:52:00.000-09:00

Thanks Kaia for this....

IF YOUR BLUE BLOODEDNESS WOULD BE GRADED, WHAT WOULD YOUR FINAL MARK BE?

Place an X inside the box if it applies to you.

[x] Bought something from the A Shop -- hay nagpunta pa ako sa Moro para lang makakuha ng shirt na yun
[ ] Got an A for at least one subject -- hmmmm. hindi ko alam na may A pala
[x] Understood the definition of "HELL" week… -- ito ba yung mga araw na wala kang tulog at kaibigan ang computer
[x] and regretted finding out what it meant -- AMEN!
[x] Has taken/ Currently taking PE 101 -- the every corny and boring subject na muntik na akong bumagsak

score: 4

[x] Crammed three papers in one night -- Philo Majors' expertise
[ ] Gave a class presentation that you now regret-- wala pa naman.
[x] Know at least one photocopy lady because of professors who loved Xerox machines-- Ate Alma and the Old Colayco - who would forget
[x] Got an F in a long test-- Long test lang ba....
[x] Promised to do better but didn't in general -- everyone's guilty

score: 4

[x] Exerted effort to be exempted sa finals-- sino ba naman ang may ayaw?
[x] Striven for bonus points -- my saving grace especially for Jap
[x] Slept in the library -- meron akong fave place actually - dun sa malapit sa reserve section
[x] Ate lunch outside the caf-- Ken Afford, Old Spag, etc..
[x] Get a Jesuit for a teacher -- Que, Dacanay, Green, Salanga, Ferriols, David

score: 5

[ ] Ate at least in 10 establishments in Katipunan-- layo ang lakaran eh.
[ ]Got an attack from Higad-- thank goodness hindi pa... creepy.
[x]Watched BlueRep and TA plays required -- who would forget late night plays sa Rizal
[x] Preferred Manang's food over the Caf's-- Especially after PE
[x] Screamed your lungs out in Araneta for the Blue Eagles -- pumila pa ako ng more than 6 hrs para lang sa ticket

score: 3

[ ]Puked at Math 19 and 20-- wala yata kaming ganito.
[ ] Went to CERSA night -- nope. pero nakikita ko yung weird costumes nila
[x] Signed-up for an Org -- my life...
[x] Joined an org that has a screening - Matanglawin
[x] Became active in that org-- ang walang org - pangit.

score: 3

[x] Joined a socially oriented org - YFC and Speed
[x] Played cards during long breaks -- sa ADMU ako natutong maglaro ng bridge
[x] Found immersion trips meaningful-- Imagine nagcommute me mag-isa papuntang Quezon para lang dyan
[x] Went to school in flip-flops-- favorite ko. mabilis suotin.
[x] Went to school in "pambahay attire"-- kahit ano na lang ang makuha sa cabinet, especially in the last 2 yrs

score: 5

[x] Went to school wearing chucks -- pula. fave color
[x] Hated your random number -- sinong hindi maasar sa bottom 10%
[ ] Been to Drew's - never heard
[x] Have an organizer, whether it be from Starbucks, Go Nuts, Belle de Jour or whatever! -- requirement para sa akin. makakalimutin kasi ako
[x] Went to class without showering after P.E. -- haller. hindi ko kayang maligo sa CR sa cov courts

score: 5

[x] Wanted to tell the guards to F*ck off-- ewan ko ba everytime na nakakakita ako ng guard, kinakapa ko kung may id ako.
[ ] had accidentally seen a make-out session -- none. sayang.
[x] Used consultation times properly-- or kahit gusto ko lang mangulit
[x] Brought an umbrella but it didn't rain-- stole once as well..sorry
[x] Left an umbrella and then it rained-- that was why i stole once

score: 4

[x] Went to school trying to make porma but no one noticed-- first year life
[x] Went to school looking crappy and everyone noticed-- hello, wala akong tulog.
[ ] Camwhored a lot--
[x] Saw artistas and completely ignored them -- not except if they are super hot
[x] Spoke in a conyo way-- hehe, secret

score: 5

[x] Found a Chinese girl/boy hot-- AMEN
[x] Nagulat sa lumulubog na block sa SOM-Overpass walkway-- muntik mabiktima
[x] Had a block party -- J block the best

[x] Have at least 25 Ateneans on your Ym list

score: 4

[x] Became an FFL (Fucking freeloader!) - Thanks to dacanay
[x] Traded dvds of American tv shows with your friends-- FRIENDS and everyone else
[ ] Went to Ewood for nothing --
[x] Wore aviator glasses in Ateneo-- Someone else's, but yeah.
[x] Ate in class

score: 4

[x] Became EMO for no apparent reason in school -- Ay oo.
[x] Thought friendster is a bust and multiply is SOOO much better
[x] Voted in the Sanggu elections vote abstain - ONCE lang
[x] Read the Guidon and Matanglawin thoroughly - dapat lang no
[x] Tried to avoid the guards because you left your oh-so-precious id-- hay, palagi na lang ako nasa list nila

score: 5

[x] Engaged in deep-thinking while in Ateneo gardens such as Zen and SOM walkway -- required bago mag orals
[ ] Bought coffee from Figaro sa MVP basement!
[ ] Nakapaghang-out sa isang MVP room
[ ] Became an official YouTube addict while waiting for class --
[x] Knew why Jesuit education is priceless

score: 2

[x] Learned a lot about life due to your Philosophy and Theology subjects
[x] Went to Ateneo even if you had no class
[x] Knew at least 7 famous Ateneo Alumni
[x] Laughed at Tapdancers --
[x] Ran out of ink due to numerous papers you had to pass

score: 5

[x] Maximized the use of your flash drive
[x] Celebrated diversity in the Ateneo
[x] Kept OrSem memories
[x] Watched a movie with fellow Ateneans that aren't from your block
[x] Has the hots for a fellow Atenean. -- :)

score: 5

Worth 3 points each:
[x] Attended simbang gabi at Gesu-- Yup. and the super mahal bibingka
[ ] REGed2Vote
[x] Screamed in Araneta for the Blue Eagles
[x] Know at least 3 Ateneo cheers
[x] Memorized and sung A Song for Mary whole-heartedly
[ ] Got to be on the Dean's list for at least a semester-- wala sorry
[x] Prayed to St. Ignatius of Loyola - at sa lahat ng mg Hesuitang santo

score: 15

Worth 5 points:

[x] Called yourself an Atenean-- OF COURSE!

score: 5

ATENEO QPI QUIZ SCORE: 80 - B!

Wala na ako nung ginamit yung MVP eh, kung si Colayco na lang kaya itanong nila.

A= 92-100
B+= 86-91
B= 77-85
C+= 69-76
C= 60-68
D= 50-59
F= 49 and below

The CFC Leadership Debacle

2007-07-30T13:16:00.000-09:00

The CFC Debacle

I first heard and quite shocked to hear that Frank Padilla, Tony Meloto and Lachie Agana all resigned their top positions in the leadership of Couples for Christ. But now I just found out that Frank Padilla has finally distanced himself from the whole organization.

My family has been with the organization for more than 10 years while I personally encountered and experienced a lot of happy and fulfilling memories in my more than 8 years in YFC. I always remember seeing Frank Padilla and Tony Meloto in every International Leadership Conference that I attended as they were the most visible head of this organization.

In the last 5 years, I have personally witnessed the growth and rapid expansion of Gawad Kalinga which at first was solely under the umbrella of the organization but came to be a partnership with different multinational companies and organizations. And I have and continue to witness the transforming power of this program not only on the beneficiaries but on the leaders and servants as well.

And CFC has always maintained that it is the Holy Spirit that guided, guides and will guide them in their work for God’s glory. And so you could just imagine the utter disgust and humiliation I felt when this debacle started and continues to rage within the top leadership – the CFC Council.

Though I really don’t know the full details of their quarrel but the mere fact that the problem was not addressed in a quiet and Christian manner smacks at CFC’s claim of holiness and guided by the Spirit actions. In fact this fiasco is no cheaper than the mudslinging of politicians and showbiz personalities washing their dirty clothes in public.

The problem has demoralized the members and weakens the foundation in which the CFC stands which is “families in the Holy Spirit renewing the face of the earth”. In fact the good bishops, sensing the importance of this organization within the Church, have already their concerns on the matter.

The CFC Council for its brethren to continue its primary work of evangelization is a call by a corrupt government to honesty. It’s a plain hypocrisy!

Though I admit that peace can never be achieved forever in a group but the inability of both groups to resolve the matter amicably is a proof of their incompetence and pride. They should act in the best interest of the organization by RESIGNING and appointing an interim council that would deliberate on the by-Laws of the organizations with the collaboration of the Elders and the other leaders in the same way the Church had renewed itself through the Church Councils.

“O Lord, deliver our leaders from the sting of power – lest they think they are great! For you have come to this world not to be served but to serve.”

The reason I should not be reading much....

2007-07-28T03:20:00.000-09:00

I didnt know why I was reading thse 2 books on the first place but it got me thinking hard - so much that I had to call the Theo Expert Rachel - about justification by faith alone Luther style.

I havent answered all my questions yet but I know that I am coming out of this experience with a deeper understanding of the Catholic Faith.

If I Were JK Rowling

2007-07-27T01:01:00.000-09:00

If I were JK...

1. I would explain how the Potters and the Longbottoms thrice defiled Voltemort and why did Voltemort go to the Potters and not the other instead.

2. I would have not thinly used the relationship of Lily's eyes and Snapes' decision to protect Harry, though perhaps this was the only connection that Snape could use to remind him of Lily

3. I would have explained why Draco had a changed of heart about helping Voltemort. There were instances wherein Draco was not as keen as helping the Death Eaters. Maybe this has something to do with Dumbledore's words that there is still goodness in Draco's heart. So it would have been nice if Draco helped Harry.

4. I would have explained what Dudley's worst fear when he was demented. And why the sudden change of heart. Also Petunia had instances in the book and the previous books where she was caring for Harry's well being. I though this should have been explained more.

5. I would have killed, its just the romantic and tragic side of me, a bigger character like Hagrid or Ginny.

6. I would have put Snape's portrait at the Headmaster's room. I was wondering why it was never mentioned.

7. I would have explained how the Illuminator can take you from one place to another

I would like to thank JK for...

1. Empowering Neville. I think it was a great way of living up to his parents' reputation.

2. Making Hermione and Ron kiss at long last!!

3. Making Snape a Dumbledore's man through and through

4. Using Kreacher as an agent of good - and Hermione rocks!

But in the end, what I would want to happen on the last book is that it would be a billion pages that would take me more than a month to read. I am not really good at farewell.

Walking with Harry Potter

2007-07-26T03:34:00.000-09:00

It has been surreal - and I admit that I cried - when I finished reading the last Harry Potter book. I would not think that a day would come wherein I would not longer long for another installment in Harry's life but everything comes to an end - and it was a painful end.

I started reading the books when I was in 3rd year in High School. At the time the fourth book had been released already and some of my classmates were well in the 3rd book. I dunno what made borrow the first installment but after reading the SS, I am hooked - and hooked big time. I would no longer listen to my teachers, would no longer do my assignments and would no longer sleep just to finish the book. I was enamored! So much that I would cut my class just to watch the first screening of the movies.

When I bought my first Harry Potter book 5, I was ecstatic. It was my first hard bound copy of the book and I finished reading it in a good 6 hours. I cried when I realized that Sirius was dead and was outraged at how Dolores Umbridged usurped and abuse power.

Book 6 brought me tears again due to Dumbledore's passing yet it was a joy of knowing the early life of Voltemort. I joined discussions on website arguing that Snape was a Dumbledore's man through and through - and I was not mistaken. I posted my take on what would happen on the final book and the read through other people's opinion about questions that would be answered.

And now that it has come to an end - without no shocking death and few questions unanswered. An end that took almost ten years. Was it worth the wait?

I really dont know. The series in itself is not a great work of fiction but it allowed me to dwell - if only in my imagination - that I was a wizard. A young person roaming around the wonderful world of Hogwarts wanting to learn more about magic and about himself.

I know that given a few more months I would reread the whole series - just to get the hang of it again - but it would be different. The magic would have been gone and excitement for a new installment extinguished.

Soooo Freakin COLD

2007-06-30T05:18:00.000-09:00

Im dying to death trying to bear this cold in the office today. I dunno why they are putting the AC at full blast even if its raining outside and we are only very few. Ohhhh... Its sooo COLD.

Kuya Guard, Pls. pahina ng aircon.

Thanks

per Ilmas: Ruffa is a traitor

2007-05-31T08:31:00.000-09:00

I never believe Ruffa and her mother as well.
*****
Yilmaz: Ruffa a traitor

By DANNY BUENAFE
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau chief

The estranged husband of beauty queen and actress Ruffa Gutierrez is calling her a "traitor."

Turkish millionaire Yilmaz Bektas, Gutierrez's husband of four years and father of their two daughters, finally broke his silence in an exclusive interview with
ABS-CBNs Europe News Bureau.

It was Bektas's first public appearance nearly three weeks after his controversial split with Gutierrez.

Bektas had difficulty speaking in English but still could not hide his ill feelings against his wife. At one point he called her Brutus, after the best friend of Roman emperor Julius Caesar, who treacherously plotted to kill him.

Bektas said that he no longer wants to reconcile with his wife.

Shes playing with me like [a] child then after that Im [learn] from my friends...asking me when Ruffa will gonna come to Barcelona and I [said] after two weeks and the same guy [calls] me saying that your wife doesnt love you anymore and she wanna divorce with you."

"And after that I think [her] name have to be traitor and Im calling her name now Brutus.

Bektas said he decided to cut off ties with his wife after her television interview on Monday. In that interview, Gutierrez said she does not love her husband anymore and that she is no longer happy with him.

Bektas also clarified that it was he who initiated the divorce on May 6. He also said that Gutierrez has practically transformed into a different person since coming home to Manila in February.

He complained that his wife has lost respect for him, which he said is obvious in their telephone conversations. He blames Gutierrez's change of attitude to her showbiz friends and her family.

This person coming out on the television saying I dont wanna go back, I dont wanna be with him. Is enough. I don wanna say anything and I dont wanna be with this person anymore.

Bektas also revealed that despite his stomach operation on May 3, his wife continued to ignore him.

Even worse, he learned from a source that Gutierrez chose to attend a party the same day, instead of staying by his side for his operation.

Beginning of the May she changed so much because shes not giving enough time for me, enough time for her children. When Im calling to my children, my children are always next to their yaya (nanny).

According to Bektas, Gutierrez proved herself a very good actress as she displayed different attitudes whenever she spoke to him on the phone and when she appears on television.

Bektas refused to discuss an accusation that he physically abused Gutierrez. When pressed to answer, he replied that he "neither confirms nor denies" the accusation.
He admitted that he misses his family terribly. He, however, said he needs to be strong.

I miss them of course but I have to close my heart for all these kinds of feelings, for the love, for missing them, for giving up your family, I dont know why.

Im so sad for her, Im so sorry for her. If she [tries for a] career in the Hollywood, probably she will gonna win several times in Oscar [Awards], she is good.

ABS-CBN News tried to get Gutierrez's side of the story but she declined because she has yet to watch the entire interview.

GDP grew by 6.9%

2007-05-31T08:03:00.000-09:00

Thanks to fiscal reforms and the performance of the service sector, our GDP grew by 6.9% - never seen in since the 90s or before the asian financial crisis. And only Vietnam and China outperformed the Philippines. Our export sector, thought to be reeling from the growth of the Peso, also posted strong.

Another plus mark for the Arroyo Administartion.

WALA na ang VENUS!!!

2007-05-31T00:38:00.000-09:00

I am just sad but still happy at the same time. My ever loving and beautiful TL for more than a year will be going now to CEBU and that just makes me sad. But I am happy that she was accepted for the job because never did I doubt her competency and personality.

Ahh Venus, I know this goodbye is not forever. We might see each other again there.

I always hope.

Gay flamingos pick up chick

2007-05-22T03:39:00.000-09:00

LONDON (AFP) - A pair of gay flamingos have adopted an abandoned chick, becoming parents after being together for six years, a British conservation organisation said Monday.

Carlos and Fernando had been desperate to start a family, even chasing other flamingos from their nests to take over their eggs at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge near Bristol.

But their egg-sitting prowess made them the top choice for taking an unhatched egg under their wings when one of the Greater Flamingo nests was abandoned.

The couple, together for six years, can feed chicks by producing milk in their throats.

"Fernando and Carlos are a same sex couple who have been known to steal other flamingos' eggs by chasing them off their nest because they wanted to rear them themselves," said WWT spokeswoman Jane Waghorn.

"They were rather good at sitting on eggs and hatching them so last week, when a nest was abandoned, it seemed like a good idea to make them surrogate parents."

Gay flamingos are not uncommon, she added.

"If there aren't enough females or they don't hit it off with them, they will pair off with other males," she said.

Issues about MATURITY

2007-05-22T03:30:00.000-09:00

What is maturity?
I dare not ask.

Some people are just sore posers.

This is a declaration of war!

I am sooo happy for Pampanga

2007-05-18T01:49:00.000-09:00

I am so happy for Pampanga for electing a credible priest. It was razor thin margin of just 1100 votes but what is amazing is their dedication to protect Fr. Ed's vote given that he does not have money nor machinery to run a campaign.

I am really so proud of them!!

Confirmed Information for Harry Potter Book 7

2007-05-13T07:53:00.000-09:00

Thanks to Mugglenet

Confirmed Information

On this page you can find several points of information we know about
Book 7. Each of these points has been confirmed by an official JK
Rowling source.

Character Information

We will find out something "incredibly important" about Lily Potter.
R.A.B.'s identity will be revealed.
We will discover more about Dumbledore's past.
We will learn with whom Snape's loyalties lie.
Something will be revealed about Petunia Dursley, although we already know that she is not a Squib.
Viktor Krum will return (World Book Day, 2004 interview).
We will see a reappearance of Dolores Umbridge: "It's too much fun
to torture her not to have another little bit more before I finish."
(MuggleNet/Leaky Interview)
JKR has said, "There is a character who does manage, in desperate
circumstances, to do magic quite late in life, but that is very rare..."

Plot Information

Harry will face Voldemort for the final time.
Harry will be attempting to find and destroy Voldemort’s remaining Horcruxes.
Harry will return to the Dursleys' during the school vacation, but
the magical protection Dumbledore arranged will expire when Harry comes
of age on his 17th birthday.
Harry will go to Godric's Hollow.
The two-way mirror will make a reappearance.
Fleur and Bill's wedding will occur.
The fact that Harry "has his mother's eyes" will prove to be an important plot point.
At least one character will die.

Other

The last word is expected to be "scar" but may change.
We will learn the exact reason why some people become ghosts when they die and others do not.
The final chapter, which has already been written, will detail what happens to the surviving characters.
There will be no more Quidditch matches

LIQUOR BAN

2007-05-12T06:02:00.000-09:00

It is official - LIQUOR BAN!!

From 1200AM (5/13) to 11:59 PM (5/14)

So bawal tumoma!!

Ruffa and Ylmaz Break-Up: Ang Bruhaha

2007-05-12T05:36:00.000-09:00

The moment I read Ruffa Gutierez claiming "cultural difference" as the reason why She and Ylmas split up, I was already skeptical. What the hell is cultural difference? Her interview with Ricky Lo did not explain what cultural difference meant. And besides I know a lot of cross-culture marriage that works.

And now we are hearing the truth from Ylmas himself. The reasons for their split are Ruffa and her family. Ylmaz Bektas claimed that Ruffa was so hard bent in her desire to ressurect her career that she did not have enough time for him. But the real shocker was his statement that "my wife’s (Ruffa) close relations and one materialist relative of her who take
advantage over my wife and who have poor conscience and honor." as the reason for the split.

Sanamagan. It is an open secret that Annabelle Rama is nothing more than power and money hungry woman - what else!

Money - what else can you not bring!?!

I leave it up to you to read the whole letter posted originally in the Inquirer. I highlighted those I think are important. Read on.

“To the public opinion of Philippines, I had made one of the two
most important decisions of human life on the date of March 25, 2003.
And I married Ruffa Gutierrez and I owe to my wife’s father who was
supporting this excellent start. In my own life, I follow the lead of
this respectful man, who has all the characteristics and ethics of
behaving decently. On the date of May 8, 2007, I was obliged to give
the second most important decision in human life, divorce.
Unfortunately, the cause of this decision was one again my wife’s close
relations and one materialist relative of her who take advantage over
my wife and who have poor conscience and honor. Having an affair with
another person is definitely not included among the reasons.

I have always been faithful during the relation I had with my wife.
When I was 22 years old, I met her, loved her with all my heart for
seven years. I had departed many of my principles for her and we got
married. Leaving my beloved ones after having two great children due to
such ridiculous reasons cannot be discussed. Apart from the love of God
I have in my heart, there is not any love I feel but the love and
affection I have for Rufiah and our children. However, only my honor
and pride are above my affection for my family, my love and everything
I know. I prefer living a chivalrous but difficult, short life instead
of living a…dishonored life full of earthly goods of the pompous world.

As I respect visions of everybody, I request the respect of others.
The divorce decision is an ultimatum to my wife. This is not a result
but a decision and I wish this could be considered as an ultimatum and
existing problems…could be settled in cooperation with the family
members. However, her family and close relations made the situation
even worse instead of being constructive. Ruffa is unable to show
enough attention to her family due to her own professional career and
profession. And she extended her stay in the Philippines without my
consent are the only causes of our decision for getting divorced.
Subsequently a series of mutual negative, psychological and physical
violence and suppression events experienced...the bursting up of this
happy family. Ruffa consciously and willingly lay the ground for the
beginning of this decline with the support of her family and without
feeling the need for soul searching.

However, my innocent daughters, aged 2 and 3, are under a heavy
burden due to meaningless decisions taken in eagerness for fame without
making soul searching. And in my opinion, this is not fair. I would
like to remind that those children are not eager for fame or money. The
most important wish of a child is seeing parents together, who have
brought him or her into this world without asking the child.

On her announcement, Ruffa mentioned the cultural differences and
put forward it as an excuse. This is strange. Moreover, the fact that
she has told this cultural difference after seven years is even
stranger. Love and truth do not have one religion, language and
culture. I share all my views with Turkish and Philippines media and
public because I want to explain the seemingly fabulous worlds of fame
are actually very dark. And their price is nothing but destruction and
sadness first of all to my own children and then to Turkish and
Philippines community.

Finally, when it comes to getting divorced with Ruffa, arrangements
are to be made once we give our final positive or negative decision as
two civilized individuals. It shall be carried out by our attorneys. I
assure you that I will do my best so that I can protect this home for
the sake of my children. I call for praise of individuals respecting
the family concept so that I can protect this home. Regardless of all
negative aspects of life, I will never forget your hospitality towards
me and your smiles I had experienced for seven years. Philippines shall
always live in my heart as my second fatherland.

Yours faithfully,
Yilmaz Bektas”

In Defense of Call Center

2007-05-04T08:29:00.000-09:00

I was leafing through the pages of the Philippine Star last May 2 and I an article feed from Reuters caught my attention. Sadly, it is yet another unintelligent bash on the call center industry. Actually, I am no longer shocked given that this is not the first time the industry has been on the spotlight. There has been a news report in TV patrol arguing that the environment is conducive to drug abuse - an upper to cope with the stress and lack of sleep brought about by work. Another article claimed the mentally and socially taxing effect of irate callers to the agents. Both are non-sense stereotypes of a misunderstood industry.

And now this. "I worry when I go to the call centers that we are spawning a generation of chain smoking, coffee addicts or worse, chain smoking beer drinkers," Rosalie Montenegro, senior vice president of the Call Centre Business Group under Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) told Reuters.

What difference does it make between agents who drink coffee before or during shift and others who it every morning? Or perhaps the difference between agents who go out to drink in the mornings and others in the evenings both after shifts?

I was wondering whether it was just a media campaign of PLDT to bolster its local BPO. By the end of the article it mentions that their management is aware of the so-called problem and is addressing it through spas, gyms and near-by condos.

Another remark that caught my attention is from the left-wing representative Etta Rosales who said that “What we lack are manufacturing industries that will bolster the economy, industries that are capital-based, and not call centers. San makakarating ang mga call centers na yan."

Sanamagan, if you tell me, I would rather work in a call center for eight hours earning a basic income of 16k with dependable benefits that in a manufacturing industry earning minimum wage and questionable benefits. In fact the possibility of getting promoted in this industry is so high due to the unexpected job surplus, or the inability of the job force or lack of skills thereof to meet the demand of the market.

In fact this industry is expected to generate about a 1 Million job by 2010 with possibility of higher than expected as the country poised itself to improve IT skills that will rival India. And that is worth a staggering US$ 12 Billion in revenues. Who would believe that this new industry contributed to about 12% of our GNP last year?

Yet to answer the concern that “walang mapupuntahan” in this industry, I would like to highlight programs in my company. This is a disclaimer though because I cannot speak for the industry as a whole but rather this is a standpoint coming from an employee of the biggest BPO provider in the Philippines.

It is highly commendable that Convergys takes into consideration the growth of its members as potential leaders and movers of the company. Some of our top level management were sent to the US to be trained with all expense paid by the company. The Continuous Improvement program on the other hand challenges Management to develop newer ways of enhancing their skills through peer-help and seminars.

Agents are given the Management Development Program as an avenue to get promoted to TL positions by undergoing skill development training. In fact, passers of this programs have 90% or if not 100% of getting a TL position within the accounts of the company. And the minimal tenure requirement is just 6 mos.

And just recently, CVG has launched its Convergys Educational Assistance Program aimed that supporting its employees to pursue masteral degrees or even undergraduate degrees while working with the company. This is a sterling example of CVG’s belief to Continuous Education.

This may sound little compared to the benefits of long standing companies, but I believe and earnestly hope that CVG is on the track of developing more programs aimed at assisting its employees.

Enough said, the continuous bashing on the industry is but an affront to the dependents of all industry workers who shake their butt off every night.

Cheers!

Musical Brokeback Mountain

2007-05-03T01:55:00.000-09:00

I dont know if you watched the elimination of AI today but hell it was some drama. But I was not prepared when the lone tow guys - Blake and Chris - were called on the stage for the decision. I mean the drama of the two guys was a certified musical brokeback with all the hugging and shaking.

SO I was wondering what is happening on the background.

P.s. Chris and Blake admitted they are best of friends. :)

Fearless Prediction: Wala Ka Ng Pera

2007-04-28T00:14:00.000-09:00

I can on my crystal ball that you dont have any money left and that you are dying for Monday to come. Dont worry because you are not alone. Damn long pay days.

Mexico Legalizes Abortion

2007-04-26T05:39:00.000-09:00

I am with the whole Mexican conservatice community in opposing the move of Parliament to approve earl term abortion. I believe in the intrisic evil that is abortion and the plague it brings to the community at large.

Funny from Ricky Lo

2007-04-22T05:36:00.000-09:00

as printed in Philstar

Lost in translation?

I got the following interesting item from my e-mail, entitled Movie Titles You Don’t Want to Translate in Tagalog, sent by my friend, bookworm and loyal Funfare reader Robin Tong. It’s good to jumpstart the week with a little laugh.

1. Black Hawk Down — Ibong Maitim sa Ibaba

2. Dead Man’s Chest — Dodo ng Patay

3. I Know What You Did Last Summer — Uyy... Aminin!

4. Love, Actually — Sa Totoo Lang, Pag-ibig

5. Million Dollar Baby — 50 Milyong Pisong Sanggol (depends on the exchange rate of the country)

6. The Blair Witch Project — Ang Proyekto ng Bruhang si Blair

7. Mary Poppins — Si Mariang May Putok

8. Snakes on a Plane — Nag-ahasan sa Ere

9. The Postman Always Rings Twice — Ang Kartero Kapag Dumutdot Laging Dalawang Beses

10. Sum of All Fears — Takot Mo, Takot Ko, Takot Nating Lahat

11. Swordfish — Talakitok

12. Pretty Woman — Ganda ng Lola Mo

13. Robin Hood, Men in Tights — Si Robin Hood at Ang Mga Felix Bakat

14. Four Weddings and a Funeral — Kahit Apat na Beses Ka Pang Magpakasal, Mamamatay Ka Rin

15. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly — Ako, Ikaw, Kayong Lahat (He, he, he!)

16. Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone — Adik Si Harry, Tumira ng Shabu

17. Click — Isang Pindot Ka Lang

18. Brokeback Mountain — Bumigay sa Bundok

19. The Day of the Dead — Ayaw Tumayo (ng Mga Patay)

20. Waterworld — Basang-Basa

21. There’s Something About Mary — May Kwan sa Ano ni Maria

22. Employee of the Month — Ang Sipsip

23. Resident Evil —Ang Biyenan

24. Kill Bill — Kilitiin sa Bilbil

25. The Grudge — Lintik Lang ang Walang Ganti

26. Nightmare Before Christmas — Binangungot sa Noche Buena

27. Never Been Kissed — Pangit Kasi (Ha, ha, ha!)

28. Gone in 60 Seconds — One Round, Tulog

29. The Fast and The Furious — Ang Bitin, Galit

30. Too Fast, Too Furious — Kapag Sobrang Bitin, Sobrang Galit

31. Dude, Where’s My Car — Dong, Anong Level Ulit Tayo Nag-Park?

32. Beauty and the Beast — Ang Asawa Ko at Ang Nanay Nya

33. The Lord of the Rings — Ang Alahero

Sanjaya is Gone!!

2007-04-19T01:59:00.000-09:00

Yes!! Sanjaya is gone after long weeks of surviving what should have been ages before.

However, I dunno why I lost my voice today. So right now I am off to the nurse station to get checked coz im having diffculty in answering calls.

Wish me luck

Bored Na Ako

2007-04-08T06:15:00.000-09:00

30 mins avail.
Walang magawa.
Bored.

Providence Nostalgia

2007-04-08T03:31:00.000-09:00

We went to Providence yesterday to get drunk and to sing videoke. We took the room nearest the stairs - and ironically this is the same place we took last year.

I really dont like change - especially if that means a tearful change. The first time I went to Providence, I was with Abby, Tibs, Xyra, Nikki and Emman - all fresh from our product training. After aa couple beer banging and note belching, we decided to comfort our dear friend Pilar, who was having bruhaha love life problems then. The day was short - and before we knew it - it was our first No Call No Show. We ended up shaking our not so bottylicious body in Malate.

And now, I was back at the same place with a different compant and singing a different song. Val, Jordan, Mark, Argie, Xyra, Stan and Ace were no Abby and definitely not Tibs - but still it was fun. An exercise to deepen friendship and to deposit another happy memory. In fact, all of them except Xyra, David and Ace went swimming afterwards. If not for TL Venus, I would have gone there as well.

I was tearful when I remembered Abby and Nikki. The Mean Girls shared a lot of very happy and certainly unforgettable experiences. Now I am looking at the horizon - fearful of the changes the lie ahead. I hope the Fates are kinder this time around.

Para sa kanya

2007-04-08T03:12:00.000-09:00

Para sa Kanya

Lumingon ka pabalik.
Bakas ang matamis na ngiti
at ang nag-aapoy na mata.

Niyakap
na wala nang bukas
na walang makasasakit sa akin.

Idinampi
ang yong manipis na labing
nagpanatag sa nagpupumiglas na damdamin.

Bigla na lamang ako nagising.
Isa namang panaginip.

A Very Good Lenten reflection

2007-04-06T07:54:00.000-09:00

How To Forgive
Shared by Vangie of Chino Hills, CA

One
day a while back, a man, his heart heavy with grief, was walking in the
woods. As he thought about his life this day, he knew many things were
not right.

He thought about those who had lied about him back
when he had a job. His thoughts turned to those who had stolen his
things and cheated him.

He remembered family that had passed
on. His mind turned to the illness he had that no one could cure. His
very soul was filled with anger, resentment and frustration.

Standing
there this day, searching for answers he could not find, knowing all
else had failed him, he knelt at the base of an old oak tree to seek
the one he knew would always be there. And with tears in his eyes, he
prayed:

"Lord, You have done wonderful things for me in this
life. You have told me to do many things for You, and I happily obeyed.
Today, You have told me to forgive. I am sad, Lord, because I cannot. I
don't know how."

He continued, "It is not fair Lord. I didn't
deserve these wrongs that were done against me and I shouldn't have to
forgive. As perfect as your way is Lord, this one thing I cannot do,
for I don't know how to forgive. My anger is so deep Lord, I fear I may
not hear you, but I pray that you teach
me to do this one thing I cannot do - Teach me To Forgive."

As he knelt there in the quiet shade of that old oak tree, he felt something fall onto his shoulder.

He
opened his eyes. Out of the corner of one eye, he saw something red on
his shirt. He could not turn to see what it was because where the oak
tree had been was a large square piece of wood in the ground.

He raised his head and saw two feet held to the wood with a large spike through them.

He
raised his head more, and tears came to his eyes as he saw Jesus
hanging on a cross. He saw spikes in His hands, a gash in His side, a
torn and battered body, deep thorns sunk into His head.

Finally
he saw the suffering and pain on His precious face. As their eyes met,
the man's tears turned to sobbing, and Jesus began to speak.

"Have you ever told a lie?" He asked?

The man answered - "yes, Lord."

"Have you ever been given too much change and kept it?"

The man answered - " yes. Lord." And the man sobbed more and more.

"Have you ever taken something from work that wasn't yours?" Jesus asked?

And the man answered - "yes, Lord."

"Have you ever sworn, using my Father's name in vain? "

The man, crying now, answered - "yes, Lord."

As
Jesus asked many more times, "Have you ever"? The man's crying became
uncontrollable, for he could only answer - "yes, Lord."

Then
Jesus turned His head from one side to the other, and the man felt
something fall on his other shoulder. He looked and saw that it was the
blood of Jesus.

When he looked back up, his eyes met those of Jesus, and there was a look of love the man had never seen or known before.

Jesus said, "I didn't deserve this either, but I forgive you."

It
may be hard to see how you're going to get through something, but when
you look back in life, you realize how true this statement is.

Read the following first line slowly and let it sink in.

If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.

Lord I love You and I need You, come into my heart, today. For without You I can do nothing.

Just Believe

2007-04-06T06:22:00.000-09:00

I called but no one answered.
I knocked but the door remained shut.
I cried but no one dried my tears.

I am alone -
no one to comfort, no one to embrace
I am abandoned - forgotten
He has turned back while I long for His embrace.

Where is He?
Where is my comforter?

Alone in the dark,
empty inside.

I know He is here.
He will not abandon me.
He will fulfill his promise.
I just have to believe.

PGH Stories - To Make Us Laugh

2007-04-05T11:41:00.000-09:00

Medical Terminology
ACTUAL SENTENCES FOUND IN PATIENT'S MEDICAL CHARTS at PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL
(PGH):
1. Patient has chest pain if she lies on her left side for over a year.
2. On the second day the knee was better, and on the third day it disappeared.
3. She has no rigors or shaking chills, but her husband states she was very hot in bed last night.
4. The patient is tearful and crying constantly. She also appears to be depressed.
5. The patient has been depressed since she began Seeing me in 1993.
6. Discharge status: Alive but without permission.
7. The patient refused autopsy.
8. The patient has no previous history of suicides.
9. She is numb from her toes down.
10. While in ER, she was examined, X-rated and sent home.
11. The skin was moist and dry.
12. Occasional, constant, infrequent headaches.
13. Patient was alert and unresponsive.
14. Rectal examination revealed a normal size thyroid.
15. She stated that she had been constipated for most of her life, until she got a divorce.
16. The lab test indicated abnormal lover function.
17. The patient was to have a bowel resection. However, he took a job as a stockbroker instead.
18. Skin: somewhat pale but present.
19. Patient has two teenage children, but no other abnormalities.
********
Sa PGH, may tinatawag na Central Block. Nandoon ang Radiology Department kung saan ginagawa ang
mga X-rays, Ultrasound, CT Scan at Radiotherapy. Dito ko naobserbahan ang evolution ng mga pinoy
medical terms. May mga pasyente o bantay na aking nasasalubong, ang madalas magtanong ng
direksyon. Mga Versions ng CT Scan:
1. "Dok saan po ba ang Siete Scan?"
2. "Doc saan po ba magpapa-CT Skull"
3. "Doc saan po ba CT Scalp"
4. "Doc saan po ang CT Scam?"
**********
Madalas akong mapagtanungan ng direction papunta sa Cobalt Room.
"Doc saan po ba ang Cobal" Yes, laging walang T. Marami ang gumagamit sa term na Cobal. Saan
napunta ang "T". Marami din kasing nagtatanong, "Doc, saan po ba ang papuntang X-Tray?"
Conclusion: Ang "T" ng Cobalt, ay napunta sa X-Tray.
*********
7:00 am. Nagbigay ang kasamahan kong doktor ng Instruction sa bantay ng pasyente, "Mister, punta po
kayo sa Central Block at magpa-schedule kayo ng X-ray ng pasyente ninyo." 3:00 pm. Kadarating lang ng
bantay. Nagalit na ang Doktor, "Mister, bakit namang napakatagal ninyong bumalik? Pina-schedule ko
lang naman ang X-ray ah." Sumagot ang bantay, "Eh kasi po Doc, ang tagal kong naghintay sa gate,
haggang sabihin ng guwardiya na sarado daw po ang Central Bank kasi Sabado ngayon." (Nasa Roxas
Blvd ang Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, at sarado nga naman yon kapag Sabado)!
***********
Nang mag-rotate ako as intern sa Pediatrics ng PGH, mahal na mahal talaga ng mga nanay ang kanilang
mga anak na may sakit. Pilit nilang tinatandaan ang mga gamot at tawag sa sakit ng kanilang anak.
Doktor: "Mrs. ano po ang mga gamot na iniinom ng anak niyo?"
Mrs 1 : "Doc phenobarbiedoll po."
Doktor: "Ah baka po phenobarbital. " (Gamot sa convulsion ang
phenobarbital)
**********
Doktor: "Mrs. ano po ba ang antibiotic na iniinom ng anak ninyo?"
Mrs 2: "Doc metromanilazole po."
Doktor: "Ah baka po metronidazole. " (Gamot sa amoeba ang metronidazole)
************ *
Ang tawag sa recovery room ng PGH ay PACU (Post-Anesthesia Care Unit)
Doktor: "Mrs., tapos na po ang operasyong ng anak ninyo, punta na Po kayo sa PACU.
Mrs 3: "Eh Doc, saan po sa Paco? Sa may simbahan po ba o sa may palengke?
***********
Doktor: "Mrs. ano po ba ang sinabi ng dating doktor kung ano daw ang sakit ng inyong anak?"
Mrs 4: "Eh Doc sabi po niya Tragedy of Fallot.
Doktor: "Ah baka po Tetralogy of Fallot (Isang Congenital Heart Disease ang Tetralogy of Fallot)

************
Biglang nagtatarang ang isang nanay at sumigaw.
Mrs: "Scissors! Scissors! Nag-sciscissors ang anak ko, Doc!"
Doktor: "Nurse, diazepam please, nag-seizure ang pasyente!"
************ *
Doktor: "Mrs. ano daw po ba ang sakit ng anak ninyo?"
Mrs. 6 : May ketong daw po.
In-examine ng doktor ang balat ng pasyente. Wala siyang makitang senyales ng ketong. Tumawag pa siya
ng isang Dermatologist para mag-examine nang husto. Wala talaga.
Doktor: "Mrs. sigurado po ba kayong ketong ang Sakit ng bata?"
Mrs : "Eh iyon po ang sabi ng doktor niya dati. Mataas daw po ang ketong sa ihi dahil may diabetes."
Doktor: "Ah ketone po yon! (Ang positive ketone sa Ihi ay senyales ng kumplikasyon ng diabetes.)

************ **
Doktor: (Sa buntis na mrs. na nagle-labor) "Mrs.pumutok na po ba ang panubigan mo?"
Mrs:"Eh Doc, wala naman po akong narinig na pagsabog." (Hanep!)

Where is my GOD??

2007-03-30T11:58:00.000-09:00

I assisted a youth camp for Youth for Christ last 11/25 of last year. I was supposed to be prayer warrior but some things were not right with me so I ended up composing this letter and prayer during their baptism.

P.s. I joined Youth For Christ when I was 12 and back slided when I was 20.
****

Why, O Lord, do I still seek you? Why do I miss the feeling of being close to you? Why does my heart ache every time I hear people speak of their love for You? Why does it matter to me when I hear stories about the saints and holy people who gave their all for You?

When I decided to leave the world that I feel I am chocked and unable to be myself, I also left with it my more than 9 years of service in YFC who witnessed to my ups and downs, my burning passion to serve you and my dedication to give my all. But at the same time, this is the place where I felt not myself. A place full of these and that's which ultimately I lost track of who I truly am.

And so I stopped studying, my service and my Faith to start all over again - to find myself once again. At first I was successful - I never been happier in my life. But every time I see my YFC friends in their service or hear songs that I am familiar with - my heart aches of longing.

Is it just because I was used to this kind of environment for a long time or just the last remnant of a painful past? But of all things that I turned my back against - it is you, Lord, that I am most attracted -longing even.

Alas Lord, the irony of my situation - I who seeks and you keep quiet. I am confused Lord, or honestly, afraid. What is it that you want from me right now? Why?

Lord, I dont know if I am still able to open myself again to you - to say "yes" again. Why Lord? Is it because I am afraid that I might lose myself one more time? I am afraid that the same pain will all be flashing back.

I am here right now, Lord, standing in front of your altar. But it is all quiet. Are you here Lord? Are you present?

I only live my life once. And I want to live it as best as I could. I hope, Lord, that you will answer me soon. I hope that you will hear my cries. I hope that you are not hiding - that you are not far away.

Lord I am standing - waiting - longing.

***
The prayer I composed soon after

Father, I am scared. I am not hearing your voice anymore. I am not feeling your presence. Have you abandoned me, Father? Have you left me in the same way that I left you? Where are you, Father?

I know that I have left you, but why do I have this great longing for you - to be with you. Dont remain silent to someone desperate to have your embrace.

Is this how you felt when I left you? The feeling of utter helplessness because the one you are longing for does not answer. Oh Lord, I am sorry!

Come back to me, Father. Embrace me one more time. Let me fell your love again. Quench the thirst of my longing.

****

My God has abandoned me because I have abandoned Him first. Now that I long for Him - He does not answer. This is how he feels - when I abandoned Him. I know that he longed for me but I was not there. Now I call His name, but I hear emptiness. I am longing for my God - where is He?

Hostage Crisis - The Philippine Way

2007-03-30T05:58:00.000-09:00

I would have not said anything, but when the parents stopped short of erecting a monument for the hostage-taker, I know something is very wrong. At first I find it amusing given that our little country takes center stage again when news broke out but as the scene, unfolded, it was more like a melodrama in TV plus a political plug.

Who would ever think that Singson would steal the show when he went there "supposedly" to negotiate. I tell you, give it a few days, and the image of him receiving the toy grenades would be used in his campaign. "Matapang si Chavit!" - I think that would be a good tag line.

Now going back to Ducat, last I heard he is still in Manila City Jail. Yet the parents are singing Alleluia despite the fact he held their children at gun point for almost ten hours. I guess the prospect of a free college education is very enticing.

And so, the moral of the story - I will hostage someone to get Marife's Job. For those who do not know Marife Zamora - she is the country manager of Convergys. I mean if he can get a college scholarship for 26 kids without question to their academic capabilities, then it is not hard to give me Marife's job, isn't it?

So for all of you out there who needs something but lacks either capabilities, money opportunity or just plain lazy - go grab the person next to you and declare a hostage.

Para sa Akin

2007-03-25T04:25:00.000-09:00

Para sa Akin
(na nagtratrabaho sa Call Center)

May secreto akong sasabihin,
pero sa ating dalawa lang ito, ha?
Naiinggit ako -
sa mouth piece na laging dumadampi sa kaniyang manipis na labi,
sa upuang sumasalo sa hapo niyang balingkinitang katawan,
sa panyong nakadarama sa kaniyang matambok na pisngi,
sa keyboard na dinadampian ng kaniyang mga kamay,
sa mouse na alam ang kaniyang mapang-alagang kawak,
sa monito na pinapakuan ng kaniyang umaapoy na pangingin,
sa mga damit na nadarama ang kaniyang nakakaakit na katawin.
Yun nga lang!
Hanggang sikreto na lamang yata ito.

Para Kay Ace

2007-03-24T07:26:00.001-09:00

Nagsusumigaw ang isang irog.

Punyeta, matagal na dapat pinatay si Aphrodite.
Ginapos at tinapon sa kalaliman ng Hades
kung saan wala na syang pinsalang magagawa.

Isama na rin nya ang kaniyang anak.
Magsama sila - mga kriminal
Sanhi ng aking masidhing paghihirap!

Oh mga Fates - wala kayong kasing lupit.
Di na dapat pinaghabi ang hibla ng aming mga buhay.
Mabuting pinutol nyo na lamang ang sa akin -
bago ko pa sya masilayan
makilala
at mahalin.

Mas nanaisin ko pang makipagpalit kay Atlas
kung patuloy nyang di ako sagutin.
Mas masaya pang kainin ng bwitre ang aking atay
kung lamig naman ang kapalit ng nag-iinit kong pag-ibig.

Matagal na itong nangyari.
Ngayon mahigit sa pitong beses nyang pasalamatan
ang mga Fates, si Aphrodite at si Kupido.
At hinding-hindi sya makikipagpalit kay Atlas
lalo nang ipakin ang atay sa bwitre.

Masaya na sya!

"I am Sorry" - The Oreta Style

2007-03-24T06:05:00.000-09:00

I was riding a bus to work when I saw Tessie Oreta's new ad campaign. Oreta’s new ad opened with a female voice-over asking: “Tessie, tapatan tayo. Bakit ka nag-dancing queen? (Tessie, let’s be frank. Why did you dance like a dancing queen?)" It was a simple yet very emotional ad. What came next is her explanation - she sitting on a bench and talking to somebody and not facing the camera.

"Malaking pagkakamali yung ginawa kong iyon (That was a big mistake), Gusto kong humingi ng patawad (I beg for forgiveness.) Ngunit siguro sa mga pagkakamali, doon tayo bumabangon (But perhaps when we committed mistakes, that’s when we become better)." Then cut.

It was an effective given the very emotional touch - and honestly it worked for me. It didn't sound like a rehearsed politician style paawa-effet rather a statement that came from the heart. It was the same feeling I had when I watches Melinda DoLittle sing on American Idol.

For one thing, it is hard to say I am sorry on national TV and it is another to deliver a touching and true to the heart message. I know this may not sway hard core Oreta-haters but Sen. Tessie Oreta, you can count my vote.

American Idol Gay Biatch

2007-03-22T08:29:00.000-09:00

He should be voted out long time ago!! Gawd! What is happening why is he still killing me every week with worthless and irritating songs! And pls, come out of the closet Sanjaya!

Good Old Elemtary Days

2007-03-22T07:57:00.001-09:00

Today is my youngest sister's graduation day in High School. And being the good kuya that I am, I attended the almost 4 hours boring event with me roaming around the campus most of the time. This is the same school I graduated 10 years ago and the same school two of my siblings went into.

I first step into Sacred Heart School 15 years ago. I was still a small fat kid who pees on his pants. Yes, I did pee maybe couple of times that is why my Tita had to bring an extra shorts just in case. And I had this girl seatmate who was a gift from hell. She used to bug me to death with punches, kicks and uppercuts. Now, she is a good friend of mine.

I also remembered the ghost and creepy stories that every school enjoys. We had this small window at ground level at the back of our flag pole. You wont be able to see anything when you try to take a peek coz it is so dark. And we share rumors and theories that it is corpse-filled room of nuns. We also enjoyed looking around for dates believing those are from lapidas. Perhaps these are the reasons why SHS is more known among students as Sementeryo, Hospital, School - a summary of the school's past. Today you wont be able to see the window no more coz they cemented it already. I guess the administration caught wind of the corpse' rumors.

And who would forget puppy loves. I think I was straight then so I had crushes on girls and not cute guys. I had these girl who I teased at no end that we are gonna get married and have children. I also remembered a girl who rode with me on a bicycle trip on our village. Imagine me doing that today! But I guess the most well known was with Sheena whom I told everyone I liked THEN.

Childhood is filled with stories of games and laughter and I have a share of it as well. I used to chase girls even inside their bathroom during recess and to hugged when caught. I forgot why I hugged them then but a friend of mine once told me I was "bastos" then. Some of us also started a group called BONA-BONA with Criselda, Me and Dimples as the founding members. Unfortunately, I forgot what BONA-BONA means.

Yet there were also times of tears and cat-fights during that time. I remembered having sabunutan-sipaan-kurutan-kalmutan scenario with two gril classmates. It started when they did not include me in planning this surprise party so I snitched on them. And the rest is history inside the guidance office.

But the best cat fight I had was with a teacher that lead to my suspension. I told her bluntly that her time is up and she should go. I guess I have that frankness even when I was a kid. She was so angry she almost made a hole at the board when she slapped it. Even cussing that I am lucky she is not allowed to spanked me.

Fifteen years of our family's influence in that school has closed today. Four of us had walked among its halls with my mother influencing events at the school. She was the one who started the Confirmation Ceremonies, Piso Mula Sa Puso Drive and a bunch of other projects. And with my youngest sister graduating today, it would be the last time that a Cubar would be active in the school affairs. Every nun knew her and we knew almost every nun.

I admit I was teary eyed when they sang for the last time our Alma Matter hymn. Surprised that I still know, I sang along with the graduates. A tribute to the happy and sad memories parted.

My Take to Philippine Problems

2007-03-19T10:21:00.001-09:00

I consider myself as a social liberalist - those who strongly adhere to free trade and privitization but at the same time focusing on the social needs of the people through government support. Now, given that we have a lot of problems affecting our country, here are just some of my takes on how to solve it.

1. Immediate privitization of all Public corporations. It is not the government's job to handle companies as we have seen for the past few years. Public corps tend to be the milking cow of government.

2. Continous lobby to remove subsidies in foreign good especilly on agriculture before going into new Free Trade agreements. Our farmers cant just compete on low cost vergetables from other country due to these heavy subsidies.

3. Remove term-limits on all elected officials. Democracy stands on the ideal that government is for and by the people - so if the electorate thinks that a elected official should get reelected every election then fine and good. There should be a parliamentary federal style of govt in the country to facilitate growth among provinces and a speedy passage of impt legislations

4. Liberalize the economic provisions of the constitution that will allow foreign corporations to own companies in the Philippines.

5. Increase corporate tax and sin tax to generate more revenues for the government.

6. Close down underperforming state universities because they burden the national budget. The govt should also try to privitize public universities and to re-align the funds to support a voucher system for desrving students.

7. Relax IP laws for medicines to force major health corporations to lower the cost of medicine

8. Revive the US Base Treaty to curb terrorism and to get additional aid to the Philippines.

9. Instensified crackdown to leftist groups that support the NPA. All their assets should be frozen immediately.

My Celebrity Look-alikes

2007-03-19T06:47:00.001-09:00

My cool celebrity look-alike collage from MyHeritage.com. Get one for yourself.

Other Side of Pro-Gay Activism

2007-03-18T11:44:00.000-09:00

I have read a lot about the Pro-gay movement not only in the US but also in the Philippines. What bothers me is that they just falling on the same mud conservative groups are in - bigotry and hate mongering. In the same way Christians accuse homosexuals of being immoral and condemnable, activists, on the other hand, lashes out on Christian religion. This is sad because hate only begets hate and not understanding.

I grew up in a very conservative family and community. My parents are active leaders of Couples for Christ and active servants in the Church. When I was twelve I joined the Youth Ministry of the Couples for Christ and has been with them till I was 20. When I back-slided, I had already taken up leadership roles and given talks to my fellow young adults. I even took up a pre-priesthood course in college. Talk about conservative backgrounds!

Yet I cannot deny that I am gay. And I had to undergo a very traumatic and painful realization of myself within the context of a Christian community. It made me think hard of myself and my belief in Jesus. Today, I have already successfully reconciled my religion and my orientation which I wish some gays would do and some Christians understand. For it is truly possible to become Christian and gay at the same time.

Pro-gay activist should realize that immoral acts are immoral acts - and some they are legitimate concerns. Sex outside marriage be it with an opposite sex or not is considered bad by Christian religion. The critic that homosexuality is a cause in the spread of STD is also warranted given that a lot of homosexuals are living a promiscuous life.

I believe marriage is sacrament and should be respected as such, however, the State should provide civil unions to same sex couples with all the protection and benefits a marriage couple has under the law. It hinges on the fact that the State should not protect and advance a particular religion and creed.

US Intervention to Philippine Sovereignty

2007-03-17T11:48:00.000-09:00

Sen Joker Arroyo said that the US Senate sub-committee's decision to investigate or to make an inquiry about the spate of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines is tantamount to US interference to Philippine sovereignty. This has been echoes by Sen. Recto and the DOJ Secretary. And I do believe that it is so.

When the UN Charter and the ASEAN were formed an integral understanding among member states is non-interference on internal affairs - respecting sovereignty of government and its people to resolve disputes and issues among themselves. However, the UN has the mandate to act if a serious threat to international security is imminent like the nuclear ambitions of North Korea and Iran. Also, the UN must act on issues that attacks humanity in a wide scale as what is happening in Darfur and Sudan. Yet the second mandate cannot be fully done without the cooperation of the state's government to allow peace keeping forces to enter the State.

With these in mind, it is but obvious that the US Senate's decision to investigate is a serious breach of sovereignty of a foreign state. It is but an issue that should be resolved by the Philippine government and the Filipino people. It is not a threat to international security nor is it considered an attack to humanity. If it is then GMA should have been brought to the UN Tribunal for crimes against humanity.

Another irony about the issue is the sudden support progressive groups are giving to the US Senate. After declaring that the US is an imperialist country out to control the whole world they are now trumpeting their all out support of Sex Boxer's chastisement against GMA. They really have amnesia.

Yet we should not care about this inquiry at all. Even though this is being done by the US Senate remember that this on on a sub-committee level and was only attended by three members of the 50 strong-member chamber. It has no power whatsoever to stop aid from the Philippines without the approval of the whole chamber and Pres. Bush. And most likely, Bush will veto such a bill before it sees the light of day.

Enough has been said. Let us go back and focus on the real problem - and that is the extrajudicial killings.

The GO Impossible Dream

2007-03-15T14:22:00.000-09:00

I have already given up hoping that the Administration will get majority of the senate seats up for grab this May. With GMA's very unpopular predicament and unpopular candidates, it would be heaven sent for the Palace to get 5. Yet the election campaign for the local level hasn't started so there is still a very slim chance of getting a 6 or 7.

However compared to the chances that Team Unity has in getting majority of Senate seats, GO's chances on the local level is far slimmer to the point of illusion. It is a given fact that the Opposition unsuccessfully though twice tried to impeach the president. They just don't have the numbers and politics being a number's game then even if they try to file impeachment cases every it wont just work.

And that is the reality the GO is well aware of. So they are trying all they can to unseat as many administration Congressmen and replace it with opposition friendly faces. This was the case for the last local elections in the US when Republicans lost their decade lost majority due to the unpopularity of the Iraq war. But the US Politics is far different from us and the opposition would be dreaming if they can copy what happened there.

The reason why the Opposition cannot possibly win majority in the Lower House are as follows:

1. Local Elections, unlike in the US, is not affected by national agenda. It may sway votes but it would not be a decisive force in voting anti-GMA candidates. The electorates tend to vote candidates who can promise better services and who can best relate to their concerns. In the end, it wont matter if their Congressman supported GMA all the way so long as he can dole out cash, make a good and reputable image and fool people that he cares then he would win. Remember that the masses does not fully understand Congress' role in the republic. Public service for them translates to provision of services.

2. The Opposition doesn't even have complete line-up for local positions. Yes they may have a lot in Metro Manila but that wont be enough to give them the majority of votes. Big provinces are well controlled by administration candidates like Batangas, Pampanga, Pangasinan and the ARMM region.

3. The Opposition doesn't have the machinery and the money to bankroll a successful campaign. The Administration has representatives in all areas in the country from the smallest barangay to the biggest cities. It is an estimated 80% of the local positions are held by GMA supporters and we all know what an incumbent can do during election seasons.

4. The Administration is well bent to destroy Opposition candidates in Congress. They have fielded Manny Paquio against incumbent Darlene Custodio who came from a prominent clan in Gen San. They have started harassing left wing party list. Datu is set to run against an opposition candidate as well. All and other steps aimed at wrestling power from anti-GMA candidates.

In the end, GMA's concern only this election is that if GO wins substantial slots then it may derail important legislation for her government. Given that GO is known for their populist stands, they would filibuster even to the point of snubbing economic legislation in the country. Unlike the US, the electorate doesn't even care what kind of votes elected Senators made during his term. If he looks and smells good then all is well. Pity we end up with stupid legislates making crappy laws.

I am happy and confident GMA will stay as president till 2010. My future, I know, will be better.

Christian Gay

2007-03-15T09:15:00.000-09:00

I have read that a group of fundamentalist Christian teens were having a two day worship and celebration program at the heart of what they call "gay culture" which is San Francisco . They were shouting slogans against homosexuality. But what caught me was an exchange of words quoted by the New York Times. It said that one gay guy told the Christian teens that he is a Christian gay, but they countered arguing that if he is a Christian then he should not be gay.

Time and time again, I don’t know maybe lack of understanding or sheer narrow-mindedness that some people cannot distinguish acts from orientation. A gay guy is different from a homosexual acts in the same way that a straight man is different from pre-marital sex. Yet we don’t here Fundamentalist crying out loud against being man, do we? No, because they believe that God created only man and woman and nothing in between. Yet the reality still remains that there is and forever will be a number of the world population admitting or not that they are gay.

I admit that I am a gay guy but I still consider myself a Catholic - a conservative social republican in fact. I still believe in all the tenets of the Holy Mother Church and never question her moral guiding authority over the flock. But I must make distinctions again from trying to critique teachings from denying authority all together. And so I still believe that homosexuality is a disordered orientation but orientation none the less. And an understanding of orientation exposes us to the fact that it permeates the individual's actions.

By now I am already hearing people saying that I just blew up the logic. If orientation permeates action then homosexual acts are made by homosexuals only. Then wouldn’t it be reasonable to denounce the orientation that caused it all. For people of low understanding, that kind of reasoning is appealing. And I am hearing it being discussed in Charismatic groups and other conservative communities.

But let us say that the reasoning is correct, and then we end up denouncing the two so called "normal" orientations. For who does pre-marital sex if not a boy and a girl? Who watches straight porn, isn’t it a straight guy? Yet we don’t hear anyone condemning being a man or a woman. And so the case should be the same for homosexuality.

Homosexuality is an orientation like any other. Yet it doesn’t necessarily follow that acts are always made but homosexuals. We are also called to abstinence and chastity among others - or to put more theologically correct, all and that includes gay are called to holiness. In the same way we lecture a man and a woman not to engage on premarital sex, our concern should be focused on orienting gay guys not to perform sexual acts with the same sex.

Having said that, there still remains the sticky problem of conventions. I do believe that social conventions - and religion is not a convention - like attires, tone of voice, mannerism should not be counted as immoral acts. Yes perhaps some attires but I can’t just live to the fact that people give you those glaring looks if you try wearing gay attire. Yet wasn’t it the same when the mini skirt was invented. I pity those sons who live in a family who tries to conform to social conventions. Why can’t they just let there kid have a long hair? Alas, man has long way to go towards sexual understanding.

In the end I believe that I am Christian homosexual who like the rest of my Christian family is striving hard to love my Creator back. It is just so soothing knowing that no one can go between me and my God.

Peace.

Economy vs Democracy

2007-03-12T23:18:00.000-09:00

This may sound harsh, and sometimes I cant believe that I am saying this - but I believe a little sacrifice of liberties is worth a good economic progress. I know. It is hard to hear it from a former writer of a activist-leaning magazine in college.

I have read a lot of editorials already comparing the present situation with the Marcos era. And the similarities are unquestionable. There has been an up rise in activist killings, harsh executive orders struck down by the Supreme Court, harassment of left-wing activist and implementation of PB110 that is equal to a suppression of rights to rally. Yet amidst all this, the populace has been shrugging things as if nothing is wrong. In fact an editor in PDI today said that there is apathy among Filipinos towards the Marcosian tendencies of the administration.

Yet on the other hand, the economy has never been this good. Our inflation rate is well kept below 5%, a level never been seen for the last decade. We are meeting and often times exceeding deficit targets and revenue collection by implementing tough tax reforms and tightening of expenditures. BSP Governor Tetangco expressed confidence that the economy will be able to absorb the onset of money inflows during the election period to avoid increase in inflation. We have one of the strongest and stable currency in the region. Our Stock Exchange has been achieving ceilings never seen before. And given that the administration is hard bent to continue the reforms and programs aimed at helping the economy - maybe just maybe the 7% increase in GDP will be possible - and this is a miracle for a country that cant sustain more than 5% of GDP increases in the last decade.

And so given the dichotomy of the situation - I would be more inclined to chose a robust economy while sacrificing a little of civil liberties. Hasn't these been the experience of Singapore? A country known for its dictator leaning laws but reaping economic gains.

Yet still remains the question of how much civil liberty am I willing to sacrifice. I think time will just tell. But judging what is happening today, I am supporting the efforts of the government to go and hunt those legal party-list groups that are supporting communist insurgency. I am also calling on Congress to increase corporate tax and to re-do the Sin Tax Law by increasing taxes on luxury goods.

A famous who I forgot once said that it would be better to live in a hell place run by Filipinos than in a heaven run by Americans. And I know it would be better to live in a place run by dictatorial tendencies than in hell run by democracy loving yet corrupt officials. It is hard to wage war for democracy if my tummy is churning due to hunger. As one Philo Major once said, "Mahirap mamilosopiya ng gutom" and yes, "Mahirap makipaglaban para sa demokrasya ng gutom".

Tessie Aquino-Oreta's New Image

2007-03-11T08:52:00.000-09:00

Link: INQ News

I must admit that I felt utterly disgusted when Tessie Aquino Oreta made her infamous dance after the now historical vote in the Senate. It was an act of utter smugness and indifference to the sentiment of the Filipino people. And I guess she felt she would not win a re-election so she did not run for the 2001 Election. But now she is back - with a different new image to project.

And its a image very far from the dancing queen she was once known. First, she already said sorry in national television for her famous act in 2001. She differed from the other two senators implicated in the ASO Jingle because she was the only one who forgave Rex Cortes and who would not file complaints in the senate. She also did not contest Noynoy's bid to own the name Aquino in the coming elections. In fact, she conceded all Aquino votes to Noynoy.

At first I was very skeptical if this was just a ploy to get sympathy and votes in the coming election. And why would I not be? Philippine Politics is known for propaganda aimed at enhancing images even if its not true at all. This is the case for the sudden messianic image Mark Jimenez wearing khaki pants and white shirts. La Presidenta also undergone image enhances from the taray-queen to a mother image.

I dunno but I really felt her sincerity when she said sorry and the fact that she is an active member of a Christian Church is also a plus thing. Perhaps, Tessie has made a big difference to her life - and she is now worthy of a second chance in the senate.

Given that she had a bad reputation during the Impeachment, there is always a possibility of change. And what I am looking for a candidate is not more his credentials but rather the integrity she may have. And given what she is doing right now - she is definitely on the right track.

But the election is still two months from now and maybe things may continue to happen. But If we have elections today, Tessie will have my vote.

To Xyra Contreras

2007-03-11T06:23:00.000-09:00

To Xyra

Her cries of anguish reverberates....

to the Olympus.

to the Celestial Heavens.

Where has her father been?

deserted!

unheard!

Comfort! Comfort!, His father answers

He sees.

He understands.

Hers is emptiness,

His overflowing love.

Hers is being alone,

He sees her stand out.

Hers is pain

His is healing.

Her cries of anguish reverberates...

His loving embrace reaches out!

Power: A Different Look

2007-03-10T10:17:00.000-09:00

My final paper for my PolSci class in college was about power - the relationship with modern democracy and the seeming negative image it has today. And a blog from cocunter made me think about my paper again.

First and foremost, I do agree with his assessment that power is everywhere. Foucault would even tell us that power is dispersed and in a way, man shares and tries to wrestle from other power. And I also agree that power is the ability to make someone do something what we want (coercive) or just the ability to get what we want. But I think it would be plainer to define power as the ability to do something. This kind of definition would erase all negative presumptions of power as dominating and repressive.

Now, coconuter said that power can be abused because man is hungry for it. He then enumerated instances when big economies tend to bully smaller economies. But I think this kind of perception is blind to the fact that these economies are not run by a single person - thus destroying the notion of man wanting more - but rather by a complex structures of the State. I think what coconuter fails to realize, though he vaguely mentions it, is the reality of man during the initial stages of society. He said that physical power is the most primitive of its kind but never was it mentioned the dialectic of power and man's nature. Rousseau said that man's nature during the initial stages of society was of self-preservation - thus a realization of man's inner desire to advance his one's needs.

The rise of participative democracy only happened when man began to realize that self-preservation was becoming a threat among themselves. The idea of property brought about the problem of theft - thus a structure was made with the consensus of the community to protect the interest of the different individuals without giving any preference to anyone.

Now with the advent of trade ushered in a new perspective to the interplay of power and man's nature. Given that there are structures that protects individual interest, the community then realized - powered by their own desire - that they also need to setup structures to protect the common good of the community. And that ushered in the world of globalization.

And so the idea that power was abused by the bigger economies is a misnomer given that what these economies only try to pursue is the common good of the community it represents - and I think I can explain further by juxtaposing it with participative democracy.

Now we need to go back to the time of the ancient Greeks who served as the earliest record of this kind of democracy. We see that the members of the community converged on public spaces to discuss issues and to formulate solutions as well. Now as the community grew bigger and bigger the idea of everyone sharing his views became impossible in terms of logistics and time. Thus direct democracy was replaced by representatives who were elected by the populace. In sense the power of a voter to advance his self-interest was being transferred to an elected official (transffering of power to an individual). Thus all representatives must pursue the interest of their constituents. Thus also the idea that most laws and constitutions have clause about power vested upon me by the people.

So the idea of abusing power cannot be used to pertain bigger economies bullying smaller ones because in fact they are just living up to their roles. The abuse of power happens, in terms of politics, when an elected official turns his back to the common good of the constituents.

Isang Isyung Walang Kwenta!

2007-03-10T08:27:00.000-09:00

Hindi makailang beses na ring ginamit ng Oposisyon sa kanilang kampanya ang serye ng pagpatay sa mga aktibistang tumutuligsa sa pamahalaan. Hindi nga naman natin maikakaila na marami ng mga aktibista ang walang-awang pinatay ng mga pinaghihinalang militar. Kung kayat hindi na rin magkandaugaga ang mga progresibong grupo na ilabas ang kanilang pagkadismaya sa di-umano'y walang pakialam na administrasyon. Walang pakialam sapagkat mayroon daw isang "secret order" sa militar na iligpit ang mga kaaway ng pamahalaan. Sabay banat sa inilabas na report ng isang dayuhan at ng Melo Commission.

Hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit pati ang Oposisyo'y ginagamit ang isyu ng pagpatay para tirahin ang pamahalaan. Sa tingin ba nila mayroon pakialam ang nakararaming Pilipino sa mga nangyayaring patayan. Hindi sa pinapaboran ko ang pagpatay sapagkat labag ito sa pamantayan ng tama. Ngunit hindi din natin masisisi kung meron mang mga grupo lalo na sa militar ang gumagawa ng mga ganitong bagay lalo na't kung ang mga grupo ito ay nakikiayon at tumutulong sa kaaway ng estado - ang komunista.

Sino nga naman ang hindi maasar kung alam mong ginagamit ang pera mo pantustus sa mga kaaway hindi lamang ng pamahalaan kundi pati ng buong estado. Hindi ba't karumaldumal isiping na ang tanging dahilan kung bakit tinutulighsa nila ang sinumang pangulo ay upang mailuklok ang isang komunistand pinuno. Isang pagtutulak ng isang adhikaing balot sa kasinungalingan ng pag-unlad sa mahihirap.

Kung kaya't mahirap mang tanggapin - wala akong pakialam sa mga pagpatay na iyo, tulad na rin ng mga maraming Pilipino. Wala kaming pakialam kung arestuhin ang mga tulad ni Satur na nagbabalakayong kaibigan ng mahihirap.

Paano ko nasabing maraming Pilipino ang nagkibit-balikat sa mga nangyayari? Simple lamang. Wala tayong nakikitang isang matinding pagkainis sa mga nangyayari di tulad sa ibang isyung kinahaharap ng administrasyon tulad ng dayaan sa eleksyon. Malas nga lamang na kinakasangkapan ng mga konuistang grupo ang media para maitulak ang kanilang pekeng adhikain.

Alam ko hindi magiging isang isyung politikal ang mga pagpatay. Kung kaya't ang mga ingay ay dapat ng baliwalain o patuloy na baliwalain ng mga mamamayan. Mas mabuti pang pagtuunan ng pansin ang probelmang ekonomikal ng mga Pilipino - ang tunay na isyung may malaking epekto sa ating buhay.

Tungo sa tuluyang kamatayan ng masamang adhikain ng Komunismo sa Pilipinas.

Dan Naked? Nah! That is Impossible!

2007-03-10T04:39:00.000-09:00

It came as a very nice shocked for me to know that Daniel Radcliffe has decided to shelved off the image of a cutesy 17-year old Harry Potter by deciding to appear naked with bad-boyish image in the play Equus. Unfortunately for us, this play will only be shown in London so I guess I need me to find a very kind person to sponsor my trip there.

In any case, I heard that Dan would no longer be recast as Harry Potter because of the pictures that came out. Now I would reconsider doing this not only because it would do no good for the movie. It would hard to reimagine Harry Potter with a different face. And besides, he took on this versatile role with praises from critics - so maybe we could take it for what the play is really is - an art.

Now with the last Harry Potter book and Harry Potter Movie 5 due next July, this event might do the book and the movie good. As they say, there is no such this as bad publicity. And given that there is already a strong following of die hard fans, naked pictures of Dan or whatever bad things he would be doing would not be enough to keep us out of the theater and the bookstores. In fact, I have already made my reservation for the book.

So Dan doesnt want to be the cutesy little wizard no more - give him a break -it is his life anyway. And besides wasnt this the same reason Leonardo DiCaprio said about after making Titanic - that he was made into another cutesy idol. Now Dan would just need to hone his acting skills and maybe an Oscar would be soon in sight.

Para sa mga nakaaalam ng MERON

2007-03-08T10:19:00.000-09:00

***nalala ko lamang ang mga araw ko kasama ang mga kaskwela habang nakikinig at nakikipagtalastasan kina Padre Ferriols, Fr. David, Dr. Angeles, Fr. Que, Mr. Calasanz, Dr. Reyes, Dr. Miroy at iba pang mga guro na humubog at patuloy na huhubugin ang aking kaisipan gamit ang mga di malilimutang aral sa pagmumuni sa landas ng pilosopiya.***

Pagtawid
(isang pag-aalay sa mga kasama kong manlalakbay)

Nakasalumbaba't nakaupo sa lilim ng Batibot,
batong-bato sa katitingin ng mga aninong dumaraan.
Nang may napansing isang matandang lalaki -
suot ang asul na Hi-Lander at kusot nang pantalon,
nakatitig at pinagmamasdan ang aking sapatos.
Anong Meron?
"Meron."
Merong ano?
"Meron."
Wala naman eh?
"Meron nga."
Saan pa meron?
"Lahat Meron."
Walang walang meron?
"Wala. Ang labas sa meron ay wala."
Meron ka rin ba?
"Oo. Meron din ikaw. Lahat meron."
Hindi ko makita ang meron?
"Tumingin ka?"
At nagmasid at tumingin gamit ang mata ng pag-iisip -
habang nagpatuloy ng lumakad ang matanda.
Meron nga!
Ang mga ibon, halaman, upuan, kaibigan, kapwa-estudyante, sasakyan -
Lahat nga ay meron.
At ang walang meron ay wala.
Sinabayan sya ng lakad.
Meron ba pa?
"Meron."
At mula noon, hindi na ako lumingon pabalik.

American Idol and Being a Farmer

2007-03-07T10:12:00.001-09:00

I was watching a dismal performance by the guys on American Idol today - but at least it got me thinking of my future or maybe just dumb old fantasy. There was this contestant, whose name I forgot, who really looked like a red neck Southern guy - and he was cute though sounded more like a male Britney. But I am talking about his cute face, eyes that make you wanna embrace him and the obvious Southern aura - which made me realize maybe it is cool to be a farmer.

I got this call from an old lady in VA and she told me that she was a farmer - and now dont go thinking bout those farmers in the Philippines coz hell I would not want to be like that. But anyway, this old lady was telling me of her farm which included pigs, chickens, horses and a lot of space to oggle and kabudle whatever.

And I though It was nice to live in a place like that with a cute guy. You have acres of land to roam aound riding in your cutesy horsey and the barn - oh the barn!

But I also thought that I am no good with animals. I cant feed chicken nor bathe a pig and I am not going to brushing horses or grazing a four-legged animal. So I am stuck with the prospect of a farm life with one hand thinking about the barn and on the other, the manual labor.

Hehe, but the barn with the cutesy guy rocks. So I am still thinking...

Maybe I will just ask Angelina to adopt me instead. Imagine Brad Pitt as my step dad. I will wishing to have thunderstorm every evening - I am afraid of thunderstorms you know.

Toot...Toot. GMAC Insurance.. Shit back to reality.

GO in Monetary Disarray

2007-03-03T12:29:00.000-09:00

I was able to give the GO a benefit of a doubt when they announced the sudden cancellation of their hyped first out-of-Manila campaign sortie in Iloilo due to security concerns. But by golly, the same thing seemed to happen in Antique. It has been long rumored that the GO has been having not only leadership problems but most importantly money problems to bankroll their campaign. It is not wonder that they are pointing blaming fingers to the administration of trying to sabotage their campaign but one of their own admitted that the Iloilo sortie was canceled due to poor reception.

The dominant Lakas-Kampi Parties (or the Administration) have 90% of the incumbents in the local level and this translates to effective logistics and crowd-drawing support. Take for example the Makati and San Juan, the GO would not have a hard time getting people to go out because local leaders would just call on their die hard supporters and whipped up a good venue and you have a somewhat organized sortie - and so this must be done in cities they want to campaign. Clearly, the GO cannot expect the same support in other provinces like Cebu, Pampanga and Pangasinan.

But it is not yet the end of the world for the GO because even if you dont have the power of local politics behind you, money is still the single most effective way of winning a campaign. If you have the mullah to setup stage, feed people, organize grass root support and make a bruhaha celebration of your sortie - then you still have the chance of being elected. Yet even this fact is but a dream to the GO.

ERAP has not been keen on doling out to his "friends" and Villar is not stupid as well to support others. So individual candidates now have bigger burden of knocking on heaven's door hoping it would open - even just for an inch.

Add the fact that the leadership are squabbling among themselves to control the campaign with two Estradas on opposite side of the fence. Jinggoy not being coy on his bitter relation with half-brother JV. In the end they had to call old Sen. John Osmeña to the helm.

The GO may have the upper hand on Mega Manila but it wont translate to an election win. The Administration has local support during campaign season and an ample supply of poll watchers. They also have the money to spend whether from legit or not so legit coffers. They also have the best political machinery on the country to date. And the GO is nothing near those.

Para kay Kat Inocentes

2007-03-03T12:00:00.001-09:00

Para kay Kat Inocentes
(na naiintindihan ang hindi sinasabi)

Sumisigaw ang paos na tinig
ng lupang tigang sabay ng
garalgal na dalanging matagal ng sambit.

Asan ang pinangako?
upang hilumin ang mga uhaw na bitak
upang palayin ang nagpupumiglas na init!

Ang luntiang panahong inaasam
matapos ang malakas na buhas
ng ulan.

(dated 03/04/2007 4:59AM)

Ruminations on a Taxi Ride

2007-03-03T03:11:00.000-09:00

I should have my pay by now but because I was not so keen as to getting my new Banco de Oro ATM or maybe not until last Thursday, that I am still wallowing at being broke. But maybe not that broke because I was able to ride a taxi to work which I should have not done if not for the sudden rain pour. Grrr!!

And so, lucky me that I was able to get a taxi soon after - a yellow R&E Taxi with a bald old driver listening to DZMM. Now, I listen to news so I did not complain if he was tuning to an AM station on a drizzly Saturday night. However, I only got to listen about Sharon and her new movie because not long after Bernadette Sembrano was already giving her closing spiel. Damn! It means I have to read the online Philippine Star yet again. So I got stuck listening to Sen. Lim's program.

It was about two teenage girls, one was a banker and the other was a nursing student, who committed suicide together. And the bizarre part of it all was the fact one friend shot the other before killing herself. The survived never questioned the validity of the suicide note nor the police but some things have still to be cleared out. Now, Fred Lim goes on to blabber about how our police cant seem to rule out foul play in the soonest possible time - but I dont care about that no more.

It struck me how a friend can pull a trigger on a friend's head then kill herself. I mean it takes a lot of courage of shooting a person let alone a friend and just imagine brains and blood sputtering in all directions. If I were that person I would be in total shocked! I am imagining myself with spots of blood and brain ooze and crying in tears- speechless! I wont be able to move at all. Not that the idea of suicide is all too distant to me but rather the fact that I killed my best friend!

Yup, you heard it right - suicide is not new to me. In fact I was already on the last stage of planning one when God (I believe it was God) who used my friends to dissuade me. Now, I believe that my reason was petty even funny but hell knows what goes into one's mind especially when you are depressed!

Imagine I had already planned what medicine to take (I don't want to look like a toad crushed by a 14-wheeler truck...), where to buy it and all the dramas attached to it. My drafts, though only replayed in my mind, has been edited many times to evoke the right drama and the right point at the right moment. It was a perfect scene for a melodrama that would make Maalaala Mo Kaya run for the money.

Maybe the world is getting hell bent or maybe we, those who plan to commit suicide and those who have successfully done it, are just plain mental - but in any case the problem of teenage suicide is a reality that needs to be addressed. And I think it is being addressed, I just want to babble about the fact that teenage Filipinos in the prime of their youth kill themselves either unceremoniously or not. If not then Rizal might retract his notion of the young as the hope of the nation.

I arrived at the office well before my time - and once again, I am whirled back to the world of unending false empathy and utter hypocrisy of care to calls. But those ruminations brought me back to a not so distant past creeping back ever so seldom when I am alone in my room plain wasted.

Startalk Interview kay Hope

2007-02-25T05:36:00.000-09:00

Eto naman ang interview kay Hope sa Startalk

talks to GMA

Lolit Solis interview with controversial Belo Clinic receptionist Hope that was aired over GMA 7’s Startalk Saturday.

Lolit Solis: Nasa gitna ka ngayon ng kontrobersiya. Ikaw ang sinasabing babaeng nakapagitan ngayon kay James Yap at Kris Aquino. Alam mong may asawa si James bakit pumatol ka pa sa kanya?

Hope: Kasi po malambing siya.

Bale ibig mong sabihin niligawan ka niya?

Opo

Talagang as in nadala ka ng panliligaw ni James?

Opo lagi po siyang nagte-text sa akin saka lagi siyang nagpupunta sa dating pinagtatrabahuhan ko.

Nagsimula ‘to noong March sabi mo?

Opo

Ang huli niyong pag-uusap January 15?

Opo

So bale tumagal ng halos 11 months yung relasyon nyo. Syempre si James kilalang tao di ba. Alam ng maraming tao na asawa siya ni Kris Aquino. Paano kayo nakakalabas ng walang nakakakitang tao sa inyo?

Nangyari lang po lahat sa loob ng opisina. Sa dati kong pinagtatrabahuhan.

Hindi alam ng mga taong nandodoon?

May mga iba pong nakakalam tulad nung facialist niya na si Elis at saka yung scrubber niya si Mitos.

So bale si Elis bale ang bridge nyong dalawa ni James?Bakit nung huling nakausap ko si Elis ang sabi niya “‘Wag kang maniwala Nay Lolit ilusyon lang nya yun." Ikaw daw ang in love na in love kay James, stalker ka ni James, saka talagang fatal attraction ka kay James.

Hindi po totoo yun. In the first place po alam ni Elis na hindi ko type si James at me asawa na siya. Alam niya na kada punta dun ni James, alam niya kung ano nangyayari sa amin dahil nagpapakuwento siya.

Gaano kadalas magpunta si James doon?

Once a week. Every Monday.

Bakit pag Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday hindi na kayo nagkikita?

Hindi na po. pero Puro text or tawag.

Nag-uusap kayo ni James?

Opo.

Paano siya nakakatext sa ‘yo? Pagka wala siya sa tabi ni Kris? O kahit andun si Kris nakakapagtext siya sa ‘yo?

Minsan po katabi niya daw si Kris kasi hindi naman raw nagbabasa si Kris ng mga message niya. Wala raw silang pakialamanan ng cellphone

Hope, dun sa tagal na yun na-feel mo bang na-in love sayo si James?

Na-feel ko po kasi lagi siyang nagte-text.

Pero once a week lang kayo nagkikita?

Na-in love po ako talaga sa kanya. Ang naging kasalanan ko lang po e ‘yung nagmahal ako.

Ngayong moment na ito na nalaman ni James na nawalan ka ng trabaho na ganyan na. Hindi naman ba siya nag-attempt na tawagan ka?

Hindi po

Wala man lang suporta galing sa kanya?

Wala po

Halimbawa tumawag siya sa ‘yo, ready ka pa rin? Mahal mo pa rin ba siya?

Mahal ko po.

Sa pagkakakilala mo kay James pursigido ba siya kapag pag may gusto siya?

Oo. Pag gusto niya gusto n’ya.

Hindi mo siya tinatawagan?

Hindi na po

Ba’t ayaw mo nang tawagan si James?

Mula nung nalaman na nga, nung mga may lumabas na blind item hindi ko na siya tinitext. Hinihintay ko na siya ang magtext sa akin.

Pero, Hope, hindi ka buntis?

Hindi po

‘Yun ang balita dati na kaya ka daw nawala dahil baka daw buntis ka?

Hindi po

Kung may message kang sasabihin kay Kris. Anong message mo?

Lalaki ‘yan hindi basta basta umaamin. Kahit na meron nang pruweba magde-deny pa rin ‘yan. Kasi ako may pruweba ako kaya wag niya akong basta-basta inaapi na palabasing sinungaling. Na ako ang naghahabol sa asawa niya.

Kay James anong message mo?

Kay James. Sana hindi niya ako basta binalewala na lang

Dalaga ka?

Opo

Sa tingin mo in love na in love siya sa’yo?

Hindi naman in love na inlove, siguro may nararamdaman siya.

Nung pinasok ko yun alam ko kung saan ako at hindi ako naghangad na pangakuan ako ni James ng kahit na ano, ayoko sana ding magpa-interview or what …hindi ako showbiz para pag-usapan.

Pero may galit ka bang nararamdaman kay James?

Naaawa ako sa kanya.

Pinanood mo ba?

Opo pinanood ko yun. Para siyang robot. Lalaki siya, sana man lang… me ginawa na siya e… bago ka naman gumawa ng mga bagay bagay alam mo kung ano ang consequences. Ako nung pinasok ko ‘to alam ko kung ano ang mangyayari. Alam kong mangyayari ito. Nasasaktan ako. Mahal ko siya pero hindi ko na inisip yun sabi ko sige ganun talaga e na-inlove na ako wala na akong magagawa doon at wala akong pinagsisisihan.

May pangako ba si James?

Wala siyang pangako

Dun sa 11 months wala siyang sinabi sa ‘yong I love you?

Wala po.

Paano mo mapi-feel na may love sa ‘yo yung partner mo kung wala man lang sinasabi sa ‘yo?

Yung pagte-text niya.

Sa mga text niya walang I love you?

Wala, wala. Kasi ako naman hindi ko naman inaano na mag- I love you siya kasi alam ko naman na may asawa siya and alam ko in the first place kung saan ako lulugar. Hindi mage-expect ng ganun.

Nung naging kayo hindi pa buntis si Kris?

Hindi pa. Bale two weeks na kaming magkatext nun saka lumabas na ikinasal na sila. Wala po talaga akong balak na sirain tulad ng sabi niya na kung sino man daw, parang sinabi niya sa The Buzz na ‘kung sino man siya na gustong sirain ang marriage ko puwes sa ngayong point hindi siya magtatagumpay." Ang sa akin lang hindi ko sinisira kasi nung pinasok ko ‘yun alam ko kung saan ako at hindi ako naghangad na pangakuan ako ni James ng kahit na ano. Ayoko sana ding magpa-interview or what kasi gusto ko na ring manahimik e. Hindi naman ako showbiz para pag-usapan.

May kumakalat na balita na ikaw ang naghahabol?

Ayoko nung balitang yun na parang na inilalabas nila na...wala ako ni pisong hiningi kay James.

May binibigay ka ba sa kanya?

Wala. Sa mga sumusubaybay po kay Kris Aquino at James Yap, sana po wag nyo akong husgahan. Wag kayong magalit sa akin kasi tao lang po ako, babae lang din ako na na-in love at mahal na mahal ko siya at ngayon naiiwang mag-isa. - GMANews.TV

S-Files Interview Kay Hope

2007-02-25T05:23:00.000-09:00

Sa mga naghahanap sa transcript ng interview ni Hope sa S-Files

thanks to http://www.gmanews.tv/story/32024/Hope-wishes-Kris-will-forgive-her

Here’s the full interview of Hope with S-Files’ Lolit Solis:

Na-in love ba sa iyo si James?

Naramdaman ko po. Yung sa month na ‘yon na nagtatawagan kami, nagkikita kami, naramdaman ko po yon na minahal din niya ko.

Nag-start mong makilala si James, March?

Opo

June, lumabas na kinasal na sila ni Kris Aquino. Paano mo naramdamang mahal ka ni James? Sinasabi ba niya?

Sinasabi po niya sa akin.

May mga binibigay ba sayong regalo si James?

Nagbigay lang po ng chocolate, flowers, ganon lang po.

Sinasabi tuwing Lunes kayong nagkikita.

Opo

Martes, Miyerkules, Huwebes, hanggang Linggo, hindi kayo nagkikita?

Magka-text kami po ng mga times na ‘yon. Nagtatawagan kami.

Pero nakikita mo rin siya in between?

Oo

Pinupuntahan ka niya doon sa pinagtatrabahuhan mo?

Opo.

So gaano, yung extent ng relasyon n’yo bago ito nahinto? Huminto na ba?

January 15 po kami last na nagkita at nag-usap. Ang sa akin lang naman, sana, nung lumabas na itong isyu na ito, yung tungkol sa amin, sana tinawagan man lang niya sana ko.

Palagay mo, paano nadiskubre ni Kris yung relasyon n’yo ni James?

Meron daw po kasing nagsumbong. Kasi…buong….yung mga office mates ko…alam na ng lahat…yun sa dati kong pinagtrabahuhan. Kaya po ako natanggal sa trabahong ‘yon, dahil nalaman na ng management.

Buntis ka ba, Hope?

Di ko pa po alam.

Kung sakali, anong gagawin mo? Halimbawa ngang buntis ka, anong gagawin mo, ngayon at wala na si James?

Papalakihin ko siyang mag-isa. Papalakihin ko siya kahit wala siyang ama. Mamahalin ko siya. Itutuloy ko.

Anong message mo kay Kris Aquino?

Para po kay Kris, nagso-sorry po ako. Humihingi ako ng pang-unawa. Alam ko, nararamdamin mo din yung nararamdaman ko. Nangyari din sayo no’n, itong nangyayari sa ‘kin.

Kung mas may nasasaktan man ngayon at nawalan ng kredibilidad, ako po ‘yon.

Ano yung sinasabi mong nangyari na rin it okay Kris before?

Yung kay Miss Alma tsaka kay Sir Joey. Sila pa rin naman no’n di ba? Tapos yung sa girlfriend ni James na nabuntis niya, buntis na siya no’n, tsaka lang nagging sila.

So sana man lang, wag akong husgahan agad. Kung natanggap man nila si Kris no’n, napatawad nila, sana po gano’n din ako.

Anong sinasabi ng pamilya mo sa’yo Hope?

Nung una po, galit na galit talaga sila. Bakit nga daw po nagkagano’n. Pinalaki po ako ng magulang ko ng maayos. Pinag-aral ako. (Sobs…)

Sa tingin mo, ano magiging kapalaran mo ngayon, na alam na ng lahat ng tao kung ano nangyari sa’yo?

(Crying) Yun po ang hindi ko alam kung…makakahanap pa ko ng trabaho. Kasi sinira nap o nila ako eh. Ang nagging kasalanan ko lang, nagmahal…minahal ko si James, kahit na alam kong may asawa na siya, kahit na alam kong mali.

Sana lang po, hindi nila ko hinusgahan ng ganon ganon na lang. Na sinasabi nilang (****) ako, na stalker ako….

May mga balitang, isa ka daw babaeng mababa ang lipad…na matagal mo nang pangarap na …

Hindi po. Katunayan po n’yan hindi ko siya gusto. Pinakilala lang siya sa akin ni Elize. Tapos, pag nagpupunta siya do’n, tinatawag ako si Elize…sa room. Yun naman lahat eh…yung gumagawa sa kanya. Alam nila ang buong kwento, pero ayaw nilang magsalita, siguro natatakot sila, siyempre, mawawalan sila ng trabaho.

Meron ba siyang(James) sinasabi tungkol sa mga problema nila ni Kris?

Meron po. Everytime na nag-aaway sila ni Kris, tumatawag siya sa kain. Sinasabi niya na nag-away na naman kami. Sabi niya pag nag-aaway daw sila, nabe-break sila.

May reaksyon ka bas a sinabi ni Kris na hindi siya papayag na siraan mo ang pamilya nila?

Unang una po, hindi po ako naninira ng pamilya. Ang sa akin lang kasi, na-inlove lang talaga ko sa kanya. At humihingi ako ng patawad. At nililinaw ko na tapos naman na sa amin ang lahat. Sana naman, magsalita na sila at tapusin na nila ito.

Ano sa palagay mo ang mangyayari sa buhay mo ngayon?

Yun nga po eh. Sigurado na sila sa future nila. Siyempre, Kris Aquino yin eh tasaka James Yap. Pero ako, hindi ko alam kung ano mangyayari sa future ko. Basta ang gusto ko lang po ngayon, malinis ko yung pangalan ko.

Di ba sabi mo, nagalit ang Tatay mo sa’yo dahil sa nangyaring ito, sa palagay mo, bakit siya nagalit? Apektado ba buong pamilya mo?

Apektado po. Kasi sila lahat ang nakakabasa lahat ng mga write ups…ganon. Kaya sobrang nasaktan sila sa mga akusasyon laban sa akin na hindi naman totoo.

Para po sa kanila, gusto ko pong humingi ng tawad at pang-unawa pos a mga magulang ko dahil nasaktan kop o sila.

Pinagsisisihan mo bang mga nangyaring ito?

Hindi po.

Umiiyak po siya.

Eh ba’t hindi ka nagsisisi, naapektuhan ang pamilya mo?

Kasi po ginusto ko rin ‘yun eh.

Umibig ka?

Minahal ko siya.

Anong special qualities ni James?

Si James kasi malambing…sobrang lambing. Tsaka lagi siyang nagte-text, tumatawag, sa akin kahit hanggang madaling araw.

Gusto ko lang pong magsalita tungkol sa sinabi ni Mr. Boy Abunda na walang kasalanan sa akin si Kris. Opo, wala po siyang kasalanan sa akin. Kaya nga po ako yung humihingi ng patawad sa kanya, dahil nasaktan ko siya. Pero hindi ko po ‘yun sinasadya

Hindi mo sinasadya….kaya tuloy sinugod sa ospital si Kris, ano masasabi mo tungkol do’n?

Yun pong nangyari kay Kris, pwede rin pong mangyari sa akin ‘yon, kasi hindi pa ko sigurado kung buntis ako ngayon. Kung pati kay Kris, dapat meron din po kayo (concern) sa akin.

Sa palagay mo, ikaw ang biktima rito Hope?

Opo.

Sinasabi mong mahal mo si James, pa’no kung sabihin sayo ni James na never ka niyang minahal?

Masakit po para sa akin. Pero…wala nap o akong magagawa siguro.

Sa palagay mo, sa tagal ng pagsasama n’yo ni James kahit papano, na-feel mo bang maligaya siya sa piling ni Kris? Yung total na happiness?

Hindi po 100 percent na maligaya siya. Kasi nung time na ‘yon, na naging kami…ah, hindi pa kami no’n, nagte-text siya sa akin, tumatawag, nagsasabi ng mga problema, naaawa ako sa kanya. Kasi, yung mga kuwento niya na palagi silang nag-aaway, kahit maliit na bagay lang, nag-aaway sila, naaawa ako sa kanya non’n.

Hanggang sa tumagal,tagal, na-inlove ako sa kanya. Kasi ang pagkaka-alam ko, kung masaya ka sa isang babae, sa asawa mo, hindi ka maghahanap ng iba. Kasi ako naman, nakikinig lang ako sa kanya, kung ano yung gusto niyang ikuwento sa akin, yun lang po.

Anong eksaktong reaksyon mo , nung nalaman mong kasal na sila?

Narinig ko lang po yun sa The Buzz, yata yun, nung sinabi ni Kris na kasal na sila. Inaamin ko po nasaktan ako, kasi mahal ko na siya no’n. Pero hindi ako nagtanong kay James ng kahit na ano.

Wala naman siyang sinabi?

Wala po siyang sinabi.

Hindi niya sinabing napilitan lang siya…?

Hindi naman po. Ang sinabi niya, mula ng ikasal siya, hindi na daw siya nakakalabas, hindi na siya nakakapunta kung saan-saan na kasama ang mga barkada niya.

Ilan kayong magkakapatid Hope?

Walo po.

Bakit sa tingin mo, lumabas yung balitang isa kang mumurahing babae?

Siguro dahil maraming nanliligaw sa akin….Kasi pinagkakatiwalaan ko siya (referring to her friend who divulged Hope’s secret affair with James). Ang pagkaka-alam ko sobrang close kami, alam niya lahat ang nangyayari. Tapos ngayon binaliktad niya ko.

Anong message mo dun sa dati mong mga kaibigan na ngayon ay nagsasalita naman laban sa’yo?

Sa kanila po, sana kung tunay ko silang kaibigan, sana hindi na lang sila magsalita. Kasi trinaydor nila ako.

May galit ka pa kay James? Mahal mo pa rin siya?

(Nods)

Kay Kris anong message mo?

Sana maunawaan niya ako at sana mapatawad niya ko, dahil pareho lang din naman kaming babae, na naranasan ding magmahal sa maling lalake. - GMANews.TV

Genuine Opposition's Boggest Problem

2007-02-25T04:28:00.000-09:00

They may have the advantage of PGMA's dismal popularity but this is not enough to give them victory come election day. We must not forget that the electorate flip flops ever so often - and what better way to sway opinion than to undertake a massive PR campaign. Unfortunately, the GO does not have this one yet on the bag.

The inability of the GO to cough up mullah has been on the news lately which they obviously denied. It has been reported that most of the GO candidates are banking on ERAP to produce the bucks but because there is an infighting between Jinggoy and JV - things are not bright as they should be. Binay has been reported also of courting Makati businessman for support but it wont just pour.

ERAP would not be stupid to spend money on the GO candidates just to reclaim the Senate. What is there for him to gain? I mean the Office of the President is still not his and will never be nor the control of the Lower House. Pork Barrel would be the only leverage he would have but I doubt if his candidates would be willing to partake their pork with him.

And Binay should wake up to the fact that Businessman will not be so willing given the upbeat prospect of the economy. Why risk supporting someone who will destabilize the Peso?

Thus, with little prospect of money comes the big possibility of losing the election. I mean with an election centered on personality and perception, the candidates who can do the chacha best will win. Unfortunately for the GO, money is not a problem for Team Unity.

Dont Pre-judge Me

2007-02-25T03:53:00.000-09:00

Yan ang sabi ng kabit ni James Yap na si Hope sa kanyang intevriew kahapon sa Startalk at sa S Files kanina. Nakakairita dahil unang-una wala syang karapatan na maglalandi sa isang may asawa at pagpatuloy ito ng mahigit ng 10 buwan. At the nerve sabihin na wag daw syang husgahan after nyang ibulgar na may kababalaghang nagaganap sa Clinic. Grabe!

Kawawa din naman ang kaniyang kalagayan kung totoo ngang mahal nya si James. Pero hindi na dapat sya nagmaganda at lumabas sa TV. Haller! Hindi naman sya pinangalanan ni Kris sa interview. At hindi na rin nya kailangang magbulgar ng mga impormasyong lalo lamang magpapahiya sa kaniya.

Una, hindi na dapat nya sinabing dog style ang ginagawa nila ni James sa maliit na kwarto ng Clinic. Ikalawa, wala syang karapatang sabihing hindi 100% na masaya si James kay Kris Aquino. Ginamit pa nya ang dahilang hindi daw maghahanap ng iba si James kung masaya sya. Ikatlo, wag na syang ilusyunadang mahal sya ni James dahil inamin na rin nyang hindi sya sinabihan ng I Love You nito.

Ewan ko ba sa kaniya - hindi naman syan maganda. Nung interview nga nya sa S Files eh kala ko si Vicky Belo ang napapanood ko. Hindi naman nya yata alam na sa sya ang talo sa paglantad nya. Hindi maawa ang publiko sa isang kabit na naglagay at patuloy na naglalagay alanganin sa isang nagdadalang tao.

I bet baka after ilang months eh makita ko na lamang na meron ng pelikula iyang si Hope. kung magkakagayon eh obvious na gusto lamang nyang sumikat.

Ayon lang.

Nostalgia Brings Pain

2007-02-24T10:01:00.000-09:00

It must have been the heat that made me decide to reread them. Yes, because normally I would have been somewhere - anywhere in fact - and not in my stuffy room in a hot Saturday noon. Hell, I haven't watched a movie for almost a month now! I have been busy with work recently but busier still trying to figure how to sleep past the 3 hour mark. So fatigue and the lack of sleep - and ok maybe cash strapped - must have made me do the near unthinkable.

But after straining myself to remove those cobwebs, I decided to rummage around my memorabilia - or trash if you ask my mother. It is a collection of my notes, written papers, oral reviewers, readings and finals that I had in College all stuck up in a not so orderly manner in two cabinets. Rereading them was like Harry Potter being zapped into Riddle's book because every paper - or trash depends on point of view - brought me back to those days at the Ateneo.

I started remembering old friends discussing about existential problems before a Philo Orals, or memorizing and sharing important notes for a Theology Exam. I remembered the vitality and excitement I felt when I recited those thesis in front of strict and terror doctors (mind you I did not invent those words for them) and expound it sometimes in Tagalog and sometimes in English. I saw my enthusiasm as I listen to my PolSci teacher as he talks about power, state, nation and globalization in such energy seen only from a new grad who took his Masteral in the US. These livid memories - happy memories - of the time I spent at the august hall of the Ateneo came flooding back to me almost instantaneously.

I could not believe that I could have written those big words and sentences - let alone expound what it meant. If you know me today, you would laugh if I tell you stuffs I used to argue my friends (hell, I want to become a priest so what do you expect). We would go babbling about the papacy, biblical theology, and current religious events and we are not yet counting Socrates, Descartes and Kant for hours. We wrestled through the text and ideas to formulate our own. Reading it now is like reading someone else's work - a different identity - not very me.

These made me long to go back among the trees of the university, to walk among the students who are trying to go to their next class in the next building in 10 mins, to greet friends as you stroll or run inside the campus, to read the latest issue of Guidon and Matanglawin, to participate in the Student Council, to tambay on designated tambayans, to cram papers and reports, to dress formally for an oral exam but most of all - that which pains me most - to be able to discuss once more philosophical, political and theological matters.

Yet, I know I can go back to the place but would not be able to bring back time.

Nostalgia brings pain not because of the past but because it mirrors a changed present - something which has disappeared that which we craves. Nostalgia brings pain because it made me encounter an unmistakable yet unadmitted reality. Nostalgia is the mirror to the hurting self.

Kris Aquino and the bruhaha of Family Life

2007-02-18T12:51:00.000-09:00

Here is a transcript of Kris' interview yesterday from the Buzz. Enjoy!

(taken from Ricky Lo's article)
"...Maximum ng salary ng asawa ko, hawak ko po. Kinaklaro ko lang ‘yan kasi, with all the problems we had in the past month, hindi ko na-realized na nasangkot na pala ang asawa ko sa ganoong bagay. Kasi, shielded ako, eh. Kasi, hindi naman ako ang na-a-accuse, eh, di ba? Ang masakit lang, parang lumalabas na kailangan ko bumili ng pag-ibig. Pero masakit para sa isang lalaki na sabihin na wala siyang ginawa kundi umasa sa akin, lalo na at maganda naman ang kabuhayan ng asawa ko at pinaghirapan niya kung ano man mayroon siya ngayon.

"And now, doon sa hinihintay n’yo po... Inaamin ko na nagka-problema kami... Inaamin kong nasaktan ako. Pero ganito po ‘yon, eh. In the past, I have spoken very openly about my life because, No. 1) I have to defend myself and, No. 2) mayroon akong mga bagay na kailangan ipaliwanag. Ngayon, this is one instance na hindi ko kailangan i-defend ang sarili ko kasi wala akong kasalanan. Asawa po ako, may pamilya kami, ako ‘yung nasaktan.

"So ano ang kailangan ko i-defend? Pangalawa, kung mayroon akong dapat ipaliwanag, lahat po ng paliwanag ay naganap na sa loob ng tahanan namin. Kasi, ‘yon ang pinakamasakit, eh. Lahat puede n’yo i-speculate, lahat puede n’yo i-exaggerate. Pero ang katotohahan, the real pain occurs between the two of us. Kasi lahat ng tao puedeng magbigay ng opinion tungkol sa marriage namin. Pero let’s be honest, the only opinion that counts about our marriage is James’ opinion and my opinion. Lahat ng paliwanag na gusto kong marinig, narinig ko na sa kanya.

"Ang mas mahalaga doon, hinarap ni James ang pamilya ko. Hindi niya tinalikuran ang dalawang kapatid ko kasi my two older sisters, sina Ate Ballsy at si Pinky, masinsinan siyang kinausap. Hindi namin kinailangan humarap sa ibang tao kasi nangyari ito sa loob ng pamilya namin. At siguro, ‘yan ang pagkaka-iba ngayon. Pamilya kami. Alam n’yo ho, it’s my decision to stay married; it’s my decision to protect this marriage and to protect my family. At kung sino man ang magtatangka na wasakin ang pamilya ko, sinasabi ko na sa’yo, ‘At this point in my life, hindi kita papayagan na mag-succeed... for the simple reason na mayroon kaming buhay na ipinapasok sa mundong ito.’

"In less than three months, manganganak ako. Hindi ko na-experience ang magkaroon ng buong pamilya. I was a year and a half nang makulong ang daddy ko. Lumaki ako na hiwalay ang daddy ko sa amin. Lumaki si Joshua (Her son by Phillip Salvador. — RFL) na wala rin siyang tatay. So bakit ko hahayaan na ‘yung anak ko ngayon na may chance na magkaroon ng buong pamilya, hindi ma-i-experience ‘yon?

"Sinasabi ko sa inyo, umaamin ako, there were moments in the past few weeks that I wanted to give up. Kaya lang, I thought na kung mayroon mang trial na dumarating ngayon, kung mayroong pagsubok at mayroong sakit, may moments din namang naging maligaya kami.

"Humingi ng tawad ang asawa ko. Hindi ko sinasabing 100 percent napatawad ko na, pero inunawa ko. Siguro, there’s the only instance in my life that there’s a man who owned up to whatever mistakes he made. At kung sino man ang magtsa-charge sa akin, kung may pamilya kayo, mauunawaan ninyo na kahit sinong misis ay bibigyan ng pagkakataon ang asawa niya dahil mahal niya ang asawa niya.

"Puede n’yo sabihin ngayon na humarap si Kris sa TV ngayon dahil may mga advertising contract na pino-protektahan, may image na pino-protektahan. Wala po. Kasi po, wala naman po akong na-violate na any morality clause. Humarap po ako sa inyong lahat dahil kung ganitong klaseng program ang hini-host ko, dapat naka-handa rin akong harapin ‘yung mga issue na tungkol sa akin. Otherwise, wala akong karapatan to be a host of The Buzz.

"I told James, ‘This is a partnership, this is a marriage. I’m standing by you.’ Walang ibang taong may karapatang husgahan siya; akin lang ang karapatan na ‘yon."

I dunno if Kris knows that perception matters - and sometimes - it is what only matters, especially if you are a celebrity couple. Even if you try hard to deny anything if tsismis is against you, better pack your bags and go. I understand James though, and sometimes pity him. I know it is hard for a handsome guy and basketball player even reeling with machismo to be called Mr. Kris Aquino and to be perceived as such. I bet James feels that he is emasculated (off with his head...lol)

Tough luck for Kris coz she is more famous. But I guess if they truly love each other - everything will turn out great.

Gay Senator

2007-02-17T09:46:00.000-09:00

You heard it right! Gay senator - that is if Danton Remoto will successfully launch an election campaign to catapult him to the Senate. And if that happens, it would be the first time that a openly-admitting gay man would hold the title Senator.

I admit I am gay - and proud of it. And so I am happy and thrilled that a person like Danton will try to seek a seat in Congress so that once and for all the LGBT community will have a voice in our government(maybe he can encourage those closet gays there to come out). Actually, Danton would not have run for Senate if COMELEC had not denied the right of LadLad (the political party founded by Danton) to run for party-list. As of today, the poll body has not acted on the resolution filed by Ladlad for accreditation and the deadline for submission for candidacy was Monday. I dunno what COMELEC's definition of a marginalized sector is but I pretty sure know that there is a lot of discrimination around just because you are gay. Just look at how people react when a gay man walks down the street! And that does not count corporate discrimination to job promotions.

And so Ladlad plans to lobby the passage of the long delayed Anti-discriminatory bill which has been gathering dust on the Committee level. Partly due to the paranoia of certain sectors (hell the Charismatics and evangelicals) who think that the bill will soon pave way for same-sex marriage. I don't care what names they brand us but I will make sabunot them if they stop a legislation protecting my rights. Hell, if given a chance I will initiate a bill that will seek to criminalize hand raising during prayers coz it promotes hallucinations and paranoia just that they feel what we feel! I bet they would have stormed heaven and hell asking heaven to get me.

But don't think I am not religious at all - hey, I even want to become a priest. It is just that I find some conservatives the greatest hypocrites the world has ever known. They champion freedom of expression and democracy but fails to support initiative to protect them - and I am just naming the anti-discriminatory bill.

Going back to Danton's bid, I know that this is an uphill battle but I believe that with the help of the 16,000 strong members of Ladlad and the support of the many parlors, entertainers and freedom lovers - maybe, just maybe, we will live to see a gay senator.

But hey, isn't John Osmeña gay?

Politics and Boredom

2007-02-14T15:13:00.000-09:00

I really don't know what am I doing here. It is already 8:12 AM and my shift ended way back at around 6:15, but I am still in the office doing this. I should have been snoring by now (if 50 mg of Iterax, Decolgen and Solmux can finally put me to sleep) but I did not submit my BDO payroll application on time so I had to wait till 9 and open it myself. So to kill time I decided to update my multiply site, read my yahoo mails, check on the latest news here and abroad and browse through the updates about the coming election and start my new blog.

Talking of election, I am a die-hard lover of anything politics by the way. You name a big political event and I know it. I always keep up to date on the latest developments in US and Philippine politics and sometimes other countries that might interest me so much that sometimes I don't answer my calls anymore (shhh..hope that none of my supervisors read this stuff). I think what keeps me hook is the fact that politics is exciting -no that is wrong - it is not politics which is exciting but rather the power play involved.

When I say power, it is not just political position but the ability of an individual or maybe, say, a group to influence events and other people as well. That is why I so love to be a spin doctor for a politician someday because imagine the excitement of trying to think of ways to project a report favorable to you.

And speaking of spinning and power, I am interested on what will happen to Paquiao now that the Opposition is gunning oh him. I heard from a news clip from Inquirer that he is being called "ungentleman" for picking up a fight to a helpless and take this - a lady - in the person of Incumbent Rep. Darlene Custodio. I think the idea that she is a helpless gal is a misnomer coz she is one of the top guns of the opposition at the lower house (she is deputy minority leader is I am not mistaken) and she is from a powerful political clan (the Custodios held lots of past positions in the area). But to spin the news so that it becomes not favorable to Pacquiao, they are projecting it as a FIGHT between a BOXER and a LADY. Nice eh?

Another interesting development to point, though this time on Iraq, is the change of focus by the US government. For the last few days they have been releasing statements and in fact Dubya Bush just made a press conference pin-pointing Iran as the supplyer of high end missiles to Shia militias that led to the death of at most 200 US soldiers. Now, they want to shift the blame from Dubya's failure to Iran to protect the President and to hide the fact that the war is going no where. But hey, 200 out of 3600 dead soldiers - isn't that just small compared to the rest of them killed by Sunni insurgents and hell no would Shia Iran support those Sunni killers. See the point? Shifting the debate would shift the focus from failure to a new enemy. I just hope the American people will see through the ploy.

It is the same ploy used by GMA during the last few months. By shifting the debate from questions about the 2004 election to Cha-cha, the administration was able to douse the anger and restiveness, if there is such, of the people. And fortunately, (I am an avid GMA supporter), the opposition fell for the trap. And so today the questions of legitimacy are no longer asked.

Go to go, it is almost 9 and I still have to walk a few blocks before I reach that damn bank.