joketime: Call Center Applicants

from one of the mailing lists i am subscribed to... this is sooooo funny.
=)K

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I work as a recruitment associate for call centers, and i often encounter funny lines. hey, i'm not laughing at the people. just the lines. here are some of them:


1. I am a flexible and I am perseverance person (when asked to describe her personality)


2. I want to learn more English words. (when asked why he wanted to work in a call center). [Damn! Read the dictionary!]


3. Do you have any extra ordinary positions that I can take for granted (Roughly Translated: Meron po ba kayong ibang position na pwede ko'ng apply-an?)


4. "Ten" (When asked to count from 1 to 40 to measure her articulation)


5. "Kelan Po?" (When asked to count from 1 to 40 to measure her articulation)


6. "I would choose IRATE CALLERS, Sir." (Answer to the question: If you will change the COLOR of the world, what would it be and why?)


7. "I want to entertain and satisfy customers" (hmmm?.interesting concept. so, what are you wearing right now?)


8. "I want to expose myself to the customers." (Answer to why he wants to work in a call center") ? Flasher ITO!


9. "Is there an opening for a call center?" (Oh so you want to become a call center now huh?)


10. "Hi. Good afternoon, my name is _____, and I'M a call center from the Philippines." (solohin ba)


11. Chocolates, boys with tongue pierce." (An applicants answer to the question: What are your weaknesses?" )


12. "I think Grade 3 and 4 students are very childish!" (Answer to the question: What do you think is the most difficult part of teaching Grade 3 and 4 students)


13. "Haller???!!! ??? (knocks on the table) THE SALARY!" (Answer to Why do you want to work in a call center?)


14. "I'm a married person, I have 2 children, the same boy"


15. "It's a colorful world." (Describe the shirt you're wearing.)


16. "It's a boomed industry." (So all agents are now dead, I guess)


17. "I like to explore other people." (ay sus?maniac ka ano?)


18. "I want to explore myself more." (Answer to why do you want to work in a call center. bagay sila ni #17...)


19. "Hu u? How did you get my #? Text me back, huri. Send me load." (The audacity of an applicant can sometimes appall you.)


20. "I was scheduled for an exam this morning?.I wasn't able to make it?because I WAS TONSILITIS."


21. "Hi Maam, do you have an opening." (Lokong to ah!)


22. "I want to adventure into the graveyard?" (Langya, mahiilig ka sa patay!)


23. "I would like to be a part of the graveyard?" (isa ka pa...thriller...thriller night)


24. "Gd pm sir, im realy sri wen u call me I cnt hear clearly coz d raindrops of d rain is vry noisy. Rgrdng of wat u want 2 knw y u call me?" (A text message from an applicant)


25. "Do you accept walking applicants?" (No, we prefer flying ones)


26. Interviewer: So you're an undergrad. What year are you in right now?

Applicant: Oh I'm just here in the house. Interviewer: No, I asked you what year you're in. Applicant: Year? I'm 25 years old! ( Nagkakaintindihan tayo pare...)


27. Applicant: Agency ba to? Interviewer: No sir, head hunting firm.

Applicant (turning to friend): Egg-hunting daw pare! (Happy Easter!)


28. "In the middle of my study at Adamson, my father fortunately passed away." (FORTUNATELY? ??!!!)


29. "Hello, i just want to inquire about the application resume that i planted in the computer..." (Ano ka, farmer?)


30. "May inaantay ako na trabaho kaya gusto ko lang na may mapag LILIBINGAN." (Answer to the question "Why do you prefer a part-time job?" Tagalog na yun ha! Mahilig talaga kayo sa patay!)

work desk

here is a play with images. the horny mind will see somethings more clearly. but really, should dirty minds prevail?

=)K

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swivel me, push me
lean back and relax
let me free you in me
your back i'll not tax
close your eyes and see
to behold is a touch
going under, slowly into me
shed nothing, not as much
just start it, o so slowly
it is meant to be so
wanting and knowing only
pull close, do not let go
hold tight, hold on to me
just you and i ought to know
alone, unemcumbered, you see
move, dance as if for show
no dancefloor for you and me
beat of drumming feet below
the beat that lets me be.

a shot of tequila

to be honest, i have never been so drunk that i wouldn't remember what happened to me. yes, I had gone to the point when i would be overly talkative or be unabashed of what I was doing, enough to embarrass my sober self later. that was a long time ago. it would be pretty hard to get me drunk these days when i expect to drive.

here is an ode to the drunkest i have ever become, thanks to a shot of tequila.

=)K

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a shot of tequila


my tolerance is low
my mind is in a whirl
my eyes want to close
warm all over, silly girl

light-headed and tipsy
i wander through the corridor
dragging my feet, lonely
scrambling for the door

fumbling with my keys
hoping to land on the bed
plopping down, shaking knees
hearing hums in head

giddy at one point
grinning that silly grin
looking as if i smoked a joint
cracking jokes all green

but the daze isn't from alcohol
the haze is not from drugs
living my dream life on a roll
until reality my hair tugs

Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros

Rating:	★★★★
Category:	Movies
Genre:	Independent

As if being a "Tween" wasn't awkward enough, here comes "Maxie" and he's gay.

Living in the city slums where drugs, gambling and theft are commonplace is the setting of this film. There are many clues to the story that are not dished out as many are used to in the more commercial movies. I watched this film with our maid and I was laughing at many parts but she'd only follow when I make my comment. So, really, this film isn't meant for mass appeal.

The story is poignant. The love the Oliveros family had was touching. They're all males. The mom had died years before from disease (even the disease wasn't mentioned), and the dad had to make ends meet after getting into heavy debt from the hospitalization and medicines. The eldest helped the dad and their choice of business was the enterprising world of cellphone "re-selling" and a form of local gambling known as "jueteng." You can just imagine how "safe" everything was for the youngest, Maxie.

But Maxie finds something admirable in everybody. His dad and brothers were thugs yet his sweetness never waned. They all doted on him (as is common for the youngest in the family), and he took care of them as the only "female" of the household. Outside the home, Maxie had friends everywhere, and soon finds his puppy love in a greenhorn policeman.

The film made it a point to establish the setting and the personalities. And this created an aura of familiarity. I felt drawn to the place and the people. In the end, the tragic circumstances of Maxie's family became a hopeful change. For once, I felt pretty good about such a situation as theirs-- Maxie was their baby and they would make sure he had a future.

All in all, I am happy to have seen such a good turn of Philippine film-making. I've often been mum about the Filipino films I see because I will only rant and get bitchy. But not in this case.

Kudos to Jeffrey Jeturian for his superb writing! And same to Nathan Lopez for being a very convincing the Tween-Gay, Maxie, as well as the rest of the cast. For once, the extras didn't seem like they were simply hired at P300 per day. Oh, and I thought the guy who played Bogs looked familiar -- turns out it's Ping Medina. Yup, great acting runs in his veins!

Perryscope: An Interview with Manny Pacquiao

February 23, 2007

PerryScope
by Perry Diaz


An Interview with Manny Pacquiao

Whew! Finally, I was able to get an interview with Manny Pacquiao. I met him at the bar in the
Shangri-La Hotel in Makati last week. Manny ordered a shot of Remy Martin XO and I settled
for a San Miguel beer. Manny seemed quite relaxed.

I asked him how life was treating him? "Never been better," he replied, "things are really looking up."

I can see," I said. Manny was wearing a Tommy Bahama Hawaiian shirt, a large diamond-studded gold crucifix around his neck, a pair of 5-carat diamond earrings, and a humongous Marc Ecko watch.

"I hope that you'll remain physically and mentally fit for the biggest challenge of your life. I heard that you're running for Congress. Is it true?"

Manny smiled and said, "Absolutely! I still do my daily workout but recently I started reading a lot of books on politics. The late Senate President Amang Rodriguez is my hero. Amang's
motto was 'Politics is addition' and I agree with him. But I don't add myself. I let my accountant do the addition for me. He he he…"

I asked him my first question: "Why are you running for political office?"

Manny pondered the question for a moment and then said, "Actually, Congress is just a stepping stone for me because I'll be running for President in 2010."

"Wow! That's fantastic," I said, "and how are you going to prove yourself in Congress to become a serious presidential contender in 2010?"

"That's easy, first I'm going to balance the trade deficit," Manny explained, "it's like
boxing, the more punches I throw at my opponent the better off I am."

"Hmm…" I said thinking aloud, "it's like trading punches…."

"You got it!" Manny retorted.

"But how are you going to balance the trade deficit?" I asked.

"Easy," he said, "I'll stop importing goods."

"Hmmm… I guess that would solve the problem," I connceded.

My second question to Manny was: "How are you going to solve the population explosion in the Philippines? I can see -- with your six-inch crucifix -- that you are a practicing Catholic which means that you're probably against abortion, right?"

Manny replied, "I consider abortion a murder, plain and simple, no ifs and buts."

"I don't mean to put you on a spot," I asked, "I know this is a sticky issue but how are you going to control population explosion?"

"Easy, my friend," Manny answered, "I'll push for legislation that would make civilicy mandatory after two children are born in a family."

"Huh? What do you mean by civilicy?" I asked.

And he said, "Civilicy, you know… no more sex."

"OOh! You mean celibacy," I said.

"Yes, yes… that's the right word," he replied and then explained, "You see, it works in China. So it should also work in the Philippines."

I realized then that Manny is smarter that I think. So I asked him a more complex issue:
"Manny, more than 3,000 Filipinos are leaving everyday for overseas to find jobs. How are you going to stop the 'Brain Drainâ'? We're having a shortage of professionals particularly the
doctors and nurses because they're all leaving for good-paying jobs abroad."

He took a sip of his cognac, swirled it and gulped it. Then he said, "The problem why Filipinos are leaving is because there are no jobs here or in the case of doctors and nurses, they're underpaid, right?"

"You said it," I replied.

Then he said, "So, what I am going to do is attract foreign companies to set up manufacturing plants here and pay no taxes for 15 years. And to sweeten the pot, I'll lease them the land at
one peso a year for 25 years. That will create jobs and industrialize the Philippines within seven years. I will adopt Joe De Venecia's '747 Plan,' that is, sustainable growth of 7% for 7 years. We will then become an exporting nation and we'll have trade surplus instead of deficit. That's the key to our progress. We'll become an economic tiger." His face glowed in triumph.

"Manny," I asked, "where did you get all these ideas? They're out of sight!"

"Perry, leading a country is like boxing," he said.

"Oh? And how is that?" I queried.

He explained, "My secret in boxing is that I let my opponent hit me with painless jabs for several rounds. After five rounds, he'll get tired and become reckless with his defense. That's when I go for the knockout. It works all the time. You've seen my bouts with Erik Morales, right?"

"Of course, I've seen all three. You're the best, Manny," I complimented him.

I changed the subject and said, "Now, let's talk about the biggest problem in our country, corruption. How are you going to wipe out corruption?"

"Ha! That's my favorite issue," he quipped.

"Well, let's hear it then," I urged him.

And he said, "You see, we have corruption because we allow it to happen and corrupt officials aren't afraid because, except in the military -- as in the case of Gen. Carlos Garcia -- nobody goes to jail for corruption. Well, we'll just have to be like the military. You said it yourself in one of your columns."

"No kidding, you read my columns?" I asked.

He replied, "All the time. In one of your articles, you said that poverty is the symptom, corruption is the disease, and discipline is the prescription. I agree with you and that's what I
am going to do -- have discipline in the government. Corrupt officials will pay a high price and that is: jail time."

"I am pretty sure that would scare a lot of corrupt officials," I said.

"You just mentioned another big issue -- poverty. How are you going to deal with it?" I asked.

He replied, "Like I said, and you said it, poverty is the symptom and corruption is the disease. Stop corruption and the life of the people will improve. Look at Singapore. It is one of the least corrupt countries in the world and it has one of the highest per capita income. Lee Chiang Yee was a disciplinarian."

"You mean, Lee Kuan Yew," I corrected him.

"Whatever," he said, "but what will eventually eradicate poverty is a combination of many things. But the most important are industrialization and fighting corruption."

"Manny, you're talking like a statesman, not politician," I said.

"I've never been in politics so I am not a politician. I love my country and people," he said and made the sign of the cross.

"Talking of which, how are you going to defeat your political opponents?" I asked and then added, "they're heavyweights."

He became defensive and said, "Heavyweights! Listen to me, they may be heavyweights but they don't know how to punch. You probably weigh about 220 pounds, right?"

"Yes," I said meekly.

He said, "So you're a heavyweight too. Do you know how to punch? Okay, let's try it, punch me, come on, punch me." It sounded like a command.

"I don't want to punch you, Manny," I said.

"Well," he said, "then I'll show you how I punch a heavyweight like you." And before I could
react, I heard my jawbone cracked. I fell from my chair and suddenly the room was dark. I was seeing thousands of twinkling little stars. And before I hit the floor, the bell rang. I was
saved by the bell. I sat up on the floor and Manny was gone. And my alarm clock was still
ringing. I must have had a nightmare.

(PerryDiaz@aol.com)

[Kasuy!] when fate crossed

it wasn't long ago when i had a friend
who listened and talked and berated and joked
i thought the chat would never end
until fate crossed and we both choked

then there was someone who felt wihtout touching
who listened without hearing, and spoke without talking
but gave without handing, was bound without shackles
to one who needed to face her life and those she tackled

and fate crossed again, this time she stopped and stared
at me, at him and my friend for a moment of eternity
she held my hand and handed me a life she had spared
and told him to keep this story in all its complexity

to my friend she went close and whispered in his ear
he smiled, nodded and bowed his head to accept it
i asked but he said i was not meant to know or hear
then he was gone, remaining as a shadow, a smile...
...if i can remember it.

---------------- when fate crossed -----------------
Posted By kasuy to Kasuy! at 2/21/2007 11:57:00 PM

music

i have this things about good voices, whether in singing or speaking. i don't know why though. I just like them.

=)K

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your voice, that voice
soothes me
it carries me higher
moves me

i hear you then
worry less
somehow, it's possible
less distress

the little things do it
a short call
from out of nowhere
and that's all

you can just imagine
what happens
the moment i see you
when we touch hands...

In Your Face

In
Your Face:

How
To Tell Personalities By The Features of The Face

By
Ginnie Faustino-Galgana

Published
in the Philippine Tatler, December 2006

 

The
ancient Chinese knew it.  The Greeks and
Romans knew it.  Even babies know
it.  Some call it Morphology.  Some call it Personology.  Some also call it Physiognomy.  However it’s called, the simple fact is: a
person’s personality can be seen on his face. 
Yes, it turns out, first impressions do matter.

 

Everybody
does this everyday, and don’t even know it. 
How?  Meeting a stranger is the
best example.  The cliché had said that
a book should never be judged by its cover, but people still look at other
people and assess albeit subconsciously – a well-groomed person is one who
takes care of what others may perceive of him, or a long-haired rugged fellow
is an artist with mood swings and a care-free attitude, a comely face belongs
to a person with good nature, and those fierce eyes are those of someone who is
wary of others.

 

The
problem is:  people don’t really look at
the details.  And that is where the
fault in the “first impression” lies. 
The face has many parts and each part shows an aspect of his
personality.  Each slant, surface, hump
and shape has a corresponding trait that can tell what he is like more accurately
than one sweeping look.

 

For
the Chinese, the practice was a science called Physiognomy.  They said that a person’s destiny can be
reflected on his face and this changes as the he changes and puts lines and
bumps on his face.  They believed that
the new features that come out on the skin further define his destiny and that
his choices are reflected on the alterations on his face.

 

Since
most people have forgotten how to recognize these subtle differences between
people, below are some tips on what to look for.  But before going into the specific characteristics that are
reflected in the various parts of the face, just remember the following
guidelines:

 

1. Remember, don't jump to
   conclusions in any assessment. While one part can denote an aspect of
   personality, another part can show the opposite.  This only means that the person shows both behaviors at
   different times.  It means that the
   person also balances these traits as the situation calls for it.

 

If a person’s face shape means he is broad-minded yet another part says
he is conservative, this says that he is willing to consider new options as
long as they do not go against his underlying principles.

 

2. The study of the lines
   and bumps of a face can be traced back to the muscles under the skin.  As these muscles are moved by a
   person’s reactions to different things, the lines and bumps are developed
   over time.  The most obvious
   example of this is the laugh line by the sides of the mouth and the
   creases between the brows.  A
   deeper laugh line means person has a jolly personality and tends to laugh
   more often.  A deeper line between
   the brows means that the person is worrywart and tends to be concerned
   over things more.

 

Hence, for the serious face-reader, a study of the human anatomy is
essential to the craft.  This will
greatly enhance his understanding of the psychology that goes behind this
science.

 

3. One person’s
   interpretation of a face can vary from another.  This is because the study of personalities is not an exact
   science.  Various interpretations
   depend on the knowledge of signs and causes behind the features.  One’s own experiences can also affect
   this interpretation, just as much as textbooks and references.

 

 

On
with other parts…

 

 

Shape
of the face

 

The
shape of a person’s face shows his level of confidence and the way they can
relate to others.

 

Broad faced: self confident, natural leaders, great salespeople and
public speakers.  They are willing to go
after what they want.  They are the ones
who are usually with an "I can do this" attitude. They take action
even with limited information but they also learn by the mistakes they make.
They are the same with relationships – they know what they want and they are
confidence that they'll get it.  They
also tend to be more tolerant, compassionate and broad-minded.

 

Thin-faced:  has endurance and
resolve.  He needs to learn to be
confident. He plays it safe and will take action only after He has all of the
necessary information in advance and all answers to his questions.

 

Round shape:  hopeful and has vitality.  He is radiant and can fill a boring room
with laughter.

 

Square face: 
individualistic.  He is also
strong-willed in achieving dreams as they go for action with swiftness.

 

 

The Forehead

 

The shape of the forehead shows the person’s
way of thinking and his reliance on his thought process in making decisions.

 

Wide: denotes cleverness and
practicality.  This person is someone
who is capable of executing duty diligently.  
He has a rich imagination that gives birth to a wealth of ideas.

 

High rounded and deep: highly idealistic,
especially in friendship.

 

Shallow with a low
hairline:  will encounter with many
obstacles to career and success, as well as troubles at home during adolescence
and early adulthood. 

 

Narrow: encounters obstacles
in the fulfillment of goals.  He is
vulnerable in social situations.  His
family life also has constraints, and he needs to think things through.

 

Receding or "flying" forehead:
impatience and a spontaneous attitude.

 

Pointed: high intelligence especially if the
hairline is not too narrow.

Flat: a pragmatic nature.

 

Exaggerated: belongs to a dreamer who needs
to have a plan in order to achieve his goals.

 

Indented: needs to plan a
business and work carefully.  If he has
powerful eyebrow ridge too, it means that he is also impulsive, quick tempered
and ambitious.

 

 

At
the same time, features on the forehead also show how a person deals with
situations in general.

 

Smooth,
no lines: cerebral, and is always making quick decisions.

 

Wrinkled,
with horizontal lines across: easily excited or surprised.

 

 

Eyes

 

As
the window into the soul, the eyes show what the person is like deep down.

 

Stares firmly, gazing steadily:  a persevering person, stable and
forthright. 

 

Wandering or shifty
eye:   unsettled and inconsistent
habits.  This person will tend to be
restlessness and will have a tendency to be dishonest and unreliable.  Shifting the gaze is an attempt to mask
inner intentions.

 

Unevenly set:  applies a more lateral thought into solving
problems. These people will have amazing insights and exhibit ingenuity.

 

Slanted upwards (like
Claudia Schiffer):  an opportunist.  They know how to get what they want.

 

Slanting downwards:  little self deprecating. They say “yes” to
just about everything and can end up biting off more than they can chew because
of fear of letting others down.

 

 

The
white of the eyes show the level of stress he is in.

 

Under
the iris: stressed and worried. 

 

Above
the iris: aside the stress, the person is likely to be violent. 

 

All around the iris: are
called floating irises also known as “sampaku” show turbulence inside.  They can be spiritual but they can be
difficult to understand.  They have very
high expectations of others. Martin Luther King and Abraham Lincoln shared
these traits

 

Take
note:

Most
people think of lines around the eyes as signs of aging and run to the nearest
doctor for a shot of Botox.  Before
suffering the immovability, consider this: 
those lines show how happy a person is—the more lines there are, the
happier he is.

 

 

Nose

 

The
nose indicates financial and intellectual shrewdness.

 

Angular, downturned
"Roman nose":  is the nose for
value which tends to know the value of a dollar and are good price shoppers.

 

Aquiline (small and
straight, sharp like a blade): generally self-centered, indecisive and
sensitive.

 

Blunt: not formal with the surroundings.  They believe in themselves and approach others boldly.

 

Large:  has initiative and determination.  A strong character who leaves his mark.

 

Small:  inherently weak, often unreliable, and not
steadfast in decisions.

 

Upturned nose: more indiscriminate with money and is a poor money
manager, but he is lucky in social circumstances and loves mixing with people.

 

 

Lips

 

The lips indicate how generous a person can
be in terms of sharing resources and in giving complements.

 

Full, thick: spontaneous generosity to friends and strangers, and
talkativeness with a desire to talk about oneself. The person is caring and
sensitive.

 

Large: expensive taste, expressive and generous. He can be very vocal
under pressure, needing to verbalize, sometimes excessively, their
dissatisfaction and frustration.

 

Thin top and full bottom: very persuasive.

 

Thin: innate introverted personality never able to enjoy the pleasure
of sharing deeper feelings.  He has a
selective sense of generosity, and also select with words with a desire to be
brief.

 

Downward curvature:   discontent
in most matters.

 

Upward curved: cordial and optimistic with a sunny disposition.

 

 

Chin
and Jaw

 

The
Chin and jaw show a person’s determination, and endurance.  It is also a good indicator of
temperament. 

 

Strong jaw line:  greater degree
of stamina and endurance, stubborn, and with strong conviction.

 

Wedge-shaped:  argumentative,
stubborn. They tend to fight and will want you to give in first. Trial lawyers
and military commanders commonly have this feature.

 

Square jaw:  indomitable and
have the ability to turn their dreams into reality.  It is the same with people with protruding chins – they are
independent, determined.

 

Jawline
extending beyond earline:  doesn't like
losing.

 

Protruding chin: self-important and self-righteous.

 

Rounded:  a cooperative attitude. They are willing to
give in.  This also portends that the
latter part of life (after retirement) will be satisfying and lucky. 

 

Weak or receding:  weaker willed personality.

 

 

Other parts of the face also
give more aspects of a personality. 
Given the above descriptions, a rudimentary examination of the person
across the table can already give a good test of the veracity of this science.

 

Does it work?  Many people seem to believe so.  Many more believe in sticking with their
“first impressions.”  Given guidelines
and one’s own experiences, first impressions indeed count – as long as the
impression is made with careful thought and the help of the science of
face-reading.

 

-30-

 

curse of knowing

another one from the archives...
this is dripping with frustration
=)K

--------------------------------------------------


look inside and feel me
scared kitten quivering
hovering, cowering, questioning
why life decided to desert me

wrestling with facts that be
knowing why it is going
understanding, reaching, accepting
a terrible place for me to be

new life, new happiness I see
for one for whom i am longing
just to hold and to know the being
but it's not me, it's not for me

to have a mind is a bane
to see what it is we are leading
it is a curse to be understanding
to love so much and still be sane

curse of knowing

Obsidian

here is something I wrote for a friend of mine whose chat handle is Obsidian. This was in 2000. =)K

---------------- OBSIDIAN ----------------

the molten passion made me
into this hard, solid form
dark yet shining
out of norm

let me fall into you
in the heat i am seething
let my fire engulf you
and consume your being

Do you have old books?

This is a book drive being lead by the sister of a good friend of mine. My friend is Dr. Nina Rosario L. Rojas, currently a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University Chemistry Department. Her sister is Anna, the signatory.

Both are dedicated educators who would want to share their love of learning to the less fortunate in Guimaras. They accept any kind of books, magazines, publications, old or new. So, have a heart and give some. It really wouldn't hurt to unload the attic once in a while.

=)K

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Hello to everyone!

In the spirit of Valentine's month......

Do you have encyclopedias rotting away since almost everyone is now using the internet? Do you have books just gathering dust bunnies on your shelves? Are your old high school and other former school books just lying idle somewhere? Are your piles of old magazines just a nuisance in your work space? Do you want to put to good use old educational audio &/or visual materials (e.g. tapes) before they get too moldy?

SHARE YOUR LOVE FOR READING & LEARNING THIS MONTH OF FEBRUARY!
MAKE FEBRUARY A TRUE MONTH OF LOVE!

The Sta. Teresa National High School in Guimaras has a newly-built library but NO BOOKS!!
(the small library room was donated too but books were not included in the donation)

Please drop your donations in the box just inside the Rizal Library main door from February 3-28, 2007. (please sign your name & items donated at the log sheet with the guards so we can acknowledge your donation)

For queries or requests for pick up of donations:
text or call 0915-409-1047 or 0922-888-3828 or 0917-7912021
A Special Project of the Ateneo de Manila Rizal Library & Concerned Faculty

(Personal) Note:
Last December 2006, I had the chance to finally visit the town in Guimaras of the wonderful ladies who took care of me during my childhood years. After about 30 years of dreaming of going there, I was finally able to visit them at their homes & communities in Sta. Teresa, Guimaras.

In the course of my stay there, I had the unexpected opportunity of walking to the school that Sarah, one of their nieces attends--the Sta. Teresa National High School. My original plan was to learn how to set the carabao to pasture but when I woke up at 5:15AM that cold, December morning, tatay (Sarah's grandfather) had already left for the fields. Hence, I thought of going with Sarah instead. The walk was almost like walking from Ateneo to Gateway/Cubao, through some grassy fields and rocky roads too! Since my morning was free, I thought of sitting in the morning classes of Sarah but first decided to pay a courtesy call and ask permission from their Principal, Mrs. Norma Tanaleon.

It was during my conversation with Mrs. Tanaleon, who has been with the school from its nipa hut days 33 years ago, that she shared with me the needs of their school--one of which was the concern that they had a relatively new library room built from a donation to the school but still NO BOOKS! I was in the office of Mrs. Lourdes David, the Director of the Ateneo de Manila Rizal Library a few weeks ago for other matters and had the chance to tell her about my experience at Guimaras, and my plan of doing a book drive for the high school. With outright support, she immediately invited me to put up a box for donations at the Rizal Library, which hopefully soon, will be filled with your generous donations. =)

For those in this email who are not part of the Ateneo community--feel free to contact me at the above-mentioned numbers or thru this email so we can make arrangements to pick up any of your donations.

For now, the "concerned faculty" refers to my sister Dr. Nina Rojas of the Chemistry Department, and myself, and our growing number of friends and supporters for this little project.

Nina's little project too is to help build the chemistry laboratory of the high school since that facility has been unused for the past four years. The chemicals that were donated to the school when the lab was built 13 years ago, have all expired.

Nina and I often feel that there can be so much "excess" in Manila but so much need in the provinces, in this case, the Sta. Teresa High School in Guimaras, which we surmise is typical of other schools on that island. Thus, we appreciate all your support for our little project, which may not only help Sta. Teresa but other schools in the area as well. For sure, the little day care center, where one of our former "yayas" now works, can also benefit from pre-school books and/or educational materials. About 10 years ago, after my brief stint as a pre-school teacher, I sent my teaching materials to them.

I was surprised to know last December, that they are still using some of the materials I sent them then.

By the way, you may donate reference materials too for their teachers!

Thank you very much for reading through!
We eagerly look forward to your support for our little project. Do feel free to share this email with others who might be willing to help too.

God bless to all!
AMDG! (and to my current & former students--FOFH-er!!) =)

Warm regards,
Anna Cristina L. Rojas
Lecturer
Leadership & Strategy Department
John Gokongwei School of Management
Ateneo de Manila University

musing on valentine's day

ok, so it was valentine's day yesterday. then?

you know, it's a fact that motels get the most business during this occasion than any other day? it's as if there is this red flasing light on top of the motels saying "come celebrate here !!!"

i have several theories on this:

1. the legitimate partners want to get-away but not too expensively

makes sense, especially for those who have kids. there isn't much privacy when you expect those little feet to scamper to your doorstep and that little hand to start banging on the door with that little voice exclaiming emergency over a paper cut.

2. the not-so-legitimate couples need to get together

let's face it: motels are their haven. in a radio interview i happened to hear while in a cab the other day, the marketing manager of victoria court said they don't really care what their clients do in their rooms as long as they are not too noisy or destructive. sure, they have rules against the use of drugs and violence but can they really police that when they can't go into every room to respect the privacy of their guests?

also, who ever heard of identification cards for guests? do they really go out of their way to check if the incoming couple is truly a legitimate partnership? come on, get real...

so, legitimate or not -- including extramarital, intra-marital, or pre-marital liaisons -- partners are welcome to motels, plain and simple.

3. all these couples want to "celebrate their love"

that's my nice version for "lust."

really now. does anyone honestly believe that people go to motels to "play nice"? with the privacy afforded by these places, theme rooms notwithstanding, it's the best venue for getting down and dirty under (or over or around) the sheets!

why else would chocolate -- the most popular aphrodisiac -- be the choice gift for valentine's day aside from the heart-melting flowers?

in short, valentine's day = lust. get it?

so there, i've expressed my beef. now, to get some for myself... *snicker*

=)K

breeze

something i wrote in 2001, with a few revisions
=)K

-------------------------------------------------

breeze


you kissed me this morning
i awoke at the feathery touch
of a hand that was not

the blanket of you
warming me
it was chilly

eyes closed
i saw you
that smile lingering
gazing
as if i couldnt see
that sad look
resigned
accepting
knowing

deeper in the dream
we shared more
just us
entwined
one
completely
then you're gone

2007 Holidays

This is useful.....

8 Long Weekend Holidays in the Philippines in 2007

1. Longest Holy Week Vacation.
This year's Holy Week is the longest because Easter Monday is also a holiday because it coincides with the Bataan Day (April 9, Monday). Book your travel Vacation now during the
Holy Week Season: April 1, Palm Sunday and April Fool's Day to April 9, Easter Monday and Bataan Day.

2. Labor Day Holiday .
The second long holiday is from April 28, Sunday to May 1, Tuesday Labor Day. You need to file a leave for April 30 but it will be a leave well taken. Also, remember that May is an elections month so better take your vacation before the election on May 14, 2nd Monday of May.

3. Independence Day Long Weekend.
Take advantage of June 9, Saturday to June 11, Monday (regular holiday in lieu of June 12).

4. Ninoy Aquino Holiday.
August 21, is a special holiday which falls on a Tuesday this year. So you just need to leave on August 20, and you already have a 4 day weekend from August 18, Saturday to August 21, Tuesday. It is difficult to fly during this time since this is in the middle of typhoon season.

5. Halloween Vacation.
Yes, another 4 day weekend without taking a leave. November 1 (Thursday) All Saints' Day is a special holiday and November 2 (Friday) is a Special non-working day (Proc No. 1211).

6. Eidl Feitr or End of Ramadan.
This is usually in November but there is no date yet. Anybody knows when the end of Ramadan this year?

7. Christmas Season 4 day Holiday .
December 24 (Monday) is declared as a Special non-working day (Proc No. 1211) and December 25 (Tuesday) Christmas Day is a regular holiday. So similar to last year, we have a 4 day Christmas holiday from December 22, Saturday to December 25, Tuesday.

8. New Year Holiday . December 29, Saturday until January 1, Tuesday is another 4 day holiday weekend. It is best that you just take leave during the entire last week of December so enjoy an almost 12 day holiday!

Here is a complete list of the 2007 Phil Regular Holidays and Non-Working Days...

2007 Phil regular holidays and non-working days
January 1 (Monday) New Year's Day (regular holiday)
April 5 (Thursday) Holy Thursday (regular holiday)
April 6 (Friday) Good Friday (regular holiday)
April 7 (Saturday) Special (non-working day - Procl No. 1211)
April 9 (Monday) Bataan Day (Araw ng Kagitingan) (regular holiday)
May 1 (Tuesday) Labor Day (regular holiday)
May 14 (Monday) National Elections!
June 11 (Monday) In lieu of June 12, Independence Day (Tuesday)
August 21 (Tuesday) Ninoy Aquino Day (special holiday)
August 26 (Sunday) National Heroes' Day (regular holiday)
November 1 (Thursday) All Saints' Day (special holiday)
November 2 (Friday) Special (non-working day - Proc No. 1211)
November (no date yet) Eidl Feitre or End of Ramadan (usually in November)
November 30 (Friday) Bonifacio Day (regular holiday)
December 24 (Monday) Special (non-working day - Proc No. 1211)
December 25 (Tuesday) Christmas Day (regular holiday)
December 30 (Sunday) Rizal Day (regular holiday)
December 31(Monday) Last Day of the Year (special holiday)

List of 2007 Senatoriables

The Philippines Senate has room for 11 of the following people. They're the ones who have the courage to file for candidacy. Whether they're good for the position or bad, it's really our
choice, if there is no massive cheating that is. It may reflect on their (rather cheezy) ads or their performance in office in the past.

Just remember: if the Cha-cha pushes through with the "parliamentary system," these people will be absorbed into the House of Representatives.

Loren Legarda - (Nationalist Peoples Coalition (NPC)
former Vice Presidential candidate (2004)
and former Senator (1998-2004)

Panfilo Lacson - (Independent)
incumbent Senator (2001-2007)

John Henry Osmeña - (NPC)
former Senator (1971-1972; 1987-1992; 1992-1995; 1998-2004)

Francis Escudero[2] - (NPC)
Sorsogon incumbent Representative (1998-2001; 2001-2004; 2004-2007)

Alan Peter Cayetano - (Nacionalista)
Taguig City-Pateros incumbent Representative (1998-2001;2001-2004;2004-2007)
and brother of incumbent Senator Pia Cayetano (2004-2010)

Benigno Aquino III - (Liberal Party "Drilon Wing")
Tarlac Incumbent Representative (1998-2001; 2001-2004; 2004-2007)
and son of former President Corazon Aquino and
the late Senator Benigno Aquino Jr.

Aquilino Pimentel III - (Partido Demokratikong
Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN)
lawyer
and son of incumbent Senator and former
Minister/Secretary of Interior and Local
Government Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. (2004-2010)

Sonia Roco - (Aksyon Demokratiko)
widow of the late Senator and presidential
candidate Raul Roco (1992-1995;1995-2001)

Antonio Trillanes - (Independent)
detained Military Officer (Lieutenant Senior Grade),
Magdalo leader

Anna Dominique Coseteng - (NPC)
former Senator (1992-1995, 1995-2001)
and former Representative (1987-1992)

Manuel "Manny" Villar - Nacionalista Party,
incumbent Senator (2001-2007),
Senate President (2006-present),
former Representative for Las Pinas (1995-1998, 1998-2001),
former Speaker of the House (1998-2000)
husband of incumbent Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar (2001-2007)
current President of the Nacionalista Party

Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan - (Liberal Party "Drilon Wing"),
incumbent Senator (2001-2007),
Senate Majority Floor Leader
Unity Ticket

Michael Defensor - (Liberal Party "Atienza wing")
former Presidential Chief of Staff (2006-2007),
former Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (2001-2006),
former Head of National Housing Authority (2001),
former Quezon City Representative (1995-1998;1998-2001)

Juan Miguel Zubiri - (Lakas-CMD),
incumbent Representative
(1998-2001;2001-2004;2004-2007) from the province of Bukidnon.

Edgardo Angara - (Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino (LDP)),
incumbent Senator (1987-1992;1992-1998;2001-2007),
former Executive Secretary,
former Secretary of Agriculture,
former President of University of the Philippines,
current Chairman of Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino

Ralph Recto - (Nacionalista/Independent)
incumbent Senator (2001-2007),
former Representative of Batangas (1992-1995;1995-1998;1998-2001),
husband of Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto

Joker Arroyo - (KAMPI/Independent),
incumbent Senator (2001-2007),
former Representative (1992-1995;1995-1998;1998-2001) of Makati City,
former Executive Secretary (1986-1987),
former prosecutor of the impeachment trial of Pres. Joseph Estrada.

Luis "Chavit" Singson - (Lakas-CMD)
incumbent Governor of Ilocos Sur,
Chairman of League of Provinces,
lead witness of the impeachment trial of Pres. Joseph Estrada.

Vicente Sotto III - (NPC), former Senator (1992-1998;1998-2004),
actor, TV host
and Campaign Manager of the former presidential
candidate the late Fernando Poe Jr.

Tessie Aquino-Oreta - (NPC),
former Senator (1998-2004),
former Representative (1987-1992;1992-1995;1995-1998)
and sister of Benigno Aquino Jr.

Prospero Pichay Jr. - (Lakas-CMD)
incumbent Representative of Surigao del Sur (1998-2001;1998-2001;2001-2007),
Co-Chairman of Committee of Appointments.

Vicente Magsaysay - (Lakas-CMD/KBL)
incumbent Governor of Zambales
and former 1992 vice-presidential candidate

Jericho Carlos Petilla - (Lakas-CMD)
Governor of Leyte (2004-2007)

Jamalul Kiram III - (Lakas-CMD)
Heir to the Sultanate of Sulu
Independent

Gringo Honasan - (Independent/Philippine Guardians Brotherhood (PGB)
Senator (1995-2001; 2001-2004),
retired military officer (Colonel)

Richard Gomez - (NPC)
TV host, actor

Who will you vote for the 2007 election?

Palanca Awards for Literature now open to entries

Palanca Awards for Literature now open to entries


The Carlos Palanca Foundation announces the opening of the 57th Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. The country's premier literary awards will accept entries until the midnight of April 30, 2007.


The literary awards is open to all Filipino citizens and former Filipino citizens. The competition includes the following categories:

in Filipino and English divisions

   Short Story

   Short Story for Children

   Essay

   Poetry

   One-act Play

   Full-length Play

Screenplay in Filipino division; and

Short Story in Cebuano, Hiligaynon and Iluko regional languages.


This year's theme for the Kabataan Essay is "The Filipino Value I Would Like to Share with the World" for the English division; and "Ang Kaugaliang Pilipino na Nais Kong Ibahagi sa Mundo" for the Filipino division. This is a special category open to persons below 18 years old.


Established in 1950, one of the objectives of the Palanca Awards is to serve as an incentive for Filipino writers to craft their outstanding literary works. It is noteworthy that more and more first-time entrants are winning in the contest.


National Artist for Literature Edith Tiempo noted that writers should take full advantage of the annual literary competition to hone their craft. "We are all privileged to have a good number of our writers and their best works being acclaimed and applauded; and we, readers and writers may well wonder about the enormity of literary expertise and craftmanship and long earnest labor that must have gone into the performing of these chosen works."


Entries for the literary competition may be submitted in person, or sent by mail or courier service to:

Carlos Palanca Foundation

6th Floor, CPJ Building.,

105 C. Palanca Jr. St.,

Legaspi Village, Makati City


Entries may also be submitted through e-mail in Rich Text Format or in Microsoft Word Document as an attachment, together with the author's resume, official entry form and original copy of the notarized authorization form.


Complete contest rules and official entry forms may be obtained from the Carlos Palanca Foundation office or via e-mail to cpawards@info. com.ph or palancaawards@ yahoo.com. For inquiries, please call 818-3681, local 31.

Being

This is something I did in 1999. It's an attempt at defining what I am as a poet. Looking back, I think it's kinda cheezy...

------------------------------------


the reason for this life
is not the same for me

the melody of this strife
belongs to the raging sea

the memory of my being
thrives on one purpose

the harmony that is seething
hides behind what i suppose

this life, this being, all lies
i am your poetry, i am your prose

Being

Virgin Blog

So I finally gave in to blogspot.

For the longest time, I resisted the blog trend. I'm not one to jump into the bandwagon easily, but hey, the writer in me simply got the upperhand. So, here I am.

Yes, I am a writer, professional at that. I have another blog in Multiply (ginniefaustino.multiply.com) that I fill up with whatever I fancied. Then I thought: it's high time I had a blog that is more focused. Problem is: what focus? What should I focus on?

I guess, you might call this a "coming out" of sorts. In this blog, I intend to post my poetry. I'll start with the old ones so I don't feel like I'm blurting out too much about myself. You see, my poetry is very personal. I've always found it hard to talk about myself to people I am not very comfortable with (what more with the general public?), especially my feelings and it's in poetry that I find ways of revealing without really revealing.

Does that make any sense? Maybe. Hope so. Then again, hope not. And that is exactly how I intend my poetry to be -- comprehensible yet not very.

Still, it wouldn't hurt if you liked them. So, I hope you enjoy my poetry!

=)K

PS.
These are original works. Please, if you intend to use them, let me know. I'd love to see how they're used. As long as you don't mangle or use them in a bad way, I won't have any problems with you. Thanks in advance.

Kasuy!

http://ginniefaustino.blogspot.com/
My poetry blog at blogspot

Free Online Transcription Course from Halalan 2007.ph

Announcement : Formal start of Online Raffle will be on Feb. 10, 2007.
Create an account Now!

On Line Raffle (Mechanics, Guidelines, Rules etc…)

WHO ARE QUALIFIED TO JOIN? – The raffle is open to registered users of halalan2007.ph who are ages 18 years old and above;


In order to be able to participate and automatically qualify in the daily raffles conducted at an hourly interval (from 7 AM up to 9 PM), a user must log in to halalan2007.ph website at least once a day using his/her username, password and visit at least three (3) links within the
site. Cut off for the daily raffle is at 10PM, those who log in beyond 10PM shall be included in the next day’s raffles;

A lucky winner is entitled to win only once on a daily basis

The duration of the raffle is from February 1, 2007 up to June 15, 2007.

Beginning on February 1 up to March 15 (43 days), a total of Eighty Four (84) ACI courses shall be given away to lucky online registered users in a day.

From March 15 up to June 15 (92 days) a total of One Hundred Forty Courses (140) ACI courses shall be given away to lucky online registered users in a day.

The names and location (city/municipality, or province) of the winners will be announced and posted at the site. Winners shall also be notified via the email address they have provided in their registration information.

Winners can claim their prizes (Course Entitlement Certificates [CECs) at the following:

• Winners within Metro Manila and nearby areas can claim their prizes
  daily from 9 -12 in the morning at the IT Dynamics Group
  office at Suite 1709 Cityland 10, Tower 1, Valero St. corner HV
  Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village, Makati City .
  
• Winners from the Visayas and Mindanao areas can claim their
  Prizes at designated Halalan2007.ph coordinators (names and locations and
  other contact details of IITM Coordinators to be announced at the
  site).
  
• Winners from other parts of Luzon who cannot claim their prizes
  in Makati can also claim their prizes at other designated
  halalan2007 IITM Coordinators within Luzon (names and locations and other
  contact details of authorized IITM Coordinators to be announced at
  the site).
  

When claiming your prize, please bring the print out notification (email) and any valid government ID (SSS, GSIS, Driver’s License, Passport, Voter’s ID, Senior Citizen’s ID, PhilHealth), Company ID, or School ID.

Winners can claim their prizes within Sixty (60) days from date of notification, otherwise their prize will be forfeited.

WHO CANNOT AND ARE DISQUALIFIED FROM JOINING? – Sponsors, advertisers, political users, and their employees, staff of halalan2007.ph and their relatives up to the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity.

Persons reporting regularly to halalan2007.ph, sponsors, advertisers under a contract or service and who, by the nature of the service they render may have a direct and personal knowledge of this raffle.

CCP Awards for Alternative Films

Para sa mga walang maisip gawin, o sa mga gusto ng iba ang gagawin sa
Valentines...

=)K


IKA-19 GAWAD CCP PARA SA ALTERNATIBONG PELIKULA AT VIDEO (SKED)
13 to 19 February 2007 at the CCP Dream Theatre (Tanghalang Manuel Conde)


ADMISSION IS FREE!


13 Feb/Tue


01PM
Short Feature Entries 1:
Doghouse / Jose / Litanya
Saling Pusa / Lapis at Papel
Impen / Malas / Bestfriends
Carpool / Pagbugtaw (Waking Up)
Kariton / Ang Kapalaran ni Virgin Mario
Ikasiyam na Palapag (Ninth Floor)
Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng Pambili ng Lalaki
Tatlong Piso / Ang Pagbabalik

04PM
Documentary Entries 1:
Piso at Monumento / Buhay sa Patay
Bunker O:Sumirib Plus
Ciao Gian Luca! / Making Group Sex
Ruta ni Ka Roda / Buhay Bangkero
Graveyard Shift / Medalawna
Sinulog for Beginners
Batang Ballroom

07PM
Opening Film:
BEHIND IMAHE NASYON
By Jon Red


14 Feb/Wed

10AM
Short Feature Entries 2:
Takipsilim / Klepto
Pinakamagandang Pelikula
One-Man Show
Adam's Family
Eros / Manyika (Doll) / Yayay
Mysteryo ng Hapis (Sorrowful Mystery)
Lababo (Kitchen Sink)

01PM
Documentary Entries 2:
Ossie: A Sinulog Photographer**
Musika at Bulag
Boxingera
Mama/San
Portrait: Rediscovering A Filipino Film Classic
Sa Pusod ng Bundok
Sa Villa Cristo Rey
Sa Kanlungan ni Ina **

04PM
Short Feature Entries 3:
Tagapagligtas
Inertia
Lakaran

07PM
Animation Entries:
Target / Spider's Thread
Dok / Egg-O / Ang Pagkaplag
Row your Boat / Dream Systems
A Day In The Life Of Gloria Arroyo
Buhay Bato
d/w
New Animation from Indonesia
from hellofest (jakarta)


15 Feb/Thu

10AM
Documentary Entries 3:
Bantay Riles
Kunyang
Sa Patay, sa buhay (In Death, In life)
Da Dou Sai Mau (WTO, Ibasura!; Junk WTO!)
Lukso

01PM
Short Feature Entries 4:
Wish Ko Lang
Gabon (Cloud)
Sikolohikal na Armas ni Juan dela Cruz
OFW - Bagong Bayani o Baliw na Bayani
Dead Letter
Geegee at Waterina
Hinagap

04PM
Documentary Entries 4:
Memories of the Sea
Walai **
Syokoy**

07PM
Experimental Entries:
Sakdal Laya / Lang
It Feels Good To Be Alive
Cuatro / WWIII
Makibaka Wag Matakot
Transcendental Progression
Simula / Mga Bagay na may Pakpak
Sa Pagdating sa Bawat Sandali ng Mga'
Bangungot / Doble Vista
Mr. Holiday Wants To Die
Spill / Attack Rate / Revolt of the Hymen


16 Feb/Fri

10AM
Short Feature Entries 5:
Maria Milagros Barborosa
Alagwa (Breaking Free)
Ang Obrang 'Di Tapos
Murphy's Law

07PM
Awards Ceremony


FREE ADMISSION!


For more information, please call CCP Media Arts at 832 1125 locals 1702,1704 & 1705
or email
film@culturalcenter.gov.ph.

Love the South

Your coffee break is on Southbound! Just tell us why you love the South! We'll even throw in a free Southbound t-shirt. (If you haven't heard of Southbound yet, check it out at www.southbound.ph!)


So, what do you love about living in the South? Is it the whiff of fresh air every morning? The beautiful gated communities? The fact that you can get your groceries just around the corner in tsinelas and pajamas and not care at all? We all have our creature comforts, and we southerners (what do we call ourselves anyway?) are lucky enough to have everything right
in our own backyard.

Share your sentiments on suburbia and beyond. Gush about your idyllic neighborhood (the next best thing to Wisteria lane, perhaps?). Pay homage to the land that saw you grow and grew with you.

Just send us an email at southbound.ph@gmail.com and tell us in your own witty words why the South rocks. Include the following information:
Name
Age
Gender
Email
Location
Occupation
Industry (and Company, if you want to brag!)
Interests

Try to keep your entries less than a page long; photos, sketches, and other images that your creative mind can come up with are welcome.

We'll give the best answer a P300 gift certificate from Starbucks and a Southbound shirt. We'll also post selected responses on our site so the world can see why people love the South! Watch for the results on Valentine's Day!

So what are you waiting for? We'll accept entries from January 31 to February 13, 2007 . Put on your thinking cap and start writing now!

Spread the word! Forward this email to all your friends... who knows, that friend may win and treat you to some coffee! Visit southbound.ph to learn more about the South, discover something new, or just ogle the appetizing pictures!


The winner will be notified via email. One entry per person only. Valid from January 31 to February 13, 2007 .

PINOY JAZZ: The Story of Jazz in the Philippines at CineKatipunan

"Whatever it is you choose to play, don't lose the Filipino soul."
- Lito Molina

SHOWING AT CINEKATIPUNAN
Wednesday, 7 February 2007
6:00 PM, Mag:net Cafe

Richie Quirino and Collis Davis:
PINOY JAZZ: The Story of Jazz in the Philippines

(The screening of PINOY JAZZ will be followed by a Johnny Alegre Trio performance with open jam)

A Video by Richie Quirino and Collis Davis

Based on Richie Quirino's book, Pinoy Jazz Traditions, which won the 2004 National Book Award in the music category, PINOY JAZZ is a 58-minute video documentary that provides
the first-ever documentation of the development of jazz in the Philippines, from its infancy in 1898, when Filipinos were first exposed to Black music performed by African-American soldiers, to its present-day maturity in which musicians are turning to indigenous sources for inspiration. Incorporating historical still photography, turn-of-the century film footage, maps, old recordings, present-day performances and interviews with veteran and contemporary musicians, the video presents an eye-opening view into an almost-forgotten history of the art of jazz as it developed in the Philippines over the last century.

Video Production Credits

Produced by Richie Quirino, Collis Davis, Gus Lagman
Narrated by Wayne Enage
Artistic Direction by Richie Quirino
Directed by Collis Davis
Edited by Collis Davis and Richie Quirino
Foreign Correspondent - Prof. Ron Nethercutt
Audio Mastering - Noel De Brackinghe, Sweet Spot Studio
Cameraman - Collis Davis (Okara Video)

New Species Discovered in the Philippines

The Philippines hits the world news again with some of the
best stories around.  This time, we're going back to the beauty of nature.

Thousands of newly discovered
crustaceans and mollusks were found in the waters of the Philippines.  A
French-lead team of more than 80 scientists, students and volunteers from the
Philippines, other ASEAN countries, Europe and the United States comprised the
Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project which conducted the most extensive
inventory of these rare sea creatures from 2004-2006.

Philippe Bouchet shows the  specimen of the
Enoplometopus crustacean presented with 50
others to the Philippine National
Museum on
Feb. 5, 2007.  It is one of the thousands of  new
species
found in a two-year research project in
the seas of the Philippines.

In a statement from the project
secretariat, "It is estimated that 150-250 of the crustaceans and
1,500-2,500 of the mollusks are new species… To put it in perspective, the
whole decapod crustacean (shrimp or prawn) fauna of Japan barely exceeds 1,600
species.  The Mediterranean (300 million hectares) has 340 species of
decapods and 2,024 species of mollusks."

The French embassy said the research
of fauna conducted in the deep-sea and coastal ecosystems of Panglao Island
resulted in the discovery of over 1,200 species of decapod or 10-legged
crustaceans and some 6,000 species of mollusks. 

Decapod crustaceans characteristically have five pairs of locomotor appendages
each joined to a segment of the thorax, such as crab, shrimp and lobster.
Marine mollusks are also called shellfish.



The Panglao Marine Biodiversity Project was conducted as a joint effort of the
University of San Carlos and the French National Museum of Natural History from
2004 to 2005. It was funded by the French government and Total Foundation,
which is based in the French capital of Paris.

The team leader, Philippe Bouchet,
of the Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle in France said "Numerous
species were observed and photographed alive, many for the first time."

Bouchet said data was collected
using both academic and traditional methods such as dredging and trawling,
diving and deep-water nets which Panglao fishermen traditionally use. 

Some 50 species of holotype
specimens were presented to the Philippine National Museum on Monday.  A
holotype is single specimen or "illustration" designated as the type
for naming a species or subspecies. It is also used as the basis for naming a
species or subspecies when no type has been selected.

The
Philippines is located in the "Coral Triangle," which contains the
highest number of known marine species.   To push the research
forward, the French embassy has announced a five-year programme to explore the
deep-water fauna of the Philippines titled "Census of Philippines Deep-Sea
Biodiversity."

A
very rare seashell of the Slit shell family (scientific name: Bayerotrochus
philpoppei) which was discovered by Belgian Guido Poppe in early 2006 off Balut
Island in southern Philippines.

BADminton

So I haven't really exercised in months... and I'm feeling it!

My little family went with my brother's medium-sized family to play badminton. My brother and his wife play badminton almost every weekend. Every so often, their kids tag along. In fact, my brother has two professional rackets and a badminton club membership. All the other members of his family have their own rackets each. The littlest one, at five years old, has the attention span of a gold fish and a kid-sized racket for herself. But hey, she serves better than my first-timer daughter who is 8 years old.

Here's the kicker. My 10-year old nephew can make the adults sweat. The little guy is a member of their grade school batch's basketball team, accounting for the stamina. He is also a tennis enthusiast, accounting for the techniques. He can place the shuttlecock and make you run back and forth and to all the sides of your end of the court. His mom says she actually gives up on him after a while. When father and son played, you could see where he got it-- no points, just make each other run and pick up the shuttlecock whenever possible.

So now, I am getting acquainted with some of my leg, arm and back muscles again... sigh.

Daniel Radcliffe's Noodles

At the risk of sounding like a pedophile (at my age)...

Yes, ladies and gentlemen... Daniel Radcliffe shows off his washboard abs in the new stage play, Equus to be shown in London in March. Yummmmmy...

Equus is
a very mature, powerful, dramatic play full of complex themes and tough
philosophical and ethical questions. The play also stars Richard Griffiths whom we know better as Uncle Vernon in the wizard's movie series. Rehearsals start January 2007...

Joke Time: Let's Get Medical... este Physical

Here are some funny medical instances. The forwarded message I got said it's all PGH, but I tend to wonder on some. STill, after my series of thons with Grey's Anatomy and House, and a few jargons I've picked up from CSI LV and NY (plus my seeming "Kababawan" recently) some of these are quite funny, really.

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 Pokayo sa PACU.
Mrs 3: "Eh Doc, saan po sa Paco? Sa may simbahan po ba o sa maypalengke?

***********

Doktor: "Mrs. ano po ba ang sinabi ng dating doktor kung ano daw angsakit ng inyong anak?"
Mrs 4: "Eh Doc sabi po niya Tragedy of Fallot.
Doktor: "Ah baka po Tetralogy of Fallot (Isang Congenital Heart
Diseaseang 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!)

Powerbooks Warehouse Sale

Start:	Feb 2, '07 10:00p
End:	Feb 17, '07 7:00p
Location:	Powerbooks Outlet Store, #25 Brixton St., Kapitolyo Subdivision, Pasig City

Book lovers rejoice!

From February 2 to February 17, enjoy a 30% discount on all regular items and up to 90% off on bargain books at the Powerbooks Outlet Store.

Located at #25 Brixton St., Kapitolyo Subdivision, Pasig City Powerbooks' main office, where the outlet store is located, is not your typical dark, humid, and hot warehouse location.

The well-lit and fully-airconditioned outlet store offers a wide range of perennial bestsellers, classics, and bargain books properly organized in shelves and tables.

Customers can comfortably browse through the titles available and take this great opportunity to expand their literary collections without going over budget.

The Powerbooks Outlet Store is open from Monday - Saturday, 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. For more details, call 490-1158.

PASINAYA: CCP Open House Festival 2007

Start:	Feb 4, '07 10:00a
End:	Feb 4, '07 5:00p
Location:	Cultural Center of the Philippines

What will you do if someone tells you that you can watch more than 20 FREE shows in the Cultural Center of the Philippines for only ONE DAY?

Just in case you decided to grab this rare opportunity, here are the details:

PASINAYA:
CCP Open House Festival 2007

featuring: Tanghalang Pilipino, Philippine Madrigal Singers, Bayanihan Philippine National Folk Dance Company, Ramon Obusan Folkloric Group, Philippine Ballet Theater, Ballet Philippines, National Music Competitions for Young Artists, UST Conservatory of Music, Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra, and other guest artists…

Sunday, February 4, 2007
10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Various CCP Venues

PAY WHAT YOU CAN, SEE ALL YOU CAN!!!
(Come in bulk!)

For more details, click this link: http://www.culturalcenter.gov.ph/pasinaya
For inquiries, please call the PErforming Arts Department at 832-2314