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I'm still alive. Drowning, but still alive.

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 20:28:00 +0000

The day before yesterday the MMDA sent their suction trucks in our area and ostensibly cleaned out the drainage in Barangay Vitalez. Now, the flood has come into our house again, by way of Tropical Storm Jolina. More than that, the water actually stinks of sewer now, when it used to just smell of mud from the playground upstream.

Can't these people do anything right?

Political Heel

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 08:47:00 +0000

Ang political will sa Tagalog ay: ang matibay na kapasyahang tanggalin sa puwesto ang mga abusadong opisyal ng gubyerno, kagaya ni Bayani BF Fernando.

Not Amused

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Malamang nakita nyo na ang latest attempt ni Tse-rman BF sa pagpapatawa, at sa paghahambing sa sarili nya sa strongman ng Singapore. Kung hindi nyo alam ang pinagpuputak ko ngayon, click nyo ito:

CLICK NYO AKO

Yan muna kasi wala pa akong sariling pic ng kalokohang ito.

So kung gusto nyong maging parang Singapore ang Pilipinas, iboto nyo si BF? Yeah, right.

Para namang kung aayusin lang ang mga kalsada, magiging parang Singapore na ang Pinas?

Kitid ng utak ang pinopromote ng illusyonadong Tserman, kasama ng mga maling assumptions na kung gawin ito, ganito ang mangyayari.

Hindi ganun kadali yun, at hindi rin magagawa ang sinasabi nyang gagawin nya kung hindi malulutas ang numero unong suliranin ng Pilipinas:

CORRUPTION SA GOBYERNO

Eh paano malulutas ni BF yun kung siya mismo ay isang bahagi nito?

Di nakakatuwa para kay Lee yan ...

‘Likuan U’ sign is sick humor – LTO expert
By JC BELLO RUIZ
April 19, 2009, 10:21pm
A traffic safety expert of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is not amused by the new “gimmick” apparently of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) naming U-turn slots to “LIKUAN U”— read as Lee Kuan Yew, referring to the famous Prime Minister of Singapore.

LTO Traffic Safety Division Chief Daisy Jacobo said the “LIKUAN U” sign for the U-turn slot found underneath the EDSA-Kamuning flyover should be dismantled immediately because it “endangers the lives of motorists” passing through that portion of the highway “LIKUAN” in Filipino means “turning point.”

In the signboard placed on top of the regular MMDA U-turn slot signage, “LIKUAN U” is printed in red and printed in black underneath it is “LEE KUAN YEW”--- the famous leader who transformed Singapore into an economic superpower and with whom the MMDA’s top official, Bayani Fernando, loves to liken himself.
Fernando, who has been very vocal about his desire to run for President in next year’s elections, has been saying that he is the Lee Kuan Yew of the Philippines for “having a political will.”

Jacobo said the “LIKUAN U” sign is a “sick humor” and “should be removed before it can even cause damage and hurt people.” “We should not tinker with the lives of people in the name of wisecrack.

This is sick humor. The joke is meant to be ‘funny sick’ and not ‘funny humorous.” It’s not ‘funny haha’ but ‘funny absurd’,” Jacobo told the Manila Bulletin in an interview.

The affected EDSA portion Jacobo said, is already a “magnet for accidents” for allowing triple traffic counterflows – first from vehicles coming from East Avenue, second from those coming from Timog Avenue, and third from the provincial buses from the unloading zone situated underneath the flyover.

“If you are not into it, you will not get it. It’s not funny. It can hurt people as it could result in confusion on the part of the driver. The driver’s mind should focus on his driving and not on processing what “LIKUAN U’ means,” Jacobo said.

Jacobo said such “poor regulatory sign defies standards or road traffic signs” which is clarity and that it should command respect. “Road traffic signs should have a clear message, easily understood, and regulates, warns, and guides traffic. Not like LIKUAN U, PED XING or whatever,” Jacobo said referring to another road traffic sign which not many know is a shortened “Pedestrian Crossing.”

The Dynamics of Singit: How Utang na Loob is foisted on those who really don't give a hoot

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:49:00 +0000

My son just recently graduated from Olivarez College High School Department. The school seemed to have outdone themselves this time, with a printed program of activities that, for the very first time in four years, did NOT misspell my son's name.

The school also managed to obtain solicitations for medals and awards from various sources, in particular a politician and an insurance broker. The quid pro quo, as you may well expect, was to give them a slot in the commencement exercises program. So other than the Guest Speaker and the College President's address, there were also unexpected speeches from the representative of the insurance broker and the politician.

But the politician went the extra mile in prolonging the ceremonies, by not only declaring to the students that he, Congressman Ed Zialcita, had always dreamed that he would become a politician since he was a little boy, and here he was now, a politician. Ergo the students should never be afraid to dream. And as he ended his speech we realized that it wasn't ending... he was launching into a song, complete with recorded accompaniment and his barong-tagalog'd form cavorting onstage. The Impossible Dream. I had expected backup dancers to appear on cue, from the sides.

I almost walked out. In fact, I did get up from my assigned seat and went to the back of the covered gym which was the venue of this celebration, and along the way looked here and there for material that I could throw at the stupid politician singing on stage. Ed Zialcita was rumored to have handed out music CD's of himself singing as a Christmas gift to his fellow congressmen. I never saw that CD, and I really wish I never saw him on this occasion.

But what could we--the parents and guardians of the graduates--do amidst this obvious politicking by this congressman whose term is ending and is probably running for mayor or some similar position? Nothing much really. Some of the other parents even applauded after the song. I just gave Cong. Zialcita the finger.

We are doomed, yes we are, and so are our graduates. This country is doomed because it caters to people like Ed Zialcita, providing him with the opportunity to further his ambitions at the expense of students and parents who really do not give a hoot about how he had always wanted to become a politician. Politicians by definition are dirty. If Ed Zialcita's boyhood dream was to become a dirty person then so be it. But he had no right to foist himself on the participants of the ceremonies, even if he did contribute a few medals for the awards. I'm sure the medals came out of his CDF anyway.

I would really rather remember this occasion as one of the important milestones in my son's life. But Ed Zialcita's antics has forever soiled this memory, as will all politicians who never fail to insinuate themselves into events that should have highlighted the celebrants, and not their dirty sneaky little campaign shenanigans.

Boyet Who?

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:27:00 +0000

Maraming beses ko nang narinig yang linyang "Hindi nyo ba ako kilala?" galing sa isang tao na malamang ang sagot sa katanungan nya ay "hindi."

At kung kilala man sya, me additional pang sagot "eh ano ngayon?"

Narinig na natin yan sa golf course, kung saan man may pila, at ngayon sa Duty Free.

Tama na, sobra na. We cannot ask for humaneness in Boyet Fajardo, because he fails one qualification. To be humane you have to be human first.

Boyet Fajardo is not human.

As for the Duty Free Manager Susan Gonzales, para sabihin nyang "kusang lumuhod" ang tulirong Mr. Fernandez: katungkulan mo, Ms. Gonzales, na pangalagaan ang kapakanan ng mga tauhan mo. Kaya ka nga ginawang manager. Hindi lang naman customer ang dapat mong alagaan, kundi lalong lalo na ang mga tao mo. Kaya kahit pa magpa-interview ka sa TV Patrol at sabihin ang mga sinabi mo, hindi mo maipagkakaila na pinabayaan mo ang tao mo.

Buti nalang may Union ang Duty Free Employees!

Accenture to lay off half of workers in Philippine capital

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:47:00 +0000

Accenture Philippines has filed a notice of retrenchment for about 500 workers at its facilities in Manila, said Labour Undersecretary Rosalinda Baldoz.

Accenture, which engages in business process outsourcing, including call centres, had about a thousand workers in Manila and in March 2008 it opened an office in the central city of Cebu which employs about 500 people.

Call centres and other outsourced business processes have become a major industry in the Philippines.

* * * * *

Eto na nga ba sinasabi ko eh. Umasa ka ng todo sa US investment, yan ang mapapala mo kung tumumba sila.

I have always believed that the Philippines is an agricultural country. The problem is the Philippines seems to think that agricultural = backward. What we don't see is that agricultural = production of goods which can be sold = capital which can be used for funding. We are so hung up on working for others, forgetting that we can work for ourselves.

We have reduced ourselves to being the cheap slaves of lazy foreign countries. That's what outsourcing is, when you really look at it. Foreign capitalists too cheap to pay their own nationals who are too lazy to work for pay that an ordinary Filipino would be quite eager to earn.

When I was in grade school we learned about the Central Plain of Luzon and the Rice Granary of the Philippines. Although Pinatubo wiped out much of that area, they are alive again now. The International Rice Research Institute is doing its part in the education of farmers not only from this country.

It is the Philippine government which coddles criminals like Jocjoc Bolante and prevents full implementation of the CARP, and people who think farming is a second class occupation who will keep this country mired in unreasonable dependence on his foreign masters.

Mahal kong Pangulo (advance letter for June 30, 2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 02:12:00 +0000

Kung after lunch nyo ito mababasa, malamang nakaupo na kayo sa trono o kung ano man ang tawag sa upuan nyo jan sa Malacanang. At dahil nariyan na kayo, gumawa ako ng listahan ng mga suggestions ko para sa inyo. Alam ko namang hindi nyo mababasa ito pero sinulat ko parin, dahil malay nyo ...

Ayusin nyo ang pamamalakad ng kalakal at industriya dito sa Pinas. Gumawa kayo ng paraan para makapagtayo ng mga pagawaan at planta sa nararapat na bahagi ng bansa, pag handa na ang mga ito, pauwiin nyo lahat ng mga OFW na pinalabas ni GMA. Alam nyo naman siguro na kung meron lang maayos na mapagkakakitaan dito sa Pinas, na sapat na ibuhay sa pamilya at makapagtabi ng konting halaga para sa pag retiro, wala namang aalis para maging OFW.
Pag naayos nyo na ang kalagayan ng mga mamamayan ng Pilipinas, busisiin nyo naman kung bakit nagdagsaan ang mga Koreano dito sa Pinas. Actually hindi lang naman Koreano ang dumarami dito sa atin, kundi mga Pakistani, Indiano at kung ano anong klaseng puti, itim at kung anu-ano pang kulay, galing sa kung saan-saang bansa. Balita ko kasi hindi raw pwedeng limitahin ang pag pasok ng mga Koreano dito sa Pinas dahil baka daw gumanti ang pamahalaan ng Korea sa higit na 100,000 Pinoy na naandun naman sa Korea. Pag nakauwi na mga OFW natin (see suggestion #1) hala bira.
Para naman dun sa nagaakalang bigshot sila dahil sila'y turista dito at dito gumagasto ng dolyar, won, yen at kung ano ano pang uri ng salapi, sana magpatupad kayo ng batas na instant deportation ang mapapala ng kung sino mang banyaga, langyaw o porener na hindi magbayad ng tamang halaga sa taxi, tricyle o kalesa, dahil mahal daw ang singil nito. Sa mga estranghero namang mahuling nambugbog ng Pinoy dahil siya ay nakainom at naghahanap lang talaga ng action, kahit isa o dalawang gabi sa Bagong Diwa, pwede na siguro. Doon maraming action.
Tungkol naman sa mga paaralang tumatanggap ng porener na mga studyante dahil nga mura daw mag aral dito, bigyan nyo sana ng special privileges ang mga paaralang kusang nagbibigay ng mga scholarship sa mga mag-aaral na Pilipino. Yung mga porener na studyante, dapat me miscellaneous fee na "Non-resident Filipino charge" (siguro mga PHP 5-10K per sem pwede na) na siyang gagamitin para ipangtustos sa scholarship fund. O diba kung ganyan eh di happy all?
Sa lumalaganap namang medical tourism dito sa Pinas, dahil daw dito mura ang kidney, atay, baga at kung ano-ano pang bahagi ng katawan ng tao kaya dito nagpupuntahan ang mga porener, banyaga at langyaw na mesakit, hindi narin ako nagugulat. Eh yung Pangulo nga natin ngayon mismong taong buhay ang ine-export eh (see suggestion #1 ulit). Siguraduhin nyo lang sana na may kaukulang kapangyarihan ang Department of Health para siyasatin ang mga clinic na may serbisyong ganito.
Hindi lang naman taong banyaga ang laganap dito sa bansa natin. Marami ring mga bilihin na meron naman tayo pero makikita parin ang mga imported na katumbas nito. Ilang taon na ang nakakaraan nung magulat akong wala na palang Rufina Patis sa grocery, at sa halip na ito ay Thai patis ang nakadisplay. Nag-aangkat narin tayo ng bigas na malamang produkto ng mga nag-aral na banyaga sa ating International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). Meron nang imported bayabas, sampaloc at strawberries, na meron naman tayong mga produktong ito sa Baguio at iba pang mga probinsya. Siguro naman pwedeng gawan nyo ng paraan na umunlad ang agrikulturang Pinoy, upang di na tayo mangailangang mag import.
May isa pa sana akong suggestion, na malamang magpataas ng kilay nyo. Sana mabigyan nyo ng kaukulang proteksyon at pag-alaga ang mga kababayan nating nasa entertainment industry. Hindi mga artista ang tinutukoy ko, dahil kayang-kaya nilang alagaan ang sarili nila. Ang ibig kong sabihin ay yung mga nagtatrabaho bilang GRO, sexy dancer, at lalong lalo na ang mga sex workers. Sana mabigyan sila ng tulong at benepisyo katulad ng natatanggap ng karaniwang manggagawa, dahil aminin man natin o hindi, trabaho lang din naman ang ginagawa nila. Kailangan din nila ang proteksyon laban sa mga mapagsamantalang mga amo at cliente. Kailangan din nila ng angkop na benepisyo para sa kanilang kalusugan. Itigil na natin ang holier-than-thou attitude na nagsasabing sila ay marumi. Pilipino rin sila. Tao rin sila.
Sana pangatawanan nyo ang paniniwalang Ang Pilipinas ay Para sa Pilipino. OK lang naman para sa akin ang turismo. Pero ang katagang tourist ibig sabihin uuwi din sila kung saan sila nanggaling. Kaya siguro dapat siyasatin ng BID kung legal pa ba ang mga papeles ng mga ibang nag-aaral na porener sa mga lugar tulad ng Baguio at Cebu. Nakakapagtaka kasi yung balitang pag namamasyal ang BID itinatago daw nung mga eskwelahan ang mga studyante nilang Koreano. Ewan ko nga lang kung bakit sila tinatago, kung dahil ba para huwag silang mahuli ng BID, o para huwag silang mahuthutan ng BID.
Kapag andito na ulit yung mga nakipagsapalaran sa ibang bansa para lang buhayin ang mga kamag-anak nila dito sa Pinas, at andito parin kaming hindi parin nawawalan ng pag-asa, sana naman mahalin nyo kaming lahat. Wala naman kaming reklamo sa mga buwis at kung ano ano pang mga deduction sa sweldo at padala namin eh. Eh kung sa maayos ba napupunta ang kontribution namin, bakit hindi.
Bawas-bawasan narin sana natin ang labis na pag asa sa mga biyayang binibigay ng US of A. Kasi sa totoo lang, wala narin silang biyayang maibibigay. Diba matagal nang me recession sa kanila, ayaw lang nilang aminin? Tulungan nyo sana ang bansang matutong umasa sa sariling kakayahan, produkto at sa isat-isa.

Pagpasensyahan nyo na kung mejo anti-foreigner ang dating nitong sulat ko. Hindi po ako anti-foreigner, in fact ang bossing ko for 10 years already ay porener din. Pero porener na residente at dito na nagpamilya. Naniniwala lang ako na hindi dapat maging second class citizen ang Pinoy sa sarili nyang bansa. Naniniwala din akong dapat matigil na ang paniniwalang ang porener ay nakakabuti sa ating bansa dahil dolyar ang ginagastos nito. Hindi lahat ng ginagasto ng porener ay sa Pilipino napupunta, at hindi lahat ng porener ay nakakabuti.

Parusahan nyo rin sana ang mga kababayan nating mga kurakot dahil may kapangyarihan. Alagaan mo kami, huwag nyo kaming pabayaang mawalan ng karapatan. Sabi ko naman sa umpisa pa lang nitong sulat na ito, ayusin nyo sana muna ang bansa. The rest will follow.

Good luck po sa inyo.

Tangina mo Entrecard

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:32:00 +0000

Binura ng Entrecard ang account ng blog na ito dahil daw hindi siya sumusunod sa Blog Quality Standards nito. Aling alituntunin ang sinuway ng blog na ito? Ang pagbablog sa lenguaheng hindi Ingles.

Ngayon alam ko na kung bakit wala nang ka amor-amor si Turnip of Power sa Entrecard. Na ban sa Entrecard si Turnip dahil pinuna nya sa Twitter ang katawa-tawang sumbrero ni Graham Langdon na siyang gumawa ng Entrecard. Ginawa lang din naman nya ito dahil sa anunsyo ni Langdon mismo na babantayan at i-o-autopost daw nya sa sarili nyang Twitter ang lahat ng Tweet tungkol sa Entrecard. Ayun di nakita nya ngayon yung asshat Tweet ni Turnip. Banned from Entrecard ngayon ang idol kong social networking and blog income earing guru na si Turnip of Power.

Sabagay ang sasabihin lang din naman ng mga ibang taga Entrecard na kasalanan ko dahil hindi ako sumunod sa BQS ng Entrecard. Pero hindi ko maialis sa isipan ko na ang pag ban ng mga blogs na hindi Ingles sa Entrecard ay senyales lang ng pagkukulang sa pag-unawa at kaalaman ng mga tao sa Entrecard. Sa dami ba naman ng Pinoy (at ng iba pang mga tao na galing sa iba't ibang bansa) na nasa kung saan man naka HQ ang Entrecard, wala silang maitalaga na bantay kung ang isang blog ba ay sumusunod sa ibang alituntunin ng BQS?

O baka paranoid lang sila dahil hindi nila naiintindihan ang anumang lengwahe maliban sa Ingles? Tsk tsk ... matinik parin ang Pinoy. By necessity, ang Pinoy ay may dalawang lenguahe--yung natutunan nya mula ng lumaki siya at nagsalita, at ang Ingles na natutunan nya sa paaralan.

Kawawang Amerikano. English lang ang alam.

Babala sa mahihina ang tiyan

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 08:43:00 +0000

Binabalaan ko lang po ang mga nagbabasa, baka ho kayo masuka sa mga larawan na makikita nyo sa post na ito. Ihanda nalang muna ang mga bimpo at balde at alcohol bago magpatuloy sa pagbabasa.

Biyaheng UP Diliman ang asawa ko nung Biyernes, Jan 30. Habang siya'y nakasakay sa front seat ng jeepney na UP Ikot galing Q. Ave, may inabot sa kanya ang driver nito.

Sir, ika nya. Baka ho may mapaggagamitan kayo nito, panggatong ba o pamunas ng kung ano. Dahil wala po akong kabilib-bilib jan.

Nung siniyasat ng aking asawa ang brochure na inabot ng driver sa kanya, ito ang kanyang nakita:

Ang brochure na ito ay may laking 8.5" na haba at 5.5" na lapad (letter size paper na tinupi), may full color glossy cover, at walong papel (32 pages total) na full color print din ang niloloob. Meron pa itong insert na papel na pink na full color sep din ang magkabilang panid.

Makikita sa loob ng color brochure na ito ang sinasabing pakay ng nagpalathala:

Hanep. Hindi ko na kokompyutin ang malamang ilang milyong piso na ginastos sa pagpapalathala nitong brochure na ito. Hindi ko narin ie-estimate ang dami ng kopyang malamang ikinakalat ngayon sa buong kamaynilaan at karatig probinsya. At syempre hindi ko narin sasabihin na ito'y walang iba kung hindi campaign material ng isang taong gumagamit ng salapi ng mamamayan para itulak ang hibang na hangarin nyang tumakbo bilang pangulo ng Pilipinas, at sa mas nakakahibang na pangarap nyang mananalo siya.

Isa lang naman ang hamon ko sa hibang na mamang nagpagawa nito. Mamang ano, magpakatutoo ka naman kahit minsan lang. Kahit isang beses lang.

Gumamit ka ng litrato na tunay. Yung piktyur na totoo. Piktyur ng kung ano talaga ang mukha mo ngayon. Hindi hitsura mo 20 years ago. Yung tunay na hitsura mo ngayon, na walang studio lights, walang make-up.

Malamang hindi mo magagawa ano? Dahil siguro alam mo naman talaga ang totoo. Pangit ka, at mas pangit pa ang budhi mo. Yang sinasabi mong gusto mong makilala bilang isang builder of character hindi mangyayari yun. Dahil ikaw at ang mga tauhan mo ay kailan man hindi makikilala bilang mga taong may character.

Pinababayaan ka lang ng isa pang walang character na GMA na gamitin ang mukha nya para itabi sa retokado mong mukha dahil alam nyang wala namang boboto sayo sa 2010. May ibang planong suportahan si GMA at hindi ikaw yun.

Ang masaklap lang para sa taong bayan ay malamang hindi ka titigil hanggat di maubos ang pera ng bayang nakalaan para sa tanggapan mong binubuo ng puro kwagong katulad mo.

Kawawang mamamayan.

Manigong Bagong Taon sa Lahat

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 12:18:00 +0000

Kahit ba panay ang angal ko sa estado ng bansa natin ngayon, hopeful parin ako (sana kayo rin) na may mga pagbabago parin para sa kabutihan nating lahat.

Welcome, 2009!

At nakisawsaw nanaman ang Malacañang

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 05:48:00 +0000

Pacquiao victory a 'saving grace' - Ermita
12/07/2008 | 01:35 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang on Sunday hailed the victory of the Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao as a “saving grace” amid all the political and economic turmoil that has been beleaguering the country.

In an interview with radio dzBB, Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the victory of Pacquiao came at the right time as it boosts the Filipinos’ morale in these trying times.

“Sa kabila ng problem ng ating bansa meron tayong saving grace, yung winnings ni Pacquiao always come at a proper rime. (In the middle of the all our country’s problems we had a saving grace. Pacquiao’s winning always come at a proper time.) Suddenly the morale of the Filipino was pushed by the victory of Pacquiao” Ermita said.

Mr. Ermita, ano naman kinalaman ni Manny Pacquiao sa baho na kinakalat ng amo nyo? Kaya nga maraming nagagalit ke Pacman ay dahil sa pakikialam at kasasawsaw nyo.

Kaya ang grown-up Christmas wish ko ay ... sana kunin na kayong lahat ni Lord.

Tenkyu.

(yung picture sa taas ay galing sa philboxing.com)

Malamang nabalitaan nyo na nasa Masbate ako nung nakaraang dalawang linggo, upang makilahok sa School I.T. Project ng MGP (Masbate Gold Project) ng Filminera Resources Corporation. Apat na paaralan sa mga liblib na munisipyo ng Masbate ang nakatanggap ng mga bagong computers (Lenovo K200 complete system) at training (galing ke yours truly) sa paggamit ng mga ito.

Dalawang linggo akong bumiyahe sa sari-saring klase ng kalsada, dalawang linggong puro kalabaw lang ang nakakasalubong namin, at mga batang naglalakad papuntang paaralan.

Pero ayon ke pakshet101 isang kagimbal-gimbal na tanawin ang bubulaga sa akin pagbalik ko ng EDSA ...

... tanong nyo pa ke pakshet101 ...

Nakuryentehan

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 10:30:00 +0000

Isa sa mga added features ng Meralco website (www.meralco.com.ph) ay yung pwedeng mag register ang isang Meralco subscriber at makatanggap ng email notification ng kanyang bagong bill, ilang araw bago maging due ito.

Matagal na akong nagparegister sa website ng Meralco, kaya ilang taon naring buwan-buwan kong nakikita ang bayarin namin dito sa bahay bago pa dumating ang mismong bill na papel.

Me napansin nga lang ako nitong mga nakaraang bwan:

Month	KW Consumption	Amount Paid in PHP
September 2008	488	4,694
October 2008	471	4,719
November 2008	476	5,040

Kapansin-pansin na nuong buwan ng Agosto mas malaki ang konsumo namin ng kuryente sa bahay (me pressure pump kasi ng tubig na galing sa poso, wala kasing Manila Water dito samin; at meron ding iilang computer) kung ihahambing sa mga sumusunod na bwan. Pero kung kelan lumiit ang konsumo siya ring lumaki ang bayad!

Malamang sa hindi ito ay dahil kailangang bawiin ni Meralco in advance yung mga irerefund nyang pera sa iilang mga consumer. Iilan dahil ang dami ng lintek na mga kondisyon bago ka ma issue-han ng refund. Good luck nalang sayo, at sana nasa iyo pa ang recibo ng meter deposit from 10 years ago, at good luck din dun sa mga katulad kong wala sa sariling pangalan ang rehistro ng meter, for one reason or another.

Sa walang kalaban-laban na consumer, isang malalim na buntong hininga nalang.

* * * * *

Tawanan mo ang iyong problema? Halakhakan imbes na Himagsikan!

Hindi po ito bagong rallying cry... intro lang po ito sa post ni Leslie Bocobo tungkol sa peborit kong Tse-rman, isang futuristic (sana magkatotoo) na kwento tungkol sa mga kinikilala nating tao sa gobyerno.

Militants vandalize Bayani Fernando's tarps

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:14:00 +0000

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MANILA, Philippines - Militants resumed Sunday their spray-painting of posters and tarpaulins of Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando, focusing their efforts in Quezon City.

Radio dzBB's Allan Gatus reported that members of Kadamay defaced the posters of Fernando, including those calling for discipline and those congratulating him for winning a TV singing contest.

The group concentrated its activities in some areas of Quezon City, including Commonwealth Avenue, Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA) and Kamuning.

Also, the group said it is planning a protest march to Mendiola Bridge against Fernando scheduled Dec. 1 and 2.

Militants accused Fernando of violating human rights with the MMDA's clearing operations targeting sidewalk vendors.

But a Q-11 television report Saturday night quoted Fernando as saying the vendors who are the targets of clearing operations should pay legitimate rent in markets instead of protection money to syndicates that let them place stalls in the sidewalk. - GMANews.TV

But really, come to think of it, why would sidewalk vendors pay "syndicates" who cannot keep them on the sidewalk anyway, unless the syndicate is made up of the very people who do?

I take my hats off to people who do get to give those BF posters a dose of BF's own medicine. All I do is rant about the posters. These people actually DO something about them.

I've heard of patting one's self on the back but this is ridiculous

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:28:00 +0000

Nakupo sa mga susunod na araw wag na kayo magtaka kung sa mga Pahayagan ni Bayani (ung mga nakalagay na bakal na sisidlan ng mga tarpolin ng mga anunsyo ng MMDA at ng gubyerno, sila ring mga pinaglalagyan ng mga tarpolin na me kapalmuks na pose ni Mr. Metro Gago at me mga katagang “Pagkakaisa: May Gubyerno” at mga kahalintulad nun) meron nang nakalagay dun na mga katulad ng “Congratulations and Mabuhay Chairman BF for winning Celebrity Duets 2; we’re proud of you! — from your MMDA family” --pakshet101, congratulations mr. metro gago

At meron na nga, napansin ko kagabi sa mga lugar na dinadaanan ko papunta at pauwi sa opis. Kaya armado nanaman akong lumabas (KODAK EASYSHARE CX7330 Zoom Digital Camera po ang armas ko) ng bahay kanina para makakuha ng ebidensiya. Makikita ang mga congrats posters na ito sa concrete pedestrian overpass sa may 6-11, MIA road, sa giant bilog na Pahayagan ng MMDA sa tapat ng Heritage Hotel sa bungad ng EDSA, at kung saan saan pang pedestrian overpass.

pakingsyet! pero di na ko manggagalaiti ... kasi naman baka maging dahilan pa ng maaga kong pagkamatay (na malamang ikatutuwa ng mga alipores ni BF) kung sasabihin ko pang hayupax talaga tong mamang ito (ug sa binisaya pa, hangul kaayo siya ug exposure, as if the previous posters he hung around the metro were not enough).

I just need to keep in mind that I live in Parañaque City, Metro Manila, Philippines.

NOT Metro-Philippines.

Inventions of the Grandiose and Petty Kind

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:41:00 +0000

Palibhasa wala ako sa Maynila nung nakaraang Biyernes, kaya hindi ko alam na Metro-Manila Day pala nung Nov. 7, 2008. In fact, ika-33 na anibersaryo na pala ng Metro-Manila Day. Ano kanyo ang Metro-Manila Day? Ito po ay isa nanamang imbento ng ating peborit Tserman BF.

Bakit ko po nasabing imbento? Magtungo po tayo saglit sa pahina ng Metro Manila Development Authority sa Wikipedia. Makikita po nating isa itong detalyadong pahayag tungkol sa tanggapang ngayong kilala bilang MMDA at ang mga pinagmulan nito. Magtungo po tayo sa section ng History nito. Mapapansin nyong ni isa sa mga petsang nakasaad ay walang ginanap sa buwan ng Nobyembre o November. (Click kayo dito for a screeshot ng wiki page as of Nov. 14 2008, in case me mag milagro at biglang nagkaron ng Nov 7 na date sa listahang ito.)

So, saan nanggaling ang 33rd Anniversary ng Metro-Manila Day? Aba malay ko. Malamang itoy sineselebrate sa Metro Philippines. Ewan ko rin kung ano yun. Kapansin-pansin lang ang hilig ng Tserman na mag imbento ng kung ano ano, at ilathala ang mga imbensyong ito sa mga naglalakihang tarpaulin banner na kinakalat parang basura sa buong Kamaynilaan.

Iba po ang Metro-Manila Day (kathang sipsip, este isip pala ni BF) sa Araw ng Maynila na may 50 taon nang pinagdiriwang sa Lungsod ng Maynila.

Dahil din sa Wikipedia, nalaman kong may iba palang kahulugan ang MMDA--3-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxyamphetamine, isang psychedelic drug. Hmmm...

* * * * *

Earlier this evening, Sam and I were heading home from work. We were on an old non-aircon bus bound for MIA. Our driver was not of the speeding kind, thank goodness. After all of the accidents on EDSA involving buses, but having no choice but to ride one to and from work (cost cutting), the mere act of getting on a bus can raise one's heartbeat to worrying levels.

We had just crossed the intersection of EDSA and Roxas Boulevard, just past the Heritage Hotel, when our bus was flagged down by a motorcycle cop. Or what appeared to be a motorcycle cop. This was around 7:30-8:00pm, and if you are familiar with the Toyota Cars establishment at the opposite corner, you will know that there is not much light in that area to read by. Yet the cop stood on the street by the bus driver's window and asked for his registration papers. The cop did not have a flashlight or anything that will help him discern if the papers were in order, yet he walked to the middle part of the bus, away from the bus's headlights, which to me was the best place for reading, but I'm no motorcycle cop. The bus conductor followed him.

As far as I could tell our bus driver had committed no traffic violation. On impluse I took out my camera and snapped a couple of times at the general area where the cop was standing. The cop saw the flash and walked up to my window, spread out his arms and shouted "O gusto ko close up ha, tsaka gusto ko nasa front page ako ng newspaper bukas!" So I obliged him and took two more shots, but since it was dark I fudged the controls on my camera and the flash did not go off. He then gave the registration papers back to the conductor

You can see by this photo how dark it was where we were, but by the magic of Photoshop I was able to pick his face out (see inset). His jacket covered the nameplate on his shirt, and you can see in the flash photo that he also had a pen obscuring the nameplate. His helmet did not look like government issue either. When we were on our way again the conductor made his way to where Sam and I were sitting and asked "media po ba kayo mam?" I told him no, taking pictures was just my hobby.

He said "Buti nalang mam piniktyuran nyo, kung hindi malamang tumagal pa yun." The cop may have been after his quota (or whatever) for the day. If he were a cop at all to begin with.

Ang kahalagahan ng Gravatar sa mundo ng blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Sa kalawakan ng saklaw ng mga blogs at mga bloggers sa Internet, nagiging mahalaga narin ang pagpangalaga sa sariling katauhan o identity.

Isa sa nakatutulong sa pagpanatili ng identity sa Internet ay ang paggamit ng Gravatar. Pero ano ang gravatar at paano ito makakatulong sa pag seguro ng identity ng isang blogger?

Ang Gravatar, o globally recognized avatar, ay isang imahen na naka-associate sa isang email address na maari mong gamitin kung ikaw ay nagiiwan ng comment sa blog ng ibang tao. May kahalintulad ito sa avatar na nakikita sa forum. Ang kaibahan lamang ay ang avatar sa forum ay hanggang duon lamang makikilala, habang ang gravatar ay makikita kung saan mo man i-enter ang iyong email address sa comment form.

Kung ang blog na iyong iniwanan ng comment ay gravatar-enabled (karamihan ng blogspot at wordpress.com ay ganito), pagkatapos mong i-submit ang comment at mailathala ito ng awtor ng blog, makikita mo ang gravatar mo sa tabi ng iyong comment. Mahalaga nga lang na ikaw lang ang nakakaalam sa email address na gagamitin mong pang comment, at ang email address na ito ay nalagayan mo na ng gravatar. Ibig sabihin nito ay makasisiguro ang author ng blog (at ng iba pang blogger na kilala ka) na ikaw talaga ang nagiwan ng comment kung saan man, at hindi ibang tao na nagpapanggap na ikaw.

Ilang beses naring nangyari na ang pangalan ng isang tao ay ginamit ng mga ibang taong may masamang motibo para mag-iwan ng komento sa isang blog. Ang komentong ilalagay ng mga taong ito ay karaniwang salungat sa opinyon ng taong ginamit nila ang pangalan. Halimbawa, may mga blog na akong napasyalan sa unang pagkakataon, at nagulat nalang ako nang makita ko ang aking pangalan bilang isa sa mga nag-iwan ng komento. Tipong imposible naman yata yon, dahil nga first time kong naligaw sa naturang blog. Nang binasa ko ang laman ng komento, halatang hindi nga ako yun, dahil salungat sa aking mga prinsipyo at paniniwala ang mga nakalagay duon, at maliban pa doon wala rin ang aking gravatar. Ibig sabihin, ibang email address ang ginamit nung naglagay ng comment, at hindi email address ko.

Paano ba gumawa ng sariling gravatar? Napakadali lang nito. Pumunta lang sa http://en.gravatar.com/ at i-click ang link sa itaas na Sign-up for a Gravatar. Email address lang ang hihingin ng sign-up form. Mas mabuti kung ang email address na gagamitin mo ay hindi pa gasgas at kung saan saan lang nakalathala. Ito ay para huwag magamit ang email address mo ng mga taong may ibang agenda sa buhay at trip pang idamay ka. Pagkatapos mong mai-setup ang iyong avatar, ang email address na ito na ang gamitin mo upang mag iwan ng comment sa mga blog. Habang secure ang iyong email address at hindi nalalaman ng mga taga kabilang bakod, magiging secure din ang identity mo sa internet.

Mga paalala. Ang pagiwan ng comment sa mga blog ay nangangailangan ng email address ng commenter, alam nating lahat yun, maliban na lang kung ang blog ay pumapayag na may anonymous na commenters. Maliban sa email address, naiiwan din ang iyong IP address sa blog. Ang IP address ay isang serye ng mga numero na nagpapahiwatig kung sino ang iyong Internet Service Provider. Maari din itong maituro kung saan ka narooon sa panahong sinulat mo ang isang comment.

Dito ko nahuli ang istilo ng iilang taong nagiiwan dati ng comment sa isang blog ko. Akala mo ay napakaraming nag comment na puro batikos sa mga opinion at blog posts ko. Yun pala ay iisa lang o dalawang tao na iba ibang pangalang ang ginamit, ngunit nasa iisang lugar lang pala. Alam ko ito dahil iisa lang ang IP address na pinanggalingan ng comment.

Kaya sa mga kaibigan at ka-blog kong maaaring mapag-initan ng mga taong walang magawa sa buhay, konting ingat. At duon naman sa mga akalang ako ang nagiwan ng comment sa blog nila, pasensiya nalang po kung tila kakaiba ang mga katagang nabasa nyo duon. Kung walang gravatar, hindi po ako yun.

Don't talk to the driver while the bus is in motion

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 08:29:00 +0000

Ewan ko kung may nakakaalala pa sa mga classic na sticker na makikita sa jeepney at bus noong unang panahon. Isa dito ang sticker na may mga katagang "Don't talk to the driver while the bus is in motion"

Bigla ko lang naalala ang sticker na ito (dead giveaway ng edad ko) dahil sa mga huling sandali ng video na ito, maraming salamat sa QTV Balitanghali. May mga driver kasing ininterview si Ruth Cabal habang ang mga ito ay nagmamaheho. Hmm, diba bad yun? Isa pang sinabi ni Ruth Cabal ay ayon sa mga driver na kinausap nya, hindi naman daw kailangan ng mga bagong batas trapiko.

Teka muna Ms. Ruth, hindi naman bago yung RA 4136. Malamang ang ibig mong sabihin sa "bago" ay ang masusing pagpapatupad nito. Mukha yatang hindi rin tama yung sinabi ng Chairman BF na ang solusyon daw sa speeding ay ang paghuli sa mga bus liner na bumibiyahe parin kahit suspendido na ang prankisa, imbes na pagmultahin lang sila. Malamang sagot yun sa sikip ng traffic sa EDSA, pero one does not necessarily solve the other.

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Pero maiba tayo.

Napapagusapan naman din lang ang mga trapolin este tarpaulin pala ni Tserman BF, nais ko pong ibalita na naispatan ko ang tarpaulin nyang nakasimangot at naka blue na tshirt sa kalyeng dinaanan namin galing sa Legaspi airport papuntang Sorsogon. Nakasabit ito sa isang poste ng kuryente at mukhang back to back pa ito dahil nakita ko rin ito ulit sa biyahe namin pabalik. Magbibigay po ako ng ebidensya sa loob ng dalawang linggo, dahil babalik ako ulit doon bago matapos ang Nobyembre. Hayaan nyo't kokontsabahin ko na ang drayber para ma litratohan ko ng maayos ang listak na tarpaulin. Hanef! Sakop din pala ng MMDA ang provincial road ng Sorsogon to Legaspi (and vice versa)?

Pero ang isang mahalagang bagay na natutunan ko sa video na ito ay isa pala sa mga dahilan na kung bakit walang speed limit sa EDSA ay dahil wala daw speed detectors ang MMDA. Ayuuun, kaya naman pala. Nakutosan nanaman tuloy si BF ni Congressman Golez. Ang halaga naman daw kasi ng ground speed radar sensor eh mga 20 tarpaulin lang pala. Kung ibabase mo siya sa computation ni Politikobuster, nasa mga 20 tarpaulin nga.

Gusto ko yung solusyon na pinopropose ni Leslie Bocobo na gamit para sa mga tarpaulin na ito.

Kung bakit ako naglakbay galing Legaspi papuntang Sorsogon: http://bambit.kusangpalo.com/2008/the-masbate-project.html

Lost in his own delusions

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 13:11:00 +0000

"A man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point where he does not discern any truth either in himself or anywhere around him, and thus falls into disrespect towards himself and others. Not respecting anyone, he ceases to love, and having no love, he gives himself up to passions and coarse pleasures, in order to occupy and amuse himself, and in his vices reaches complete beastiality, and it all comes from lying continually to others and to himself."

Fyodor Dostoevsky, "The Brothers Karamazov"

The photo above is from one of my favorite blogspot bloggers, Leslie Bocobo, not the least because he has one of the most well-researched and scathing blog categories dedicated to the inimitable MMDA Chairman.

The same photo appears in John Marzan's blog "Philippine Politics 2010", in the post aptly titled "Manyakis", dated August 28, 2005.

Politikobuster of "mga side comments ko", and his blistering commentary against our favorite chairman presents this photo from pinoyweekly.org:

Politikobuster even has a special section on his blog, documenting the travels of the trailblazing BF called "Where in the Philippines is Bayani Fernando".

Kiko Quiambao's blog post "Bayani Fernando WTF?!" in his blog "Promdi Novice Traveler" features photos of the chairman's posters that were as out of line as the buses that his dog Nacianceno spray-painted the phrase on. Kiko photographed the posters during trips to Batangas, Tagaytay and Bacoor. This particular post has several very interesting comments as well.

Boyong "Pansit Junior" Campos' blog "Blasted!" has quite a few posts on BF as well, and he seems to be the flavor of the season for the rabid na die-hard pa BF blog stalkers, who have imprinted their rah rah comments on his BF tagged posts.

A short but nevertheless noteworthy post by Chassagne in her blog "Side Mirror", appropriately titled "I feel like I'm being stalked" is also worth mentioning, because the title itself gives name to the feeling heretofore indescribable to most commuters and motorists.

To follow-up on politikobuster's report that the cursed posters have appeared at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City, you might want to get a barf bag ready (this is not for the weak of stomach or faint of heart) before going on to pakshet 101 and his post "katarantaduhan sa undas"

Saving the best for last, Herson Juego's "Splice and Dice" blog features a "Blind Item" which narrates a recent afternoon down south "when lo and behold an appalling image came before our sight, striking our cord of bewilderment the first instance our eyes set themselves on the pink poster hanging on one of the street posts. A few meters ahead, a couple of men were still busy nailing the edges of another poster on the next street post, done with the help of a truck from one of the offices in the Metro with the authority for developing what it wants to develop. We thought, how and when in the world did we become a part of Metro Manila?"

How in the world indeed. And to think that on Wednesday early morning I will be heading off to Masbate City for three days, the sister city of which is--guess what--Marikina City! Chances are I'll be able to contribute to Politikobuster's chronicle of the man-who-thinks-he-can-be-president-and-is-determined-to-advertise-himself-at-the-taxpayers-expense.

Abangan...

Metro What?!?

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 08:48:00 +0000

Living where I do (near the Centennial and NAIA Airports) and having to commute each and every day to work I notice that there are more tarpaulins bearing Bayani Fernando's face littering the islands than that of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo or of Jun Bernabe, the Mayor of Parañaque City, or of Peewee Trinidad, Mayor of Pasay.

I first saw this blue billboard early in the first quarter of 2008. It stands near the end of the island along Roxas Blvd. just before the Uniwide Coastal Mall (or what bus commuters call Coastal). On the obverse side is its pink counterpart, something which I really have not read at close range, because the pink side is visible only if you are coming from Cavite or MIA road, when the buses are just speeding up again after making the stop at the corner. I had always thought the pink side was the Welcome counterpart of this farewell. In a way it is.

But when I had the chance to really look at it, I realized that it reflected the real intent of the man named Bayani Fernando, and why his mugshot has been reported to have been spread across the archipelago.

The pink sign reads "MABUHAY WELCOME METRO PHILIPPINES"

Uh, say what ... Metro Philippines? Alam natin merong Metro Manila. Meron din Metro Cebu. Meron naring Metro Davao. Pero Metro Philippines? Wala namang ganung lugar ah.

Ah, alam ko na, yun siguro yung iniilusyon ni Bayani Fernando na kung saan siya mananalo bilang pangulo. Metro Philippines. I get it now, and it actually makes sense.

Because if there is no such place as Metro Philippines, then there is no such place that Bayani Fernando can ever win the Presidency.

Ayos!

BF Tarpaulins Remixed

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:41:00 +0000

Photo taken at A. Santos Ave. Parañaque City

"Never say die" siguro ang motto ni BF pagdating sa pagsabit at pagladlad ng mga tarpaulin na may retokadong larawan ng MMDA Chairman. Bagong istilo at kunyari ay advertisement ng palabas sa t.v. Pero guess what, government property parin ang mga tarpaulin.

At the intersection of Roxas Blvd. and Edsa (sa may Heritage)

Along EDSA just before the Buendia flyover

Jesus H. Christ!

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 17:49:00 +0000

This is my personal protest against the issuance of a presidential pardon to a convicted murderer.

DOJ to Hultmans: File your appeal before 'Jesus Christ'
AIE BALAGTAS SEE, GMANews.TV
10/08/2008 | 08:40 PM

MANILA, Philippines

File your complaint before “Jesus Christ."

This was the advice of Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez to the family of Maureen Hultman and those who have any objection to the executive clemency granted by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to convicted murderer Claudio Teehankee Jr.

Teehankee was convicted in 1992 of murder for the death of Maureen Hultman, then 17 years old; of homicide for the death of Roland John Chapman, 21; and of frustrated murder for the wounding of Jussi Leino, 24.

But he had been locked in jail since July 24, 1991, two weeks after the sensational crime took place on July 13, 1991 at the plush Dasmariňas Village in Makati City.

In an interview with the reporters on Wednesday, Gonzales was asked where those who are objecting to the release may file their appeal and he answered: "Kay Jesus Christ."

Arao's case against sponsored blogging

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:27:00 +0000

UP Professor Danny Arao has taken it upon himself to discourage bloggers who intend to earn money from their blogs. Two of his recent blog posts decry the proliferation of paid blogging services and the propensity of some bloggers to take advantage of cash payouts at the risk of misinformation.

I was one of the first to comment on his "Huwag kang mag blog kung ..." ("Do not blog if ..."). I declared that my blog is monetized and that I do earn a few dollars with some of the things that I write. But Prof. Arao's post seemed to me a sweeping condemnation of those whose blogs are monetized, either through advertisements or through paid posting. I read with raised eyebrows as he stated:

Mahirap masikmura ng isang abang peryodistang katulad ko na may mga blogger sa kasalukuyang pumapatol sa kung anu-anong iskema para kumita nang malaki (at dolyar pa) kahit na nakokompromiso na nila ang pagbibigay ng impormasyon sa mga online visitor at minsa’y lantaran pa ang panloloko.

Translation by me: It is difficult for a humble journalist like me to stomach the fact that there are bloggers who ride on different schemes so as to earn a large amount of money (and in dollars at that) at the risk of compromising the means by which they give information to their online visitor and in some instances outright deception.

Paid blogging has been around for the past three years at least, although when it began it was not in the form that Prof. Arao shows an example of in his later post "Two Cases Against Paid Blogging". Several Filipino bloggers have gone into professional blogging as early as 2004 and now boast of refurbished houses and brand new cars as a result of their efforts. You can find them easily enough on the internet by typing the words "filipino pro blogger" (without the quotes) on Google.

As years went by and more Search engine optimization (SEO) techniques and tactics were discovered, the practice of paid links came into play. This is what I am into, in my blog, and I have a few contextual Google ads on my pages as well. Prof. Arao cites two examples of link requests from advertisers in his later post, both of which are the type that should be accepted only by bloggers who write in that niche. However there have been numerous instances wherein non-niche bloggers have picked out these review link requests and have forced themselves into blogging for a chance at their post being approved and therefore earning anywhere between 5 to 20 US$ per post. Bloggers based in the Philippines for example, who force themselves to write about a hotel in a Caribbean island that they've never been to, exhorting visitors to go there is obviously in it only for the money and should be dismissed as junk posts. Paid blogging services are more discernible these days, and will usually reject a blog outright if it matches the example I give above, or they have warnings at the outset such as "travel blogs only," or "do not accept this post if you are not primarily a marketing blog".

Prof. Arao apparently fears for readers who stumble upon a blog such as that I describe above, that these readers will not immediately see that the blog post they are reading is actually not by a person that specializes in the topic, but by one who is only out to make money. Here is where I maintain that Prof. Arao thinks too lowly of readers on the internet, that he believes anyone will believe anything that is written on the net.

Prof. Arao also does not cite the practice of contextual links, wherein the blogger is requested to insert a word or phrase into the blog post, making it part of the story in that post. Here there is no forced review of a service or establishment. When a blogger writes there is always a topic, whether mundane or thought-provoking, and working a requested contextual link into that post will earn the blogger a few dollars. The pay is not much, definitely no longer in the league of "I bought a car with my blog earnings," but for a working mom like me it helps to stretch the grocery budget.

To be called to task for earning money from my blog looks to me like someone who is attempting to stir up a hornet's nest. Rather than dwell on that, I would like to call attention to periodista's who accept money (and there are quite a few) to put a certain slant in their writing, as there are news reporters who brazenly insert non sequitur's in their reportage just to stir up interest and sometimes unnecessary concern among their readers and viewers. I'm not taking them to task for what they do--they too have their reasons for doing what they do, and as long as I can discern the real news from the slant, I'm good.

It is the reader/viewer who knows how to read between the lines, who knows when what he is reading or listening to is truth or trash, it is he who will decide in the end what to believe.

It's the little things

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 01:12:00 +0000

Now that we're enjoying a BAYANI-sticker-free EDSA it may be a good time to focus on the good things for a change. The photo you see here is of the cabbie who drove me home a couple of weeks ago, just after one of the smaller gasoline companies announced a rollback, in defiance of the big players who stayed put on the higher prices.

He holds in his hand a privilege card that the gas station gives out for free to cab drivers who become frequent customers. In exchange for reaching a set amount on their gas receipts they earn points which they can exchange for fuel or gift items. It works pretty much like the frequent customer card programs of other commercial establishments such as supermarkets and bookstores.

I asked the driver if he knew of other gasoline stations that offered similar programs and he said almost all of the others have one program or another, except the biggest one, Shell.

It's the little things that make life bearable for some. We know that the freebies are nothing compared to what these business establishments are earning, but at least we get something back. Kahit konting pa-konswelo, nakakatuwa parin kahit paano.

Stuck on Bayani?

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 09:35:00 +0000

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‘Bayani’ stickers now on tricycles, provincial buses

MANILA, Philippines – Despite getting much flak from private citizens across the metropolis, “BAYANI" stickers can now be found plastered on areas far from Metro Manila's major thoroughfares.

Radio dzBB reported that the stickers were spotted on tricycles in the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, and Valenzuela and on windshields of buses with provincial routes.

Earlier, Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) chairman Bayani Fernando expressed his ambitions to run in the 2010 elections intent on becoming the next “no-nonsense president of the country"

The MMDA chairman admitted that the stickers were from his private fund and that he wanted to "introduce" himself to the public. He added that the “BAYANI" stickers are an articulation of his belief that the country needs “bayani" or a hero.

The MMDA, however, disowned the stickers and said that these were Fernando’s private efforts.

Only those posters and tarpaulins which indicate government property" or "printed by MMDA" are funded by the agency. - Sophi Dedace, GMANews.TV

BF: eh yun ngang patay na eh me lapida pa sa nicho...

Ang panawagan ko ke BF: magpakamatay ka nalang kaya para me karapatan ka na ring maglagay ng lapida sa nicho mo.

Pero habang buhay ka at nananatiling baliw sa paniniwalang magiging presidente ka ng Pilipinas, keep your effing name and your effed up face out of our sight.

Charity Foundation Text Scam

noreply@blogger.com (Bambit) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 04:56:00 +0000

from: +639098620859

D’AUDITORS Of PHIL. CHARITY FOUNDATION Nform u dat ur Celfon No# Php 950,000.00 2nd Prize Winner draw last 08/31/08 Pls Call Me Now I’m Atty. RUTH F. VALDEZ

This particular text message scam is covered quite extensively in Gariell's Weblog where there are already more than a hundred and fifty comments.

Apparently, mobile numbers that begin with 909 are premium numbers which when called will be at great cost to the caller. And when an unsuspecting victim calls he will be asked to divulge personal as well as banking information which will then be used by the perpetrators to swindle the victims.

I left the message above as a comment on Gariell's blog and decided to take the matter further by going to the website of the National Telecommunications Commission (http://www.ntc.gov.ph) and leaving news of the scam on their message board.

To my pleasant surprise, when I got home from work in the evening, I found a reply to my message from the One Stop Public Assistance Center (ospac@ntc.gov.ph):

good pm,

we thank you for sending us email with regards to your concern about an
alleged text scam, rest assured that we will act on your complaint
accordingly, provided that you include your fullname, address and contact
number. once we receive the said infos, we will block the said number(s).

God bless and have a nice day.

vic g.

I did what the email said, gave them my contact details and repeated the scam text message and the number where it came from. I leave the rest in their capable hands. Apparently the NTC has been working against text scammers such as these as early as 2005, even if the only thing they can do for now is block the numbers which the scammers are using.

If you have been the recipient of a text scam such as this I urge you to let the NTC know and then followup on their email.

It is sad to note that not all of the people who receive such messages are as internet-savvy as some of us are, and that some people will be taken in by these scammers. Let's do our bit and let the NTC do theirs.

The particular message that I began this post with came into my celphone three times in succession, within more or less 15 minutes of each other. I had already found the variations of this scam text message on the internet by the time the third iteration reached my celphone.

To this third message I replied: "F**k off scammer, buking na buking na kayo sa internet!!!" It made me feel better, even if I knew it wasn't going to do any good. And finding the note from the NTC in my inbox made me feel better too. It is good to know that there are some offices of the government that are actually doing their job of taking care of the people.