ScratchboreD

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 05:34:00 +0000

Today’s Mood (Android Phone Theme)

http://androidmanila.wordpress.com/2012/07/19/todays-mood-android-phone-theme/

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:38:00 +0000

Check out my Android Music post http://androidmanila.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/samsung-galaxy-s2-music/

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 03:15:00 +0000

Check out my new blog. Android Manila http://androidmanila.wordpress.com/

Is There "Hope" For "PAGASA"?

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:22:00 +0000

Here we are enjoying the sunny weather after a much hyped "super typhoon." A prophecy of potential havoc, Parma proved to be no more than a flop. A scary forecast reiterated amongst recently flood-traumatized population. Parma was sketched a mega typhoon more serious than the previous, inflicting much panic that triggered hoarding of food supplies, several cancelled travels both sea and air, plus throw in the unusual demand for rubber boats. Parma was casted as a Hollywood premium superstar later unveiled a mere circus act. Going back to Ondoy, how come nobody knew it was coming?

"I smell no rain."
Image by Tony the Misfit

PAGASA, the Philippines' weather bureau, receives about half a billion pesos annually according to a source click here. Is PAGASA 'worth the work' or is it merely 'play and display'? I am asking this question because based on the same report, subsidized poor families get P800 monthly. I am happy how the government is trying to push into helping our brothers and sisters below the poverty line. However, is it right to have a budget too small for many families? Conversely, is it wrong to have a bigger budget for PAGASA which simply provide little help if at all?

PAGASA cannot even dictate the tempo correctly when it comes to school suspensions. There were days when classes were suspended with the entire city left sun-kissed. While there were days when reports of a clear weather contradict the floods that turn the city into an archipelago, adding more to the Philippines' already 7,107 islands. Obviously, something is not right. If the hit or miss logic is to be used on weather forecasts, might as well save that dime on something else that is more worthwhile.

Weather forecasting is a tough task because no one can really tell where and when a calamity is going to strike. Which is exactly the point. Why do we have to spend a fortune on something that is unable to do its improbable task? Or perhaps we should ask ourselves: do we really need PAGASA?

Series of Catastrophes Pummels Asia-Pacific

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 14:36:00 +0000

Philippines- Yet again, a super typhoon is expected to visit the hospitable Filipinos. Parma, possibly will be classified signal number 4, approaches the archipelago as early as tonight.

The Philippines has just started recovery from the worst flood in forty years caused by typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana.) Authorities confirmed almost 300 deaths in Metro Manila by far while the more fortunate ones survived but are left homeless. Meanwhile, Parma is anticipated to cause as much problems, if not worse, stirring public advisories in preparation of blackouts and floods. Our community provided free sacks of rice while families are busy stacking up on food and candles.

Indonesia- Indonesian earthquakes in September and October caused major destruction and massive deaths. There were at least 1,100 fatalities. Indonesia resides within a district with the most active fault lines. View detailed report here

Calamities are becoming a worldwide trend. Preparation must not be underestimated. Typhoon Ketsana exposed the Philippines' lack of preparation as the government were not ready for a massive rescue operation. I have read many opinions as far as the the government's role is concerned, and many argue that our government is often unreasonably blamed. Tell me, what excuse does the government have? Only two rescue helicopters (that can accomodate 4-5 persons) reserved for millions of Filipinos? This is not to blame the government but to awaken us to dedicate more for the safety and welfare of the Filipino people.

So be prepared and let us contribute in our own little ways. We may think our little acts do not matter, but collectively IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

Learn how:
HELP SAVE THE ENVIRONMENT

Ondoy Aftermath

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:22:00 +0000

Thinking it was just another typhoon, I did not even bother to look outside to see the flood everyone's going crazy about. Seriously, I thought it was just an ordinary rain. Ondoy turned out to be the local version of Hurricane Katrina.

I had not realized its depth until I stepped outside to celebrate Ondoy's withdrawal. Our location, which is supposedly one of the 'most unaffected area', morphed to a swamp city. Suddenly I was concerned as to what happened to the rest of Metro Manila (Cristine Reyes, good to hear you are safe now.) A number of rescue operations are still being held on several locations. Also, a salute to the generous citizens of the Philippines for providing a much needed helping hand during a crisis such as this. I am sure your donations are greatly appreciated by our fellowmen. Want to help? Click here

More Images and info @ Yahoo! News

Metro Manila's Worst Flood in 4 Decades

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:12:00 +0000

Here are some photos of the after effects of typhoon 'Ondoy.' Note that these photos were taken the following morning in one of the LEAST affected locations in Metro Manila. The last flood comparable to this magnitude can be traced back to the '80s when rains swept Metro Manila for days. This time, however, did not take as long. In less than 24 hours, the flood covered many areas notably Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City and Rizal. Several communities suffered not only the discomfort of a flooded home but the discomfort of power outages. Thankfully, it seems the calamity is a short lived one. Some areas are back to an almost normal status except for stagnant floods such as the pictures shown here.

Sunday morning in Manila.

Is he really a police?

By this time, rains have stopped in this area and electricity's up and running.

This SUV is happy to 'breathe' again.

Where is your beach attire?

The author with his dog.

This owner-type jeep was soaked overnight.

Is like a coming out party.

Zorra the cat wondering what is going on.

Water-bound: that is not chocolate.

More NEWS about typhoon Ondoy:
HEADLINES

Cristine Reyes Returns to FHM

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:04:00 +0000

"Oh, La La..."

FHM Philippines' September issue (oh yes, Oktoberfest is just around the bend) slaps you in the face with Cristine Reyes gracing its cover (errr, two covers, with Robin Padilla on the other side.) The shoot, which was held in North Luzon (NLEX) and Subic Clark Tarlac (SCTEX) express ways, almost inflicted a minor vehicular accident. I just hope they were not with their wives when they were looking...

"Caught my dog taking a peek."

Any magazine with Cristine on the cover I'd surely patronize. I even have a DVD of her movie Green Paradise, along with my good old classmate-friend Paolo Paraiso, just because Cristine's name is on it. A girlfriend picked it for me because she knows I am a big fan. Oh well, it was just 200 pesos. Perhaps because it's been out for a while when I bought it. I swear it is the only Cristine Reyes movie that I have, so I am neither an obsessed nor a creepy fan!

Boxing News: Handpicked Links (Pacquiao/Mayweather)

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:48:00 +0000

Boxing fans have witnessed Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s magnificent comeback. Outclassing veteran Juan Manuel Marquez, some take advantage of the opportunity to dim Manny Pacquiao's brilliance in favor of Money Mayweather's return.

The debate continues as to who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world of boxing. Although it is a mythical and symbolical title, the status of being the best pound-for-pound in a fighting sport is important at least coming from a business perspective. Mayweather continues to sell and make the sport popular (as opposed to the 'Boxing is Dead' propaganda.) Think what you may, but there is no denying Mayweather is a naturally gifted athlete. Manny Pacquiao, in contrast, continues to break the barriers allowing Asian fighters, make that Filipino fighters, to earn a well deserved place in the sport. Filipino boxers were once unpopular, thus seldom given a spot in a world event. Pacquiao, being the smaller man, amassed success on an uphill climb. Now that all eyes are on this once undernourished Filipino baker who earns barely US$4 a day, it shows how far he has taken himself and how gigantic his accomplishments are. From making bread to MAKING BREAD. Millions of them.

"The fans are not interested in seeing a Money-Pacman matchup" is a lie. They were interested enough to see Mayweather gobble the smaller and slower Marquez. I bet they would love to bear witness to a possibility of Mayweather doing the same to Pacquiao? Or would you like to see the little fella' take a shot in beating the 'unbeatable' Mayweather? Whatever your preference is, most likely you would love to see it happen. If not, then you can get back to your surreal world and come back later. Perhaps you could use a jab in the face to wake up your senses.

All the possibilities will be based on the outcome of Pacquiao-Cotto this November. What are the chances of Pacquiao? I like his chances based on Pacquiao's last three outings. Cotto is the most dangerous he has faced so far, but you've heard it before. How many times has Pacquiao been doubted, perhaps as many as ALL of his major bouts. Yet he talks with performance and seldom in words. Still, Cotto is priority and we will find out if Mayweather and Pacquiao will ever face-off.

Here are some related links from other sites:

The Man to Beat Floyd Mayweather Jr....
-by Jeff Pryor, THE BOXING BULLETIN. One of the clever comments goes:

Froifroi said...: Nice article. However, a better title would be "The Fighters Floyd is Expected to Avoid..."

Mayweather vs. Pacquiao: Doing the Math
-by Dave "Large" Larzelere, THE RUMBLE. The article estimates Pacquiao-Mayweather matchup, if it happens, based on both fighters' recent performances.

Floyd Mayweather Sr: Manny Pacquiao Ain't Got No Skills Like My Son
-by Michael David Smith, FANHOUSE. Money Mayweather's dad speaks his mind.

Bad Left Hook Pound-for-Pound Top 20 Update: Welcome back, Floyd
-by SC, BAD LEFT HOOK. Mayweather and Pacquiao both ranked #1 in this site's best pound-for-pound list.

Pacquiao in fiery start
-by Nick Giongco, MANILA BULLETIN. Pacquiao's preparation status on upcoming Cotto bout.

From this site:
The Aftershock of Floyd Mayweather Jr.
-talks about Mayweather's comeback to beat Marquez and a hint of Mayweather-Pacquiao.

Who Won Pacquiao-Marquez I & II?
-an insight regarding how Marquez was beaten in his own game: counterpunching not enough to warrant a win.

The Aftershock of Floyd Mayweather Jr.

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:55:00 +0000

A day after Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s domination of Juan Manuel Marquez, mixed emotions surface in the boxing world, of which denial and the need for reassurance tops the list.

Although he stepped in the ring as the bigger man, penalized $600,000 for not making weight, Floyd without question demonstrated what could be described as the finest style in defensive boxing, outclassing JMM a full 12 rounds. Marquez's speed failed to duplicate Pacquiao's in the higher weight which sapped his chances of upsetting the talented Mayweather Jr. The size advantage in favor of Mayweather is tremendous, but the speed differential already evident in the first round, is what killed it for Marquez. Mayweather's slick and quick approach masterfully penetrated Marquez's defenses. On the other hand, Marquez's attacks were too slow, as he realized the 'hit to hurt' nature of boxing, while Mayweather's punches constantly hit its mark. The resilient Marquez, hurt during most of the fight, was knocked down in the 2nd round. The heart of Marquez is what won him fans around the world and did not disappoint despite the lopsided loss.

"Floyd without question demonstrated what could be described as the finest style in defensive boxing."

Has Floyd Mayweather reclaimed title as the best pound for pound fighter in the world? Not yet. Marquez is not Pacquiao. Manny Pacquiao, unlike Juan Manuel Marquez, has successfully carried his strength and speed in the heavier divisions and seems to continually improve in every aspect of his game. Pacman emerged as a new breed of fighter in 2008. After a close decision win to beat Marquez in 2008, Pacquiao and Roach worked double time to master some crafts never before utilized by Pacquiao himself. The results were tremendous as he claims perfection and dominance in his last three outings, namely David Diaz, Oscar dela Hoya, and Ricky Hatton. Excuses and bitterness aside, those were great lopsided fights. Although it is doubtful he can duplicate a perfect match against a bigger and much more difficult fighter in Miguel Cotto this November, Pacquiao has a chance to provide fans a blockbuster fight to be remembered. More importantly, a chance to prove himself as the pound for pound king. With a win over Cotto, a possible clash of kingdoms with Mayweather Jr.

Now, would it not be a chance for 'King' Mayweather Jr. to prove himself as champion of champions? We will soon find out.

Also try:
Boxing is Alive
Boxing News: Handpicked Links (Pacquiao/Mayweather)
Who won Pacquiao-Marquez I & II?

Almost A Sweep For Pinoy Boxers

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Filipinos settled for an almost perfect mark as 3 out of 4 Pinoy boxers managed to seal victories. Donnie 'Ahas' Nietes, Z Gorres and Fil-American sensation Ana Julaton won their respective bouts. Rodel Mayol is the only unfortunate fighter of the week.

A closer look:

NIETES RETAINS CROWN, GORRES WINS BY TKO

Gorres Stops Injured Carbajal After Five Rounds

ANOTHER CLASH OF HEADS EARNS CALDERON SPLIT DECISION OVER MAYOL

Ana Julaton Pulls Off Upset

Other boxing related topics:

Who won Pacquiao-Marquez I & II?

Boxing is Alive

Scent and Spice

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 02:09:00 +0000

Today I got me my nth bottle of my favorite scent. It is nice to randomly post some pictures of the things we like because if this blog still exists, say 10 or 20 years from now, these sorts of snapshots shall bring back memories of the old trends and cherish what we call today as future ancient artifacts.

I do have several scents but hardly use anything else because I love this.

Goodbye to the old bottle on the right.

A little bit bigger than usual.

Let me tell you about my liking for spicy things. I like hot sauce so much I literally drink it. This Kajun Fire though is a little bit too hot for my taste. A half liter sized bottle of hot sauce is usually consumed an average of 5-7 days. I guess I'll have to double or triple that number this time because of Kajun Fire.

Kajun Fire

Based on the 'Hot Meter' this is the Kajun Fire's degree of hotness. In that case, I'll pass on anything hotter and take a step down to a tamer one. Now if only hot sauce bottles were women I would have no problems dealing with it. Would you?

Michael Jordan: The Greatest Ever

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 06:51:00 +0000

NBA legend Michael Jordan, David Robinson, John Stockton and coach Jerry Sloan comprise the Class of '09 and will be inducted in Massachusetts this week. It will take me a full NBA season, round the clock, to write about Michael Jordan's accomplishments alone so I decided to share some excellent links instead from www.NBA.com as tribute to these great players.

Michael Jordan, 1992 Barcelona Olympics

NBA fans will be delighted to read great memories which include:

MJ's string of triple doubles in 7 straight games
David Robinson winning the NBA scoring title by scoring 71 points in the last game of the regular NBA season
John Stockton's record for most seasons with the same franchise (18 years with Utah Jazz)
Coach Jerry Sloan's record breaking 1,000 win with the same team
More on Michael Jordan: unforgettable performances in detail

Michael Jordan Timeline

David Robinson Timeline

John Stockton Timeline

Jerry Sloan Timeline

Jackson: MJ's contributions will never be eclipsed

BULLS: Michael Jordan

My Top 10 Moments of Procrastination

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 10:46:00 +0000

Image by CarbonNYC

Procrastination is almost a sin. It hinders maximum productivity. Admittedly, I am one hell of a procrastinator. There are many reasons why people procrastinate. According to Mr. Paul Graham, there is also such a thing as "good" and "bad" procrastination. Click here to learn more.

Regarding MY TOP 10 MOMENTS OF PROCRASTINATION, I will write about it LATER. I am still busy procrastinating.

If shoes were a man's wife...

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 03:57:00 +0000

I am not crazy about footwear. It feels strange because lately I find myself stacking up on shoes. I do have a few decent pairs but I somehow can live with just one pair. Call it favoritism. My loyalty to shoes is extreme. Just look at these photos:

Some of you may flinch at the sight of this untidy and worn out shoes. Before you judge me, let me state at least one positive thing.

If shoes were a man's wife he looks at her beyond what is superficial. Others may look at the shoe as being old, crumpled, smelly and with no resale value. Its equivalent in human terms is a fat, wrinkled, loud-mouthed and undesirable woman. But to her husband, he looks at her like the day they fell in love. Always beautiful and irreplaceable.

Of course shoes are shoes and there can be no excuse to being lousy. Even Forrest Gump's boots for swamp trekking is well maintained. So I decided if Forrest lives a happy feet, so must I.

If shoes were a man's wife, old ones will be constantly replaced:

"Hawaiian Punch" is back on track

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 09:11:00 +0000

Brian the Hawaiian Punch Viloria is back in winning fashion with a victory over Jesus Iribe.

Brian Viloria, who was the WBC light flyweight champion back in 2005, went on a decline and struggled to impress boxing aficionados. Viloria lost his title to Mexican Omar Niño Romero and lost again in their rematch in an attempt to snatch the title back.

Viloria eluding Edgar Sosa's left, April 14, 2007

The Hawaiian Punch erased the memory of lackluster performances with 6 consecutive wins which includes a KO win versus former IBF light-flyweight champion Jose Ulises Solis (W28 L2 KO20.) Viloria improved his record to W26 L2 KO15.

Other notable Filipino boxers (other than Pacquiao) on a hot streak:

Nonito "Filipino Flash" Donaire
"Marvelous" Marvin Sonona ...Keep it up!

Related Articles

Boxing is Alive!
Who won Pacquiao-Marquez I & II?

The fall of Philippine basketball

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 01:48:00 +0000

Image by leeroy09481

Basketball is an invaluable pastime to Filipinos. A basketball crazy country, the Philippines owns a rich hoops history. Here is a quick look at our country's most important basketball achievements.

1. 1936 Berlin Olympics- The Philippines defeated Uruguay to finish 5th overall, the highest ever Olympic finish by any Asian country. Not even China topped that feat. A piece from Wikipedia: "If not for controversial rulings, the Philippines could have won silver or bronze medal." (Basketball in the Philippines)

2. 1954 FIBA- The Philippines finished 3rd in the world championship. Again the highest finish by an Asian country.

The famous Caloy Loyzaga, who was named in the FIBA mythical five selection, would later be represented by his two sons Chito and Joey who both played in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA.) Joey Loyzaga is known to have dated local actress Gretchen Baretto. Chito was the head band guy and was the better ballplayer of the two.

3. Asian Champions- The Philippines were king of Asian basketball having won four consecutive championships in the Asian Games in 1951, 1954, 1958, 1960. That would be the last taste of glory as local basketball eventually declined in terms of international competition.

Won medals since: 1986 (3rd place, win vs Jordan,) 1990 (2nd place, lost to China,) 1998 (3rd place, win vs Kazakhstan)

4. FIBA Asia Championship- The Pinoys emerged victorious five times in the years 1960, 1963, 1967, 1973, 1985 beating Taiwan twice and South Korea three times, respectively.

Other FIBA Asia medals: 1965 (2nd place, lost to Japan,) 1969 (3rd place, won vs Taiwan,) 1971 (2nd place, lost to Japan.) It has been a drought since as the Philippines struggled to keep up with the development of basketball in the Asian region. The highest rank after 1985 is a loss to Japan in 1987 when the pinoys finished fourth.

5. The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)- The PBA is the first professional league in Asia. It was a hit for almost 3 decades. Its prime is comparable to the NBA among Filipinos. Every game is closely monitored. Hardcore PBA fans such as myself knew every player, referee, and commentator. The All Filipino Cup is composed only of local players while the rest is reinforced with foreign basketball players (predominantly American imports.) It was an exciting league to say the least.

This post is about the FALL of local basketball, not its DEATH. Pinoy basketball is still very much alive.

However, some unfortunate events robbed it some of its luster. The significant event points to the end of the 1990's when the league seemed to have found its answer by recruiting "Filipino-Foreign" players such as Rob Parker, Al Segova, Asi Taulava, Mick Pennisi, Sonny Alvarado and a few more- all presented a hybrid game that would potentially propel the Philippines to a new era of basketball greatness in Asia.

It was later revealed that some of these PBA players had false, incomplete, or missing documents. This anomaly created a disturbance among PBA supporters which later proved fatal to the league's credibility. A sharp decline of the PBA's popularity due to this incident and the invasion of NBA basketball on local cable television shaped the face of local basketball today.

The PBA as well as our collegiate basketball leagues used to be the talk of the town. It used to be a pastime many of us cannot live without. Now some of us can live without it. Although local basketball is still doing decent nowadays, it lacks the commanding flare of the basketball culture we've had in the past. The kind of passion we're used to. The leagues tolerate players to play for money, but what is money if paid to losers?

The concept of Team Pilipinas is a good development in bringing the Philippines back to the basketball map. The PBA wasted many years of stagnation by neglecting the importance of winning international competitions. The inevitable has finally caught up: to improve basketball knowledge and broaden experience because we are getting behind compared to other Asian countries.

Aside from the obvious lack of height, our poor country lags behind in terms of compensation to players participating in this program, improving the scientific aspects of basketball, modernizing basketball facilities.

Although much is to be learned from this experience, it is a good step forward. As we have learned from PBA legend Robert Jaworski a long time ago: NEVER SAY DIE.

Chihuahua and Yorkshire Terrier pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:57:00 +0000

Creepy!

Another sleepless night. Almost 2:30am now. While in solitude,
I wasted away some minutes browsing through old photo albums.
I rediscovered some pictures of my dogs when they were younger.
Suddenly I feel alive! Indeed there is value in these captured moments. Allow me to share some of it to you...

Pissed on the table

Yorkie's (yep, that's his name) first haircut

Beeeeehhhhh!

Bubu's first night at home. He is the tiny alpha dog.

Still Bubu, my first ever dog.

Dogs pray, too...

...He is praying for this dog from Somalia.

She (Baba) was actually my favorite girl. She was sickly so
it took a lot of effort to keep her alive.

She survived the hard times as she slowly turned
into a beautiful lady.

Here she is standing up...

A double bite to Bubu's ears.

She gets cold easily so we bought her a
furcoat.

This girl is brave enough to face off with the alpha...

...and engage in several fights like this one.

Do not underestimate this 1.5-pound dog because she is
one tough chihuahua.

Although corageous, she is also comical.

Runs like a deer.

And a sweet little creature.

No one hurts her. Not even this macho kid.

Or else.

Later on these thugs bonded and founded a gang.

I am a little sleepy now so here is the last set of pictures. My Yorkshire terriers (Chloe and Yorkie) loves the outdoors. The first picture is when I told them we'd be going out for a walk.

A little anxious to see the outside world.

This is how they looked when I changed my mind:

Well then, that is it. This is not "Scratch boreD" for nothing. I hope you liked my dog pictures. Goodnight!

Related articles:
ZORRA
KNOCKOUT PETS

Free at Last

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:27:00 +0000

Sorry guys, not too many posts this month. I've been selectively busy (or conveniently preoccupied). In no particluar order, here is a list of what I have been doing this month of August:

1. Free time, which includes unwanted absences (college), is spent mostly with my younger brother who has been away for more than 4years. Having experienced prison life for almost half a decade, we shared stories from different perspectives. We talked about a lot of things from life in prison to new buildings within the metro to inmates' scabies to computer games to everything under the sun including its cancerous UV rays. We talked a WHOLE LOT. We slept a bit late (around 4-5am). As a result, I had to skip my morning classes. (FYI: my brother's NOT GUILTY)

Manila City Hall

2. Bubu got hospitalized. Now, this incident took only a fraction of my time but a nasty bite on my wallet. I had to pay Php5,000 for a confinement that took less than 24 hours. My reformed brother almost killed the dog when he dropped it, head first on the asphalt ground. I was so mad I would have sent him back behind bars. Of course he apologized to the little fella'.

Bubu

3. Beer and more beer. Excessive alcohol drinking is a thing of the past. I choose to drink every weekend at most, none at best. No explanations but I've been drinking often this month. Thank you relatives and neighbors, for breaking my oath. All the beer drinkers around the world should try San Miguel Beer at least once.

Toast to my 11th bottle.

4. Last but not the least, my brother and his girlfriend are expecting their first baby. I will soon have my second niece. Wait, didn't I just say my brother spent years in jail? Exactly! Were they in a relationship before he got in? No, they hardly knew each other. That is what's so special about it! By the way, she was in jail only for a visit. It was the day they met. Moving forward, this couple really does not make me any busier but nothing beats the buzz of a newly engaged couple!

The free and a baby

Pay Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:13:00 +0000

Today is not only the start of a weekend (whew!), but also an essential event to employees: PAYDAY! As expected roads will once again be congested and malls filled with busy ants. Unfortunately, others are not as lucky. These goons take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers. So take good care of that hard earned dough. You don't wanna lose it to charity. Beware of pickpockets, hold-uppers, or even your greedy wife (it's a joke, silly). See you around!!!

Magic Jack

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:50:00 +0000

The MagicJack is no big secret. Many of you already know or have actually used this device as it lets you call abroad simply by plugging it on a computer's USB. The nice thing? Calling your loved ones (or even making prank calls) in the USA and Canada is of minimal cost: $19 a year (or equivalent in pesos). What does it mean? Well, eliminate COSTLY PHONE BILLS and save thousands of pesos!

I've been using it for about half a year now. So how does it work? How much does it cost?

Things you may want to know:

1) MagicJack costs around php3000.

2) Will require a PC, a handset, and an internet connection.

A regular handset like this is good enough.

3) With MagicJack you can contact cellphones or landlines in the US or Canada. Calling cellphones may mean collect charges apply. For instance, calling my mom in Cincinnati, Ohio costs her airtime minutes from 7am to 6pm ET. No charges apply outside of those hours. MagicJack to MagicJack calls to and from anywhere and vice versa is free. The MagicJack functions as if it were a North America phone number.

4) Calls (using MagicJack) outside the US/Canada may have rates depending on location. This means if you are using your MagicJack to contact someone in Italy, charges apply because you are calling somebody outside of the US/Canada region. This is true except when you are contacting another MagicJack (remember that MagicJack to MagicJack is for free).

5) I personally do not have any complaints on voice clarity (except the occasional pulses).

6) I am simply selling the idea so that more and more people will benefit from this peripheral.
For more info, visit MagicJack.com.

USB: Plug it.

Related Articles:
MagicJack - Make Phone Calls at Cheapest Rate anywhere in the World.
Learn more about MagicJack on Wikipedia.

Cory Aquino rides the yellow cab to the spirit world

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 11:05:00 +0000

Why are you wearing red, ma'am?
Image by ManilaRyce

Been trying to shy away from ink jotting regarding former President Cory Aquino's sad departure. Bear with me as I try to recall personal experiences linked to Cory's existence...

1986 campaign- I was 6 and well aware that my mom was pro Marcos. It was reason enough to turn me into a Marcos ally as well. As the election campaign intensified, more and more swarms of people can be found barking enthusiastically "Cory, Cory! Laban, Laban!", with the raised L hand sign and all (which now is a sign for L-osers). While Marcos "fanatics" uttered their version of the Marcos chant which drowned in the overwhelming battle cry of the opposition. A number of Marcos supporters later on found themselves enticed by the growing growls of Cory supporters and the bandwagon successfully ignited a prelude to the historical EDSA 1.

1986 post snap election- at the time our residence was situated a few hundred meters from Malacañang (palace). Commotion down the streets can be heard from inside the house. Kids such as I were quick on our wit to realize there is something special going on. Some concerned elders who didn't want to scare their kids tried to mask the event by talking in codes and forcing younglets to bed. In my case, the purpose is defeated since I hear what's really going on (tanks and legions roaming the streets) from adults themselves when they talk to each other. As the night progressed, it somehow turned to a calm celebration. As it later turned out, the Marcoses hula hooped all the way to Hawaii.

Yellow- not that slang for ice but the yellow of the color spectrum. Up to this day I associate this to Cory Aquino. In the 80's I had this vague interpretation that the Dollar taxi painted red is to Marcos as the emerging yellow cabs is to Cory. Mustard to ketchup. Yellow Submarine to Lady in Red. You get the picture. I was a weird kid and an even weirder adult.

Kris Aquino- the president's daughter. Location: PICC, the place to be with rented pedal bikes circling the entire place. Inside the PICC building, caught a glimpse of the young Kris Aquino and had instant daydreams of being with her as lovers (I was 9 and she was around 16). I was even assessing the age gap if it would later impose a relationship problem (duh!). Kids are crazy. I later resented the idea of this self inflicted abnormal proposition. Maybe soon I'll delete this post or modify it to save myself from embarassment.

Tora Tora Bang Bang- the famous coup d'etat in the latter segment of Cory's presidency. Gringo Honasan's attempted revolt against the Cory government flopped like flip. That was really a crazy one. Our warplane, the Tora Tora, is an amusing demonstration of the Philippines' technological advancement (or lack thereof). An elicit eye opener to a naive young boy (me) of our country's third worldness. Preserving history is not a valid excuse in operating a long retired warplane. It's brutal torture to this old aged machine.

Well, I bet once again you learned nothing from this blog. Thank you for relieving my boredom today. To former President Cory Aquino, may you rest in peace. Thank you, ma'am.

Quality time with doggie dog

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:27:00 +0000

Spent the entire afternoon napping if not keyboard mashing. Tonight I'm scheduled to have dinner somewhere in a remote island called Eastwood. Okay, it really is not that far away and is definitely not an island. It just takes too much effort to get off the bed as I am more intimate with it than anything else. Of course, we spend more or less a third of our lives sleeping. You know that right?

All right then. Since this site is about the boring side of me, let me show you whom I spent the whole afternoon with. Meet my loyal friend, Bubu. This is what happens if you have nothing much to write about. Whew!

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So what if Lebron gets dunked on by a college player?

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:26:00 +0000

I read this yahoo article today about Lebron getting dunked on by a college ballplayer from Xavier University. It's either the anti-Lebron or the less mature basketball fans who make this a blown up "success" story for a young hoopster. What I mean is hey, this is the game of basketball: you either block a shot or get dunked on. The greatest shot blockers get dunked on. Some to the point of real embarrassment. To name a few: Anfernee Hardaway - Patrick Ewing (#1 on link video); Robert Pack - Shawn Kemp; Kevin Johnson - Hakeem Olajuwon; Kobe Bryant - Dwight Howard; Larry Johnson - Dikembe Mutombo; and so on. Every basketball fan probably has a list of unforgettable facials in mind. Some of you may say, "Yeah right, get dunked on but not by a college kid." Of course a volume of great NBA shotblockers get dunked on by mediocre players. This propaganda of Lebron "gets dunked on" just makes Lebron's star a whole lot "shinier". It's big deal to dunk on a GREAT player. Oh, I remember what a friend posted on a social networking site yesterday: "Success is not determined by a single accomplishment; it's a habit of consistency." Okay, it sucks because I can't remember the exact words. What it means to me is give the guy a hundred attempts to dunk over LeBron and we'll see how many times he scores. And misses.

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Yahoo News!
Witnesses at last: Video of Lebron James getting dunked on

Laugh of the day: Evian tv commercial

noreply@blogger.com (Abdurajik Samain II ) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:29:00 +0000

Check out this video of baby rollerskaters!!