I was watching old Filipino movies Pitong Gatang (1959) and Langis at Tubig (1980) at home and noticed that the language spoken by the characters of these movies are purely Filipino. This is quite different in the way present-day actors address their lines in Taglish, a combination of Tagalog and English. The old movies I watched, starring the late actors Fernando Poe Jr and Dindo Fernando, are not only rendered in flawless Tagalog. The English courtroom scenes are also spoken in impeccable English. Not that I have lost trust in the Filipino ability to speak fluent English, but I think the older generations were better speakers.
China Quake Effort Shames Burma Junta’s Cyclone Response
15 May
Posted by Elmer W. Cagape under Disasters
Shortly after a devastating cyclone hit Burma which killed thousands, China was hit by a powerful earthquake.
But unlike the lame response by Burmese authorities, China was quick to mobilize its rescue teams, accept donations and full cooperation took place.
I don’t know if the event was programmed to happen first in Burma so that the government will be shamed by the contrasting reaction showed by the government of China.
It has been reported that more than just disallowing relief offers of rescue volunteers and fresh provisions like blankets, tents and food Burma went beyond what is imaginable to humanity:
Everyday we come in contact with different things that we innocently contract germs and bacteria no matter how careful we may be.
MSN has a list of things that we need to avoid in order to prevent further contact with these undesirable creatures (we’re already in contact with them through unavoidable actions such as breathing).
Your vacuum cleaner
The threat: Researchers at the University of Arizona recently found that 50 percent of the vacuum brushes they tested contained fecal bacteria, including 13 percent with E. coli, and all were packing mold. Vacuuming can transfer the germs from contaminated surfaces to uncontaminated ones (think kitchen to living room).
Only 60 out of 733 policemen in the northern Philippine province of Nueva Ecija passed the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) marksmanship training required by the Philippine National Police (PNP).
This might sound a good news to criminals who are willing and able to do a gunfight with authorities in the area.
One commendable achiever in this test is a high ranking official who definitely becomes an inspiration to his subordinates.
As of yesterday, Senior Superintendent Napoleon Taas, provincial police director, was adjudged an expert for blazing the 45-round IDPA course flawlessly.
Amidst all the commercialization going on, the essence of Mothers Day still remains. We greet our moms, we offer them nice things like flowers and treating them somewhere to make them feel special. Even without the elaborate celebrations, the important thing is that we showed them we care, not only today but everyday.
A nice article about the origins of this celebration talks about things we may not know yet.
According to cards.com, the earliest tributes to mothers date back to the annual spring festival the Greeks dedicated to Rhea, the mother of many deities, and to the offerings ancient Romans made to their Great Mother of Gods, Cybele. Christians celebrated this festival on the fourth Sunday in Lent in honour of Mary, mother of Christ.
I had a combination of anger and pity when I read the article at Fox entitled “A Gulf in Giving: Oil-Rich States Starve the World Food Program” that oil producing countries barely contribute to the World Food Program while the poorer nations pitch in.
I initially thought that the rising cost of oil (currently flirting around US$126 per barrel) pushed food prices to greater heights. While that thought may also be true, the fact that these Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) members barely contribute makes the whole situation sickening. It’s like letting someone starve while food is abundant.
From the title of this post, you’ll probably conclude that it’s about a honest New York City cab driver returning a lost violin. You’re right.
I’ve never been to NYC and I don’t know the behavior of its taxi drivers. But with this BBC news about a violinist playing a 30-minute concert tribute to an honest cab driver, I can say that definitely I can count on NYC drivers if I happen to get there as a lost, innocent person unable to figure out where to go or worse, forgot my things on the trunk of the car.
I guess it’s very tempting to mention promises when you’re trying to impress and ask for support. It’s not only the presidential, senatorial, congressional and mayoral candidates who do this. Many officers in the Philippine Army also make these guarantees at the time when they’re in a new assignment, naive and innocent of what’s going on.
Another official makes it to “Mark My Word“. From Philippine Star:
Col. Ariel Bernardo, the new commanding officer of the 901st Brigade, vowed to continue the successful operation of Brig. Gen. Nur Ascalani whom he replaced during the turn-over ceremony at the headquarters of the 901st Brigade at Barangay Villahermosa here.
I maintain a Facebook account honestly because I thought I should join the bandwagon led by one of the world’s most popular social networking site and not be left behind.
After almost a year since I joined, my mini-feed only displays a diary with details on when I “befriended” a long-time offline friend online. There are 359 requests unattended, ranging from cause to grow a gift applications and from good karma to bad zombie and vampire requests. Sorry guys, I think even responding to this is utter waste of my time.
Moments after watching no. 8 Atlanta win Game 6 of their first round matchup with top-seeded Boston Celtics, I got this info from Inquirer that the Celtics is primed to win the 2008 NBA title. This is according to a computer system developed by Chinese PC maker Lenovo.
Called the Lenovo Stat, the system analyzes the most effective combinations of players in each team, calculating point differentials for every game a certain team plays.
According to Lenovo, the Celtics’ five-man combination of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kendrick Perkins and Rajon Rondo garnered the most points and therefore, the most powerful team on the court.
