Taking a break from all of the political chaos in the country, H and I were able to finally catch "The Pink Panther" at Megamall last night.
I've been a fan of the series ever since the first movie, starring the late Peter Sellers, as well as Herbert Lom and Burt Kwouk, that I was a little worried about this remake starring Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, and Beyonce Knowles. I was afraid I'd get my expectations too high that I wouldn't enjoy the movie.
I'm glad to be wrong in this case. I enjoyed the movie as it wove in some of the key elements of the "Pink Panther" series: slapstick comedy, coincidences that tie everything neatly up, and, of course, the mangling of the English language through Clouseau's faux French. Seeing Clouseau trying to wrap his mouth around "hamburger" was hilarious.
What makes Clouseau so funny a character is how he manages to solve the mystery, as he bumbles his way through everything. While the tying up of loose ends was, for me, a little too neat, I think Martin, who co-wrote the screenplay, is able to capture the mood of the series fairly closely, and provides us with a lighthearted comedy.
Among the actors, I liked Jean Reno's role as Clouseau's sidekick, a stoic, loyal policeman, who, in the end, is honest enough to right a wrong. Steve Martin gives an adequate performance of Clouseau, but he doesn't quite come up to Sellers' brilliance; he does seem to enjoy pursing his lips a little too much. Knowles, obviously, is there as a pretty face, and like Katie Holmes in Batman Begins, she isn't asked to do much.
I was a bit disappointed with Kline, as Lom's portrayal of Chief Inspector Dreyfus was a little more manic, and I had thought that Kline could capture that quality of Dreyfus. Oh well. One can probably argue that since this was his first run-in with Clouseau, he hasn't had the opportunity to go insane. Perhaps if there's a sequel...
Of course, the well-known theme, composed by the late Henry Mancini, starts off the film, and the cartoon of the Pink Panther and Clouseau is a tribute to the Freleng shorts of old. It all adds an air of nostalgia, and sets the tone for the movie.
Of course, now, I'm just itching to get my hands on DVDs of the original series, and I don't think I've ever seen any of the original movies available here. I'm going to have to order them abroad, I guess.
All in all, "The Pink Panther" is an excellent re-start of the original series, and I can only hope that the franchise can continue on.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
State of Emergency
It’s the 20th anniversary of EDSA I, and how does the government commemorate it? By raiding a pro-opposition newspaper, and attempting to arrest opposition figures.
At the same time, it’s a chilling reminder of martial law, when the government cracked down on media institutions critical of the government. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC), in fact, has declared that it may close down any news or radio company if they print or broadcast anything that can be considered as “seditious”. And since there are no clear guidelines, the government has a lot of leeway in interpreting what “seditious” could mean.
The government officials who have spoken out on the issue do not win the government any favors, as their replies to the events are either haphazard, ludicrous or both. Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor, when asked about the Tribune raid, denied any knowledge of the raid. How can that be, considering that he’s one of the closest to the President? Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez, who really should keep his mouth shut, when asked if the Philippine Daily Inquirer will be similarly raided or closed down, said that the newspaper would be treated differently, because it’s a “big fish”.
Preferential treatment, coming from one who’s supposed to be the justice secretary?
I cannot foresee the outcome of this state of emergency. I’m hoping and praying that cooler heads will prevail, and bring both sides to the negotiating table, preferably sooner than later. Otherwise, it’ll continue to be what already is shaping to be a rough year.
Friday, February 24, 2006
Spectacles
What a spectacle.
On one side is the image of various rallyists throwing whatever they can get their hands on at the riot police.
On the other is the image of one rallyist who's already lying down on the sidewalk, and is being mauled by stick-wielding policemen. I counted about three blows while he was down.
Is this the way we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People Power Revolution?
It's almost a certainty that the economy will be adversely affected by the turn of events that we've witnessed today. Is this what the rallyists want? Considering that some of the rallyists are hard-core left wingers, probably. But is this good for the country? A most emphatic "NO!"
What I find ironic is seeing former communists like Satur Ocampo and activists like Teddy Casino coming to the celebration. If I recall right, the communists were shut out of EDSA I because they were either too afraid of Marcos, or they didn't want to join what they believed was an elitist gathering. In EDSA II, they were again marginalized after they decided to march on Malacanang instead of participating in GMA's swearing in. As a result, the political left doesn't really have a hold on either People Power movement, and for them to come to "celebrate" its anniversary makes me question their motives.
I was also disappointed by sociologist Randy David, who was arrested during the dispersal. When he was interviewed, he claimed that he and others were rallying peacefully when they were violently dispersed and subsequently arrested. He also said that they were simply celebrating the 20th anniversary of EDSA I.
I guess he didn't see the stone-throwers, or the banners calling for the President's ouster. Is that peaceful? Is that how EDSA I should be commemorated?
What ticked me off was that David, who's pretty articulate and dignified when he speaks, was using his speaking skill to spin the event so that the rallyists come out pure as the driven snow. Since he's a sociologist, he's probably familiar at how information can be manipulated to suit one's purposes, and that's exactly what he was doing. I pretty much lost my respect for him as I listened to him manipulate the situation to gain sympathy for his cause.
Not that he gained much. During the rally, a good number of people were cursing at the rallyists for disrupting what should've been a normal day. I think the people are tired of the rally spectacle, mainly because it has not produced any worthwhile results.
Let's get one thing straight, though. I don't like GMA, and I believe that she should go, as soon as it's feasibly possible. And when I say feasibly, that means having someone who's capable of taking over after her. To whom are we going to give the reins?
Senate President Drilon? Please.
Susan Roces? Heaven forbid.
Erap? Let's not even go there.
Without any viable leader who has the vision and the will to make that vision a reality, it's unlikely that the people will rise up a third time to oust a corrupt President.
On one side is the image of various rallyists throwing whatever they can get their hands on at the riot police.
On the other is the image of one rallyist who's already lying down on the sidewalk, and is being mauled by stick-wielding policemen. I counted about three blows while he was down.
Is this the way we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the People Power Revolution?
It's almost a certainty that the economy will be adversely affected by the turn of events that we've witnessed today. Is this what the rallyists want? Considering that some of the rallyists are hard-core left wingers, probably. But is this good for the country? A most emphatic "NO!"
What I find ironic is seeing former communists like Satur Ocampo and activists like Teddy Casino coming to the celebration. If I recall right, the communists were shut out of EDSA I because they were either too afraid of Marcos, or they didn't want to join what they believed was an elitist gathering. In EDSA II, they were again marginalized after they decided to march on Malacanang instead of participating in GMA's swearing in. As a result, the political left doesn't really have a hold on either People Power movement, and for them to come to "celebrate" its anniversary makes me question their motives.
I was also disappointed by sociologist Randy David, who was arrested during the dispersal. When he was interviewed, he claimed that he and others were rallying peacefully when they were violently dispersed and subsequently arrested. He also said that they were simply celebrating the 20th anniversary of EDSA I.
I guess he didn't see the stone-throwers, or the banners calling for the President's ouster. Is that peaceful? Is that how EDSA I should be commemorated?
What ticked me off was that David, who's pretty articulate and dignified when he speaks, was using his speaking skill to spin the event so that the rallyists come out pure as the driven snow. Since he's a sociologist, he's probably familiar at how information can be manipulated to suit one's purposes, and that's exactly what he was doing. I pretty much lost my respect for him as I listened to him manipulate the situation to gain sympathy for his cause.
Not that he gained much. During the rally, a good number of people were cursing at the rallyists for disrupting what should've been a normal day. I think the people are tired of the rally spectacle, mainly because it has not produced any worthwhile results.
Let's get one thing straight, though. I don't like GMA, and I believe that she should go, as soon as it's feasibly possible. And when I say feasibly, that means having someone who's capable of taking over after her. To whom are we going to give the reins?
Senate President Drilon? Please.
Susan Roces? Heaven forbid.
Erap? Let's not even go there.
Without any viable leader who has the vision and the will to make that vision a reality, it's unlikely that the people will rise up a third time to oust a corrupt President.
No Classes!
As I was on my way to work, I got a text message from my chairperson, informing me that there were no classes today. Apparently, it was announced by the Department of Education this morning at 6:30 am (when a good number of students are already in school), the reason given being the 20th anniversary of the EDSA I revolt, and "security reasons". Scanning the online newspapers, apparently a coup attempt was thwarted, and classes are probably being suspended in relation to that. I cannot accept the EDSA I reason, because if that were the reason, the holiday should've been announced days before.
As I was walking to the workroom, I ran into a student who was irate about the cancellation, because he had stayed up until the early hours to finish a project that was due today. Of course, he'll probably get over it, and enjoy the rest of the day.
In the teachers' case, the announcement couldn't have come at a worse time, with exams coming up in a week's time. I guess the high school administration might extend the end of school to adjust to the recent developments, but it's still a little stressful. In my case, I had a long test scheduled for today, so it gets moved to next week, which will either be beneficial to the students, because they have extra time to prepare, or stressful, because their weekend will be consumed with studying for an extra test they could've finished today.
C'est la vie.
As I was walking to the workroom, I ran into a student who was irate about the cancellation, because he had stayed up until the early hours to finish a project that was due today. Of course, he'll probably get over it, and enjoy the rest of the day.
In the teachers' case, the announcement couldn't have come at a worse time, with exams coming up in a week's time. I guess the high school administration might extend the end of school to adjust to the recent developments, but it's still a little stressful. In my case, I had a long test scheduled for today, so it gets moved to next week, which will either be beneficial to the students, because they have extra time to prepare, or stressful, because their weekend will be consumed with studying for an extra test they could've finished today.
C'est la vie.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Word Cloud 2
Cool. Apparently, the word cloud function is random, so I can come up with a different image the second time around.
Maybe I'll do this every month, considering I update the blog fairly regularly, just to see how the cloud evolves.
Word Cloud
I found this through Kitty Litter's site, although the actual link I got at Banzai Cat's. The web site takes some of the words from a blog, and creates a word cloud from them. As you can see from the word cloud above, a number of the words comes from the links on the right side of the blog.
Try it out yourself.
Just a short post for today. It's exam-making season, and I'm the one assigned to work on it, so I expect to be busy the next few days.
C'est la vie.
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Blast from the Past - Star Rangers (Gorangers)
Last last Sunday, before the UAAP Judo tournament, I had breakfast with a co-referee, E, who let me listen to his MP3 player, which was replete with all sorts of theme music, some from American TV shows, others from Japanese anime. Of course, he had the theme songs from the Japanese robot (mecha) of my childhood. It made me wonder about the Japanese live-action shows that I grew up with, particularly the Star Rangers, who were the forerunners of the Americanized Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers. In Japan, the Star Rangers were actually known as the Gorangers, "go" being the Japanese word for "five". In the Philippines, they were the Star Rangers; I guess "Gorangers" wasn't a very lyrical word to say in English translation.
Made up of five brightly-colored operatives, the Star Rangers (aptly but unimaginatively named Stars One through Five) fought against monsters of the evil Black Cross, who looked like a highly-stylized member of the Ku Klux Klan. The show always ended with the Rangers kicking a ball one by one until it hit the opponent, who then exploded. In one episode, the enemy monster actually ate the ball, and then it exploded. Predictable stuff, but it was still entertaining to watch when one was just eight to ten years old.
Each Ranger could use his or her mask visor as a weapon or device: One had a whip, Two had a bow, Three had a radio, and later a pole, Four had a heart-shaped shuriken (I think), and Five had a boomerang. Strangely, the visor would stay in place after the Rangers got their weapons, but, that's Japanese 70s-80s TV for you, I guess.
It was in the Star Rangers that I was introduced to curry rice, to which Star Three was particularly addicted. Having tasted curry rice, I can see why he was so enamored of it.
What I liked about this series, aside from the interesting storylines, was the theme song. Or was it the end song? I can't remember. What I do remember was that it was catchy, and rhythmic. Even now, I would find myself humming the lyrics (or what passes for what I think are the lyrics) whenever I'm working.
What the Star Rangers were notable for was that they were the first live-action sentai (task force) series, and, from them, the whole four or five-man team TV series was born. Here in the Philippines, the Rangers were followed by JAKQ, and, much later on, by the Power Rangers. By then, I'd lost my taste for such fare. But the Star Rangers will always live on in my memory as a show which put a focus on fighting against evil using teamwork.
For more information on the Star Rangers, check this link.
Made up of five brightly-colored operatives, the Star Rangers (aptly but unimaginatively named Stars One through Five) fought against monsters of the evil Black Cross, who looked like a highly-stylized member of the Ku Klux Klan. The show always ended with the Rangers kicking a ball one by one until it hit the opponent, who then exploded. In one episode, the enemy monster actually ate the ball, and then it exploded. Predictable stuff, but it was still entertaining to watch when one was just eight to ten years old.
Each Ranger could use his or her mask visor as a weapon or device: One had a whip, Two had a bow, Three had a radio, and later a pole, Four had a heart-shaped shuriken (I think), and Five had a boomerang. Strangely, the visor would stay in place after the Rangers got their weapons, but, that's Japanese 70s-80s TV for you, I guess.
It was in the Star Rangers that I was introduced to curry rice, to which Star Three was particularly addicted. Having tasted curry rice, I can see why he was so enamored of it.
What I liked about this series, aside from the interesting storylines, was the theme song. Or was it the end song? I can't remember. What I do remember was that it was catchy, and rhythmic. Even now, I would find myself humming the lyrics (or what passes for what I think are the lyrics) whenever I'm working.
What the Star Rangers were notable for was that they were the first live-action sentai (task force) series, and, from them, the whole four or five-man team TV series was born. Here in the Philippines, the Rangers were followed by JAKQ, and, much later on, by the Power Rangers. By then, I'd lost my taste for such fare. But the Star Rangers will always live on in my memory as a show which put a focus on fighting against evil using teamwork.
For more information on the Star Rangers, check this link.
Monday, February 20, 2006
Points of View
Bodabil has come and gone, and we here in the high school are in the last two weeks of the school year. This means two weeks of rushing lessons, checking school work, meeting with parents, and preparing the exams. Hectic, yes, stressful, yes. But that's life in the high school; it's always hectic. But it doesn't mean that everything is all dark and dreary.
And life does give us a perspective on things. Just over the weekend, a massive landslide buried several barangays in Leyte, with more than two thousand people dead or missing. Just this morning, the newspaper reported that a landslide also occurred in Zamboanga, with ten people confirmed killed.
Around the world, tension continues as Muslim protest against the cartoon portrayal of their prophet Muhammed. In Palestine, the terrorist group Hamas begins to form their government, having won in the democratic elections held a few weeks ago.
When one keeps these in mind, the daily humdrum of life always becomes less of a burden as we take a different perspective on life, the universe and everything.
And life does give us a perspective on things. Just over the weekend, a massive landslide buried several barangays in Leyte, with more than two thousand people dead or missing. Just this morning, the newspaper reported that a landslide also occurred in Zamboanga, with ten people confirmed killed.
Around the world, tension continues as Muslim protest against the cartoon portrayal of their prophet Muhammed. In Palestine, the terrorist group Hamas begins to form their government, having won in the democratic elections held a few weeks ago.
When one keeps these in mind, the daily humdrum of life always becomes less of a burden as we take a different perspective on life, the universe and everything.
Friday, February 17, 2006
Notes, and Bodabil
Apparently, Blogger's "save as draft" function isn't working, but, fortunately, I hadn't written much before I saved it. C'est la vie.
I pretty much went absent this morning to bring H to her OB-Gyne in Makati, for her regular check-up. Afterwards, we had lunch at Rodic's.
Right now, I'm in the high school resting before the next installment of Bodabil. Last night's performance was okay; the audience, composed primarily of students, appreciated many of the performances and jokes. I daresay that the English presentation, a spoof of GMA-7's "Jewel in the Palace", garnered a good amount of laughs and applause. This was due to the fact that one of my male colleagues gamely agreed to be dressed up as a woman. Everytime our part came up, a section in the audience started chanting the guy's name (whom I won't name so that I don't embarass him).
I'm not sure how I did, although I wasn't very serious about the roles I was playing. I'm pretty certain that one of my parts fell a little flat. Oh, well, we'll see what happens tonight.
I had to leave before the whole show was over, because it was getting very late, but I heard that it ended with great appreciation.
Tonight will be the final performance for another five years, so I'm hoping that the audience will get into the show, and appreciate that their teachers are willing to spend an evening showcasing their talents, and making fun of one another.
I pretty much went absent this morning to bring H to her OB-Gyne in Makati, for her regular check-up. Afterwards, we had lunch at Rodic's.
Right now, I'm in the high school resting before the next installment of Bodabil. Last night's performance was okay; the audience, composed primarily of students, appreciated many of the performances and jokes. I daresay that the English presentation, a spoof of GMA-7's "Jewel in the Palace", garnered a good amount of laughs and applause. This was due to the fact that one of my male colleagues gamely agreed to be dressed up as a woman. Everytime our part came up, a section in the audience started chanting the guy's name (whom I won't name so that I don't embarass him).
I'm not sure how I did, although I wasn't very serious about the roles I was playing. I'm pretty certain that one of my parts fell a little flat. Oh, well, we'll see what happens tonight.
I had to leave before the whole show was over, because it was getting very late, but I heard that it ended with great appreciation.
Tonight will be the final performance for another five years, so I'm hoping that the audience will get into the show, and appreciate that their teachers are willing to spend an evening showcasing their talents, and making fun of one another.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Busy, Busy, Busy
I've been sick with a cold the past few days, so I haven't been up for writing much. Still, despite my ragged condition, there's been a few things going on.
Last Tuesday, Valentine's Day, H, G, and I spent the evening with one of H's close friends, and her husband at Fleur de Lys. The funny thing was that the patisserie wasn't jampacked, unlike the other restaurants along Tomas Morato. This was good for us, as we were able to spend a leisurely dinner over pasta, and cake and pie. After dinner, we brought A and C to Imbiss Stube (not sure if that's the right spelling) on Wilson Ave., where they were to meet with another set of friends. Talk about busy.
Then, G wanted to visit her ninang, H's sister, in Makati, so off to Makati we went. H's sister wound up coming back home with us, as G insisted that she go home with us. Ah well, it's Valentine's Day, so we gave our daughter what she wanted.
Yesterday was G's assessment day at her school. Luckily, there was a school assembly in the morning, so I was able to accompany G to her school, and still arrive in time for my first class. I was pretty much drugged up yesterday, due to my cold, so I went through most of the day in a stupor.
Today is the first showing of the teacher's production Bodabil, and I have bit parts in two skits. It's the first time in five years that it's being produced, so there's a lot of excitement among the students, and a lot of stress among the teachers. Still, having seen two productions of Bodabil in the past, I can probably say that this one will be a hit for the students, and we teachers will probably be tired, but fulfilled. Dare I hope.
Now, I have to get some rest. It'll be a big day ahead of me, and I'm still sick, so I need to conserve my strength.
Last Tuesday, Valentine's Day, H, G, and I spent the evening with one of H's close friends, and her husband at Fleur de Lys. The funny thing was that the patisserie wasn't jampacked, unlike the other restaurants along Tomas Morato. This was good for us, as we were able to spend a leisurely dinner over pasta, and cake and pie. After dinner, we brought A and C to Imbiss Stube (not sure if that's the right spelling) on Wilson Ave., where they were to meet with another set of friends. Talk about busy.
Then, G wanted to visit her ninang, H's sister, in Makati, so off to Makati we went. H's sister wound up coming back home with us, as G insisted that she go home with us. Ah well, it's Valentine's Day, so we gave our daughter what she wanted.
Yesterday was G's assessment day at her school. Luckily, there was a school assembly in the morning, so I was able to accompany G to her school, and still arrive in time for my first class. I was pretty much drugged up yesterday, due to my cold, so I went through most of the day in a stupor.
Today is the first showing of the teacher's production Bodabil, and I have bit parts in two skits. It's the first time in five years that it's being produced, so there's a lot of excitement among the students, and a lot of stress among the teachers. Still, having seen two productions of Bodabil in the past, I can probably say that this one will be a hit for the students, and we teachers will probably be tired, but fulfilled. Dare I hope.
Now, I have to get some rest. It'll be a big day ahead of me, and I'm still sick, so I need to conserve my strength.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Johari Window
To begin, check the wikipedia entry on the Johari window.
T posted this link on her blog, for her own personal Johari window. So, since it's going to be a busy day, and I'm not sure about being able to post today, and because it's been a while since I last took an online test, I put up my own window. Do check it out.
And a happy Valentine's day to all. :D
T posted this link on her blog, for her own personal Johari window. So, since it's going to be a busy day, and I'm not sure about being able to post today, and because it's been a while since I last took an online test, I put up my own window. Do check it out.
And a happy Valentine's day to all. :D
Monday, February 13, 2006
UAAP Judo 2006
Compared to most judo tournaments, which tend to last into the night, yesterday's UAAP Judo tournament, held at the CHK Gym in UP, ended relatively early at around 5 pm.
One major change to the competition format was that, instead of the team-style tournament, it was an individual tournament, which meant that standing would be determined by the number of golds, silvers, and bronzes each school would garner. In addition, instead of the losers-bracket repechage system, which produces two bronze medalists, the competition would be a knockout format. If a player loses, he/she is out.
Home field advantage apparently worked in UP's favor, as it ruled the tournament, alhough I don't know by how much, because I left before the final standings were tallied.
It was my first time to referee in a year, the last time being last year's UAAP competition. At the start, I was a bit rusty with the mechanics, but I soon got back into the groove of things.
There were two or three incidents, though, which marred what would have been a perfect outing, referee-wise.
The first was then one of the coaches, who is well-known for his overly aggressive behavior towards the referees, was loudly questioning the call of the referee at the time. The referee simply turned and glared at the coach, who apparently took it the wrong way, because he confronted the referee after the match. However, I guess it was settled afterwards, but the referee commented later when the coach's players failed to make it to many of the finals, that it was probably karma that they didn't.
I would be the focal point of the next controversy, because the same coach's player had gotten his opponent in an armlock submission hold. It became contested because, as corner judge, I believed (and still do) that the opponent tapped out before the referee stopped the match. Unfortunately, it was out of the other corner' judge's eye range, so she wasn't able to see whether that was the case. I was overruled, which is all right, because that's the way things are in refereeing. The coach was livid, and we had another prolonged discussion, this time with the referee head. The coach tried to make the point that since I saw it, the referee should've reversed his call. But the referee stood by his call, and, since the other corner judge concurred, the decision stood. The coach then asked whether he should advise his players to break the arms of their opponents, so that it would be clear who won. I thought that, while an emotional remark, it was still out of place.
The third issue was when, in another match, the opponent of the coach's player claimed he was bitten. Two of the referees in the playing area concurred, and disqualified the offending player. Once more, the coach protested, and tried to contest that his player didn't bite his opponent. I, for once, agree with him; I took a look at the supposed bite mark, but I didn't think there wasn't any. The referees stood by their call once more, and the player remained disqualified.
While I agree that we referees sometimes make bad calls, more often than not, it all boils down to a judgement call. Things like these happen; judgement calls happen. Sometimes the call doesn't go your way. Live with it.
One major change to the competition format was that, instead of the team-style tournament, it was an individual tournament, which meant that standing would be determined by the number of golds, silvers, and bronzes each school would garner. In addition, instead of the losers-bracket repechage system, which produces two bronze medalists, the competition would be a knockout format. If a player loses, he/she is out.
Home field advantage apparently worked in UP's favor, as it ruled the tournament, alhough I don't know by how much, because I left before the final standings were tallied.
It was my first time to referee in a year, the last time being last year's UAAP competition. At the start, I was a bit rusty with the mechanics, but I soon got back into the groove of things.
There were two or three incidents, though, which marred what would have been a perfect outing, referee-wise.
The first was then one of the coaches, who is well-known for his overly aggressive behavior towards the referees, was loudly questioning the call of the referee at the time. The referee simply turned and glared at the coach, who apparently took it the wrong way, because he confronted the referee after the match. However, I guess it was settled afterwards, but the referee commented later when the coach's players failed to make it to many of the finals, that it was probably karma that they didn't.
I would be the focal point of the next controversy, because the same coach's player had gotten his opponent in an armlock submission hold. It became contested because, as corner judge, I believed (and still do) that the opponent tapped out before the referee stopped the match. Unfortunately, it was out of the other corner' judge's eye range, so she wasn't able to see whether that was the case. I was overruled, which is all right, because that's the way things are in refereeing. The coach was livid, and we had another prolonged discussion, this time with the referee head. The coach tried to make the point that since I saw it, the referee should've reversed his call. But the referee stood by his call, and, since the other corner judge concurred, the decision stood. The coach then asked whether he should advise his players to break the arms of their opponents, so that it would be clear who won. I thought that, while an emotional remark, it was still out of place.
The third issue was when, in another match, the opponent of the coach's player claimed he was bitten. Two of the referees in the playing area concurred, and disqualified the offending player. Once more, the coach protested, and tried to contest that his player didn't bite his opponent. I, for once, agree with him; I took a look at the supposed bite mark, but I didn't think there wasn't any. The referees stood by their call once more, and the player remained disqualified.
While I agree that we referees sometimes make bad calls, more often than not, it all boils down to a judgement call. Things like these happen; judgement calls happen. Sometimes the call doesn't go your way. Live with it.
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Lunch Breaks
One of the things I look forward to during a work day is the lunch break, when my co-teachers and I assemble at our reading nook to have both a hearty lunch and wonderful conversation. There is always some funny story being shared one time or another. Yesterday was no exception.
If you remember the children's book Amelia Bedelia, about a housekeeper with a very literal mind, the stories below will make better sense.
K was recalling the misadventures of one of her family's househelps. One story was that her mom had bought a live chicken and asked the maid to pluck it and place it in the refrigerator. Imagine K's mom's surprise when she opened the refrigerator, and found the chicken plucked clean, but alive!
Then there was the time that her aunt sent the same maid out to the sari-sari store to buy a liter of Coca-Cola. It took an inordinate amount of time for the maid to come back, and when she did, she had brought back the Coke in a big ShoeMart bag.
For those unfamiliar with Filipino softdrink servings, neighborhood stores will often place the contents of the smaller bottles into plastic bags (clean), with a straw; the purpose for this is so that the store owner will not lose the bottle, and its deposit.
I can only imagine the fun the sari-sari store owner had getting the Coke into the bag. Appropriately, it came with the straw.
The maid didn't last long after that. But it sent us into gales of laughter (is this schaudenfreude?). We soon went back to our respective backlogs after that.
What I like about the lunch sessions is that they help lessen our collective stress by sharing something either to reflect on, or laugh about.
If you remember the children's book Amelia Bedelia, about a housekeeper with a very literal mind, the stories below will make better sense.
K was recalling the misadventures of one of her family's househelps. One story was that her mom had bought a live chicken and asked the maid to pluck it and place it in the refrigerator. Imagine K's mom's surprise when she opened the refrigerator, and found the chicken plucked clean, but alive!
Then there was the time that her aunt sent the same maid out to the sari-sari store to buy a liter of Coca-Cola. It took an inordinate amount of time for the maid to come back, and when she did, she had brought back the Coke in a big ShoeMart bag.
For those unfamiliar with Filipino softdrink servings, neighborhood stores will often place the contents of the smaller bottles into plastic bags (clean), with a straw; the purpose for this is so that the store owner will not lose the bottle, and its deposit.
I can only imagine the fun the sari-sari store owner had getting the Coke into the bag. Appropriately, it came with the straw.
The maid didn't last long after that. But it sent us into gales of laughter (is this schaudenfreude?). We soon went back to our respective backlogs after that.
What I like about the lunch sessions is that they help lessen our collective stress by sharing something either to reflect on, or laugh about.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Addendum to a Tragedy
In yesterday's Philippine Daily Inquirer, "Wowowee" host Willie Revillame defended his show, criticizing the "mendicancy" label that was slapped on it. But something he said made me sit up and think, maybe even gasp in wonder.
He said, "“What do they want us to do? Tell the country’s poor people to do drugs instead? To steal? In our own little way, we are helping the government. Every day, jobless Filipinos have made a career out of joining our game show. Is it a sin to give people hope?"
Let's take a look at the second statement. I guess this is an emotional statement, and Revillame was simply giving a hyperbolic rhetorical question. It's still pretty stupid, though. The easiest answer to his first question is for ABS-CBN to concentrate more on providing livelihood programs to the poor. They have a number of charitable causes; maybe they can funnel the money that would've been raffled away to those.
It's the fifth statement that gives me pause, and makes me question Revillame's set of values. "Every day, jobless Filipinos have made a career out of joining our game show." Wow. I didn't know one could become a professional game show participant. Maybe he meant something else, that jobless Filipinos are able to start businesses after joining the show. But that's not what the gist of what he said meant. By saying this, Revillame seems to think that throwing easy money is the key to helping the poor.
He couldn't be more wrong.
In yesterday's Philippine Star, political analyst Alex Magno commented on Revillame's insistence that he wanted to help the poor. Magno reacted to this by saying that one does not help the poor by throwing money at them; one helps the poor by helping them to empower themselves. According to Magno, instead of actually helping the poor, "Their dignities are merely trampled upon and their vulnerabilities tickled no end." (quoted from the article)
I agree. The adage that is being repeated nowadays in reaction to the tragedy is "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for the day. But, if you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime."
If we, especially our ratings-hungry media and our selfish political leaders, remember this, our country will be the better for it.
He said, "“What do they want us to do? Tell the country’s poor people to do drugs instead? To steal? In our own little way, we are helping the government. Every day, jobless Filipinos have made a career out of joining our game show. Is it a sin to give people hope?"
Let's take a look at the second statement. I guess this is an emotional statement, and Revillame was simply giving a hyperbolic rhetorical question. It's still pretty stupid, though. The easiest answer to his first question is for ABS-CBN to concentrate more on providing livelihood programs to the poor. They have a number of charitable causes; maybe they can funnel the money that would've been raffled away to those.
It's the fifth statement that gives me pause, and makes me question Revillame's set of values. "Every day, jobless Filipinos have made a career out of joining our game show." Wow. I didn't know one could become a professional game show participant. Maybe he meant something else, that jobless Filipinos are able to start businesses after joining the show. But that's not what the gist of what he said meant. By saying this, Revillame seems to think that throwing easy money is the key to helping the poor.
He couldn't be more wrong.
In yesterday's Philippine Star, political analyst Alex Magno commented on Revillame's insistence that he wanted to help the poor. Magno reacted to this by saying that one does not help the poor by throwing money at them; one helps the poor by helping them to empower themselves. According to Magno, instead of actually helping the poor, "Their dignities are merely trampled upon and their vulnerabilities tickled no end." (quoted from the article)
I agree. The adage that is being repeated nowadays in reaction to the tragedy is "If you give a man a fish, you feed him for the day. But, if you teach a man how to fish, you feed him for a lifetime."
If we, especially our ratings-hungry media and our selfish political leaders, remember this, our country will be the better for it.
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Cha-Cha? Hmmm...
Reading Fr. Joaquin Bernas' column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer sent more than just a few chills down my spine. In his column, he analyzed the draft of the revised Constitution that is pending in Congress. And, from the looks of it, it appears that Congress is poised to give Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo powers unheard of since the time of Ferdinand Marcos. She will be able to appoint her friends and relatives to key positions in her government, she will be able to ignore the Supreme Court (although her flunkies in the Comelec are already practically doing this.), and she will be able to consolidate power to herself. In short, she will be able to whatever she pleases. A virtual dictator.
What puzzles me is that Congress is actually mulling this over. Haven't they learned their history lessons? From the looks of it, apparently not.
What's scary is that they might just be able to ram this Constitution down our collective throats, considering the voting track record of the Filipino public, who will probably vote not because they believe in the new Constitution, but rather because the politicians will pay or convince them to do so. I don't think the average Filipino even understands the 1987 Constitution, since it's such a ponderous document.
While I believe that the 1987 Constitution should be revised or amended, I don't believe that this is the right time to do so, because of the polarized political atmosphere. In addition, our Congressmen and Senators have shown that their primary concern is their own selfish interests. Who's to say that they won't revise the Constitution to suit themselves?
The bottom line is that it doesn't matter what our political system is, as long as it's the same bunch of selfish clowns and political dynasties who are running our country. My Third Year High School Social Studies teacher once told us that we don't live in a democracy, but a feudal system. She couldn't have been more right, and, sad to say, after nineteen years, she's still right.
This system will be even more enforced if the Cha-cha people decide that a federal system is what we need. By giving the provinces more autonomy, the political dynasties will tighten their grip on their respective fiefdoms. What if some province decides to secede from the Philippines? How are we going to force it to stay, considering our archipelagic layout? While the federal system seems ideal, it won't work, given our current situation.
Proponents of Cha-Cha will have us believe that while it won't be the end-all solution to our problems, revising the Constitution will improve our situation. As long as selfishness rules the hearts and minds of our politicians, given some of the provisions in the Constitution they're mulling, I beg to disagree.
What puzzles me is that Congress is actually mulling this over. Haven't they learned their history lessons? From the looks of it, apparently not.
What's scary is that they might just be able to ram this Constitution down our collective throats, considering the voting track record of the Filipino public, who will probably vote not because they believe in the new Constitution, but rather because the politicians will pay or convince them to do so. I don't think the average Filipino even understands the 1987 Constitution, since it's such a ponderous document.
While I believe that the 1987 Constitution should be revised or amended, I don't believe that this is the right time to do so, because of the polarized political atmosphere. In addition, our Congressmen and Senators have shown that their primary concern is their own selfish interests. Who's to say that they won't revise the Constitution to suit themselves?
The bottom line is that it doesn't matter what our political system is, as long as it's the same bunch of selfish clowns and political dynasties who are running our country. My Third Year High School Social Studies teacher once told us that we don't live in a democracy, but a feudal system. She couldn't have been more right, and, sad to say, after nineteen years, she's still right.
This system will be even more enforced if the Cha-cha people decide that a federal system is what we need. By giving the provinces more autonomy, the political dynasties will tighten their grip on their respective fiefdoms. What if some province decides to secede from the Philippines? How are we going to force it to stay, considering our archipelagic layout? While the federal system seems ideal, it won't work, given our current situation.
Proponents of Cha-Cha will have us believe that while it won't be the end-all solution to our problems, revising the Constitution will improve our situation. As long as selfishness rules the hearts and minds of our politicians, given some of the provisions in the Constitution they're mulling, I beg to disagree.
Monday, February 06, 2006
Mob Mentality
C has also posted her own thoughts regarding the tragedy at the Ultra on her blog, and the thoughts are worth some reflection.
How is it that one is able to callously and blithely say, "We weren't the ones who died anyway," in the face of such tragedy? Have we become so desensitized to death that it no longer brings forth feelings of grief? Or were those who showed such disregard for the ones trampled maintaining a facade of disinterest to cover their relief at having survived?
One has to wonder where the ramifications from this tragedy will take us.
My siblings and I were watching some parts of the "probe" on the tragedy last night on ANC. B called it "inquisition," because it seemed, at least in the investigators' minds, who was to blame, and they were asking their questions skewed in that direction. When the 72 hours that GMA gave to finish the probe are up, it seems that it'll be crystal clear whom the inquisitors will blame, and it appears that the network which organized the whole thing will probably be castigated for poor logistics and judgement.
Perhaps they're right. There is something questionable in assuring the people that no one will be left without some prize or the other. It stirs up the greed in us, and, of course, we will go where the easy money is.
But, should we go after the easy money? A good number of Filipinos seem to think so, as shown by the long lines at the lotto. Has our national plight gotten that bad, that we simply wait for good things to come to us? But, what if, instead of camping out at game show venues hoping for a free doleout, or waiting for political candidates to spread the wealth around, we Filipinos put more stock in the value of hard work, determination and perseverance? How far would the Philippines go with such values?
After the hubbub over the tragedy dies down, will we be able to remember it, and learn what lessons we can from it? If not, we'll see something like this again in the future.
How is it that one is able to callously and blithely say, "We weren't the ones who died anyway," in the face of such tragedy? Have we become so desensitized to death that it no longer brings forth feelings of grief? Or were those who showed such disregard for the ones trampled maintaining a facade of disinterest to cover their relief at having survived?
One has to wonder where the ramifications from this tragedy will take us.
My siblings and I were watching some parts of the "probe" on the tragedy last night on ANC. B called it "inquisition," because it seemed, at least in the investigators' minds, who was to blame, and they were asking their questions skewed in that direction. When the 72 hours that GMA gave to finish the probe are up, it seems that it'll be crystal clear whom the inquisitors will blame, and it appears that the network which organized the whole thing will probably be castigated for poor logistics and judgement.
Perhaps they're right. There is something questionable in assuring the people that no one will be left without some prize or the other. It stirs up the greed in us, and, of course, we will go where the easy money is.
But, should we go after the easy money? A good number of Filipinos seem to think so, as shown by the long lines at the lotto. Has our national plight gotten that bad, that we simply wait for good things to come to us? But, what if, instead of camping out at game show venues hoping for a free doleout, or waiting for political candidates to spread the wealth around, we Filipinos put more stock in the value of hard work, determination and perseverance? How far would the Philippines go with such values?
After the hubbub over the tragedy dies down, will we be able to remember it, and learn what lessons we can from it? If not, we'll see something like this again in the future.
Sunday, February 05, 2006
New Blog Site
My brother, the writer, has decided to give blogging another whirl.
Here's his new site: Wala Lang
His first post covers yesterdays stampede tragedy at the Ultra, and he frames a better opinion that I could have, so I'll just say that his view mirrors my own.
Here's his new site: Wala Lang
His first post covers yesterdays stampede tragedy at the Ultra, and he frames a better opinion that I could have, so I'll just say that his view mirrors my own.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Sleepy
G woke up at around 2:30 this morning, according to H, and I was awakened to her crying at 3 am, when she bounded onto the bed without looking, and bumped her head on the wall. And I've been more or less awake ever since.
Thank goodness for coffee, which I store in my cubicle in school.
But I'll probably crash later in the day.
I wonder if coffee comes in those IV dextrose bottles?
Hmmm...
Thank goodness for coffee, which I store in my cubicle in school.
But I'll probably crash later in the day.
I wonder if coffee comes in those IV dextrose bottles?
Hmmm...
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Malapropism
A while ago, I was teaching outlining to my freshman students. As part of my lecture, I mentioned the practicality of constructing an outline, which included writing a thesis in college. Just to make sure, I asked my students what a thesis was. One student raised his hand, and said, confidently, "The unborn child in a womb."
Hmmm. Writing on an unborn child in the womb. In college. I wonder how my student will be able to manage that feat.
Hmmm. Writing on an unborn child in the womb. In college. I wonder how my student will be able to manage that feat.
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Eye Check-up
There's so much to do at work (So why am I blogging? Stress release), what with checking papers, and preparing lessons. With only five weeks to go in the school year, things are starting to accelerate to a flurry of events. It doesn't help that, looking at the school calendar, we apparently don't have a full week of uninterrupted classes left; all remaining weeks have some schedule-affecting event lined up. Ah well. No one said it would be easy.
I brought G to our opthalmologist (my baptismal godmother) to have her eyes checked; lately, she's been constantly rubbing them. Since she wouldn't sit still, my ninang said that the only way to check her out would be to put her to sleep first. But since that would be a bit extreme, she simply advised me to observe G until she's ready to go to school; the teachers would be able to observe if she would have any eye problems. It was a bit trying, considering that G wanted to test every piece of equipment in the clinic. My ninang was finally able to distract her with concave/convex lens plastic, which G gleefully peered through.
I had my own eyes checked as well. No real changes there, except for the fact that I'm astigmatic, which means that my vision is a tad blurry. Since my eye grade is too low (I think it's 25 or something), I don't have to wear my glasses that often, probably only when I wind up using them a lot, like gazing at a computer screen. Good thing, considering when I sweat, wearing my glasses gets a little tedious.
It's going to be a bit of an adjustment again; I'll have to remember to wear my glasses whenever I'm using the computer.
The startling fact was that my ninang informed me that, due to my age, I was probably about 5 years away from wearing bifocals. When I heard that, I think I grew a little older.
Ah, well. C'est la vie.
I brought G to our opthalmologist (my baptismal godmother) to have her eyes checked; lately, she's been constantly rubbing them. Since she wouldn't sit still, my ninang said that the only way to check her out would be to put her to sleep first. But since that would be a bit extreme, she simply advised me to observe G until she's ready to go to school; the teachers would be able to observe if she would have any eye problems. It was a bit trying, considering that G wanted to test every piece of equipment in the clinic. My ninang was finally able to distract her with concave/convex lens plastic, which G gleefully peered through.
I had my own eyes checked as well. No real changes there, except for the fact that I'm astigmatic, which means that my vision is a tad blurry. Since my eye grade is too low (I think it's 25 or something), I don't have to wear my glasses that often, probably only when I wind up using them a lot, like gazing at a computer screen. Good thing, considering when I sweat, wearing my glasses gets a little tedious.
It's going to be a bit of an adjustment again; I'll have to remember to wear my glasses whenever I'm using the computer.
The startling fact was that my ninang informed me that, due to my age, I was probably about 5 years away from wearing bifocals. When I heard that, I think I grew a little older.
Ah, well. C'est la vie.
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