Eh-hum # 286

HAPPY, HAPPY 5th BIRTHDAY TO THE HENYO BLOG (on 29 June 09)!!!

What's a birthday celebration without KARAOKE/VIDEOKE?! So for your (our) enjoyment, please sing along with a moving rendition of that ultimate karaoke number, Total Eclipse of the Heart.

But wait, THERE'S MORE! This is not just any version of Bonnie Tyler's 80s hit, it's the LITERAL version that went viral just recently. Literal means the song is about the events in the music video. So, turn around bright eyes and get a load of this:

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On a sadder note, the undisputed King of Pop died today at age 50. While his career was marred by erratic behavior, plastic surgeries and allegations of child abuse, Jackson will remain one of the most influential and talented entertainers of the 20th Century. Without a doubt, he was at his finest when performing his best songs and busting his best moves. And we shall remember him that way.

Michael Jackson

(1958-2009)

Eh-hum # 285

On the way to work today, I heared the radio ads by three Senators: Manny Villar, Mar Roxas and Loren Legarda. Among the three, Villar's had the most airtime (it was the longest). *Sigh* In the Philippines, it is never too early to start campaigning for the next national elections in 2010.

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Methinks the most controversial issue to date is House Resolution 1109, or resolution passed at the Lower House calling for the convening of a constituent assembly (CON-ASS) to propose amendments to the Constitution without the Senate. According to the national dailies, the Supreme Court junked a petition submitted yesterday by "taxpayers" against the said resolution. The high-court called the petition premature and stating that proponents of the resolutions have yet to "perfom a positive act" (read: do anything substantial vis-a-vis CON-ASS) that would merit an intervention from the SC. True; it has been a waiting game of sorts since HR 1109 was approved.

For me, I have not seen anything concrete; perhaps that is why the rallies last week were not so popular (especially to annoyed Makati employees who had a hard time communiting), its more on noise rather than substance. Most of the time, we are left to speculate of what will the House solons (PGMA allies) will do next. According to the Speaker, they will convene after PGMA delivers her SONA next month. Personally, I am not as informed as the others on this whole CON-ASS issue; perhaps this is a good time for me (and most of the Filipinos) to study the moves of key politicians and read the dailies. As the SC ruling said, "It is not an open invitation for the ignorant and ignoble to file petitions that prove nothing but their cerebral deficit".

Hence, if we want our voices to be heard and our vigilance not wasted, our actions should be based on credible information and a good understanding of the issue at hand.

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I was feeling under the weather last Sunday and yesterday. Because I went to school last Saturday, the first thing that came to mind was H1N1. I have the sniffles and am coughing a bit, but thank goodness I didn't have a fever. I am now on the road to recovery, thanks to countless glasses of pineapple juice and certain medications.

H1N1 can be fatal, but let us not forget that other equally (perhaps even more) dangerous disease, Dengue.

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Good riddance to the circus that is the Hayden-Katrina Senate hearing (Great, another in-aid-of-legislation hearing gone to waste; did it help at all?). Please, let us forget about these two and tackle the issue of pronography/cybercrimes/cybersex rationally without the unnecessary drama. Moreover, please let a more credible politician handle this issue, rather than a notorious womanizer and sexist. Eh-hum.

Eh-hum # 284

Yesterday, my sister and I decided to spend time at the mall, by eating out, shopping and watching a movie. For the last item, we watched Terminator Salvation.

As you may have read, critics are divided with the movie. Moreover, many fans of the franchise did not like it because it lacked the triumvirate: James Cameron, Linda Hamilton (and her uber-cool one hand shotgun pump in T2) and the original Terminator, California's Governator. Well, Schwarzenegger, made a "cameo", but it wasn't really him, just his likeness. In addition, that was Hamilton in the tapes.

Well, for the record, I enjoyed it (for what it is). Though beautiful as he is, this is not Christian Bale's best performance. Thus, I give credit to Australian actor Sam Worthington (below) for giving the movie "heart".

After watching the film, I understood why Cameron handpicked him to be in T4 (he's the lead in Cameron's Avatar). Well, I don't know about you ladies, but I certainly don't mind seeing more of Sam in the future...hopefully mine. Eh-hum.

Eh-hum # 283

Two pieces of Pinoy news:

Good news for all bookworms!  PGMA ordered the Department of Finance to lift the taxes imposed on imported books and reading materials.

According to (Malacañang) Palace officials, the directive was prompted by "a torrent of criticism on the move of the Bureau of Customs (BOC), which is under the supervision of the finance department, to impose the duties."

We can now visit our friendly neighborhood bookshops for those hard-to-get titles without the fear of unnecessary overpricing.

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I doubt if anyone in this country (and other Pinoys abroad) has not heard of the latest showbiz scandal to rock the nation: The Halili-Kho Sex(ploitation) Video.  Well, might as well join the bandwagon and share my thoughts on this brouhaha.

Well, I give credit to Katrina Halili for admitting, amidst tears, that she was indeed the unlucky lady getting screwed (no pun intended) by the not-so-good doctor, Hayden Kho.  Prior to that, It took a lot of guts for her to admit that she and Kho were lovers, while the latter was with Ms. Vicky Belo.  When this issue first surfaced, I knew that a number of snide and sexist remarks would be thrown at the starlet.  I am definitely not a fan, but the lady deserves justice, since she has been wronged.  

Nonetheless, let us not immediately condemn Kho to death.  As of now, I sense that he is indeed guilty of capturing his (s)excapades on video without the knowledge of the other party (and statutory rape as well with another sex video that leaked).  But distributing the video to pirates, somebody else could be liable for that.  It is possible that he made these videos for his personal use only.  But again, it is truly unacceptable that he recorded the whole thing without Katrina et. al. knowing it.  

I agree with the idea that what people do within the confines of their bedroom is their business. If they decided to share their, uh, "intimate moments" with the rest of the world and earn from it, then that's pornography.  I agree with Mr. Condrad De Quiros of the Inquirer, the recording isn't the issue, it's the distribution.  If the Halili-Kho video, among others, were not leaked, then there is no issue because it's a private affair.

Unfortunately, and expectedly, handling this issue has become a circus, with politicos left and right giving their professional opinion on the matter.  Well, am sure Sen. Bong Revilla really wants to help Katrina, but what I am hoping is some consistency on the part of our lawmakers. 

Why only now to mobilize and put a stop to cybercrimes?  I remembered Sen. Madrigal was involved in cases against cybersex dens a few years back, what ever happened to that? Moreover, am sure Katrina Halili is NOT the only victim of a similar crime; what about the others who are victims of more heinous sex-related crimes like rape?  Should our "honorable" senators be prioritizing those who do not have Katrina's resources to attain justice.   We should really stop treating issues as if they are happening for the first time when in fact they are NOT.  Also, stop the unnecessary drama and get on with it.

And for the cynical at heart (which I have the tendency to be), why is this all happening two years after the video was recorded?  Since I have to get back to work (hwehe), kindly place your theory in the space provided:

Eh-hum # 282

Geeez, I hope I won't get persecuted for this.  But this post was inspired by an article from an alpha blog and TIME.com.

Many women have expressed that they "love a man in uniform".  I wonder if "uniform" also includes a priest's habit.  The answer would be, more or less, a YES, especially if the said priest looks a lot like Ewan McGregor:

(Picture is a cropped version of an Angels and Demons wallpaper.)

If the answer to that question is also a YES, then we would have a difficult time concentrating in mass (or, we have now more reasons why we should attend mass).  Not bad, eh?  Well, these priests in their dapper habits (preferably McGregor) would not only inspire the faithful to wholeheartedly celebrate mass, it is possible for them to provide inspiration to a fashion collection.  

Silly, you say? Well, it already happened, courtesy of the "Heartthrob of the Vatican", Monsignor George Gaenswein, who reportedly inspired Donatella Versace's Spring 2007 collection.  And what does Ms. Versace say about her, uh, muse? Well, she confessed (eh-hum) that she found Father Gaenswein's "austerity very elegant".  FYI, Father Gaenswein is Pope Benedict XVI's personal secretary.  And as such, he gets to decide the Pope's activity for the day, accompany him in his travels, organize the Pope's schedule, etc.

Thanks to his tall, athletic frame and dirty-blond hair (and his clerical black uniform), the monsignor has attracted the attention of the Italian public, which includes the paparazzi.  Not bad, eh? Of course, he prefers the life behind the scenes. Well, with a nickname like "Bel Giorgo", that would be quite tricky.

*pictures from Time.com

Eh-hum # 281

Just two things:

1. CONGRATULATIONS to the Pambansang Kamao (National Fist) Manny Pacquaio for knocking out British Boxer (or brawler) Ricky Hatton on the 2nd Round. Read TIME article on PACMAN here.  So who's the "joke coach" now, Floyd Sr?

And on a more personal note;

2. R.I.P. to our Perdie, many thanks for your much appreciated doggy antics.

Eh-hum # 280

An opinion article from the Inquirer asked this question: What if Estrada becomes president again?

"Perish the thought!", says me who joined People Power II ousting Estrada. What makes the ousted and convicted ex-President think that he is qualified to run this country? He's no better than the current regime.

There are two major things that caught my attention in his artice: (1) his list of senatorial candidates for the opposition and (2) his answer on how he will solve the situation in Mindanao. I did not include the debate of whether he can indeed run again (his civil rights have been restored due to the pardon), since I have no legal background.

His senatorial lists consists of the following: Reelectionist Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Jinggoy Estrada, former Sen. Sergio Osmeña III, Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez and Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teodoro Casiño (oh really now), United Opposition spokesman Adel Tamano, Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III, broadcast journalist Ted Failon, Grace Poe, daughter of bosom friend Fernando Poe Jr. (WTF?!?), and incarcerated Brig. Gen. Danny Lim. Meanwhile, former Sen. Agapito “Butz” Aquino and Makati Mayor Jejomar “Jojo” Binay were listed as "reserves".

I am not going to elaborate, but this pretty much shows how f*cked up Pinoy politics is, which is run by political dynasties, serial balimbings, trapos, and people who have NO experience in Public Administration, Public Policy whatsoever.

So, how will the "Kumpare King" solve the crisis in Mindanao?

"Di ba almost solved na yon when I was ousted?” he said. “Camp Abubakar had been captured by the AFP. Now Gloria has given it back to the MILF.”

Yep, all-out war. Nothing has changed.

Eh-hum # 279

AAARRRRR

Being a daughter of a Master Mariner (Captain), who is currently overseas, learning that your dad's ship will pass the coast of Somalia is like a death sentence. You would rather encourage him to prematurely finish his contract and come home; miles away from the pirates of the East African coast (thankfully, he won't; so does my uncle, a licensed Master). Last Sunday's dramatic rescue of Richard Phillips, the American captain held hostage since April 8 by defiant Somali pirates, gave the impression that we are well on our way in putting a stop to this transnational and costly crime. However, it is just one of out the many incidents of piracy in the high seas and all efforts appear to be floundering in the face of a relentless, quick-to-adapt, resurgent enemy.

European countries, particularly the United Kingdom and France, have sponsored United Nations resolutions authorizing military action to combat the pirates. Hence, naval ships from the US and European nations were deployed to curb piracy off the Horn of Africa. However, as an article from TIME states, these operations have yet to yield favorable response. Phillips' rescue, after all, was simply an effort to play "catch-up". A day before his rescue, the pirates have captured another vessel, an Italian tugboat in the Gulf of Aden, which brings the total of high-seas abductions this year to 65, compared with 164 for all of 2008 and 2009. In addition, the Associated Press reports that Somali pirates captured four ships and took more than 60 crew, one of which is a Greek-managed bulk carrier, Irene E.M. This "brazen hijacking spree" was said to be caused by the death of three Somali pirates during the rescue operation of Phillips.

US Defense Secretary Robert Gates reports that the four pirates who attacked the Maersk Alabama, were between 17 and 19 years old, or "untrained teenagers with heavy weapons". If that is the case, how come these pirates are able to dodge these well-armed, highly trained and high-tech navies? Experts on maritime security expressed that the United States, NATO and EU should straighten out organization issues, as well as defining their goals in the Gulf of Aden: to end piracy or to win top honors for their respective military strength. Moreover, there is the issue of poverty, which most likely drives these Somalis to piracy. In this regard, the government of Somali should take a stand. These incidents has apparently exposed "the impotency of Somalia's transitional government". But their leaders, led by the newly installed Somali President Sheik Sharif Sheik Ahmed, hopes to curb this problem, which can contribute to efforts in ending the country's 18-year stint as a failed state.

Shipping plays a significant role in world trade. More importantly, Filipinos are a major stakeholder of the maritime/shipping industry, and due to earnings, Filipino sailors are unfazed by threats of piracy. About 40 percent of 800,000 seafarers around the world are Filipinos. And of nearly 250 sailors being held by the pirates, almost 100 are from the Philippines. Hence, it is only natural that we should be supportive of international endeavors to curb piracy in the high seas, whether in Africa or in Asia (in particular, the Malacca strait).

Eh-hum # 278

Sorry, am on vacation mode right now, so nothing much to share.

Except for this, which is really funny.

When worlds collide: comic Ricky Gervais and one of the greatest actors on stage and film, Sir Ian McKellen, in a brilliant scene from the series Extras. Sir Ian shares his acting secrets, using his role as Gandalf in LOTR as an example. Enjoy!

Eh-hum # 277

When worlds collide, part 2 series of 2009.

Yes, I thought it would be cool to feature videos (or pictures) of two or more personalities who you don't normally see together but when they do come together, the outcome would be extremely funny, entertaining and interesting.

Here, its UK comic hero Ricky Gervais and cute Sesame Street residence Elmo. Enjoy!

Eh-hum # 276

WHUT?

So, it has come to pass: Nicole, or Suzette S. Nicolas in real life, recanted her claims in 2005 that a US serviceman raped her. She submitted an affidavit yesterday and has terminated the services of her lawyer. In addition, Nicole accepted money from the said servicemen and has left for the United States with her American boyfriend. According to her mother, she will be staying in the US for good. In short, Nicole chose to move on.

When this sudden “change of heart” on Nicole’s part was published in the national dailies, I expected every Filipino, or anyone who cares, would give his or her two cents worth on the incident. After all, Smith was found guilty by the Makati City Court using evidence that does not suggest consensual sex. So why leave the country? Those who sympathize with her will say the Philippine justice system has failed her; hence, she would rather get the money and the opportunity to leave the country and start a new life. Unfortunately for Nicole, there are people who are not very kind and have already judged her from the very beginning.

Her decision to submit her affidavit and leave the case, she will be labeled as any or a combination of the following: a liar, an opportunist, a whore. Back in 2005, people have raised questions about Nicole’s profession in Subic, her priorities and her decision to accompany Smith’s group that fateful night. If she was indeed raped, it was because she deserved it. Moreover, given her questionable lifestyle, should we expect anything less? I admit; I have my doubts at the beginning. I believed that when we make choices, we should also be prepared for the consequences. That night, as an adult, Nicole made her choice, and therefore should know what’s coming next. However, I also learned that a woman (a child, even a man), no matter how shady her profession is or desperate the situation she is in, does not deserve to be physically, sexually or emotionally abused.

In yesterday’s Philippine Daily Inquirer, this snippet from her sworn statement struck me: “My conscience continues to bother me realizing that I may have in fact been so friendly and intimate with Daniel Smith at the Neptune Club that he was led to believe that I was amenable to having sex or that we simply just got carried away.” I don’t know if this makes sense, but in my opinion, being friendly or intimate should never be confused with wanting to have sex. She will decide if she wants to sleep with someone or not. No actually means no.

We will never truly know if she was indeed a victim of sexual assault. The courts said she was, but her affidavit could challenge the earlier conviction. Nonetheless, she was, as one PDI columnist pointed out, a victim of circumstance. Apart from the slow justice system we have, were people who rallied behind her really and genuinely concerned about her cause, or did they just used her for their own anti-VFA sentiments? Would Nicole be liable for perjury and false testimony in court? How will this affect the other cases of rape in the country? Even though she has left for the US, Nicole has not entirely left the issue behind.

Eh-hum # 275

HULLO! It's March already, can you believe it? Eh-hum.

Before I write anything from everyday life to Philippine politics, I just want to share this:



When worlds collide, Neil Gaiman as guest in the Colbert Report. ASTIG.

Enjoy!

Eh-hum # 274

WHUT?!

Based on today's papers, the Senate yesterday felt that one way to stop corruption and bid rigging contractors, public works officials and pork barrel holders (ehem) is by calling the World Bank to the stands. Yes, the same institution that submitted an investigative/referral report (waaaayyy) back in November 2007 on certain companies and individuals involved in the alleged collusion. These referral reports, as required by the WB's sanctions procedures, are meant to help government act on allegations of misuse of the Bank's funds. It's logical, really, that an institution like the World Bank wants to make sure that its funds and development aid does not find its way in the hands of private, greedy individuals.

I could not help but also find this Senate investigation unneccesary, as expressed by Neal Cruz of the Inquirer. Bid-rigging and other similiar unlawful activities are an open secret. The Senate, and the rest of the Government, should have worked on this problem A LONG TIME AGO, even before the WB submitted its referral report in 2007 (two years ago...hello). I find it embarrassing that an organization outside the Philippine government should TELL US that WE have a problem to solve.

Our good Senators and the lady Ombudsman went all emotional and patriotic yesterday by calling the World Bank a "squatter in Philippine territory". Ah, okay. Let's not resolve to name-calling. It's a referral report people (available BACK IN 2007), they are not dictating anything. Am sure our dear leaders can speak with WB representatives on the issue at hand (yes, yes, let's stick to the issue, please) and determine the best practices that would prevent any anomalies vis-a-vis the development funds. I don't think the Bank makes these reports just for the heck of it, their integrity as an organizaton is on the line. If their representatives on the ground heard any allegations of corruption, it is understandable they would want to scrutinize it further.

I think the matter is serious enough to merit an investigation on our part (which we should have started, oh, I don't know, BACK IN 2007!!!). If our dear Senators want to be patriotic, they should've made sure the Filipino taxpayers are getting their money's worth with all of these "in-aid-of-legislation" investigation of theirs.

Haaay buhaaayy...

Eh-hum # 273

This is a tad late, but it is such wonderful news that I just had to share it:

NEIL GAIMAN WINS THE NEWBERY MEDAL FOR HIS LATEST WORK, "THE GRAVEYARD BOOK".

There, I shouted it out for the rest of the world to hear.

An online article from Publisher's Weekly:

Neil Gaiman Wins Newbery Medal for "The Graveyard Book"
By Donna Freitas -- Publishers Weekly, 1/29/2009

Last fall PW caught up with Neil Gaiman to talk about his newest children’s book, The Graveyard Book, which at the time was hot off the press. This week, Gaiman is recovering from some very exciting news regarding his novel: waking up during the wee hours of Monday morning to a chorus of 14 children’s librarians shouting on speakerphone that his book had won the Newbery Medal.

“I was on so little sleep and had not expected or even dreamed that I would win,” Gaiman said about the 5:30 a.m. call to his cell phone—he was in Los Angeles doing a press junket for the film based on Coraline, which is set for release February 6. “The only thing going through my head was: ‘Don’t swear. It’s wrong. They’re librarians.’ And then I was informed I couldn’t say anything for another hour until it was announced. So I just sat there and wrote a blog entry, made myself some tea, and phoned my agent who was over the moon, and my editor, Elise Howard, who was crying she was so excited.”

Read the rest of the article here.

Congratulations, Mr Gaiman, you deserve it!

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In other book-related news, Stephen King has something to say about Stephenie Meyer: "...can't write worth a darn. She's not very good".

Eh-hum.

Eh-hum # 272

Another side to Alan Rickman, when not terrorizing certain students at Hogwarts. Plus, its a really lovely song from the UK band, Texas. Enjoy!