Archive for June, 2008
Readiness and Disaster Management are the recent issues in the Philippines. PAGASA claims that there was a breakdown in the structural aspect of their readiness program during typhoon Frank. There is no such thing as readiness. Nature is uncontrolled that’s why most of us thrive to be unnatural. The only thing a forecast can do is minimize casualties; it’s not a prevention. I guess it’s a readiness to be killed for the dead. I’m a huge fan of the natural and I missed one good nature loving during the typhoon. I miss the days back home when we encounter annual typhoon visits. It’s exhilarating. Now most of you will definitely say that it’s insensitive of me to be thinking that way after many people lost their lives. Sorry to disappoint you, but that’s what we call “natural death”. Sooner or later you’ll die, so why not give your life to something that gave and is giving you life and not to some illness caused by the artificial or ambitions. I want to die with nature’s help or during my sleep. That way there’s nobody to blame for my death.
Disaster Management — I’ve nothing on this one. I don’t have the luxury to think about helping the victims. If it was me, I’d look at this as a rebirth and reset my life. I would disappear and live life anew. I’ve been waiting for something like this to happen to me; especially when I’m traveling by plane. I always wish my plane crashes in an inhabited island so that if I survived, I’d live in solitude. Did I just digress?
June 30th, 2008
Another finalist who did not deserve to be booted out of the contest is a goner. Mae Flores who is one of the better contestant did not receive enough text votes. I’m not going to complain…I just needed to give Mae a special mention.
June 29th, 2008
Here is the top-10 list of my favorite songs of all time (not in particular order):
- Imagine (John Lennon)
- Lightning Crashes (Live)
- Losing My Religion (R.E.M.)
- Under The Bridge (Red Hot Chili Peppers)
- Creep (Radiohead)
- Everlasting (Manic Street Preachers)
- Don’t Look Back In Anger (Oasis)
- No Good For Me (The Corrs)
- Promises (The Cranberries)
- Sweet Child O’ Mine (Guns ‘N Roses)
June 29th, 2008
I’m back in New York. It feels like I’ve been gone for more than six days. Now I’m in my comfort zone. I have nothing left to say, except a few pictures I’m going to parade below. Visit the photos page for more. I didn’t capture much. I’m a lazy bummer when it comes to photography.
The Rockies (British Columbia)
The Prairie (Manitoba)
June 28th, 2008
Montréal, Québec — That means my flight is canceled. I had to re-book my flight for a later one to a different destination. What troubled me was when I called Air Canada’s reservation hotline, the representative gave me a Toronto flight to be an option. My original destination was Newark, New Jersey. Why in the hell would I want to fly to Toronto as an alternative? If he expected me to drive eight hours from Toronto to New York, wouldn’t it make sense for me to drive almost the same number of hours from Montreal?
I don’t know the real reason for the cancellation because the teller told me (that’s what a teller does; tells you) that the weather wasn’t good at the destination. When I called my mother to inquire (we live 20 minutes away from Newark) she said that it’s so hot there. I’m supposed to be there at this very minute. Instead I’ll be arriving at 7PM and I hate traveling from La Guardia.
What did I think of Montreal? Simply put, it’s like Queens, New York. It’s the least I liked amongst the four provinces. The expressways here are like the BQE — that’s how fucked up it is (if you know my loathsome sentiments on BQE). Unlike from other Canadian provinces, signs here are written and spoken in French first before English. If there is no linguist spirit running through your veins, it’d be difficult for you to drive here. All roadway signs are in French — Nord, Est, Oest, Sud, rue, sortie. See, I’ve picked up a few words.
Au revoir Montréal.
June 28th, 2008
Winnipeg, Manitoba — It’s been a while since my last entry and here I am full of expectations for this one. I don’t like Canadians. I have been solid about that for years now. I don’t like them politically, culturally and throw in also economically.
Canadians have been unsubtle about their (except for the Prime Minister I guess) dislike of the United States of America. Canada envelopes the northern part of the US and they are well protected by the US militarily from three directions. Instead of gratitude for this, the Canadians think that what the (US)Americans are doing to keep a civilize world is plain wrong. They are too idealistic for their own good.
Now let’s talk about idealism for Canada. Canada uses two languages — English (British, not [US]American) and French. That means that they are bounded to the British and the French who discovered their neck of the woods. Essentially, Canada has no independence so they should just shut their mouths about the United States and get their shit together first to get away from their monarchs. Trivially, Canada has no president. Instead they have a prime minister because they still recognize the monarchs thousands of miles away in the land called the United Kingdom. If you ask Canadians why they don’t exist as a Republic, they would tell you that they are sentimental about the presence of the monarchy. A stupid thing to say for a could-be-sovereign country.
Culturally, I dislike their attitudes. (US)Americans are liberal, but they at least have manners. Canadians lack courtesy, hospitality and other good manners. Canadians will confirm this. They think they are high up in the food chain to be looking down on people. Here’s a stereotype: if you meet a rude Caucasian in the States, most likely he’s from Canada. One more piece of observation: Canadians look alike. I would like to post pictures, but I won’t. When you visit Canada, pick one face and you’ll find many of them like that…pick the ones with ’stache.
If (US)Americans complain so much about taxes, go to Canada and you’ll wish you can bring your taxes from the States. Generally, they have two taxes: GST (federal) and PST (provincial). Total tax could reach 15% - 20% of your purchase. That’s too much. They even have AST (accommodation) and a GST is also taken from that AST. So if you stay in a hotel, they will charge you two taxes plus an accommodation tax plus another tax off that accommodation tax. What they mean to say is that “pay us double, foo!”
I think that about covers my dislike for Canada and its people. However, I LOVE the music they make. I will also attempt to photographically compare the four provinces I visited when I get back, so watch out for that my dear readers.
June 26th, 2008
I couldn’t deliver a promise to myself that I would write each day of the weekdays. I was too busy at work that I lost so many blogging hours. I am writing this entry aboard a Continental Airline flight. So what thoughts have accumulated this past week?
Firstly, my attempt to move my router failed. I’ll figure it out when I return.
The first Gala Night of Pinoy Idol was held this weekend and I was fortunate to watch the performances. The show has put a limit on the number of text votes per SIM; the maximum is 200 text votes per SIM. My guess was correct because I guessed an average of 100 per SIM.
Eat Bulaga’s first E-Banda Eskuwelahan came into existence this weekend also. Out of four bands, I enjoyed two. It was a good contest.
At work, I ordered tons of computers. I realized that I’m too slow setting them up. When I say setup, it means uninstalling pre-installed software and installing my own software. One PC per hour is quite slow. Alongside that, I was also multi-tasking — programming and other operational work. Joking around has to be there also to take away all the pressure.
June 22nd, 2008
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