Druggista

Here’s a nice primer for all you guys who are waiting for the Simpson’s movie.  Enjoy!

After two long years of examinations, processings and anxious waiting.  The time has finally come.  I am going Down Under!  I hope life there would be welcoming to new migrant like me.  Though I know it may be hard for the first few months, I am prepared to face all the challenges.  For what is life without challenges?  Though I am leaving all my friends and family behind, they will still be with me in thought and memory.  Thank you for all the wonderful memories.  The laughters and sorrows we shared for the past 25 years will forever be ingrained in my heart.  I could not say enough thank you’s to all the people who have been a part of my life.  Of course, I also want to thank God for all His blessings unto me.  Special thanks to all of my extended family in Bethany church.  You guys, have been wonderful to me.  I hope God will continue to shower His blessings on Bethany and continue to produce living inspirations to this world. 

PS. I shall be starting a new blog when I arrive in Oz.  I haven’t really thought about the title yet but I will be posting it in a new site.  I’ll be chronicling all of my ozzie adventures in that blog as I start a new chapter in my life.   The link will be provided here soon. 

6:02 A.M. - Voice: Are you gonna jog today? 

6:05 A.M. - Me: (Thinking) " Its still kinda dark…"

(Switches to another lying position, with eyes half-open.) 

6:09 A.M. - Voice: What? You gonna jog or sleep some more?

Me: (mumbles incoherent words and then switches to another side)

6:12 A.M. - Hoosh!!! (Sudden downpour)

Me: (Thinking) Ahh…. The beautiful sound of rain, my ultimate excuse.  Zzzzzz……

I found this funny video by Lev Yilmaz in youtube.  What I particularly found noteworthy was the unique yet simple way of presenting his animations.  Check it out…

Oh by the way, what’s up with the frying pan anyway???

The morning of April 16, 2007 was the day that Americans hoped they would never have to wake up to. On this day, occurred the most horrific shooting of US history. A 23-year old South Korean student by the name of Cho Seung-Hui shot and killed 33 (including himself) of his fellow Virginia Tech schoolmates with the use of a 9mm Glock pistol and a 22 caliber handgun. The shooting rampage started at around 7:30 am and ended shortly before 11am. This incident was even worse than what occurred in Columbine, Colorado 8 years ago (April 20,1999, incidentally also in the same month of April). Police and FBI are all still wondering about what triggered this deadly massacre.

While authorities are still investigating for more answers, big media entities like CNN and Fox News are having a heyday broadcasting and re-enacting the event. Though am not an avid fan of American journalism, I must give them credit for the good job they’ve done on piecing up the bits of information together. They’re so good in extemporaneously recreating the scenes. As the viewer, you get glued to the tube, literally. It’s close to watching a blockbuster hit, but better coz its reality.

Another thing which these news groups are particularly good at, are creating subplots (stories within the story), whether it be the victim’s or the shooter’s past life. One interesting subplot, was the life of one of Cho’s victims - Liviu Librescu. He was a Romanian-American professor teaching Aeronautic Engineering. He is considered by many of his surviving students to be a hero.

This was what transpired: "My father blocked the doorway with his body and asked the students to flee," Librescu’s son, Joe Librescu, said Tuesday in a telephone interview from his home outside Tel Aviv. "Students started opening windows and jumping out."

I just wonder what coursed through his mind upon meeting the shooter face to face. He must’ve thought: This is it, this is how I’m going to die. What made this subplot really stand out from the rest, was the fact that he was a former Holocaust survivor. He survived the cruelty of the Nazis but ended up being killed by a college student. His sacrifice though was not in vain, because of him all of his students lived to tell the deadly tale. His sacrifice is also being made the totem of heroism across all news channels in America, which is another thing which they (news groups) are really good at - profiting from other people’s tragedies.

They say, there’s no news like bad news. And this rings true none better than to the media groups. Tragedies increase viewerships, and an increase in viewership ratings boosts investor confidence which in turn increases revenues from sponsorships and advertisements. No wonder I was so hooked up with the news last night. Their news crew (or creative crew in this matter) were instructed to come up with best storylines possible. No wonder its still in the Breaking News Section in CNN and Fox News though the news is already 2 days old. I was right after all, I was indeed watching a blockbuster movie! Enough with the media’s shortcomings, they’re too many to mention anyway.

I want to focus on another topic which may be relevant to this matter. I want to talk about why people in America (or is it all around the world?) stop and reflect only when something tragic happens? Right after this shooting incident, thousands of university students gathered around their Drill Field to hold a vigil and to show support to one another. They kept on quoting that the Hokie spirit will live on (Hokie being their School moniker). And in fact, one university student confessed: "We needed this."

Just like after 9/11, New Yorkers were greeting each other in the streets. New Yorkers were never famous for their courtesy before. They came together to ground zero to help out in cleaning the debris. They congregated in the streets to show their appreciation to the firemen and policemen who lost their lives. In short, New York became a better place to live after 9/11.

Why does it take death to awaken us from our insensitivities? Why does it take death to unite us? Why does it take death to create changes in this ailing society? Its like death is the key catalyst in this world of living. Without it, no one moves, no one budges, no one gives an inch, no one cares, no one feels, no one matters.

The knowledge of death changes lives. One does not continue to live his old ways knowing that tomorrow he shall die. Death is an important ingredient to life. Without it, life is devoid of its color and flavor.

Sometimes it takes death to break the redundancy of living and appreciate all its trivialities…

I absolutely love this video… this is one of the recipients of the just concluded Youtube Video Awards.  It’s an animation about a kiwi who… ahhh!!! Why should I explain it to you when you can watch it yourselves.  Here it is:  (pls don’t cry)

Pacquiao vs. Morales III on Nov.18, (Nov.19- Phil. time)

Pundits say that this time Morales is the underdog

People’s champion is a favorite at 12:1

Plainly put, a $240 bet on Pacquiao would only collect $100 if he wins, but a $100 bet on Morales would pay a whopping $200 if he wins

Personally, I’m not so much into boxing but I can see the impact of this Pacquiao-fever over the entire country

Pay-per-views are mushrooming all over the city: malls, hotels, restos, and sports complexes

Prices range from as high as P800 to big-screen rates of P100

Plane companies announcing that seats are still available for Las Vegas flights this weekend

Politicians scramble to secure their tickets and ring side seats

President Arroyo might as well join in the fray

People’s ‘new’ initiative: Pacquiao to be announced as Super Featherweight Champion of the World!

Politics and pop culture seem to go hand-in-hand in this country (the infusion of which is called Personality-politics) in fact the

Press has one time asked Pacquiao if he is interested in politics

Pacman answered: " ..konsentrayt lang muna ako sa boksing.."

Pragmatic yet poignant answer coming from the most popular icon in recent Philippine sports history

Probably, doesn’t have a reason to enter into dirty politics

Prize money for this fight is slated at the millions, and he just recently

Purchased a shimmering black Mercedes Convertible in the US

Proof of his elevated socio-economic status in this country where

Popularity is the name of the game

Pardon me, but I feel I’ve got to cut this blog short or I’ll be spending an utterly unproductive day or worse I’ll be sounding like the ever-famous elementary tongue twister full of P’s…

"Constant mutation of bacterial resistance to antibiotic"

"Incrementing annual forecasts of global temperature"

"Increased awareness of the ill effects of fastfoods and canned goods"

"Unending conflicts in the middle east"

"Seismologist forecast a huge earthquake in California within the next 50 years"

"North Korea launches test missiles"

"100 people dying everyday in Iraq war"

"Implantable verichip now available for identification and purchase"

And i thought David Blaine was otherworldly…

While roaming the ever-increasing-in-popularity video upload sites like YouTube and Metacafe, i chanced upon this mindfreak, Criss Angel. 

Does he truly perform the Black Arts?  Or is he just utilizing the power of the mind?

I don’t know, but it seems that these contemporary street magicians are suggesting that their magic involves both.  I am not opposed to the entertainment factor of magic, but they seem to encourage people to exercise the power of their minds by performing in the streets.  These innocuous tricks may be of something deeper meaning than mere entertainment.  There seems to be an invisible movement towards these forms of arts.  What has been taboo in societies before are now widely accepted and even have become popular novels and blockbuster hits.  As occultism and wizardry are slowly gaining influence in the media today, we can only ask one thing: "What has the world come to?" Indeed, we should stand steadfast to our faith so as to not cause even more people to befall upon this grand scheme of illusion and deception. 

I happen to stumble upon this website while browsing over the net.  It’s a reality show with complete interactivity.  You get to control a pathetic guy’s life (Kieran Vogel) for 6 months.  Like Big Brother, he is locked up in his house for 6 months, but visitors are allowed inside per voting basis.  Everyday, registered users get to vote on what he does, wears, eats, what time he sleeps and wakes up, how he is waked up, who gets to visit him, and who he dates.   You could also vote on hot topics like what new hairstyle he should be wearing.  Like all reality shows, it gets old really fast after viewing and listening to unintelligent conversations with his visitors.  But its cool though to see especially if your vote won ‘coz you get to see him the following day, wearing the funny costumes you voted. hehe!  This is really more of a comedy than a reality show ‘coz the choices of clothes often include some outlandish costumes.   If you guys wanna check it out, the site is: www.ourprisoner.com