AI8 Group 2 Shaking the Ground

I should be doing my lecture for tomorrow. But heck, I prefer scrutinizing Ryan Seacrest’s shirt first.

This, so far is the best group of semi-finalist I’ve ever seen in American Idol. I really had a hard time picking my top three for this week. As compared to last week, the top three for the first batch was very easy to predict. Talking about last week, let me share to you first my Group 1 top three:


First on my list is Danny Gokey. Charms + Voice = AI8 winner. But nah, it’s too early to predict. And no, am not in the fad of idolizing Mr. Gokey. It’s just I feel that he’s an Archie-to-be. Thou this time, he has a dramatic story to start with. I don’t know either if this will affect how people will vote for him. As what I know, people are starting to campaign for him thru blogs; paying bloggers who will write a post about him. Honestly, I have no issues with this kind of deed; it’s just am still not with the Gokey-hype.

Here’s a part of an email I received from a blogger’s yahoogroup I am part of:


Second on my list is Ricky Braddy. If you ask for voice quality, he’s the man. Unfortunately, he picked a non-conventional song that didn’t mark in America’s keypad. He’s not here to win the game.

Third, Jackie Tohn. Oh! I love watching her on the stage. She’s like a professional performer. The song also fitted her well.

To boot, Alexis Grace is also a fave. She’s fourth in my list. And yes, am happy that I'll be seeing more of her in the finals!

With 20,000 votes ahead of Anoop Dog, Michael Sarver was VERY lucky. But still, am not a fan. By the way, Tatiana, don't worry baby, I still heart you. Mwahugslurp!



So much to say about last week, let me talk about what happened today.

I am very disappointed for those who picked the wrong songs:

• Jasmine Murray. I love her ever since Hollywood week. Her range is awesome. But singing Sara Bareille’s "Love Song" will not bring you to the finals. Why didn’t you choose a BIG song?!! Huhu.
• Matt Giraud. Oh Matt… Please don’t try hard to be Justin Timberlake when you sing Coldplay’s "Viva La Vida." It didn’t work. You have a great voice and play the piano well. Stick to Ray Charles, please!
• Matt Breitzke. I can’t even remember his performance… What did he sing?
• Kai Kalama. A 60’s hit is not for you Kai. You have a big heart and an excellent voice. You sounded good, but not good enough to bring you to the finals. Tsk. Tsk.
• Mishavonna Henson. Although I love “Drops of Jupiter,” it’s not meant for a singing competition. It didn’t show well your vocal skills.
  

If only they picked the right songs, everyone will surely have a shot for the top twelve!

Jeanie Vailes, Kris Allen, and Jesse Langset. All of them picked the right songs. And I rank them 6th, 5th, and 4th, respectively. They’re my second group of top three basing it on performance and voice quality. Impressive vocals they have. However, it’s still not a valid ticket for the finals. How I wish all of them would qualify to the final twelve!

Finally, here’s my top three:


Megan Joy Corkrey. She was very cute singing Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Put Your Records On.” Add to it the white dress and the dancing. But, do you still remember how was Antonella Barba eliminated? She said in her last AI performance, “girl, put your records on…” Oh no Megan!

Adam Lambert. It doesn’t matter if you’re gay. I still heart you. You rock, dude! You’re someone to beat in the top twelve. Hurray!

Allison Iraheta. Sweet sixteen as she is, but extraordinary vocal prowess! Her performance is what I call a show off. A show off that will bring her to the magic twelve. Yehey for Allison!



Did I forget anyone? Hmmm...



Wait! Nick Mitchell. Nick Gentle. Whatever!

Oh Nick! You’re an apparition for American Idol! People might have issues with you, but I believe you’re a talented performer. How I wish I can see more of you in the next episodes. But who knows? Maybe you genuinely entertained America and they might *crossing fingers* bring you to the finals! I’ll be ecstatic to see you at the finals too. LOL.


About Seacrest’s shirt, am just not used to see him wearing polo shirts in AI. That’s all.




Wait, so what is plutonism again? o.O


Now back to my PowerPoint. Or maybe I'd rather hit the sack. Zzzzz...

And the Oscar goes to...

I had Slumdog Millionaire for my breakfast-brunch-lunch last Saturday morning. Upon waking up, I grabbed Ace, returned to my bed, and watch the film until 12:30pm.


A. He cheated.


After watching The Curious Case of Benjamin Button early last month, I was totally decided that it should win 'Best Picture.' Surprisingly, I was more amazed when Ayush Makesh Khedekar swam in the pool of feces just to have Amitabh Bachchan's autograph than Brad Pitt's transfiguration from an old man suffering from arthritis to being the sexiest man on earth.

Therefore, I'm changing my bet for 'Best Picture' from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to Slumdog Millionaire.


B. He's lucky.


Slumdog is an additional movie to the list I've posted last month on The guru's oscar pickS:

• The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
  
• Vicky Cristina Barcelona
  
• Iron Man
  
• Hellboy II: The Golden Army
  
• Wall-E
  
• Wanted
  
• Kung Fu Panda
  
• Slumdog Millionaire
  

Notice how diverse the genre of films I'm watching? It's even better than Tubbataha Reef's biodiversity!


C. He's a genius.


So again, here are my biased predictions on who I WANT to win later on in life:

• Actor in a Leading Role - Brad Pitt (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
• Actor in a Supporting Role - Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)
• Actress in a Leading Role - Meryl Streep (Doubt)
• Actress in a Supporting Role - Taraji Henson (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)
• Animated Feature Film - Wall-E
• Cinematography - Slumdog Millionaire
• Directing - Slumdog Millionaire
• Film Editing - Slumdog Millionaire
• Makeup - Hellboy II: The Golden Army
• Music (Score) - Wall-E
• Visual Effects - Iron Man
• Writing (Adapted Screenplay) - Slumdog Millionaire
  
• Best Picture - should I say my pick here, again?
  

For sure you've seen this picture already:


Got this one from Neil Brian's plurk. (Just click the image to enlarge it).

Well if this was the first time for you to see that pix, you've missed a quarter of an Astronimical Unit. We'll see if this leakage is worth of our precious time.



As for me, I knew it already even from the very start that the best answer is:


D. It is written.

Emancipation From Poverty Through Legal Empowerment

UP Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity, Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights - Asia (ESCR-Asia), and Alternative Law Groups

invites you to a forum on

Emancipation From Poverty Through Legal Empowerment

The activity is geared towards promoting public consciousness on how the legal system can be a tool in alleviating the deplorable conditions of the poor and in ultimately eliminating the blight of poverty in the country.

The keynote speaker is Justice Renato S. Puno of the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

It will be held on February 27, 2009, 1-5pm at the Malcolm Theater, UP College of Law, Diliman, Quezon City.


If you are interested, please feel free to email e_benzene@yahoo.com

Sugus

While checking my private plurks this evening, I noticed a thread about a "boy that got bullied & beat at the open party recently and the mom sent out a widely circulated email."

Being used to forwarded scams sent thru email, I really didn't mind it.

Surprisingly, while scanning my inbox, 6:57 pm of February 16, I received an email about a party host named Sugus. For records sake, here is the complete unedited email FORWARDED by Fhabi:

FYI in case you guys are hiring a PARTY HOST OR CLOWN ENTERTAINER for your childrens parties

Dear friends and family,

I have pondered for almost 6 months whether I should do this. At first, I was prepared to let this awful experience just slide. However, as new information about misbehaviors of this host unfolds, I can no longer endure the thought of another kid being abused.

So here it is: his name is RONALD LEGASPI but known as SUGUS in the kiddie party planning and entertainment as well as the theater industry. He is about 42-years old and has claimed to an actor and commercial model. He is a great womanizer claiming to have had sex with over 100 women to date from whores, artists, GROs, students, etc. He had a couple of mistresses who were used abused and hurt. My private investigator has also reported that he was reprimanded by a police officer having oral sex at a Makati parking lot and he had paid 7,000 for the offense. Friends of his says that he is in a very miserable and bad marriage and insecured of his rich wife.

Anyways, my bad experience happened in March this year 2008 when I threw a party for my son at a clubhouse in Greenhills in San Juan City. Guests observed that this host Sugus was always staring at my other kid, my daughter who is 10 years old. During parlor games, she was touching the hair of my little girl, the yayas present that time reported. What came as a shock of my life was when after the party, behind the backdrop, this host unzipped his pants and showed his "birdie" to my daughter and was signaling for her to touch it. My daughter ran screaming but when I called his attention, he appeared to be innocent of the crime. I sent him away at once. I reported the matter to the police at once and had file a case against this immoral person. Case is now with the trial court.

Aside from molesting my daughter who has suffered trauma from this horrible experience, I found out that he also maltreated a little boy after a party after the boy called him an old, ugly monkey. He bullied the boy and made `pitik' the ear. Even if there were feedbacks in the past that he is a good host, people should be careful because such behavior may be only manifesting now. For what reasons, we do not know. But this host Sugus is definitely sick and needs psychological help. I am not out to destroy a person reputation, because it is a waste of my time and energy to write this if my intention is not pure. It is a moral obligation to make people
aware of other people wrongdoing.

Don't ignore this important warning from me. Better be safe than sorry. There are many other good hosts to choose from. Please, please beware of this person because he could sweet talk you and act very charming to deceive people. Please pass this message so that we can help in our own little way to prevent the abuse of innocent kids.

(sgd.) Mommy Elen Dy

Sad, isn't it?

However, 9:41 pm of the same day, an email came again, but this time from Bernard, bearing this complete text:

Hi,

I guess forwards like this are the flipside of the internet age. You can actually destroy a person's life in a flash through these unverified stories.

I happen to know SUGUS when I worked in UCPB. He used to be a Manager of one of the departments of the bank, so you can imagine how shocked I was when I read this story. Personally, I am not close to him but I have known this guy to be really decent and he was respected at work.

I called my former officemates at work today to verify if any of these are true. The ones closest to Sugus in the office are seething with rage for their friend who's a real good guy. I was informed that this supposed e-mail purporting to come from a mother was written by his erstwhile friend whom he had a falling out with. This friend even went to the extent of creating a fake friendster account and embarassed SUGUS to his catholic religious community called SOLV. It IS that bad. SUGUS sued this friend and the suit is now pending.

For the record, the case mentioned herein is non-existent and this supposed event is completely fabricated. Sugus resigned from his stable and lucrative job in the bank to do what he loves best - to entertain. I saw him last year playing a character on the TV show Super Inggo in ABS CBN. He IS a great party organizer and host and so great with kids. It is sad that because of this email thread, he is losing clientele because people would naturally be wary of him even if the story is completely untrue.

I don't want to preach against our right to forward stuff. We are all guilty of it one way or another. I just realized how we can also be part of destroying someone's life and reputation simply by the forward and send buttons.

I hope you can also forward this in defense of SUGUS. Better yet, i hope you can tell your friends to check the source of the rumor and if such allegations have suffiencient basis because these are serious and defamatory allegations. It's so easy to destroy and break a reputation but I doubt if you can completely restore it.

Thanks and God bless.

Bernard

Both emails came from my college organization's yahoogroup.

I do not know Fhabi nor Bernard, personally. But since both of them are members of the Christian organization I am part of, I wont compromise their credibility.

I have no idea whether the case being talked about in the plurk thread is the same one mentioned in the first email I received.

If that's the case, I have no idea on the veracity of such claims.



Please, enlighten me.




Well, in case we are at the same page of the same book, I hope all of us can read between the lines.




UPDATE:

Feb 17 (11:56pm) - I verified it. Not the same emails. Many thanks Jane!

Love: It's Killing Me

Questions about love would always hark back the memories of my elementary days—autographs here and everywhere.

‘Love is blind’ or ‘God is love,’ are the most overt answers to the question ‘define love’ in any autograph book I would read. Though it may sound cliché, people who had resolved to those answers were, indeed,right.

Agape is the most important love of all. It is different from all the others. It is eternal; it is universal; though, sometimes, it is taken for granted. For no one can teach you what agape involves, thus, it is also something that all of us need to develop; it is, irrefutably, God’s love.

Eros is a different kind of love. It speaks of physical love. It is physical love and physical affection between two individuals. When people fall in love, eros love gets involve. That’s the time when love, becomes blind…

But still, it's a mystery
How you ever came to me
Which only proves
Love moves in mysterious ways
— Julia Fordham, Love Moves In (Mysterious Ways)

Love comes to us arbitrarily. Hence, just like a box of chocolates, you’ll never know what you’ll get. You can’t teach yourself how to love, what more to dictate to yourself whom to love. Thus, just like in the art of teaching, it is the process that really matters in what they call, ‘the art of loving.’ How you substantiated that love of yours or how determined were you to show your love to the person you really care for.

Cause I feel myself surrender
Each time I see your face
I am staggered by your beauty
Your unassuming grace
And I feel my heart is turning
Falling into place
I can't hide it
Now hear my confession
— Josh Groban, My Confession

Falling in love is the most obscure offense a person could do to himself/herself. Falling in love is taking the risk of gambling your emotions, your affection. Simply, you actually love even without the assurance of being loved back. It’s just like sowing a seed without even knowing what kind of plant it is. Will it bear a flower? Will the flower develop into a fruit? What kind of fruit it might be? Yet before you should have asked those questions, are you sure that the seed you’d sown would actually grow?

If I can reach the stars,
Pull one down for you,
Shine it on my heart
So you could see the truth:
That this love I have inside
Is everything it seems.
— Eric Clapton, Change the World

Now that you’re certain with your feelings, make sure as well that you invest also in the motivational and cognitive facets of your love. Knowing whom to love is not enough; knowing why and how long you’ll love somebody is imperative as well. There should be the sense of passion, hence commitment, aside from the overwhelming intimacy.

For sure, any shortfall in any of these requirements might lead to a love quandary.

I know I misbehaved
And you made your mistakes
And we both got room left to grow
And though love sometimes hurts
I still put you first
And we’ll make this thing work
But I think we should take it slow
— John Legend, Ordinary People

Love needs to mature, just as every seed do. It should be nurtured, supplied by its rudimentary provisions.

Love is a give-and-take relationship. It is always a two-way process. It shall never be a one-way function.

The reason why some cases of ‘love’ don’t last long enough is because it is simply not participated by both parties. May it be just a liking, an infatuation, empty love, romantic love, companionate love, or fatuous love, these patterns of love actually happen because only one party is experiencing any of the three elements of love.

You can’t say that an infatuated person would be forever in love with another infatuated person; nor you can’t find a couple in a harmonious relationship who are just committed to each other, experiencing empty love forever; nor people who just like each other and stay together for the rest of their lives.

Anyone who is in a romantic, companionate, or fatuous relationship won’t stay together for a long period of time either. Spontaneously, time would judge their love until the instance that suddenly the love they had treasured for quite some time is gone already. As a consequence, love, eventually, dies.

Accordingly, it may be construed that this might by the reason why certain love doesn’t last long, hence, why break ups occur.

So I've learned that love's not possession
And I've learned that love won't wait
Now I've learned that love needs expression
But I learned too late
— Michael Jackson, She’s Out of My Life

Now that you’re not attached to each other anymore, you’ll soon realize the absurdity of life. And just as what a friend of mine asked in an email a couple of weeks ago, “Why is it that the people we love, are often, the ones who hurt us?” “We trust and we’re betrayed; we care or love, but we’re abused or taken for granted,” he added. He even pointed out that love should be returned by love, perse, but at least, “if not love itself, love should be rewarded with kindness.”

Yes, maybe he’s right. After all, and just as how Levine said it: “love is the only rational act.”

Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I'm going back to the start
— Coldplay, The Scientist

But the end of a relationship is not the same as the end of the world. Am I getting a point here, or am I just exaggerating?

The gist is that sometimes, we seem to be over reacting on the things that had happened to us, to our lives. We are pressuring ourselves to give in into a relationship that actually doesn’t give us any assurance. How long will it last? Will your love be paid back also by love, or even just by kindness, as mentioned earlier? You’re certainly risking a part of your life —and that’s just a part of your life. Hence, if you’ll look into the bigger picture, there are still other facets of your life that needs your attention. There are more relevant things that you need to spend your time with, rather than contemplating and scrutinizing and blaming yourself of what went wrong.

I may sound hypocritical on this part, though, this, I think, should be how we should perceive love. The end of a relationship is not, and will never be, equitable to the end of our lives. After all, love is the only rational act.

In my eyes you do no wrong
And I believe in you
Although you never asked me to
I will remember you
And what life put you through
And in this cruel and lonely world
I found one love
You’re still you
After all, you’re still you
— Josh Groban, You’re Still You

Nevertheless, the most profound love for me is simply the love that is liberating. It’s merely letting go of someone else that you truly love. It’s the ultimate sacrifice a person could do to the one he loves. Let’s admit it, it’s easier to fall in love with somebody than breaking out of that love and letting that person go. Indeed, the art of letting go is remarkably harder to realize than the art of loving. After all, love is the only rational act.

Jamás sentí en el alma tanto amor (I never felt so much love in my soul)
Y nadie mas que tú, me amó (And no one but you loved me)
Por ti reí y lloré, renací también (Because of you I laughed and cried, I was reborn also)
— Josh Groban, Aléjate (Go Away)

Why did it take me a long time to reflect on this matter?

Honestly, I don’t know the answer. It’s just that, love, in reality, kills me —even at this very moment of time.

Pano mapipigil ang isang damdamin
Kung ang sinisigaw
Ikaw ang lahat sa akin
At kung hindi ngayon
Ang panahon, upang ikaw ay mahalin
Bukas na walang hanggan
Ako’y maghihintay parin
— Martin Nievera, Ikaw Ang Lahat Sa Akin

__________
This essay was written in September 20, 2005 as a reflection paper for the course EDFD 100 (Developmental Psychology).

Online Petition to Increase the Salary of Public School Teachers

Three weeks ago, I posted about the online petition to increase the salary of public school teachers.

Unfortunately, it turns out that for online petitions from Filipino citizens to be valid and legally binding, they must comply with the provisions of the Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (RA 8792), specifically the provisions of Chapter II of the said Act. The petition at PetitionOnline.com cannot conform to RA 8792.

A new petition was opened containing substantially the same text, with additional text regarding the concurrence bill HB 4734 which is now pending with the House of Representatives. Please do sign that petition. The online signing process seeks to conform to the requirements of RA 8792.

Click here to sign the online petition to increase the salary of Filipino public school teachers.

Thank you very much for supporting our fellow public school teachers!



*from the original email of Mr. Isles of Education in the Philippines Forum

UP Fair 2009

February 9 - EUFAIRIA by Delta Pi Omicron Sorority and Indios Bravos Multimedia

*Rico Blanco, Slapshock, Queso, Intolerant, Razorback, Typecast, Markus Highway, Hilera, Reklamo, Franco, Stonefree, Chubibo, Brigada, Badburn, Dissent, Sin, Manila Bus, Peligro, Musings of a Cigarette Smoking Man, Meat Balls, Falling at Zero Degrees, and many more.


February 10 - ROCKULTURA by the UP Engineers and Men for College and Country Fraternity (EMC2)

*Pupil, Urbandub, Sandwich, Chicosci, Queso, 6cyclemind, Itchyworms, The Wudz, Imago, Callalily, Mayonnaise, Soapdish, Silent Sanctuary, Greyhoundz, Cambio, Pedicab, Markus Highway, Datu’s Tribe, Zelle, Join the Club, Peryodiko, Kelevra, The Ambassadors, Archipelago, Nicty Nasty, Paraluman, South Superhighway, and so much more!


February 11 - AMPLIFIED by Alpha Sigma Fraternity

*Queso, Parokya Ni Edgar, Kamikazee, Urbandub, Chicosci, Typecast, Moonstar 88, Out Of Body Special, Blue Boy Bites Back, The Ambassadors, The Youth, Nyctinasty, Franco, Salamin, Hansom, and many more!


February 12 - RAMBOL by UP Brotherhood of the Filipinos 1955 (or aka Pinoy ‘55)

*Sponge Cola, Pupil, Green Department, and many more.


February 13 - LOVERAGE by UP Pan Xenia Fraternity and UP Adelfe Enu Crea Sorority

*bamboo, sugarfree, urbandub, kjwan, itchyworms, greyhoundz, razorback, typecast, moonstar88, silent sanctuary, kitchi nadal, hilera, and many more!



WHERE? o.O

UP Sunken Garden


see you there!