Marimar Ala Pinoy

Sexy Nuns

Sisters Mary Catherine, Maria Theresa, Katherine Marie, Rose Frances & Mary Kathleen left the Convent on a trip to St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City and were sight-seeing on a Tuesday in July.

It was hot and humid in town and their traditional garb was making them so uncomfortable, they decided to stop in at Patty McGuire's Pub for a cold soft drink.

Patty had recently added special legs to her barstools, which were the talk of the fashionable eastside neighborhood. All 5 Nuns sat up at the bar and were enjoying their Cokes when Monsignor Riley and Father McGinty entered the bar through the front door.

They, too, came for a cold drink when they were shocked and almost fainted at what they saw.


Give us a sense of humor, Lord. Give us the grace to see a joke, to get some humor out of life, and pass it on to other folks.

Pittsburgh cancer center warns of cell phone risks

By JENNIFER C. YATES and SETH BORENSTEIN
Associated Press Writers 2 hours, 18 minutes ago

PITTSBURGH - The head of a prominent cancer research institute issued an unprecedented warning to his faculty and staff Wednesday: Limit cell phone use because of the possible risk of cancer.

The warning from Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, is contrary to numerous studies that don't find a link between cancer and cell phone use, and a public lack of worry by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Herberman is basing his alarm on early unpublished data. He says it takes too long to get answers from science and he believes people should take action now — especially when it comes to children.

"Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn't wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry later," Herberman said.

No other major academic cancer research institutions have sounded such an alarm about cell phone use. But Herberman's advice is sure to raise concern among many cell phone users and especially parents.

In the memo he sent to about 3,000 faculty and staff Wednesday, he says children should use cell phones only for emergencies because their brains are still developing.

Adults should keep the phone away from the head and use the speakerphone or a wireless headset, he says. He even warns against using cell phones in public places like a bus because it exposes others to the phone's electromagnetic fields.

The issue that concerns some scientists — though nowhere near a consensus — is electromagnetic radiation, especially its possible effects on children. It is not a major topic in conferences of brain specialists.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

While on my way to Bohol for the Sandugo activities, the sky was gloomy and it rained since the other night. My eyes were fluffy because I have very limited sleeping hours these past weeks and now I am nursing a flu when a sudden downpour made us wet while we bury our aunt last Saturday.

I am literally shuttling and dashing through time and space.

When I boarded Weesam Express, a beautiful rainbow appeared in the skies of Cebu. I am just exhilarated. Seeing this magnificent natural phenomena made me sat in awe and wonder. And while I am dazed by its beauty, I sat there moved and rested.

Life is beautiful.


***
Having no cam to capture its beauty, I use this pic from The World of Atmospheric Optics by John Flannery SDAS
***

Of Pastors, Priests, Population and Sex

Copied without permission from The Professional Heckler

The Population Debate

President Arroyo is reportedly taking the side of the bishops on the raging issue of population management. So don’t be surprised if a reporter attempts again to ask GMA about her sex life, and she replies with, “Plenty.” She’s just being Catholic.

Pastoral Letter

Ozamiz Archbishop Jesus Dosado issued a pastoral letter saying that Catholic politicians who advocate population control must not be given Communion. Former senator Ramon Revilla Sr. immediately released a statement supporting Dosado’s pastoral letter.

Pastoral Letter 2

Sen. Panfilo Lacson described Archbishop Jesus Dosado’s pastoral letter as “downright stupid.” Asked what he would do if he’s given a copy of the pastoral letter, Lacson replied, “Of course, I’ll shoot the letter, place it inside a drum, and pour wet cement on it.”

CBCP on Condom Use

Reports say the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines now allows the use of condom by married couples. I don’t know with you but I don’t see any reason why we should allow a group of celibate, sex-deprived men to meddle with other people’s sex life.

Pastors and Porn?

Manila Representative Bienvenido Abante and 11 other pastors of the Baptist organization Bible Mode sued the publishers of popular men’s magazines FHM (Summit Media) and Maxim (ABS-CBN Publishing) for supposed pornographic content. The pastors say the magazines “have no educational (or) artistic value, (and are) intended to draw lust and arouse prurient interest.” Apparently, the pastors have been reading those magazines. Otherwise, how in hell would they know so much about the content?

Bishop vs. Boxing

In his Manila Standard Today column on July 5, anti-Arroyo bishop Teodoro Bacañi Jr. confesses that he doesn’t watch boxing and won’t be heaping praises on Manny Pacquiao’s recent victory because boxing is immoral. Between boxing and sexually harassing a secretary, I’m sure Bishop Bacani knows which one is more immoral.

World Communications Day Warning

On the occasion of World Communications Day, a Marikina parish priest warned that the Internet is becoming the next danger zone for children because of sex and homosexuality offered in many Web sites. Yup, the next danger zone – after the Catholic Church perhaps.

World Communications Day Warning II

On the occasion of World Communications Day, a Marikina parish priest warned that the Internet is becoming the next danger zone for children because of sex and homosexuality offered in many web sites. Personally though, I think learning about sex or homosexuality from websites is far less dangerous than learning about sex or homosexuality from priests.

Anti-Gay

Monsignor Achilles Dakay, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cebu said the patient’s homosexuality was to blame for the rectal surgery video scandal at the Vicente Sotto Memorial Medical Center in Cebu City. Monsignor Dakay wouldn’t be saying that if only he conducted rectal exam on all priests under his diocese.

Anti-Gay II

Monsignor Achilles Dakay, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cebu is blaming the patient for the YouTube rectal surgery scandal saying, “the homosexual act was done very badly.” I just don’t get it. Why do priests, when it comes to committing homosexual acts, pretend to always know more?

Anti-Gay III

Monsignor Achilles Dakay, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Cebu blamed the patient for the YouTube rectal surgery scandal and reminded that, “From day one, we are asking the public not to forget the main issue: the homosexual act was done very badly.” The public would love to know Dakay’s idea of a homosexual act done “very nicely.”

To enjoy heckling the professional way, visit The Professional Heckler's site here.

Salivating at Architectural Marvels (Read as An Envious Look at Weird Buildings and Structures)

I was amazed when San Miguel Corporation put up their weird building way back years ago. Many critics said it was an eyesore at that time. But just like any weird designs that has come of age, that building is now a landmark of its kind.

When Dubai started its fantastic albeit weird building madness to include adding more geographical mass they can call themselves as their invention, the world made a gasp. And salivating at their oil money while we protested in our own unknown country.

But as these developments come into view, millions share the same divided judgment about them. Of hate, joy, ridicule, amazement, desistance, euphoria, whatever. Just like when they build the Eiffel Tower, the Sydney Opera House, the Golden Gate Bridge, etc.

And now it’s China’s time to impress the world!

"The 91,000-seat Olympic Stadium is a tangle of seemingly random steel "twigs" curved into a graceful bowl and designed to look like a bird's nest. Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron, which also designed the Tate Modern museum in London, created the stadium.

A stone's throw from the "bird's nest" is the "water cube," an Olympic aquatic center covered with translucent blue panels that give it the appearance of being covered in bubble wrap. At night, it offers an otherworldly blue glow.

In the heart of Beijing , slightly to the west of Mao Zedong's portrait looking across Tiananmen Square , a shimmering, egg-shaped titanium dome rises from behind reflecting pools. Designed by French architect Paul Andreu , it's the new National Theater. Most people just call it "the egg."

The dazzling new $3.8 billion terminal at Beijing Capital International Airport , designed by Briton Norman Foster and built by 50,000 workers in just four years, is purported to be the largest structure and the most advanced airport terminal in the world.

The last of them is the new television building, the CCTV headquarters, and it can nearly make one dizzy standing on the ground and looking up at its odd, teetering 49-story towers connected by a multistory, cantilevered, jagged cross section over open space at a vertiginous 36 stories up in the air.

It's an audacious monolith that looks like two drunken high-rise towers leaning over and holding each other up at the shoulders.

The eye-catching building, which is nearly finished, will be the headquarters of China Central Television, the staid propaganda arm of China's ruling Communist Party, and it's perhaps the boldest and most daring of several new buildings that have given Beijing a stunning new appearance for the upcoming Summer Olympic Games."***


What will our country brag about?


*** Quoted from Yahoo!News
Pics from AP

Transcendental Meditation on Begging (Or Eating Alone at Chowking Early One Morning and Having Violent Thoughts While Looking at a Beggar Using Her Child as Pawn)

While I was about to eat a spoonful of corned beef omelet, a woman dragging a child knock on the glass window near me. I looked at them. She extended her arm like I was going to regurgitate my corned beef meal. My sweet Lord!

My thoughts suddenly went on memory recall just like in the movies.

I can remember pretty well that Mother used to admonish us when we ask something from our neighbors. She told us we would rather eat camote or gabi but not beg for food from other people. As long as we have both hands and feet, we can work and eat. If Mother can see these begging entities, they would be reprimanded as well.

We used to live in a shanty (defined as a small thatched hut with lots of cellophane matter in the roof to cover disintegrating nipa strips) in our hometown. When the rain pours, we ran in the corners so we would not get wet or squat at the top of a stool so the overflowing creek would not touch our feet. We were made to wake up early mornings to help plant anything that can be eaten. And could sleep soundly because we diligently water those plants in the early mornings and late afternoons. We would gather firewood in a nearby forest and bring snails to feed the pigs. I even had a share of tilling the land for rice and other staples when our neighbors needed workers, from planting to harvesting.

And I have survived.

Which made me wonder why these people shamelessly beg for anything from me, including this hard-earned corned beef? I am not rich. I can only afford to eat a full meal once a day. I work so hard to buy myself things I like. Where is the amor propio that is so Filipino in them?

Poverty? These people are not poor! The poor in my place works hard so they can eat. They toil day and night. Their skins looked like carabao skins. They smell. But they do not beg. These city people have the luxury of sitting around like something is going to happen to them of which they only knew. I know somebody who could not even walk but he sells newspaper day in and out. Now he has a motored wheelchair. But them? Ugh!

And we blame the government.

They should get lessons from priests who are the number one beggars but living luxuriously in their palaces.

Damn! Early in the morning and I am nagging!

Tay, ikaw pala yan?

Pizza clerk surprised to find robber is her dad

DENTON, Texas - Police said they will not file charges against a clerk whose parents and husband were charged with robbing the pizza restaurant where she worked, officials said. Police said the clerk didn't know they planned to rob the Pizza Patron Friday night.

While the robbery was in progress, the clerk discovered her father was the robber when another clerk struck him, knocking him out and knocking off his wig and sunglasses. He was later apprehended after witnesses followed the getaway pickup.

"Her husband told us she didn't know. He knew they were going to rob someplace but he thought it was going to be a convenience store," police Sgt. James Brett said in a story in Monday's online editions of the Denton Record-Chronicle.

A surveillance video corroborated the clerk's story. A police report shows the trio was in custody within 14 minutes of the robbery.

All three suspects were charged with aggravated robbery.

Annoying

Some people's daily mission is to annoy you.
It's up to you if they succeed.

Invites (Sandugo Regional Product and Raw Material Showcase)

Exclusive for Cebu Passengers

LTFRB-7 hotline for riding public

Cebu Daily News
First Posted 12:27:00 07/16/2008

CEBU CITY, Philippines - A hotline to report taxi drivers charging an additional P10 for their P30 flagdown rate is now available to the public.

The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board-Central Visayas (LTFRB-7) said passengers can call telephone numbers 231-6221 to report taxi drivers who charge P10 more for their fares ahead of July 24.

On that date, taxi drivers will charge a P40 flagdown rate for passengers.

The Metro Cebu Taxi Operators (MCTOA) urged taxi passengers to report any drivers who charge them with the P10-add-on rate.

MCTOA President Richard Cabucos said taxi passengers can get the plate numbers and names of the drivers, taxis or operators from the ID card displayed in every unit.

LTFRB-7 director Romulo Bernardes said they will accommodate complaints.

/Correspondent Jhunnex Napallacan

WARITA FUDERANAN LIWAG R.I.P.

Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.

Last night, 15 July 2008, our Tiya Rita died peacefully after a brave bout with colon cancer. Her remains lie in state at the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes, New Mandaue Branch, Mandaue City in Cebu. (Interment will be announced later by the family.)

Those who knew her and those who care, please pray for her eternal rest.

Thank you for sharing your love to us Tiya Rita.



On the pic: The Liwag Family of Oroquieta City now living in Cebu City

Ghost/s in the House

After a few words on cleanliness and responsibilities, I was virtually living alone in the house for three days now. Such a relief!

But I wonder why whenever I left for work and I came home in the evening, I found out that someone (or somebody) was using the house. Things were not in order anymore. You know. The way you arranged them and they were not there anymore. The bathroom dirty again when I know I cleaned it up after using. Am I having a transient ghost at home?

Hmmm maybe it's time for me to ask for rent.

Makulay ang Buhay

O my gulay! Tina-tami lang yan galing sa isang email.

Must See Movie: MAMMA MIA

Thought for The Day

A ship in port is safe, but that's not what ships are built for. Grace Murray Hopper (1906-1992)

What's With The Scarf?

Excuse me. I am no fashionista. I am a fashion disaster myself. Not even into trends. But lately I've seen guys (gays, actually) wearing what looks to me is a scarf worn by members of the Al Qaeda.

I even wondered myself, loudly this time, if we have become a Middle Eastern state or kingdom. Which is good. But in reality we are as hot as Saudi could get but not as cold in the evenings. The scarf could replace the mighty old hankie for that flowing sweat. Or the bib. Or maybe we have become a part of the North Pole? Somebody give me a whole block of ice, pleaseee. No! Just the ice. No whiskey. It would make me sweat like hell.

Tell me I pray, what's the scarf for?

Priorities, Priorities

I have been working for about three weeks straight now, spent sleepless nights on projects and waking up early to meet clients. I have traveled to the different parts of the country without full rest. Always on the run.

Now I decided to take a rest and splurge myself just this once. I ordered a wicked meal at KFC, bought an extra-large drink from Thirsty and went to see Mamma Mia twice. I was literally full, which actually was rare.

My conscience was burdened. I hated myself. Why do I have to undergo a guilt trip?

Because it's all about priorities. As we mature, we see things are not just for ourselves. We became selfless beings for our families and friends. The Thirsty drink could have been a notebook for our youngest in school. The movie could have bought meals for the family. I wish I had the mind of the younger ones and the ones who refused to grow. They could eat a cow and not minding if others have eaten at all. Or live in a house without bothering they have to pay the bills. Wow.

But conscience or no conscience, I have done it all today. I am justified, so to speak. I earnestly working hard for the money and I think I needed rest and relaxation.

Snapshots at Tagbilaran Pier

Unpublished Pablo Neruda poems highlight last romance

SANTIAGO (AFP) - - A series of unpublished poems by Chile's late Pablo Neruda, winner of the 1971 Nobel prize for literature, are shedding light on his last romance with his wife's niece more than 40 years his junior, a collector said.

The 14 poems were found in a book titled "Black Island Album," named after the house in central Chile which Neruda, his third and last wife Matilde Urrutia and her niece Alicia Urrutia shared, according to Nurieldin Hermosilla.

The lawyer and Neruda collector said he bought the book recently from a book dealer, who in turn had acquired it from an anonymous seller.

The poems are handwritten in Neruda's traditional green ink and are "a direct and definitive confirmation from the poet's own pen of his love for Alicia," Hermosilla said.

He said Alicia Urrutia decided to go public with the poems after years of keeping silent about her affair.

"I think she decided to confirm her love with Neruda and put this book on sale to lend herself some legitimacy and put an end to the myth" and speculation, the lawyer said.

Neruda, who died at 69 in 1973, just 12 days after dictator Augusto Pinochet's coup, is famous for his love poems as well as his "Canto General" -- an epic poem about South America's history and its people.

But he also was a senior member of the Chilean central committee of the Communist Party and his work was banned during Pinochet's 1973-1990 military dictatorship.

At different periods of his life, Neruda was a political exile, a senator, an ambassador and in 1970 a presidential candidate for the Communist Party.

Neruda's real name was Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. His pen name was inspired by Czech writer Jan Neruda.

The Plight of the Bumble Bee

Looking at endangered animal species in the Philippines, Tim Tayag claims that if the human race doesn't do more to protect wildlife in the coming years, then we might as well pick our own graves at the nearest cemetery.



Einstein once said that if the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe, then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no pollination, no plants, no animals, no more man, hence no magazine and no readers. If we don't do anything to protect our wildlife from poachers, exotic animal eaters and illegal circus trainers, the we might as well pick our graves at the nearest friendly cemetery. In the Philippines, the following species are in danger of being (if not already) extinct:

The Green Politician

This political species is uncommon but has the most promise to proliferate and save the other endangered animals. All it needs is our vote, our petitions, and our voice. Given the right incentive, such as election or re-election, the green politician can grow and create a sustainable environment for the tarsier, the calesa, and maybe even the kapre. Saving this creature will have the most impact on our country.

The Calesa

The only animal that is part-living/part-machine, the calesa roamed plentiful and free during Spanish rule. Today, this small horse-drawn carriage has been replaced by the smoke-belching tricycle. But it still thrives in some areas and particularly in Intramuros, in Manila. In a world that has an incurable addiction to oil, calesas could turn out to be the poor man's hydrogen car, as they run on the cheapest alternative - grass. And as a bonus, the manure emissions can be sold as fertilizer.

The Kapre

The cutting down of Balete (Banyan) trees has caused the demise of the kapre, a magical creature that lived in the said trees. The kapre, which shares the same height as as Yao Ming but with less hair, smokes tobacco that is so aromatic, only a smelly goat can outmatch it. Back in the days when forests were full of gigantic Balete trees, kapres lived in every trunk and wooed every maiden that passes by. Today, there are only fuzzy photos and videos of these giants on YouTube. If we could only propagate the Balete, then maybe the kapres will come back, together with our basketball glory days.

The Tarsier

This bug-eyed monkey-lik creature is the adorable mascot of Bohol. It lives in trees and is nocturnal. Probably the smallest primates in the world, sadly, tarsiers are being smuggled inside sticky rice cakes to become pets by Noah's Ark wannabes. But they don't live or breed well in captivity. Some have been known to kill themselves by banging their heads against cages or drowning themselves in drinking bowls after leaving a suicide note about loneliness. Leave them in their habitats and visit only at recommended places.



Copied without permission from Smile Magazine of Cebu Pacific Air June/July 08 Issue.

A Bisaya in Manila

Being a Bisaya in Manila is one of the most embarrassing situations most Visayans would agree. Especially when the Tagalogs would make fun of our strong accent. Don’t mind Cesar Montano even if he insists he is a Boholano. He was raised in Manila.

I don’t know why most Tagalogs would make fun of our accent if the case is only to communicate.

Language sometimes is not just a barrier but a case of double jeopardy. Take the Tagalog being taught in the classrooms in our elementary years as an example. Our books taught us to use paaralan, kwaderno, datapwat, palikuran, etc., actually nonexistent terms in conversational Tagalog used only by some in the most remote of places if not only in books. The Tagalogs do not use those terms. That makes us Bisaya a laughingstock.

I could not remember my teacher correcting me when I say Nasaan po ang ating palikuran? She gave me an excellent grade for that.

Not to mention of course the way the Bisaya pronounced the e as i or vice versa! Listen to a Bisaya say the word Manila. Most would say Pupunta pu ako sa Manela. I just don’t know why. Ask Annabelle Rama. She’s adept to that. Jusko day!

And the Tagalogs laughed.

They Have Great Time in the US while Filipinos Suffer from Frank

This is copied without permission from www.inquirer.net. Emphasis is mine.

The government spent $1.5 million for President Gloria and her friends in Congress in her recent visit to the United States.

They stayed in the best hotels. They rented 30 cars. They paid $207++ per plate for their dinners.

For their visit, 250 Philippine consulate officials in the US had to be mobilized to serve their every need.

All of these perks they enjoyed while the country was suffering from the devastation wrought by Typhoon “Frank.”

For the information of the public, the following are the legislators who accompanied the President on that trip: Narciso Santiago III, Alliance for Rural Concerns party list; Monico Puentevella, Bacolod; Albert Garcia, Bataan; Mark Llandro L. Mendoza, Batangas; Hermilando Mandanas, Batangas;

William Irwin Tieng, Buhay party list; Jose Zubiri III, Bukidnon; Lorna Silverio, Bulacan; Mitzi Cajayon, Caloocan; Diosdado “Dato” Macapagal-Arroyo, Camarines Sur;

Joseph Santiago, Catanduanes; Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Cavite; Antonio Cuenco, Cebu; Eduardo Gullas, Cebu; Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar, Cebu City; Rommel Amatong, Compostela Valley;

Speaker Prospero Nograles, Davao City; Antonio Lagdameo, Davao del Norte; Marc Cagas, Davao del Sur; Nelson Dayanghirang, Davao Oriental; Teodoro Coquilla, Eastern Samar;

Andres Salvacion, Leyte; Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Leyte; Trinidad Apostol, Leyte; Ma. Zenaida Angping, Manila; Amado S. Bagatsing, Manila; Bienvenido Abante Jr., Manila; Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, Masbate; Herminia Ramiro, Misamis Occidental; Yevgeny Emano, Misamis Oriental; Rozzano Rufino Biazon, Muntinlupa; Joseph Gilbert Violago, Nueva Ecija; Deputy Speaker Ma. Amelita C. Villarosa, Occidental Mindoro; cut short their US trip in sympathy for the victims of Typhoon Frank.

Anna York Bondoc, Pampanga; Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Pampanga; Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo, Pampanga; Conrado Estrella III, Pangasinan; Ma. Rachel Arenas, Pangasinan; Eduardo Zialcita, Paranaque; Roman Romulo, Pasig City;

Mary Ann Susano, Quezon City; Nanette Castelo-Daza, Quezon City; Danilo Suarez, Quezon province; Junie Cua, Quirino; Arturo B. Robes, San Jose del Monte; Roger Mercado, Southern Leyte; Munir Arbeson, Sulu; Rex Gatchalian, Valenzuela City; and Antonio Diaz, Zambales and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

It’s all up to you if you will vote for those legislators again in 2010.

MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!

Dear God

Children's Letters to God

Dear God, Instead of letting people die and having to make new ones, why don't you just keep the ones you have now? Jane Dear God, Who draws the lines around the countries? Nan Dear God, Went to this wedding and they kissed right in church. Is that okay? Neil Dear God, Thank you for my baby brother, but what I prayed for was a puppy. Joyce Dear God, It rained for our whole vacation and is my father mad! He said some things about you that people are not supposed to say, but I hope you will not hurt him in any way. Your Friend (but I am not going to tell you who I am) Dear God, Please send me a pony. I never asked for anything before. You can look it up. Bruce Dear God, If we come back as something, please don't let me be Jennifer Horton, because I hate her. Denise Dear God, I want to be just like my daddy when I get big, but not with so much hair all over. Sam Dear God, I think the stapler is one of your greatest inventions. Ruth Dear God, I think about you sometimes, even when I'm not praying. Elliott Dear God, I bet it is very hard for you to love all the people in the world. There are only four people in our family and I can never do it. Nan Dear God, Of all the people who worked for you, I like Noah and David the best. Rob Dear God, My brothers told me about being born, but it doesn't sound right. They are just kidding, aren't they? Marsha Dear God, If you watch me in church Sunday, I'll show you my new shoes. Mickey Dear God, We read Thomas Edison made light. But in Sunday School, we learned that you did it. So I bet he stole your idea. Donna Dear God, I do not think anybody could be a better God. Well, I just want you to know that I am not just saying this because you are God already. Charles Dear God, I didn't think orange went with purple until I saw the sunset you made on Tuesday. That was cool! Eugene Dear God, Maybe Cain and Abel would not kill each other so much if they had their own rooms. It works with my brother. Larry

from patfish.blogspot.com

The World Is Now Ending!

Jealous man cuts off penis of lover in hotel room

MANILA, Philippines – Jealousy allegedly drove a man to cut off the penis of his male lover inside a hotel room in Novaliches, Quezon City, Tuesday.

Jose Feliciano Valderama, 35, of 222 Fern St., Barangay Fairview, Quezon City, and an area manager of a toy store is now in the custody of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Station 4.

The victim, Marvic Manquera, 21, was rushed by hotel employees to a nearby hospital for treatment.

According to a QCPD Station 4 report, the pair checked into the Sogo Hotel in Novaliches several minutes after midnight.

While inside, the two had a few drinks before they went to bed. At around 3:30 a.m., hotel employees suddenly heard a man calling for help.

When they opened the door of the room where the cry for help came from, the hotel crew said they saw Manquera holding on to his bloodied groin.

The report said Valderama tried to kill himself with the knife he used on his victim, but the latter grabbed it from him.
Valderama also told the hotel employees that he had flushed down the penis in the toilet bowl.

During questioning, the suspect admitted that he decided to cut off his partner’s genitals after he heard stories about the victim’s relationship with another woman.

Of Call Center Agents and Obesity

I happened to standby at one of the restos located at Sykes Building. Bored and waiting for a friend to come, I people-watched. One thing I noticed was, most people coming in for work were healthy looking. I mean, to be brutally honest about it, they are fat! I have counted about 10-15 men and women coming in and carrying a lot of extra baggage. (FYI, I have nothing against healthy, fat, obese call center agents! I was just observing though.)

Wow, I considered myself fat but they were huge.

I was thinking- maybe these people were just depressed or mad at the world that food was their option. Maybe call center agents are well-fed. Maybe genetics.

Well- I am no scientist so these observations are of no scientific relevance. Whatsoever.

But when I searched for a pic of a call center agent I stumbled on this picture from www.keithrull.com on call center agents he aptly titled The Anatomy of a Call Center Agent.

I was not alone.

By the way, my housemate is a call center agent but he is not that fat to be considered obese either.

Happy Charter Day Tagbilaran City (Translation: No Work Today!)

Tagbilaran City is on vacation today. They are celebrating it's charter day.

Copied from the official Tagbilaran City website-

ORIGIN OF THE NAME TAGBILARAN

How the city got its name is still vague to many chroniclers. Tagbilaran as a settlement is known to have dated back as early as the 15th Century known as the "Bool Kingdom".

On account of her peculiar geographic location, it has been bruited that the place was first named TINABILAN, which means "screened", as she is shielded on the southwest by Panglao Island. But tradition has it that the word "Tagbilaran" was derived from the word TAGUBILAAN, a contraction from two local dialects TAGU (to hide) and BILAAN (a Muslim marauder tribe), which means a place hidden from the pillaging Muslims. How it finally evolved into her present name TAGBILARAN must have been the work of the Spanish conquistadores.

CREATION OF THE CITY OF TAGBILARAN

On July 1, 1966 by virtue of R.A. 4660, Tagbilaran became a chartered City. The political transition of Tagbilaran from a town/municipality of Bohol to its present status of a chartered city brought about a significant level of development in view of the increase in the share of the internal revenue allotment from the national government to the city.

With the passage of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991, radical changes was wrought out in the whole gamut of the city government structure. The present organizational hierarchy of the City Government includes 16 department level offices, 7 non-departmental level office and 7 non-organic offices.



Pic: Tagbilaran City from Panglao Island side

To Manila I Go!

My former office called me up to inform me that they will be bringing me with them (as if I am a dog) to the Asean Tourism Investment Forum in Manila (at least a decent dog). Being a polite kid that I am, I declined at first but our officer in-charge begged. My heart literally melted away. Damn women!

Freebies included: free roundtrip ferry ride from Cebu to Tagbilaran, free airfare from Tagbilaran to Manila and back, free hotel accommodation and presumably free food during my stay.

Payback time: I have to design their display panels for the show (with a fee, thanks God!) and set them up (the panels not my former officemates) during ingress of the show and of course, pack up on egress. This further means that I have to carry these materials to and from Manila. Whew!

Well- got nothing to do on those days. My work is on ingress and egress only. So during the middle period (middle ages? hahahaha) I will be gallivanting the Mall of Asia and perhaps Makati.

Hmmmm.

Approved Layout of IFEX Posters for Central Visayas

Layout by Edik
Food Photography by Edik