Another dictator is down

Photo courtesy of CNN.com

News about the death of Moammar Ghadafi (what is really the real spelling of his name?) of Libya has sent Libyans into a frenzy of celebrations. And the world sits back and watch. And I am pretty sure the rest of the Arab leaders are weighing things right now, ever since Egypt's successful removal of their leader and then the death of Ghadafi.

Meanwhile, my favorite heckler has made the death of the dictator, well- quite amusing. Here is The Professional Heckler's version:

AFTER FORTY-TWO years in power and 112 ways to spell his name, Moammar Gaddafi is dead!

Moammar Gaddafi is dead. His son Bongbong Gaddafi wants a state funeral for his father.

Libyan tyrant Moammar Gadhafi is dead. Just to be sure, Tito Sotto wants to see the death certificate.

The death of Colonel Gaddafi is the day’s biggest news. Some of today’s headlines: “Gaddafi killed” “Qadaffy quilled” “Gadhafi keeled” “Mission aqqomplished”

Moammar Gaddafi has been killed. Libyans are celebrating. Finally, they can freely add another color to their flag.

Gaddafi has been confirmed dead. Some Libyans are not celebrating though. They know that Gadhafi, Qaddafy, Khaddafy, Gaddaffy, Quaddaffi, and Gaddaffi are still out there.

Reports say Gaddafi was killed by NATO-led rebels while attempting to escape. He was said to have been found in a hole in the ground. Also found were Gaddafi’s 3,000 pairs of sunglasses.

The Libyan dictator is dead. Goodbye Moammar Gaddafi! Goodbye fabulous outfits!

Early Thursday evening (Manila time), news organizations had conflicting reports about Gaddafi’s capture and death… which was not surprising since they could not even agree on how to spell his name.

Reports say when Moammar Gaddafi was cornered by rebel forces, he tried to run. However, the dictator tripped on his long gown.

There were also conflicting reports on how Gaddafi died. Some say he was shot. Others believe his thick robe suffocated him.

Gaddafi loyalists have issued a statement saying the Libyan dictator is still alive. They claim that he’s being treated right now at St. Luke’s Medical Center.

This just in: One of Gaddafi’s son, Saif is offering an Hermes bag to anyone who could prove that his father is dead.

Relatives of slain Libyan dictator Moammar Gaddafi are in a quandary. They couldn’t decide what version of Gaddafi’s name should they use on his tombstone.

Gaddafi’s death was confirmed just hours after his convoy was attacked. If Gaddafi were a member of the CPP-NPA, his death would be confirmed in February 2012.

Why Cebu-Mactan Channel smells like shit

Traveling the Cebu-Mactan Channel could be fun and exciting especially if you are taking the Metro Ferry. Metro is swift and fast as compared to public transports like vans, taxis and jeepneys. Especially at night, the view of the city could be spectacular.

Adding to the sight of Cebu from the sea, your olfactory sense could be bombarded with the different smell of urban living. Many times I could smell shit (literally) specifically on the Cebu side of the channel. Why?

Despite several ordinances in Cebu City punishing people when they throw garbage just about anywhere, its teeth remains to be false and doesn't bite at all. For example,  City Ordinance No. 1361 establishes a system of garbage collection and imposition of fees for violators and even several amendments have been done, among them the amendment ordering its residents to segregate their wastes. No segregation, no collection they claimed. But I am pretty sure someone somewhere in the Labangon area is not segregating his wastes but still their garbage is being taken by disposal trucks. On the creeks near barangay (village) Guadalupe, people just throw their garbage on the dry riverbed to be taken by flash floods to the sea.

What's my point?

Photo courtesy of Cebu Daily News

Cebuanos made the sea their infinite garbage bins. Every day I encounter long stretches of garbage in the channel. Even the sea currents refused to take them to show Cebu what they have done to the sea.

Another case to prove my point that coastal cleanups initiated by local governments and the private sector are just for show. Or cleanups are additional pogi points to get that funding support from international entities?

Here's to the crazy ones

Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing that you can’t do is ignore them because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward. Maybe they have to be crazy. Because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do!

iSad

Photo courtesy of Dezeen

Just when I am starting to tinker Apple products, my not-so-favorite Steve Jobs, the man behind Apple, died!

Why is he not my favorite?

Steve Jobs basically lifted Apple from its quagmire state is a fact. Jobs' revolutionary mind however, came as an arrogant if not autocratic approach to the business world.  As Steve Maich wrote on MSN.com:

His tone perfectly echoed his blunt refusal a few years ago to provide shareholders with timely updates on his health problems. It was clearly a pressing material issue for the market, but he simply stonewalled, insisting it was nobody's business. In his world, the word of Jobs is the law.

Millions have benefited by following Jobs' vision of the future in recent years. He's entitled to a little arrogance. But history is littered with genius visionaries who came to see themselves as invulnerable and were dumb enough to show it. Their stories almost always end badly.

In the end, Jobs succumbed to a sickness that finally proves he was human after all.

Goodbye Steve.

Photo grabbed from The Atlantic Wire

Rainforest Park Cebu: Confused!

I had the chance to experience a different venue for a social function here in Cebu last Saturday. A friend of mine had the reception for his son's christening at the Rainforest Park Cebu somewhere in Panagdait, Mabolo, Cebu City, just infront of the Citi Park Hotel.

Although the "park" has many small stalls, the reception was done at the Oceanarium Restaurant. It is sad to note that nothing in that restaurant reminded me of where its name was based from. 

At the main entrance, a life-sized toy bear stands guard and a tiger (?) yawned at its souvenir stand. Inside the resto artificial forest vines and plastic leaves hang from the ceiling and trees on the side with an artificial rain dropping from time to time did not convince me it was an Oceanarium. The only semblance of an "ocean'' were the empty tanks with no water at all because they "were treating the tanks." 

Since it was a christening party, I was not able to taste what was on their menu. If the food they served during the function was also what they were serving on ordinary days, I have to admit they were passable if not good. The beef was tender and delicious.

What irritated me during the whole time we were there was the loud music outside of the establishment. The trees that supposed to "mute sounds in airports and terminals" as their signage claimed, could not even absorb the noise it brought inside. We have to shout at each other just to be heard. And the recorded electronic forest sounds of birds, macaques, and other weird sounds made the place irritatingly worst for a conversation. The confusion inside the restaurant was very visible and I hope the owner saw that. No, I don't think so.

Even here, they spell DIFFERENCE differently.

The only good thing that could be called "environmentally-friendly" there was the signages at the tables limiting your supply of paper napkins and drinking straws.

Even their comfort rooms were not comfortable at all. When you want to wash your hands, males have to go to the ladies room. The urinal at the men's is smacked right at the door of the toilet, a good opportunity for those who love watching men piss. Discomforting comfort rooms.

There are other stalls outside of the restaurant and a Jungle Adventure that featured a Wall, Zipline for kids, etc. But it is not a jungle out there, actually. My friends wanted to get out of there right after the reception so I was not able to explore the whole place. I am planning to come back and see it in a different setting.

I hope I won't be dismayed again. 

But if you are interested, you can make your reservations through Rainforest Park's phones at (032) 2390350 or 5168069. Goodluck!

The bear stands guard at the Oceanarium Restaurant

Inside the Oceanarium, plastic vines create a semblace of a forest

Outside the resto is a "Jungle" adventure

Washing my undies in public

I've stopped washing my clothes (or anything that needs washing) since I had my real work, after forcing myself to retire from college. Even the dishes had to wait for an inspiration or a divine intervention so they be cleaned. My mother who has this penchant desire to clean everything, took the cudgels of washing my undies. My mom's saintly washing only stopped when I relocated myself in Cebu. All my friends would balk at me on this, causing irreverent discourses between me and them.

I am not bothered.

My mom is the best laundry washer in the whole wide world. People of Batuan, my hometown, knows that. That's why Mother earned a living through washing other people's dirt.

When my basket would be full of laundry and/or my having no undies for long gives discomfort when I am with people, I would decide to do laundry. Just like today. But after washing my second briefs, my hands were already complaining.

I love my undies in different colors. White briefs made me think of dead Chinese.

In my high school days, a week's worth of laundry was just a breeze. Now, with just a few undies, I am complaining already. Not that my briefs were very dirty. Honestly, they are literally clean I could use them, again. No yellow or skid marks on them. But why complain?

Maybe because I have already conditioned myself that I have also graduated from being a laundryman. I've worked hard enough washing is no longer my priority.

Well- with all the washing in the world and the constant use of detergents and bleaching solutions our water sources have become dirtier and tainted with our own mess. Every day! According to a study funded by ADB, 58% of our groundwater is contaminated, the main source being untreated domestic and industrial wastewater. (Country Environmental Analysis for the Republic of the Philippines, September 2004.) 

Out of which nudity could be a great option! If not THE solution. But then again there is skin cancer and the moral Church. That's another discussion.

Meanwhile my hands got scruffy despite the lotion.