Happy Year of the Dog, PGMA

Imagine a world without words

This is how it is

Kapwa

I edited this book by Katrin de Guia. Clap naman diyan.

Farewell to the Pandaka pygmaea

Our smallest fish with the redundant name of pandaka pygmaea is no longer the smallest. I remembered memorizing that particular scientific name in Grade 2 and can still remember it now but I don't even know its common name.
It is the dwarf pygmy goby, a colorless and nearly transparent species found in the streams and lakes of Luzon. Males have an average length of 8.7 mm. and weigh 4-5 mg.
We had the goby minted for our ten centavo coin. We fished it till near oblivion. Anthropologists berated it because we are so proud of it, as well as of other "smallest" things like the tarsier and the mousedeer that spoke daw of our "smallness" as a people.
But now, scientists are hailing Paedocypris progenetica, a member of the carp family that can only grow to 7.9 millimeters (0.31 inches). It is found in the acidic peats of Indonesia.
"The previous record for small size, according to the Natural History Museum in London, was held by an 8-millimeter species of Indo-Pacific goby." That was you.
To add insult to injury, they are touting the sexual prowess of the P. progenetica.
"The males have enlarged pelvic fins and exceptionally large muscles that may be used to grasp the females during copulation," the AP report said.
No one talks about the Pandaka like that! Sex prowess of a Pinoy? Ha ha ha.
We are not the smallest whatever anymore.
Are you happy now, Landa Jocano?

The e.e.cummings poem

O sige na nga, here's that other poem which the Cameron Diaz character (Maggie Feller) memorized for her sister, Toni Collette (as Rose), during the latter's wedding. Collette is always marrying. Of course, Collette is most famous for "Muriel's Wedding." That movie had an Abba Theme. This had a reggae theme? Anyways, here is e.e. cummings' love poem.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Oh well, my favorite line in the movie is this:
Rose: Well, Sydelle and Marsha aren't on very good terms right now.
Amy (played by Brooke Smith): What, did she decorate a room in last season's colors?
Rose: No, she joined Jews for Jesus.

Growing Up in Baguio Part 2

We presented to you Growing Up in Baguio which was written by Pearl Aguirre in our egroup, Baguio Web International. Since then, fellow members contributed their own. Here are they:

YOU ARE FROM BAGUIO IF

104. You had these for toys: lastiko, cardboard boxes as sleds, softdrink crowns for toy soldiers, slingshot with quava branch as bow, milkcans for flashlights, sardine tins as trucks; jolens, campuso, tatching, shaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatung, sikking
105. You had bananna cue or camote cue at Beltran’s store and also mango with alamang, salted peanuts with sili, or guavas, santol or karmay bought from sidewalk vendors;
106 You had long beer sessions at Cozy Nook, The Hangout, Fireplace, Gingerbreadman , TP or Manila Cafe;
107. You dip your hot pandesal with butter in barako
108. Or instead of creamer used condensed milk with your coffee
109. You don't like being seen riding on a pony at Wright Park (it's just for tourists!!!)
110. You enjoy Coney Island Ice Cream (where is it now?)
111. You know where to get the best halo-halo - somewhere at Hilltop
112. You know the names of all the folk singers
113. You remember seeing the seated Kiangans fronting the old Stone Building (where Maharlika Center now stands), and you see them paint the sidewalks RED with their "nganga" super spits
114. You bought your kids' uniforms, fake Levis, Wranglers, Lees, etc. at the Hangar Building (so called because it is shaped like a plane hangar)
115. You brought your visitors at mines view and you see them watch with horror all the little kids catching the tossed coins on the cliff defying gravity
116. You skipped class and spent the whole time reading your favorite comics at a comics store down Mabini Street.
117. You skipped class and spent the whole time biking at burnham park (when the biking area used to be the the entire road surrounding the lake).
118. You watched double showing movies in Aurora Theater (now gone, casualty of the 1990 earthquake) or Plaza Theater (still existing)...or at the Garden Theater (i don't know what it is now but the building is still there).
119. You used to have have a fistfight or watched one at St. Mary Hill (where SLU now stands).
120. Once in a while you still hanker for sauteed sayote and sardines!
121. You know about Mt. Santo Tomas but haven't been there? (because they see it
everyday naman from almost everywhere)
122. You know about Crystal cave but do not want to go there because they
say it is denuded and its for tourists!!
123. You did not hike the trails at john hay.....(duh, trails again?)
124. You do not know how to describe 'the pine scent' because, well its just
there and you just know it by heart (Avon Forest Interlude Perfume
or fragrance. As one Baguio person commented, Ah kasla met nga
pine tree...)
125. You do not know what sunflower is for, until the Panagbenga
126. You know what "kabite" is.
127. You are cool. No matter what. You are cool.

Thanks to Paul Q. Baquirin, Harold Lopez, Florence Delacruz, Nanette Stewart, Lionel Hamada, Rei Ann P. Cayetano, C. Ellaga, Deepak Punjabi, J. Dan Cabreira, Irene Masloff, Gids Omero, Brenda Fiagoy, Fedeliza Espiritu-Lopez, Louie Hamada and Khristine Carino.

The art of losing isn't hard to master

Watched "In Her Shoes" hoping for a good date movie. It wasn't not because it's bad but because it was deceptively engaging. Films with poetry engage me. Movies are the only time poetry shines because it gives the movie depth and transcendence. My classmates then were enchanted by me when I recited Frost's "Nothing Gold Can Stay" in the "The Outsiders." I think it was Ralph Macchio who recited it. And then, of course, "Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Il Postino" which is a bad film but bad in a good way.
The Cameron Diaz character read (tried to, she was supposed to be dyslexic) an Elizabeth Bishop poem and what an introduction it was. Very poignant. The speaker is denying that she or he lost so much. The poet was being sarcastic when she entitled this "One Art" because she was implying that losing friends and lovers is the only art she was good at. "Write it" because that is the only way to bring out the loss. As our motto goes, Writing well is the best revenge.



One Art
by Elizabeth Bishop

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster.

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three loved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

---Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) like disaster.




Marilyn Hacker has a reply for "One Art." Another poem, of course.

The art of living isn’t hard to muster:
Enjoy the hour, not what it might portend.
When someone makes you promises, don’t trust her

unless they’re in the here and now, and just her
willing largesse free-handed to a friend.
The art of living isn’t hard to muster:

groom the old dog, her coat gets back its luster;
take brisk walks so you’re hungry at the end.
When someone makes you promises, don’t trust her

to know she can afford what they will cost her
to keep until they’re kept. Till then, pretend
the art of living isn’t hard to muster.

Cooking, eating and drinking are a cluster
of pleasures. Next time, don’t go round the bend
when someone makes you promises. Don’t trust her

past where you’d trust yourself, and don’t adjust her
words to mean more to you than she’d intend.
The art of living isn’t hard to muster.

You never had her, so you haven’t lost her
like spare house keys. Whatever she opens,
when someone makes you promises, don’t. Trust your
art; go on living: that’s not hard to muster.

OK. This is to invite you all to listen to BIG FM this February. Feb. 11, 14, 18 and 25 from 9:00 to 9:30 pm. As part of Panagbenga, Baguio poets would be reading their own love poems. I will be reading on February 18. This is part of the NCCA February Arts Month celebration. I will be including my poem, "Bolo Punch To The Heart" and the walang kamatayang "Pusisyon ng Pagtulog." Poems about loss. The art of losing is not too hard to muster. I'm good at this. Believe me.

Community Chest

Her name is Angel Tolentino and she may be a Pinay.
This is her story: In December 1995, I was looking for creative Christmas gifts for my friends. One day I was watching my sister Lyn use sponges to paint on canvas. I thought, "I wonder if my breasts could work like sponges?" Inspiration struck! So I bought some non-toxic paint and canvas, locked myself in the bathroom, and figured out a technique to paint with my breasts. Wouldn't you know it? Breast Pals was born!
Breast Pals has become a sales phenomenon. She now has a line of items (mugs, Tshirts, Tbacks, mousepads etc) featuring 12 of her paintings.

Q) Why are you doing this? Do you have breast cancer?
A) It's easy to come to that conclusion because we become more charitable when something bad happens to us or loved ones. That's all fine. However, I didn't know anybody who had breast cancer. I just thought it would be a nice way to give back somehow.
Q) Your paintings are cute now, but what will you paint when you turn 65?
A) I'll probably do a whole theme on eggplants.

Ha ha ha. Typical Pinay humor

More of the Vigan Gaybelles

This is a Rockette's nightmare. You are dancing, your bra falls down. How can that happen? No breast. What do you do? Stop and disrupt the showdown? No you keep on dancing which is what this gaybelle did. If only for that, she could have won the individual samba crown for "C" as in "courage," said one of the judges. But still they lost and the crowd became rowdy and the Gaybelles manhandled (now that is the appropriate word) a fellow gay.

The Manny Pacquiao Dolls

Hey no one bought these in Octob er when these were first offered for sale at ebay Philippines. Now you can have another chance. So for P9,000, we offer the Pacquiao Doll!!!!!
Here's the blurb: HELLO AGAIN! Up for bid is my second attempt in re-modifying gijoe dolls, and here he is the GREAT PILIPINO BOXER...MANNY "THE PACMAN" PACQUIAO (yeheyyy, clasp hand..who hooo) The Body is made from an ACTION MAN figure 'cause it is the only 12 inch figure that has a well proportioned and anatomically correct body, as you can see the accessories are "TANG-GALABLE" and his hands are wrapped in real masking tape like boxers do, even the NO FEAR short is well taken cared off up to the last detailed advertising stickers. Though the arms are not bendable like most action figures , the muscles on this guy is well placed and bulging.. Winner will pay for the shipment and if someone bid internationally well, the only way is through DHL or FeDex..so bid now!!!!
Here's the dolls.

Pinoy Sweatshops Can Do the Same for PGMA

Worst Day of the Year According to Math

Here's the AFP Report:

Watch out: Monday, January 23 is going to be the unhappiest day of the year, according to a British university researcher.

Cliff Arnall, a health psychologist at the University of Cardiff, specialising in confidence-building and stress management, told AFP the prediction was the result of some gruelling mathematics.

Post-Christmas blues, the return to work after the holidays, mounting bills to pay for the parties, the challenge of keeping New Year's resolutions, the slender prospects of fun in the weeks ahead and chilly winter temperatures for those in the northern hemisphere all add up, he said.

These factors, which he combined in a complex formula, came out showing that the Monday closest to January 24 would be the most dismal of the year.

He quizzed several hundred people for the investigation.

So now we know, would we not have been better off without the bad news?

Not at all, according to Arnall.

Those in the know are in a better position to beat the blues, he insisted.

"You can us it as a springboard to make changes. It can encourage people," he said.

However, those in misery on Monday at least have something to look forward to.

According to the same mathematical formula, June 23 is the happiest day of the year

They are Stealing Our Bolo Punch!!!!

My fellow Filipinos, history is stealing the bolo punch from us. Many of us know that the bolo punch was invented by our very own, Ceferino Garcia (born 26 August 1912 — died 1 January 1981). But the Encyclopedia Britannica has given the credit to a much younger Cuban boxer. Even the International Boxing Hall of Fame gave the credit to Kid Gavilan of Cuba.
Here is Britannica's entry:
Gavilan was born only in 1926, my friends. That meant Ceferino is older by 14 years.
"byname of Gerardo Gonzalez Cuban professional boxer and world welterweight champion. Gavilan is credited with inventing the " bolo punch," which was a combination of a hook and an uppercut. He said he developed the punch by cutting sugarcane during his youth in Cuba," the Britannica wrote. Oh crap.
"Gavilan is the man credited with inventing the bolo punch. He said the punch, which was half hook and half uppercut, was developed by years spent cutting sugar cane with a machete in his native Cuba," the IBHOF also said, which may be why they have yet to enshrine Ceferino in the Hall of Fame.
Garcia had been inducted to the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1981. The native of Tondo boxed in 116 contests, won 57 by knockouts; 24 by decision; boxed 9 draws; lost 20 decisions; lost one on a foul and was knocked out 5 times. He was managed, during the final years of his career by George Parnassus.
According to Britannica's newest rival, the Wikipedia, Ceferino Garcia is the real inventor of "bolo punch."

"Ceferino Garcia is said to have been the inventor of the bolo punch. He, Kid Gavilan and Sugar Ray Leonard are widely recognized as three of the best bolo punchers in boxing history. When asked once how he came to develop the wide sweeping uppercut, Garcia said when he was a youth he used to cut sugarcane in the Philippine Islands , with a bolo knife, which he wielded in a sweeping uppercut fashion," the Wikipedia said.
Wikipedia, however, still ahs no bio on Ceferino so boxing fans out there, update. Rolando Borrinaga wrote a story on him in the Philippine Daily Inquirer in 1994. It's in the web.
I also saw this in the web:
"The boxer Ceferino Garcia is credited with developing the bolo punch in the late 1930's. When asked how he developed the punch, he said it came from the upward swinging motion he used to cut sugarcane as youth in the Philippines. The bolo punch is usually used as a feign to distract the opponent from another punch, but if struck by a bolo punch, you will probably be knocked out. It was used effectively as a punch in the ring by Kid Gavilan in the early 1950's. Two of the most famous cases of a fighter using the bolo punch were when Sugar Ray Leonard avenged his loss to Roberto Duran and when he defeated Thomas Hearns in their second fight, but in these cases, Leonard only used the punch as a distracter. If practiced enough, the bolo punch may be used effectively under certain conditions, but it is not taught by reputable trainers since it is practically useless and is usually only used to "showboat" or to be different from other fighters."
Light heavyweight worlkd champ Roy Jones Jr is also one of the recent practitioners of bolo punch.
The article of "Ring, Rhyme and Reason," an article by Stephen Acunto, started this way:
"As an older member of the boxing fraternity, Mike Jacobs of the 20th Century Sporting Club came to mind recently. Mike's office was in the New York Hippodrome, which no longer exists. At that time there was no such thing as alphabet soup groups, pseudo titles, pseudo ratings or pseudo belts. Mike had only eight divisions in boxing to work with. There was only one champion in each division and everyone knew their names. One of Mike's most famous events was the Carnival of Champions at the Polo Grounds. The bouts started about 7 PM and were on the radio. I recall those bouts vividly. On one particular card there were four title matches. The opening bout was for the bantamweight championship; Harry Jeffra of Baltimore vs. Sixto (Sixth Son) Escobar of Puerto Rico. Jeffra was the victor. The great Barney Ross, the "Chicago Jabber" took on Pilipino, Seferino Garcia, famed exponent of the bolo punch. (Although Kid Gavilan used that blow later on, the originator of the punch was Garcia.) Seferino developed this punch because he used to cut sugar cane with a bolo knife in his native Philippine Islands, thus developing a sweeping upper cut punch motion. Ross earned the verdict."
I hope IBHOF and Britannica accept this great historicla mistake and give back the bolo punch to the Filipino or else we will hack them.

Vigan's Crisologo St. is the New Bugis St.

Longganiza Festival in Vigan brought out the Gaybelles from their abel Iloco closets. They debuted last year with their walis tambo tiaras but this year, they made it the cholesterolic MardiGras. They spent more than P50,000 for their costumes. They even hired a choreographer from Laoag to come out with a dance extravaganza entitled "The Evolution of the Vigan Longganiza." It was all samba led by the "Goddess of Longganiza" who is more gorgeous than 7/8 of the female audience. The crowd loves them but the judges made them 4th out of 4 entries. As a result, soem fo the Gaybelles manhandled one of the gay City Hall Tourism employee.
Later in the night at our hotel, three of the judges were deliberating still. It turned out that the Frank Rivera is one of them.
Well, they said that the presentation never gave them the history of longganiza after all. They pooh poohed the finale of the Gaybelles when they took off their wraparound skirts to reveal their tanggas.
"Had they looked down at their "longganiza" and shouted, "Longganiza" I would have given them a one but they didn't so I made them fourth," one of the judges said.
I think it was Frank R. who said that his only category was, "Surprise me," and he was not surprised at all by any of the contestants.
But they were unanimous in giving the victory to a group from Ilocos Norte with their human pyramids apparently to create a giant longganiza among themselves.
Another judge said that the gays didnt uplift the standard of the festival. He also said that they should have beyond the "parloric" mentality.
So there, it wasn't gay bashing after all. Miss Piggy, it just wasnt your year. Photos by Andy Zapata

The Obligatory Pacquiao Blog

Watched the fight live at the Vigan Trade and Cultural Center. it was tense before the game with some texters saying they saw a news runner on CNN and that it wasn't even close: Pacquiao lost. Had to look at the Internet and google thrice just so to be sure that there was no such news. Went back in time for the main event. Who is Josephine Bautista? She was fine in singing the Lupang Hinirang until the last note. Then it was Jon Secada's turn. When I saw him, I said, it'a all over. This guy admitted to having a small dick and although I admire his courage, I just knew there is no cojones there. Sorry Mejicanos! Wrong guy to represent the machos.
National Anthem Singing: Pacquiao 1, Morales 0
God. Pacquiao. He prayed more fervently and dramatically. And when he entered, the rap made by Apl de Ap of Black Eyed Peas followed him. He was a little less brash when he came up.
Name: Morales. AP misspelled Pacquiao to Pacquaio two times in one story.
First Round: Morales. Only because he seemed to be playing his game. It was slow.
Second Round: Pacquiao. He hurt him there. Had to take a leak because of all the free iced teas I had been drinking. I was slow for the third round that is why I gave it to Morales because he is a good counterrounder, I heard.
Fourth Round. Pacquiao. Just because I changed seat beside a nice girl named Layla.
Fifth Round. Morales. To make it close. Didn't you know judges had to give the close rounds to whoever is losing just to make it close?
Sixth Round. Face value. Pacquiao.
Seventh Round. From thereon, it's all Pacquiao. This is the more mature Pacquiao, the Pacquiao whom the Filipinos knew is in there because we forgave him for his basagulero days, his bad karaoke days and his bad English. He gave us surprise punches. That shows creativity. He also gave Morales the "gimme" when he was staggered. This shows strenght in diversity. He didn't close in when he staggered Morales because it shows respect. He didn't hit his opponent below the belt to show that he has High Morales. Bad joke.
That seventh round is perfection. I have a feeling that if Pacquiao was more articulate he could have said that time slowed for him in that three minutes of sheer boxing flair.
The rest is pudding. Next fight.

Growing Up In Baguio

Someone (must be Girls High) from the Baguio Web International, an egroup of the Baguio-hearted, posted this nostalgia list. You grew up in Baguio City if ...
OK, but as Baguio boy Juan Flavier said, I can not say I grew up in Baguio because I didn't grow...
Here goes. Do a Wikipedia and correct what can be corrected.
1. you bought your school supplies from CID Educational Supplies
2. you bought your fabrics from Tiong San Bazaar (before there was the Old, the New and Harrison aside from Valiram's, Bheromull's, Bombay and Fil-Indian)
3. you bought your imported ingredients from D & S Fine Foods
4. you went to Tea House for all its delicacies like the pancit,the cakes, etc.
5. you went to see movies at Pines or Session Theatre either in the orchestra, loge or the balcony section (without airconditioning)
6. you went to Gold Mine Disco at Hyatt Terraces for night outs(sometime later Spirits became the "in" place)
7. you thought that the best Chinese restaurants in town were Rosebowl and Star café (Mt. Peak where Abanao Mall now is was also good)

8. the only grocery store you remember is Sunshine Grocery (the small one)
9. you had your photos developed at Pines or Mountain Studio
10. you remember where the politicians met for coffee * Dainty! (It is Luisa's café right now I think)
11. you know where to buy the best Sans Rival * Sizzling Plate
12. you bought chiffon birthday cakes at Tesoro's
13. you know what cooking oil looked like if not in bottles
14. you remember there was a real tree in the rotunda fronting whatis now SM Baguio and the post office (which was cut down to give wayto the fountain of tiyanaks and eventually to the concrete pine tree)
15. you remember that there was a Session Café!
16. you ate toasted siopao from Handaan when it was the craze.
17. you enjoyed eating pizza at the old Shakey's located at the basement of Skyworld (now the haven of ukay ukay) 18. you had your milk supplied in bottles from the Baguio dairy farm
19. you had eaten good food at the slaughterhouse (like papaitan)
20. you speak straight and clear english without an annoying colegiala accent
21. you listened to DWHB when it was not yet corny (or in fact it wasthe only cool FM station playing the latest hits)
22. you ate lunch at Benedict's
23. you spent your free time hanging out at FRB
24. you ate the best fried chicken at Mother's
25. you roller skated at John Hay
26. you remember that Sharon Cuneta's half brother had a restaurantin Maharlika
27. you bought imported goods either at John Hay commissary (for those who had the privilege), the PX goods stores in the market or at GP arcade (for the rubber shoes)
28. you studied music at Musar or at the Girls' High music department
29. you remember that there was no Berlin Wall between Center and Lab
30. you were once hospitalized in Notre Dame, the hospital run by sisters
31. your mom studied at St. Theresa's boarding school
32. you had friends studying in Marishan or UP High School
33. you felt sad at Pines Hotel burning down (it was always featured in the movies of the 70s and 80s)
34. you rode the jeep at the paradahan where the Baguio Center Mall is now located
35. if you are Chinese, you were enrolled in Chinese lessons at Patriotic
36. you could hear the voice of Baby de Guzman, a local announcer,emanating from your lolo's AM radio in the early hours of the morning
37. you used oil lamps back home
38. you are/were not awestruck at the sight of an artista or celebrity
39. you did not wear the Baguio City bonnet
40. your idea of a good weekend was a picnic at Burnham or Camp JohnHay or swimming at Asin or Klondike hot springs
41. you ate imported ice cream on cones with square ends in John Hay or the best American food in Halfway House or 19 th tee
42. you somehow attended a classy party in the Main Club when it was still just one wing (which eventually became two wings and which weredemolished to give way to the Manor)

43. you played at the bowling lanes lining Mabini St. * Olympia andAurora (Mile Hi was in John Hay)
44. you regarded Hilltop hotel as a monstrosity looming over themarket (a predecessor of SM Baguio!)
45. you traveled to La Trinidad without encountering traffic
46. you managed to sample fried ice cream at Greenwich (back when itwas not yet owned by Jollibee)
47. you at one time or another wore "civilian" clothes in school instead of the usual blue and white uniforms because the laundrydidn't dry up in time during the rainy season.
48. you visited the Orchidarium which was located where the skating rink is now which used to be the original site of the original skating rink(?)
49. if you studied in Girls High, you remember the Kundirana (Animo La Salle!) visiting every year

50. you paraded on the street because it was Baguio Day (not because of Panagbenga)
51. you somehow graduated from playing with spiders to pigeons to aquarium fish to fighting cocks
52. you could actually leave home and be at the plaza in 5 minutes(which is totally impossible now)
53. you had a sayotehan in the backyard
54. you knew the lion head in kennon had a different color (what is it now anyway? From black to red to yellow to ???)
55. you ate the raisin bread from Country Club
56. you remember the PMA graduating class always giving a dress parade
57. you recalled that the Baguio Botanical Garden was formerly known as Imelda park (and you knew of the urban legend that it was the old zoo and that a giant snake escaped from its cage)

58. you tried ghost hunting (or as they now call it spirit questing)at Diplomat Hotel
59. you crossed the streets and not the overpasses
60. you knew the Hangar was where you could buy the cheapest veggies
61. you bought medicine from the Parungao pharmacy (the onlycompetitor of mercury)
62. you ate merienda and bought hopia from Master Hopia!63. you could buy the yellow cinnamon roll (in the form a round cake) anywhere
64. You ate cheap long johns stuffed with cheese
65. you had shoes bought and fixed along General Luna road (if youdidn't buy from Greggs in Session road)
66. you marveled at the fact that you could see your breathe out in the cold! (which meant it was still that cold then!)
67. you wore those colorful plastic boots (in red, blue or black) toschool when the rains got so heavy
68. you could recall that there were indeed mines in Mines View Park (and not the roofs of houses)
69. you rode on cabs that were 4 door sedans and not FXs.
70. you knew what Chaparral signified
71. you wore socks to bed to keep warm
72. you had a 4 digit telephone number courtesy of PILTEL
73. you were able to venture into the Crystal Caves when it was still pristine
74. you knew Boys' High as being only for boys and Girls' High andHoly Fam as two separate high schools for females (with different uniforms)
75. you can enter the SLU campus without having to show any ID (itwas that open)
76. you read the Midland Courier or the Gold Ore due to your lola's proddings
77. you saw elderly men wearing their best suits and hats while walking along Session Road
78. you had leather shoes shined by a shoeshine boy7
79. you witnessed a dog show at the soccer field in Burnham
80. you knew of the Golden Buddha story
81. you once enjoyed camping as a boy or girl scout at the site near the John Hay fire station (where a convention center is now located)
82. you had a school-sponsored recollection in one of the manyconvents and seminaries in the city

83. you saw the Marcos mansions while they were still not ruins
84. you passed by Kennon while there were still the Twin Peaks (dueto numerous landslides the other peak has disappeared) and the BridalVeil falls
85. you once planted a pine tree sapling for the a regreening movement effort
86. you had a dried up garland of everlasting around the Infant Jesus statue at home
87. you ate the best bananas from Sablan (not anymore!)
88. you somehow ate at any of these Cating owned restos * Solibao, Ganza, Cañao and Tom Sawyer's
89. you were able to travel to Manila using the oldnon-airconditioned buses (there was even a train from Manila toDamortis)
90. you had FEN courtesy of those special antennas and therefore enjoyed to the max all the hit Western TV shows (that's why you were so angry when the bases were pulled out!)
91. you ate at Café by the Ruins and O-Mai-Khan
92. you rode on the Philippine Rabbit back when its terminal was at Magsaysay avenue
93. you traveled to Manila using Dangwa or to Ilocos using BAL or Times
94. you drank Benguet coffee
95. your family may have owned a Volkswagen beetle (Baguio has one of the highest ownership of Volks per capita since the Tabandas of La Trinidad had a dealership)
96. you always were afraid of that pine tree in the middle of theroad on the way to the Loakan airport (it has been cut down)
97. you attempted to explore Mt. Sto. Tomas and remembered to remove your watch (they said it was going to be damaged if you didn't)
98. you used your fireplace during Christmases of yore
99. you knew Europa as the one and only condominium
100. you bought your vinyl albums and eventually cassette tapes and the posters at Plakabar
101. you distinctly remember that there was a small public library near the Athletic Bowl and the tennis courts in Burnham
102. you enjoyed the bump car rides at the basement of Maharlika (back when it was not yet a food court)
103. you never went malling and instead enjoyed the numerous parks and outdoor amusements that Baguio offered

To Let Your Students Recite, Don't Look at Them

Pupils should be encouraged to look away from their teacher when answering a question, scientists have found.

Far from daydreaming, children who avert their gaze when considering their response to a question are more likely to come up with the correct answer.

Stirling University psychologists found that, when looking away, five-year-olds answered 72% of questions well.

But when children had not been instructed to look away when thinking, they answered just 50% correctly.

The experiment, conducted among 20 children aged five, backs up other studies carried out by the Stirling researchers, which suggest that by the age of eight, children instinctively avert their gaze when considering a response to a question.

The mistake adults make is to interject too quickly
Dr Gwyneth Doherty-Sneddon

Dr Gwyneth Doherty-Sneddon from Stirling said taking the gaze away from the human face was very important when trying to concentrate.

"Looking at faces is quite mentally demanding," Dr Doherty-Sneddon told the BBC News website.

"We get useful information from the face when listening to someone, but human faces are very stimulating and all this takes processing.

"So when we are trying to concentrate and process something else that's mentally demanding, it's unhelpful to look at faces."

Adults 'should wait'

The researchers believe teachers and parents often mistake "gaze aversion" for children failing to understand a question and do not give them enough time to compose an answer.

"The mistake adults make is to interject too quickly, they need to try and hold back," said Dr Doherty-Sneddon.

"If they avert their gaze, it's worth waiting because they are probably trying to come up with something.

"There is this idea of 'look at me when I'm talking to you', but it should be okay to look away at some point of the interaction."

If a child looked blankly at an adult when asked a question it was a good indicator that the question had not been understood, she added.

The research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, was published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology.

Quote

"You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist."
- Indira Gandhi

Death of a Friend

You know, there are news sources and there are friends. The late La Paz Mayor El Bernos is a friend and as much as possible I don't report about him. Not that he's not newsworthy. He is very outspoken about violence in his native Abra that some of my colleagues have been fearing for him. He is a very idealistic man not only because he's young but he is tired of hos Abra is being run.
He has to have a posse of bodyguards but when we see each other he makes it a point to have only one bodyguard. Bernos is a man with a mission. He knows his place in history but he is also reluctant to plunge into it.
He is a voracious reader (also voracious) and sometimes that's all he did. Eat. Sometimes read and not talk. We ahd fun with his FHM collection and how he wanted them all to be autographed by the covergirls.
Some people say that he was fearless but I know he was also fearful. There was a time when he thought a person coming to him was an assassin (this was in Baguio) and he muttered, Daytoy san (This is it!). Of course, nothing happened and we had a laugh with that one. The real "daytoy san" came treacherously. He was shot on the nape. We know El's enemies. And one of them is a drug-addled psychopath. I am also not surprised if it was a local political rival who killed him.
One drunken time I told him, someday you will rule Abra but I will not envy you. He said softly, I know.
To the mayor of Peace, Abra. Farewell. I am weeping even as I write this. Ukenana met, El. We could have changed the world but not this way.

Angelina Jolie!!!

After consumation of the sex act, Angelina devours her mates.
Angelina Jolie’s doctor takes her temperature with a Kelvin thermometer.
Angelina can start brushfires by walking across grass.*
Dolphins and whales frequently beach themselves in an attempt to see Angelina suntanning.
Angelina Jolie is being deployed to Afghanistan. The mere sight of her will cause Al Qaida members to die from their unstoppable erections.
Every poet who has tried to describe her lips has died from the impossibility of finding the proper adjectives.
Global warming occurs every time Angelina Jolie does a shower scene in a movie.
Old Faith isn’t a geyser; it’s the Earth ejaculating from the mere presence of Angelina Jolie.*
Angelina’s thighs can squeeze coal into diamonds.*
So can her lips.
“Don’t rock the boat” does not apply to Angelina Jolie. She rocks every boat.
Angelina Jolie’s lips can be used as a flotation device.
After Angelina Jolie was born, 50% of the world’s hottest women committed suicide out of respect.
Helen of Troy launched a 1,000 ships. Angelina Jolie slept with every one of the sailors.
Marilyn Monroe died so Angelina could show the rest of the women how it’s done.
Angelina Jolie taught Jell-O how to wiggle
Angelina Jolie’s pictures have never appeared on “Am I Hot or Not?” Their rating scale doesn’t allow exponents.
Angelina once did her Kegel Exercises in the Pacific Ocean. The resulting tsunami left thousands of Sri Lankans homeless.
Hard water is caused by Angelina Jolie bathing in it
Sex asks Angelina for tips

Ayaw Patalo. Mr. T

Before Mr.T was born there were only 25 letters in the alphabet.

One night Mr. T took a 10 p.m. train home. He still refuses to give it back.

The T virus in Resident Evil is based on what happens to a person when they are exposed overwhelming amounts of pity inflicted by Mr. T. There is currently no cure.

Mr. T destroyed the periodic table, saying Mr. T. only recognizes the element of surprise.

Mr. T hates playing 'Rock Paper Scissors' because he doesn't believe anything could beat rock. He always chooses rock, and when someone throws paper, he says,"I win." If someone is foolish enough to dispute this, he takes his clenched fist and punches them in the face, then says, "I thought your paper would protect you."

Mr. T can walk on water. He can also walk on fire. His preference however, is to walk on fools.

Mr. T scared the black out of Michael Jackson.

Every time a church bell rings, Mr. T pities a fool.

Google won't search for Mr. T because it knows you don't find Mr. T, he finds you.

The only thing to survive a nuclear holocaust would be Mr. T and cockroaches - Mr. T does not like cockroaches... for that reason and that reason alone Russia and the USA agreed to reduce their nuclear arsenal.

The last man who made eye contact with Mr. T was Ray Charles.

When Mr. T received his star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame, he made his hand prints after the cement was dry.

Mr. T walked in front of a speeding bus. Needless to say, he was charged with 7 counts of manslaughter.

Mr. T doesn't pity anyone who likes the Black Eyed Peas. He just kills them.

Mr. T coined the phrase, "I see dead people," after the waiting staff at Denny's forgot his birthday.

When Mr. T folds his arms, the U.S. Terror Alert Level is raised to gold.

Contrary to popular belief, Mr. T was not beat by Sylvester Stallone in Rocky III. He actually lost to Stallone's stuntman, Chuck Norris. It took 5 hours of work by a dozen makeup artists to make Chuck Norris ugly enough to be a believable Stallone. Even with Chuck Norris, it was still necessary to use 3 metric tons of animal traquilizers to knock Mr. T out long enough for a 10 count.

Mr. T once fell into a pool of lava. He nearly drowned.

Mr. T wears brass knuckles because he fears the consequences of hitting someone with his bare fists.

The last time Mr.T went hunting he got a 10 point buck, a white rhino and two bald eagles... He is no longer allowed into the Zoo.

More on Chuck Norris

Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.

Chuck Norris counted to infinity - twice.

If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death.

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.

When Chuck Norris sends in his taxes, he sends blank forms and includes only a picture of himself, crouched and ready to attack. Chuck Norris has not had to pay taxes ever.

Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that's why there are no signs of life there.

They once made a Chuck Norris toilet paper, but it wouldn't take shit from anybody.

As a teen Chuck Norris impregnated every nun in a convent tucked away in the hills of Tuscany. Nine months later the nuns gave birth to the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated and untied team in professional football history.

To prove it isn't that big of a deal to beat cancer. Chuck Norris smoked 15 cartons of cigarettes a day for 2 years and aquired 7 different kinds of cancer only to rid them from his body by flexing for 30 minutes. Beat that, Lance Armstrong.

Chuck Norris sleeps with a night light. Not because Chuck Norris is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris

A blind man once stepped on Chuck Norris' shoe. Chuck replied, "Don't you know who I am? I'm Chuck Norris!" The mere mention of his name cured this man blindness. Sadly the first, last, and only thing this man ever saw, was a fatal roundhouse delivered by Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris can touch MC Hammer.

Chuck Norris once ate three 72 oz. steaks in one hour. He spent the first 45 minutes having sex with his waitress.

Chuck Norris ordered a Big Mac at Burger King, and got one.

Chuck Norris was going to spend a relaxing day watching television when one of those commercials for Trix cereal came on. Angered by what he saw, Chuck Norris spent the rest of his, what was supposed to be a relaxing day, punching every child he came across. He would then shout at them, “Trix are for Chuck Norris.”

If Chuck Norris is late, time better slow the fuck down.

Oxygen requires Chuck Norris to live.

Handicap parking sign does not signify that this spot is for handicapped people. It is actually in fact a warning, that the spot belongs to Chuck Norris and that you will be handicapped if you park there.

At birth, Chuck Norris came out feet first so he could roundhouse kick the doctor in the face. Nobody delivers Chuck Norris but Chuck Norris

Achilles was supposedly the greatest warrior of all time, but he died because of his weak spot, the Achilles tendon. There is no Chuck Norris tendon.

Simpson in Thailand

When censors have no sense of humor. This happens not only in the Philippines but in Thailand where TV laws are strictly anti-smoking. Even Bart's pipe was not spared.