Since I have created Espaniero (An Online Conversation Group for Pinoys), I have been exposed to many historical documents and debates on certain historical issues on forums. From these readings I can conclude that a lot of what is written in our history books are erroneous and biased. Although there are some history books (mostly for college level students) which would present you with an accurate account of the Philippine history uder Spanish rule, many will give you one sided and inaccurate stories of Spanish cruelty to the natives. Some Spaniards were indeed cruel to Filipinos but we shouldn’t generalize them. Some Americans were cruel to us but they weren’t cruel generally. And here I find out the endless power of effective marketing. The Americans took the game as any capitalist will. They successfully wiped out any loyalties to the Filipinos’ former colonial masters and managed to instill in us a love for anything that is American. Now that is a classic example of effective marketing.

A week ago, I myself had this prejudice against Spanish people as being arrogant, snobbish, and unkind. After all, in Philippine cinema, that is how they are being depicted. Name one Filipino movie wherein a Spanish is being depicted as a normal mainstream character. You can’t, ‘coz there are none.

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Ever since broadband internet access became commonplace, the popularity of local online gaming has grown by leaps and bounds. Only a few short years ago, internet/gaming cafés offered mostly single player titles, as well as multiplayer games playable over a local area network (LAN), such as StarCraft, WarCraft III: Reign of Chaos, Command & Conquer: Generals, and the ubiquitous Counter-Strike.

Nowadays, while most of these games still have a following, a lot of players have simply grown tired of playing with or against AI allies and opponents, or even with or against human opponents on a local network. They want to play with or against players from literally all over the place, not only with people located in a single establishment. That’s precisely what massively multiplayer games are all about, and the proliferation of high speed internet access has made it all possible.

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In this post, I’ll feature my worst, incompetent, illiterate, unprepared teachers in no particular order. I’m sure I have talked about some of them, but for the sake of my new readers, I’ll still add them here.

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While having my 2nd breakfast at McDonald’s after my first Sunday mass and thinking of my dilemma – get a new phone or just save for a MacBook, I noticed this one from a cellphone stall:

Continue reading atThe Armorer’s Codex.

I originally planned to attend the Blogger Taste Asia Meet Up at the SM Mall of Asia, but we had a change of schedule, plus, I was with my lover (who was dead tired and sick). I signed up for the both of us, because I planned to introduce her to my blogger friends (who are just a few BTW), but because I end my shift at 5 PM (and her at 4 PM), we couldn’t wait for the event to start. I insisted on dropping by Taste Asia just to check it out and see if there were any early birds, but there weren’t any. I was hoping that I could meet Ate Aileen Apolo (Google Country Consultant for the Philippines), and all the other bloggers whom I haven’t met yet. *sighs* Next time na lang ulit.

I’ve been on and off active in the PinoyBlogosphere mailing list, but there has been a big buzz on the Wika 2007 Blog Writing Contest, organized to commemorate and celebrate the Buwan ng Wika, and to promote our language, the Filipino Language online. I think the writing part’s over though. Shari‘s giving away a Misteryosa award. Next time, pwede bang may Keysi award na rin? Bwahahaha! Read more here…

When we were in formation, feast days were celebrated with ice cream. The ice cream served was not Magnolia but Sipag at Tiyaga. Sipag at Tiyaga is good formula not only to make it in life but also to progress in the spiritual life. 21st Suday In Ordinary Time

Yet another Asus Eee PC sighting…

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I am now a certified fan of multiply fashion stores. Its reminiscent of my stint in the states where I used to surf through store after online store looking for electronic gadgets. Now I am addicted to browsing through multiply sites looking for great fashion finds.

Let me share with you the results of my most recent shopping trip online.

I found these fabulous accessories from yesha’s online multiply store – the shopaholicstore. Yesha sells several cool items like gadgets, tops, bottoms, dresses, accessories, bags, eyewear, footwear, scents, and tiffany jewelry.

More here…

The key to a very relaxing vacation is a good destination and a certain amount of advance information. Take that from a non-expert like me.

As far as Bohol is concerned, with its many beautiful attractions and the very laid back atmosphere, I think you already have no. 1. As to no. 2, one of the things you should know is… where will you stay. Asa man?

To help you, I have just added to the sidebar of Bol-anon what I think is the most extensive listing of hotels, inns, pension houses and resorts in Bohol with their own official websites. The list should assist you in deciding where to stay there.

Read the full post at Bol-anon.

… or at least, I was interviewed for a news program. Yes I know, my title was misleading.

I mean, it shouldn’t be a big deal as I have done cameos and some TV stuff before but it just excites me to think that I was/will be (I don’t know when it’ll air) on a legit news show of a major network- if I won’t get edited out, that is. And more importantly, I was being filmed and I didn’t even have to wear a wig. Sexaayyyy!

Though I ask, why must I not be wearing make-up or even just lipgloss? And goddamn it, why must I have pimples?!?!

Read the rest here…

Anyone who has taken cared of a child would have come across Barney, the purple dinosaur. You will have seen him in various audio and video cds. I receive many of those cds during my own two kids birthdays. They seem harmless enough. The songs are very catchy and kids find it easy to follow the tunes. In fact, my 1-year old’s favorite morning exercise is dancing to Barney and Friends.

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Malu Fernandez

***just before we move on this on this matter, check out the MALU FERNANDEZ PERFUME EXPERIMENT below***

“…To think that the paper itself is titled the Manila Standard Today, begs the question as to what kind of standards they are upholding. Indeed with such an article that was written by Malu Fernandez, The Manila Standard Today should have stepped up to the plate and fired Malu Fernandez. People Asia Magazine should never have ran that article as well…”

and so it begins … there’s now a signature campaign for Malu Fernandez to get fired and a boycott on the Manila Standard and People Asia. I wonder where this will all end? Is socio-economic bigotry going to be associated with the name Malu Fernandez in the future? Only time and history can tell.

urltea here
Jaiku here

I’m wondering why The Manila Standard hasn’t commented on this issue already. If you Google the phrase “Manila Standard” (even without the quotes), the boycott is now at 7th position.

UPDATE as of August 23 2007

It looks the Manila Standard responded via this blog

here’s an excerpt:

10. Francis Lagniton Says:
August 20th, 2007 at 6:13 pm

Magandang araw po. Bilang news editor ng Manila Standard Today, ipinaaalam ko lang sa inyo na walang kinalaman ang Manila Standard Today sa People Asia o kay Bb. Malu Fernandez.

Ang People Asia po ay isang magasin na inililimbag ng Philippine Star group of publications.

Wala po kaming reporter o columnist na nagngangalang Malu Fernandez.

Salamat po sa tulong ninyo na iparating ito sa mga overseas Filipino worker na sumusubaybay sa inyong blog.
11. Francis Lagniton Says:
August 20th, 2007 at 6:19 pm

Correction lang po. Si Malu Fernandez ay sumusulat ng isang column sa Manila Standard Today lifestyle section minsan sa isang linggo.

Wala po kaming inilalabas na pag-aalipusta sa mga overseas Filipino workers. Ang inirereklamong column ay lumabas sa People Asia magazine.
12. Ederic Says:
August 20th, 2007 at 6:54 pm

Sa Manila Standard po lumabas itong pagtatanggol niya sa isinulat niya:

Am I being a diva? Or do you lack common sense?

looks like the boycott is taking effect.

UPDATE as of 24 August 2007

It seems that Malu Fernandez has apologized and also has resigned from the Manila Standard and People Asia. Here’s her (alleged) statement:

“…Statement from Malu Fernandez on the OFW Controversy

I am humbled by the vehement and heated response provoked by my article entitled ‘From Boracay to Greece!’ which came out in the June 2007 issue of People Asia. To say that this article was not meant to malign, hurt or express prejudice against the OFWs now sounds hollow after reading through all the blogs from Filipinos all over the world. I am deeply apologetic for my insensitivity and the offensive manner in which this article was written, I hear you all and I am properly rebuked. It was truly not my intention to malign hurt or express prejudice against OFWs.

As the recent recipient and target of death threats, hate blogs, and deeply personal insults, I now truly understand the insidiousness of discrimination and prejudice disguised as humor. Our society is bound together by human chains of kindness and decency. I have failed to observe this and I am now reaping the consequences of my actions. It is my fervent hope that the lessons that Ive learned are not lost on all those who through anonymous blogs, engaged in bigotry, discrimination, and hatred ( against overweight individuals , for example )

I take full responsibility for my actions and my friends and family have nothing to do with this. To date I have submitted my resignation letters to both the Manila Standard and People Asia, on that note may this matter be laid to rest…”

Of course, we want this matter to put to a rest and for everyone to move forward and move on but here’s a question – How will an OFW manning a booth react to Malu Fernandez if they see each other face to face?

and before we move on …

THE MALU FERNANDEZ PERFUME EXPERIMENT

I’ve done this with my friends on the suspicion that NOT A LOT of people ACTUALLY know the scent of BOTH Charlie cologne and Axe Deo cologne. I know Axe Deo cologne but Charlie? One friend of mine said that’s the woman’s version of Jovan (which I know about). Here’s the thing though, while sitting in Hap Chan the other day I asked my friends and NOT ONE of them KNEW the SMELL of BOTH Charlie and Axe Deo Cologne.

which begs the question:

Why DOES Malu Fernandez KNOW the SMELL of BOTH?

(anyone agree this might be good stand-up material?)

btw I got BryanBoyed! Someone actually posted a link back to this post!

the original post is here

I was tagged several weeks ago by modobs to ask myself this question – “If you were left alone on a deserted island, which celebrity would you choose to spend the time with?? That actually is very easy to answer for all the gorgeous celebrities out there. I can actually think about 10 men I would like to be with me on that island on any day. To prevent that I think, she made the tag more challenging. She says to list down why you think you deserve to be with that chosen celebrity. Hmm… it is much harder to respond to don’t you think.

The first question to ask is “Who the heck is Wentworth Miller?”

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Sony’s dirty tricks department is at it again!

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No more SIM cloning, no more soldering, just a simple software solution

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The day that AT&T has been dreading has finally come. The Apple iPhone has been successfully unlocked by a small piece of software and it only took a couple of minutes to do it. This is not a fake and there’s a video to prove it.

Continue reading Apple iPhone Unlocked..

The day started out just like any morning. I woke up, checked my mail and then I headed off to the shower. It was then that things started to bad.

“Honeyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!” I screamed from the bedroom.

“What?!” my wife poked her head through the doorway to find me holding and staring at my shampoo bottle and my deodorant stick.

“They went too far this time! Too fucking far,” I said while shaking my hands at her.

“Who did?”

“Look at this!” I told her, as I handed over my shampoo bottle and my deodorant stick.

“Okay. Why am I holding your shampoo and your deodorant?”

“Don’t you see woman?! THEY’RE BOTH EMPTY!”

“So?”

“AT THE SAME TIME!?!?”

*SIGH* “Do you have a point? Because the chicken’s burning.”

“Fuck the chicken! And no, I’m not talking about what I did last Christmas. I was drunk dammit, drop it! I mean the neighbors emptied my shampoo and used up my deodorant stick! Once again, our neighbors have slapped our faces with the gauntlet of un-awesomeness.”

Continue reading at Faded Boxers.

Many Filipinos are not aware of the varied local cultures which thrive in the Philippine countryside. There are 110 ethnolinguistic groups in the country which could reach up to 10-12 million of the population. Most indigenous peoples or IP are in areas classified as public domain.

Read more at Mongster’s Nest

Dear Ms. Cristina Santos Canonigo,

…I was not born yesterday. The speeches enumerated above were taken from my blog. They were delivered in English, and I translated them into Tagalog. But no mention is made in the book, for which you have claimed copyright, of the original language in which the speech appeared or of its translator. More…

So after the disaster on my (mostly nonexistent) social life that was the first Taste Asia Blogger’s Meetup at MoA back in July, I decided to just take it easy and try to avoid blogger meetups in the meantime because of the sheer number of temporary restraining orders I amassed just by attending the last one. I mean, there’s only so much my criminal record (and dignity) can take. So I was rather surprised when I read Aileen’s blog entry announcing that there will be a second blogger’s meetup at Taste Asia. I was like “Ho-hum, another blogger meetup, yeah, yeah, big deal— HOLY FUCKWITS DID SOMEBODY SAY FREE FOOD? I’M IN!”

So I pretty much convinced Rising Internet Star Mike “Fucking” Villar– who was hiding in some foxhole in Zanzibar because of the haters he gained from his infamous FOBcast– to join in. I spent many a night patting Mike’s hand, telling him to stop crying and after convincing him that a certain anonymous flamer (who actually works for Chinatrust and wastes away company resources surfing Mike’s blog) won’t really come into his room in the middle of the night and stab his neck with a ballpen, Mike finally agreed to show up. Read the rest of this entry »