Fuente Osmeña Circle is one of the busy spots in Cebu. The area has a high concentration of…. [read more]

The problem of evil in the world. Stated simply the problem is: If there is an all-powerful and good God, how come there is so much evil in the world? Either there is no God or there is God but evil is more powerful than God. 12TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (B)

MOSCOW – Apparently, them Russians have had enough of their kids dressing weirdly. Fed up with their children’s black-dressing and bad hair ways, the Russian government is passing a law that will effectively ban emo hairstyles and emo dress styles in schools and government buildings.

no emo

A behind-the-scenes look at the legislative process.

The laws are being crafted to curb dangerous self-destructive activities associated with emo.

The Guardian describes emos as “12-16 year-olds with black and pink clothing, studded belts, painted fingernails, ear and eyebrow piercings, and black hair with fringes that ‘cover half the face’. Emo culture’s ‘negative ideology’ may encourage depression, social withdrawal and even suicide, the bill alleges – with young girls being particularly vulnerable.”

via Noisy Noisy Man | your daily dose of retard.

In 1263 a German priest, Peter of Prague, stopped at Bolsena while on a pilgrimage to Rome. He is described as being a pious priest, but one who found it difficult to believe that Christ was actually present in the consecrated Host. While celebrating Holy Mass above the tomb of St. Christina (located in the church named for this martyr), he had barely spoken the words of Consecration when blood started to seep from the consecrated Host and trickle over his hands onto the altar and the corporal.

The priest was immediately confused. At first he attempted to hide the blood, but then he interrupted the Mass and asked to be taken to the neighboring city of Orvieto, the city where Pope Ur ban IV was then residing.

The Pope listened to the priest’s account and absolved him. He then sent emissaries for an immediate investigation. When all the facts were ascertained, he ordered the Bishop of the diocese to bring to Orvieto the Host and the linen cloth bearing the stains of blood. With archbishops, cardinals and other Church dignitaries in attendance, the Pope met the procession and, amid great pomp, had the relics placed in the cathedral. The linen corporal bearing the spots of blood is still reverently enshrined and exhibited in the Cathedral of Orvieto. Corpus Christi

This is a special section covering videos of Karla Puno Garcia’s exposure on So You Think You Can Dance Season 5, along with partner Jonathan Platero. Karla is a Filipino-American currently in the Top 20 finalists of the number one summer reality TV show in the United States.

This will be updated weekly showing all their performances and more.

WATCH THE VIDEOS HERE….

Kenny Rankin died of lung cancer

Kenny who? The name just rang a tiny bell in my mind and the first thing that came into my mind was Chicken Roasters and the unit of temperature we get to convert from Kelvin in grade school science class…[Read More]

Which is more pleasing to hear: I Googled Bing… OR …I Binged Google?

Microsoft, in its bid to capture the search engine market, lauched its repackaged search engine, Live Search, which is now called Bing.[Read More]

Philippine Independence Day Google Logo

Google is known to add pizzazz to their already very colorful trademarked logo for every significant event within a year[Read More]

If you have a PSP-3000 and want to play ISOs on your PSP, then you need to install 5.03 GEN-A via the ChickHEN Hack on your PSP.

Install 5.03 GEN-A on your PSP-3000 via the How to Install Custom Firmware 5.03 GEN-A for ChickHEN Guide.

I saw this on Aileen Apolo’s plurk page first (screenshot below):

I also found several blog posts about it – hey, it’s not everyday that a local holiday get Google Doodled. Here’s one from Jayvee Fernandez of the Blog Herald:

“These don’t come often in the archilepago in South East Asia. June 12 2009 (GMT +8 so they’re advanced) is Independence Day in the Philippines. And Google is first to greet. The logo today represents the colors of the Philippine flag, three stars and the sun. The sun’s design is quite reminiscent as well of the tees made for WordCamp Philippines ‘08 (video).”

Here’s another one from Andrew Dela SernaAlleba.com:

“This is the first-ever Google doodle for the Philippines so we wanted to make it very classic and meaningful for Filipinos. We created a special doodle on the Google Philippines homepage for June 12, 2009 to commemorate the Philippines’ Independence Day,” said Jay Trinidad, Regional Product Marketing Manager, Consumer Products, Google Asia Pacific. Trinidad is a Filipino Googler currently based in Singapore. “Google doodles also celebrate important local events and holidays such as this one. It is our honor to celebrate more than a century of national excellence and achievement with all Filipinos in our own creative and Googley way. On behalf of Google, I wish my fellow Filipinos another century of increasing prosperity and success. Mabuhay ang Pinoy!”

On June 12, 1898, revolutionary forces under Emilio Aguinaldo, the country’s first and youngest President, declared independence from Spanish colonial rule. The Philippine Independence Day doodle is based on the country’s current national flag, which is very similar to the one Aguinaldo raised 111 years ago. We’ve taken the sun with its eight rays, which represents the eight Philippine provinces that pledged their support to the revolution, and used it as the first ‘O’ in our logo,” said Trinidad, explaining the idea behind the doodle’s design. “We also used red, white, and blue, the Philippines’ national colors, which stand for patriotism, equality, and justice, respectively. We also incorporated the flag’s three stars in the design, symbolizing the three major geographic regions of the country.”

So, it was actually a Filipino who made this very special Google Doodle to commemorate Philippines’ Independence Day. Even ABS-CBN covered this:

“To commemorate the country’s 111th anniversary of its declaration of independence, Google announced that it has created the first-ever Google doodle for the Philippines. The unique doodle can be viewed on Google’s Philippine website, www.google.com.ph.

A Google doodle is a “decoration” Google makes to its logo every so often. Doodles are designed to celebrate worldwide events, anniversaries, and the lives of notable artists and scientists. Among the doodles that have been displayed on Google’s website are international holidays New Year, Valentine’s Day, and the December holiday season, and logos commemorating Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, and Edvard Munch.”

Personally, I’m happy that Google would take notice of our Independence Day – the problem is – is this kind of use of the “sanctioned” under R.A. 8491 (Flag and Heraldic Law of the Philippines)? The Law states:

”

I. Prohibited Acts

Sec. 34. It shall be prohibited:

a) To mutilate, deface, defile, trample on or cast contempt or commit any act or omission casting dishonor or ridicule upon the flag or over its surface;

b) To dip the flag to any person or object by way of compliment or salute;

c) To use the flag:

1. As a drapery, festoon, tablecloth;
2. As covering for ceilings, walls, statues or other objects;
3. As a pennant in the hood, side, back and top of motor vehicles;
4. As a staff or whip;
5. For unveiling monuments or statues; and
6. As trademarks, or for industrial, commercial or agricultural labels or designs. “

So, Section 3, article c6 might be prohibiting Google from using the distinctive features of the Philippine Flag from being incorporated into the it’s design. But that might be something that Ambeth Ocampo and the National Historical Institute to decide. I can only guess what Ambeth Ocampo’s reaction would be about this but here’s a clue based from his previous articles – here’s an one excerpt:

“Is respect for the flag and anthem irrelevant to our times? If it is considered petty to enforce a simple law, how do we expect others to follow greater, more difficult laws?

Two decades ago, James Fallows wrote about our “damaged culture” and reaped a whirlwind. We should update this to “pasaway culture” of our times.

Why do we have issues with authority and law? History gives us a hint: Rizal and Bonifacio went against Spanish laws and became heroes. Aguinaldo went against American laws and became a hero. Jose Abad Santos went against Japanese laws and became a hero. Today we are a free and independent nation, with Filipinos making laws for Filipinos who unfortunately have been historically conditioned to flout the law and hope to get away with it. Read the exchange on whether Nievera was right or wrong, and ask yourself why laws in this country are mere suggestions. Why can we not agree on how to best respect the symbols of the nation?

I should blame history for this confusion, but then maybe we should blame ourselves and our pasaway culture.”

And here’s another one:

“Should people treat flags in this way? Schoolchildren are taught that our flag should be respected: it is raised in the morning, lowered in the afternoon or in inclement weather. Our flag is folded in a special way and care is made that it does not touch the ground. When a flag is old, faded, or tattered, it is removed from service, burned and the ashes buried somewhere instead of thrown in the waste can or flushed down a toilet. This is what many Filipinos are taught in school and by joining the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts of the Philippines. All this I learned before 1998 when Republic Act 8491, more popularly known as the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, was passed into law.“

Is the use of the Philppine Flag as a Google Doodle enough cause for the National Historical Institute and Ambeth Ocampo to censure Google? Let’s see what happens. Or maybe, they already have permission from the NHI? I can only guess. But wouldn’t it be supreme irony, that on the very day the we are supposed to commemorate Aguinaldo’s declaration of Philippine Independence against the United States of America, an American company would actually “doodle” about it?

posted by Paul “The Pageman” Pajo

That swine flu thing has finally reached our shores, and the number of infected people are escalating. So, what’s most logical thing to do? Panic. Yes, that’s what we’re doing now.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not downplaying the effects of swine flu. It’s dangerous and all, but seeing people around me panic is just not doing anyone good. Freaking out isn’t the best thing to do. Because I tend to freak out too; and whenever I freak out I curl into a fetal position and suck my thumb. Want to know how jumpy people are? Everytime somebody coughs in the elevator, I could literally see everyone’s head turning towards the poor guy, with MURDER written on everyone’s faces. I’m pretty sure if somebody initiated a punch, everyone would be involved within five seconds. The poor sap won’t reach the ground floor alive.

There’s a palpable tension in the air that was never there before. Everyone’s so uneasy, similar to the feeling of watching another Hayden Kho sex scandal video, but instead of Katrina Halili, he’s fucking Dionisia Pacquiao this time.

via Los Paranoias [or how A/H1N1 is driving us crazy].

is you company ready for an IT makeover? if so, why not join IBM Philippine’s – IBM Makeover Challenge!

know more [http://itpinoy.blogspot.com]

June 3, 2009 – The brewrats’ hosts (99.5 rt) planned to beat other station’s facebook account, who has currently 50,000 followers (approx.) and still increasing.

June 4, 2009 – DJ Ramon Bautista confessed that he’s having a hard time in creating the Facebook account. That’s why he asked a brewster on the booth to create it. The Brewster immediately create the account which was named “The Brewrats Republic!”.

If you want to support the “brewrats’ show” on their advocacy please follow these steps:

1. Visit www.facebook.com

2. Create your own account. (if you don’t have an account yet)

3. Search for the Brewrats Republic! (don’t forget the exclamation point).

4. Add them up and ask your friend to support them to.

5. Spread the Bubonic Plague.

6. =)

__________
Photo courtesy of www.thebrewrats.com
www.marchristianherrera.blogspot.com

Ok, I confess I am a junk food addict. I stuff myself sick with potato chips, popcorn, french fries, and burgers. In fact, that is probably the one addiction my husband wishes I lose immediately (in addition to the rest of my excess weight – haha). So it is not a surprise that I am intrigued with new snacks, new stalls, new junk that hear about or read about.

Read more…

In today’s times, I think parents are forced to be creative when coming up with activities that would entertain their children. Otherwise, they may turn to settling with the latest gadgets to give their young ones. Although my eldest son would probably love to get a PSP or the latest toy, I have long decided that my kids will not be raised with their heads buried in gadgets, so I chose another path of entertainment.

Read more…

TETRIS – the all time favorite pastime of both slackers and kewl people alike celebrates it’s 25th year today!

read more [http://itpinoy.blogspot.com]

Something to smile about! A Filipino-American dancer Karla Garcia from Oxon, MD is part of this season’s So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD) Top 20. She is 23 years old currently residing in Brooklyn, New York. Her dance style is Jazz and Contemporary.

For those unfamiliar with the show, SYTYCD is a dance competition looking for America’s favorite dancer. It has the same premise of Idol to find the best in America- in this case, the best dancer. The contestants are asked to perform different styles of dancing every week tutored by America’s best choreographers. The catch, they have very little time to rehearse and learn the dance ranging from hiphop, broadway, jazz, jive, disco, ballroom, salsa, etc. and my favorite- contemporary. If the contestants find themselves in the bottom three that week, they are asked to “dance for your life” in the hope that the judges will save them from eliminations. Two dancers are cut every week until it gets to the finals.

READ MORE HERE…

1 + 1 + 1 = 3. How is it that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit make only ONE God? Trinity Sunday

I can’t remember how it is to have lips that are soft and supple but I am sure that sometime in my thirty or so years on this earth, they must have been. Now my memories are filled with dry, cracked and chapped lips. The lipsticks in my makeup kit have been replaced by lip balms and a tub of petroleum jelly and I no longer care if mauve or shell would look good on me.

Read more…

in the past weeks, there were two new search engines that were launched – microsoft’s bing and wolfram alpha, tech crunch made a quick comparison of the two, tell me what you think? will these two can even come near google?

read more [http://itpinoy.blogspot.com]

after months of discussions, doubts and controversies, looks like our automated polls will push through as the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will likely award the P11.3b contract to the lone qualifying bidder consortium of Netherlands-based Smartmatic and local partner Total Information Management (TIM) next week.

read more [http://itpinoy.blogspot.com]

My writing is inspired by extremely emotional experiences that are either happy or really really sad. Usually I do not find it hard to come up with the words I need to create a full post. This time, I am challenged.

A month ago, my father suffered a heart attack. He was in the intensive care unit for 3 days but luckily recovered and eventually discharged. Last week, he passed away after being in a coma for 4 days. He had a smile on his face as his heart stopped.

Read more…