TOMS Shoes - Desert Botas

TOMS International just recently launched their Summer Collection in a press release which I was fortunate enough to be a part of, covering the event for When In Manila. Quite a pleasant surprise after when TOMS gave each of the three bloggers who attended a pair of shoes. Mine was a pair of TOMS Desert Botas.

For every pair you buy, TOMS gives one to a child in need. Truth.

The pair was TOMS take on the classic desert boot, that rugged and versatile footwear used by many military men in desert countries. I was given the dark brown pair.

Aesthetics

From the get-go, the boots (or as TOMS likes to call it, the 'botas') definitely look pretty rugged, albeit with a much thinner sole, giving it a sleek but utilitarian look. It's a simple pair, and it went perfect with a pair of jeans. My favorite detail about it though is the houndstooth detail on the inner lining. I thought that was classy.

Comfort

Since I wore the shoes to work today, I was expecting it to be a tad bit more comfortable than my regular leather shoes. I was wrong; it was WAY more comfortable, to a fault. This pair has a low ride on the heel (unlike most shoes) so it felt weird at first, but after about half an hour, they felt really good. The canvas upper was light and there was no restrictive feeling whatsoever in the toe-box. However, since I wasn't a fan of mid- to high-cut shoes, I had a little bit of discomfort from the edges of the botas rubbing against my ankle. Thankfully - and a great feature, may I add - the edges can be folded down solving the chafing problem in seconds, though this gave the shoes a much more casual look.

Cushioning

I dance and run, and it has become second nature to feel how much support a pair of shoes gave my feet. Even though the TOMS botas had a low ride, they felt well-cushioned enough for a serious amount of wear-time; in fact, they felt very comfortable even after work and walking along Jupiter Street, Makati earlier. The flat sole is something I personally like as well, though I don't suggest stepping on wet tile floors. The tread of this pair isn't designed to handle smooth and slick surfaces.

Oh yeah.

All in all, I love the pair, and they look awesome with your favorite jeans. Good enough for a casual workday or a weekend out, in my opinion. Also, it's interesting to note that TOMS International is serious on social responsibility; in fact, the TOMS One for One program gives a child in need a pair of shoes for every pair that you buy.

For more information on the TOMS Summer Collection Press Release, read my article on When In Manila.

How's that for a bargain.

Check out TOMS website for more items.

Haters Gonna Hate - 3 Reasons Why Haters Are Good For You

Haters. This word has come to be understood as vaguely as 'people who don't like you' and as specifically as 'critics who don't have anything positive to say about a musician's music'. Whatever it is, it's an inescapable fact that - as the famous meme goes - haters gonna hate. While the ignore-rinse-repeat reaction is common (and safe) there may actually be a positive side to having haters (or being hated on).

It's good for you!

When in Manila: Running in Manila

My article, as featured on When in Manila.

Enjoy, and don't forget to share!

Old Man Arrested for Chocolates - A (Violent) Reaction

While browsing the news site Inquirer.net a while ago, I saw this news posted from yesterday.

"79-year-old man arrested for stealing chocolates at a grocery store"

The security guard at the grocery store, Ultra Mega Wholesale and Retail Store, said that he saw a bulge in Mr. Ricardo Castro's (the septuagenarian) pocket - the allegedly stolen pack of chocolates. What is appalling with this story is that the man is seventy-nine years old (as in, a hoot short of eighty) and that the pack of chocolates was worth PHP 36.00. 

That's right. Less than a dollar.

Otherwise known as "jail time" in the Philippines.

The man offered to pay for the item, which he claims he forgot to pay for since he was thinking of his son, who was sick. The representatives of the store refused and insisted that he is to be jailed for his 'crime'.

No Mercy

I don't even know where to begin. I know for a fact that the country is experiencing a bit of a downer financially, but to exert this amount (or rather, the non-existence) of mercy to an old man is too much. To put it into perspective, he stole roughly the price equivalent of 25% of a typical Starbucks coffee drink, 50% of the typical McDonald's burger, or three sticks of street-side pork barbecue. I am so disgusted at the morals and values sacrificed in this incident all in the name of pseudo-justice and 100% business. If we have small mom-and-pop wholesale stores willing to destroy the remaining years of a senior citizen, something is very wrong with our business ethics.

Price of Mercy

PHP 36.00. That's the price of mercy, as shown by Ultra Mega store. I reckon, if every single person who reads this blog, the newspaper article, and other concerned citizens raised PHP 36.00 each, we can all either help bail Mr. Ricardo Castro out, or at least assist his family with legal and/or daily needs.

Spread the word if you are concerned that mercy is becoming ever rarer.

Original article can be found here.
Image from reciprocatellc, retrieved on February 8, 2012.

Fixed Pay for Bus Drivers and Conductors

As of February 1, 2012, the Philippine government has mandated a fixed-pay salary for bus drivers and conductors, in a move to promote better working conditions for employees of the public transport industry.

From the Philippine government website:

"... the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) has issued Department Order No. 118-12, series of 2012, which establishes the rules and regulations governing the employment and working conditions of drivers and conductors in the public utility bus transport industry."

I agree with the implementation of this system for the following reasons:

Better Financial Compensation

The public transportation system of the Philippines - as far as I am aware - has been working on the 'boundary' policy for the longest time. A driver needs to pay X amount to his employer at the end of his shift, regardless of how much he actually pulled during the day. For example, a driver may be given a PHP 2,000 boundary, to be given daily to his employer (the vehicle company/operator). This ignores the fact that the driver needs to buy fuel too, and maybe even pay for some maintenance of the vehicle. At the end of the day, a public transportation driver in this country sees an average of PHP 300.00 - PHP 500.00 as his net daily income. This is, according to drivers I've spoken with, a 'good' day. Now imagine if he was ill or unable to drive. A fixed-pay system that cannot go below the minimum wage ensures that the driver will always have some sort of financial stability that is independent of his health, weather conditions, and passenger availability on top of whatever commission he may receive from his efforts.

Risking life, limb, property, and public safety.

Better Public Safety

Since drivers will now have some 'bacon' to bring home on a regular basis (no matter how small the amount may be), I believe public transportation employees are far less likely to involve themselves in dangerous activities in order to 'make the boundary' as well as bring home a little bit for the family. I have personally taken late-night bus rides home, where drivers run red lights and take risky short-cuts in order to maximize the number of 'rounds' they can do. Pedestrians in the Philippines will attest to these buses madly speeding - even through pedestrian crossings! - in streets and highways. Perhaps this fixed-pay system could encourage drivers to drive at a more leisurely pace and increase awareness for safety not just for the public but for themselves as well.

Better Environmental Practice

While seemingly having no direct correlation to the Order, buses that move slower during trips and buses that are not operational for longer hours (since employees will not be trying to push for longer driving hours) simply mean less emissions on a day-to-day basis. This is probably not a long-term effect, but in my opinion, having buses belch out poisonous and smelly smoke for eight hours is much better than having these said vehicles produce the same emissions for twelve, even fourteen hours daily. Also, buses that aren't too over-used would require less maintenance and parts replacement, which surely saves on materials and resources.

I think that this Order is one of the better policies that the Philippine government has implemented in recent years, and certainly one of the highlights President Aquino's term in office. I look forward to a similar Order mandated for public utility jeeps, tricycles, and pedicabs.

Also, as a public service announcement, this is the list of the Top 10 most dangerous bus operators in Metro Manila, according to this September 2011 Inquirer article.

Based on the number of deaths (passengers and bus personnel)

1. Admiral Transport
2. Nova Auto Transport
3. JAM Liner
4. Gassat Express
5. Joyselle Express
6. Philippine Corinthian Liner
7. Rainbow Express Inc.
8. Alberto Garating
9. Alps the Bus
10. EM Transit Service

Based on the number of injured (passengers and bus personnel)

1. Admiral Transport
2. Nova Auto Transport
3. AM Liner
4. Gassat Express
5. Joyselle Express
6. Miami Transport
7. Pascual Liner
8. Philippine Corinthian Liner
9. Rainbow Express Inc.
10. CEM Transit Service

Based on damage to property

1. Don Mariano Transit
2. Nova Auto Transport
3. Gassat Express
4. Miami Transport
5. Pascual Liner
6. Rainbow Express Inc.
7. Ropal Transport
8. A&B Liner
9. GELL Transport
10. CEM Transit Service

Sources:

Montecillo, P. G. (2011). "Most Dangerous Metro Manila Buses Named". Inquirer News. Retrieved on February 2, 2012 from Inquirer online article.

Image retrieved from same Inquirer online article.

Philippine Government Website (2012). "Bus Drivers, Conductors to Get Fixed Pay Starting Feb 1". Retrieved on February 2, 2012 from Philippine government online press release.

Dance and Fear

What enables a dancer to freestyle? What opens up a dancer's mind to a limitless sky of creativity and a never-ending well of move after move after move? After spending almost four years dancing, and learning so much from so many people, I suppose I have some semblance of an answer.

Not a care in the world.

The Mind/Heart Killer

Fear, not just in dance, kills the ability of the heart and mind to act in unison. Everything that we do passionately, I'd like to believe that it is because we consciously love doing and learning it (the mind) and we will subconsciously feel incomplete and dissatisfied without it at all (the heart). Fear brings doubts, and doubts raises self-consciousness to such a level that a dancer feels s/he "needs to impress" and "look good" in a session. Fear of negative comments, laughter, and getting labeled as 'wack' creates a dancer that thinks too much of rejection and 'not being good enough'. Fear's essential impact is preventing a dancer from sharing his/her entire being (feelings, emotions, skills, etc.) on the dance floor. In other words, a dancer who feels s/he must prove something to someone ends up not being able to freestyle with a limitless mind and a sharing heart.

The Opposite of Fear

In the book Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (which, by the way, is my favorite book of all time), the Spartan general Dienekes (of "We'll fight in the shade" fame) teaches his young warrior-squire Alexandros the meaning of fear and its opposite. While defending Thermopylae (of "300" fame), Alexandros - exposed to the horrors of war at the young age of 18 - eventually discovers the opposite of fear. It is also the exact same answer that I've learned from several individuals I respect highly in the Filipino dance community. The opposite of fear is love.

Unconditional

Love doesn't judge; it doesn't have an opinion. All it does is be. Nothing more, nothing less, nothing else. When a dancer loves his/her art so much that the world ceases to exist around him/her, something magical happens. A dancer in love with everything about the art will not care  S/he hits every single beat every single time, moves that flow into each other materializes one after the other smoothly, and best of all, a story is told. Freestyle is considered by some to be somewhat of 'a test' on whether or not a street dancer can really dance. No practice, no choreography, no pre-sets. Just the music and the moment. Love for the art, love for one's inspiration(s) (be it one's Faith, a life-changing moment, or someone important), and love for one's self all brings out the dancer in his/her best form. A dancer just dances. Love doesn't care who wins or loses, who's amazing or who's wack, and it definitely doesn't have a standard of 'good' or 'bad'.

Just dance.
Out with the fear, in with the love.

One love, chyeah.

Jay~

This post is inspired by my experiences with my beloved Skittlez Crew, a group of friends that have grown into a huge family that inspires many Lasallians. Also much inspiration came from my dance mentor Michael 'Decky' Decano, first Papi of Skittlez and a leader not just in the crew but of people as well. Many thanks go to Phillip Pamintuan aka Adrum the Warrior of Murda Fam and Krumpinoy, a titan in faith and in the dance community. I have so much love and respect for crews that freestyle out of love: Unschooled, Krumpinoy, UPM Indayog, and Bandila Fusion, among others.

Picture courtesy of morethanastance.com; retrieved on January 31, 2012.

"Just Dance" quote courtesy of Phillip Pamintuan, 2012.

The Rooms - A Short Story

It began not too long ago. A young man was getting to know how life went outside the safety, familiarity, and comfort of the world he was used to. He was about to enter a scary, yet unexplored world. The supposed world of 'real'.

It began well. A window of opportunity opened, and he quickly clambered through it. In that place, the room beckoned; he will be well, he will be treated well. He was indeed treated grandly, a first among peers one may even say. In a short while, the window closed and a door opened; this room promised to be even more rewarding, even more fulfilling. And for a while, it was.

He went away for a while, and things were never the same again. His spirit and belief in the promises first of the window, and then the door were shattered in the worst way imaginable. His trust and his faith were both shaken, and he had all the right in the world to not only run out of the room, but to take the house down for what they did to him.

He decided to keep quiet, for the most part. He loved the rooms so much, for the happiness and pride he has received from these rooms that he promised to try - as much as possible - to keep the status quo. He will stay silent on the failings of the rooms, and turn a blind eye to the wrongs even as his own soul suffered. The rooms were in silent cooperation.

He went away again, for a while, to clear his head even as he has already made up his mind to give the betrayal a no-look and to stay in the rooms. He even closed the windows and doors all around. He had faith. One day, it all came crashing down; he woke up to find that the world he knew hated his name, attached it to unspeakable things. He was more than a black sheep, he was a pariah in the domain of the rooms with the windows and doors shut closed. The grand treatment was gone; in its place there was scheming, stonewalling, and most painful of all, vicious lies. 

His world crumbled around him.

Is crumbling around him.

The wish was to lay down, to pretend things will be okay. The windows and the doors have become smaller. The rooms themselves look set to wither him away to nothingness. He cannot seem to escape, to find a way out. One thing is for sure though. He will not lay down and wish for things to be okay. 

He must fight. He must fight.

Jay~

Crying Out For Blood

You know a country has had enough when private citizens actively condone brutal, violent, and very public killings of criminals by law enforcement officials.

I have been in the Philippines for a little over four years now, and the level of violence here make the hardest Malaysian gangsters look amateur. Criminal organizations here have complex systems of organizations and even private armies; granted, these are the ones that present difficulty to the nation as a whole. Understandably, the frustration of the masses would blow over more to the petty criminals, the ones who operate on a much smaller scale and are either too unlucky/dumb/careless and were caught.

Reading the comments on this news report (see the number of "likes" as well!) has made me conclude that yes, many of these criminals have nowhere else to go but six feet under. Before anything else, let's not get anything wrong: I believe in human rights and I support it in principle and in spirit. In so saying, I also believe that individuals who would seek to deny another individual the very precious thing called "life" forfeit their claim to justice and their lives. When I think about it, I do not think that criminals who take away life deserve to keep theirs.

A Vigilante Attitude?
Of course, the public condoning of criminal killing is obviously not a long-term solution. The last thing anybody wants are roving packs of armed private citizens mercilessly serving out a deadly dish of vengeance. No. This will breed disorder, discord, and a false sense of justice for the country. There is also the chance of making grievous errors; an innocent man may fall victim to this witch-hunt. In the case of rooting out and killing known criminals, the means does not justify the end.

All Down to the Individual
In the end, where does this bring us? Crime is still rampant in the Philippines and the death of several criminals, while high-profile, will actually not do much to reduce the level of overall criminal activity in the country. I suppose apart from distancing ourselves from crime, it is far more important to maintain the "us against them" mentality (id est, "us" being non-criminals and "them" being criminals). Also, it is my opinion that we, bring private citizens, should (as much as possible) allow the law enforcement officials to be the ones to enforce the heavy hand of the law - they are much better trained and equipped for "removing" the "unwanted elements" of our society. Our part, I suppose, would be to remain vigilant against threats to our social well-being and security. After all, a private citizen, no matter how good the intention, will be considered a criminal under the rule of law if said citizen commits a crime to avenge/reverse another crime.

A tooth for a tooth would sounds fair, but I know for sure I wouldn't give a tooth for a criminal. Not even a single skin cell.

Jay~

News article linked courtesy of Yahoo! News Philippines.

Math Says You Should be Married at this Age

Yes.

Professor Anthony Dooley of the University of New South Wales devised a formula to calculate 'the ideal marrying age'. I personally think it's very convincing.

The magic formula:

1. Take the oldest age that you would like to be married.
2. Subtract from it the youngest age that you would like to be married.
3. Multiply the answer by 0.368.
4. Voila! Your ideal marrying age, according to Professor Dooley.

The formula takes into account "maximum rewards for minimal costs" - which I assume tries to calculate the 'readiness' of an individual to tie the knot. Even if you're a skeptic, it's still pretty fun.

I got 28.2 years of age, pretty near my ideal :)

Jay~

The Dirtiest Places

According to this Men's Health blog post, the seven dirtiest places are the following:

Automated Teller Machines (ATM)

Self-checkout Counters

Touch Screens

Mobile Phones

Remote Controls

Shopping Carts

Reusable Shopping Bags

Read the linked article for further elaboration on each one, though some (like the ATM and remote controls) are rather obvious.

For picture sources, click and check the link for the name of the picture.

Jay~

Update: Enforcing the Enforcers

The policeman who allegedly raped a detainee has surrendered himself, according to the linked news report.

This is the latest development to my previous blog post located here.

I hope for a fair and just resolution on this one.

Jay~

Enforcing the Enforcers

Read an interesting article here on Inquirer.net. In a nutshell, a live-in couple will be filing charges against a police officer for alleged rape on the woman.
If this is true - and I believe it is still too early to pass judgment - then this could decrease even further the already-low opinion of the general public (source: just ask the person beside you next time) towards our law enforcement officers. Anecdotal tales of police bribing abound in almost every major city in the Philippines that I've been to. In fact, I have already heard of something akin to a "pricing system" with regards to bribery costs! There are yet more stories about law enforcement officers being overly harsh or abusive, as well as being famously corrupt in as many ways as one could be corrupt. Now this presents a very large problem, something that should scare us out of our wits: if we cannot trust our law enforcers, then who can we turn to?

In my opinion, this problem stems from us, the general public of the Philippines.
Firstly, we do not expect much from our cops. This should change. We should expect them to be paragons of law-abiding (even if they're not) in the way that a lesser has a certain expectation of a superior; the superior would be compelled to live up to that standard or risk humiliation from a lesser. Of course, on the side of the police officer, he or she must be willing to accept that he is - not by choice, but by uniform - automatically an example to the general citizenry. Whether or not he accepts this is not the point; he or she must understand that much is expected from him/her, and that the fate of our society vis-a-vis law enforcing and law abiding rests partly on his/her highly accountable shoulders (and the badges attached on them too). In this news report, I am sure (if you have been in the Philippines for a while) that you quickly passed a judgment of "Well, the cops here are really just like that". See? They become what we expect them to be!
Secondly, we already have this mentality that birds of a same feather flock together. In certain examples, I concede; it is a generally well-accepted fact that people of the same creed, interest, or passions do tend to gravitate towards each other. In cases such as in the news report, it was sad - though wholly predictable and rather expected - that the couple felt that the police officers would cover each other's backs. It is difficult to deny that fraternal relationships do produce that sort of relationship between the individuals in said certain group; heck, even in Skittlez, we cover for each all the time. However, law enforcers are expected (there we come full circle to 'expectations') to be impartial upholders of the law, with a certain familiar credo ringing in their ears, ideally: The law applies to all, or none at all. Private citizens, such as yourself and I, should not have to fear law enforcers covering up crimes just because they happen to wear the same uniforms or once swore the same oaths. It shouldn't have to work that way. I believe that if a police officer is wrong, then he or she is wrong; his/her colleagues should in fact be expected to be the first to condemn the law-breaking; after all, their comrade-in-arms broke the same oaths and promises they made, and disgraced the same uniform they wear. In so saying, I think we can help the police force become a much more efficient one by treating their individuals officers as individual units of a larger organization, and not clump them in the "all cops are crooked" category.
Third and finally, we simply need to be a lot more hard-line towards our police force. Perhaps we have built both a low expectation and a tendency to generalize them because the bad apples in the law enforcement basket know that the general public (us) are relative suckers to a little bit of Chewbacca defense (also more popularly known as 'a red herring'). This is simply because bad cops (or good cops gone bad, for that matter) are not made examples of enough; it sounds harsh, and in a sense, authoritarian, but if our police officers know that severe repercussions will arise on the instance that they forget (or forgo) their respective mandates, then I believe they will be less likely to turn into the proverbial bad apples. The truly nasty ones in the police force should be made public examples; hard and desperate measures are called for in hard and desperate times. The times certainly call for it, if such a negative image of our national police force is already the norm in our country. How can our 'disciplinarians' correct us, when some of them suffer from lack of discipline themselves? It's a simple, but vicious cycle.
Going back to the news article, if the cop truly did something against the law (rape is pretty high on the list of not-to-do-to-citizens) then his colleagues are bound - nay, expected - by law and us, the citizens of this state, to be arrested, tried in a court of law, and subsequently receive due and fair punishment. If, however, he is innocent after all, the alleged victims should then face justice themselves. In both cases, it is imperative that our law enforcement agencies understand that they have complete and total control as to how the general public perceives them. The bad rep did not come from thin air, but I truly believe it is not too late for them - and indeed, all of us who may have been guilty of regrettable mistakes - to turn over a new leaf, especially in a new year.

Jay~

Age Quod Agis

\ˈä-ge-ˌkwȯd-ˈä-ˌgis\
- do what you are doing

Ever since I started working, the very first question that people ask me is "How much are you earning?"; "Is the pay good?"; "Does La Salle pay well?" or a host of other questions along that vein. I refuse to answer those questions, simply because it illustrates quite clearly how many define what "a career" is and/or the goals and objectives associated with being in the working world. Frankly, I am getting a little tired from having to fend off income-related questions, simply because I actually love what I am doing.

Income vs. Experience
The first question that came to my mind when people ask me this is whether or not they value the experience gained from their work as compared to the number of digits (and the subsequent values of those said digits) they are earning. I know for a fact that many a call center agent earns more than I do. This is in absolute terms. I for one understand that call center agents play an important role in the economy of the Philippines, and yes, they are important as a medium in modern business transactions and vice. However, the money earned cannot compare (or for that matter, buy) with the life experiences that I get when I have the opportunity to rub shoulders - sometimes, almost literally - with admired and respected leaders of industry, education, and politics. The conversations and the subsequent wisdom and out-of-the-classroom education I reap from these individuals are worth so much more than mere cash. These cannot be bought. So perhaps the question that I should ask in response is "How much are your experiences worth?". Then again, that would be stooping down even lower.

Income vs. Enjoyment
How many of us enjoy waking up knowing we have to attend a class that we absolutely loathe? I disliked my very first Filipino language class; not because of the teacher, who was more than qualified, but simply because I didn't enjoy it. While my grade may reflect an adeptness at the subject, it did not reflect the grudging feeling that I have every time my timetable said it was time to attend that class. The same with my work; I wake up every morning excited to be in the office. I like my colleagues - one even got me a coffee mug out of the blue, as I probably seem to have set up camp near the coffeemaker - because they also perform their jobs enthusiastically. I have not heard a single job-related gripe or complaint. I like my work, which is writing and researching when necessary. Research? "Bah, humbug!", you may say. In fact, digging up old records and searching obscure but specific websites have piled on even more knowledge in my knowledge stock room. Who doesn't enjoy learning? Well, perhaps the process can be a bit tedious, but at the end of the day, knowing that we know a little bit more on something should be very satisfactory. If I had a dollar for each time that I enjoyed writing an article, a message, a speech, or a report, I'd have a house. And a couple of cars. And a boat. You get the idea.

Income vs. Employment
Everybody starts from the bottom as a fresh graduate. That's a fact of life for the most part (does not apply for those born in royalty, family business empires, organized crime, or a combination of the three). However, it must also be understood that there are millions of fresh graduates around the world who are sitting on their thumbs and presumably on Facebook or reading blogs like these because there is very little opportunity available for work. Of course, there are those who are unemployed by choice, and are just too choosy for their own good and want to start on top immediately. That rarely, if ever, happens. I've instilled that in my head already, hence why I am drawing salary just a couple of months after finishing my last day in university. In this day and age, it is already an achievement in itself to be legally and regularly employed. At a time of "take it or leave it", it is much more practical to be on the "take it" side of things. So how much am I earning? That's confidential :) Do you even have a legal and regular job? :)

Income vs. Individuality
If there is one thing I just cannot stomach, it's the idea of us Filipinos becoming job fodder for other countries. It may pull the dollars in, but it results in boatloads (and airplane-loads) of unhappy and disillusioned educated members of the society. I have a background in science, and yet I ended up becoming a specialist in International Relations. Most people I know here in Manila do not even an idea what International Relations is. Sad but true. I ask myself, why is that, and it was partly answered by my undergraduate thesis: migration of Filipino nurses. Basically, we studied the main reasons why Filipino nurses leave our country to work abroad (for your information, it's the prospect of earning a lot more money), but we also learned something else: many of these nurses never wanted to become nurses in the first place. What happened? Their parents will only support their tertiary education if "they did what everybody else is doing", which is nursing at this point in time. Some wanted to be engineers, architects, artists, singers, even musicians.. dreams long gone because they were forced to follow the herd. What do we have to show for it? Thousands of unemployed but educated nurses. Yeah, the demand overseas isn't that high anymore. Really sad. So instead of doing something they could be good at and like (which I am blessed to be doing), they are victims of the job-needed-right-now current. It is highly unfair and very impractical use (or rather, misuse) of our educated youth.

After all that, I am doing what I am doing.
Why? Because I know I can, and because I am excellent at it.
The literal compensation for the work I do (financial rewards) can never ever even begin to compensate for the experiences, the sights and sounds, and the enjoyment I face day after day at the office :)

So how much am I earning?
A whole lot of fun :)

"Age Quod Agis"

Jay~

Invisible Car

It is very refreshing to know that in the age of computer-generated images (CGI) and special effects (SFX), there are still those who wish to create impossibly artistic art using physical tools. I found this article at Boing Boing, and I was simply amazed.

Original article by Cory Doctorow can be found here.

Reverse angle, courtesy of the Manchester Evening News.

Sara Watson, with her 'invisible' creation.

Beautiful creation. :)

Jay~

Yojimbo

My final paper for HUMAART (Humanity and Art) class, under Ms. Frances Sangil. All rights reserved.

***

Yojimbo is considered a landmark film in the history of film-making because it has managed to bridge the Japanese culture (which has always been considered rather mysterious and very “oriental”) with other cultures, especially the Western ones. More than a tale of an unlikely hero, it is a film that symbolizes the universal theme of going against all odds.
We, the audience, are presented with a character – a samurai – who has been made ronin, or without master. A Japanese samurai of this unfortunate predicament is considered automatically dishonored. Far from taking his own life, as tradition demands, he lets his life continue by adapting to the situation. He had nowhere to go, and he let fate decide his destination for him, by throwing a branch and following the path it led to. He was alone and without friends, but somehow, he made it through.
He had to take the unpleasant job of being a bodyguard for one of the two main rival gangs in the town he arrived in, and he frequently changed allegiances, which is something very un-samurai like. His sense of loyalty for a time depended on who could offer him more gold, perhaps a testament to the innate greed (or perhaps, need) of man. Whatever his reason may be, he did what he had to do, and survived more or less on his skill and wit, even as the two factions seek to control him for their own purposes.
After he was captured trying to help a couple (by freeing the woman from a gang leader’s grasp), he basically had his life beaten within an inch of death. He could have given up there and then, and decided to accept his fate and perhaps worked to the best of his abilities for one of the gang leaders, but he did not. He decided to put a stop to the mess that the town has turned to, and even with nothing to gain, he still decided to do it anyway, probably a testament to his ‘heroic’ nature. Whatever his reason, he moved from an indecisive, purposeless man, to a man transformed, a much better person, with a drive to succeed at what he puts his mind to. This is a theme easily recognized by any culture because it is a basic human want: to succeed despite insurmountable odds.
I believe that this was a landmark film because the ‘fight against all odds’ theme is understood well in every and any culture. The tale of a man with seemingly no future, and yet managed to somehow make the cards life throws at him work is nothing short of the dream that every one of us aspire to have the ability to do: no matter how bleak life appears, somehow, it will all work for our benefit eventually.

***

For reference purposes only. DLSU takes harsh actions against plagiarism. :) 20090325 Copyright Jason Cruz.

Jay~

Shallowness of Youth

"The movie is in black and white."
"It's old."
"The movie isn't in English."

My Art Appreciation class (a non-majors course) recently watched a 1960s landmark movie, "Yojimbo" (The Bodyguard), and when we were asked what we liked or disliked about the movie, there were a lot of students who disliked it. Alright, fair enough. However, their reasons are nothing short of appalling, and the three worst are mentioned above.

When an art form, be it a painting, a choreography, a musical piece, or a film is criticized, one would expect the criticism to have a valid and intellectual 'why'. Alas, the obviously deficient critical thinking and intellectual capacities of a lot of my classmates are made apparent when they use reasons such as those mentioned above. A landmark movie disliked because it is in black and white?? That is just so disgustingly dumb that I had to say the following in class:

"I think that when a critic - be it a student or a scholar - criticizes an art form based solely on its superficial and cosmetic characteristics, that said critic proudly displays his arrogance in his lack of information and knowledge. I also think that such a response lacks in basic critical thinking skills, and showcases the wasted education this university has been trying to impart on said critic. In other words, said critic is ignorant and possibly possessing an IQ of just two digits."

After the rather awkward silence, my point was - thankfully - further supported by several of my classmates and the lecturer.

This brings me to a food-for-thought: Are movies nowadays that dumb? I am inclined to nod at that statement. Many movies nowadays are shown and produced for mere financial reasons. Gone are the culturally and socially inspiring films that made movies such as Casablanca and The Godfather legends. Now, we are bombarded with ape-intelligence level movies, like the spoofs that seem to come out every year. Seriously, bring back the awesome films that are actually worth watching.

I have to admit, I am a movie buff. I watch at least 1-5 movies a week (in the cinema when I have extra money, or at home. God bless the Internet), and when I read reviews, I just really wonder, do people really rate movies this way? A lot of people nowadays just rate a movie whether 'it was okay', or 'it was interesting'. But WHY did they say those? The answer escapes me. Are the thought capabilities of today's generation relegated to 'okay' answers? Where has all the intellect gone to? This is a sad case, and I for one refuse to fall into this pit of dire stupidity.

The youths and young men and women who feed on movies need to move away from the shallowness. All of us need to THINK. To think critically, and engage knowledge to enhance our experiences of anything, not just art forms.

I am inspired now to write better movie reviews, with focus on WHY I liked or disliked a certain movie. Watching Yojimbo has really opened up my eyes as to what makes a movie great (or not). I promise to make my future reviews as detailed as possible, and engage as much of my brain as possible, because you, my reader, deserves that much.

Jay~

"More Stupid" by Blogger

Here is an interesting article written by my good friend and fellow blogger. Unfortunately, her blog is set on 'Private', and you will probably be unable to view her site, so I have acquired her permission to reproduce her article on my blog.

Here is the article.

-------------

So I read in the paper today that the ISA has made two arrests recently.

One:
A blogger that posted an article that insulted Muslims.

Two:
A news reporter who wrote about the Ahmad Ismail nonsense. (For those who don't know, Ahmad Ismail is a politician from the ruling party who made very racist remarks against the Chinese in Malaysia.)

Okay, I actually abhor politics, especially Malaysian politics. Why? Because they do stupid things like this, and many others, that make my blood boil.

Why the hell are you arresting someone for reporting on a politician that made outrageous racist remarks? Because the politician was part of the ruling party? Oh, but wait...you've suspended the idiot...so why arrest the reporter?

My government makes no sense most of the time.

I mean, they upped the price of petrol, and then gave the people compensation. Therefore creating more trouble for the people at the post office, because everyone was flooding the place trying to get some money back.

Whyy?

They give out scholarships based mostly on race, and not results, because the Malays and Bumis should get special treatment. Therefore creating resentment amongst the Chinese and Indians, who then feel no need to come back to their own country to work, because really, what has the government done for them?

And what does the government get in return for all this? Give scholarships to the people who are less smart, and you get less smart people working in your country. And all the smart ones go somewhere else and the other places profit more.

How stupid can you be?

Don't get me wrong, if you're Malay or Bumi or whatever and are smart, then you deserved that scholarship. But giving someone who got 5As in SPM a scholarship for medicine, and forgoing the student with 11As? Just because of race?

"Don't you think it's sad that, 50 years from independence, the issue of race is still such a big deal in our country?" - Pastor

Yayy. I know I'm bitter about this. It's so unfair that some of my friends are really smart and can't afford to go overseas, and their own government can't help them. Not only that, they even get discriminated from going to local universities! How screwed up is that?

Anyway, I've gone waay off the mark. I have a very extreme dislike for my government. Not to mention my state (Sarawak) contributes so much to the economy in terms of oil (we have lots) and get hardly anything in return. The oil and revenue we give the government, and the income generated from that, is spent all on making West Malaysia better.

What do East Malaysians get in return? Shit roads and jacked up prices for simple things like newspapers because they have to send things over the sea. Our state is not as developed as the ones in West Malaysia.

I feel like such a special citizen of Malaysia.

Discriminated because of my race, and living in an underdeveloped state.

-------------

From personal experience, I can confirm that all the above are true and accurate. Original article can be found in her blog, but, again, it is set on private.

Article from:
www.blog.blogspot.com. Writer, Anonymous (2008)

Jay~

2008 UAAP CDC Analysis

Before I start, note that I will try to be as fair as possible, because frankly, I do not give a crap about school politics and stupid rivalries. If you think that this post offends you and/or your alma mater, you are free to close the tab/window you are reading this from.

In my honest and true opinion, I believe that we were screwed, and we were screwed bad. The Animo Squad placed seventh out of eight squads this year, the same exact position as last year's disaster. How can it be? The dance was clean, we had some great elements, and we made very minimal mistakes. Yes, we were a new squad. But does that justify giving us low scores? I saw that the Ateneo De Manila University (ADMU, also DLSU's biggest rival) gave Animo Squad a 46/100. Forty-six? Tell me, dear judge, could you sleep well that night? If you would like to be biased and prejudiced, at least don't make it so obvious, because the next score after yours was in the 70s. 30 points' difference is an anomaly, and giving such a score is nothing less than a disgrace.

We had no illusions of winning, or even landing in the Top 3, which has been dominated by three powerhouse schools, but this year, something definitely proved that the rankings in the CDC does not anymore reflect ability, as it does reputation and/or grudges against other schools. Adamson University (AdU) performed so well this year (ask any neutral observer, and they will tell you so) that I think they deserve to be in third place. University of Santo Tomas' (UST) Salinggawi Dance Troupe performed weakly in my opinion, as compared to main rivals in the CDC, University of the Philippines Pep Squad and Far Eastern University Pep Squad. Comparing their performance this year with all other previous years, you can easily see how much weaker this year's was. They weren't as clean as last 2 years' performances, nor were there anything 'wow' about their performance. At least, I think Adamson definitely edged them out.

UP Pep Squad is by far the most amazing of the groups. Sharing the locker room with them, one can see that they are ALL amazing athletes, built like Greek statues. No kidding; their workout was once mentioned in an edition of Men's Health. Everything they did on the floor was excellent, from tosses to pyramids to transitions to their dancing. Worthy winners, and congratulations, UP Pep Squad. You are way beyond all the other school's level.

Final Rankings:
UP Pep Squad
UST Salinggawi Dance Troupe
FEU Pep Squad

I think it should be:
UP Pep Squad
FEU Pep Squad
AdU Pep Squad

But I'm no judge.

And to underline this one last time, Animo Squad was screwed this year, and you people know it. Those who watched us know it. Watch it on YouTube (I don't have any link, but if there are any videos, see for yourself) and you'll know it.

Whatever. There's one set of rules for other schools, and another set for DLSU. That's just how it goes, people. The Green and White has many haters, best you know it now.

Jay~

Biter Nation

It's definitely not me.
The majority of entertainment seen in Filipino entertainment shows consist of biters.

Stop stealing dance moves from famous groups.
If you're all not as good as JabbaWockeeZ, let the All-Stars dance.
Take an example from the 2008 World Hip Hop Champions.
Be original.

In the words of the Jabba-gods, "biterz will be eaten!"

Stop translating decent hip hip songs to Tagalog!
Tagalog is hardly a language suited for certain songs, especially those that already make little sense in English.
Flo Rida's "Low", Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls", Souljah Boy's "Crank That", and Chris Brown's "With You" are some of the songs that you unoriginal bastards have translated into Tagalog.

It's NOT funny.
It's NOT entertaining.
Your translated lyrics SUCK.

Stop killing hip hop music and hip hop dance.
You are all UNORIGINAL.
Biters to the max.
Learn to write your own songs, b*tches.

In the wise words of Ludacris,
"Your new name's fire, 'coz we stomp you out".

You're all going to get stomped out in your lack of originality.
The time and energy you bastards use to rip songs off, you can spend writing your own pieces.

Umayos kayo!

*BAM*

Jay is very mad.

Jay~

Copyright?

With regards to a certain Mr. Someone, a picture taken by you was removed from the post below. I refuse to give you credit simply because the photograph was posted on a publicly-accessible site, namely Multiply and there was no distinguishing water-marks or copyright labels on any of the pictures.

First, I did tell you in your site that "I took some pictures". You might have taken the pictures, or you might not have. Simply put, you were not holding your camera the entire time, no? :) Therefore, you do not own some of the pictures yourself, which means you have no right to post them in your site, since that's the argument you are giving me.

Secondly, Multiply is a public site. It is a public domain. The public domain is a range of abstract materials – commonly referred to as intellectual property – which are not owned or controlled by anyone. The term indicates that these materials are therefore "public property", and available for anyone to use for any purpose. If you have a problem with anyone taking a picture, stop posting them on public domains. Unless you have a copyright, you cannot ask for recognition. Which goes back to Point #1. A lot of the pictures were not taken by you, and therefore you have no right to claim ownership on them.

Thirdly, you have no control over the pictures you take, because once again, they are posted publicly with no distinguishing labels or water-marks, nor did you register the pictures as purely your work and no one else's. You did not claim exclusive rights to your pictures. :)

Fourthly, since you brought up a case of infringement, these are the cases covered by them:
# makes unauthorised copies e.g. burning music files or films on to CD-Rs or DVD-Rs;
# distributes, sells or hires out unauthorised copies of CDs, VCDs and DVDs;
# on a larger scale, distributes unauthorised copies as a commercial enterprise on the internet;
# possesses unauthorised copies with a view to distributing, selling or hiring these to other people;
# while not dealing commercially, distributes unauthorised copies of software packages, books, music, games, and films on such a scale as to have a measurable impact on the copyright owner's business;
# publishing someone else's original copy work and claiming you have made it (plagiarism).

Fifthly, there was no plagiarism. Refer to my blog post. At no time did I mention having taken the pictures, nor have I mentioned I own them. :) There was no claim of ownership nor authorship.

Rest assured, your pictures will never grace my blog again, until of course you make it official that you own whatever you post. A bit selfish of you mate? To demand recognition? Until you legally own your pictures, no one's going to be giving you credit for them.

Or stop posting them in PUBLIC SITES!
ROFL.

In addition, this issue was talked about earlier by myself and some friends over YM.
These are the comments on your site, and your demands for recognition.

******: that's bordering on desperate
******: point is
******: NO ONE'S GOING TO CARE ABOUT HOW GOOD THE SHOT IS
******: they jsut (sic) want to look at pictures

**** ***: he should be thanking us we're not saying who took the crappy pictures

******: hahahaha
******: to be honest
******: his pictures suck

***** *****: pathetic

Just keeping it real mate. ;)
Just keeping it real.

Jay~