Huh?

SC: Justice served if you think Webb et al guilty

Court Administrator and spokesman Justice Midas Marquez told reporters in a news conference that those saying "justice was not served" because of the high court's ruling, in the belief that Webb and company are indeed guilty of the murders of Estrellita, Carmela and Anna Marie Jennifer, might want to consider the fact that a sentence of reclusion perpetuamay be served a maximum of 14 years on the premise that the person convicted of final judgment is able to avail of good conduct time allowance or GCTA.

Is the PNoy Communications Group syndrome finally infecting/affecting the SC? This statement from the SC spokesman is just unnecessary and stupid. It only adds up to the heat. Fuels the tension. Even the Webbs who are most probably by now enjoying a mood for celebration would surely find this statement bemocking. Does it mean the Supreme Court could have just decided to pass on an acquittal decision for that sort of logic? Does the Supreme Court spokesman really have to say that? Does he really need to rationalize or feed the public "junk food for thought" type statements when the SC could have just kept its silence and maintain its pride as an ultimate deciding body in questions of law.

I like that Midas Marquez guy. He appears credible and he knows how to communicate well. It's just disheartening to realize that we currently have an administration that enjoys an overwhelming popularity or political capital that seems impossible to outspend. The typical vice of being masa: being popular often means being typically mediocre or stupid. Is this masa fever spreading onto the Supreme Court that Midas Marquez starts to sound like Ricky Carandang or Edwin Lacierda? He sounds like he has to give a reason for everything even when it's unnecessary. The Supreme Court may worry about how the public accepts its decisions but it does not need to preserve a political capital. It only needs to maintain its integrity and competence in interpreting the laws of the land. Justices don't have to be popular since it's remote possibility for the public to stage a People Power Revolution Part XXX to overthrow them. There's no need to be masa for the Judiciary because the prevalent perception that justices of the SC are elites usually equates to a general perception of intelligence, competence, and non-TRAPO behavior. Only traditional politicians feel that need to explain themselves to the public and maintain a masa image to be liked and to stay in their positions of power. To cite an example: Only PNoy needs to ANNOUNCE THAT HE IS NOT TAKING HOLIDAY vacations as he intends to do more work because he needs to look good because his power comes from the people (his popularity) and that's the only thing he can use or brag about for we haven't seen him yet demonstrating COMPETENCE and real LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

The statement only affects the credibility of the SC for it fuels speculations. People might think: did the SC just opt for a win-win solution instead of properly assessing what they needed to assess? We have to remember that we send criminals to jail hoping we can still reform them or give them the time to rethink their lives and contemplate on their mistakes. It's not justice served if you release a hypothetically guilty Hubert Webb et al given the fact that they have already spent long enough a time behind bars. A criminal needs to acknowledge his mistakes, experience remorse, and learn to seek forgiveness for him to deserve to return to freedom and re-assimilate with society.

Celebrate human rights day

Aquino orders charges vs 'Morong 43' dropped

Why do I feel this is another blunder—no—grave mistake—of this messiah complex administration? Will he just disregard the confession of the four members of those 43? Or do I expect a reversal of this decision few days later? How fickle can the new president get? I won't say he's stupid but his acts as of late have mostly been stupid. He could have just ordered their freeing weeks or months before but he really needed to do something coinciding with the international human rights day celebration.

Cut that Guiness Record crap!

17,000 sing 'Amazing Grace' for Guinness world record
Filipino swimmers continue relay for 2nd day to break world record
UST forms largest human rosary to honor Virgin Mary
PCSO guns for Guinness with biggest mission
Cebu group eyes Guinness dance record
Bacolod confident to break 'longest grill' record
‎Pasig River Fun Run Eyes Guinness Mark
etc
etc

Really
Really, really
We really have to stop these stupid race-for-the-Guinness attempts. They just don't make sense and I don't think they can make us proud. After making a couple or more of our Miss Universe candidates winners for the "text and online voting Ms. Photogenic" titles, should we still pursue the stupidity of telling the world that we indeed have the numbers but we still fail to make it into becoming a developed country because we're just clearly stupid we use our hands and brains winning nonsense titles and useless records?

Before lamps and candles, what did we use for lighting?

Answer:

LIGHTBULBS, FLUORESCENT LAMPS, CFLs, LED LAMPS

Please address the country's electricity problem now!

Pronto!

Imasu Sugo!

Why do we have to give a local name for our typhoons?

Probably to give PAGASA at least one purpose they can accomplish spot on.

3D Newspaper

One of the Philippines's top dailies introduces to the Filipino readership its edition of 3D newspapers.
Check the maiden issue's online version out here.


Indeed a fun and fancy way to present the news. Not something impressive though. Who likes reading their papers with those red-blue spectacles? Wonder if the idea sells. Wonder if loyal patrons of traditional print media even get excited with this development.

CONGRATULATIONS

Today's (arguably) most popular, admired, and well-loved Filipino is making a scene in the United States of America, lifting the Filipino spirit up (after the hostage crisis and various other issues that hounded/are still hounding the Philippines) and restoring the Filipino pride vis-à-vis obtaining some dollars before returning home.

Many thanks...

Congratulations!!!

We are very proud of you...

CHARICE!!!

P.S.

I'm sorry I couldn't seem to hotlink to the right picture. Must be some Communications Group or PR people playing tricks to point my hotlink to that image you see above.

Earth does have a heart...and more

Real 130,000 square yard islet of Galesnjak spotted by virtually all-seeing Google Earth.

Gallery of some of the most interesting Google Earth shots. Enjoy☺

D-op-ed: The hostage crisis aftermath

Veteran lawmaker Senator Joker Arroyo calls media attention for "putting country in bad light."
The media responds: Seriously?.

***
The unexpected opinion piece written by ABS-CBN News chief Maria Ressa was reportedly solicited by the Wall Street Journal, not volunteered by Ressa.
Insiders claim there were at least three other articles from other Filipino journalists submitted but Ressa's was picked based on ABS-CBN's coverage of the hostage crisis.
ABS-CBN was the only station that did not interview/communicate/negotiate with the hostage taker, was not the one demanded by the hostage taker, and whose broadcast was not the one the hostage taker tuned in to.

***
Here's a statement from PNoy's Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Abigail Valte, urging retired prelate Oscar Cruz to name those high ranking public officials he accuses of receiving jueteng money:
      “I don't recall the President saying that jueteng is not a priority. I recall him saying that apart from jueteng, there are other priorities. I don't consider it as a policy shift, The fight against jueteng is one of the many priorities.”
Asked what these many priorities are, Valte enumerates the top three:
1. Samar and Balay
2. Image
ABS-CBNNews Story: Aquino seeks to boost image after hostage fiasco
3. ABS-CBN's apparent gradual change of heart

***

Congress and SC headed for a showdown. Congress advised to abide by high court on Ombudsman case.

Congress replies: See you in the budget hearings.

***

In a recent report, China is named as the world's top country when it comes to the prevalence of malware attacks.

What's unclear though is if those malware were considered as such because they were software that operated maliciously, software in Chinglish/Engrish, or they were pirate copies of popular software that just failed to work as expected.

***

Ballsy Aquino (PNoy's sister): "My brother is such an honest person, what you see is what you get."

Goes to show Hong Kong's furor over a smiling-PNoy-in-the-crime-scene is justified.

***
The Philippine government announces that it will submit IIRC report first to the Chinese Government.
Well, the public should understand. IIRC stands for Incident Investigation for the Restless in China.

Google Instant

Forbes.com writes:

Google Instant Search: A Pain In The Ads?

I personally don't like the concept of Google Instant. I feel like it's undermining my intelligence. I don't need Google's suggestions when I do my searches because I usually know what I'm looking for. It's not like I load google.com and key in random letters and numbers. The idea of Google telling you if you might have misspelled your keywords or what you could
be possibly looking for based on web-wide search trends is definitely excellent. I think predicting is already doing it too far.

Please humanity do something about this disturbing trend of people creating something to think and perform tasks for them.

Google is not the Internet god.

It's not like advertisers, SEOs, or the public can't do something about this. If advertisers think their businesses are adversely affected by Google's not-so-welcome moves, they're free to shift to Bing and Yahoo. They should just promote and support the search engines that are compatible with their business models.

D-op-ed: Challenges

World Bank: RP economy demographically challenged 
Hmmm...Just as...
...Aquino's Cabinet is order challenged
...the PNP SWAT is technologically challenged
...and the PNoy Government is RP's challenge


Because it perpetuates their already marginalized existence, Danton Remoto says "Ang Ladlad" opposes separate restrooms for LGBT members.
An anonymous Ang Ladlad member adds: "It is tantamount to profiling, it violates the right to remain discreet and takes away those major major opportunities to share a cozy walled structure with them crushes."

Senator Bong Revilla, on the Senate hostage crisis inquiry, asking the heads of the major news agencies:
   "What major major mistake did you commit in that incident and how do you intend to correct it?" (delivered in an awkward and characteristically inept manner)
Overheard but unofficial response from the panel (media representatives):
   "Not campaigning enough to prevent you from getting another term in the Senate.
Copycat ka na, akala mo pa beauty contest to. Di ka na nakakatawa."


Lim won’t say sorry for Manila hostage crisis
Because the national apologist already said his piece. Why bother?

In the international scene...
Israel buys Twitter ID from porn site owner
Because (we're rebuilding Israel) “we thought we could put it to better use than he did,” an Israeli representative claims.
"The Israeli-Palestinian conflict apparently does not disturb and even encourages Arab internet users from consuming kosher Hebrew porn. Operators of a number of porn sites report that between two and 10% of their users arrive from Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Jordan, Egypt, and the Palestinian Authority. Some websites even go as far as offering services in Arabic"

Me, ranting

Aside from his voice that sounds like tabloid vocalized, that Michael Rogas can really annoy anyone with his "hostage victims" line. Can't he just say hostage or hostages?

Says Luchi Cruz: "The operative word is avoid." (referring to their guideline/policy on interviewing a hostage taker)
The TV5 news chief suggests that drafting a law to prevent the media from interviewing hostage takers is unnecessary or shouldn't be done.

Interesting point Senator Joker Arroyo makes when he said it's disturbing that journalists can now judge what should or shouldn't be done in a crisis situation (referring to the media's insisting the reliability and sufficiency of their "coverage policies and guidelines").

ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III left for the United States as one of PNoy's de-facto advance party, having been invited to be one of the members of the business delegation for the RP President's first foreign trip. Apparently, he obliged himself the task to implement damage control after his ABS-CBN News chief wrote an "unexpected" opinion article for the Wall Street Journal.

Name that Baby

Yes, that baby everybody is talking about. That baby born aboard a plane. That child of an admirable creature. We'd say admirable because it's not everyday you can find a female creature generally classified as a homo sapien who can deliver a child least conspicuously and probably with the least "push" noise ever. Also admirable for resourcefulness, how the hell did she cut the umbilical cord when sharp objects are prohibited on passenger planes. And to walk and disembark off that plane like nothing happened is moreover ridiculously unbelievable.

Listed below are the suggestions, with accompanying reasons, we compiled so far. Please feel free to add more.
.

Jesse {Robredo}
Why?
ABANDONED

Teodoro (Locsin)
Nande?
Because poor kid is a son of a bi*ch

Manuel Mar (Roxas)
Ngano?
His is the name most easily associated with P**ang Ina

D-op-ed: Anak ng Jueteng

A news item says anti-jueteng advocate Bishop Cruz is ready to name 2 Aquino officials on jueteng payola 
Problem is, Aquino isn't

In another report, DILG undersecretary Rico Puno admits receiving feelers from jueteng lords.
Tanong: ni Miriam: Ngayon lang? Bakit kay Puno?
Sagot: Bago pa lang kasi na-announce ni PNoy sino may hawak ng PNP



Also another Puno news item from the Philippine Daily Inquirer: Puno admits offers from 'jueteng' lords, turns them all down
And we all know why. 2M per month? kaliit nun!

Palace to Cruz: We're all allies vs jueteng
Cruz to Palace: Sino yang nagsasalita? Balay o Samar?

According to a Functional Literacy and Mass Media Survey (FLEMMS) survey, around 9 million Filipinos can't compute.
On the bright side though, an overwhelming majority of that figure can use a computer and maintain Friendster or Facebook accounts.

Meanwhile, in the tech industry...
After a Bing exec comes out in an interview saying that they already had a version of the hyped up Google Instant a year ago, Yahoo now claims theirs even predates Bing's a-year-ago Google Instant -like app. They even "filed patent applications on the feature." Wonder who's coming out with another we-already-had-that claim next? Well, count Baidu out. This search engine company is Chinese.

Media Friendly

SPELL MEDIA FRIENDLY

B - O - T - C - H - E - D - H - O - S - T - A - G - E - R - E - S - C - U - E

Media Take a Hit in Hostage Crisis

B - R - O - T - H - E - R - A - R - M - I - N - L - U - I - S - T - R - O
Luistro Belittles Media

T - H - E - C - O - M - M - U - N - I - C - A - T - I - O - N - S - G - R - O - U - P

S - O - N - A - S - P - E - E - C - H - L - E - A - K
Palace Bias for ABS-CBN Irks Media

T- R - I - A - L - L - I - V - E - C - O - V - E - R - A - G - E 

(Palace supports live coverage of Maguindanao massacre trial)

K-R-I-S-A-Q-U-I-N-O-N-O-O-N-T-I-M-E-C-U-M-C-H-A-R-I-T-Y-S-H-O-W

T - H - E - P - R - E - S - I - D - E - N - T - I - A - L - S - M - I - L - E

Noy smiles and smiles: HK doesn’t know that

D-op-ed: Losers

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Daang Baluktot, Daang Matuwid

A wee rundown on the "new" Philippine government...

Daang Baluktot: GMA
Daang Matuwid: PNoy (sabi nya eh)

Daang Baluktot: The Congress makes tax laws, the Executive Branch implements

Daang Matuwid: What the law does not exclude, it includes so tolls should be taxed and the BIR can make laws

The new BIR Commissioner Kim Henares introduces a new concept in Phil Tax Law in her interview with the DWIZ morning show Karambola. "What the law does not exclude, it includes," she claims. With former congressman Teodoro Locsin Jr. debating this line of thinking, the Dinky Soliman dead ringer  Henares, who is by the way a lawyer, replies in an I-don't-really-give-a-damn-what-you-think tone: "I don't want to argue with you, Sir"

Daang Baluktot: EVAT, privatization

Daang Matuwid: "Creative Financing," Tax on Tax Tolls, Small Vendors should issue ORs

If the previous administration was able to pull off decent GDP figures despite high levels of corruption, why does this new administration need new means of raising inflows to the government coffers. Addressing corruption alone should be solution enough if we really believe in claims that corruption is eating up a significant portion of the country's budget.

Daang Baluktot: Transactional Politics

Daang Matuwid: Probational Politics

As the GMA reached the end of her term becoming notorious for using government powers to reward allies and illegally and immorally obtain wealth, the Aquino administration commences his regime with a hyped up "leadership by example" theme. The nation welcomed the "no wangwang, no tong" policy. PNoy (as how the President wants to be called) started his administration with an outstanding 80%+ trust rating. But many objective minds are beginning to feel it. The public official who is a neophyte to the executive post can be generally, as of late, described as an OJT president. Even his cabinet members behave the same way. The new administration is in a total trial period mode (flawed EOs, the controversial Communications Group). Experience and competence really do mean much these days. And just recently, the nation learned how most of PNoy's government hold their posts in an, as the President puts it, acting capacity.

Daang Baluktot: Administration, Opposition

Daang Matuwid: Balay, Samar, Mga tuta ni Gloria

Factions: too obvious for the PNoy government to deny. 

 Talaga lang ha ???

Racism from unlikely sources: the Mayweathers

They who appear as living evidences of the earlier stages of human evolution should by themselves realize that nobody has the right to spew racist and disdainful invectives unto anyone.


Calling Manny Pacuiao a monkey? These faces?

Wala lang...

Just learned today that a "national rejection" of ukay-ukay or second hand garments from abroad is part of Philippine laws. The reasons the law was created are hygiene and the possible negative impact of these ukay-ukay on the local garments industry. Never occurred to me that that ukay ukay stand right in front of our store is an illegal business operation as how that 60s law puts it.


------

Not really a news item here. Just some witty words from a colleague. Paraphrasing him:

"Articles should be written with a keyboard, not with a mouse." 

Reminds me of MVP's plagiarized speech brouhaha.

------

A local TV newscast reports on Charice's entry/re-entry to the Billboard Charts via the song "Pyramid." Went to the Billboard site to check but couldn't find the song under the 100 or 200 charts. Well, I couldn't really find the song in any chart. I remember that local newscast as the one that reported Charice's album's Billboard charting when it already slid off the Top 10. A case of late reporting? Erroneous reporting?

------

Unexpected. I'm picking up some clever words hearing THE Cristy Fermin.

Pag nasa kalye ka, kanan (o) kaliwa ka lang Pag gumitna ka, masasagasaan ka. Mamimili ka dapat.

President Noynoy = PNoy

PNoy
Not so creative but a very convenient and appropriate nickname for President Benigno Simeon Aquino III

Most media people awkwardly use the moniker in their reports

Looks good when written, sounds awful spoken

This guy here likes it...ON PRINT, only in its printed form

Arrgggghhh

DZMM interrupts with commercials and an Ariel-Ureta-ish filler its "religious" coverage of the DOJ clarificatory investigation when the vital part of Susan Enriquez being interrogated on media ethics and the extent of her knowledge and understanding of ethical coverage and airing of hostage taking incidents.
Could it be that...


a. they care about Enriquez and they don't want her to be embarrassed or lambasted on air?
b. they are likewise affected by the incrimination implicit in the questioning and the conspicuous defensiveness and irrationality of Enriquez's answers? Feeling the same guilt and instinct to go defensive?

******

At least Erwin Tulfo has the guts to accept that there is definitely a problem with the Philippine media. No matter how annoying this guy is, let's give him the credit for agreeing with Teresita Ang See's emotional outburst over the media.

******

Say, what essential difference does it make when a radio reporter mentions of an incident that would most probably influence the emotions of a hostage taker but withholds some information though actually mentioning in his report (that he is withholding some details that might affect the hostage taking incident) and a feisty Lyceum schooled TV reporter who puts a video of the same incident live on air?

******

One can actually hear bursts of laughter on certain points of the DOJ investigation of the hostage taking incident. Guess that's one proof the Philippines is indeed one of the happiest countries; also one of the most insensitive?

******

Why can'\t some most media people keep themselves from saying the phrase "Hong Kong nationals" Hong Kong isn't a nation and it is a territory of China; hence people there are also Chinese. As much as possible we should avoid overusing the word "nationals."

Laws of Combat

Republishing this item I wrote years back.


Murphy’s Laws Of Combat

• If the enemy is in range, so are you.
• Incoming fire has the right of way.
• Don’t look conspicuous, it draws fire.
• There is always a way.
• The easy way is always mined.
• Try to look unimportant, they may be low on ammo.
• Professionals are predictable, it’s the amateurs that are dangerous.
• The enemy invariably attacks on two occasions: a. When you’re ready for them. b. When you’re not ready for them.
• Teamwork is essential, it gives them someone else to shoot at.
• If you can’t remember, the claymore is pointed at you.
• The enemy diversion you have been ignoring will be the main attack.
• A “sucking chest wound” is natures way of telling you to slow down.
• If your attack is going well, you have walked into an ambush.
• Never draw fire, it irritates everyone around you.
• Anything you do can get you shot, including nothing.
• Make it tough enough for the enemy to get in and you won’t be able to get out.
• Never share a foxhole with anyone braver than yourself.
• If you are short of everything but the enemy, you are in a combat zone.
• When you have secured an area, don’t forget to tell the enemy.
• Never forget that your weapon is made by the lowest bidder.

———
My version (A Tribute to the Philippine Armed Forces/Constabulary):

• If the enemy is in range, you have been attacked.
• If the enemy is in range but you don’t see them, you are being ambushed.
• If incoming fire has the right of way, outgoing fire needs a competent driver.
• Don’t look suspicious, the Philippine Anti-Terror Law (Human Security Act) is already being implemented.
• The easy way is always mined. Be very careful though, the MILF and other secessionists claim Basilan for  their territory (both the easy and hard ways are theirs).
• Professionals are predictable, it’s the amateurs that are dangerous. And there’s only 1% probability you will encounter MILFs, MNLFs, JIs, or Abus who are professionals.
• Enemy attacks are more brutal when there are peace talks.
• It's most probable that you don’t know which is a diversion or which a real attack.
• A “sucking chest wound” means a medal and promotion when you survive, a full honors burial and posthumous promotion when you don’t.
• If your attack is going well, the moles in your ranks had been busy planning a coup.
• Never draw fire, it irritates everyone around you. But you may if you want to be a senator.
• Make it tough enough for the enemy to get in and you won’t be able to get out. Make it easy and you will be in the news – headless, amputated.
• When you have secured an area, don’t forget to tell the enemy. And don’t worry too much about announcing it, the Philippine media already spilled the details.
• Never forget that the weapons you used for practice drills were the ones lent by the yanks during the Balikatan exercises. They already got those back (or stored somewhere for some other purpose). You’re no longer in a practice drill, it’s combat zone for real.

Karambola

Translated, it can sound like and mean the local fruit "balimbing" or the star fruit (in English). It can also mean a rowdy fight or anything unpleasantly disorderly.

DWIZ's daily (weekdays) morning show (8:00-10:00 AM) is an interesting radio show. True to its title, it's a noisy show with at least 4 hosts doing the daily banter and commentary, and at least two of them occasionally talking at the same time. It's not the perfect radio program, but it can easily be a good source of significant information and insights for listeners to form informed and fair opinions.  

(Listen to a sample Karambola clip after the jump)

Seeds

I have this good/bad habit of eating fruit seeds. I always thought if I get those non-digestible bits inside my tummy, I would tend to consume less since I would feel full earlier than expected. Just frowned to learn that many if not most fruit seeds tend to be toxic. A few seeds aren't a bother but taking in more than what the "normal" fruit eater would consume means some danger.

According to the American Medical Association's (AMA) Handbook of Poisonous and Injurous Plants, eating large amounts of apple seeds (and other seeds) can be fatal. The culprit: cyanogenic glycoside or cyanide. Some fruits known for seeds that contain cyanide include apples, cherries, apricots, nectarines, peaches, and plums.

I usually enjoy my seed swallowing binge with the lanzones, watermelon, apple, and citrus fruits. Haven't found reliable information regarding the lanzones (the seeds in particular) toxicity but it's hard to overlook the AMA handbook's "and other seeds" line.

I haven't encountered the following symptoms yet...

• excessive sweating
• abdonminal pain
• vomiting
• lethargy

...so I'm quite sure I haven't accumulated enough poison inside my powerful gut yet. I have been warned, though.

iPad is a funny name...a MadTV already wrote a joke about it years back

So it's just like a spoof made serious. Hasn't Apple ever seen this? What's next?
An iBoard?
iMat?
iFloor?
iPool?

Hmm... I don't really think iPad's a bad name though.
Just reporting this fuss here...

Youtube's Video Transcription Feature is Funny

One helluva funny feature!
Tried it this morning and I can't help myself from laughing.
Dunno but it just reminds me of Chinese/Taiwanese product packages from the bargain store.

Activate it on any YouTube video (it's up now) and see what I'm talking about. It's really very similar to those words you see in Chinese products' boxes/packaging. You know what they mean or at least what they're trying to mean but the words just read out funny and out of place. I'm just not sure if Youtube's gonna achieve what it wants to achieve by putting this transcribing feature up.

It does one thing for me though...
...Instant Laughs!

...Matapos ko ang kahirapan ko... Magagawa ko rin sa inyo...

  ...Nung matapos ko ang kahirapan ko... Magagawa ko rin sa inyo...

Ain't you bothered by this line from the latest Manny Villar ad?

Really creepy for me...



 WHY?


 The statement says:

 Nung matapos ko ang kahirapan ko... Magagawa ko rin sa inyo.

Tanong: Ano ang tinapos nya?
Sagot: Tinapos niya ang kahirapan nya.
take note of the verb (TAPOS, TINAPOS) 

Tanong: Ano ang gagawin nya sa inyo?
Sagot: TATAPUSIN nya rin KAYO!!!

BWAHHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!

Yan ang napapala nang naliligo sa dagat ng basura!!!

Pinoy Hangaroo

Something wrong with me? Why couldn't I seem to properly guess the right letters and words in this localized Hangaroo game. I've lived practically my entire life being a Filipino, living the life of a Filipino but why couldn't I easily guess the band names, food, or folk dances featured in this game?

Cha la Head Cha la

Is something wrong with me? I feel tears almost falling everytime I sing along with this Cha La Head Cha La video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmkMzAAfSvY

Google is also a math tool

 I know this one's old but not so many know or realize this yet. The Big G is also a good calculator and a math tool useful for a variety of numerical problem solving needs. Google's search capability does not end with just scouring the web for content but it also does basic and not so basic math computations. Google is a good converter capable of handling figures involving almost anything. Key in a number and calibration with another keyword for the converted figure you intend to get and voila, the answer pops up right on top of the search results. Try weight numbers like "178 lbs to kg" and there's definitely an accurate answer to find. You can also try solving light years equivalent in miles or kilometers. Also get square roots and solve long arithmetic problems with Google already remembering MDAS and DPMA rules for you.

Something to make you tremendously mad‽

I do believe in fairies. I do believe in witches, too.
And this witch right here...this witch right here...
is probably going to be a force most capable of uniting America or even the entire Christian world.

So-sosan Boyle?

Susan Boyle makes it to the news once again for having the YouTube video with the most views for 2009. Everybody knows her--well--almost. Her first audition clip for Britain's Got Talent has logged in over 84 million views. The woman has the pipes and give her all the commendation for the singing for that's all she has, she is, or she will ever be. Woman can't make it to covers of mags for the teen and tween market nor will she make a music video to go against the Lady Gaga (bizarre) theatrics or the Beyonce-Shakira range of hip throwing and booty shaking.A pleasant new force in pop though, Susan Boyle may just help bring back singing focus to the vocals, melody, and emotions.


So so? Not really. Her feat is enough to overwhelm stereotypes. Anyone can charge her success to luck but there's no denying she can sing -- can sing better than at least 89% of the global population. She can be annoying, she can be boring  but for someone so plain and out of the blue, reaping praises from ordinary YouTube-rs and even artists and music greats isn't something anybody can achieve. No ass-kissing here for the SuBo. She's good and she has enough of the story to provide that sentimental, charismatic backdrop in her performances. It's not too rare a thing though to find a voice like hers (or better) elsewhere.

One comment that surely tickles the imagination comes from "the diva" Barbra Streissand (oh did I spell that correctly?). For the similarly odd-faced singer (I'm sorry that's just how I see her), Susan Boyle is "like a poet singing." Good or bad comment? Really tricky. We know poets don't usually sing. They're the best with words or lyrics and there exists that box of common perception that draws the line between lyricists and real singers. Is Streissand just making some "out of the box" comment or does she really intend to be ambiguous for she herself couldn't utter a completely honest review of SuBo's craft. Can't say a word for Barbra. She must mean well and maybe she just wants people to think for a while. Hypes don't necessarily mean there's a stir because somebody somewhere is doing something really great.