12 Days of Christmas: Day 2 - The Elves

December 23 began like all days. Work occupied most of our morning, as we were bent on finishing some of our edits before the holiday vacation. Len brought Becky's walnut brownies for breakfast... and for inspiration, hoping we'd speed up our editing with some sweet fix. http://www.culinarysherpas.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/brownies-close-up.jpg

By 10:30, Lynnie and others decided to have lunch in our usual celebratory haunt, Green Tomato, in Philamlife. I tagged along. There wasn't the usual crowd, as most Makati employees were probably on leave already, and there weren't the usual "us" as some officemates have decided to eat in the pantry on take-out food. It was Marco's and Monch's last lunch with us before they go on vacation as Monch was leaving for Bicol that night and Marco for Nueva Ecija early the next day. We usually go to Philamlife for lunch for birthdays and send-offs, but this was just a break.

On our way back, I met Joy (Cabrillos). Haha, my IT colleagues are coming back from the dead. I told her about meeting Lils and Richard the day before. She told me about the Cyberpress party and asked me why we didn't attend. I told her we weren't invited. She said Red probably didn't know all of the contact numbers. (Yeah right! I thought journalists are good in getting information...) Anyway, it was a pleasant surprise to see Joy. She's still plump, and I still feel she should start slimming down, but she looked good and happy. So, being "healthy" probably fits her. Hehe. Sean, her adopted son, is now 9 years old and even if she's not married, I think Sean is giving her the happiness she deserves. Good for her.

With Lynnie in the helm, the Elves had a coffee assembly at the new Starbucks in Paseo. We call ourselves the Elves since we started this group of office-based friendship back in 2004. This merits yet another blog, but let me just say that the Elves' thrust is to save Christmas from the malls. Which means, we are not encouraging material gifts -- although we are not stopping anybody from giving material gifts if they can afford -- but priceless gifts that warm the soul are welcome: a touch, an advice, a refreshing break from work. Many of us have moved on to other companies or workplaces or have been relocated to other offices of Global Sources but once a year, during Christmas, we try to get together and we call that the Elf Convention.

This night, we decided that coffee, some leftover brownies from Len, and update stories will be enough to warm us. Melanie and Rose -- now working in other companies -- were able to spend some time with us. Emper was in Baguio with her family. Jambi arrived from HK on the 20th but he left for Negros, his hometown on Monday, so he couldn't be with us. Most of the stories that night were about funny experiences and the Christmas parties of the different offices we now work for. But later, the exchange turned to the characters of Noli Me Tangere, El Filibusterismo and Florante and Laura. And we all went home with the assignment to read Florante and Laura again till the next "Elf Convention". I hope I'll find a Florante and Laura book soon because I think the next convention will be in January, that soon.

Rech, Melanie and I parted ways in the underpass at the corner of McDonald's. If there's one thing I appreciate about working for Global Sources, it's meeting the Elves and having them as friends.

12 Days of Christmas: Day 1 - Breaking the ice

When January 2008 kicked in, one of the first e-mails I got from a colleague at work was the list of Christmas holidays in December. Thanks Marianne! You're way ahead. After seeing that e-mail, I immediately filled up three leave forms for the three remaining days of the month that was not declared a non-working holiday, and stashed it in my office drawer. I was set.

But who would think that President GMA would finally declare those three days a holiday at the last minute! (I wasted precious paper. She should make up her mind at the start of the year, you know.) Anyway, since she decided to give her 12-days-of-Christmas gift to us workers, I might as well make the most out of it. No work! No morning rush! No beating the guard's attendance log! No waking up early!

After the office Christmas party (which merits another blog), the real excitement of a long vacation began. Much as I wanted to accomplish at least half my deadlines before the vacation, I couldn't work. The week after the party, there were always surprise breakfasts and snacks brought by some generous officemates. My 12 days of Christmas meant speeding to the finish line and it began on the 22nd, Monday.

Lils and I finally managed to meet for lunch at Ebun in Greenbelt, after a very, very long time (years!) of texting and e-mailing. Lils is my colleague from the IT beat and a founding member of Cyberpress too. She used to write for Psicom and has moved to the supplier side shortly after -- IBM, Oracle, Siemens. Like me, she left IT a few years back, but continued to keep in touch with some of our batch mates in the industry. After a few minutes of hearing her stories about our friends, I realized I've been missing a lot on IT gossip. Haha. But I don't really miss the people; at least, not all.

Betty, Lils tells me, is doing great after her operation against lupus last January. I'm glad that she's back in the center of things despite her continuous battle with her sickness and her separation with her husband Carlo. (Carlo, you know what, you're a jerk. And I hope you get to read this.) He's not worth it, so I'm glad Betty is surviving gracefully.

Mel brought Marthe and Mama to my office before proceeding to work. It was their office Christmas party so he needed to be early to push some work out of the way before the party. Mama, meanwhile, was planning to do some shopping in SM so I had to do the babysitting for the day. My nanny had chickenpox and was staying in her cousin's house. I rushed out of Ebun with Lils to look for a cab but I guess the cab drivers were starting their vacation already. Even the good ol' reliable GB1 taxi stand had a long line of people and zero taxicabs.

On the way there, however, we met Richard Burgos, another colleague from IT, formerly connected with HP and IBM. He's now with Enchanted Kingdom and was inviting us to go there the next day in Christmas character costumes for a free whole day ride. Errr...haha! But Richard has not changed. Still the amiable, very accommodating person that he is. Unfortunately, we didn't have much time to talk. I really had to rush.

Abondoning all hopes of seeing an empty cab, Lils and I walked all the way back and separated in the corner of Ayala and Paseo de Roxas -- she proceeded to LKG Tower and I to Citibank Centre. I met Nina, a former officemate, near McDonalds and she told me Marthe was waiting for me in the lobby, and already consumed a whole pad paper of drawings. =)

Mama left for SM as soon as I arrived. My officemates were complaining they couldn't break the ice with Marthe when I wasn't around. (I should do something about this.) But she did talk to them after I moved her to my desk.

Marthe and I gave one plastic bag of toys to Jollibee Valero before going home, and bought a meal toy. Mama was still in SM when we finally got home. And all she bought was a shiny table linen for the TV stand. Hehehe.

The whole evening, Mel had been texting me about how their party was dragging on. He mentioned that Charlie Greene of Britain's Got Talent fame was a guest singer. He complained about Karyll singing, about Ricky Lo interviewing her onstage a la The Buzz, and about her declaration that she will be a columnist in The Star in 2009. "Star already has lots of lifestyle columnists!" he complained. I said, "Don't you sound bored with your party?" "I am!" he replied. "I'm just here for the raffle!" Who isn't? Haha. Finally, shortly before midnight, he texted, "I lost. I'm coming home now." Hahaha!

Marthe's dress rehearsal-studio

It was Marthe's dress rehearsal at the ballet studio last Saturday, Nov 8, for their recital this coming Sunday. They were so cute in their costumes. Specially the students of the Baby Ballet class. I hope I can get pictures during the dress rehearsal onstage on Saturday.
Meanwhile, here are some I took from last Saturday's.

And I thought the real "America" is dead

For many years, since I began joining anti-US Bases rallies in Manila as a college student, I have lost trust in America and the ideals it represents. For me, it has ceased to be the land of promise and good fortune -- the way it was portrayed in my grade school textbooks. My assumption was not without basis, with all the atrocities, crimes and misfortunes that we hear happening to America, as well as all the violence, racist behavior and elitist attitude Americans have on other people.

But today, because of the victory of Barack Obama as president of the United States, I am impressed at the American people. They have proven that the American ideals have not died on the common citizens. Real democracy is still alive in America. And because of that, perhaps there is hope for our world. For global warming. For peace and unity. For change.

Below is the transcript of President-Elect Obama's victory speech in Chicago:

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled — Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of red states and blue states; we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who have been told for so long by so many to be cynical, and fearful, and doubtful of what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this day, in this election, at this defining moment, change has come to America.

I just received a very gracious call from Sen. McCain. He fought long and hard in this campaign, and he's fought even longer and harder for the country he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine, and we are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him and Gov. Palin for all they have achieved, and I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on that train home to Delaware, the vice-president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family and the love of my life, our nation's next first lady, Michelle Obama. Sasha and Malia, I love you both so much, and you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the White House. And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother is watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight, and know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my campaign manager, David Plouffe; my chief strategist, David Axelrod; and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics — you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to — it belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington — it began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized, and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by the people and for the people has not perished from this earth. This is your victory.

I know you didn't do this just to win an election, and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year, or even one term, but America — I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you: We as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president, and we know that government can't solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you join in the work of remaking this nation the only way it's been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, callused hand by callused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter must not end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek — it is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It cannot happen without you.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism; of service and responsibility where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves, but each other. Let us remember that if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers. In this country, we rise or fall as one nation — as one people.

Let us resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long. Let us remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House — a party founded on the values of self-reliance, individual liberty and national unity. Those are values we all share, and while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, "We are not enemies, but friends... Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection." And, to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of our world — our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand. To those who would tear this world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight, we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

For that is the true genius of America — that America can change. Our union can be perfected. And what we have already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election, except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes, we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes, we can.

When there was despair in the Dust Bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes, we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes, we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes, we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination. And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes, we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves: If our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time — to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism, and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you, God bless you, and may God bless the United States of America.

I Will Pray For You

Last Tuesday, October 7, I went home for lunch to have my nails done. Ate Chit, a former neighbor who used to do manicure and pedicure for us in Bacood, Sta. Mesa still does our nails even if we’re now in Makati. She does it once or twice a month. While we were all together chatting over lunch—my mother, Ate Chit and I—my mother received a text message from Ate Chit’s relative who is also a former neighbor, Ate Edith.

Ate Edith informed Mama that another former neighbor, Ate Lina, has died. She had been quite sickly lately, we heard, and was also diabetic. During the last few years we spent in Bacood, we seldom saw Ate Lina because she was working in Dubai. When she was in the country, she spent most of her time in Baler, Quezon, which was her hometown. In fact, we heard she would be interred in Baler and may not have the chance to be brought to her other home in Parañaque. But another text message from Ate Edith conveyed that Ate Lina’s son, Michael, is bent on bringing her closer to some of her true friends in Manila.

I could say a lot of things about Ate Lina but a story Mama brought up lately reminded me of an incident when I was young, which was probably my most meaningful moment with Ate Lina. I was probably 6 or 7 years old. My parents’ rule was that we should be inside the house before 6pm because it would soon be dark. During one particular afternoon, I was still eagerly playing outside and had no intention of coming in early. My mother started to call me as soon as daylight started to fade. But I did not heed it until it had become too dark to continue playing. All my playmates went home and I did, too. However, Mama had locked the door deliberately to teach me a lesson. Despite my knocking several times, she did not open the door for me and I knew she heard me.

So I sat on the steps of the neighbor’s unit, which was I think unoccupied at that time, crying, sobbing actually. I’d been there for maybe half an hour when Ate Lina passed by. She came from another neighbor’s unit and was on her way home. She approached me and asked why I was crying. I told her. She knocked on our door and called my mother, begging her to let me in. For a few minutes, my mother ignored us, but then changed her mind (probably to save face, because she’d always been more concerned with what other people thought than with what her children felt). She opened, explained to Ate Lina in a raised voice why I was being punished, and let me in while scolding me.

I didn’t care for what Mama continued to say inside the house but I was forever grateful for Ate Lina’s intervention. I knew she was a good person and from then on, I saw her in a different light—different from what people around her used to say about her. And from that day on also, I have disliked my mother’s ways more and more and have decided to “bring up” myself the way I know a child wants to be treated. I’m trying to be as sensitive and careful with the way I bring up my daughter now. Sometimes, I see my mother’s ways in me, sometimes I see my own. I’m a pretty flexible mother and I keep no stone-set rules. But I always prioritize being kind while being right.

Parenting is a make-or-break thing; a child is fragile, handle with care. That’s how Ate Lina had handled me the night I had become one difficult human being. Wherever you are now, Ate Lina, thank you for even one brief moment of kindness. I will pray for you.

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Last Saturday, October 11, Hans Magdurulang, a former member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish’s (Bacood) Knights of the Altar and a contemporary in the Parish Youth Council, was ordained priest at the Manila Cathedral. This was an occasion I’ve long wanted to see, because Hans had been close to us when my siblings and I were heading the PYC committees.

He participated in many church-based youth activities, especially the spiritual preparations leading to the 1995 World Youth Day in Manila such as the Taizé, the Youth Barrio Fiesta, the prayer groups, the singing. He was also part of several plays we staged in church under the direction of a good friend, Josel Garlitos, who is now with ABS-CBN.

While a member of PYC, Hans decided to enter the seminary. He has not wavered in that decision since. Last Saturday, he celebrated his first mass as Fr. Hans Magdurulang in Bacood, where his spiritual roots grew and bore fruit. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the time (or the willingness) to go because I was busy mother-ing. Plus, Bacood brings back some sad memories that I didn’t want recalling, and I know if I attended the mass, there will be people there whose mere presence would open a can of worms I’m keeping tightly closed.

So, I just want to congratulate you, Fr. Hans, for making it through the test of becoming a priest. Maintaining it will be another, longer test. I will pray for you.

Why I think David Cook won

While doing housekeeping on my home PC recently, I found an item that I remember posting on a website in answer to the survey "Why do you think David Cook won the American Idol Season 7"? Late as it may be, I'd like to blog it just for preserving the thought while I savor its meaning in my own life.

Written and posted May 25:

Why I think David Cook won

This may be a profound idea but I think it boils down to the sex and cash theory, "cash" representing the need to do things to earn your keep and "sex" representing the need to do things because it fulfills you.

While David Archuleta appears to sing in the contest for the "cash", rendering a performance to impress judges and audience, his totality as a singer isn't cashable. In the long run, he can be easily overshadowed by other better singers because he cannot trailblaze a trend.

David Cook, on the other hand, seems to sing for the "sex", his motivation being that he's having fun and loving every moment of his performances (mindless of whether everyone else loves it). As such, he is the type who can go a long way in the music industry because he can very well reinvent himself any time and in any way he pleases. He sings to express rather than to impress, and the more he sings from the heart, the more he moves towards his self-actualization.

Health tips from the web grapevine

And this one from Cecile de Veyra, another officemate whose father recently passed away due to cancer. This is really a great help for our health:

The top five cancer-causing foods are:

1. Hot dogs
Because they are high in nitrates, the Cancer Prevention Coalition advises that children eat no more than 12 hot dogs a month. If you can't live without hot dogs, buy those made without sodium nitrate.

2. Processed meats and bacon
Also high in the same sodium nitrates found in hot dogs, bacon, and other processed meats raise the risk of heart disease. The saturated fat in bacon also contributes to cancer.

3. Doughnuts
Doughnuts are cancer-causing double trouble. First, they are made with white flour, sugar, and hydrogenated oils, then fried at high temperatures. Doughnuts, says Adams , may be the worst food you can possibly eat to raise your risk of cancer.

4. French fries
Like doughnuts, French fries are made with hydrogenated oils and then fried at high temperatures. They also contain cancer- causing acryl amides which occur during the frying process. They should be called cancer fries, not French fries, said Adams .

5. Chips, crackers, and cookies
All are usually made with white flour and sugar. Even the ones whose labels claim to be free of trans-fats generally contain small amounts of trans-fats.

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Brain damaging habits
1. No breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level.
This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

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The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to 'schedule.'

Inspirational quotes - Jambi style

Sent to me by my former officemate and workstation neighbor, Jambi Reyes, who celebrated his birthday last Thurs, Sept 25. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMBI!

Six Inspirational Quotes To Live By

1. Lahat ng problema may solusyon, kung walang solusyon, huwag mo nang problemahin.

2. Always remember: kung kaya ng iba, ipagawa mo sa kanila. Don't force yourself. Make life easy.

3. Hindi lahat ng gwapo may girlfriend. Ang iba sa kanila may boyfriend.

4. Don't face your problem if your problem is your face; umiwas sa lahat ng bagay na nakakaaninag -- salamin; microwave; stainless steel na kawali, kaldero, kutsara, tinidor.

5. Di bale ng tamad, di naman pagod.

6. Praktis makes perfect, but nobody's perfect, so don't praktis

Governmentium

Sent by my officemate Ram Casumpang on Thurs, Sept 25:

NEW ELEMENT DISCOVERED!

Research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neuron, 25 assistant neurons, 88 deputy neurons, and 198 assistant deputy neurons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every action with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2-6 years; it does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neurons and deputy neurons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium's mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neurons, forming isodopes. This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

On death and the AWARE project

Death seems too near these days. When I was a child, deaths and accidents usually happened to other people but I could never imagine them happening to my family or immediate relatives and friends.

It must be the increasing violence and illness around, or it must be my age, but lately deaths seem to happen to a lot of people I know. If they're not the ones dying, it's their family members or people close to them. It scares me a bit--especially since I had my second lease in life last year when my myomectomy proved to be curative for endometrial stromal sarcoma (cancer of the uterus), which I happened to have and which the doctors only discovered after the biopsy. But because I'm prayerful and my family is prayerful, I pray a lot to God not to take me away for now because I still have much to accomplish--for myself, and for the people I love. But I often wonder what it would be like when you're finally there, on the edge of death, hovering between the now and the thereafter.

While on this mood, I chanced upon an interview article of Time with Dr. Sam Parnia, head of the 25-man medical team who are embarking on the project AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation). Below is the article, taken from Time.

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What Happens When We Die?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20080923/hl_time/whathappenswhenwedie

By M.J. STEPHEY Tue Sep 23, 6:40 PM ET

A fellow at New York City's Weill Cornell Medical Center, Dr. Sam Parnia is one of the world's leading experts on the scientific study of death. Last week Parnia and his colleagues at the Human Consciousness Project announced their first major undertaking: a 3-year exploration of the biology behind "out-of-body" experiences. The study, known as AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation), involves the collaboration of 25 major medical centers through Europe, Canada and the U.S. and will examine some 1,500 survivors of cardiac arrest. TIME spoke with Parnia about the project's origins, its skeptics and the difference between the mind and the brain.

What sort of methods will this project use to try and verify people's claims of "near-death" experience?

When your heart stops beating, there is no blood getting to your brain. And so what happens is that within about 10 sec., brain activity ceases - as you would imagine. Yet paradoxically, 10% or 20% of people who are then brought back to life from that period, which may be a few minutes or over an hour, will report having consciousness. So the key thing here is, Are these real, or is it some sort of illusion? So the only way to tell is to have pictures only visible from the ceiling and nowhere else, because they claim they can see everything from the ceiling. So if we then get a series of 200 or 300 people who all were clinically dead, and yet they're able to come back and tell us what we were doing and were able see those pictures, that confirms consciousness really was continuing even though the brain wasn't functioning.

How does this project relate to society's perception of death?

People commonly perceive death as being a moment - you're either dead or you're alive. And that's a social definition we have. But the clinical definition we use is when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop working, and as a consequence the brain itself stops working. When doctors shine a light into someone's pupil, it's to demonstrate that there is no reflex present. The eye reflex is mediated by the brain stem, and that's the area that keeps us alive; if that doesn't work, then that means that the brain itself isn't working. At that point, I'll call a nurse into the room so I can certify that this patient is dead. Fifty years ago, people couldn't survive after that.

How is technology challenging the perception that death is a moment?

Nowadays, we have technology that's improved so that we can bring people back to life. In fact, there are drugs being developed right now - who knows if they'll ever make it to the market - that may actually slow down the process of brain-cell injury and death. Imagine you fast-forward to 10 years down the line; and you've given a patient, whose heart has just stopped, this amazing drug; and actually what it does is, it slows everything down so that the things that would've happened over an hour, now happen over two days. As medicine progresses, we will end up with lots and lots of ethical questions.

But what is happening to the individual at that time? What's really going on? Because there is a lack of blood flow, the cells go into a kind of a frenzy to keep themselves alive. And within about 5 min. or so they start to damage or change. After an hour or so the damage is so great that even if we restart the heart again and pump blood, the person can no longer be viable, because the cells have just been changed too much. And then the cells continue to change so that within a couple of days the body actually decomposes. So it's not a moment; it's a process that actually begins when the heart stops and culminates in the complete loss of the body, the decompositions of all the cells. However, ultimately what matters is, What's going on to a person's mind? What happens to the human mind and consciousness during death? Does that cease immediately as soon as the heart stops? Does it cease activity within the first 2 sec., the first 2 min.? Because we know that cells are continuously changing at that time. Does it stop after 10 min., after half an hour, after an hour? And at this point we don't know.

What was your first interview like with someone who had reported an out-of-body experience?

Eye-opening and very humbling. Because what you see is that, first of all, they are completely genuine people who are not looking for any kind of fame or attention. In many cases they haven't even told anybody else about it because they're afraid of what people will think of them. I have about 500 or so cases of people that I've interviewed since I first started out more than 10 years ago. It's the consistency of the experiences, the reality of what they were describing. I managed to speak to doctors and nurses who had been present who said these patients had told them exactly what had happened, and they couldn't explain it. I actually documented a few of those in my book What Happens When We Die because I wanted people to get both angles - not just the patients' side but also the doctors' side - and see how it feels for the doctors to have a patient come back and tell them what was going on. There was a cardiologist that I spoke with who said he hasn't told anyone else about it because he has no explanation for how this patient could have been able to describe in detail what he had said and done. He was so freaked out by it that he just decided not to think about it anymore.

Why do you think there is such resistance to studies like yours?

Because we're pushing through the boundaries of science, working against assumptions and perceptions that have been fixed. A lot of people hold this idea that, well, when you die, you die; that's it. Death is a moment - you know you're either dead or alive. All these things are not scientifically valid, but they're social perceptions. If you look back at the end of the 19th century, physicists at that time had been working with Newtonian laws of motion, and they really felt they had all the answers to everything that was out there in the universe. When we look at the world around us, Newtonian physics is perfectly sufficient. It explains most things that we deal with. But then it was discovered that actually when you look at motion at really small levels - beyond the level of the atoms - Newton's laws no longer apply. A new physics was needed, hence, we eventually ended up with quantum physics. It caused a lot of controversy - even Einstein himself didn't believe in it.

Now, if you look at the mind, consciousness, and the brain, the assumption that the mind and brain are the same thing is fine for most circumstances, because in 99% of circumstances we can't separate the mind and brain; they work at the exactly the same time. But then there are certain extreme examples, like when the brain shuts down, that we see that this assumption may no longer seem to hold true. So a new science is needed in the same way that we had to have a new quantum physics. The CERN particle accelerator may take us back to our roots. It may take us back to the first moments after the Big Bang, the very beginning. With our study, for the first time, we have the technology and the means to be able to investigate this. To see what happens at the end for us. Does something continue?

The Google world

An officemate sent this email about Google's workplace some time ago. I'm not sure if this is true but if it is, this company sure knows how to keep its employees happy... or are they really?























Stress capsule
We already knew that working for Google had certain advantages, but, believe me, this giant of the search motor takes the welfare of its employees seriously ... as shown by this decompression (stress) capsule that is impermeable to sound and light ...

Slide
Moving around: A slide allows quick access from different floors ... There are also poles available ... they are similar to the ones used in fire stations.

Buffet bar
Food: Employees can eat all they want from a vast choice of food and drink.





Zooglers’ workstation
Work station: Each employee has at least two large screens. There are 4-6 ‘Zooglers’ per office.


















Idea boards
Large boards are available just about everywhere because ‘ideas don’t always come when seated in the office’ says one of Google’s managers.



Breaktime
Leisure: Pool tables, video games etc. are available in many areas.



Private cabins
Communication: On each floor, there are private cabin areas where employees can attend to personal affairs.


Tech support
Problem with your computer? No problem ... Bring it to this area where drinks are available while it is being fixed ...





Massage areas
Health: Professional masseurs (eusses) available.



Relaxation room
Rest: This room provides massage chairs that you control ... while you view relaxing aquariums....!!!



Library and sitting room
Ambiance: There are many books in this library...even some about programming!!

Napaisip lang po....

If this kind of environment thrives in their workplace, then it means these people rarely go home. They don't seem to have a life outside the office for them to have time to enjoy all these. How sad. What we view as ideal workplaces (with ideal salaries) nowadays are actually built to destroy personal lives, families and individual dreams. The office becomes the person's world, and everything else beyond it fades in the background.
On the other hand, this may be meant for workplaces with shifts, just like Google, which cannot afford to leave its operations unmanned. If I had a workplace like this, I'd sure shoot up the peak of my creativity. And I'd probably never want to go home....and I'd miss my family terribly...but my devil of a workplace will be tempting me over and over...and I'd stay there longer...and my family will hate me...and I'll be very successful in my career...and I'd go home one day to an empty house....
Ok, ok, my office now is better. =D

The uneraseable Ely

An officemate sent this article written by Reggie Gulle for ABS-CBN online, days after the former Eraserheads band’s much-awaited and abruptly-stopped reunion concert. The concert had to come to a close midway because main vocalist Ely Buendia was rushed to the hospital because of chest pains. He had had a heart attack in 2007 and underwent angioplasty twice.
The group had been preparing for this concert, as their fans are very eager to see them again together years after they’ve disbanded. My intelligent guess is that they’ve chosen this year to come together again onstage because it is the 100th anniversary of the University of the Philippines. I think three of the former band members are from UP Diliman. Two of them I remember to be my dorm mates.
Two days before the concert, Ely’s mother died, causing him emotional distress, on top of the physical stress he is already going through for the concert. So, on the big night, the weak body gave in.

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

Haay, ang dorm mate ko sa Kalayaan Residence Hall, kahit kelan.....

.....sa umpisa pa lang, kumanta sa harap, boses baka, pinagtawanan. "Mag-gitara ka nalang!" ang kantiyaw namin. Noon pa lang, naging laman na sya ng usap-usapan....
.....pero nasaan na ang original ka-bandmates niya noon, ni hindi kilala sa music scene (di ko na nga matandaan mga pangalan, except for a guy named Earl na coño, dahil hinipuan niya ang friend ko na anak ng governor ng Zambales at sinapak siya sa mukha hahaha!)....

....sa bandang yon, si Ely lang ang sumikat ng todo at ang mga nakasama niya sa E-heads na dorm mates rin namin ay hindi naman dating nakikisawsaw sa kantahan. Nasa background lang sila....

.....balita para sa aming nakasama niya sa Kalayaan nung mabuntis niya ang girlfriend, dahil matagal na naming hinintay ito, sa dami ba naman ng kanyang kababaihan....

....balitang-balita rin ang paraan ng pag-alis niya sa E-heads na ikinagalit ng ibang band members....

....lalong balita nung atakihin siya sa puso....at ni isa sa dati niyang ka-miyembro walang dumalaw (tsk tsk!)

....nagkagulo nung mabalitaan ng fans (including me) na may reunion concert sila....na binalot ng kontrobersiya dahil isa sa mga major sponsors ay isang tobacco company na pinagbabawal mag-sponsor ng any concert base sa bagong phil laws....

....at pati ang reunion concert, record-breaking sa paghinto....

Hindi na nawala sa balita at balitaktakan si Ely at ang E-heads. Makakabalik pa kaya siya sa normal na pagbabanda, o iyon na ang kanyang huling el bimbo? Basahin nalang natin ito.

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Unerasable: Life and love in the eternal circus of rocking youth
An on-the-scene report and reflection on our collective near-death-experience -- and hey, Ely Buendia is still alive

By REGGIE GULLE
Special to abs-cbnNEWS. com

You've probably heard of the sobering news by now: Ely Buendia of the Eraserheads was rushed to hospital in the middle of the band's highly anticipated reunion concert, and what was supposed to be Pinoy Rock's event of the decade had to be stopped halfway through in front of audiences who were shown the exits with rather abrupt finality.

That this unexpected turn was a bitter disappointment to some quarters of the crowd would be quite an understatement; yes, the event organizers did outwardly announce that Buendia's life was in danger even while fans were salivating for the concluding portion of the show, but this was totally lost on some inflamed youths, who shouted vitriolic epithets to the effect that Ely Buendia should pay the ultimate price for forsaking his duty to the concert goers and should just...well, expire would be the kindest word for it.

I should know—I was there, standing beside this cruel-looking gang of punters, hearing what they must have been thinking was the ultimate expression of rebellious indignation. And while they might not have represented the majority, they were also clearly not alone.

Sure, it could be said that such a reaction reflects a callous and selfish, even scandalous indifference that an Eraserheads fan should never indulge in.

After all, hasn't it already been circulating among the legions of Pinoy Rock aficionados that Buendia has already had a brush with an anomalous life-threatening condition before? Why betray him, then, whatever latitude you could afford to give?

The very fact that the band could muster the resources and the motivation to reunite several years after what seemed to be an irreversible break-up and put together a program onstage can already be argued as the most positive result one could ask for.

Besides, the concert actually did happen despite being dogged by some controversies that seemed to conspire together to prevent it from taking off the ground in the first place.

Including, it should be mentioned, the very recent death of Buendia's mother. All the more reason to justify the statement that he was plagued by unkind amounts of “emotional stress” during the performance itself.
And so, immediately after the first half of the concert, Buendia felt a heaviness under his chest, which was a red flag against carrying on with the show, and the most sensible thing to do was to immediately haul him off to the doctors before his own medical history would have a chance to repeat itself.

And yet, one could easily sense the brooding disquiet of the crowds as they gradually shuffled out the exits. I wasn't in the paid area of the Fort Bonifacio Open Field, mind you ( I was content to sit it out beyond the fenced-in patrons area enjoying the company of scores of other wretched souls like me, having decided like them that, hey, I could hear the concert even from this far anyways, even without paying for the privilege, ha ha! ), but it was evident among the scrunched up faces of those leaving the concert area that fate had pulled on them a malicious and completely uncalled for sleight of hand, a massive criminal swindle, so to speak.

It was a bummer of bummers, all right, and the more vocal youths were not remiss at voicing out what they thought of it. Someone had to put the blame on something, anything, right? Even if, unfortunately, it was a person on the wrong end of the stick.

Because, in retrospect, the concert had come very, very close to fulfilling its promise -- a harking back, no, a reliving of what the Eraserheads essentially was. Ah yes, a palpable throwback to the 90's, when the rock band exercised a magic which was, for all that it mattered, simply phenomenal.

E-heads sa tanghali, sa gabi at umaga...

Back then, the Internet was in infancy, and yes, there were more beepers compared to cellphones, more cassette tapes than CDs, more videotapes than DVDs, and the hackney chatrooms weren't as sleek and as glossy as Yahoo Messenger.

Text messaging was a novelty as luxurious as, well, waterbeds, and there was absolutely no Friendster. But there were a lot of other things to do, too, perhaps because students (who became the first rabid core of Eraserheads fanatics ) could already squeeze into a 50 pesos per day allowance so many forms of entertainment within the week.

Movie tickets were way cheaper at that time, for one, and rock bands performing in universities and campuses were the staple diversions after the drudgery of schoolwork, instead of the internet cafes of today.

It was 1993, and the Philippines was enjoying the beginning of an economic upswing that the general population not only heard about but actually felt, no matter that the resurgence was a bit muted. MC Hammer and Vanilla Ice had come and gone, and Metallica was inspiring a slew of Pinoys out to prove that little brown rockers could also deliver their own brand of musical mayhem.

Then, seemingly out of the blue, four school chums, who looked and dressed as unassumingly as the typical college-boys in tee-shirts and jeans and sneakers casually hanging out in front of dormitories after class, had a stroke of inspiration and put together an LP of their original compositions. It was titled, rather in come-what-hither fashion, "Ultraelectromagneti cpop”, and credited as being presented by “The Eraserheads”.

It was trendy in those days for Pinoy rock bands to take their cue from more current Western influences, and so they tended to sound so much like the “alternative rock” bands from the Atlantic . What was different about the sound of the Eraserheads was that it somehow had a grounding in musical forms that other Pinoy bands hadn't explored as frequently.

Most noticeable about their first album was how the band didn't attempt to sound as angry or blistering as punk or thrash metal ( which Metallica allegedly first popularized ), nor did they try to ride along the remnants of the “New Wave” sound ( reduced to the generic term “alternative rock” ).

Instead, they managed to produce a distinctive amalgamation of bouncy rhythms and deceivingly simple arrangements which drove the Pinoy folk-rock-and- pop sensibility up a few hard-driving notches, together with upbeat smatterings of reggae, ska, and for the most part--yes, that unmistakeable Beatles-like energy.

It was a departure from what other Pinoy rock bands were doing, but it was subtle, to be sure, and yet also unique enough to become immensely popular, radio-friendly, and surprisingly anthemic. “Pare Ko”, the first hugely successful single from that album, could very well epitomize the almost unexpected infectiousness of the band's musical appeal.

While the song could never be classified as “alternative rock” since it sounds in no way like others of that ilk ( it is fast and energetic but not searingly so ), neither is it as passionately vocalized as the “grunge” of Pearl Jam or Soundgarden ( which, by the way, is ultimately rooted in blues music ).

Since then

In fact, “Pare Ko” sounds more like a pack of Pinoy drunkards trying to wake themselves up into a rowdy gusto by loudly singing whatever fast melody they could conjure to make them happy. The song is tongue-in-cheek, it never took itself too seriously despite its theme of betrayed love, it sounded Pinoy, and it was rock and roll.

After that album became one of the best-selling Pinoy rock albums of all time, the rest, as they say, is history. Seven albums and a multitude of awards later, it seemed that the Eraserheads were on a rocket ride which could never come down.

And when it finally did, the fans appear to have forgotten when, how or where. Yes, the band broke up in 2002, and as of this writing that would be six years ago, yet their songs still enjoy a considerable amount of airplay, and the ever-ubiquitous videoke singers out in the streets and inside smoky bars continue belting out tunes such as “Alapaap”, “Overdrive”, “Ligaya”, and that thoroughly overkilled ditty “Ang Huling El Bimbo”.

In a way, the Eraserheads have still endured inspite of the members having all gone their separate ways, and no matter how many other Pinoy rock bands have attempted to take over their mantle. And what better evidence of this than the massive attendance at their reunion concert?

I confess that I have never been a rabid fan of the Eraserheads, but I also have to say that I could mention no other Pinoy rock act which could muster the sheer patronage which Ely Buendia, Marcus Adoro, Buddy Zabala, and Raymund Marasigan still demonstrate, even after six years of not performing together.
And so they take to the stage once again, and in their trademark style of being spare in their live sets, only a brief introduction is made before they bring on the music. “Alapaap” opened their set, and I could instantly see the electrified reaction of the crowds.

They were truly transported back when you could never get through the day without at least hearing two Eraserheads tunes. The four guys onstage are maestros of the straight-up, no-frills performance, with hardly any let-up from one song to the next, and very little conversations with the crowd ( and with each other, in this case, with reasons only reserved to themselves )..

Into their fifth song, “Fruitcake”, people were still lined up at the box-office, never mind the same admission price despite missing out on whatever the early birds had.
I sat on a curbside and jived along to the rhythms, feeling relieved that there was no rain, losing myself every once in a while to the familiarity of hearing the band perform live again, which I last had the chance of experiencing more than a decade ago.

Then Buendia made a cursory introduction of the song “Toyang”, and the first few bars brought both those inside and outside the cordoned area off their feet, jiggling their hips and singing enthusiastically along.

Hearing that old tune from them once again, I begin to notice how better they sounded this time around, in stark contrast to their former performances during their heyday, when they were often faulted for not sounding as technically excellent onstage compared to their recorded sound. I credit them for taking the time to practice well for this appearance.

“Toyang” was such a surge of energy for most of the audience that during the succeeding songs, Buendia had to ask them “Okey lang ba kayo diyan?” once or twice because the enthusiasm appeared to peter out somewhat.

But there was no denying the women's screams when the band proceeded to sing “Kailan” (a cheesy ode to love ), as well as the more raucous audience reactions into their other hits “Kaliwete”, “With A Smile”, “Shake Your Head”, and “Huwag mo Nang Itanong”.

Curtain

In total, they got to about 15 songs when the now infamous mid-show break came around, was timed for 20 minutes, and then suddenly dissolved into a cancellation of the second set.

During that 15-song stretch, I could not help but be astonished at how the audience reacted identically, given that some of them weren't even born when some of these selfsame songs were first aired on radio.

I saw cosmopolitan yuppies in their early-to-late thirties singing along to the lyrics simultaneous with the 12 and up crowd, whose fashion sense veered more to the “emo” set and the other varieties of more contemporary rock styles. It just shows how the Eraserheads' appeal has in this indefinable manner crossed generations, and speaks of an element in their sound which truly gives credence to the term “Pinoy Rock”.

Because, in sum, the Eraserheads' sound, far beyond the others I get to hear from most other local bands, is quite essentially the spirit of the Pinoy. Buendia's schoolboy vocals draw in Pinoys from all walks of life because it sounds so much like everyone of us that we don't hesitate to sing along, and there's no need to rattle off machinegunning syllables like gangsta rappers or sound like Afro-American blues singers or caterwaul like Axl Rose.

The instrumentations from Adoro, Zabala, and Marasigan aren't as intimidating as those of other rock bands we often listen to, and many of us are also regaled to try out what they do ourselves. Their very accessibility, their easygoing demeanor, and ultimately, the predominance of effortless mirth in their sound particularly encapsulate what most Pinoys crave for, in the end. And as I said, for us Pinoys this is still rock and roll, now matter how old you are, whether you may be rich or poor, and it's excellent.

Which is exactly why, even now, it may be a reunion for the band, but it could well be what Pinoys have been sorely missing for so long, too. Especially in these trying times--the country being ridden with all sorts of crises, economic and otherwise-- when that same upsurge of easygoing mirth seems to have disappeared all of a sudden, and left a sort of vacuum inside most of us.

It was only regrettable that the audiences who were expecting to rise above this mood, perhaps during the second set of the performance ( since the first set had already been leading up to a crescendo ), was presented with a downbeat result.

Sorry, but that's the way the world turns, no one to really blame here. Even those whose frustration took on more alarming ways of expression. No doubt, this concert will be judged in time as another indelible memory to be associated with the Eraserheads, who I am convinced will still remain unerasable after all is said and done.

As we Pinoys like say to ourselves in consolation, there might always be a next time. There might. Meanwhile we can always remind ourselves that, yeah, they try to tell us we're too young, but don't worry, we'll go into overdrive, and when they try to feed you with all that dog food that they make you just shake your head and walk away, there's a fruitcake for everybody, t--g i-a pare ko, huling el bimbo, oo, pero laging may ligaya, sa tanghali, sa gabi, at umaga.