Diggings into the night

Work has begun on whatever pipeline improvements Shell has in mind on the depot in Pandacan. An announcement posted in the elevator of our condominium building said the schedule for this should have started about a week ago but nothing happened on the supposed start date. All of a sudden, we saw perimeter lines being set up middle of last week and everything else followed. 

I woke up Saturday morning to the incredible noise of the crane and trucks, which continued till the wee hours of Sunday morning. Our living room, which used to be a nice, quiet haven on Sundays without the sound of too many cars and people passing by, has become a sound warzone. The backhoe is now competing with the PS3 game of my son, the giggling of my two girls, the boiling rice in the kitchen beside it and the washing machine in the laundry area. Good thing, our room which faces the opposite side muffles the noise a bit.

Up until last night, workers were still at it, cracking the street and digging deep – so deep, in fact, that we started wondering what they’re up to. Progress was even fast. By now they’d probably be right in front of our East window at home, about hundreds of meters from the starting point, and the rest may have been covered up.

How could progress not be fast with workers toiling on a shift. I thought they’d be resting on a Sunday but, no. They worked on and on, like call center agents. I’d assume they’re being paid double as it’s a regular non-working day. So my question is, what’s the rush? What is this all about? And is Shell giving these workers double pay and overtime fees from the massive amounts they earn from their overpriced gasoline?

The Pandacan depot is close to being removed. Most city councils have already decided on evicting them from the place for safety reasons. I believe Petron has already prepared a location in the North Harbor where they would transfer their Pandacan facilities, and Shell should do the same. But why is Shell still laying out pipes – I assume these are pipes because of the depth of the diggings – if it’s about to leave?

If these are pipes, then I’m more concerned. They are too close to a residential area. The pipelines in Magallanes which leaked and caused the temporary evacuation of some residents in a nearby condo is proof enough that things can go wrong. These pipes will be running under a frequently used street and the vibration of cars and trucks passing here can loosen pipe hinges. I pray to God nothing of that sort will happen. 

If I were…

Shamcey…

…my answer to her Q&A question would be: “Before I answer that, let me rephrase the question into what I think is the meaning of it. The question should be ‘would I change my faith for love?’ I believe that faith is the foundation of a relationship, one of the important things that bind two people. Having the same faith is more than just having the same religion. It is believing in the same things, living with the same values, moving towards the same goals and having complementary dreams. Although we are allowed to be different as individuals, to love fully is to believe as one. Faith is the key to nurturing love. Beyond the question of whether we have the same religion, we have to first know if we both believe there is a God, and if we both believe our God is a God of love. So will I give up what I believe in so I can keep the person I love? The answer is no. Because in the first place, I cannot end up loving someone who does not believe the things that I do.”

Lea…

….Shamcey should have been my top choice. What the heck was she doing?

The organizers of the Ms Universe pageant…

….I would have added points to finalists who are non-native English speakers but who require no interpreter to deliver their answers. Being able to communicate in a language other than your own tongue within a time-bound situation, and ensuring that your message is universal and understood by every person watching the pageant is a skill that only the most brilliant contestants possess. It gives the message: I’m speaking in your language because I want to reach out to you, to speak to you and understand you.

Those who require interpreters send the message: This is the only language I know. If you do not understand me then there is nothing I can do and I cannot speak to you directly. You have to do something if you want to understand me.’ So centered on self, so detached, so unlike a person vying to be the world’s ambassador of peace and friendship. 

Oprah...

....I made the right choice.

Officially an "author"

I finally got last Saturday my complimentary copy of the book A Treat of 100 Short Stories published by Anvil through De La Salle University’s Academic Publications Office.

The book was launched last June as part of the 17-volume Centennial Series produced by La Salle for their 100^th year anniversary. I attended the launch event at the Metropolitan Museum and got to see the nice green-colored hardbound set with the DLSU campus façade printed on the cover pages. I forgot to bring my camera that time so I didn’t get a photo.

While seated at the Academic Publications office, however, I spotted the set displayed on a table. I still don’t have a camera with me but I have my mobile phone. I stood and retrieved volume 7, the hardbound version of A Treat of 100 Short Stories and took a picture of the cover page with my phone. I turned to page 11, and there was my story. I’m officially an author, hehe. In fact, the guard at the DLSU gate and the staff at the publications office referred to me as "author" and it warmed my heart a bit -- even though it's only for a page and a half. LOL.

This one here is the book cover of the paperback version, which is my copy.

I'm in page 11.

In “Residency,” I related a true incident involving my sister Sherstine in Madrid, who one morning feared that her employer might have died during the night while vacationing in Javea near Costa Blanca. He had promised to help her process her residency application in Spain so she can secure a work permit for office employment and be able to go in and out of the country. She was, after all, an HRA graduate of UP and hopes to eventually land a job in the hotel/restaurant industry somewhere in Europe. To get that resident visa, she needed to stay in Spain for three years, as required by law.

When this incident happened, Shers had already lived there for one year and had worked for her employer’s family for several months. If he died, she would have had to restart from scratch and look for another employer who can help her process her papers. She related this via e-mail so I presented the story in almost the same way she related it to me, including the exact words she used.

I’m excited to let her know that the book is finally out. Perfect timing, because today, Monday, September 5, she will finally sign and affix her fingerprint on her official residency documents, which were approved and released last month. She will also get her resident visa card, which shows that she is allowed by government to stay there and avail of certain benefits open to citizens and immigrants of Spain. Above all, she now has the freedom to return to the Philippines to visit us and go back to Spain whenever she wants. I miss her so much and I can’t wait to see her again.

I’m so happy for Shers and so thankful to God that He made her survive all these years without us, and for giving her a substitute family there. The funny thing is, the employer in my story was not the one instrumental for Shers’ resident visa. On her second year in Madrid, she realized that this person was too burdened with his own problems (he and his wife had a divorce) and doesn’t seem to have any intention of taking care of her application. She eventually left him and his children, looked for another tutoring or nanny position, and found a nice young couple with a toddler son. The couple liked Shers and asked her to take care of the child. They also promised to handle her application, and they kept their promise. While working for this couple, Shers also found a part-time job with Filinvest Madrid. She works there during her free time.

I also know that she’s back to serious dating and seems to be quite cozy with a Castilian guy. Finally, I think my sister is her old self again.

****

We can learn from Sweden

"Sovereignty is more an instinct than a policy" -- Bloomberg on Sweden

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/11_26/b4234008340506.htm?campaign_id=magazine_related

We can be a team player without becoming a global slave. We can start partnerships without opening our arms to bullying. We can buy made-in-China without becoming a maid-of-China. If Sweden did it to the European Union (just out of sheer political will), why can't we? We may not have their money, but we sure have plenty of politicians. What else can our politicians do aside from pocketing pork barrels? Can they show us some political will, at least?

Old house in Paterno St., Quiapo

While searching the Net for directions to Paterno St. in Quiapo, where I plan to get a new pair of eye frames and lenses, I stumbled on this blog about an old ancestral house that has fallen into disrepair. Brought to mind the 'abandoned' Singson mansion in Vigan.

http://pinoyshooter.org/bogs/2011/03/the-old-paterno-house-of-quiapo/

NHI, you're needed here.

Thanks, pinoyshooter, for allowing me to share this.

The 10 best Android smartphones of 2011 (An article by Jason Hiner in ZDNet)

HTC ThunderBolt

This is the successor to the HTC EVO. The ThunderBolt is a major upgrade. It gets Verizon’s 4G LTE network over Sprint’s 4G WiMAX network — and that more than doubles its network speeds and capacity. It also sports an upgraded Snapdragon processor with a dedicated GPU, a bump up to 768MB of RAM, an aluminum unibody hardware design (reminiscent of the Google Nexus One and the HTC Desire), and a camera that has the same number of megapixels but takes much nicer photos. Internationally, the HTC Desire HD is very similar to the ThunderBolt.

Motorola Atrix

Arguably, the most exciting new Android smartphone of 2011 is the Motorola Atrix. The phone looks like Clark Kent but acts like Superman. The hardware design isn’t anything special and the MotoBlur UI doesn’t do Android any favors. But, under the hood, the Atrix is running Motorola’s “Webtop” software, which allows the phone to connect to a laptop dock or desktop dock and act like a real PC. Of all the smartphones on this list, the Atrix is the only one that we’re likely to remember its name in five years, because it’s such a watershed device. Five years from now, nearly all high-end smartphones will have this feature. They might even replace corporate desktops in many cases.

Samsung Galaxy S 4G

Samsung joined the Android ecosystem with a bang in 2010, putting its Galaxy S line of smartphones on lots of different carriers in lots of different form factors. Millions of buyers scooped them up. The first successor to its initial line of Android phones is the Samsung Galaxy S 4G. It’s very similar to last year’s Galaxy S line but it has HSPA+ capability (which T-Mobile dubiously calls “4G”) and a svelte form factor that doesn’t feel quite as placticy as most of last year’s models. Also keep an eye out for the Samsung Galaxy S II.

HTC Inspire

One of the best Android phones flying under the radar is the HTC Inspire. The form factor is nearly identical to the HTC ThunderBolt — it’s essentially an aluminum unibody version of the HTC EVO. While it doesn’t have quite the punch of the ThunderBolt in terms of speed, it gets pretty close. It runs on AT&T’s HSPA+ network in the US, so it can get up to 5Mbps downloads in the real world. However, while the ThunderBolt costs $249 up front, the Inspire retails for just $99. It’s a terrific bargain at that price. Again, if you’re looking for an international version of this device, check out the HTC Desire HD. And, AT&T customers should also watch for the Samsung Infuse later in 2011.

 

Google Nexus S

The Nexus S doesn’t quite live up to its predecessor, the Nexus One — the original “Google Phone” — but the Nexus S is still worth a look, especially for Android purists and developers. While HTC built the Nexus One for Google, the Nexus S was built by Samsung and has a similar hardware design as the Galaxy S models (i.e. lots of plastic). However, the Nexus S runs the stock Android OS, was the first phone to get Android 2.3 Gingerbread, and will continue to be one of the first devices (along with the Nexus One) to get the latest Android updates directly from Google. The Nexus S 4G is also coming soon.

HTC Desire

This smartphone bears a very strong resemblance to the original Nexus One (a great device that’s no longer for sale) and in the first half of 2010 it was released in Europe and Australia, where it became a popular choice in both markets. It has since spread to other international markets and it became available in the US through regional carrier US Cellular. The Desire has nearly-identical hardware specs to the Nexus One and a very similar, high-quality aluminum unibody that gives it an excellent build quality. The biggest differences are that the Desire has hardware navigation buttons instead of touch-sensitive buttons, an optical touchpad instead of a trackball, includes HTC Sense UI and an FM tuner, but lacks the second microphone for noise cancellation and the pins for a dock connector. Also, keep an eye on the HTC Desire HD (with a larger 4.3-inch screen) and the HTC Desire Z (with a slide-down keyboard).

Motorola Droid X

With Sprint’s HTC EVO 4G drawing much of the attention of the Android world during 2010, after its unveiling at CTIA Wirelesss in March 2010, the response from Motorola and Verizon (the previous darlings of the Android world) was the Droid X. It matched the HTC EVO with a 4.3-inch screen, an 8 megapixel camera, a Micro HDMI port, and mobile hotspot functionality, but it lacked a front-facing camera, 4G connectivity, and the extra polish that HTC puts on Android with its Sense UI. Nevertheless, it remains one of the most capable Android devices available and remains a favorite among many professionals and power users. It will be largely succeeded when the Motorola Droid Bionic arrives in mid-2011.

Samsung Epic 4G

This version of the Samsung Galaxy S is the one that departed most significantly from the standard form factor. That’s mostly because it integrates a full 53-key slide-down hardware keyboard. But it’s not just any keyboard. With it’s large keys and dedicated row for number keys, it is arguably the best hardware qwerty on any Android device. It also features a 4-inch Super AMOLED screen, a zippy 1 GHz Samsung processor, and Sprint’s 4G WiMAX service. You could certainly make a case for ranking this phone higher on the list, especially for business users that are still in love with a hardware keyboard.

T-Mobile G2

The other great option for Android purists is the T-Mobile G2 from HTC. It runs the stock Android OS and is the successor to the T-Mobile G1 (a.k.a. HTC Dream), which you may remember as the Google’s very first Android phone released back in October 2008. The G1 was also one of the worst smartphones ever created, with its clunky, awkward hardware and abysmal Android 1.6 software. Its successor does much better. The G2 has HTC’s aluminum finish, a solid slidedown keyboard with customizable quick keys, and Android 2.2. It doesn’t have the latest hardware, but it does connect to T-Mobile’s HSPA+ network and it’s available at an excellent price (even free, with some promotions). The T-Mobile G2x is also coming mid-2011, but don’t let its name confuse you. It’s built by LG, doesn’t have a hardware keyboard, and is a completely different device.

 

Motorola Droid Pro

No Android device has taken aim at business users more directly than the Motorola Droid Pro. The most obvious symbol is the Droid Pro’s hardware keyboard, which effectively emulates the classic BlackBerry keyboard found on devices such as the BlackBerry Bold and the BlackBerry Curve. The Droid Pro also integrates enhanced security and management features (such as remote device wipe) that will appeal to larger organizations and their IT departments. These features don’t quite bring Android up to the same level of enterprise readiness as BlackBerry (which offers even stronger encryption, for example), but many companies will likely view it as good enough. While the 3.1-inch screen of the Droid Pro is among the smallest of Android devices, this device will definitely appeal to BlackBerry converts.

For the complete article with introductory text, check:

Leaderboard: The 10 Best Android Smartphones of 2011

Tsunami hits Japan, alert released for Philippines east coast

Let's pray that the tsunami that might hit the east coast of the Philippines will be a mild one. It's estimated to hit us at 6pm tonight, after it raged through Japan this afternoon, following a magnitude 8.8 earthquake. The second big one in the two days.

See the live video of the tsunami taken by CNN:

http://edition.cnn.com/video/

Aerial view:

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/11/japan.quake/index.html?hpt=T1

Latest update from CNN:

About 4 million homes in and around Tokyo are without power.

The largest quake recorded was 9.5 magnitude in Chile in 1960.

The 8.9-magnitude quake is 231 miles from Tokyo

The quake rattles buildings and topples cars off bridges into waters underneath.

Bombings

Reacting to speculations that the January 25 bombing of a passenger bus in EDSA was an attempt to destabilize the government, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile squashed the idea as impossible.

His exact words: “My God, how can one grenade or two grenades destabilize the government? We are not that brittle.”

“There are always crazy people in this world. Not necessary a terrorist activity. It could be somebody playing with an explosive inside the bus. There are many possibilities.”

Oh, really, Senator? Didn’t you do the same thing, faking an ambush to create the stage for martial law? With the blessings of the soon-to-be dictator?

“Take it from me. I went through it. When we declared martial law, it was an entirely different situation. The security environment was so different from what it is today,” he said in interviews with the press.

Yeah right. Back then, you were in total control of the peace and order (or lack thereof). Now, you’re not. It was, indeed, an entirely different situation.

--0—

The "crazy people in this world" get crazier every year. And the list goes on and on…..

December 30, 2000 –Rizal Day LRT bombing

September 11, 2001 – US 911 attacks

November 17, 2001 – Bombing of Al-Jazeera’s Kabul office

October 12, 2002 – Bali bombings

August 5, 2003 – Mariott Hotel bombing in South Jakarta

August 19, 2003 – UN headquarters bombing in Baghdad

March 11, 2004 – Madrid train bombings

February 14, 2005 – Valentine’s Day bus bombing in Makati

July 7, 2005 – London subway bombing

July 11, 2006 – Mumbai train bombings

December 30, 2006 – Madrid-Barajas airport bombing

June 30, 2007 – Glasgow international airport bombing

March 6, 2008 – Times Square bombing

September 20, 2008 – Islamabad Mariott Hotel bombing

July 17, 2009 – JW Mariott Hotel and Ritz-Carlton Hotel bombings in Jakarta

October 2009 – Kabul’s Indian Embassy bombing

March 30, 2010 – Moscow subway bombing

January 24, 2011 – Russia airport bombing

January 25, 2011 – Makati bus bombing

Don't you get goosebumps?

40

Thank you, Lord, for making me...

Beautiful

Brave

Bubbly

Driven

Dutiful

Diligent

Educated

Employed

Enthusiastic

Strong

Sincere

Spontaneous

Sober

Loyal

Loved

Loving

Alive

Healthy

Happy

40.