Global Warming

These days, there is a certain phenomenon that is so popular called Global Warming. Let me define it first. Global warming, in a not too technical term, is the heating up of our world due to the increased levels of carbon dioxide and other gasses. And because of this heating up, there are certain changes – dramatic changes – in world weather. It causes extreme storms, melting of glaciers and ices in the world (particularly in the Artic and the Antarctic), wiping out in the map of islands (even small island nations) due in sea levels, and other such events. Ultimately, this may lead to another Ice Age, or even maybe complete word catastrophe. That is the popular belief about Global Warming.

I think the majority obtain their beliefs and facts about Global Warming from movies like “The Day After Tomorrow” and, Al Gore’s Oscar-winning documentary, “The Inconvenient Truth”, or from media features, rather than personal research. People treat it as a flawless truth. I think the last time I read it was still just a theory. Sure, it is true there are dramatic and extreme changes in the weather lately, but is it all attributable to Global Warming?

I am aware of to sides of this issue: those who treat Global Warming as an absolute truth, and those who believe that Global Warming is just a clever manipulative hoax. There are a lot of strong facts and arguments from both sides. I don’t have the patience to enumerate all those data about it here. All I suggest is you look it up yourself, and decide for yourself.

The Global Warming topic is a lively and relevant contest. But there is a problem with it when supporters and skeptics of it became extremists. This could be dangerous. There could be hysteria, panic, eco-terrorism, and the most dangerous of all, tampering of facts to suit one’s argument. We are easily impressed by “facts” and statistics that we believe anything that it represents even if we don’t even understand what those graphs, tables and numbers say. I always say that facts can be manipulated. And I always say that we must be always prudent, analytic, open-minded, emotionally detached, and researchful – especially in important topics like Global Warming. Moreover, we must not swallow everything that is offered to us, right?

My stand on this issue is this: I stand in the middle. I am not sure if Global Warming is indeed true or not, though, maybe, is some degree and in some senses it is certainly true that it exist. But I am not sure about several other things attributed to Global Warming. It is not for me at all to decide about it anyway, it’s up to those bright minds who call themselves experts in this matter. But I believe that weather is too complex and unpredictable to be understood completely by scientists and meteorologists (like the mind is too complex for psychology and other sciences that deal with it). Yes, in some degree weather can be understood (like the mind). But completely and absolutely understood? I don’t think so. Probably, in the future. And whether weather changes are attributable to Global Warming or not, we can not completely do something about weather change (though I read and hear about certain governments have weather control projects – for war purposes, what else). Weather will always change.

But Global Warming or no Global Warming, an inconvenient truth or a clever hoax, we must take care of our environment. We must always respect and appreciate God’s creation. It is our responsibility.

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Me, My Mind, and My Multiple Personalities

The Mind
No exact science can really explain it
Freud and Jung and others, in some degree, made some worthwhile observations and theories about it
Many philosophers, did, too
But Science and Philosophy failed to grasp the Mind’s entirety
The Mind is complex
One of God’s many mysteries in Creation
The Human Mind is one of the major things that separate us from animals
It can create
It can destroy
It can be trained to (or can automatically) ignore emotion and pain
The possibilities are endless

Since imagination has no boundaries
My Mind has no boundaries
My Mind is my sanctuary
My Mind is some sort of place
(Hannibal Lecter and Demi Brooke are among the ones who use and think of their minds as such)
A world
The knowledge, memories and concepts I know is stored there
And from this three, shoots off the characteristics of this world
Fictional character and events and stories of mine are here
There are many secret places that even I don’t know of
Things I forget and chose to forget are probably on those secret places
Sub-consciousness, others name that place
In that world, anything goes
There is no boundary between fantasy and fact
Inside are valleys and plains
The Grand Canyon
Rivers
Seas
Forests
Jungles
Extinct animals
Dinosaurs
Monsters
Elves
Mermaids
Fairies
The Waste Lands
Oz
Wonderland
Nirvana
Victorian London
The Wild West
Medieval Europe
Sci-Fi Outer Space
And many more
All rolled into one
Moreover, there is still infinity of places to explore and discover
Since as time passes, new places are made
All human minds are places like mine
They just have to accept that these places exist to enjoy what the worlds can offer

All of us have multiple personalities
The difference of a sane man with schizophrenic is the ability to control, supervise and be in sync with those personalities
I have many ones
And they live in The World Of My Mind

I am the Amalgam
The overseer of the personalities
Simply, known also as the Waking Self
I am the other personalities
I am one with them
At the same time, not them at all
I would be introducing the famous (and infamous) among them

The first personality is the Knight
(Some who know me had theorized of this self and name him Version 1.1)
The romantic
The sentimental
Ready to slay the dragon every time
Always ready to save the damsel in distress
But, take note, though he is with armor and shield
He is the most vulnerable among the personalities

The second personality is the Professor
A cold, logical, analytical machine
Scorns emotions and superstitions
He only sees the facts, and cares only for the facts
Cynicism and arrogance is his worst faults
Spends most of his time at the Libraries and Laboratories of The World Of My Mind
He cares only for knowledge
Never makes uneducated guesses
Always base conclusions in data analyzed
Most of the time he is right
But not always

The third personality is the Musician
If you allow him, he’ll spent the day playing guitar; playing songs like “Hey Jude”, “Evermore”, “Hotel California”, and “Livin’ On A Prayer”
Or listening to Mozart and Beethoven and the other classic masters who are still alive in that World
He does not mind of being alone
Music is the only companion he prefers best

The fourth personality is the Philosopher
He is the counselor of the other personalities
Since he is the one who remind the others what values, principles, thoughts and dictums Bernel believes in – mostly, Christian truths
He, most of the time, does the inspiring of the others
He thinks, unlike the Professor, on things what can be
Philosophy, theology and life are the topics he loves best
And meditation and prayer are his favorite activities

The fifth personality is the Explorer
Since My Mind is limitless, his travels never end
He is not complaining since traveling is his love
His job is to explore the places
Explore the potentials
Takes as much knowledge and adventures as he can
All the personalities, when receiving his reports, find his experiences useful

The sixth personality is the Poet
The laziest among them
With a pen and a notebook, he writes
That is the only thing he does most if the time
Write fiction or nonfiction; any topic
Write
Write
And any residue of his time, he spends reading in the Libraries in there

The seventh personality is the Gunslinger
The hero
And he possess the qualities of a hero
“Epitome of perfection,” as defined in literature
Complete with a cowboy hat, thick boots, two revolvers and gloves to prevent blisters
His hand is quick when he draws a gun from its holster
Fast as lightning
And shoots with excellent marksmanship
Drawing and shooting efficiently, he can do it in less than half a second

The eighth personality is the Assassin
The most dangerous of them all
Since he is a cold-blooded killer
He kills with blades
Throwing knives and two sharp swords
A cloth covers his mouth
Fast and agile – that are his strengths
Thus, he is the most contained personality
To unleash him is unwise

The ninth personality is the Penciler
With a drawing table, a chair, pens and pencils
He draws all day
Unlike the Amalgam, he never loses patience or gets bored
He never colors his drawings
Since, what art he do is best with only pencils and inks

The tenth personality is the Collector
The Collector simply does what he does best: collecting
He collects anything… everything
Literature, DVDs, toys, guitars, guns, antiques, stamps, art, paintings, etc.
It does not matter what
He collects just for the sake of collecting
Because that is his passion

The eleventh personality is the Gourmet
Lover of food and wine
He is not a glutton nor gets drunk
He simply appreciates good tastes
And, yes, he cooks well unlike the Amalgam
Cooking is his next love from eating

The twelfth personality is the Engineer
What he does is create structures and bridges and tools
He is also an inventor
Finding ways to make things easier, or more fun and exciting
If anyone needs any gadget, he has it
He solves mechanical and technical problems
Cars and planes are his hobbies
In free time, he customizes and drives them
He has a constant need for speed, and loves the roar of a machine

The thirteenth personality is the Wizard
Master of magic and skills
He hides his eyes behind sunglasses
His amazing ability is to amaze people
An exhibitionist
He possesses many talents, skills, and knowledge of irrelevant facts
He likes to hides those talents and skills
And then surprise them that he can actually do something very well
His favorite is solving a Rubik’s cube in a few seconds (unlike the Amalgam)
He possess a little both of humility and arrogance

The fourteenth personality is the Jester
Laughing and making others laughs is what he likes to do best
He has knowledge of many humorous anecdotes and jokes
His pride himself of being good at making witty comebacks and comments
He lives on his wits, thus, he treasures it

The fifteenth personality is the Doctor
His compassion is famous everywhere in that World
He helps people
He cares for them
Thus, he has lots of friends
And his friends respect and appreciate him

The sixteenth is the Vampire
He is afraid of direct sunlight since it will kill him
And he is at his peak when it is night
He possess supernatural strength and senses
But is cursed with bloodlust

I will leave you for now with sixteen personalities
Because the popular Sybil Dorsett has the record of sixteen personalities (look it up)
The Knight, the Professor, the Musician, the Philosopher, the Explorer, the Poet, the Gunslinger, the Assassin, the Penciler, the Collector, the Gourmet, the Engineer, the Wizard, the Jester, the Doctor, and the Vampire
Together, they are the Amalgam (and at the same time, separate from the Amalgam)
But are there others in My Mind?
Yes, there are many more personalities since there is an entire World in there
Much much more, and many of those personalities I hadn’t met yet

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CHAIN OF THOUGHTS: February

Here are some February scribbles

Spider-Man
Here’s what recently significantly happened to Spider-Man/Peter Parker. This is taken from a Wikipedia article.
The story begins in Amazing Spider-Man #544. With Aunt May slowly dying after being shot by a sniper during the closing hours of the Superhero Civil War, Peter Parker is forced to ask Tony Stark for financial assistance. Iron Man first attempts to bring Peter in for opposing the Superhero Registration Act, but stops when he learns of May's situation. He listens to Peter, but tells him he can't help him. He does however send Jarvis with a $2,000,000 check that will cover May's medical needs. Peter then sets out to help May, any way he can.
Continuing in Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24, Peter seeks council with Doctor Strange. Doctor Strange informs Peter that he can do nothing to grant Aunt May her life back. However, he helps Peter seek the aid of several others including Doctor Doom, the High Evolutionary, Reed Richards, and Doctor Octopus. Without Strange's approval, Peter attempts to go back in time using one of the spells. He harms himself in the process. Strange heals his wounds and sends him on his way, encouraging him to be by his Aunt's side at her death. On his way to the hospital, Peter is confronted by a little girl, who says she holds the answer to his problem.
In The Sensational Spider-Man (vol. 2) #41 Peter talks to the little girl, who runs off. While pursuing her, Peter encounters two men; An overweight software tester who says he wishes he were a hero, and a middle-aged technology magnate, who says he'd give up all his fortune just to be with a girl he'd known and lost years ago. Peter then encounters a woman in red, who tells him that the two men he met were him, from alternate possible timelines where Peter was never bitten by the radioactive spider. The woman transforms into Mephisto, who tells Peter he can save Aunt May. But as payment, Mephisto wants, not Peter's soul, but his and Mary Jane's marriage. In return for saving May, he wants to wipe all memory of Peter's marriage to MJ from all but one part of their souls, so that he may listen to those parts' pain for the rest of eternity. Peter and Mary Jane are given until midnight the following night to decide their answer.
As the story concludes in Amazing Spider-Man #545, Peter and Mary Jane agree to the deal after several hours lamenting over the decision. Mary Jane whispers to Mephisto that she can offer him something in return for removing the knowledge of Peter's identity from the world. Before sealing the deal, Mephisto reveals that the little girl was a representation of Peter and Mary Jane's possible child that they will never have. Mary Jane reassures Peter that the two will somehow find each other again. Mephisto changes history so that Peter and Mary Jane never married, and Spider-Man did unmask but, no one seems to remember whose face was underneath. Peter wakes up alone in bed, living again with Aunt May, who is alive and well, in her old house, which burned down prior to siding with Tony Stark. He attends a party being held for one of his friends, a resurrected Harry Osborn back from rehab (who did not die, as a result of Mephisto's magic). He glimpses Mary Jane sadly leaving the party. They then all toast a "Brand New Day".
* * *

I sympathize with Peter Parker, Spider-Man, not only because he’s one of my favorite characters, but because he don’t deserve this. Mary Jane is just too important to him. It is common knowledge to Spidy fans like me that Peter Parker is a misfortune magnet. But even with all this problems and pains that bombards his life as Peter Parker and Spider-Man, he continues to do good things. One of the best things in his life is MJ, one of his strengths, and he in some degree, he forgets the strain of being a “misfortune magnet” because he had MJ.

I don’t know why I had been affected by these current happenings to Spidy. Anyway, in the past, he had lost MJ before but found her again, and Spidy had greater problems than this, but he prevailed over them. Given the time (and a writer’s good storyline), all of this would come to a good end.
I don’t know why I’m being too sentimental about it. Maybe it is because of this Valentines feel in the air.

Valentines
“Why do you not like Valentines?”
“It’s pagan,” I reply with a laugh.
Of course, though Valentines do really have pagan origins and symbolisms (like Christmas), but that is not really the reason. I am not just into this “love and romance and valentines and such” stuff.
And I don’t like red much.

LA Lakers
But I like the purple and gold.
My beloved Lakers have Gasol now. I hope the Lakers, led by Kobe will win a championship this season. Go Lakers! I hope they dominate February with many wins.
I like the Lakers a lot. And the Laker Girls, too.

Girls
When Stephen Hawking was asked by Larry King what he thinks is the greatest mystery in the universe, the great physicist replied, “women.” I agree with the genius.
I cannot understand the fairer sex. They are just too difficult to read. Sure a father may understand a daughter, or a husband a wife, or a boyfriend a girlfriend, but when it’s man-woman, I don’t think so a male will.

I’ll admit it here…
As being a person is concerned, I respect females. I am not prejudiced when it’s come to this – as persons. I’ll admit they are good or equal or superior to men in some things if they really do, I will recognize it without bias – as persons. Females are good friends and acquaintances – as persons. Yes, all these as “persons.”
But, I will admit it here, I have a dislike and distrust of the female sex.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate them. And I am not prejudiced by them. And I do not think of them as the inferior sex. No. No such thing. I like them as persons, and as friends, as sisters, as mothers, as aunts, etc.
I just have this dislike and distrust of females.
Maybe because females are dangerous if you allow them to affect you.

Analogy
Maybe an analogy illustration can explain it. Just as Christ commanded, “love the sinners, and hate the sin.” So, I may like and trust a female as a person or as my friend, but dislike and distrust females. Sure, it’s not much of a perfect analogy since being a female is not a sin. It’s just… ah, okay, I’ll admit it, it’s not an appropriate analogy. But I hope you get the point.

Feminism and The War of the Sexes
Females had become very active of “female emancipation” and cries of “equality” since the 19th century. Oh, feminism is very popular. I know some about it – heck, I read a lot you know. I agree with “equality” of the sex and rights of suffrage and such. But when feminism goes on the extreme – like branding males as evil, insisting of God’s feminity, Sapphism, or believing that females are superior to male and that they have the divine right of always “knowing what is best” – we got a problem Womankind who are into feminism are very prone to extreme feminism. There is a danger there. Norms and effective systems are threatened.

Yeah. Male and female are equal, I agree with that. As far as sex is concerned, male and female are equal. But in other senses, male and female equality is impossible. There are roles that are best done my men than women (and, fine, I’ll add, “vice versa” to not appear biased). Females see the world that seems to be male-dominated and patriarchal, as male oriented… but this doesn’t mean female inferiority. Female should not think so, because if they do, when they feel insecure and inferior, they will believe in extreme feminism.

Sure, I admit maybe all this “emancipation” and feminism started because of male arrogance. But feminism is also arrogance. Extreme feminism – specifically – is arrogance oriented, and biased. It brainwashes women, and it treats males as the enemy… and it start to make harmony between male and female impossible – which is not.

Males, feeling threatened of this, begun to fight it wrongly. Making chauvinism.
My mother once told me that I am a chauvinist. Maybe slight. All males have some slight chauvinism in them, as defense of this irrational and extreme feminism. But I will not defend extreme chauvinism. It’s as much as an evil as extreme feminism. Sexism is evil.

This open and close war between the male and the females is a reality. Some make sci-fiction stories (feminist authors mostly) where there is a war between the two sexes, and the male being wiped out and the world, with only females remaining, becomes a paradise. I don’t think so a world with one of the sexes missing is a paradise, God created Eden with a male and a female. Anyway, this sci-fi scenario may happen if this “war” about gender domination gets out of hand.

There are instances where there are good-humored debates about which is the superior sex, it’s good as long as it’s a good-humored debate and discussions, as long as there is no extremities. God has designed roles and systems. And we will have just to trust God that His system is the best, and there is no issue of “dominance” or “superiority” in this system.

But I still distrust and dislike the females.

Women Leaders
No, I don’t mind being lead by women. I’m not prejudiced. As long as she’s a competent and respectable leader, no problem with me.
But it’s frustrating to be lead by someone who’s not.

Movies
I find movies good relievers of frustrations.

Anyway, it’s February again and romance is popular. And romantic movies, too. I am not much into the “romantic” genre, but I admit I enjoyed some because of the good story or/and concept. Here is the list of those romantic movies I watched and liked (there is no order nor chronology).

Cutting Edge – this is about a hockey player who decided to figure skate with a pro-female figure skater as a partner in a couple figure skating contest. I don’t know why I enjoyed this but I did. It was the first romantic movie I liked.

Notting Hill – “I am just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.” Ugh. Plainly stupid. One of movie history’s worst lines. But Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts had chemistry, the Spike character was hilarious and it had some fine points.

A Walk to Remember – good story.

Music and Lyrics – I decided to watch it because of the music theme in it. I found the story enjoyable.

Sleepless in Seattle – again I forgot the story and why I liked it.

Shallow Hal – Hilarious, and because it paired gorgeous Gwyneth Paltrow to funny Jack Black. Moral of the story, “Beauty dwells in the heart.”

Pretty Women – another story I forgot but liked. I just remember it was about an executive (Richard Geere) and a hooker (Julia Roberts).

I am not exposed to much “romance” movies. If you notice, must of the movies I mentioned are romantic-comedies, so I probably watched them for the sake of the comedy, or because my parents were watching it and I decided to hang around and watch it too. I don’t know of I enjoyed other romantic movies aside from those I mentioned. If there were others, I probably forgot about them. And maybe there are other great and enjoyable romantic movies I hadn’t watched, so I cannot give comment to.

Books
As for romantic books, no I am not into them. But since I love literature, I had read some. But given the choice, I’ll choose classic romance like “Pride and Prejudice” (although I still hadn’t read it anyway) than those there are nowadays. But I like the story of one titled “Oliver’s Story”, because it has a good story.

Music
In my non-preference of “love and romance and such” in terms of genre in other arts or fields, I guess I have to make an exception here since most of the songs and music created were about “love and romance and such.”
Besides, Paul McCartney said (or sang), “Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs. And what’s wrong with that?”
Good point, Sir Paul.

Dating and Relationships
I got nothing against dating and relationships… but they are risks, and not to be taken lightly and jump into them quickly.
Personally, I avoid them. I had some glimpse of these things a long time ago, and I admit, I can’t handle it. Besides, I have no money and time for such things. And, simply, because I am not interested.

As Ending
I admit I had felt “emotional thrills” and can be affected initially by a females allure or seduction – but only initially, subsequently it often wears off. Things like this don’t happen often anyway, since I am not interested much in this “love and romance and such” stuff and avoid such things.
But even in my cynicism of “love and romance and such” – because they are just “emotional thrills” – I am not biased to admit, that maybe, they are important. And maybe God gave such emotions and concepts to humans for a reason, like giving a taste of what is not much of comprehension and reality to us, such as the Love of God.

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Late Night

I am at my peak when it’s night
I’m no vampire
I am just at my peak when it’s night
Where I have the most energy and “life”
Late night
Ah, the best time of the day

There are two kinds in which I spent it
Out or inside the house
I like both
Late night out usually means parties
I like parties
I like the food most about it

But, honestly, I like late nights inside the house better
There are a lot of things to do
Now, inside the house I will be either:
Asleep or awake
Sleeping is one of my interests
But I usually sleep late
(And I enjoy sleeping in the afternoon more anyway [note: the best thing the Spaniards brought the Filipinos is siesta. Don’t argue.])
Late nights are for…
Reading
Watching movies or TV
Meditating
Thinking
Drawing
Praying
Writing
Listening to my mp4 player
In rare times, studying
And lots more
I get to enjoy doing these things when it’s late night

Before I forget, eating is the best thing to do when it’s late night
Midnight meals
Refrigerator raids
When you have the absolute freedom what to eat
I like to eat any cold leftovers from supper
Chicken
Beef
Pansit
Lauriats
Combos
Anything goes
One of my favorites is a late night snack of coffee and crackers and cheese

I just enjoy the night
The best time to relax
To unwind
To rest
To do what things I like
Alone
With the stars brightly shining above the sky
And no tropical sun’s heat
Or day noises
I don’t know why
Really
Maybe because no matter how bad a day is, the night usually lessens the “badness” of it
Or maybe because it seems all the time and silence in the whole universe is during late night
Or maybe because since I share the world during the day with other people, but in the late night, it seems I have it all for my own

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NAMES

Names are always fascinating. Why is someone name as such? Can a person’s name reflect his personality? Can a person’s name describe him? Can a name break or make a person? Such questions arise about names.

There are a lot of funny things and inconveniences regarding names. Like name-calling and teasing, where a person gets hurt when being branded with insults and insulting names. Or when your name got misspelled in your birth certificate; either you adopt the misspelled name in the certificate, or use the name you supposed to have by having a lengthy and costly legal procedure.

It’s fun and interesting sometimes to find the meaning of your name, or why you are given such name (there was a book in our high school library that has the meanings of some modern-name names, and we planned to steal it but never did. Actually, it was the only book in the library that got our clique [CCC] got interested in). Like those guys in the Bible, who’s names’ meaning were really appropriate with whom they are as persons. Parents named their children because of a combination of their names, or named their children after a favorite celebrity or other idols (I know of kids who were named Sidney Sheldon, Agatha Christie… and someone who was named after the Queen of Pop). Or like the Negro slaves after being emancipated were given the privilege to choose their own surnames.

Our stat prof told us about a former student who had Becile as surname, and a middle initial of M, and therefore goes, M. Becile. There was also another former student of his with the surname Moron, and the name of Alexander. Alex was an excellent varsity runner, and he was nicknamed "Alexander the Great" after the famous Macedonian conqueror of the past. But my prof, ever playful, told Alex, "You may be a great runner. But to me, you are still Alexander The Great Moron." I also have a schoolmate of mine, my junior, in high school, whose surname was being joked about in our clique like "She probably despises her father", or "I bet she’ll marry soon to get rid of her surname." It is because her surname was "Penis".

My father has a namesake who is a convicted rapist – to our family’s amusement. If you search engined my father’s name in the Internet, you’ll find in the results, among his blogs and articles, a court article about someone who has the same name and was convicted of rape. Another story like this was of some teacher of mine in the past who was refused by the NBI in giving a clearance because she has a namesake who was a wanted smuggle and thought that she and the smuggler was one. Talk about inconvenience.

Some people hate their names that they rechristened themselves with nicknames. Like Nancy Drew’s friend Georgia Fayne who does not like her given name but prefers to be called George instead, and gets mad if you call her by “Georgia”, her given name. for my part, I like to be called “Bernel” instead of “Frenson”. Only my mother, two high school professors, and a stubborn friend and batchmate survived after calling me “Frenson.”. To friends and relatives, I am “Nel” and “Bernz” (my real nickname is “Nel”… some classmates [or was it churchmates?] started “Bernz”). But I like “Nel” better.

Nicknames are as fun as names. William is a Bill, Robert is a Bob, Richard is a Dick, and John is a Jack… and I don’t know why. Some nicks are made because of someone’s character or reflects or summarize him as a person like “The Great” (Napoleon, Catherine, Alexander, etc.) or “Iron Lady” (Margaret Thatcher); or animal references like Pig (greedy), Fox (cunning), Snake (treachery) or Sloth (laziness); or because simply it was a shortening of the name like Tim for Timothy and Jess for Jessica.

But even is a nickname or name makes or break you, defined or discredits you, has goodwill or notoriety, lovely to hear or funny or offending, a name is just a name without the person. The person himself is the one important; since it is the one give justice or injustice to the name given or attached to him.

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Network Wars

If asked if I’m a Kapamilya or a Kapuso, I reply, “Neither. I prefer to watch cable.” Yes, I rather watch cable, but, sure, I watch some shows from both networks. I may find myself watching game shows, cartoons, news, noontime shows, feature and investigative shows, and others. I watch to be entertained. I don’t care what station. But I am surprised that many people are not like me. They had developed “blind” loyalties to either “Kapamilya” or “Kapuso”. I think there is nothing wrong to be loyal to a favorite station, but blind loyalty. That develops a person into a biased and brainwashed one like that a TV network is some kind of religion or ideology. There is something wrong with that. I observe people like this, with this blind loyalty, a “Kapamilya” or “Kapuso”, and quarreling with someone with the opposite loyalty. Crap.

I think this “Kapamilya” vs. “Kapuso” thing between ABS-CBN and GMA is getting out of hand. The two networks war is in extreme now, with both out-advertising and discrediting each other. I know business is supposed to be war according to the Japanese, but I never expected that it can become hostile. Not only are the managements involved in this, but also the talents of the two networks are quarreling also (like the verbal war between Joey De Leon and Willie Revillame). Worse, the viewing public is drawn to the conflict and takes sides, either Kapamilya or Kapuso, and takes the quarrels and debates among themselves, among family and friends.

With this new controversy of “rating fixing” of research agency AGB Nielsen (“alleged systematic, organized and well-funded attempt” to rig television ratings), the two networks are in an all out war, and it sickens me. It sickened me more when GMA made a promo in their commercial time regarding the controversy, which seems like a sign of insecurity and guilt. And then ABS-CBN made a promo of their own, regarding it. Actually, this war between the two networks is okay for me – if it’s limited to the both of them (consider it just additional “spice” or story… like those in WWE or NBA). But as I’ve said, there are already loyalties, and this “war” can – if not yet – extend to the public, thanks to GMA’s promo.

What’s with all these ratings anyway? More ratings=more profit? I don’t pretend I know all about ratings and statistics – heck, I only got a 2.7 in Business Statistics – maybe so. But isn’t fighting like this, then making promos to get public sympathy, is childish? I don’t know... maybe fighting will bring them more ratings. I don’t know how the public reacts anymore.

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2007 Scribbles

2007 was a fun year. Here are some reflections (and preview of 2008)

- I am thankful for God for continually making me pass my course this year. I pray that the Big Guy would continue to bless me in my studies.
- I just turned 18 in 2007, and so far, life in “legal” age has been okay. I am now “legally” responsible for myself, and entitled with the privileges (and consequences) of my age, like voting, watching R-18 movies, drinking booze (and, heck, going to jail),etc. Yes, I’m now 18, but, of course, still studying, and living with my parents, and all that, so I’m not really that independent yet. Turning 18 made me think if I’m already in a life on my own – it’s only now a few years away before my folks kick me out to explore life in my own. Did 18 years prepare me for the “real world”? Am I really stronger now? Can I completely handle the harshness of reality? I still have a few more years to think of this though… a few more years of growing up still. Maybe, I hope, by then I am sure of myself that I’m ready to be on my own.
- I don’t mind much when everywhere suddenly turns into a war zone during New Year and New Year’s Eve (though I don’t like firecrackers, because of the noise, and the smell of the smoke, and the danger, I do like fireworks because it explodes harmlessly and beautifully above the sky.), but during Christmas Eve and Day? I like the Filipino tradition of long Christmas, but a long New Year celebration – and starting on the season of Christ’s birth? I don’t like it. Christmas is supposed to remind us of Bethlehem and not Iraq.
- Finally, after waiting a long time, the Legend Killer, the youngest heavyweight champion in history of WWE, Randy Orton, finally got another world championship, this time the WWE Championship (I’m glad). But it’s a pity, Chris Benoit died horribly, killing his family before killing himself. I hope the public would not think that all pro wrestlers are wackos in real life – they are only supposed to act like it in the ring.
- The reunion concert of Led Zeppelin and “Live Earth” were the two gigs I missed (and wanted) to watch in 2007. I hope I can get a DVD of both.
- The Philippines lost the FIBA qualifiers for the Olympics and then lost the SEA games crown. Awww, painful. At least, Pacquiao continue to win his bouts.
- Marvel Comics’ Civil War was big, and the post-Civil War condition is certainly interesting. Captain America got assassinated this year, and there’s distrust and bad feeling in the air. What can the House of Ideas bring us in 2008?
- Kobe Bryant won the 06-07 All-Star MVP, but will he won the regular MVP this season? (I hope so) The Spurs had won the 06-07 championship, and will they repeat again? (I hope the Lakers win the championship this year)
The NBA is exciting as always with the start of 07-08 season. I’m disappointed the Celtics got Garnett instead of the Lakers. With a Pierce and Allen Celtics, I still don’t think they can go win it all… but with Garnett, probably. And so far, the Celtics is doing great because of the Big Three.
It’s painful to watch as the Celtics beat the Lakers (Again, why the Lakers GM did not make an effort to obtain Garnett? I can feel Kobe’s frustration)… but I have to remind you, it’s not like the Celtics’ Larry Bird, Robert Parish and Kevin McHale vs. the Lakers’ Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy like the old times, it’s Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett vs. Kobe Bryant. Kobe maybe the best in the NBA now, but he can’t go against the Big Three all at the same time.
However, the LA Lakers are doing fine so far. I hope they keep on wining in 2008.
- Kimi’s F1 Grand Prix championship was a classic. I did not expect that he’ll win all the last races… and that Hamilton had bad luck in the last two races (he did not even need to win at all, but to just get enough points, I think, a 4th was good enough). It would had been cool to have a black rookie as champion. And, oh, Alonso is moving back to Renault… it seems he can’t risk being outshined by Hamilton in McLarren.
- I hope that when Trillanes plans a revolt, he'll make sure it works. He should have learned his lesson during the Oakwood days, but he repeated his mistake in Manila Pen. Next time, if there is a next time, which I doubt, plan well and make sure it succeeds. It doesn’t guarantee that a win in this year’s Senate election guarantees a success in a revolt. Annoyance is what the public felt during the Manila Pen takeover.

A lot of good things is to come this 2008. The Beijing Olympics is coming. Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania is just around the corner. Pacquiao has great fights coming this year. Good movies are coming this 2008, like the next James Bond flick (Daniel Craig’s second one as 007) and Iron Man (I don’t know if it will become a hit… there was a lot of dislike for him during the Civil War). I can feel there are a lot of interesting things to happen in 2008 (and I hope I can pass Financial and Cost Accounting). May God bless us in the year of the rat. (I though “pig” was bad to hear, but “rat”?! Oh boy)

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