The Washington Times interviewed Rev. Shay Cullen of the Missionary Society of St. Columban last week in Geneva about the plight of street children in the Philippines. Excerpts:

Several years ago, we were contacted by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in Davao City. They asked us to help them to look into the problem of mainly street children who were being shot dead by death squads. These are a group of men riding around on black motorcycles, all like a team dressed in a kind of a black uniform.

I can't say overall. They do not report. It's covered up. Even in Davao City and surrounding areas, we are looking at 56 [killings] over the last three years. ... They are reckoned to be minors, but we cannot fully confirm that because they don't have birth certificates. ... A rough estimate is something like that. But in other cities, more have been reported in newspapers.

Well, we have visited 37 prisons. The conditions are subhuman — the children are mixed in with the adults, who are criminals. In many cases, they are raped inside jail. As punishment, the females are handed over to prisoners or to guards and are sexually molested and abused. The males are also sexually abused, because they're mixed in. The crowding is unbelievable.

We have just been to Novotas, in Metro Manila, the latest prison visit, and here we have 17 minors mixed in with 33 adults in a room adequate for about 15 people.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 06:45 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Despite it's un-skinnability, I've gotten around to liking iTunes (hey, I really like skins). Anyway, it says at the bottom of my Library that I have 2.5 days worth of mp3s. When you think about it, that's a helluva lot of tunes. The first artist on my list are the 10,000 Maniacs and the last one is, shamelessly, Zsa Zsa Padilla.

I wonder if "2.5 days" is average or below average compared to other folks out there. Anyone?

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

That's just not enough for this lowlife. He, with a bulglary prior, gets the needle if this was in the Philippines, and he deserves the worst punishment Singapore can give.

The article is graphic.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 05:48 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

That's what's splashed on their website. I'm going to try to make this as painless for me as possible, since I hate beveled type, which is ubiquitous in this site, not to mention the three different sans serif typefaces. I'm a design snob.

But that's not a matter here. And so does the Cavitenos willingness to die for a cause.

So, what's to see on this site? It's quite an ambitious one, with a good listing of Hotels, Restaurants and even golf courses. What could help the site is if they put in individual pages for all these destinations, and get the owners to pay for the pages. That's an idea for ya.

This is a province proud of its history, as it should be. Kawit is in Cavite and Emilio Aguinaldo is from the province as well. The website does a good job in reprezenting.

But the good stuff is in this websites overall usefulness. A listing of hospitals for instance is useful (but so would phone numbers) and a list of towns and their fiesta dates (what a novel idea!) should be in the "Tourism" section and not the poorly named "Inside News" section. The news section seems up-to-date and at least respectably populated. And a very comprehensive listing of schools tells a visitor that Cavite planned their website out rather well.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Oh no! This is the warehouse along Nicanor Garcia (Reposo) -- and of course Sy is going to turn it into a mall! Someone stop him! Think of all the traffic this is going to cause!

It'll be SM Spooky since it's surrounded by a cemetery. Happy Halloween!

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:23 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Some praise for the Philippine government, specifically the hardworking people of DSWD, today:

sagipbata.com is an information center for missing children where information and pictures of missing children may be posted and viewed by Internet users 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The contents of sagipbata.com are printer-friendly, thus may be easily printed out for hard copy references such as posters and flyers for quick posting and distribution. sagipbata.com is updated daily and upon presentation of developments or suggestions from our respective partners.

Somehow, some help will come. God, these kids are so small.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 05:47 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

If the government fails to check the exodus of Filipino physicians and nurses abroad, the Philippines is sure to face a severe medical crisis in five years’ time, Vice President Teofisto Guingona Jr. warned on Tuesday.

Guingona said a British study done earlier this year foresees a medical crisis in the Philippines by the year 2008. This crisis, he explained, will be brought about by the lack of competent medical practitioners to treat ailing Filipinos.

He emphasized that although medical schools in the Philippines continue to produce medical practitioners, a major discrepancy still exists between those graduating from medical courses and those who are leaving for employment abroad.

He disclosed that of the 250,000 Filipinos applying for passports every day, the majority are nurses and doctors seeking employment oversees.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

I've been trawling the PhilMUG forums and then some, and found that hotspots in Metro Manila are booming. I'm looking at the subscription prices of two carriers, Airborne Access and Globe's Wiz, and they're not bad, the cheapest being Airborne's 1 hour for Php 100. That's about 2 bucks, and that's cheap. As always, services can be bought at pre-paid conditions in the Philippines and these expire within 6 months of first use.

1. I find it peculiar that I can't find talk on the connection speed or any 802.11 mumbo jumbo anywhere on their sites. I do know that Airborne is 802.11b.
2. From the forums, they don't look like they have strong encryption methods either.
3. But there are establishments that offer them free, like Popeyes, it seems. I wonder which other ones do.

Anyone out there with any wifi experience in Metro Manila, I'd be glad to hear your comments.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 05:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Hot at the heels of George W. Bush, are Mariah "Just Like Honey When Your Love Comes Over Me" Carey, Mandy "Penshoppe" Moore, Stephen "It Might Be You, Maybe It's You, Maybe It's You" Bishop, F4, Brian "1,2,3" McKnight, Ashanti and Limp "Nookie" Bizkit.

If i were to choose, I'd much rather have seen President Bush. with a placard in my hand

And to think it took me a while to get weaned off Gary V. Yikes.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 12:54 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

A Bulletproof Vest reader expresses her blunt feelings towards Claudine Barretto:

ang panget mo na ngayon payat payat mo na dati ang ganda mo waaa ido (sic) na idol pa naman kita pero noong nangyari kay rico yan hate na kita

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 12:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

The VoIP provider hooks up with Eastern Telecoms In the Philippines for lower overseas call rates. But, how many of us have relatives with an Eastern Telecom number?

An official press release is here.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:56 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

From the Only In Da Philippines Department: A movie starring two of the most controversial Manila mayors, Jinggoy Estrada and Joey Marquez in an apparently twisted love triangle with Katya "Keke" este, "Keka" Santos. She recently launched a "private video" (whatever the hell that means) entitled (this is SO offensive) "Wet, Wild and Kinky, Come Shag Me".

A review from a clickthecity reader:

This IS definitely a classic example of a very corny, lousy movie fit for morons, imbeciles and nincompoops! A most foul insult to Filipino intelligence and creativity! If there is a rating to be given here lower that one star, I'd choose that one!!! Alas, ONE is the lowest.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:02 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Doesn't he own UE? Anyway, UST gives "Tan The Man" a Ph.D. which he obtained "through an equivalency program" which is already a big doodoo since the "country's wealthiest businessman had to apply for admission, be assessed of fees, and undergo question from university faculty." If only it was that easy for the rest of us.

I wonder if King Poobah's donation was enough for a new art museum.

UST cited Mr. Tan for emerging as "one of the most successful industrialists in modern Philippine history" and for serving as "an inspiration, a guiding beacon to many of his fellow Filipinos who believe and hope that they too, can break from the bondage of poverty."

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:27 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

I am going to get quite disheveled in this entry.

If you've ever driven in Metro Manila, you know that we have the worst kid of vehicular and pedestrian traffic. It's madness on virtually any given time of the work day. To put things in perspective, an 11 kilometer drive (that's about 5 miles) from Makati to Katipunan Ave. could take about, oh, 45-60 minutes when it's really bad.

This is a result of a confluence of events and circumstances, mostly out of lack of urban planning. The malls, for instance, are right smack dab in the middle of EDSA -- main street to Metro Manila. Roads are too narrow, and pedestrians ran amok. A new subway-surface train has alleviated some anxiety, but hasn't completely desnarled the city. It certainly doesn't help the drive if EDSA is lined with gaudy outdoor advertising and a hairnet of power lines, but that's another blog entry.

What prompted me to blog about the traffic is this bit of information from the MMDA:

Angelito Vergel de Dios, MMDA Traffic Operation Center (TOC) executive director, said there are about 600 violations that are monitored and photographed daily in various parts of Metro Manila.

He said the high rate of violations showed that there are still many erring drivers that are ignoring the traffic schemes of the agency. Among the frequent violations committed include the yellow-lane scheme, loading and unloading of passengers in prohibited areas, and reckless driving.

The “no-contact” apprehension program against traffic violators wherein enforcers take photographs to get evidence against erring drivers have resulted in the arrest of more than 8,000 bus drivers since April. Records showed that 8,872 buses were caught violating traffic rules from April 12 to October 12 through the no-contact apprehension scheme of the MMDA.

And 8,000 errant bus drivers -- 8frigginthousand -- just blows my mind. That's within a six month period that EXCLUDES December. I didn't think there would have been that many, but I am overjoyed at the apprehensions nonetheless. Bus drivers are crude, brainless and insensitive ruffians that hog the lanes, swerve and stop when they want to, and don't mind the little dings and scratches on their big metal frames in the name of getting ahead of you in your lane -- all in a days' work. And, bus drivers are the ones with the Professional Driver's Licenses.

Of course, the little angel in me (he actually looks like David Spade) is saying, hey, they're just trying to make an honest living -- well, blow me, we all are. Keep those bus drivers in check.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 05:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Good God!

He claims Ferdinand E. Marcos is his father. And he wants to follow in his footsteps by running for president next year.

Tranquilino B. Marcos, a physician, announced his candidacy at the Bayview Hotel in Manila on Friday after forming his own party, the Magkaisa sa Bagong Lipunan.

Marcos told reporters that his age, 61, makes him the former strongman’s eldest son. Ferdinand Marcos has three children by his wife, Imelda. Dr. Marcos said he was born out of wedlock in Maluod, Pangasinan, and that his mother was Genoveva Macaraeg Bumanlag.

“Former President Marcos was 25 years old when he met my mother. My family and I kept this a secret for so many years because we did not want to be involved in any kind of controversy,” Dr. Marcos said.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Here. Thanks to the comments. I recognized Song Seung Hun as Hsu Qi's character's boyfriend in So Close.

Here's the synopsis from a DVD retailer:

En See is a beautiful innocent girl, she has a farther (sic) and brother who love and care for her very much. But when she found out that she is not the actual daughter of the family, the live (sic) and love change.

So is the show any good?

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 04:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

In case you haven't heard it yet.

Manila - A junior aide has apologised to the Philippine president for urinating in the emergency exit of an aircraft after getting drunk.

Presidential secretary Ignacio Bunye on Wednesday said press undersecretary Heraclio Nazareno had written to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo expressing regret over the incident. It occurred in September during Arroyo's working visit to the United States and Europe.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 02:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Poor Agusan del Norte. Nothing really much going on their site, plus they don't even have their own url.

I was kinda hoping I wouldn't run into a website whose aesthetics would choose such novelty-ornamental typefaces, but that's hoping for too much. The real angle here is that their governor is: a. not bad looking b. looks like she's barely 30 c. is wearing a pair of jeans d. has highlights on her hair. Her photograph is conveniently splashed on the home page, much larger than any photos of the 2,590 sq.km province.

In case you've forgotten your 3rd Grade Social Studies, the capital of Agusan del Norte is Butuan, which has a better website.

The nice thing about the website is that it has a section on Special Areas of Development, which is useful for someone who wants to, say, see about the feasibility of a banana farm in the province. One can also browse city by city quite easily.

Alas, there doesn't seem to be much action on this website (the last update was THREE years ago), and for all I know, they have a new governor and have simply neglected to update their website. It's all pretty flat. But a visitor tends to differ:

ITS ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC SITE, IT FEELS LIKE YOU`RE NEVER AWAY FROM HOME. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Despite our backing of the invasion of Iraq, we have been elected to the U.N. Security Council. I wonder who will get this job. Please, not Blas Ople.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

So, there's something really wrong here.

The 2004 national election will not fail because of unreliable automated counting machines, the Department of Science and Technology maintained on Thursday.

The engineer Rolando Villoria, chief of the department’s Metals Industries Research and Development Center, told The Times that contrary to earlier reports the counting machines acquired by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from South Korea are not defective.

Villoria explained that Mega Pacific, the distributor of the machines, have already made the necessary redesigning to correct the lens assembly, which had caused the machines to malfunction during the first testing.

“Based on the testing we made, there has been no failure in the functions of counting machines to be used in the 2004 computerized election. We also believe that the remaining machines will pass our standards because of the necessary corrections made,” Villoria ascertained.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:21 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

I've long envied my folks' Senior Citizen's Card (RA 7432) because it gets them 20% off of their meals in any establishment in the Philippines. There's also 20% off hotels, movies, circuses and concerts. The private establishment then gets it as a tax writeoff. It even gets them 20% off on Philippine Airlines tickets and something of the same value (15% I think) off their prescription drugs. More money for mah-jonng, I keep saying (True, but my Dad always gives off the difference as tip to the wide-eyed waiters).

Incidentally, there is now a new Expanded Senior Citizen's Act (RA 7432++), which gives more benefits including this whopper:

De Castro, chair of the Senate Committee on Social Justice Welfare and Rural Development, said the bill also gives comprehensive benefits to the elderly regardless of income, thus eliminating the distinction based on financial and economic status.

“Senior citizens may now enjoy additional benefits and privileges in the form of a 20-percent discount on medical and dental services by private hospitals, and priority in all transactions with any commercial and government establishments,” de Castro said.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 03:53 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Something I saw from someone else's site, but I forgot who. When I saw it, I kept thinking that somewhere out there someone has a video of me having a conversation with Kris Aquino and exchanging punches with Joshua.

Whatever this is, if it's not a hoax, it's freaky.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:52 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

So, remember how folks can report via SMS the infidelities of government officials? Now, they're going to put secret agents -- yes, SECRET AGENTS -- in motels, malls and even public markets and other "establishments where employees are perceived to be committing illicit affairs". Public markets?

IN a bid to strengthen its “Report-a-Mistress” campaign against government employees, the Citizens’ Battle Against Corruption (Cibac) said on Tuesday that it would ask the Department of Justice to assign secret agents in motels and nightclubs to monitor the activities of public servants reported to be frequenting those places.

“In order to provide a solution to the complex problem of corruption in our society, the root of the problem must be addressed,” she said.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:37 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

(Oh, I like this; reviewing local provincial sites. I'll just go randomly, with no particular criteria. I'll just sift through it and pick up what stands out.)

On the Paete, Laguna website, there's not much going, except of course with the Mayor ("KGG PB" or "Kagalanggalang na Punong-Bayan") Elmoise B. Afurong who is on his second term and looks pretty with the Rock Hudson haircut and the sunglasses. The town history section is quite informative.

There is of course the three symbols of what makes Paete Paete: the buider's square (no, this is not Home Depot. in fact it's not even a square), the chisel and lanzones (in the graphic, they look more like yellow eggs). These symbols find their way into the Municipalities coat-of-arms as a symbol of that embodies the lifestyles, morals and sentiments of a particular people, much like California's bear or Georgia's crossed confederate stars.

What cannot be excised from any such public record -- whether on the streets or online -- is a full listing of the names of every single civil servant, down to the SK Chairman. This practice of identity ubiquity can be seen on every streetlight, arch, plaza, school wall or basketball court in the Philippines, and, for Paete, can be seen here.

Finally, these people are very proud of their two-story Municipal Hall. A large picture is splashed on the homepage, and, you'll receive an extra large picture when you click it. Note the usual trappings of a provincial municipall hall: basketball goal, expired campaign posters, and the tambays staring back at the photographer.

Oh, and don't you dare miss the Photo Albums.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:41 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Philippines : 1. F-4, 2. Ragnorok (sic), 3. Meteor Garden , 4. Endless Love , 5. NBA, 6. United Nations, 7. Kazaa, 8. Harry Potter , 9. Formula One, 10. Britney Spears

I don't know whether Endless Love refers to the song, the movie or the Bush and Blair duet. Or some other incarnation.

For comparison, here's Japan's Buzz Index:

Japan : 1. Major League Baseball, 2. Nobel Prize, 3. Halloween, 4. Formula One, 5. Kill Bill , 6. Lucy Liu , 7. Britney Spears , 8. Rugby World Cup, 9. New York Yankees, 10. WWE

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 04:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

There are 30,000 people answering phones and e-mail queries in Manila, doing work -- for $600 to $800 a month -- that generally pays better than bookkeeping in a bank or similar white-collar employment. That figure could double over the next couple of years, call-center operators predict, creating a middle class that actually stays in the Philippines rather than one that must emigrate to work overseas, as millions of Filipinos have done.

These nighttime armchair warriors are the new immigrants.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:37 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Stumbled upon the official website of the province of Bulacan, home of Otap Shamrock and Puto Seco among other things. They had that phrase (my title) splashed across the middle gutter of their very cluttered website.

The site features an "inforama" section (like information buffet-style?) which has statistics on the province. Don't try downloading any of them as the site is really slow (because its ASP?). Most interesting is an Announcements section which works as some soft of provincial bulletin board. Here's a sample of a Malolos citizen pleading for his right to skate at the Capitol:

sana po d na kami pagbawalan sa capitolyo.wala kami malaruan,e.wag na po sana kami hulihin ng pulis. magdadala na lang po kami ng gamit namin. sana mapagbigyan nyo po kami. salamat po!

maganda na ang ganito ang ginagawa namin,kaysa po ibang bagay?dahil po sa gantong laro naiiwasan, namin na malulung sa masamang bisyo.natutunan po namin dito ang disiplina sa sarili.para sa amin ito na po ang pinaka dabest na sulusyon sa mga kabataan,para malibang.wala naman po kami nasasaktang iba.marami pong salamat.umaasa po kami na mapapagbigyan nyo po kami,kayo lang po ang makakatulong sa amin.kayo lang po ang maari naming lapitan.pasenya na po sa abala. marami pong salamat!

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

We were once a colony of the United States. We should know what an occupation involves. Yet...

Of the 1,200 adults surveyed by the SWS, 68 percent said that US forces should remain in Iraq "as long as is necessary until there is a stable government."

Only 31 percent said the United States should not remain.

Only 13 percent believed the United States had found weapons of mass destruction in Iraq while 86 percent said they did not.

The independent Social Weather Stations (SWS) research group said that its August 30 to September 14 survey found that 53 percent of respondents expressed "much trust" for Bush and only 21 percent expressed "little trust."

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:53 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Don't you know better than to screw with the person who's job it is to stick a goddam needle in yer arm? Why, it's like ticking off the waiter who is about to serve you a bowl of hot and sour soup (read: you'll never figure out which one's egg and which one's spit).

Leonard Shaw, 59, is said to have conned the girls into handing over around £150 each - nearly two months' wages - to process fake offers from top London hospitals such as Guys and St Thomas'.

Many of the girls took out loans to pay Shaw's fees. Others used their life savings in their bid to work in Britain, where they can earn 10 times more than at home.

Police who arrested London-born Shaw after raiding his £5-a-night room in a grubby hostel in the Philippines, after a tip-off, claim he sent forms signed by the girls to an accomplice in Britain who posted fake acceptance letters back claiming to be from British hospitals.

A Philippines police spokesman said: "Shaw would show the British postmark to the nurses to convince them the acceptance letter was genuine. It always asked for a fee - normally about £150 - for processing the documentation.

Onus Manguntara, of the Philippines National Bureau Of Investigation, said: "Shaw has robbed people of their dreams. All they wanted was a chance to work in England and send money home to their families."

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 05:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Why, this day will live in infamy. Who da heck nominated me? And why aren't one of my favorite blogs on this list? I promise that if I win this award, I will work harder in securing world peace.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 05:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

They practiced for 14 days, and they nailed their routine. They were in their best behavior.

The Aurora Quezon Elementary School students gave a stirring narrative of the "The Story of the Bamboo" which told of the sacrifice of one bamboo tree which allowed itself to be cut and split by a farmer for the benefit of an entire village.

The schoolchildren in Grades 1 and 2 from three public and two private elementary schools were obviously starstruck as they stuck to the American First Lady at the end of the program until Malacañang officials had to pry them out of there.

Trimmed from the original schedule of an hour, Mrs. Bush showed instant rapport with the children as she happily chatted with some of them.

After the program, Julian handed Mrs. Bush a gift -- a book on bamboos and a jewelry box made of bamboo.

The students who sat on a banig or native woven mats were on their best behavior throughout the program as they diligently delivered their lines (such as "Good afternoon Mrs. Bush, we're glad to see you") on cue and in unison.

The organizers rewarded the kids with a piece of fried chicken and a scoop of rice from American fast food giant McDonald's.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Oohhhhhh, there's bound to be someone out there who won't like this.

U.S. President George W. Bush and his wife, Laura, arrived at the Luneta Park in Manila shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday to lay a wreath at the shrine of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal.

Bush namechecks Rizal in his speech at the Philippine Congress:

The great patriot Jose Rizal said that nations win their freedom by deserving it, by loving what is just, what is good, what is great to the point of dying for. In the 107 years since that good man's heroic death, Filipinos have fought for justice. You have sacrificed for democracy. You have earned your freedom.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 07:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

A raid in Forbes Park Makati -- the wealthiest part of town -- yielded:

an undetermined quantity of shabu, an undetermined quantity of marijuana, an undetermined quantity of hashish, various shabu-sniffing paraphernalia, two weighing scales, four gas burners, 46 aluminum foil strips used in the sniffing of shabu, 43 live bullets for a caliber .45 pistol, a silencer for a caliber .22 pistol, a wallet containing a National Bureau of Investigation identification card, an NBI badge and two motorcycles – a BMW and a Yamaha.

Needless to say, they made some arrests, and was witnessed by Joey Concepcion, reigning Baranggay Chairman, to ensure that none of his kin were arrested. I've never seen the phrases "drug den" and "pot session" used so many times in a single article.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:58 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

None of the facts are straightened out yet, but it was clear that Armando Rosimo was investigating corporate tax fraud cases. It wasn't even a drive-by to scare him: they wanted him dead.

Investigator Senior Police Officer 4 Marcelino Castillo said one of the gunmen initially appeared and shot Rosimo as his car was turning right to Visayas Avenue from Road 3.

Four other gunmen approached the car and finished off Rosimo with caliber .45 automatics, police said.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:47 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Bush requests that no wine be served, instead 7-Up na lang daw. That's fine with me: 7-Up goes down well with adobo.

Presidential (GMA's) spokesman Ignacio Bunye, meanwhile, clarified the barrio fiesta theme:

"We would like to debunk reports of alleged excessive expenses related to President Bush’s visit," he said. "The idea of holding a ‘barrio fiesta’ type of cocktails was made to give our visitors a feel of the traditional Filipino warmth and hospitality. We would like them to see how fiestas are held here."

"There will be a ‘barrio fiesta’ theme for the visit, complete with bamboo nipa huts on the Palace grounds, the very Filipino puto bumbong and bibingka (two varieties of rice cakes), to be served during the cocktails," Bunye said.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Like Referee Mills Lane likes saying: "I'll allow it."

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:12 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Sorry, to all you non-Tagalog speaking readers out there, but I had to blog this in:

I was going through Divisoria.com, trying to survey the online shopping playing field in the Philippines, and I clicked into "Precious Hearts Romances". These are romantic novels by Martha Cecilia, the kind that are sold in National Bookstore and hawked in bus stops. The kind that steal foreign movie posters and turn them into watercolor covers. The kind that snooty people (who ride the bus), like you and me, wouldn't be caught dead reading.

Well, here's a synopis of one of those books courtesy of Divisoria.com. Consider being warned:

Si Allana, businesswoman sa gulang na 24. May boyfriend, si Mark. Guwapo, mayaman ay (sic) executive. Simple at tahimik ang relasyon nila at niyayaya na siya nitong pakasal. Bigla ay nauga ang tahimik niyang mundo nang minsang masira ang kotse niya at mapilitan siyang mag-jeep. Ang driver ng jeep, si Rafael, na sa imahinasyon ng dalaga ay lookp-alike ni Lorenzo Llamas. Si Rafel (sic) na kung tumitig ay matutunaw kahit batong-buhay! Ipagpapalit ba niya si Mark kay Rafael na sa alip na modelong kotse ay jeep ang minamaneho, at sa halip na attache case ay tool box ang dala-dala?

It seems to me, after going through the other synopsis (out of investigative curiousity, clearly nothing pleasant came out of this exercise), that there are two predominant themes: some of the novels are about a Filipina on the verge of committing an act of duplicity, deceit or romantic treachery; the others, about finding true love in a most unlikely situation. Gee, I guess it's true that Filipinas never experience unrequited love (only the men do).

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (29)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Playing on home soil coming soon. Can't wait.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 04:39 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Dick Cheney can't eat anything with high cholesterol, since he's had three heart attacks. So, I guess sisig for him is out of the question. And, he isn't coming to town.

George W. Bush is, and he's bringing his peanut-butter-and-jelly loving palette to the Palace, which is hosting (according to Imee Marcos) a Php500,000 "barrio fiesta" dinner for the American President.

(Imee Marcos) said the native dishes would include "adobo" in olive oil, milkfish belly with mango sauce dipping, Filipino-style beefsteak, fried rice with smoked fish, and crisp-friend (sic) pork skin.

Native delicacies will also be served, such as roasted pig, "puto-bumbong," "lumpia," ice cream, pork and chicken barbecue, chocolates, "halo-halo," and "pan de sal" with an assortment of spreads.

Marcos said her estimate of the expenses did not include drinks, as well as decorations.

"President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must really mean to impress her visitors," said Marcos, a congresswoman representing her family's home province of Ilocos Norte. "Our countrymen should feel proud that we could feed our guests so well even though in their homes, many poor Filipino families would be sharing a can of sardines and a packet of instant noodles."

She's just pissed that she wasn't invited. Besides, the Macapagal's, like the Marcos', have had their share of U.S. visits, and they pulled out all the stops all the same. And, lest we forget, George W's pop had toasted Imee Marcos' old man for his "adherence to democratic principles and the democratic process."

Looks like a get-together of old friends.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

I guess now's the best time to reminisce about my hometown. Here are 20 random images, sensations and soundbites:

1. The dilapidated Humanities steps.
2. Rusty handlebars on the jeepneys.
3. The empty neighborhood lots. The trees all waiting to be peed on.
4. The neighborhood makeshift basketball court. And, tearing three ligaments on my right knee, ruining my professional basketball career aspirations. But, falling down, I still made the shot.
5. Sweat, and the musty Humanities basement.
6. Prof. Esguerra dealing with the sweat.
7. The taste of "spicy" sauce (and, likely, the saliva of thousands) on squidballs.
8. The smell of dissipating gunpowder from a pillbox and the University Police Force's sidecar.
9. Ellen's Fried Chicken, and their Demarses restaurant that smelled and looked like a bathroom.
10. The uneven sidewalks and the diesel fumes that go with them.
11. Area 51, de_dust, the taunting, and a fine headshot.
12. Ms. Edquiban, to her freshman high school English class: "I give you a week to prepare for this, and you give me shit?!!?!? This is shit!!!"
13. The indescribable noise that the Chemistry Lab seats make when you spin them.
14. Mud on your chin from doing pushups on a Saturday morning at the field.
15. Carlo Frio: "Duhat!"
16. Remembering where I was, and how it felt, when I heard Allan Gomez was murdered.
17. "Sa iyo kami ay nagpupugay, o sintang paaralan..."
18. Sipping Sprite from a plastic bag.
19. The mildew on pretty much all the books at the Main Library.
20. Marian Santos, waving her blue Corona notebook before a Social Science Exam: "Miss, this is not ba the bluebook?"

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 12:29 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

A pioneering elementary school district outside Chicago has been sued for installing a wireless computer network by parents worried that exposure to the network's radio waves could harm their children.

According to the complaint, filed in Illinois state court, parents of five children assert that a growing body of evidence outlines "serious health risks that exposure to low intensity, but high radio frequency radiation poses to human beings, particularly children."

The Oak Park Elementary School District set up a wireless network to connect its schools to one another in 1995, long before such networks became wildly popular. A spokeswoman for the district, Gail Crantz, said it complies with all government regulations for wireless networks.

Today, the 5,000 students in the district have access to carts of laptop computers to do research on the Internet from their desks, said Steve Chowanski, director of information services for the district.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:57 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

All those Communication and Mass Media majors (and Luddites) out there would have no doubt read (at least a quote) Neil Postman, who lost his bout with lung cancer yesterday.

Using the phrase "amusing ourselves to death", Postman kept a wide eye open for the reverse of the "Orwellian nightmare" -- when too much media drowns the truth in "a sea of irrelevance", blurring the lines between information and entertainment. He was also an observer of education and technology, which led me to re-discover him while I was working on e-learning. Fare well, Dr. Postman.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:42 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Holy crap! Juday has been on a diet of carrot and cucumber juice for AN ENTIRE THREE DAYS! Armageddon! Get the kids!

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 11:30 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

This is quite ridiculous, but if told to people who do not know better -- y'all know what I'm taking about -- this is very dangerous.

Scientific research by a group including the US National Institutes of Health and the WHO found "intact condoms... are essentially impermeable to particles the size of STD pathogens including the smallest sexually transmitted virus... condoms provide a highly effective barrier to transmission of particles of similar size to those of the smallest STD viruses".

The Vatican's Cardinal Trujillo said: "They are wrong about that... this is an easily recognisable fact."

The church opposes any kind of contraception because it claims it breaks the link between sex and procreation - a position Pope John Paul II has fought to defend.

In Kenya - where an estimated 20% of people have the HIV virus - the church condemns condoms for promoting promiscuity and repeats the claim about permeability. The archbishop of Nairobi, Raphael Ndingi Nzeki, said: "Aids... has grown so fast because of the availability of condoms."

In Lwak, near Lake Victoria, the director of an Aids testing centre says he cannot distribute condoms because of church opposition. Gordon Wambi told the programme: "Some priests have even been saying that condoms are laced with HIV/Aids."

Panorama found the claims about permeable condoms repeated by Catholics as far apart as Asia and Latin America.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:25 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

I was introduced to Guided By Voices yesterday by guess who? It was a feeling I haven't felt in a long time: it was like the first time i heard R.E.M. back in high school. And, I know that any hopeful review of GBV here would fail my brother-lowfi-music-astronaut. But this isn't a review. It's just plain-giddy praise.

Robert Pollard, like Stipe, is apparently as prolific a songwriter as he is a daydreamer (maybe more) and writes with a Beatlesque pop mind and the broken heart of Matthew Sweet and Lloyd Cole. You're hooked head-on with under-powered guitar solos (guitar solos!) the murky lack of finish, and the image of Pollard twirling his microphone amidst the crashing drums. And, while I've been listening mostly to songs from their 2001 album Isolation Drills I've been told that the earlier albums were far more distended and lo-fi, like musicians straddling the gray parts of crossover success by reluctantly tuning their instruments and leaving the knobs on the mixer untouched. The change to a more glossy sound also had to do with Pollard changing his backup band (I don't know when exactly): the new sound listens a lot more polished and studied -- almost major label-ish -- but keeps the 70's noodly trash sound quite effortlessly. It's like Jesus and Mary Chain learning a few more chords by their third album, yet remembering to keep strumming hard. Their new songs are still short and defiant, guitar bridges still unruly, drums confident, and the vocals still sound like Pollard is faking an accent. Sadly, their just released 13th album wasn't so well received.

It scares me with so much hope that bands like Guided By Voices are out there -- this is partly because I've been listening to house, lounge, trance and club music for the past four years. Surely GBV would not have come into my centerscreen back in Manila, where boybands are king. I won't trade in my Jose Padilla and Paul Oakenfold CDS, but chalk me in as a GBV fan. Because I really like them.

And, although my heart bleeds because I'm missing out on Yo La Tengo (and Sun Ra and His Arkestra) later this week, I will be at the GBV concert next month. Wild horses...

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:03 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Someone somewhere was asking about this (scroll down to end of story):

Victims of toxic-waste contamination in the former US military bases at Subic Bay and Clark Field have urged President Arroyo to take up their plight as well as the cleanup of the former American facilities when she meets with President George W. Bush next week.

Based on the documentation made by the People’s Task Force for Bases Cleanup (PTFBC), at least 2,000 people may have been exposed to the toxic legacies left behind by the US Navy and Air Force in the Philippines.

The PTFBC also said that contamination has been proven by environmental and health studies that further explain the strong correlation between the contaminants and the victims’ ailments. Among the contaminants found are lead, mercury, arsenic, other heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as DDT, dieldrin, aldrin, chlordane, Ddioxin and furans and PCBs.

Documents coming from the US Defense Department, as well as the US General Accounting Office, point to strong evidence of irresponsible waste-disposal practices of American forces in the former bases.

No comprehensive assessment has yet been done to ascertain the real extent of the toxic-waste problem in those areas, although the problem is not unique to Subic and Clark. Even in the American mainland, the US military has been accused of fouling up the environment wherever it set up bases.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 01:40 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

I do have gossip on this, but that's just gossip. Besides, I want to keep my friends, and, I do my own stunts. However, this is pretty nagging. Angelo Castro of the World Tonight reported last night (no, I don't have TFC, I have I-Channel) that the computerized ballot counting may be engineered to breakdown and eventually allow GMA to get re-elected.

Now, it seems that, like every government contract (remember PIATCO and the old new airport among others?) has some evil invisible hand signing it:

THE SUPREME Court has asked the Commission on Elections to produce several documents including the contract it had with a consortium that won the 1.3-billion-peso poll automation project in the next 20 days.

But they did hear of the irregularities from the Information Technology Foundation of the Philippines , which s behind the case. They found:

"The machines submitted for testing by the two bidders both failed to even attain 99.5% accuracy, which means they were registering more than one error in 20,000 marks. That alone should have been sufficient reason to declare a failed bidding," he observed.

Mr. Lagman further explained that the Comelec accuracy rate required the machines to register only one error in 200,000 marks.

He pointed out that the Comelec awarded the contract to a company called Mega Pacific Consortium "when no such animal existed during the bidding procedure."

Mr. Pastelero stressed that it was a venture called Mega-Pacific eSolutions, Inc. that submitted the bid for the contract. Yet, he said that the Comelec's notice of award cites Mega Pacific Consortium as the contractor for the project worth one billion Philippine pesos.

"Even if eSolutions assigned its privilege to Consortium, it was already not qualified to begin with because it was formed only two to three weeks before actual submission of documents. Comelec required bidders to submit three years of financial statements to qualify," he added.

Now, what exactly is involved in this PC (I imagine they won't be using Macs) ballot counting business? It's not like they're building a new mouse trap, the software and the hardware is already there. These people know what they're doing (same people who worked on Arizona's online poll a few years ago).

I imagine that what would take long is the process of setting up the system's backbone, a network of secure LANs and servers. There's lots of testing there too. And I really don't know how they will integrate all the votes. Then there's training people how to use the system. But at this point -- less than a year away from election day -- the fact that they have not even had a successful demo tells me that this is going to be one of those government projects that will be 80% done and 100% useless. Another 1.3 billion gone.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:59 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Loaded with upto 250 gig of hard disk space, you can do oodles on this thing.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 04:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

You know what it is? It's embarassing, that's what.

A BLOODY hostage drama involving a top-security inmate in Camp Crame brought fresh humiliation to the much-criticized Philippine National Police on Tuesday.

Suspected Abu Sayyaf member Buyungan Bungkak gunned down three policemen and wounded three other officers before he was finally killed after a three-hour operation led by the PNP chief himself, Director General Hermogenes Ebdane Jr.

Bungkak, 20, was one of five suspected Abu Sayyaf members arrested over two bomb attacks last year that killed at least 12 people, including a US soldier, and injured 150 others in Zamboanga City.

The shootout at Camp Crame was another embarrassment for the government as it attempts to fight a US-backed antiterror campaign. Barely three months ago, confessed Indonesian bomber Fathur Rohman al-Ghozi escaped from the same compound, along with two other Abu Sayyaf suspects. Al-Ghozi remains at large.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 04:42 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Everyone's busy doing "new and cool things" and I'm left behind working on my proofs. Cheesedip sees R.E.M. at Jones Beach, and pokes a finger at Jessica Zafra. Andrea Harner meets Howard Dean. Mark is busy getting drunk. The Wily Filipino impresses a date, is thrilled with a chance urination, goes to a poetry reading, and runs over a used condom. Durgaspeak wakes up to snot, buys an Atkins carb counter, and is not "lovin' it". Leigh-cheri's found a new gym and is using Jennifer Garner for inspiration. And, malatemail is no longer a virgin hookah.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:14 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Hot on the heels of Duran Duran, here's Tears for Fears, and another comeback worth watching. They have a new album in sight!

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:56 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

One in six.

The number of people living out their days in the squalor of a slum is almost one billion, the United Nations says - one-sixth of the world's population. Without radical changes, it believes, that number could double in 30 years.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 10:45 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Readers of Bulletproof Vest have been chiming in on Kris Aquino's troubles, and have left some advice. Unfortunately, they've posted on old entries, so their words are buried in the archive. Here are some of them:

From Grace Choy:

Kris, First.. tao ka lang just like the rest of us. We are all imperfect the last time I've checked. God loves you regardless of what had happened. Thank you for a wonderful mom and a great family that truly embrased you at your most weakness moment. A peice of advice, whatever your weakness.. it is now your strenght, I may not know all of it, your struggles and pain but you've made the best out of the worst that happened to you. I salute you and admired you mor than ever.If you want to talk to someone, feel free... My cell phone number is 443-280-3499, I am here in Maryland USA. Take care and God Bless Grace

When I saw Kris on TV 2 weeks, I was not sure if my heart would go out for her. I've been mixed emotions with the whole fiasco between her and Joey, but I felt sad for her, too.

This is a very good example of someone who has fame and fortune but is in turmoil deep inside. Someone who is not at peace with herself. She needs to grow up and realize that what we attain in this world is not important to God at all. It's her moral values that God is "scrutinizing". Too big deal to God.

Kris, aim for the treasures in the kingdom of God. The time to completely turn to the Lord is not when we are closed to leaving this earth. God created us because He has plans and will for all of us. Find and pursue them with all your heart, then and only then, you will know what is truly the most important reason why we are here on earth.

God bless you Kris. Here's praying and hoping that you will follow the light. God is waiting for you to make a leap of faith and sin no more. Peace is within your grasp.

Kris, how could you??? you are a mistress..you have no right for one thing to say that Joey is a womanizer..coz you are one of them! right? you are still a mistress. you're so f... stupid! you're telling people to give you sympathy after breaking up a family ...breaking alma & joey's children's heart..dragging them to into this mess...how dare you? what if joey was your father? how would you feel? this is an embarrassment to your family and to other family...some things are meant to be unsaid! you're making people believe especially woman that what you are doing is ok..well - please everyone reading this - THIS IS WRONG! PLEASE MAKE NOT KRIS AQUINO BE A ROLE MODEL! WE ALL KNOW WHAT IS RIGHT & WRONG ...WE ALL KNOW BREAKING UP A FAMILY AND STEALING A HUSBAND IS ALSO WRONG! REMEMBER THAT!

dear kris aquino, first of all i just want you know, that you made the right decision, wherein a lot people admired you so much! Lalo mu kaming pinahanga sa pagbubunyag mo ng katotohanan. Actually idol nakita eversince when you enter in showbiz, at lalo pakitang naging idol ngayon dahil sa nagawa mong pagising sa mga katotohanan. For me your a hero like your father. You willing to sacrifice your life for the sake of truth. Don't worry a lot people believe in you. Just always remeber makakabangon kang muli dahil nandito kami para suportahan ka! At sana wag kang mawawala sa tv lalo kapa namin susubaybayan sa lahat ng tv shows mo! Hindi kami nawalan ng gana sa iyo at walang dapat na question sa iyo, dahil naniniwala ako isa kang mabuting tao since your the daughter of corazon aquino. God bless at wag kanang malukot at pls send me your text number at my email add so i can give u inspirational text messages everyday!

love

isagani

After what happened between joey and kris, the more i idolize her for being frank and true to the people and to her self.

From Emmy:

Dear Kris, I'm really touched with your revelations on what really transpired between you and Joey. Although at first I am against with your relationship, but because I know you're happy with him I'm beginning to accept your relationship as days roll by. But because of what happen, I can now conclude that Joey is not really the guy for you. You deserve a more decent man who will love you forever. Don't worry, people will accept you, because your only fault is by giving all your love to the wrong person. Hoping that you will find the right man in the near future. Emmy

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

In addition to an impending ruling on a new campaign finance law, the United States Supreme Court will go at several cases that will hear arguments on the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance, the right of a doctor to discuss marijuana as a medical aid, the enforceability of the Americans with Disabilities Act (in light of a previous decision where government employees cannot sue their employers for not making offices wheelchair-friendly), Rumsfeld's post-911 detention procedures, and whether state scholarship money can be used to go to religious schools.

There will also be several death sentences on appeal. This is the same court that, in a flurry of late-season decisions, upheld affirmative action and gay rights.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:55 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Read about this short documentary about the Philippine government's (together with Fil-Estate's) hostile takeover of prime agricultural land for the development of a golf course. The process evicts more than 7,000 farmers and their families from a land they tilled for generations.

The documentary has received many nods, including here:

What may be the most impressive aspect of The Golf War is its 40-minute length. The documentary is tight and incisive; never is there a yawning interview or a narrative redundancy that can drag the viewer into disinterest. The unveiling of this elaborate, internationally conceived plan to displace villagers to build a tourism resort is packed with information and insight into how the big guys don't play fair.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Don't get too excited yet, but Duran Duran is planning a comeback. The Lifetime Achievement Award from the Grammys might have helped.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:38 PM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Unforeseen.

Filipino President Gloria Arroyo has used the Catholic Church's stance that growing and consuming genetically modified (GM) crops is not sinful to support her government's controversial policy to allow the cultivation of GM crops.

According to Agence France-Press, Arroyo said in a statement following a meeting with Vatican State Secretary Cardinal Angelo Sodano that "what's important now for opposers [of GM crops] is that the Vatican said that GMOs [genetically modified organisms] are not immoral."

The government's approval of GM seeds in the Philippines – a largely Roman Catholic nation – has met with strong opposition from environmental groups, as well as several Catholic bishops.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 03:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Gamers would know what's going on, but this bit of news sounds too coincidental to overlook. Half-Life 2's code was leaked yesterday, and experts blame "31 publicly known unpatched vulnerabilities" in Internet Explorer for it. The much-anticipated sequel to the very moist first installment (run-jump-crouch-fire) is due out this December.

The source code for Valve Corp.'s Half Life 2, a sequel to the popular shoot-'em-up game that was due out by December, was posted on the Internet on Thursday, according to a statement from Valve Managing Director Gabe Newell. The theft of the code, which was made available for download on the Net, came after a monthlong concerted effort by hackers to infiltrate Valve's network. Malicious activity in the Valve network included denial-of-service attacks, suspicious e-mail activity and the installation of keystroke loggers, Newell added.

Valve, the makers of Half-Life 2, said the leak followed a concerted hacking effort on the company's computers over a number of months. The source code lies at the heart of a game and is kept a closely guarded secret to stop other people copying it.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 02:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

The Register has a short but incisive writeup on a Microsoft lawsuit that aims to hold the software giant responsible for "the damages wrought by the systemic failures of security in its software". The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles.

This is nothing new, except for the fact that it comes in the so-called "patch regime" where customers are expected to patch their windows every so often, particularly AFTER an attack has occurred. (Non-patched computers contribute to worldwide cascading failures.) Steve Ballmer wants you to think that if a thief enters your home, it's the thief who is at fault. True, but up to what can you hold the doorlock manufacturer accountable if it was found that the lock was insufficient?

Not all that much. Have you read your Microsoft License Agreement lately, or even once for that matter? This lawsuit, unfortunately, will not open up such broader issues. These license issues are thornier ground since you have your signature on it, and Microsoft's monopoly hasn't been established. Fumes The Register:

Licence agreements have traditionally operated as a catch-all 'get out of jail' for all software companies, so the argument of this suit can be seen as quite narrow, success depending on establishing the existence of a Microsoft monopoly, rather than on exposing licence agreements as the outrage (you can tell we're disappointed, can't you?) they are. Microsoft's recent practice of stopping you fixing the software you've got if you refuse the new, even more horrid agreement could well provide some support for this suit's argument.

They hope to convert this case into a class-action suit too, so if your Microsoft system got hacked make sure you keep records so you have a chance at sharing in the bounty if Taschner strikes gold again. If the hack was facilitated by your getting behind on security fixes that probably won't disqualify you.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:50 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

The search must be over.

There has been mixed reaction to a US-led interim report into the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq that says none have yet been found.

Hans Blix - the man who headed the United Nations weapons inspection team in Iraq before the war - says CIA official David Kay's report contained "no surprises".

The vice-president of the Senate Intelligence Committee - Jay Rockefeller, a Democrat - said America's armed forces had been put at risk, based on a threat that appeared not to have existed.

In public, President Bush says that is not the issue. What should make a difference to Americans, and to the world, he says, is that Mr. Hussein is gone and Iraq is free. "One thing is for certain," Mr. Bush argued last month at a fund-raiser, using a line he repeats often these days. "Terrorist groups will not ever be able to get weapons of mass destruction in Iraq because Saddam Hussein is no more."

But in private, Mr. Bush's political aides concede that it does matter, and it may matter more as the politics of running for president collide with the realities of containing the chaos in occupied Iraq.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 07:45 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

I dunno. It looks like one big Battle Royale (with cheese!):

"There's no disgrace in trying to kill people in the coolest way possible -- especially if you're doing a martial-arts movie."

--Director QUENTIN TARANTINO, quoted in the New York Post, on his new movie "Kill Bill, Vol. 1," which the newspaper said includes a 20-minute scene in which 88 people die.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

Ahh, patience is a virtue. The Harrison Ford-Calista Flockhart (of Liza Minelli-David Guest, although they broke up) hookup of local celebs, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Dolphy is not set to get upped a notch with Zsa Zsa's marriage finally getting annuled by court. Zsa Zsa has been estranged from her husband since the late 1980's. She's in her early 40's (I guess) and Dolphy, with whom she has 2 kids, is already 75.

For those of you not familiar with marriage laws in the Philippines, divorce is not a word in any code (divorce is banned in the Philippines, where the constitution states that "marriage, as an inviolable social institution, is the foundation of the family and shall be protected by the state"), and legal separation is lawful only under such mitigating circumstances like physical violence and attempt by one spouse at the life of another. Read about more here and here. Meanwhile, let's hope Dolphy can still walk to the aisle.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 09:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon

It's plain disgusting, but I just had to blog this in:

BEIJING (AFP) - The Chinese government has ordered Japan to teach its citizens how to behave following an "extremely odious" mass orgy between hundreds of Japanese tourists and Chinese prostitutes.

Responding to mounting fury over the three-day orgy in a hotel in the southern city of Zhuhai on the anniversary of Japan's occupation of China, the Chinese foreign ministry ( news -web sites ) said it had launched a formal investigation

The Chinese media and Internet chatrooms have been crackling with anger over reports of the September 16-18 sex marathon which reportedly involved 380 male Japanese tourists and 500 prostitutes at a five-star hotel.

"This case is of an extremely odious nature," foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan said in a statement late Sunday.

Memories of Japan's wartime atrocities, including rapes and use of Chinese women as sex slaves for Japanese soldiers, remain strong among the older generation, and the history of the Japanese occupation until 1945 is regularly taught to the younger generation.

Despite the official outrage over the incident, China's booming southern cities are a well-known magnet for sex tourists from within China as well as from places such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan.

Posted by Bulletproofvest at 08:47 AM | Permalink
del.icio.us Digg it Furl ma.gnolia Newsvine reddit Google StumbleUpon