A few nights ago as I was talking on the phone with Jeanie I heard my father raise his voice at someone. Alarmed I rushed out to see what all that was about.

To my surprise, it was the local night watchman, that was deputized by our community's elitist homeowners' association, telling them a 'bote diyaryo' not to pass on our street. You may be asking why is that so?

Nothing really its just how people who regard themselves as rich think that there's always some poor folk who's there waiting to rob them. And I am against this line of thinking. Why again you ask?

For starters it was just plain and simple bigotry. Majority of people living in so-called 'villages' and 'subdivisions' tend to regard themselves so highly that they security from the 'dregs' of society a high priority for them. This explains the gates on national roads; the guards; the 'no sticker no entry' policy and those perimeter fences that sometimes has those ala-DMZ (when I say DMZ its the demilitarized zone like the one in between the borders of North & South Korea) like that of the one in Corinthian Gardens.

This is a sham policy for one, because it breaks the law. Roads are a property of the people, when I mean people it is the country's citizens who in turn make up the government. Not just some chosen few who just so happened to have enough money to own a house and lot in some posh location in the metropolis.

Another is that it is one of the causes of traffic hams, why you ask? Because cars that don't have sanctioned stickers can't pass through those subdivisions because they're blocked only for the use of those who live there. On that thought, that's one of the reasons why I am not a fan of MMDA's Bayani Fernando, because he treats public utility vehicles, pedestrians and vendors to almost fascist lengths by implementing cruel street cleaning operations and irrational odd even schemes, and pink cages but on the other hand he is so relaxed on getting those roads on Corinthian, Arcadia, Wack-wack (the village of wackos like erap and jinggoy), and Valle Verde 1 to whatever part Once Upon a Time in China ended.

The way I see it, and I know that a lot of you folks reading this would be angry with what I'm about to say is that one revolutionary solution to traffic congestion is to issue a strict rule on having private vehicles especially cars that at least less than half of its passenger capacity on the roads, especially on major roads. Imagine a buss that is more or less as long as two or three cars can carry at least 100 passengers shares the road with thousands of cars that carry only one passenger in it. Now isn't that a waste of precious space?

Back to the issue of subdivisions...

It is very unfair to put such high security sanctions as a unanimous decision that's implemented by weak decision making bodies as the barangay or the home owners association, of some place. Because it implies that it is only those who own a house that has the right to protect themselves, but what of those who don't own a house? I mean if those on the slums who'd implement such a rule on their community, we'd consider it as something wrong. Nor do we see any similarity with this rule on subdivisions with lets say a squatters community defending themselves from demolition, now don't they deserve the same chance at security as that of those in subdivisions.

That type of thinking is no different from state-sponsored terrorism like that of the USA's homeland security protocols that are implemented after 911 or like that of being vigilante's wherein we operate outside the law and get away with it just because we're rich. It's no wonder that communism is still an attractive alternative to the present political system. Because the picture of an ever-existing class war is so vividly painted and so blatantly exhibited in society.

So going back to the story I ended up trying to halt my father from pouring his anger at the watchman, as he charged towards him. And as it turned out it would be me who'll also be screaming at the guard because such a system sickens me and I regret having to scream at the poor guy but what's happening here is so unfair.

And that's the whole point that sucks about it. The guards are working class folks (if I still remember my Marx and Amado Guererro readings) that are being put against fellow working class people and those belonging to the lumpen. Ultimately turning them into pawns of those who own homes.

Now doesn't that remind you of that scene in Geogre Romero's Land of the Dead where there is still that system wherein the rich still get the best out of society in the midst of a zombie infested earth and they still get to mess around with the poor, But in the end the class structure in that place in the movie was broken down when the zombies were able to breach the rich peoples perimeter security.

And that's a persisting wish that I so desperately want... that the walls be finally be torn down, and equality be a reality.

posted by m35b @ Friday, January 27, 2006 |

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When I was still in grade school at G. del Pilar Elementary School, in Tondo, Manila, I once got into an argument with my classmate over whether Ernie Baron could answer every known question to man. (Please take note that this was before brother Ely Soriano, came into the limelight.) Looking back now after hearing countless broadcasts of him recommending his signature 'cleansing diet' to his listeners, during those times that I rode a taxi home, (mostly during the time that I was wasting my life advancing Erap's ouster on the streets of Edsa). The answer is apparently 'no'. Ernie can't answer every known question to mankind.

But sill you can't help but think whether the fact that he's smart at all is true. I mean he was of a superstitious lot, that's much in the same league with Johnny Midnight & SOM's Charlie Barreto. He believed that cosmic energies can be tapped and captured using his trademark plastic pyramids ( a practice that my late uncle and aunt subscribed to); he claims that his 'cleansing diet' is the actual one used by the Queen of England; he taught us to rely on his pito-pito for medicine; but more importantly he taught us that "knowledge is power" and that was before the legendary anarcho-punk band Propagandhi echoed their battle cry: "knowledge is power. arm yourself!"

He passed away yesterday leaving a legacy of his so-called 'genius' and I am ashamed to admit that I owe him a great deal to him, for espousing that being smart and having all of these stock knowledge in my thick skull as something that is cool.

So even if he's a fraud for making us believe that he could answer any question thrown at him, when in reality its just a cheap conspiracy that he and the nice folks at ABS-CBN/DZMM cooked up (he has his own research staff); or that it is justice to say that all the parody done to him by Vic Sotto in TVJ is his just deserve (especially the way Vic spoke the word "Kamias".); or that he sold TV antenna's in the age of cable television; or even if his cleansing diet didn't prolong his death nor his pito-pito, lactovitale and pyramids didn't give him another chance at life; we could all but thank him for his life of making the word knowledge cool.

posted by m35b @ Tuesday, January 24, 2006 |

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After hearing my father talk about the argument that he had with a tricycle driver about jacking up the price of tricycle fare made me realize that maybe riding a trike just ain't worth it.

What's astounding about it is that later on as I was riding a jeep a senior citizen availed of their previlige transport fare the driver then goes on with his whining about people taking advantage of them including senior citizens and how unfair passengers are, and how oil price hike is a burden to them.

Well, how did I go to the conclusion that I'd rather walk than ride a tricycle you might ask?

For starters, I detest having to argue with someone on the basis of cash. It's not worth arguing material wealth is what corrupts us most of the time and turning us into monsters with a distorted sense of fairness. No way would I stand for that.

Another is that in my observation some short route transport lines are but an available excuse for other people to be lazy. I've been walking a lot already and most of us already are walking great distances while we're strolling the mall why not try making a difference by reducing pollution by sacrificing our precious leisure of taking a walk and taking short rides only when its necessary?

I know this is shallow but and not a lot of you would agree to this but the fact of the matter is that I'm really critical with the idea of transport fare hikes on the basis of oil price increase. It's not the consumer's fault that prices of oil are jacking up its those oil tycoons who never in their lives have claimed that their business is earning they're always in the brink of bankruptcy or so they say.

Also there's this oil deregulation bill which makes it favorable for those petroleum economic terrorists, why don't the organized transport movement confront that at a larger scale, is price increase the only solution its no wonder I'm not a fan of ACTO's Efren De Luna or that of the lady from FEDJODAP. They're no different from the oil companies that they're fighting against they're in it only for the profit. It's not that they're confronting the deregulation law but because they're always looking for short term solutions to this treadmill that they're stuck on, and they're doing it at the consumers expense and what sucks about it too is the fact that their passengers are mostly the working class who're earning on minimum wage.

Right now this is just a verbal depiction of my disappointment, I'm sorry.

posted by m35b @ Friday, January 20, 2006 |

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Back before I became a part of Greenpeace I spent a good portion of my time being much a slob and getting by with my knack to watching whatever trash was available on TV and in looking back I can't help but admit how hooked I am with them now.

Here are just a few of them shows:

Jojo A All the Way - Watching this program makes me remember my cousin, Noel back when he was staying in our house where he'd make up stories how our household was very much like That's Entertainment and he'd always pretend that he was Kimpee De Leon and another cousin of ours was Romnick Sarmienta, well anyways the program reminds me of those times. Jojo is a very cool Conan O'Brien rip-off (speaking of O'Brien, I just learned yesterday that Baby O'Brien still has a career in TV; the bands there play lousy loud rock n' roll that you used to hear in LA 105 (e.g. Dead Nails, Kerplunk, and other bands in Tone Def Records), makes me proud that my band pretentiously hides under the moniker of being 'underground'. Another plus is that it gives you a good laugh if in any case you'd come across Jovit Moya in SM Megamall, just like I did a few months back. It also serves as something that me, Mark (of PayItForward) and Peejay (of Slumber Army Productions) can bond with. Plus there's Mike Unson there whom you can also see in Studio 23's Mens Room.

Chowtime Na! - As a bum I'd drag myself out of bed at around 11 am and then drink coffee and then I'd go back to lie in my bed again and watch TV in my room. I'm usually torn between watching those home TV shopping shows in hopes of somehow catching the advert section for Buster Cat Roach & Mouse Repellent (where you'd see mice and even rats hurled at unsuspecting Chinese girls); and Chowtime whereupon the latter wins hands down. I mean who could say no to seeing Hubes formerly of Tropang Trumpo and Mike Chan. Or constantly hearing the tag line: "Ilang-Ilang Restaurant in Ilang-Ilang St., Binondo Manila!" Or having April Boy, Angelica Jones, and the lesser brother of Rico Yan Bobby in the same show with a lot of other nobody's. Too bad though its now a lousy game show but seeing Muncher green peas as its main sponsor and seeing Onemig there gives me a realization that nothing good can last even if you were once part of the TGIS crew.

Walang Tulugan With The Master Showman - It's hard to determine what it is with Kuya Germs really, I mean I can't really tell if I like watching him or because he reminds me of a late uncle of mine that shared his fashion sense of putting glitters on his tuxedo. Well anyways if you ask me what is it to like about this, I'd tell you what's not to like about it there's John Nite & Shirley Fuentes who have never gotten out of the role of being Kuya Germs' lap dogs. There's also those cool dance numbers, that reminds you of GMA Super Show and you'd remember that episode when Kris Aquino fell off the stage during a production number. Or how sometimes Kuya Germs would blurt out very funny comments like that one time when the candidates for Mr. Universe guested there he commented: "ang sasarap nila" to John Nite or when he'd be careless about his gestures towards muscle bounded men, like when the Masculados performed there he suddenly ran towards them after their performance giving them slices of 3M Pizza, out of concern. Plus last weeks episode was a killer since it featured a reunion of That's Entertainment and I saw Rita Avila there, proving that there's life for her after Seiko Films.

Top 10 Best Movie Trailers of The Week, Compiled by Teddy Hayden Lim - The show is quite passe nowadays, but there's sentimental value to it. Though still if you ask me its quite a lousy show when compared to Movies To Watch (you know the one that has the photo of an eye as its banner?), I don't know about you but I am not a fan of this program before, because as I've said earlier I watch Movies To Watch on GMA early in the morning right after the old-school signature sign-on of the channel that shows a choir singing the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah. Well, anyways the show is lame, but lame enough to be considered cool. I mean not only are those films there are the top 10 they're not even movies they're trailers and not only are they in the top 10 but they're the best, whoa! And there's also this question that I have as to how come is Jim Carey's The Mask still there (well, the same goes to Movies To Watch, since Baby Ama's trailer is still shown there, up to until 1994 and it was released somewhere around 1981 or something). Also can American Ninja (which starred Michael Dudikof) or Delta Force (which starred Jon Michael Vincent and Dolph Lundgren), or any Cynthia Luster or Cindy Rothrock movie be considered as some of the best films out there?

On D' Spot - There's something about Richard Reynoso that makes me wonder why I can't take him seriously, I mean he also appears on Aawitan Kita along with Tita Armida. Well maybe seeing him give an RPN-9 coffee mug to Jojo A when he guested there and later on seeing that same mug on Jojo's show would answer that question.

KKK - Back then this acronym used to stand Kabayo Karera Kererista but nowadays this stands for Krusada Kontra Krimen, a show that stars Joel Torre, which is basically part of GMA's propaganda, against crime, terror and the like. It's really quite entertaining though since it also gives employment to actors like Juan Rodrigo whom I remember from an 80s army drama on RPN-9 entitled Banyuhay. Anyways seeing him lash and strike a poor soul with his leather belt in made me realize that the sound of being whipped sounded like the sound of a punch delivered by FPJ to Max Alvarado.

There's more like Madam Ratsa's Ratsada Balita or Tagumpay Gonzales' show on IBC or how I found out that Video Hit Parade is still around and has outlived Video Hot Tracks, or how entertaining watching ADD and ATD at the same time, and how convenient it is to have Gem TV situated just before UNTV on Cable; or how funny the Tulfo Brothers are when they're angry on Bitag; or how I am perplexed by the fact that Motoring Today, Damayan, Ating Alamin and Business & Leisure is still around along with the freaky commercial for RA home Vision in Cash & Carry Makati is still around.

Well, anyways evolotion comes in reverse for me I guess and this is how I evolve.

For some other stuff feel free to click on these 80's nostalgia stuff that was poster here earlier

You know you're a kid of the 80s when...

Knowing That You Were Held At Gunpoint

Cheap Thrills & Garbage of the 80s

posted by m35b @ Thursday, January 19, 2006 |

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posted by m35b @ Tuesday, January 17, 2006 |

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posted by m35b @ Friday, January 06, 2006 |

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