Be Careful with What You Write (on the Net)

Earlier this day, while waiting for some updates regarding my work deliveries last week, I have decided to read something at Peyups.com and I accidentally stumbled upon an entry made by a certain “Tracy”. Honestly, I never knew this issue until I saw this. No, I don’t know this person personally though I remembered Malu Fernandez for her scathing discriminatory remarks to fellow Filipinos in a published article before.

I had my fare experience on speaking out loud in the Internet but just as a warning, learn to practice self-constraint in the internet. This highway of information might open a can of worms that may work or harm you. The last time I talked out loud, a few friends who read my blog gave me a nice warning that while there’s freedom in expressing our thoughts over the net, there should be some form of limitation as you might never know who would blow you away from where you are currently standing.

If you are still curious what this brouhaha has to tell, you can check on this, this, and  this. You be the judge. Personally, I know some Atenean friends who went to the same immersion – in fact even in my previous course (prior shifting to Computer Science), several of my former blockmates’ stories include even getting trapped in the line of fire – military against the “leftists”. I have nothing against Ateneans, just to state a fact. It’s just that, be careful with what you place in the internet. If you can’t help yourself to speak out loud, limit your access to yourself (WordPress and Multiply can do it).

As simple as that.

The Value of UP Experience

I got this over in our mailing lists and as part of the centennial celebrations of the University of the Philippines, let me induce some sort of pride for my alma mater.

From Wikipedia:
“The Oblation is the iconic symbol of the University of the Philippines, represented by a man with arms wide-stretched and face facing up, symbolizing selfless offering of one’s self to his country.”

The Value of the UP Experience

First published 6 June 2008
The Manila Standard Today, INTEGRATIONS
Maya Baltazar Herrera
Voyage

There are no children here

This week, I went to a meeting at the UP School of Economics and I came away with renewed belief in the value of the UP experience.

If you speak to anyone from UP – student, professor, alumnus – you will get no Latin slogans or apologies about how the school teaches values in spite of its outward materialism. This is not a student population that thinks about basketball games or memorizes school songs. This is not a school that chooses one statement to drill into the minds of its students.

This is not, of course, to say that UP does not care about values. It is that UP, in its own inimitable way, believes that values cannot be force-fed. The statue of the naked man that guards the entrance to the campus in Diliman best represents UP’s approach to all education and the respect for students that is the center of its educational philosophy. All who come to this university, regardless of origin, bring themselves naked, carrying nothing but their thirst; like the proverbial empty teacup, making an offering of self, waiting to be filled.

Adults

For many students from private schools, the first lesson that is learned here is that this is a school for adult education. There are no children here, and that is why no parents are allowed either at freshman orientation or during enlistment.

I’m Nominated

If you would notice the first comment entry in my previous post, it indicated there that my blog is nominated for the “Filipino Blog of The Week”. The said “ranking” (or whatever more appropriate term as you would put) was created by the Composed Gentleman and I saw that the list has been running on its third year now.

This “nomination” came as a surprise as I don’t have that much new entries for the previous week as I am too busy with my training as well as I am too pre-occupied with my work, non-work, choir, moonlight, training obligations and I find it difficult to balance my time given them. Add to it the unusual internet connection I have in our house and sometimes, because of the frustration I am experiencing with dial-up connection (yes, I am still a proud dial-up connection customer) where pages seem to take forever to load, I’d rather sleep my way to the bed or do something else that might earn me some moolah. 😛

Nonetheless, if you feel like that I am “worthy” to be placed as the “Filipino Blog of The Week”, you can vote for me. Ahehehe. However, if you would browse on the link I placed above, I can’t seem to find the link to the voting area. At any rate, win or lose, rain or shine, you’ll still hear more from me. 🙂

Adios!

Pilipino Ka Ba?

Nagulat ako na natuwa na kahit papano e hindi pala ako nag-iisa sa mga taong may pakialam pa rin sa ating pagkakakilanlan bilang mga Pilipino. Paano ba naman kasi sa mga pagkakataon na maaari mong maipakita at maipagmalaki na isa kang ganap na Pinoy e parang ayaw mo pang gawin ito.

Habang naghihintay kahapon ng susunod na klase sa gym, nakita ko sa Editors Note ng Philippine Daily Inquirer ang patungkol sa RA 8491 o ang “Act Prescribing The Code of The National Flag, Anthem, Motto, Coat-Of-Arms, and Other Heraldic Items and Devices of the Philippines”. Nosebleed ba? Simple lang yun – yun ay ang batas na patungkol sa panuntunan sa katanggap-tanggap na paggamit ng mga bagay na pagkakakilanlan sa bansa (aka Acceptable Use Policy). Mayroon kasing isang Pinoy na katulad ko na nais maglahad ng mga bagay na di kanais-nais.

Ang nilalaman ng aking nabasa ay ganito:

I’ve noticed that several movie goers at SM Cinema do not pay respect by standing up when the National Anthem is played. I’ve even reprimanded the father who is sitting and eating conveniently with his wife and kid only to be replied back “How can I stand, I’m eating.” You might want to have a look into the law that states the whats, whens and the whys on this issue. The salient feature of the law is a penalty of P5,000 to P20,000 or 1 year imprisonment or both. May I suggest the following:

1. require your staff including your security officers to stay in the aisle of your theater to be witnesses and impose citizen’s arrest to the violators.

2. flash the salient points of the law at the beginning and the ending of the music video.

3. require policemen assigned at the malls to stay during the first and last showing. once there is a citizen’s arrest by your staff and security the violators will be immediately turned over to them.

Ang mahirap sa batas ng Pilipinas minsan ay maganda siyang basahin sa papel pero sa pagpapatupad ay dito tayo nagkakatalo. Hindi lamang sa batas na ito (RA 8491) ako napaka-partikular ngunit maging sa RA 9211 o ang patungkol sa paninigarilyo. Ang mga suhestyon na nabanggit sa itaas ay mga magandang hakbangin ngunit maraming burukrasyang daanan para sa pagpapatupad noon. Syempre, sino ang magbabayad sa “extra service” ng mga pulis na manghuhuli ng gayon, at syempre pilosopo si Juan De La Cruz na hihirit ng maraming alibi kung bakit hindi niya magawa ang simpleng pagtayo.

Ngunit di na ako magpapaliguy-ligoy pa, nais ko lang naman na sana sa kabila ng di matatawarang isyu na napapalibot sa ating pamahalaan at ilan pang mga isyung panlipunan, nawa’y hindi maging rason ito upang balewalain ang ating pagkakakilanlan. Pilipino tayo at sana sa maliit na pamamaraan na man lamang ng paggalang sa bandila ay ating magawa.

Wala lang, naiinis lang din kasi ako sa mga taong ganun.

Chicken Mushroom ala Patrick

I had the chance of cooking once again after a long period of absence. My schedule permitted me to cook again the food I usually cook the quick yet yummy way. I don’t exactly know the name of this food but I would say that this would be better off called as the blog title since the main ingredients of the food are chicken and mushroom.

So as not to flood my main blog page, I have decided to put in a separate page where visitors can view the recipe in its naked glory.

Calories? Don’t fret that much as this food is good for the heart. Because this recipe was formulated by me for the one I love (but wasn’t loved in return) so it is full of love therefore it is good for the heart especially for the bitter ones. (LOL!).