...christamas party-prep, human rights/chacha, Bolt, and the best day of the month...

Christmas Party

for the past several days, i can't seem to get myself out of work. Its partly due to so many requests coming in from other countries and others due to us practicing for the Christmas party coming up on the 18th. We're gonna be singing as a choral group. So, I'm in a manufacturing company, right? We've got 2 teams, a flavors and a fragrance team. For the competition, support and services have their own group, and the contractual employees have another. I'm supposed to be with the contractual group, but the fragrance team pulled some strings to get me in their team. I'd like to believe they got me because they like me and they think that I'm such a multi-skilled person that I can contribute something positive for their team.

Anyway, for the past several days, we've been rehearsing like we're gonna be winning a million dollars or something. We're spending for props, and we hired a voice coach, we even spent for the recording of the minus-one CD. If we were gonna win a thousand pesos for this gig, I think we'd win bragging rights, but our wallets lose.

But after a "bonding session" over coffee (yes, coffee. i'm no coffee person, but it was free. who am i to refuse?) with a couple of account managers who are so fond of me (because i get stuff done for them pretty quick and pretty good), I learned that office competitions are really something they prepare for. It's like the east and west all stars in the NBA = it happens rarely, it's supposed to be friendly, but one wants to get one over the other. So I kinda understood why we were putting this much effort in all this.

And because they took me in, I can't just go absent for a day and leave them practicing without me. I never leave my team behind.
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Human Rights and Public Service

December 8, was it, when there was a shootout somewhere near the expressway? I didn't see the whole report, I saw several articles and watched a few clips. It's sickening really, to find "intelligence" officers of the PNP not getting their jobs right. Crossfire? How convenient. And the father and son gunned down were supposedly "unlucky" to have been in the middle of it? Heh. Any investigation would show that bullets that hit the father and son were from the opposing group. That's just how it is. That's how good PNP or any government official for that matter, covers their ass up. They justify their mistakes to make it seem as if the parties involved or not involved that are not part of them are actually to blame and not them (*wow, calling card ni bolter. dapat siguro talaga maging pulitiko ako*)...

Then there was this guy who they gunned down, a certain Ronald something? They tagged him as a suspect despite "a truckload of PNCC employees claiming that he was a regular employee there" and is in no means an asset to the Waray Waray group. "Intel" had "suspect Ronald in black jacket and helmet", the same black jacket and helmet the guy uses everyday to match his motorcycle. PNP didn't want to apologize. I mean, just a simple apology. Then I heard on the AM radio while aboard an FX that the PNP actually issued a statement of apology. But not "apologizing" for killing the guy. They said a member of the opposing group was riding behind him and that guy was holding a high-caliber rifle. They said they were "sorry that he was caught in all of it, and that the family just misunderstood the PNP's earlier statement." Bullshit. What's to misunderstand?! They killed the father of a young family. A person who was dedicated to his work. And he can't even get a decent apology for the freakin mistake by the stupid police? Tapos ngayon, kasalanan pa ng pamilya dahil "hindi nila naintindihan ang pahayag ng mga pulis" nung una?! Why the hell was he tagged as a suspect, then now, they claim he was just used as an asset? Bull fuckin shit.

To serve and protect.... even if it means killing 8 civilians so that 4 robbers could be killed.

And you were condemning Ping Lacson for his killings. Tsk.

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Dance to the ChaCha

Cha-cha's in full throttle. Anyone who doesn't think that the president's extension is not part of the deal is either a 3-year old (a 4-year old might already understand the concept), a rightist who gets perks from this government, or just plain retarded.

Prospero Nograles is the speaker of the house. He's an ally of the president, indebted to her and her political allies for the postion he now holds.

Mikee Arroyo, the president's son, is pushing for the bill for charter change. His strongest backer for it? His brother, Dato, who despite not being a native of Bicol is actually a congressman for one of its districts. And what did he do to deserve it? A year in Ateneo de Naga or something. (Frankly, I think he doesn't.) And to add a little more intrigue, these two are part of the same house that was bought out to oust JDV and install Nograles into his post.

The senate seems to be harmless, with newly-appointed Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile (spell "political butterfly" aside from the usual l-o-r-e-n?) saying that the senators are strongly against it. If Enrile is THAT much credible, I'm sorry for being a hater. Uncle Jun is still where he is, that is, away from his home, and his issues are not resolved yet. Enrile was and I believe is still on the other side of the fence of what Uncle Jun is fighting for. It wouldn't surprise me if he does something to approve the charter change bill in the near future.

The judicial department is composed of justices appointed by the president. Coincidentally, 7, I think, of the current justices are set to retire by next year. They already hold majority of the judiciary, as evidenced by favorable (for the gov't) Supreme Court rulings on issues concerning Uncle Jun, the farmers, and then some. With some of the justices retiring, and new ones to be installed by the president, it wouldn't come as a surprise if the judiciary would support the bill on charter change.

We're being treated like dumbasses here, and we're taking the crap as if it was nothing. Sure you're still wondering who would be a "better" replacement for GMA. But for me, even my ailing dog would be better sitting on top of this country than her.

At least if the dog craps, we can still clean it up.

I'll join the rest of the people who care enough to let their voices be heard on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008 @ PASEO DE ROXAS... It's unconventional, it may be unconstitutional, but hey, if your own system fails you, what do you do and who do you turn to?

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Bolt pinanood ni Volt

Oo na ate. tinuloy ko pa rin ung title na un. Matagal nang overdue ang post ko about this, at gusto ko lang sabihing nakakatuwa ang palabas na to. Cute. Mabilis siguro masyado yung kwento pero iniintindi ko na lang ang mga animators. Masaya ako sa superbark, pero paborito ko pa rin ang kanyang heat vision.

Wala naman talaga ako masyado sasabihin tungkol sa movie. Gusto ko lang maglabas ng kakornihan kasi antagal ko na talagang gusto sabihin un title ko para sa part na to.

(wow, talk about anti-climatic.. politics then shift kei bolt?!)

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"Give Us This Day"

To borrow from Nike, the day of the Pacman fight turned out to be one of our biggest days too. Kali bet on Pacman to win the fight for 1k. +200 if Hoya gets knocked out. Sabi ko kay Kali, it's 1.2k or nothing for him.

And guess what he got...

Then off we went to Rah and Ged's place where we find the best place a bum could spend his day on: a fully furnished home entertainment system. Lazy-boy, big-ass TV (that twists so that you can watch while eating!) and surround sound. Ah...

We got to eat fine tasting food from our gracious hosts, got a couple of nice jabs from the groom, and a smile from the soon-to-be-mom. Not to mention a rousing welcome from their 9 dogs. And that cat.

We also got to play mini-golf. Christian won. Kung paramihan ng pinamigay na pera ang laban. Wahahahaha.... I will find one of those "simple machines" nga...

Oh, why it was the best day ever. We picked 4 teams to win in the NBA for odds. All 4 won. Then we went on to pick a winner for the PBA game, and that won as well.

Biggest winner of the day: Kali. His trip to Cam Sur is set. Congrats.

Now... If we could only pick the right lotto numbers....