Michael Jackson: The Price of Being Popular

It is a sad thought that the price one has to pay for being popular extends up to one's death and even up to his autopsy. Such is the case for Michael Jackson where autopsy results were reported by The Sun (UK) June 29, 2009 showing him 'emaciated and riddled with needle marks'.

What is more sickening is in the internet one of the most searched items these days is michael jackson autopsy photo. Talk about this desire of people to always be the first to spread tattles such as this. It is not only gruesome but bizarre.

michael jackson and lisa marie

I remember some relatives when my father died. There was this cousin who pointed and shot taking pictures of relatives. The pictures that were gathered after the burial were more than a handful and I was really shocked to see that they even took a picture of Papa inside the coffin. It was not a good feeling for me and they said that it was what my late aunt from New York wanted. I was so disappointed. I wanted to remember my father as he was when he was alive and kicking. I don't even want to remember the times he was bedridden.

I hope those who are in the habit of snooping around other people's private lives will stop. I know this is kind of a wishful thinking but for goodness' sake, let Michael Jackson be. We do not need to see his dead body, we just have to remember his beautiful songs and his valuable and noble contributions to the society and to the whole world.

Michael Jackson: The Price of Being Popular

It is a sad thought that the price one has to pay for being popular extends up to one's death and even up to his autopsy. Such is the case for Michael Jackson where autopsy results were reported by The Sun (UK) June 29, 2009 showing him 'emaciated and riddled with needle marks'.

What is more sickening is in the internet one of the most searched items these days is michael jackson autopsy photo. Talk about this desire of people to always be the first to spread tattles such as this. It is not only gruesome but bizarre.

michael jackson and lisa marie

I remember some relatives when my father died. There was this cousin who pointed and shot taking pictures of relatives. The pictures that were gathered after the burial were more than a handful and I was really shocked to see that they even took a picture of Papa inside the coffin. It was not a good feeling for me and they said that it was what my late aunt from New York wanted. I was so disappointed. I wanted to remember my father as he was when he was alive and kicking. I don't even want to remember the times he was bedridden.

I hope those who are in the habit of snooping around other people's private lives will stop. I know this is kind of a wishful thinking but for goodness' sake, let Michael Jackson be. We do not need to see his dead body, we just have to remember his beautiful songs and his valuable and noble contributions to the society and to the whole world.

MIchael Jackson's Social Awareness Songs

It is expected that Michael Jackson's albums sale will skyrocket now that he has gone. Music stores will surely reap profits because people will start collecting again his albums. No doubt that people will start reminiscing again with his music.

Some of Michael Jackson's music relates to social awareness. It is this consciousness that these songs became popular. Listed here are some of the songs:

• Man in the Mirror - lyrics here.
• They Don't Care About Us - lyrics here.
• Black or White - lyrics here.
• Earth Song - lyrics here.
• Heal the World - lyrics here.

MIchael Jackson's Social Awareness Songs

It is expected that Michael Jackson's albums sale will skyrocket now that he has gone. Music stores will surely reap profits because people will start collecting again his albums. No doubt that people will start reminiscing again with his music.

Some of Michael Jackson's music relates to social awareness. It is this consciousness that these songs became popular. Listed here are some of the songs:

• Man in the Mirror - lyrics here.
• They Don't Care About Us - lyrics here.
• Black or White - lyrics here.
• Earth Song - lyrics here.
• Heal the World - lyrics here.

Photohunt: Flag

These are photos from 2007's lantern parade at my daughter's university. Photohunt's theme is flag. These are the colors of some of the departments that participated in this annual lantern parade.

Photohunt: Flag

These are photos from 2007's lantern parade at my daughter's university. Photohunt's theme is flag. These are the colors of some of the departments that participated in this annual lantern parade.

The Other Story

In the television news today, I never heard anyone mention about Tatum O'Neal. But I heard a radio program host/anchor mention a snippet. She said that Tatum's father did not like Michael Jackson that's why the relationship did not prosper. Ryan O'Neal also threw invectives to Michael, the radio host/anchor said.

Michael and Tatum in a party.

How true the babble is I do not care. My imagination soared to wildness of how beautiful their offspring would be if the relationship prospered and a wedding for the two transpired complete with all the wedding invitations and wedding preparations. You know, the combination of an individual with color and a white one is just perfect. I have seen friends who had married people from the white race. Their children are beautiful!

Forgive me for this nonsense chatter, but I felt sorry for Michael if that was true; if that was the reason for the song She's Out of My Life. It is not a good thing to be humiliated because of your color or race or skin.

And speaking of coincidental, the two important people in the movie and music industry, Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett, are connected with two O'Neals. That would pass for a trivia, woudn't it?

Tricycle Blues

I am not enjoying riding the tricycle. It is not easy commuting via the tricycle. Not a good experience actually. But I would choose it over the jampacked MRT, LRT, or bus.
In a week, it cannot be helped. I would ride a tricycle when the car is under coding. This is because the route that the tricycle pass through is the fastest and easiest one. There is no better choice. It is indeed better than traversing EDSA with its heavy traffic!

Dear Kuya Cezar, (by the way, is he still on the radio?) here are my travails riding a tricycle:

1. When I first boarded a tricycle to the main road where it would lead me to my work, I noticed the bystanders (males hanging around with nothing to do) in front of a store which happens to be in front of the tricycle station looking at my legs, or was it really the legs they're looking at? I suspect it can also be the space between the folded legs and the skirt. I learned not to wear skirts anymore when riding a tricycle.
2. I noticed that the side mirrors of some tricycles are positioned towards the legs again, or the space between the legs and the skirt. What would these drivers gain discovering that the passenger actually wears a panty?
3. I experienced riding along with men who have the habit of rubbing their arms against my arms. When the tricycle is cramped and the space is so little, there are even instances that the arm is landing on my waist, or on the side of my trunk.
   
4. Some drivers are careless. One of them ran over my feet. It was a good thing I was not wearing high heels that time.
5. The tricycle I was riding nearly bumped into a car. The driver seemed to be not himself. Drugged?
6. Once, the passenger beside me talked to me like she was a long time acquaintance. She wanted to tell her life story, I guessed.
7. There was a time that a passenger boarded off and the driver has no change. We have to stop by a store. A driver with no change and a passenger that pays with a P100 peso bill! OMG!
8. Most of the time, my head bangs against the ceiling or the sides of the tricycle. It really hurts.

I still would choose riding a tricycle though. I hate crowds.

Treasured Blog Friends

The incident of loosing my self-hosted site created a vacuum and even disconnected me to some treasured friends for one reason or another. Well, one of the reason, of course is, I lost my files and I lost track of the entire list of treasures, that is, the brilliant blog sites and bloggers I frequent once in a while, if not most of the time. Until now, I have not recovered, and as you noticed, this blog is trying to survive. I have my list now that I was able to gather by remembering at least one or two, and then bloghopping again. And again. And again. I hope I am forgiven if some of them find out that they were not listed.

Who would forget them that I consider diamond treasures? They are like goodies from the supermarket that when a barcode scanner runs through them, they will register with high values. The list below are updates about some of them. If time will allow, though I am running out of it this moment, I will update my link list. If time will not allow, and I am really running out of it, I will try my very best to update. Anyway, here are the updates. And then some.

• Abaniko - He posted and is leaving again. I have delisted him thinking he will not be blogging again. Oh, forgive me, dear Nico. - Should be a Happy Day


• Single Guy - Just had his 48th the other day. I couldn't find his site. Glad Nico posted about it. he he - 48...


• Babypink - She talked about loosing comments and a tag in her latest post. That means, I should be saving my files and the comments here in blogger? - Lost Commenst and a Tag

That would be all for this night. I am really, really exhausted and sleepy now.

Mesothelioma - a cancer

Are you familiar about asbestos? What is asbestos, by the way?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring silicate mineral with long, thin fibrous crystals. - Wikipedia, Asbestos

Asbestos is a highly-fibrous mineral with long, thin, separable fibers. The thin fibers can be spun and woven together, and possess valuable heat-resistant properties that make asbestos suitable for insulation and other such products. Indeed, for decades, asbestos was the material of choice for many industries that were manufacturing products for which heat resistance, low electrical conductivity, flexibility, and high tensile strength were essential factors. - What is Asbestos?

But why am I discussing asbestos? It is because damaged (not intact) asbestos causes mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a disease which only known cause is asbestos. A person who is more exposed to fibers of asbestos which is airborne is more likely a candidate to having a cancer like this.

This reminds me of a manufacturing company that uses asbestos roofing. The workers are very much concerned about the ill-effects of the flying particles.

Contemplations

This was previously posted on April 26, 2007. But my hosted Warmstone site was lost because the person I was in contact with about the hosting suddenly disappeared. He just left everybody hanging without formally telling us what happened. But life has to go on and I have to move on even if it meant loosing all the files from late 2006 to early 2009. But I digress.

Anyway, you might be wondering why I chose to cite this old post for a Father's Day celebration. These facts and realities are all part of my life with Papsie (my husband). Death, for example, is such a cruel reality that Papsie has been telling me to make preparations of. What he means simply is, I have to be ready, he has to be ready, when that sinister emissary of death comes. Easy said than done. But this is not a matter of choice but of acceptance though I always have this fear inside me. I just don't feel confident being without him in this world.

That is a sad thought for this celebration, eh? I just realized how important my husband is to me; that Papsie is right telling me that when I get angry or pissed off with him, I have to count the good times and the bad times. That would definitely wash away all my anger. And true, life with Papsie is more laughter than tears. Nobody can equal that with the many riches in this world like how a pleasant natural sleep cannot be bought by zillions of money.

Over the week, I had been contemplating on some of life’s facts and realities:

Death

With a number of relatives dying (there is a total of 5 deaths this week), I cannot help but think once again about death, which I have written before. Life is indeed transitory. We only live once, we only die once. I don’t know about other people but I don’t think we can be ‘repeaters’ just like in college where we enroll for the subject again to make up for the failures. This leads me to watch over my mouth and my actions and filter my thoughts. While others wanted a ‘free’ life, I choose to live life according to what is right, and Godly. Difficult, eh? But there is nothing easy trying to achieve something.

Friends

Friends come and go. It may hurt to feel that those you consider as friends do not reciprocate the friendship you offer. The feeling that I am taken for granted is always a big lump in my throat. Probably they have reasons like my reasons when I suddenly detach myself from a relation. And probably they have reasons not like my reasons. I don’t care anymore. This, too, will pass.

Family

Is it fair to judge a person because of the kind of family he or she has? Often times, people has this tendency to utter words like “Di ba kamag-anak mo ‘yan?” (Isn’t he or she your relative?) It is giving me the impression that good or bad, that person (who is a relative) is a mirror image of a particular person. I say it is not fair. Every person has his unique persona and it will not be reasonable to say he is this and that because his relative is this and that.

Fear

I fear the time that I will be without Papsie.

Poverty, Poor People, the Government

We went to a funeral at Malabon and passed by a squatter’s area which is worse than any squatter’s area I have seen. Going home, we passed by another squatter’s area, and I don’t know if it’s connected with the first we saw. The picture was overwhelming in the sense that it could make anybody squirm with mixtures of pity, horror, and anger. The area teeming with people in squalor is not an easy picture to look at. What is the government doing about this? Have they not seen these places? Surely the boob tube has been feeding them bits of this squalor every now and then, but what have they done? How can they sleep with comfort, and feed their mouths with food galore? How can they live a life with their constituents, who had seated them, in moral degradation?

I will be posting the comments in the comment page. The insights of these blog friends is truly worth keeping.

Friend C* sent me a funny, funny SMS with this note:

... sa mga kapwa ko mabait, maganda, masipag, matalino at halos walang kapintasang mga misis, pakibati na lang ang mga masuswerteng lalaki na nakajackpot sa atin ng HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Di naman conceited, 'no?

Contemplations

This was previously posted on April 26, 2007. But my hosted Warmstone site was lost because the person I was in contact with about the hosting suddenly disappeared. He just left everybody hanging without formally telling us what happened. But life has to go on and I have to move on even if it meant loosing all the files from late 2006 to early 2009. But I digress.

Anyway, you might be wondering why I chose to cite this old post for a Father's Day celebration. These facts and realities are all part of my life with Papsie (my husband). Death, for example, is such a cruel reality that Papsie has been telling me to make preparations of. What he means simply is, I have to be ready, he has to be ready, when that sinister emissary of death comes. Easy said than done. But this is not a matter of choice but of acceptance though I always have this fear inside me. I just don't feel confident being without him in this world.

That is a sad thought for this celebration, eh? I just realized how important my husband is to me; that Papsie is right telling me that when I get angry or pissed off with him, I have to count the good times and the bad times. That would definitely wash away all my anger. And true, life with Papsie is more laughter than tears. Nobody can equal that with the many riches in this world like how a pleasant natural sleep cannot be bought by zillions of money.

Over the week, I had been contemplating on some of life’s facts and realities:

Death

With a number of relatives dying (there is a total of 5 deaths this week), I cannot help but think once again about death, which I have written before. Life is indeed transitory. We only live once, we only die once. I don’t know about other people but I don’t think we can be ‘repeaters’ just like in college where we enroll for the subject again to make up for the failures. This leads me to watch over my mouth and my actions and filter my thoughts. While others wanted a ‘free’ life, I choose to live life according to what is right, and Godly. Difficult, eh? But there is nothing easy trying to achieve something.

Friends

Friends come and go. It may hurt to feel that those you consider as friends do not reciprocate the friendship you offer. The feeling that I am taken for granted is always a big lump in my throat. Probably they have reasons like my reasons when I suddenly detach myself from a relation. And probably they have reasons not like my reasons. I don’t care anymore. This, too, will pass.

Family

Is it fair to judge a person because of the kind of family he or she has? Often times, people has this tendency to utter words like “Di ba kamag-anak mo ‘yan?” (Isn’t he or she your relative?) It is giving me the impression that good or bad, that person (who is a relative) is a mirror image of a particular person. I say it is not fair. Every person has his unique persona and it will not be reasonable to say he is this and that because his relative is this and that.

Fear

I fear the time that I will be without Papsie.

Poverty, Poor People, the Government

We went to a funeral at Malabon and passed by a squatter’s area which is worse than any squatter’s area I have seen. Going home, we passed by another squatter’s area, and I don’t know if it’s connected with the first we saw. The picture was overwhelming in the sense that it could make anybody squirm with mixtures of pity, horror, and anger. The area teeming with people in squalor is not an easy picture to look at. What is the government doing about this? Have they not seen these places? Surely the boob tube has been feeding them bits of this squalor every now and then, but what have they done? How can they sleep with comfort, and feed their mouths with food galore? How can they live a life with their constituents, who had seated them, in moral degradation?

I will be posting the comments in the comment page. The insights of these blog friends is truly worth keeping.

Friend C* sent me a funny, funny SMS with this note:

... sa mga kapwa ko mabait, maganda, masipag, matalino at halos walang kapintasang mga misis, pakibati na lang ang mga masuswerteng lalaki na nakajackpot sa atin ng HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Di naman conceited, 'no?

Photohunt: Creamy

fruit salad

ice cream

Photohunt's theme is CREAMY.

Which of the above creamy serving would you want for a birthday celebration? For me, any of the two can do. It depends on what my palate would like. But you can bring both on my birthday parties. Would definitely be delighted. :-D

Photohunt: Creamy

fruit salad

ice cream

Photohunt's theme is CREAMY.

Which of the above creamy serving would you want for a birthday celebration? For me, any of the two can do. It depends on what my palate would like. But you can bring both on my birthday parties. Would definitely be delighted. :-D

A Billy Joel fan

I was a Billy Joel fan, and I still am.

It was Papsie who introduced me to Billy Joel's music. We were in college then. He had this double long playing records. By that time, Billy Joel's music was already famous and I was not even aware that those songs being played on the radio and hummed and sang by my friends and the students in school are his. Some of his songs that became my favorite (please click on the song to watch a video):

1. Honesty
2. Just the Way You Are
3. You Maybe Right
4. It's Still Rock n Roll To Me
5. Tell Her About It
6. The Longest Time
7. The Piano Man
8. She's Always a Woman
   
9. My Life
10. Only the Good Die Young

Actually, almost all of his songs are good. But my favorite is Just the Way You Are. Do you know why? Guess.

The reason why I was reminded about Billy Joel, too, is the news from FoxNews that he and his wife Katie Lee separate after five years. Well, we can't have everything in life. It's just sad that he would experience separation again for the third time. Though the news said they remained friends but goodbyes are goodbyes.

A Billy Joel fan

I was a Billy Joel fan, and I still am.

It was Papsie who introduced me to Billy Joel's music. We were in college then. He had this double long playing records. By that time, Billy Joel's music was already famous and I was not even aware that those songs being played on the radio and hummed and sang by my friends and the students in school are his. Some of his songs that became my favorite (please click on the song to watch a video):

1. Honesty
2. Just the Way You Are
3. You Maybe Right
4. It's Still Rock n Roll To Me
5. Tell Her About It
6. The Longest Time
7. The Piano Man
8. She's Always a Woman
   
9. My Life
10. Only the Good Die Young

Actually, almost all of his songs are good. But my favorite is Just the Way You Are. Do you know why? Guess.

The reason why I was reminded about Billy Joel, too, is the news from FoxNews that he and his wife Katie Lee separate after five years. Well, we can't have everything in life. It's just sad that he would experience separation again for the third time. Though the news said they remained friends but goodbyes are goodbyes.

Why Reality TV Shows Click

Many television viewers are charmed by reality TV shows while small groups do not care about the participants in these shows. It is always a big question, however, why reality TV shows click.

Television networks are actually gaining much from producing these kinds of programming. With only a little of the budget and with lesser expenses because they do not need to hire big names in the industry and to spend for the requisites of hiring those big artists or personalities, people continue to watch. It is inexpensive entertainment that requires only small budget formulas to provide more realistic content.

The Fondness for (Short-lived) Fame

Fame, short-lived or long-lasting magnetizes these people. Usually fame is temporal but it does not matter how temporary it would be but participants and even those who are not directly included in the show (relatives or mere friends and acquaintances of these participants) love the idea of being famous. The concept of fame, even short-lived, boosts the character of every participant, and that of their relations and friends. The feeling of joy and pride exhilarate drowning little or all depression that they currently are experiencing. The repercussions, however, can be overwhelming. Take, for example, how Susan Boyle snapped under tension. Adam Lambert, on the other hand, embraced fame with gusto.

The Promise of Possible Compensation

Compensation as prizes or rewards varies for each reality TV show. The bigger the outfit, the promising the rewards will be. The American Idol victor, for example, gets a new car, guest performances, a contract and tours after winning. Britain’s Got Talent winner scooped £100,000. It is what every aspiring participant dreams of. It is the dream that slipped from Adam Lambert and Susan Boyle. Without these rewards, which greatly constitute the desire to join, participants will not even dare to take a chance however slim it may seem to be.

The Experience Empowers

These reality TV shows give a chance to every interested individual to show the world that they got talent. They provide the possibility of becoming potential entertainers. They give each participant the experience to let television viewers and all types of audiences that they are equipped with talent, abilities or capabilities.

A greater number virtually fall short though against the requirements or the demands of these shows. These programs require more than what is unique. They look for people with qualities that transcend the best. They look for the super, the grand, or the excellent probably equating the gains they will have finding the winner.

Commerce Strengthens

With programs such as what these reality TV shows present, audiences become involved. Commerce provides the inner and the obvious desires of audiences. They patronize the show or become involved with the show in whatever way. Thus, the attention bolsters the ratings.

Unexpected winners at times become the object of ridicule but the producers of these shows do not look at the situation as that because the decision of a greater number of people is what matters. Therefore, Lambert and Boyle’s failure to win is not the issue.

Reality TV Shows Satisfy

Adam Lambert may have lost becoming the American Idol, or Susan Boyle may have failed to be Britain’s Got Talent winner. Their fans felt for them. But it is one expectations of audiences – to witness how losers will accept defeat, or how they will correspond with the unexpected.

Human beings are natural voyeurs. We all have the tendency to want, to look, to witness, to be a spectator. We love to watch sordid things happen, aside from watching joy or success. We love to see, hear, or know with our presence, all about sensationalism, aggrandizement and exploitation.

The Longing for the Real

With the advancement in technology in the modern world, we become uncertain which is real or not. Nothing seems real nowadays and we have these powerful urge to be in contact with the real. That is why and how reality TV shows attract viewers and participants. This desire to be involved in a participatory programming gives us a touch of reality amidst everything modern and digitally reproduced.

To see a participant cry for joy, or dejection, gives us proof that these are not artificially fabricated. Witnessing gives us the chance to get rid of fear that the world is totally going all digital or virtual.

The Need to Modernize Culture

The society cannot stay glued to age old or traditional knowledge and values all the time. The development of tastes in art, for example, is necessary. There is the need on the attitude and behavior of each individual in a society to regenerate or develop. In the American culture, for example, the manner of modernizing the art through reality TV shows are considered to overhaul and at the same time challenge tradition.

There is danger with these notions to modernize culture though. Attempts to regenerate new types of tastes in art and manners, for attitudes and behaviors, obliterate the treasured values that are important for a society to be distinct from other cultures of the world.

Adam Lambert failed against Kris Allen; Susan Boyle against Paul Potts. They were just part of reality TV shows that appeal to the masses. With or without them, these television shows will continue to attract followers whose needs are satisfied, one way or another, just by watching.

Gorgeous Adam Lambert

This maybe a bit late to post but still, I wanted to post it. Pardon me because I was so busy the past few days I almost forgot about this.

Season Eight contestant Adam Lambert made it to the final two. It was a big disappointment for the many fans of this gorgeous contestant that he did not become the eighth (8^th) season American Idol winner. However, he remains the most loved contestant for the season.

It is no question why he has many fans. Adam Lambert earned the admiration and awe because of his singing prowess. He was obviously a skilled artist with a superior ability. His every performance for each challenge that the contest posed was a discovery. He had succeeded in giving an enhanced meaning to song interpretation.

Simon Cowell, about one of Lambert’s performances, was not wrong saying that “The whole idea is to find a worldwide star, and I think we found that with you. Indeed, Adam Lambert is a worldwide star. He shines in each performance. He was a natural and he sang so well that one cannot help admire. There is nothing an audience would feel but be charmed by the emotions each performance gave.

One thing that was noticeable about this superstar of American Idol Season Eight is the emotions inherent in each performance – from the appearance to the getup to the hairstyle. No one in the group had such aura as he had. There were others who can rank in effort but nobody surpassed Adam Lambert. And though each of the contestants had his or her own style, it was always Lambert who made an impression.

Gender questions or concerns rose during the time of the contest but they did not succeed affecting his presence on the stage. Lambert remained confident and performed very well that overpowered those personality attacks. It was after all a singing contest as he had said. That was a well-spoken remark from a professional.

American Idol contest could be a contest of votes mainly from passionate fans. It may be true that Adam Lambert did not make it because most of Dan Gokey’s fans voted for Kris Allen. But what is true is there was nobody in this season’s group who outshone Adam. He was already made before the season ended.

Day-off is Also Work Day for Me

An average income earner like me has day-offs equivalent to work days, too. It is simply because the household cannot afford a help especially with the economic situation. So how do I find time for R and R?

When it's weekend, from work, I look around the house to see what needs to be done. In my mind, I would list down what needs cleaning and organizing. The countdown begins after lunch on Saturdays (because I still have work until 12 am). After doing some simple chores, I would have my first R for not more than an hour. Some naps lasted more than an hour but they are mostly not exceeding an hour. Then work will commence. The second R will include submitting my Photohunt take and while doing this, I try to simultaneously watch tv with the kids, or at times, with one of them. The short process of posting a photo for Photohunt usually takes longer. :-D Then work again will be continued.

The following day will be a continuation again. I cannot afford to be lazy or sick because I cannot stand disorder and mess. What about R and R for this day? It's the usual routine. While doing the laundry, I will sneak my blogging, bloghopping, writing, or submission of articles, and together with these, I watch tv with the family.

We were watching Across the Universe movie at HBO and it made me reminisce about the Beatles.

IF I FELL IN LOVE WITH YOU

If I fell in love with you
Would you promise to be true
And help me understand
'cause I've been in love before
And I found that love was more
Than just holding hands

If I give my heart to you
I must be sure
From the very start
That you would love me more than her

If I trust in you, oh please
Don't run and hide
If I love you too, oh please
Don't hurt my pride like her
'cause I couldn't stand the pain
And I would be sad if our new love was in vain

So I hope you see that I
Would love to love you
And that she will cry
When she learns we are two
cause I couldn't stand the pain
and I would be sad if our new love was in vain

so I hope you see that I
would love to love you
and that she will cry when she learns we are two.

If I fell in love with you

Photohunt: Lock

Photohunt has for today's theme LOCK. Typical for houses to have locks like that one of the white door at the side of Papsie.

LOCK also means hairstyle or any threadlike growth in animate beings. Papsie usually sports hairstyle like this one in the pic. During college, his hair was thicker and brushed up which would look stupid these days but during that time, the hairstyle looks very appealing to me. :-)

Photohunt: Lock

Photohunt has for today's theme LOCK. Typical for houses to have locks like that one of the white door at the side of Papsie.

LOCK also means hairstyle or any threadlike growth in animate beings. Papsie usually sports hairstyle like this one in the pic. During college, his hair was thicker and brushed up which would look stupid these days but during that time, the hairstyle looks very appealing to me. :-)

Indebtedness

It was after dinner one night when we heard the news on television about a jobless Filipina maid in Hongkong who returned 2.1 M worth of money. A part of a news report tells:

But on April 29, Perez found something that could have ended her misfortunes.

After renewing her visa at the immigration department, she noticed a thick packet just slightly bigger than an airmail envelope, in a trash bin on the corner of Pottinger Street and Des Voeux Road.

Perez picked it up and handed it to her companion, a man identified only as David, who opened the packet. Inside were cash and checks amounting to HK$350,545 (P2.1 million).

There was $176,000 in cash (in denomination of $1,000) and four checks: one for US$13,000, another for US$5,000, a third for US$3,250, and another for HK$10,920.

Mildred Perez is a 38 year old Filipina who was working in Hongkong when a tragedy befell her - she was sexually assaulted by her employer. She was banned from working in Hongkong because she became the complainant.

What enraged Papsie (my husband) was this news:

Tsang and Kitty gave Perez a can of butter cookies as a token of gratitude...

Which was my initial reaction, too, but felt later some reservation about the issue. I shrugged the thought and decided there must be a reason why it was only a can of butter cookies was given to Perez.

The Reason Why Papsie Got Mad

For Papsie, the person(s) who lost the money has lost it already and it is ingratitude for him not to acknowledge the goodness of Perez in a way that will truly give her a good deal in return to what she had selflessly done. Actually, I am just sugarcoating. Papsie was enraged and 'cursed' Kitty and Tsang. He was so affected he was speaking his sentiments in a loud voice.

Kay was Enraged, Too

Not because of the can of cookies but because of Papsie's reaction. She believes it is not an obligation to pay or give back something for a good deed. She hates the thought of judging other people because they failed to pay a good deed. Papsie failed to understand her point of view that we should always reserve a space for understanding. There must always be an extension for 'what-ifs'.

Thoughts to Ponder

• The Culture. The Filipino culture includes beliefs that good deeds have to be repaid. It is this indebtedness that Filipinos are obligated to pay somehow all the time what was graciously done. This misconception that one is indebted forever because of one good deed puts Filipinos in awkward situations most of the time.
• The Tendency to Make Judgments Easily. One bad trait that can be common among Filipinos is the ease of making judgments easily. It is this tendency to pass judgment without considerations that always put Filipinos in bad light.
• Identifying with Others. This may not be an exclusive character for Filipinos but sometimes it is mostly seen that they extend themselves to others, or they attribute some characters as their own.

Have you at one point or some points in your life taken something that does not belong to you? Have you returned it when there was a chance?

Indebtedness

It was after dinner one night when we heard the news on television about a jobless Filipina maid in Hongkong who returned 2.1 M worth of money. A part of a news report tells:

But on April 29, Perez found something that could have ended her misfortunes.

After renewing her visa at the immigration department, she noticed a thick packet just slightly bigger than an airmail envelope, in a trash bin on the corner of Pottinger Street and Des Voeux Road.

Perez picked it up and handed it to her companion, a man identified only as David, who opened the packet. Inside were cash and checks amounting to HK$350,545 (P2.1 million).

There was $176,000 in cash (in denomination of $1,000) and four checks: one for US$13,000, another for US$5,000, a third for US$3,250, and another for HK$10,920.

Mildred Perez is a 38 year old Filipina who was working in Hongkong when a tragedy befell her - she was sexually assaulted by her employer. She was banned from working in Hongkong because she became the complainant.

What enraged Papsie (my husband) was this news:

Tsang and Kitty gave Perez a can of butter cookies as a token of gratitude...

Which was my initial reaction, too, but felt later some reservation about the issue. I shrugged the thought and decided there must be a reason why it was only a can of butter cookies was given to Perez.

The Reason Why Papsie Got Mad

For Papsie, the person(s) who lost the money has lost it already and it is ingratitude for him not to acknowledge the goodness of Perez in a way that will truly give her a good deal in return to what she had selflessly done. Actually, I am just sugarcoating. Papsie was enraged and 'cursed' Kitty and Tsang. He was so affected he was speaking his sentiments in a loud voice.

Kay was Enraged, Too

Not because of the can of cookies but because of Papsie's reaction. She believes it is not an obligation to pay or give back something for a good deed. She hates the thought of judging other people because they failed to pay a good deed. Papsie failed to understand her point of view that we should always reserve a space for understanding. There must always be an extension for 'what-ifs'.

Thoughts to Ponder

• The Culture. The Filipino culture includes beliefs that good deeds have to be repaid. It is this indebtedness that Filipinos are obligated to pay somehow all the time what was graciously done. This misconception that one is indebted forever because of one good deed puts Filipinos in awkward situations most of the time.
• The Tendency to Make Judgments Easily. One bad trait that can be common among Filipinos is the ease of making judgments easily. It is this tendency to pass judgment without considerations that always put Filipinos in bad light.
• Identifying with Others. This may not be an exclusive character for Filipinos but sometimes it is mostly seen that they extend themselves to others, or they attribute some characters as their own.

Have you at one point or some points in your life taken something that does not belong to you? Have you returned it when there was a chance?

Ted Failon is Back!

Ted Failon is back today in DZMM's Tambalang Failon at Sanchez. In truth, I had just turned into a fan of this radio commentator when the tragedy in his life happened. His satire and witticism on the radio is very interesting. One has to have skills to deliver as effective as Ted Failon is. Actually, listening to the radio in the morning (in TFS' slot) became strange sounding when he left. Sure, Ricky Carandang is a witty tv news commentator but it really sounded different. Ted's voice has that magnet and charisma and I really wonder if there would be one who could be as effective as he is, who could replace him and make the radio program outlive other programs.

I am not much of a fan of Korina Sanchez though. In fact, Pinky Webb, who replaced her, sounded alright and can be her replacement. Webb is effective, smart, and has a solid voice that has an impact. I hope she will be given an important and long-lasting radio program.

Listening to Ted this morning is like a catalyst. It perked me up and made me smile again. I admire him for his strength. I hope and pray he will have true peace soon as I also pray for it for myself and for the whole family.

Ted Failon is Back!

Ted Failon is back today in DZMM's Tambalang Failon at Sanchez. In truth, I had just turned into a fan of this radio commentator when the tragedy in his life happened. His satire and witticism on the radio is very interesting. One has to have skills to deliver as effective as Ted Failon is. Actually, listening to the radio in the morning (in TFS' slot) became strange sounding when he left. Sure, Ricky Carandang is a witty tv news commentator but it really sounded different. Ted's voice has that magnet and charisma and I really wonder if there would be one who could be as effective as he is, who could replace him and make the radio program outlive other programs.

I am not much of a fan of Korina Sanchez though. In fact, Pinky Webb, who replaced her, sounded alright and can be her replacement. Webb is effective, smart, and has a solid voice that has an impact. I hope she will be given an important and long-lasting radio program.

Listening to Ted this morning is like a catalyst. It perked me up and made me smile again. I admire him for his strength. I hope and pray he will have true peace soon as I also pray for it for myself and for the whole family.

Schrödinger’s Cat Made My Head Ache

I came across this experiment which was not actually carried out and it made my head ache. It was a thought to interpret quantum mechanics. Heavy for a topic? Yes, but the arguments that transpired after this cat-in-the-box experiment seemed pointless. An excerpt from this page tells:

In the early 1930's Erwin Schrödinger published a way of thinking about the circumstance of radioactive decay that is still useful. We imagine an apparatus containing just one Nitrogen-13 atom and a detector that will respond when the atom decays. Connected to the detector is a relay connected to a hammer, and when the atom decays the relay releases the hammer which then falls on a glass vial containing poison gas. We take the entire apparatus and put it in a box. We also place a cat in the box, close the lid, and wait 10 minutes.

We then ask: Is the cat alive or dead?

The answer according to quantum mechanics is that it is 50% dead and 50% alive.

Really heavy for a topic, yes? But it is Copenhagen's interpretation that made it somehow clear. Extracted from here - The Copenhagen Interpretation does not allow for the room to actually contain a cat that is both dead and alive at the same time, or a cat that is neither dead nor alive, suspended in limbo. But contains either a dead cat or a live cat, until someone looks, and it is then that the actual reality of the situation is determined.

I think it is not common sense to think that the cat is 50% dead AND 50% alive. It can EITHER be dead or alive. That is a more acceptable occurrence to me because how can a cat be dead and alive at the same time?

Enough of these. Common sense does not apply to some sciences I guess.

Schrödinger’s Cat Made My Head Ache

I came across this experiment which was not actually carried out and it made my head ache. It was a thought to interpret quantum mechanics. Heavy for a topic? Yes, but the arguments that transpired after this cat-in-the-box experiment seemed pointless. An excerpt from this page tells:

In the early 1930's Erwin Schrödinger published a way of thinking about the circumstance of radioactive decay that is still useful. We imagine an apparatus containing just one Nitrogen-13 atom and a detector that will respond when the atom decays. Connected to the detector is a relay connected to a hammer, and when the atom decays the relay releases the hammer which then falls on a glass vial containing poison gas. We take the entire apparatus and put it in a box. We also place a cat in the box, close the lid, and wait 10 minutes.

We then ask: Is the cat alive or dead?

The answer according to quantum mechanics is that it is 50% dead and 50% alive.

Really heavy for a topic, yes? But it is Copenhagen's interpretation that made it somehow clear. Extracted from here - The Copenhagen Interpretation does not allow for the room to actually contain a cat that is both dead and alive at the same time, or a cat that is neither dead nor alive, suspended in limbo. But contains either a dead cat or a live cat, until someone looks, and it is then that the actual reality of the situation is determined.

I think it is not common sense to think that the cat is 50% dead AND 50% alive. It can EITHER be dead or alive. That is a more acceptable occurrence to me because how can a cat be dead and alive at the same time?

Enough of these. Common sense does not apply to some sciences I guess.

Photohunt: Advertisement

Today's Photohunt theme is advertisement.

The common advertisement I have for my pictures today include lighted restaurant names, a banner, an imprint on a plate, and one on the walls. They are very common forms of advertisement for an organization.

One advertisement that had me laughing is this ad from Pizza Hut. It is not a photo but I'd like to share it with you. Click here.

Photohunt: Advertisement

Today's Photohunt theme is advertisement.

The common advertisement I have for my pictures today include lighted restaurant names, a banner, an imprint on a plate, and one on the walls. They are very common forms of advertisement for an organization.

One advertisement that had me laughing is this ad from Pizza Hut. It is not a photo but I'd like to share it with you. Click here.

The Need to Be Social

There is a need for bloggers or website owners to be social. Interaction with other bloggers, visitors, customers, clients, readers, et al, is a requisite. It is a known fact that we blog to express and what better way to gauge strokes and slaps but through the audience.

It is deceitful for me to say I only blog because I like it and I do not care if the audience will read it or not, or if they will care about my thoughts or not, or if they will share their thoughts or not. I blog because I care. I care about what others think about the many issues here in our country and overseas. I care even for the trivial, for the not so important, because of the lessons we can get from them. I am interested with the knowledge and wisdom I can gain thru blogging. I am interested about gaining friends and developing friendship. I am interested to meet different people with diverse thoughts, opinions, ideas, principles, or preferences.

What is with the numbers? I mean, must we really care about the number of unique views we get? It is not really what matters for a personal blogger. It is the interactive communication that matters. It is the confidence that is gained.

But for a professional blogger, or simply, bloggers that make money online, the unique views matter. The need to be social is high. There is a goal to gain as much unique views to get viewers click on the ads, or the links to the ads, to make as much money. But first, what are unique views? I read from somewhere that Unique Views are the equivalent of "Visits" to a single page. For example, if 1 person viewed a single page 100 times during the same visit, that page would show 100 pageviews, but only 1 "unique view". Unique views is equal to unique visitors. According to Wikipedia, a unique visitor is a statistic describing a unit of traffic to a Web site, counting each visitor only once in the time frame of the report. This statistic is relevant to site publishers and advertisers as a measure of a site's true audience size, equivalent to the term "reach" used in other media. Therefore, page views are not the true audience measure.

Whatever is the objective for being social, it should be remembered that along with this need, the need to communicate is what goes along. After this, acquaintance and connection, for personal bloggers follow. Advertisement and publicity for professional bloggers follow.

The Need to Be Social

There is a need for bloggers or website owners to be social. Interaction with other bloggers, visitors, customers, clients, readers, et al, is a requisite. It is a known fact that we blog to express and what better way to gauge strokes and slaps but through the audience.

It is deceitful for me to say I only blog because I like it and I do not care if the audience will read it or not, or if they will care about my thoughts or not, or if they will share their thoughts or not. I blog because I care. I care about what others think about the many issues here in our country and overseas. I care even for the trivial, for the not so important, because of the lessons we can get from them. I am interested with the knowledge and wisdom I can gain thru blogging. I am interested about gaining friends and developing friendship. I am interested to meet different people with diverse thoughts, opinions, ideas, principles, or preferences.

What is with the numbers? I mean, must we really care about the number of unique views we get? It is not really what matters for a personal blogger. It is the interactive communication that matters. It is the confidence that is gained.

But for a professional blogger, or simply, bloggers that make money online, the unique views matter. The need to be social is high. There is a goal to gain as much unique views to get viewers click on the ads, or the links to the ads, to make as much money. But first, what are unique views? I read from somewhere that Unique Views are the equivalent of "Visits" to a single page. For example, if 1 person viewed a single page 100 times during the same visit, that page would show 100 pageviews, but only 1 "unique view". Unique views is equal to unique visitors. According to Wikipedia, a unique visitor is a statistic describing a unit of traffic to a Web site, counting each visitor only once in the time frame of the report. This statistic is relevant to site publishers and advertisers as a measure of a site's true audience size, equivalent to the term "reach" used in other media. Therefore, page views are not the true audience measure.

Whatever is the objective for being social, it should be remembered that along with this need, the need to communicate is what goes along. After this, acquaintance and connection, for personal bloggers follow. Advertisement and publicity for professional bloggers follow.