Alex @ July 27, 2008 | | Politics and Society | Comments (0)
I find it quite interesting that our “first-world” counterparts are so obsessed with health and safety regulations even to the point of absurdity (and stupidity, in some arguments). There are just so many things you can’t do in those parts of the world and practically everything needs to have a warning sticker label slapped on them mentioning you can’t eat the plastic or that walking through glass panels can hurt you. You might laugh at “Warning: This product can burn eyes.” slapped on a curling iron. Ever thought of curling your eyelashes? Better use something that’s not too hot.
But take our case for example, where health and safety are two words that have not been and will never be part of Filipino English vocabulary. Even the concepts of health and safety are just too vague concepts for us with which to even bother.
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Tags: Government, Labels, MMDA, Warning
Alex @ July 23, 2008 | | Music | Comments (0)
If you don’t get the word play on the title, I suggest you Google vintage David Bowie. And yes, the reference will be off since Ely did not play it left hand.
Anyway, I first heard about the Eraserhead’s reunion concert from Risha. At first I was a bit skeptical about it since I always thought that Raymund Marasigan will forever have a grudge on Ely. Well, after reading about it over at Philmusic, I admit I was a bit shocked. I never expected it coming. And I guess so did everyone else. And it has caused a lot of buzz.
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Tags: Eraserheads, Music
Alex @ July 19, 2008 | | Entertainment | Comments (4)
I know people’s takes on the The Dark Knight remain polarized. Some people loved it. Others people hated it. Well, I loved it and that’s that. For those who belong to the opposite pole, better close your browser tab. Go surf porn. While I wouldn’t make this a full-blown fanboy rave, this post will mostly contain praises for the film.
The title says it all. Batman and Robin and their chronic nipple-itis destroyed the Batman film franchise but Batman Begins turned things around. And even compared to the Tim Burton Batman movies, I considered Batman Begins as the best Batman movie ever. That was then.
Then The Dark Knight came along.
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Tags: Batman, Comics, Movies
Alex @ July 12, 2008 | | News | Comments (1)
I hate this economic crunch. All prices are sky-high thanks to inflation. My hundred peso bill seems like the ten pesos of old. It barely even buys you a decent meal at McDonalds any more. A trip to anywhere costs a fortune whether I take public transport or my car. Plainly every move I make costs something, oftentimes financially.
My splurging the past two months came as a shock and I’m back in miser mode. Every time I look at my budget spreadsheet I force myself to strike out some guilty pleasures (small comforts, actually) just to keep spending down. Even the rising dollar-peso exchange rate fails to come as a comfort.
Then I open my Multiply Inbox and stare at envy at how many of my peers still have the luxury of spending at a whim, partying, traveling, shooting the shit… Blame it on lack of other responsibilities or that the money they earn are theirs alone.
Then I fall into yet another bout of griping. I try to reconcile the fact that I’m smarter and much more skilled than the damn lot of them and how a live my life versus theirs. Success around here isn’t measure by ability or intellect anyway. Just be pretty, know how to “stroke” people, and sooner or later, you’d find yourself up on top. I’m too much of a self-centered bastard to prostitute myself up to anywhere more than I am willing. So here I am doing things the long and hard way with nothing more than steel cojones and a swig of whiskey.
Pride’s a bitch. Here I am, half-a-year away from being a quarter of a century old but yapping like a grumpy old man. Twenty-four is far from old but I have all the reasons to be grumpy.
Alex @ July 6, 2008 | | News | Comments (2)
There’s probably not a day that goes by when someone I know complains about having a horrible boss. I mean, lucky is the person who have not had a stupid/power-tripping/arrogant boss. And since most of the people I know are smart people who graduated from UP, there’s that certain I’m-fucking-better-than-you-If-you-hadn’t-only-kissed-top-management’s-ass complex that most of them do tend to exhibit.
I watched Wanted yesterday with the Dearest and I’d have to say that, aside from the many inconsistencies of the film, it was enjoyable. And not just because of the adrenaline rush, or the stunts, or the special effects, or Angelina Jolie’s butt (damn, that woman’s hot). It tells you a lot about how you deal with life. Especially if you’re an desk/keyboard monkey.
Carpe diem as one of the movies’ theme (Angelina’s hotness, also one among the others), was pretty much summarized by the last line - “What have you done lately?” F*cking cliche, ain’t it? While the answer’s pretty obvious (”Wasted two hours of my life ogling Angelina Jolie, you dumb f*ck but it’s all worth it.”), it does, in some way, make you suddenly think of what you’ve been doing lately as a desk monkey. It makes you think of your own boss and those times you wanted to tell him/her to fuck off.
It also raises the question of how does one actually deal with things. Many of the people I know was like Wesley in the first part. They hate the routine yet trudge on daily. They complain in private but they apologize too much in public. Most would rather have a the graceful exit.
“Shit or get off the pot.”
Someway, somehow, I’m hoping that someone I know would do the fuck-off move done in the movie, smack the bitch (or bastard) boss with an ergonomic keyboard to match (since I have yet to know someone who has his/her best fried who’s screwing his/her mate). And if that person happens to have magic millions suddenly appear in his bank account, I’ll ask for balato.
