The Friendly Mail from Nigeria

When I first got one of these sort of letters in my inbox, I must admit to you that I felt a little bit of elation. It may seem embarrassing to admit that now but how could you blame me when a certain guy named Mbusu or Mbuku says he have $35,000,000.00 in his hands and that he needs my assistance in order to transfer such amount from a bank in South Africa; with a promise of a handsome payback for me to boot.

I could not believe how easy it was for me to believe in such foolishness.

But luckily for me, I had a cautious mind. The first time I read thoroughly thru this sort of letter, I have decided that if the letter sender were indeed true to form, he or she should have known my first and last name in the first place. The money was that huge and certainly not a laughing matter. If Mr. Mbusu had really needed the help of an individual online, he could have been more careful to whom he would be dealing with and not someone he merely addresses with ‘DEAR SIR or MADAM:’….in capital letters at that.

I know something about robots in the net. Emails and comments are produced in mass proportion by computer programs that can send a single mail item to hundreds of email addresses by just one click of a button. So I thought, any of such mails could be most possibly produced by bots (another name for robots in the net) and should be a scamming stinking piece of….you know what.

Once in a while, I still fell and open one of those mails that say that I was a lucky winner of a certain lottery and in faraway Canada for that matter. Maybe I have forgotten that I had not bought any lottery ticket for a very long time now, and most especially not in Canada that I still open these sort of mails every now and then. If all those mails were true and verifiable, I could have been richer than Bill Gates now.

All these mails are just a waste of time I must say, and waste of Yahoo! Mail storage space that I wonder if Yahoo! could one day offer an instant manner to erase all those spamming, stinking pieces of…you know what.

If you asked me, I’d rather open up spammingly stinking mails that offers (of all things) penis enlargement or big discounts on (of all meds) Viagra. At least, now I know that ‘it’ could actually be enlarged.

Anyway, these thoughts on those spammingly stinking emails came to mind upon reading this Yahoo! News article titled “The Top 25 Web Hoaxes and Pranks” and it’s good reading. At least now I know how these friendly Nigerians operate. And it’s amazing to note that this kind of scam phisses about a billion dollar each year and that’s amazingly huge. I wonder why some entities could be so gullible.

I feel lucky I am not that gullible.

To find out more how these friendly mails from Africa actually operates and effected, you could try visiting this page and read through it carefully. I assure its very interesting and has a funny ending to boot.

The Jackal

After the Hardy Boys, Carlos The Jackal is the first character that I have met and become so familiar with in the book world. I am not so sure now if I met him first at Frederick Forsythe’s nuclear bomb thriller “The Fourth Protocol” or in the assassination plot “The Day Of The Jackal”. Of course, we’ve got to put exception to Snow White and Cinderella since you know, they are purely kidstuff.

Carlos The Jackal is one cunning hitman that goes with ultimately sneaky disguises that myths have gone on to tell how once he had put up a female persona and was so good at it that some men actually fell in love with him.

His person is merely fictional at most—-that’s the general drift. Yet there were incessant murmurs in the international police world—-most especially now that we are within the encompassing grasp of the World Wide Web—-that Carlos is in fact not merely a fictional character overused and milked-out by several American thriller-meister out to make good bucks writing convincing political-thriller plots—-such as Mr. Forsythe and Mr. Robert Ludlum—-but is and was in fact based on a real person. Some say he was a Brazilian and had lived towards the 80’s and looked as handsome as Marlon Brando. While some others say he was actually of Italian descent. But one general acceptation about him is that he was of Caucasian built and of latin roots; thus the Spanish-sounding moniker.

His myth had become so persevering that towards this day, literature and Hollywood continue to immortalize him; like in the movie simply titled “The Jackal” and that one where Val Kilmer (The Saint) had tried so vainly to put up disguises that weren’t disguises at all (because the wigs he wore were so fake that in every pony face he had suited, even the blind could tell he was still Val Kilmer).

In the 70’s, a young Venezuelan named Ilich Ramírez Sánchez had among his belongings a copy of “The Day Of The Jackal” and when this was found by authorities, they began to designate a code-name for him, that of “The Jackal”, a title that had since became an international phenomena in the police world. Sanchez had been a known militant, long before the word “terrorist” had become so widespread. He is a mercenary. A true-blue international playboy. And he kills for money. It had reached the point where a question was raised of whether Sanchez was merely mimicking the fictional “Carlos” in Forsythe’s thrillers, or the fictional “Carlos” mimicking Ilich Ramirez Sanchez? Who’s personifying who?

BBC has an incisive story on him.

Such is the myth and legend of one known character in the fictional world. A very rare case where reality meets fiction and fiction enters the threshold of reality in the most palpable manner. There is nothing like this. One good recent example is the work “Primary Colors” where despite the repeated denial by “Mr. Anonymous” (later on to be revealed as Newsweek’s Joe Klein), the sharp and trendy presidential candidate in his book unmistakably resembles a real president of America—-the one named Bill Clinton. One prime example of reality becomes fiction and fiction becomes reality.

Carlos The Jackal is one such memorable character for me. They say he was really a real person, and he was the Venezuelan Ilich Ramirez Sanchez. But I’d like to remember him as that persona written in Mr. Forsythe’s books. At least in the fictional world, he is not as insensitive and senseless, at least not in any way like the real person, who despite the nearly romantic legend, Sanchez had resolved to ultimately destructive violence and had clearly benefited financially from his “undertakings”—-a bloody mercenary as an Englishman would say.

Now you might ask why I am writing about this mythical assassin from a time long gone. The person and idea of Carlos The Jackal had just suddenly came to my mind the moment I read this article about “hitman scams” going around emails with real and fearful threats used as money-baits. I hope you’d be aware of this and not be duped. Might as well read this CNN article and find out for yourself about the latest shenanigan happening in the cyberworld.

Aliens

I was scouring the net for some information and this one current news had just caught my fancy. In an area within the state of New Mexico in America, a sizable number of people gathered there to mark the 60th anniversary of the event that is so-called as “The Roswell Incident” . It must be known that sometime early in July of the year 1947, an individual named Mack Brazel went out to check on his ranch, monitoring the situation of the sheep he was herding at that time, especially after storms have spread toward that particular part of the area. In a while, after reconnoitering thoroughly though his ranch, he found metal apparatus that according to him, he had never seen before and one he describes to be not-of-this-world, whose solidity and strength was remarkably beyond what could be produced here.

The tale about that particular incident easily had spread throughout Roswell and a week after, the local daily headlined that an alien ship had been found in Roswell—-and then everything from that day became now part of history—-global history even—- and became well-known all over as “The Roswell Incident” (see this wikipedia article).

Now, there is this saying which held that if one would keep on saying that “I am a God” over and over again, sooner or later, someone will finally believe that, and then more and more would follow suit. This is actually what happened to the incident in Roswell after that fateful day in July of 1947, when the buzz of alien ship and alien capture was so insisting that the story had become so widespread that even to this day, it had become romanticized in many pop-culture endeavors. In the 1990’s, Hollywood had made a very famous TV series out of it.

And this goes true to alien beliefs and alien sightings. To this day, no one has ever proven hypothetically the fact of alien lifeform, in concrete and material means. Yet, the presentiment about aliens intruding into earth’s space keep on occuring, time and time again, that in a while, we could not help but keep a closer eye on it and examine it’s veracity.

Like ghost stories and the fact of ghosts by themeselves, tales about alien sightings had become such a very general notion among the population everywhere around the world; that storytellers and raconteurs from all corners of the world keep on relaying them even if they are that hard to believe. The nature of ghosts and spirits had become so inculcated into the human psyche that somehow, we could not help but affirm their factual existence, one way or another. And even if often we are inclined to disregard them, we as consumers of such stories longed for it, we pay hard-earned money to watch ghosts or spirit movies, just because we enjoy such form of narrations or exhibitions, and therefore we like to believe in them and make them all come true.

At night, when the kids become too unruly, we say sometimes that the ghosts is somewhere in our vicinity that they better be at home and sleep so early…or else. Or else the ghost would be coming after them. And such scheme actually work.

Aliens stories are like ghosts stories. We kept on telling about them even if we haven’t seen any of them and even if we do not actually believe in them.

I have read in this Philippine government forum that the probability of aliens occurring has about (1×10^-58)2 = 1×10^-116 chances of occurring. Sadly I could not actually comprehend such statistical probability but they say at that amount, it is nearly nil.

And then another forum commenter said that it would be of such “arrogance” for any human being to believe that we are the only intelligent lifeform existing in this universe, considering the vastness of the universe. And to me it does make sense. The universe is so wide beyond human comprehension that it wouldn’t be too surprising to realize that in fact, “they are out there” and probably “had been here’ once or twice on earth; just came visiting as one would say. They could be out there. And possibly, they could have been here.

For alien thoughts, many belief that the Nazca lines in Peru could have only been conceived by some alien lifeform since in ancient times, human beings could not be as intelligent and as complicated to be able to do such gigantic images. Unless overhead telescopes—-or some form of top camera—had already been invented by that time in order to be able to calculate and execute the gigantic drawings. Even the pyramids, with all the mathematical exactions it had, are sometimes believed to have been of alien creation or inspiration, where in an ancient time humans minds were supposedly still unripe and uncomplicated.

So, do you believe in aliens? If you ask me, pointing to the “arrogance” theory, I may say that in this vast universe, as ever expanding and as ever mythical it is, I could probably be inclined towards believing that aliens do actually exist.

I remember some years ago that once that I was watching this cable television special (on Star World channel, I believe) where it was shown a collection of various videos exhibiting aliens caught on camera. There was one video there (despite that the others were clearly faked and doubtful) that really had amazed me. This particular video had shown how a white luminescent being with nearly human form (but with an unusually square-shaped face was somehow held off by a number of individuals clad in medical robes and the supposedly hidden camera was somewhere from above. I saw that the white human-like figure had got his hands tied behind his back, and then brought face down to a rectangular table, and he exerted to lift his head and his face was facing the camera, as if he knew where the camera was, and then he was coughing and coughing to no end. And he was looking at the camera so hard that I felt he was really looking at me, his face moving as if diagonally—to and fro—-pleading and trying to communicate, trying to really imply some idea to me. It felt so eerily strange watching that video.

I then had a thought that if some naughty individuals had intended to manufacture this video of a luminescent human-like being—-just in order to fool viewers—-how come he or she could be so inventive to ever thought of having a coughing fake alien being dragged by individuals clad on medical robes into a hard metal table? Have you ever thought of a coughing alien? Coughing and heaving from seemingly lack of oxygen?

I thought the video images might really have been caught as it was happening and that it could possibly be the only video of a real alien. And that perhaps aliens would somehow coughed and should be heaving for air since the Earth’s atmosphere might not be too tolerable for them.

It just amazes me, these alien stories. How about you? Do you believe in aliens?

Paris Hilton On Fourth Of July

4th of July in America and Paris Hilton is in the headlines. How surreal and entirely dramatic the situation is. In this very significant day for Americans, Paris Hilton post a message in her MySpace blog and everyone suddenly listens. You’d wonder what she have to impart to the population and I thought it might just yet another controversial quip about her long-running feuds with other Hollywood teen stars. But it wasn’t. She said that everyone shouldn’t “drink and drive” and to be responsible enough to have a driver. I read further into this news and I was expecting that there’d be a catch to it, like she’s just mocking the Los Angeles traffic authorities. I later realized that she wasn’t being foolhardy this time. And this message is so worthwhile considering that vehicular accidents takes away about 1.2 million deaths worldwide annually according to World Health Organization statistics.

Ms. Paris Hilton did have a very worthwhile message to the public on Independence Day and if many had found this a little unusual, well I do not blame them. I too did found it entirely unexpected, coming from a rich man’s daughter who loves to party all the time and one who had frequent brushes with controversy for her atypical conduct.

Sexymom of the The D-Spot had most recently blogged how she adored Paris Hilton. She had expected her readers to be a little surprised and honestly I felt a little bit like that after reading that particular article by Sexymom.

Despite of it all, Sexymom could just be right for her sympathy to a very young women borne to extraordinary riches and a glittery culture where every bizarre happening could possibly happen, and even be bound to happen anyway, just like the sun going up and going down from the horizon. Ms. Hilton could have been trapped within a swirling way of life that only the unusual thrives and the simple-minded perish—-like in a dog-eat-dog world. She might just be exemplifying the cruel world that she lives in and now she’s crying out to the whole world.

Maybe like the news about her “finding God” while being incarcerated for two weeks inside a Los Angeles cell, Ms. Hilton had finally found redemption and realizes that it is really not ideal to live such a self-indulgent lifestyle that in the end, there is no virtue to it and that the only way to go is to have changes—-changes for the better.

This time, Ms. Hilton might just mean it and despite that I am not really into her celebrity or a fan of her of some sort, I’d be crossing my fingers for that. She could be a very effective agent for change to our youth—-to propel the idea of responsibility in the youth rather than the decadent individual that she had somehow exemplified in the past.

Rockin’ For Planet Earth

I was so glad I was online some moments ago that I become timely informed about a grand event scheduled this coming Sunday—-Former U.S. Vice-President Al Gore and Kevin Wall of the historic Live 8 concerts are staging a similar huge musical undertaking in Live Earth where about 150 artists would be performing in venues stretching across the globe, from New Jersey to Johannesburg, in a lengthy 24 hour period.

In Live 8, rock bands like U2 and artists like Sting came forth to hark about G8’s seeming indifference to the economic havoc occuring in Africa. This time around, they’d be priming the worldwide public with global warming awareness, pronouncing to consumers around the world how they can help minimize and diminish the threat of greenhouse gasses to our environment. It would be so fascinating to see the numerous documentaries that are scheduled to be exhibited while the concert progresses.

Whether we like it or not, the effects of global warming is already being materially felt in our world today with the onset of unusual weather behavior, rising temperatures, melting polar ice, depleting rainforests and many other symptoms of a tapering environmental condition.

It’s about time to heed the call of the times. It’s about time that we become palpably aware of the ruminations of our environment. It’s about time we should listen to the murmurs of our Planet Earth—-for as they say, we only have one Earth and none other.

I have not become so particular aware about the exact schedule of the Live Earth concert and the local television station that would carry it. Since the concerts are slated Saturday in the states, it would be Sunday morning here. Last time around, Studio 23 carried the lengthy and highly-enjoyable Live 8 concerts and it might similarly bring Live Earth to our shore this time. For those who have high-speed connections, MNSBC would be streaming it live straight to your monitors.

See you at the concert.

Al Gore: Doing What He Does Best

As of this moment, the Australian segment of the Live Earth concert had just kicked-off and among those to perform is one of my most fave rock band of all time, Crowded House. The news had gathered that tens of thousands of participants have shown up in various venues around the globe in order to partake and witness this very historic event that aims to create global awareness on global warming and the negating effect it brings or has already brought to our environment. Looks like it is bound to be one successful giant event and therefore a great feat for its organizers.

Al Gore must be feeling so pleased as of this moment, savoring this latest achievement. We, who are concerned so much of our environs, could might as well be thanking the high heavens for letting Al Gore lose his presidential bid some years ago and then having a weak nomination bid for the Democratic Party standard-bearer just recently. While some said that his extraordinary effort in combating or publicizing the effects of greenhouse gasses to our atmosphere—-winning an Oscar in fact for “Inconvenient Truth”—- he deserves all the more to be president of the United States of America. But if he was in Washington D.C., he would possibly have no choice but to protect the economic interest of America and push back any call for reduction of industrial emission; for this would surely make American industries all the more uncompetitive against rising industrial giants like China and India, as well as perennial rivals in Japan and Europe. So it would be good if he were not president. This way, he won’t be tied to any political interest and could decide and act more appropriately. This way, he’d be doing what he does best and be so effective in it.

In initiating anti-global warming activities like Live Earth, Mr. Al Gore is surely in his ocean, in the air that he breathes best. With this, I give my most heartfelt salute to Mr. Gore. I had not always been a fan, especially years back when he was just a seemingly stoic and one-sided politician; but now, he shows what he really can do and what he can achieve.

Roger Federer's Amazing Return Serves Him Well Once More

Aren’t we all glad that we live in a tennis era where Roger Federer is playing in his topmost form? I for one feels that way. Just like being able to witness the rise of Tiger Woods and his phenomenal run through majors after majors. Surely, I’ve asked myself how it would have felt to ever see a young Jack Nicklaus mopping every competition from the field, year after year more than half a decade ago and since we could not bring back time and since there still no cable television at that time; I just contented myself with merely wondering. But I am sure glad that Tiger Woods had made golf such an exciting sport to watch with a phenomenal gameplay that is both astonishing and magical.

So is with the extremely skillful Roger Federer who just won his fifth straight Wimbledon title hours ago, surpassing another legendary Swiss player Sweden’s legendary tennis player in Bjorn Borg who was watching at the stands in the All England Club. Federer had stated how it made him so emotional to have his idol and compatriot watching him play and if you ask me, that is just how feel-good movies feel like, only that this is for real. And we could not blame Roger (Can I call him Roger?) if he feels like he is living a fairy tale story, having a fairy godfather watching by the stands, witnessing every moment that success comes to him—-like this time, winning in the All England Club after a match that proved to be the toughest for him in years with Rafael Nadal showing how he could be a real threat to his phenomenal run.

Yet, it should not be Bjorn Borg’s record that Roger was priming at. I feel so much that it is Pete Sampras amazing 7 Wimbledon title that he is aiming at. He is aiming for the best and he looks like he is never gonna stop until he reaches the apex of tennis glory. To be the best among the best.

The way he that he had played at this latest Wimbledon finals, there’s more reason to anticipate how he could break Sampras’ record in the soonest time possible. If you ask me, there is just nothing like him out there and I do not see any other player that could match his prowess on the court—-except perhaps on clay where he becomes a lesser tennis player (like every grass specialists had been such as Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi). His returns are so prolific that I have never seen such kind of accuracy in a player before, as if he had robotic eyesight that could designate a point at the other end of the court and then exactly bring the ball towards that point, like a Tomahawk missile guided by a programmed computer; hitting the target with enormous accuracy. To me, that is his greatest weapon. And this is the reason why Andy Roddick could not be fast enough to catch a return placed so far from where he stands guard and that’s why Nadal’s serve had many times been broken by this amazing return that Roger has. The only player that could perhaps effectively counter these spot-accurate returns is Boris Becker, the one player who could dive and run on the court like an agile Puma—-but sadly, he had already retired and had grown older.

That way—-with no notable rival on sight—-Roger Federer would certainly continue his phenomenal run on grand slam titles and would break every record that there is to break. He is just terrific. American legendary tennis player John McEnroe had once described him as a player that is so above the rest, a player playing in another level entirely, one that shoos in a different tennis altogether—one that we’ve never seen before.

This seems somehow to be a scary thought—especially if one is an ATP-ranked player who have grand slam ambitions—-but I am enjoying it nonetheless. To Roger Federer—-I take my hat off for you and a thousand applause goes with that.

A New Twist In The Evolution Of Man

Scientists are often too smart that some of them have invented and built the smart Tomahawk missile, so smart that it can hit a target many miles away with a margin-of-error merely in meters. I once had joked before that Tomahawk missile were so smart that if one of them would decide to enter Harvard University, it would surely end up with a masteral degree of some sort.

But a recent fossil discovery in Kenya had once again divulged the weakness of established scientific theories on human evolution and scientists have found themselves scratching their heads, realizing that they are back to square one. It was previously well-accepted in the scientific community that humans (homo sapiens) have evolved gradually from apes towards hominids (or human-like apes), into human-like species generally known as Homo Erectus and then towards the present form of humans as Homo Sapiens (see this Wikipedia article on human evolution).

And then this discovery of a skull remains of a Homo Erectus in Kenya, one that was carbon-dated to have lived side by side Homo Habilis and therefore effectively set aside and destroyed the previously accepted table of evolution that had showed how Homo Habilis——termed as “The Handy Man” for having made and used stone tools—-have gradually transformed intoe Homo Erectus, the specie heavily believed to be the direct descendants of humans, except for the “missing link” specie that should connect them.

Now, scientists are not merely puzzled about this missing link between Homo Erectus and humans, but have now to contend to the question of how and where did Homo Erectus have evolved from, when it is now found out that they could not have evolved from Homo Habilis.

This new findings in fact reinforces another contending theory on human evolution, one that hypothesizes the sudden onset of the human specie, proposing that humans have not really gradually evolved from apes and hominids but have appeared into the scene in a sudden spurt of generation, revoking thereon the natural selection theory of Charles Darwin, as inculcated in his seminal notes “The Origin of Species”.

How human beings have suddenly appeared on Earth is now a scientific mystery that must be worth inquiring and scientists today might find it more worthwhile to investigate this angle than be stuck with the seemingly never-ending search for “the missing link”, which over the years had became like the quest for the Holy Grail, always searching but no finding. Unless if we believe Steven Speilberg and Mr. Indiana Jones.

Maybe scientists could better enlist some Tomahawk missiles in their quest for the “missing link” for they could prove to be smarter than any scientists living today. Just a suggestion, mind you.

In February 2007, A University of Pittsburgh professor named Dr. Jeffrey H. Schwartz have subscribed to this theory of sudden onset of human beings through a study he made using the “Molecular Assumption” principle where it becomes scientifically accepted as form of empirical result-gathering the use of blood serums in order to established the relativity of different species. It is quite a tricky form of experimentation vis-à-vis the theory of evolution since it did established that man and apes have similar strong molecular reaction in their blood serum and so therefore it is established that they are closely related groupings of mammals.

Now, this would seem to establish more the theory that man could have really come from apes. Not so, said Dr. Schwartz since the strongly similar serum reaction of man and ape’s establishes the assumption that they could not in fact have evolved from each other, either from ape to man or man to ape, since they won’t easily “divulge” from each other, or in plain text, they can’t spread out from each other since in the first place, they have similar structure in molecular terms, closely knitted that they can spread out from one to another, but existing side by side most probably. It’s really a tricky scientific assumption, not easily understood.

But as I understand it, this Molecular Assumption theory can be exemplified by the circumstance of two plastic balls, one was small and simple (apes) and one was huge and quaint-looking (humans). They have been placed side by side in one particular place, there even from the beginning of time, and have not evolved from each other, one did not came from the other, but had always been there and placed there together—-not one after the other.

Of course, this new theory on human evolution is very new that at this point it would be hard-pressed to easily overcome the well-established and accepted natural selection and gradual evolution theory that had been there for one and half century now, since the time Charles Darwin had launched “the voyage of the beagle”.

So did man gradually evolved from apes? If so, could we see a good evidence of gradual and slow transformation when the “missing link” species remains a mystery till this day and in fact been widened by this new fossil discovery in Kenya?

Or did human beings did came so suddenly as a specie?

Perhaps, it now becomes a question if in fact Adam and Eve were suddenly thrown out from Eden and found themselves suddenly on Earth full of hominids or Homo Erectus.

What do you think?

When Tragedy Strikes Twice

I’ve been watching closely the Utah mining disaster for nearly two weeks now and on the 11th day, I felt so saddened that instead of finally reaching the six miners trapped underneath the mines since Monday of last week—-when the pit there collapsed enormously—-three more deaths have occurred.

CNN had been showing even the very tunneling activities made by rescuers—most of whom were colleagues of the trapped miners—-and exhibited almost a blow-by-blow account of the rescue operation; it this was thought to be a first in broadcasting history.

I saw how mothers were crying for fear that the trapped miners were already dead, about six to seven days after being trapped there. I also saw those who feared for the lives of those who tried to save lives by digging new tunnels that would have lead to the estimated area where the trapped miners would possibly be.

And this latest tragic incident happened—-resulting to more lives lost instead of having saved any . It’s like what most call a lost-lost situation. Authorities in Salt Lake City have finally decided to scale down the rescue operation or call it off ultimately for fear of losing more lives.

This decision reached despite that some days ago, some sounds were heard from below the ground by a microphone and had given hope that the six miners might still be alive in a particular chamber underneath the mine, one that was hoped to have breathable space for the trapped miners to survive.

But eleven days hence, hopes have started to die down. Such tragic, tragic disaster really—despite that every disaster is supposed to be tragic in the first place. I am so saddened now realizing how fathers have lost their lives trying to earn their keep and gain a decent living, leaving wives and children behind, as well as brothers, sisters and comrades. How I wish this sort of thing doesn’t happen or have not happened.

I wonder now how mining is such a dangerous undertaking. We’ve heard ever so often how mining disasters occur in every part of the world, from South America to Asia, to places in Peru and in China, over and over again, throughout the years. America is the most developed nation in the world and still, no fool-proof mining scheme have been established despite that as a country, America have been mining minerals such as coal so vigorously for centuries now. The mining operation in Salt Lake City, where the disaster had occurred, was mining for coal to be used for energy and heating in households. There are such 18,000 coal mines spread all over America and as a long as the need for coal remains high, such disaster would always be at risk of happening.

I wonder if the danger posed by coal mining—-which includes sending miners dangerously so deep underneath the ground—-would justify other sourcing of energy like nuclear plants, which some sectors believe could be largely safer when it comes to deaths by accidents, as opposed to mining operations.

But radioactivity or the danger of contamination by such seems to be a looming hazard, like a huge fearful shadow that we often imagine at night when we were still so young as kids trying to get sleep so late at night.

Such is the dilemma posed by this mining disaster, between safety and the need for more and more sources of energy.

Google's Moon Landing Contest Is On

Just right about the time that I won the grand prize in Jayred’s recently-held blog contest, I have stumbled upon this one-of-a-kind competition while surfing for news, one that’ll boast a 20 Million Dollar top plum and guess what company is behind this thing—-it’s none other than our beloved Google . It happens that Google is now initiating yet another online service that would make available live moon scenarios on the net as well as images of relics of past explorations. The said contest calls for any private group or team to land a rover into the moon and then send live images of the landscapes there towards land-base and that the rover should be able to move and roam within a 5-kilometer radius. The first team to achieve such feat before 2012 would win the huge bonanza and if the rover could find old relics of space equipments from past explorations, like the famed Apollo 11 mission, and catch images of them, then there would be additional 5 million dollar on top of the main prize.

Accordingly, Google is sponsoring this competition not merely to spur its online corporate growth by providing this one-of-a-kind service in the coming years but also to encourage private entities to pursue space experimentation and discovery. As of now, only government-backed agencies undertake such in-depth venture into space, way beyond the orbiting satellites that are often commercial in nature. Today in fact, Japan had just launched its first mission to the moon.

Experts believed that there are about 5 to 6 private entities or group of private entities in the world today that is capable of undertaking such medium-scale exploration into the moon. However 5 or 6 to me is a very minimal number and the competition might merely turn into a race among few selected individuals rather than a wide-open and globally widespread event, as envisioned by its organizers. I do hope that many other private entities or companies from all over the world would find the competition worthwhile enough and join the contest, thus making it a truly historic global occasion.

There is one major difficulty that will be faced by those who would partake in this rover-landing competition and that is economic-wise. My researched had informed me that in most instances, NASA spends just above a billion dollar in order to launch a moon exploration and that’s a whole lot of money—-way, way beyond the financial capacity of any private entity or agency. Except if Bill Gates becomes interested. Yet there aren’t just too many out there with Mr. Gates economic capability.

But fortunately, a California-base company is offering its moon-reaching Falcon Rockets for a sum of 7 Million Dollars each. If the top prize is 20 Million, then the winners would still take home some 13 Million Dollars or so above cost, and that is still pretty huge.

Apparently, the main challenge here lies in the building of the rover, one that would be able to carry high definition cameras towards the moon and utilize them in the most efficient manner while being thousand of miles above ground and then be capable of transmitting images back to Earth. Major advancements in electronics and telephony would for certain make this main endeavor a not-so-difficult task. Let us remember that in the past, a Filipino scientist had been behind the famous Lunar Rover (one with the noticeable umbrella–like instrument attached to it) used by NASA in its early moon explorations in the 70’s. So everything is doable. The only real struggle for each competitor would be where to get the sizable funding needed to launch the rover into space and then land safely on the moon.

Maybe, local scientists can join the fray with the support of some generous private individuals. This would surely propel our nation’s reputation for innovation and ingenuity. Who knows, we might just get lucky. And you know, small miracles do happen.

Iraq War: It's All About Oil, Says US Top Economist

Former United States Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan has his life finally put on paper and he has salient points to affirm there that got the whole world listening, or wanting to listen to. In his newly-released memoir “Age of Turbulence: Adventures In A New World”, Greenspan sharply points out the Bush administrations’ misguided inclination towards overspending and further criticizes the Republicans in Capitol Hill to have had sacrificed principles for pecuniary and political gains and ended up with neither in the end.

When Alan Greenspan speaks, everybody listens. As a federal economists, Greenspan had accumulated enormous reputation for being such a great financial strategists and many sees him as the one single entity that had kept the American economy afloat all those years he was in service, despite the occurrence of major disturbances that had threatened it every now and then, like the Black Monday crash of 1987 and the boom-and-bust onslaught of the so-called dot.com economic expansion.

The most telling of all revelation in this memoir is the pronouncement by the author himself about how the Iraq War was all about or mostly because of oil. And if Alan Greenspan says so, there would always be great probability to it. Except if the economic genius has just gotten too old and weak in the head that now, he is just merely saying nonsense, like most old people do.

If you ask me, I wouldn’t be so surprise if in fact US President Bush’s military venturing into Iraq is mainly caused by the need for oil, or in protection of the oil industry either domestically in the US, or in general, for as a matter of fact, President Bush himself was once top oil executive, just like his father. He may have brought some of his old private agendas into the White House, either willfully or not. That would be not so difficult to fathom.

But what I have got a problem with is how President Bush had been posturing a different agenda all along in risking lives of American soldiers into danger zones and wasting enormous resources, such as the heroic push for democracy in the Middle East or in defense of the Homeland. It would be monumental hypocrisy if in fact Mr. Greenspan was right, and President Bush was just pretending all along to be dutiful in waging a huge and costly war in Iraq. Maybe the heavy military spending in Iraq is one symptom of the alleged inclination of the Republicans to overspend and defy any reasonable economic restraint.

For now, it is just a memoir and we all know that in any biography or autobiography, anyone can just say whatever he or she wants to say. But I am just wary that in this case, the famous person behind the memoir is not just another ageing American actor or actress, or a balding American athlete, but someone who everybody listens to whenever he opens his mouth.

Let us see how President Bush would respond to this latest smoldering issue against him and his military venture into Iraq.

The Iran Situation: When "worst" means "war"...

The sum of all our fears still remains. When North Korea had finally lessened its adamant stand on pursuing its bellicose nuclear program,—-allowing onsite inspection of suspected facilities within its territory—-I have thought then that the world could heave a sigh of relief, even for just a moment. But the nuclear menace whipped back with thunderous noise when French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner issued recently a very strong statement concerning Iran’s hesitation to forego of its nuclear ambition. “We have to prepare for the worst” Kouchner had said and “the worst” means military action against Iran. In fact, this has gotten the Russian Foreign Minister so up on his feet and quickly admonished the idea of war against Iran as very dangerous and risky.

Such “warmonging” statements from the French Foreign Minister; this only means that the EU had not been achieving anything palpable in its intense negotiation and bargaining with Iran. This is so discouraging knowing how EU had been so evidently confident before about the talks, promising that they would result to a most ideal compromise. EU had even been so critical of President Bush for being too fast on his gun when White House had been hinting of airstrikes against suspected nuclear facilities inside Iran since last year. Now, EU seems to have raised up its hands and given up. Cracks in the talks between EU and Iran had finally showed like an ugly head from some infamous box. And it seems to me that the main thrust to stifle Iran’s threat—-as well as that of North Korea’s—-had fizzled out in a jiffy and threatens to blow away so completely.

This Friday in fact, the United Nation Security Council is set to convene in order to size-up possible sanctions against Iran, increasing pressure against it to desist from its ardent uranium enrichment activities. And most of EU seems to conform to the imposition of new and more stringent sanctions although Russia is quick to point out that a military solution would be highly unadvisable anytime soon. The Iran issue is clearly on a tightrope and because of this, the nuclear menace remains alive and kicking. It’s sad. Very, very sad and alarming.

In connection with this, Israeli warplanes had allegedly busted a target in Syria that had appeared so likely to be nuclear-related structures. The U.S. government had in fact been privy of this Israeli information and had taken serious action on it. If the Syria nuclear case proves to be not merely a fabrication, then the present nuclear problem becomes three-fold as U.S. intelligence had confirmed the presence of North Koreans in Damascus even when nuclear connection had been repeatedly denied by both Syria and North Korea.

Iran, North Korea and now Syria—-these three nations becomes focal to the nuclear problem that continues to haunt us. I hope the right steps would be undertaken to control this growing threat to world peace and safety. One or ones that would not have to reach the point of military action or anything near it.

A Series of Oil Price Increasing Events

By this time, my 100 pesos would put lesser amount of gasoline into my fuel tank and of course, I’ll be having lesser mileage because of that as local oil companies have once again increased pump prices yesterday. Probably, this is the immediate result of what had happened about a week ago, when world crude prices obtained an all-time high at 81 dollars to a barrel.

And thus, the law on oil prices remains true. When world oil rates increases, local oil companies are so quick on their guns, increasing local prices as immediately as possible. And when world oil prices decreases—-somehow happening once in a blue moon—-local companies are so slow to react and in readjusting local prices accordingly, posing excuses such as old inventories bought previously at higher prices are still the commodities that they are pumping out of their gasoline stations. It’s worst than Murphy’s Law I tell you.

81 dollars. That’s an all-time high and it’s noteworthy of reiterating while as we speak now, some sectors are even predicting further escalation of world oil prices. The main cause of the recent increases is being blamed at the seemingly lackluster production of OPEC and it seems that the oil-producing countries are not so inclined to increase production as Qatari Oil Minister Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah even asked this question, “What if I increase production and nobody buys it?”, referring to the dilemma allegedly faced by OPEC producers nowadays. I wonder if he is ever knowledgeable about a more universal law on supply and demand. If he increases production and not everyone would buy it, at least crude prices would go down globally and this would help the world economy from being hammered by energy deficiency, and thus avoiding widespread economic malaise. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize this. In the event a 100-dollar per barrel becomes imminent or even appertaining, to be sure there’d be a global economic meltdown nobody wants that to happen.

In light of this, I can sense that OPEC is just being reactionary to Asia-Pacific Economic Forum’s recent declaration on emission reduction by as much as 25% by 2030. Despite that the Sydney Declaration is mostly non-binding (not mandatory to signatory nations), it still remains a very strong move towards decrease in carbon-producing activities, or lesser use of fossil fuel as a means of production and transportation. By then, OPEC would foresee lesser selling opportunities as manufacturers would be opting for other sources of energy (what exactly they are we are not still sure at this time) for industrial production and transportation. Maybe, emission reduction would mean more use of bio-fuels and more hybrid cars on the road. OPEC would surely have lesser customers in that situation.

Is the recent increase in world oil prices (reaching a level never-before breached) merely a reaction of OPEC to APEC’s emission reduction move? We are not so sure by now, but the timeliness of recent events makes me think this way.

Something Good Coming From Myanmar

Despite the disappearances of monks and the deadly mayhem that had befell Rangoon, something slightly good has come out of Myanmar, due mainly to the intensified international pressure on the military junta over there led by Senior General Than Shwe. With China’s earlier rebuke of the crackdown in Myanmar and now India’s threat to disengage entirely with the leadership over there (where China and India remains the only avid ally of the military junta), General Than Shwe backs-off in a very huge way and had called for a talk with the U.S diplomats concerning the crisis over there. And just minutes ago, General Than Shwe had even agreed to have a talk with apprehended Burmese freedom icon Aung San Suu Kyi, probably on the possible direction that Myanmar had to take, away and distinct from what it is right now.

This is a major major development if you ask me and I feel some relief over this. The military leadership in Rangoon is not that hard-as-stone afterall and may be open to malleable compromises.

Actually—-in fairness to the military junta over there—-a Myanmar parliament had always been in the making but what had always happened is that it had always come-up suspect of military cookery, like that of Marcosian Batasan Pambansa where every member where allegedly hand-picked and the whole parliamentary body were just a farce. And because of the bloody military crackdown, fairness is not an apt word to use at this time.

But now, I surmise that nothing sort of that would happen again. I expect that part of the talks would include the holding of a genuine consultation with the people, through a valid election and then the formation of a truly popular electorate and government. This is the only way Myanmar could escape the intensified embargoes against it or else, it would wither like a plant without water and sunlight. Iraq was like that—-despite that it was an oil producing countries, misery and poverty had encumbered upon it that it’s citizens were suffering on daily rations for a long time. I do not mean that the Myanmar populace would suffer like that (And I wish Iraqis were not disturbed by such) but sanctions really work that way.

Whatever comes out of the talks. I wish the best of luck for Myanmar and I wish their people very well.

Super Sports Sunday

Today is October 7, 2007, a day with two sevens on it. While the number “7” is mostly associated with luck (as in Lucky 7), this date is not about luck or being fortunate, it is about being “super” as in “super sports Sunday” as Manny Pacquiao would once again battle Mexican living legend Marco Antonio Barrera in a grueling 12-round fight. Manny Pacquiao appears to be the strong favorite not only here in his own country but also even in Las Vegas and that’s understandable. The 5-year difference in their ages would for certain show and be telling in this fight. It had in fact showed when they first boxed in Texas and the older Barrera just couldn’t take the Pacquiao rock solid punches into the body and head. Maybe he was just unprepared at that time to face a virtually wet-in-the-ears young boxer that Manny was then. And maybe Barrera comes into the ring this time more prepared than before. And maybe, a miracle would happen in Las Vegas today.

But in general, this fight is over. Manny is just too strong a puncher for an old horse like Barrera.

Yet, if some rumors or street talk holds true—-one that is circulating somehow in this city—-Manny Pacquiao would opt to throw away this fight and lose it so that a more exciting rematch would ensue months from now, ala Pacquiao-Morales III. That way, more money would come in for both Pacquiao’s and Barrera’s already bulging pocket. And that means, professional boxing has just descended into the level of pro wrestling where everything is but a farce. I hope Manny Pacquiao would not stooped down to such level despite the fact that he had already made a fool of himself by running for a congressional seat some months ago.

On to the second spectacular sporting event that’ll make this day a Super Sports Sunday—- At about 3:00 this afternoon, the UE Red Warriors would try to snatch the second game of the UAAP best-of-three championship and keep it’s hope alive for a first-ever championship since Allan Caidic and Jerry Codiñera led UE to it’s last UAAP crown in 1985.

La Salle is of course would not be taking matters lightly and would go for the title juggernaut this afternoon and make the warriors cry once more. Last year, UST had won a nail-biter of a game over the Red Warriors and had them eliminated from the title hunt.

A cousin of mine is playing for UE and although Fhadz Bandaying does not have much playing time for the Warriors, he still remains a very important member of this amazing UE team, which went on sweeping all its elimination games this year, as he gives quality time off the bench.

When I was able to talk to Fhadz last year, I kinda told him that the UST lost last year was a good learning experience for them and that this year would be a better year for them. And indeed, this year is not only better but also in fact very outstanding with that elimination sweep. Even if they lost to La Salle today, it would still be a far better year than last year for them.
But I hope cousin Fhadz and his Red Warriors teammates would win this game today and win it all in Game 3. Nothing like a championship title.

When The Music Is Over

“When the music’s over…Turn out the lights.”

—Jim Morrison, The Doors, in the song “When The Music’s Over”

When Prince teamed-up last June with UK’s The Mail newspaper in releasing his Planet Earth album for free to millions of fans, Time Magazine considered it a very good ploy. Good to whom or to what, it is not exactly clear. For certain, record companies were not happy with the Prince move and in fact, one record company executive was so pissed off that he had warned (and perhaps wished) that one day, Prince might just end up being known as “The Artist Formerly Available in Record Stores”, referring in half-jest to the American rockstar’s all too all-too-well-known ploy in the past of not using his known screen name in referring to himself but merely by a symbol he had designed himself and thence was referred only to as “The Artist Formerly Known As Prince” for some time about a decade ago.

Now comes Radiohead with it’s new album release “In Rainbows” being made available online before copies of it would hit record stores shelves (if it would ever will), and guess what, digital version of it could be downloaded starting tomorrow, for everyone to get for “an open price”, where the online customer r customers could decide for themselves on what price to pay. So it’s not so free like that of Prince’s Planet Earth, you might want to ask. It is not. But you got to choose the price, which could be as low as two cents. And that’s virtually free, if you ask me.

Why would a big rock band like Radiohead would do such a thing?

They are a very popular band and have become so rich for that. This perhaps where the answer lies. They could be so rich already that they could afford to do such thing just for fun or for some experimentation. Or perhaps, they just want to thank their fans for making them so rich in the past.

But in general truth, I feel that popular musicians releasing free music online (or virtually free music such as this Radiohead “In Rainbows” album) has become such a gradually descending phenomenon in the international music scene, as a general reaction to the overpowering flow of music file-sharing schemes, which goes on so strongly up to this time despite rigid legal battles that had been waged by big record companies against online file-sharing companies as well as against individuals caught illegally downloading copyrighted materials into their personal computers. Days ago, a Minnesota single-mother was adjudged $220,000 for having been caught with illegal downloads in her PC.

The onset of the digital music, especially in easily downloadable MP3 and MP4 formats has completely changed how music is being sold nowadays, and maybe one day, how music will be made. Perhaps, the days of the CD format music record will be one day gone, sooner than we can ever think, and every music that we ever want and would ever need would be gotten merely from online stores. In our city——small but highly urbanized—-almost all record shops here have closed down, and every music section in department stores and shopping malls has already been scrapped. Such is how music retail has changed so radically in this town as downloading and CD-burning services have started to sprout all over the city. When one wants the latest music, all one has got to do is get to the nearest DSL Internet café and get all the music one wants for a very reasonable price. It is like a buffet table over there. You can eat all you can for one regular price.

Is this good? Is this bad?

For a music lover like me, I like the very salacious idea of having a lot of music in one burned CD for a price so much lower than what I would have gotten if I bought them at record stores. But it’s bad since it would have negative effects for the record music industry, with record stores going bankrupt and becoming a thing of the past, like ice cream parlors and sarsaparilla.

And besides it’s illegal. I do not mean to be hypocritical here and I could not deny that I might have downloaded some of the music I had without paying for it. But what gives. Even if I wanted to pay for it, the record stores here don’t have any new music anymore. Not everyone has a credit card to buy all the music online or a DSL connection to get it through the PC at home.

So where’s music going to in this digital age? I have a feeling that online file sharing schemes would always be an Internet age reality and may not go away completely anymore despite how much the huge record companies are spending in millions to combat and prosecute them. There would always be new ways to download that illegal music copy.

Maybe music artists of today are meant to adjust to the new digital environment anyway. The days of selling millions and millions of albums or CDs through record stores would soon be over. Future record artists would have to find some other way to make real good money. Maybe they need to stage more and more concerts in order to get more and more out of their work. Live concerts or tickets could not in any way be illegally downloaded that’s for sure and they won’t have to worry about Limewire or Bit Torrent putting the ticket concerts for online sharing.

Maybe, music was really like that even in the beginning. Before the phonograph was invented in 1870, one would only be finding music if one gets to the concert or an open field exhibition. No vinyl then, no record tapes, no CDs and for certain, no MP3 players.

Maybe, music is just returning to where it once belongs.

Live and in concert.

The Hydrogen Society

If cars would run with water as fuel, then every motorist would be transported into his or her own dreamworld. Imagine running around uninhibited by the amount of gas one has in his/her fuel tank. That would just be sublime.

Researchers in Japan have most recently pronounced that in the future, cars would be running on water…no not exactly…. on water-components to be exact, with highly pressurized hydrogen firing up the car engines.

This would result in radically lessened expense on fuel and in fact would be so clean that it would boasts of zero rate emission of carbon dioxide. With the issue on climate change and global warming at the forefront in recent times, this hydrogen fuel prediction is none lesser than what could be termed as timely.

An executive of Mazda Corporation had boldly announced how his company foresees “The Hydrogen Society”, explaining how a rotary engine would make hydrogen fuel fully viable fuel for cars and other road transports. He said that the rotary engine would resolve the problem of abnormal combustion that common-type internal combustion engines poses when using highly-pressurized hydrogen gas. Apparently, hydrogen burns faster than gasoline and at a much lower temperature thus common engines would not be able to function efficiently on it. Mazda had found a solution to this problem by using the rotary engine technology and it is applying it now on its latest RX-8 Hydrogen RE model.

In 1996, Mazda had gained permit from the Japanese government to make commercially available the RX-8 Hydrogen RE model car, one that has two fuel tanks and could run both on the usual petroleum gasoline as well as hydrogen and had been leased to a number of companies there as well as to some government agencies. Apparently, that test-marketing had resulted in some positive gains that now, Mazda is audaciously pronouncing a future of wide hydrogen use.

But is the “Hydrogen Society” really a practicable idea?

In my mind, the hydrogen technology is such a viable idea and there’s no question about its feasibility—-simply said, hydrogen is for certain a proven combustible element that could produce sizable energy. However, I feel that Mazda may be a little bit unrealistic by painting this “future” as very nearby when in fact, at the rate that the advancement in hydrogen technology (as fuel in cars) had been going and the not-so-ideal reception of the public to hybrid cars (hybrid electric cars and those powered by hydrogen fuel cells have so far not been sold in huge numbers despite it’s averred advantages), the “hydrogen society” may not be at hand in the near future. Maybe in a hundred years.

If you ask me if “The Hydrogen Technology” is a good idea, then of course I would opined that it is a very good idea, in fact nearly an utopia. By all means and in all sense, I would like to run my car in a very convenient way, on cheap fuels that is based on a very common commodity, which is water. Who would not like that to happen?

In any case, it makes me wonder how this brave pronouncement by a group of Japanese researchers would affect the present status quo in the world oil market, even as global oil prices have now reached record-high, just about a couple of days ago, towards the unbelievable $90 rate, a price level that had not been breached before. Would oil traders panic and drive the prices further upward. To be sure, a future where cars would run on widely-available hydrogen fuels would for certain harmed their interest, as demands for petroleum would dramatically go down by then.

I just hope that oil producers would not take this “Hydrogen Society” pronouncement so seriously and decide to further disturb the status quo by increasing oil prices globally.

On a more personal note, this topic reminds me how I had this friend in highschool nicknamed “Snik” (he was in higher years). He had this seemingly sordid story about this one Filipino scientist who was able to invent a car that could run on water. I was full of unbelief of course when he had brought up this story to me. He had insisted that it was true, in bated breath at that. So I asked him about what had happened to the scientist and his water-fuelled car. Snik said, the scientist just disappeared one day and was unheard of ever since. Why? I asked. How did it happen that he suddenly disappeared? I was thinking that maybe—-as Snik was insinuating—-he had gained some enemies due to his secret formula and had been exterminated. No, Snik answered me—-his face so sullen with ultimate seriousness, the kind of face one usually sees on a no nonsense kind of guy—-the Filipino scientist was bought off by the oil carter, paid a very handsome price so as not to ever introduce the technology to the public and then to surrender his masterplan on it.

By the way, Snik was also one who—-every time he hears a very good song playing on the radio—-had always said that the particular song sounds just like the one he had composed and that he had just thrown his composition into a trashcan and that most probably, somebody found it and thus, the song was being played, without him being credited as the original composer.

He had also intimated to me how one day, he had a drawing of a very powerful weapon but had decided to throw it into (yet another) trashcan. When I asked how did the weapon looked like and if he could draw it again. He just said that if I looked carefully at an M-16 Armalite, it looked exactly like that. And thus he said, he was really the one who had designed the oh-so-famous Armalite, and that somebody had just found his design in a trashcan.

So perhaps, Snik is just too wordy for comfort. He just doesn’t make sense.

But does “A Hydrogen Society” make sense to you?

Myanmar Needs Every Help Possible

Just months after being perturbed by widespread conflict, where hundreds of monks took to the streets in protests of the military junta there, where some have been fatally shot at, Myanmar is once again thrown into a crisis, this time all the more grave and lamentable.

Cyclone Nargis lashed at the southwestern region of Myanmar, along the famed Irriwaddy delta, and left more than 22,000 people killed. At that rate, this tragedy has become of massive proportion as the number of deaths is expected to rise steadily where 40,000 others remain missing and unaccounted for.

The first time I heard about the cyclone hitting Myanmar, I was not as perturbed at that point considering that in this part of the world, harsh weather conditions mostly come and go throughout the year, especially such as in the Philippine situation. But hours after I heard the initial reports from CNN, I began to hear the word “cyclone” and that got me a little bit more disturbed. I never thought a cyclone exist or could possibly happen in this part of the world, for I’ve never heard windstorms passing through the Asian region called that way. Tropical cyclones are often termed as typhoons around here.

But Nargis was called a cyclone even from the beginning, bringing such havoc.

It is but sad for our neighbor Myanmar. I have been in full disagreement to the military rule there, especially with Nobel laureate Aung Sang Suu Kyi still being persecuted there under a prolonged house arrest but the Myanmar people surely doesn’t need to be disturb by yet another ugly situation. It’s just a bad thing for them.

I hope the aids and assistance from the international community would continue to pour in and not be delayed any second more. A minute delay might mean lives being saved or lost. Electricity is all cut-down. Water is not to be found. Shelter is ever more needed. It’s time that the military junta there set aside their all-too-ardent politics and allow every possible assistance to come in.

Earlier, an American response team were disallowed entry into the affected area as the military government continues to be adamant against the U.S. government and wouldn’t allow any possibility of an American military presence there, even for just a small length of time, despite the urgent necessity for assistance.

EU had pledged about 3 Million dollars and that would be just be about sufficient for the immediate concerns. But U.S. personnel are more experienced and far more capable to respond to this kind of situation that their presence is of extreme necessity there. I hope politics should take a backseat for now. Lives of thousands in the Irriwaddy delta are at stake here and that should be the main focus now.

And I hope members of ASEAN, like the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand should extend the most help possible, and it is time to apply and put into action the ASEAN spirit of neighborliness and cooperation and help Myanmar get out of this very distressing situation.

Would The GOP's Palin Gamble Still Hold?

Primarily, Senator John McCain’s and that of the GOP’s bid to retain the US presidency is in great jeopardy at this moment. The main question arising now is whether or not Alaska governor Sarah Palin could weather the media storm that had befell the Republican Party side ever since she announced her 17 year old daughter’s pregnancy to the public. It’s a case for Murphy—-just when they would have thought that nothing could go wrong, something did.

Imagine that Palin is from Alaska and we all know that Alaska does not really get anybody’s attention and interest except for polar bears and melting ice caps. That was the main gamble, Palin being a complete nobody.

But she’s personable enough to withstand that anonymity, as Sen. McCain would hope and I think that’s a fair chance. But despite of this apprehension, the pregnancy issue comes forth. I could almost feel the headache on every Republican Party strategist.

So there’s hope. That’s what is important now. Let us say that ‘nobody’s perfect’ and that this is a ‘brave new world’ where acceptability of norms and mores just got widened and besides, America ought to be the broadest-minded nation in the whole world.

Yet in politics, every candidate should be ‘perfect’. That should be a cardinal rule; to be perfect even if they have to lie or become hypocritical. It’s a jungle ought there.

Now I am reminded by Joe Kelin’s “Primary Colors”. Just when I thought that that the political election book was such a clever and very dramatic work, it pales in comparison to the drama and twists of this year’s US elections.

Himala: A Cinematic Achievement In A Time of Cinematic Doldrum

It would definitely be worthwhile to be taking note of a major achievement gained by Philippine cinema as Ishmael Bernal’s “Himala” had just been chosen as the “Best Asia-Pacific Movie of All Time”, an award given by the highly-credible CNN news network.

Just when we all thought that Philippine cinema is such in a doldrums, spewing mediocre if not atrocious movies one after the other, this international recognition has single-handedly brought our filmmakers to the world map. Perhaps, as I would greatly hope so, this tribute to the Filipino’s once vaunted ingenuity in filmmaking should put new vigor into our movie industry, inspiring local producers to invest more on quality films, rather than the irreverent dosage of cheesy love stories and hackneyed fantasy films that they have been feeding the local moviegoers in recent years.

The state of Philippine cinema today is such in a horrendous state. I remember a time when each year, at least one notable production would be in the offing, finely crafted and aimed to educate and enlighten aside from being delightfully entertaining. I remember a time that even teen movies were created so artfully that aside from gaining hordes of profit from adulating young fans, they also become socially relevant for the message they had conveyed. For example, the film “Bagets” was one movie that could easily be said to have been aimed at attracting young moviegoers as it starred several young and highly popular moviestars at the peak of their careers. And despite that it appeared to be a teeny-bopper of a movie, it was intelligently crafted, especially the script which was reflective of the social problems involving the youth at that time like family alienation and lack of direction in life.

Years ago, local movies are so full of memorable scenes and dialogues, even if they were love stories. For example, who could forget that line when Gabby Concepcion had relayed to Sharon Cuneta that she was his “number one”, and Ms. Cuneta answered, “Ayoko ng “number one’, kasi merong “number two” at saka me “number three”.

But nowadays, local filmmakers churn out almost all the time shallow and mind-numbing love stories and I bet we are all so full of them that we could not take them no more. It’s perplexing for example how every local movie released nowadays are so singular in theme and premise, about some lovers traipsing and running around sand beaches, about how some girl was such in a miserable state of being and some hunky-dory rich handsome guy would suddenly appear in her life, usually in a limousine with a bunch of roses and chocolates in hand, ready to become her hero and savior and would finally take her away out of her miserable life. I mean, gosh, haven’t we all got fed up with these kind of saccharine stuff? Does that really happen in real life? I’ve never seen one from our neighborhood if you ask me.

Fortunately, “Himala” is one bright light for Philippine cinema, a flicker of hope, a light to be followed. I’ve actually seen this Nora Aunor-starrer for about three to five times already, except that, I could not seem to remember the details even if I’ve seen it so many times before. It’s like a mystery to me. Perhaps, there’s an advantage in that as it would always be like the first time whenever I decide to view it again. I have the same feeling whenever I watched “Casablanca” where despite that I’ve like the polished black and white production with the guy named Sam in it, I almost always forget the details of the story, like I thought Humphrey Bogart was always going from place to place looking for Ingrid Bergman, and never really had found her, that I felt like if he was alive today, he would still be looking for her, like a mad man. It felt that way, even though websites about the movie actually tells a story different from what I thought it was.

“Himala”, according to some details I remember about the movie (to which I’ve seen the last time about a year ago as a lunch movie treat from a local television channel), is a very powerful and well-made movie, with the script so tightly knitted that it stands unparalleled at that. The shots by Director Bernal were magnificently done, using spans that are so reminiscent of the filmmaking techniques often utilized by the great Japanese director Akira Kurosawa.

Nora Aunor’s acting is the highlight of the movie and without it “Himala” would have been entirely mediocre and insignificant.

Truth to be told, if I am to judge the greatest Filipino movie of all time, “Himala” would have not been at the top of my list. It would have been Peque Gallaga’s “Oro Plata Mata”, a sprawling period saga that was outstanding in its production that seeing it for the first time was such a blast. It was almost a perfect movie for me—- good script, fine production and glanderous climactic end.

But “Himala” was the chosen one and even noted now as not only best here in our country, but also in the entire Asian sphere, and noted by none other than the very creditable CNN. Maybe I should agree with the choice.