The Beat – June 12, 2009

Because my brother is not a pig. He’s just a glutton with a flu!

Not really. I don’t have a brother. But we did have a pet pig once and she was gynormous! I remember playing with her when I was around 6 years old – the time when I thought that playing with pigs isn’t that bad at all. Of course all good things come to an abrupt end, and not long after our discovered connection, she was bought and taken somewhere far. Perhaps to a faraway town where she was the star of the fiesta, only to end up in bellies with other animal friends such as Bingbing Kambing the goat (turned Kaldereta; she had a nice goatee by the way) and Maria o’Sawa the python (they seem to love exotic foods). At least she didn’t die of swine flu. That makes her luckier than some of us right now.

Why? Because WHO (World Health Organization, for long) has declared swine flu as an official pandemic. What used to be classified as a Phase 5 disease is now up to Phase 6. For dummies, Phase 6 is the highest alert level the WHO can give. And yes, you’re next in line. See you when you get there, if you ever get there (I’m talking of heaven of course).

Just kidding, there’s no need to panic. It seems like they have taken full control of the situation (like they always do when they want to make believe). Remember that panic kills, so if you don’t want to die from something like Swine Stampede, you better behave and leave everything to the experts. Although you’re better off leaving it all to a divine being, apparently, a virgin sacrifice has to be made. These days however, you might have a bigger chance of winning the lottery than finding one. Good luck!

Tests results also say that while the virus strain seems to be as persistent as ever, it still looks like a kiddy naval mine designed by some geek who had trouble with colors. Also, when asked if they (the viruses) were already part of the posse named the Ninja Turtles, scientists got a straight “NO”. Good! That means they’re not mutating just yet. That also means they’re not getting deadlier as of now.  And most of all, we should be thankful they’re not human turtles yet. We’re running out of old-world artist names. Should we name the next ninja turtle Shakespeare?

While there are already 77 confirmed cases of swine flu in the Philippines (as of yesterday, June 11), Filipinos need not panic. And while nobody died from it just yet in the country, it is also believed that the said disease will only target a certain group of pigs found in a place called the House of Representatives. How convenient.

Stay healthy everyone! 

David Archuleta’s Version of Vanessa Carlton’s "A Thousand Miles"

A beautiful song by a good artist… and now, by another. There aren’t a lot of remakes out there that doesn’t end up murdering the original version.

Here’s one exceptional example - it’s David Archuleta’s rendition of Vanessa Carlton’s 1,000 Miles. This one’s really wonderful as well. Now we can’t wait for the duet.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one!

 A Thousand Miles - David Archuleta.mp3 

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly – June 10, 2009

Because everybody can dance but only a few can do so with the music.  

Had they started school for real last Monday, this would have been the first crazy midweek of the semester – which means I dodged another bullet from all the stress and discomfort of trying to get myself into a new routine that’s going to last for only four months anyway. Looks like the busy life did really wait up. But I do hope school resumes next week. Busy is better than bummer.

“The Beat” (as in that specific post which I promised to post every Wednesday or Thursday) might also have to wait. I was thinking of it until about an hour ago when I realized my idle mind was never going to get rolling tonight. It’s raining by the way, which adds to it all. I just want to sleep, but not without a fight.

So I went on Youtube-surfing, and then my mind started working, almost.  Anyhow, here’s something from my cold consciousness.

The Good

Throw a pebble in the pond, and you’ll surely create ripples that go beyond the things your heart desires.

This is a perfect example of how all of us can be connected by an invisible string that sways to the beat. There are no puppet masters above us to direct everything we do, only the love for a single Utopia that we can never tell; only feel from one another. Have you touched a life today?

We all are like ants. We can’t make this world work if we don’t relate to, inspire, or touch each other in a meaningful way every now and then. The moment we understand how a simple dance for life can go a long way until, perhaps, the end of time is the moment when we truly realize what it means to be human .   

When are you going to start dancing?

The Bad

Nah, it’s not really that bad. It’s just Pacquiao dancing. No, not the pacman. I’m talking about “Pacmama”, Aling Dionisia. Don’t get me wrong here; I’m not a good dancer at all. But hey, we all love a good laugh sometimes – even when they come at the expense of a celebrity mom trying to do something that may just be meant for her after all. Though it might be awkward and funny for now, there’s no reason for you to stop trying right? It should be just a matter of time before she starts competing internationally. That is, if time can wait. Here’s the cut…

It’s admirable how she learned all those moves when after all, she’s 60 and some parts may already be squeaking for the lack of oil (or any lubricating fluid for that matter). Never underestimate the fighting spirit of a Pacquiao. You might just get a punch and never wake up; or perhaps a kiss from Pacmama herself and never get to sleep. Either way, you might not want to mess with them.

The Ugly (soon to be uglier)

Today’s ugly: Philippine politics, like it has always been. And it’s just going to get uglier from this point onwards. Even more complicated with the drive for Constitutional Assembly. Expect the mudslinging to come sooner than expected.

I would have given this ugly commendation to Gloria Arroyo and Prospero Nograles easily. Then again, this is the part where all only the ugly (and the uglier, in this case) happens, not the “ugliest”. Plus, they already got the ugly award anyway.

Here’s something serious from a group called Get Real Philippines. It gets a bit bland along the way, but this one surely makes sense. The video isn’t ugly, but why it’s here is because it makes sense and it provides us a subtle reminder of what’s to come and how we should deal with it.

 ~~~

That’s all for now. ‘Til next week!

Public Service 101: The H1N1 Scare

Since school won’t be starting until a week from now, I still have a lot of time to rattle whatever is left of my brain after being a long professional summer bummer – and yes, professional – I got paid on two separate occasions, even got a vacation. My parents actually exiled me to an island so far that I enjoyed the silence because I had no other choice but, well… to enjoy it.

Anyway, everybody save for some friends of mine saw the blessing in the postponement of classes. As for me, it’s not that happy really. Apart from being bummed up of bumming around, the reason behind the delay of classes (at least for the college level) seems to be serious. And you don’t have to be a pig to understand why.

They never did this with SARS as far as I can remember. Heck, that thing seems to be too complicated for us to meddle with anyway. The in thing now (that’s if you have a death wish) is some sort of flu virus codenamed AH1N1. Apparently, they didn’t like how swine flu sounded. And apparently, this one is less complicated than SARS, which makes it dangerous even more. It spreads like your regular flu, acts like the regular flu, even kills like the regular flu (only that it kills faster, and more frequently).

Since the beat really loves you people of the world, we’re attempting to put up something to remind you of stuff that might help you save your life. We all hope this helps, because apart from that, we can only hope that you’re alive until the next post we have in store for you.

—  Wash your hands a lot. Most diseases spread through your favorite all-around tool. It doesn’t matter whether you’re just shaking a friend’s hand, giving your homies a high five, or checking out your special someone in the dark (go figure). A lot of things in this world (with a very few exceptions of course) can only be manipulated with the help of your hands. That goes without saying that the best way to spread germs is, you guessed it right, using your hands.  So go your wash your hands frequently. Also, viruses and bacteria find it comfortable to breed on bar soaps. You’re better off using liquid antibacterial soap instead of their bar counterparts.

—  Do clean your stuff frequently. Especially the ones that get the special attention and close contact privileges from you. Things you touch frequently in your house like door knobs, kitchen utensils, your phone, your boyfriend’s aging picture that you kiss every night, etc. The last time we checked, there aren’t viruses that are meant to particularly attack these things. But just like your hands, they are potent carriers as well.

—  Germs love floating around stagnant air. So once in a while, open your windows and let some fresh air in. In doing so, you don’t only to get to breathe some fresh air, you’re also saving yourself from a potentially deadly fart that’s about to come and get stuck in the room.

—  Eat regularly and get enough sleep. Summer’s over anyway and you probably won’t be wearing all those skimpy bikinis like you used to a month or so ago. So don’t worry about gaining some weight. The point is to get enough nutrition. Anyway, if ever you get to spend some time in the hospital (unless you’re not kept in a quarantine facility in outer space), doctors would definitely ask you to eat more than you’re dieting self can ever swallow. There’s no problem in waiting for that time to come, right? That’s if you love hospital food.

–-  If you think you’re sick, do yourself a favor by wearing a surgical mask. Yeah right, you might look silly with it. But who cares anyway? Nobody’s going to recognize you anyway. If you’re feeling super, why not try it on with the mask of Zorro. With that on you, nobody’s going to get in close proximity with you. Not even the viruses! Nah… just kidding.

–-  And finally, while all sicknesses travel through different media i.e. through earth, wind, fire, air, and sex, there’s one common way that all germs love traveling through. Mental Telepathy. Almost all diseases start from within, particularly from the mind. The moment you start feeling bad is the moment you let your guard down. Don’t be such an ass and let go of all the stressful stuff you ever encounter. Instead of spreading viruses, why not spread happiness? And then we can start worrying about world peace after that.

Have a safe, swine flu free week everyone!

CPDRC Inmates in Cebu City dancing Jai Ho

And yes, they’re back with a bang. We just love talented people, don’t we?

Please, DO try this at home. =P

Top of the Flops: Super Ping

The week isn’t over yet but we have a sure winner, and it’s none other than Ping Lacson! 

 OK now kids let’s cut the guy some slack. He’s been flying under the radar for quite some time now for two obvious reasons – one being the arrival of ex-PNP overlord Cesar Mancao, who apparently has a big bag of secrets with him, so big that the administration and all other anti-Ping people definitely thought Santa Claus has finally come to town. The second reason perhaps was that Hayden Kho was so big these past few weeks that he blocked the entire radar out.

Anyway, this week’s Top of the Flops isn’t dedicated to the man himself, but his ambition of one day becoming the president. Hours ago, he announced that he decided to ditch the race to that position in Malacañang where you are entitled to every bed of roses in the Philippines, while everything you touch turns to gold. The main reason? For the lack of funds. The man expressed how the lack of mullah is not helping his bid to become the country’s most powerful individual. He also found out how he was relatively flunking nationwide surveys. The guy surely has become so practical – in fact, far too practical for a Filipino politician. There must be something cooking right around here huh?

Whatever that dish that’s on the stove right now, we can only wait and see (perhaps, even smell as well). It will probably start steaming in a couple of days, given how Filipinos love jumping in between the trampolines of showbiz and politics. We can only be sure of one thing; Ping’s scared of something, isn’t he?

Fine, he could be just scared of losing money, but that’s because he’s afraid he won’t win after all. Seriously, we all know he realizes that if he wins, he wouldn’t have a problem with trying to get back what he lost during the campaign. But as it seems now, that the problem now isn’t all about where to get the money, or what to spend it on, but most importantly, how to win. With the Dacer-Corbito case looming on the near horizon, there’s no way he’ll be able to stay out of the mudslinging. This was the last thing he wanted. And no matter how he boldly believes that he can escape this can of worms without a scratch, by the time the investigation kicks in for real, it’s been too long too late. He would have lost a big part of the influence he had in stock, and he would have already sworn on how the political system is so damn slow for the millionth time by then. Either way, his chances look so dim he’d rather not bet on it.

But we love it when a man admits his disadvantage and concedes early in the race, rather than use it as an excuse for coming in last at the end of it all. And for that, Ping deserves some admiration – in the future that is. Depending on how he acts. Anyway, actions speak louder than words, and we are so used to politicians saying one thing and doing another.

On other news…

The first game of the ’09 NBA Finals saw how the Lakers beat the Magic with style. Or shall I say, how Kobe beat the Magic with style? Either way, the Magic has a lot of things to think about now, including the latest addition to the missing superheroes list that goes by the name of Dwight Howard. No, he didn’t pick up an injury along the way; he just wasn’t the Dwight of the conference finals. Pau Gasol must have been really happy after the game eh? Kobe was - there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be. He was gifted 40 points nonetheless. Anyhow, where on the universe is superman when Orlando needed him the most?

Also, The Beat would like to share some endorphins to a friend who recently lost her dog, Clifford. Please do get that smile back.  We really don’t want seeing sad friends around. =]

The Beat – June 3, 2009

Because it’s always a rollercoaster ride out there.

Its Wednesday today which means that I am currently traveling on a road named midweek crisis (an acute, not so serious version of the infamous midlife crisis). And to everybody who doesn’t know how it feels to be on that road, it’s like seeing a big “sorry for the inconvenience” sign posted on a door of a convenience store – you just don’t know what to expect.

That sign was posted with candy colored fonts, mind you.

Anyhow, since I decided that from here onwards, I’m going to post something like this every Wednesday,  I should at least warn you that whenever I publish something right in the middle of the week, my brain is on a different coaster.You can ride at your own risk.

You might want to ask by now what this’ll be all about? Nothing really, I just want to share something once in a while – may it be something good or something really really good (although I could consider tragic stuff from time to time). If you think its bad however, at least you know that we’re not of the same type. But it doesn’t matter now, does it?

Here goes nothing.

The Rev-Up (that is, making the engine rant)

Like I never really thought about this until now (but I just did, really!), don’t you all think that we should start moving on from the Hayden Kho-slash-Katrina Halili-slash-Bong Revilla (because apparently, he loves riding this bandwagon) epic? I mean seriously, I loved watching the evening news programs until this turnaround of events spoiled my after dinner couch moments.

Oh well, they love talking about that scandal and it seems like they won’t stop. If I were them, I’d just be content with watching it (because I really do! Snickers. Except the ones with Katrina in it).

And for everybody who’s thinking that all the talk doesn’t produce a so called “net detriment” to the society, would they listen if I tell them that (and this is serious, I’ll bet my hot neighbor’s humps on this one): my friend David now wants to go to med school because he thinks he’s destined to be the next Hayden Kho? OK, economics for a pre-med doesn’t sound so bad, but trust me David, you really wouldn’t want to see yourself dancing 99% naked. We had enough when we saw you flunk that strip poker match on purpose. I never really saw a guy who was so fond with losing when his clothes were on the line.

Now I wonder how many people are thinking of the same thing. As for me, well, I’d rather be a senator – the type that meddles with stuff like these. I’d earn more that way.

The Drop

OK I really didn’t mean to sound nifty on this one. The drop is after all, meant for everything that’s not so good. I believe this one is just one of those times when you wanted to curb that smile for a while for something sorry.

What’s left of the Air France Flight 447 (at least some of it) have been found in the mid-Atlantic Ocean hours ago. The twists of fate never fail to upset us once in a while to the point that we just don’t know what to expect anymore. My deepest condolences go to all the families who lost somebody in the midst of the disaster.

Your crush in front of you (as in something to look forward to)  

This year’s version of the NBA Finals will be so good that I’m starting to wish they’d move the start of classes a week later so I can watch the games to my heart’s content. My bet? Nah, I have none. To me, it doesn’t matter who wins; what matters most is how it’s going to be played and how it’s going to unfold.

To be honest, if it was Cleveland who’s going to face the Lakers in the series, I’d be all for the Lakers. But Orlando played so good to my liking that now, I wouldn’t really mind if they take the crown from the LA guys. This one is going to be so magically, uhm… angelic. There, I just couldn’t find something good out of “Los Angeles”, much less from “Lakers” (whatever that means) that sounds well with magically. 

And before I forget, look out for the world ten-ball championship as well. Not that I’m a diehard fan of pool (not yet), but this girl Yu Ram Cha is somebody all Pinoys would surely love (I think I already do). Anyway, she’s a South Korean so there won’t be much of an adjustment left to do – except to realize that she’s a billiard star, not a Koreanovella idol.

Can you hear me singing a song ala Stevie Wonder now? Isn’t she lovely lalala… Isn’t she wonderful. 

The Black Pearl (as in the pearl of wisdom, only black)

This week’s version of the black pearl is, quite unfortunately, brown. Anyway, I just learned that in order for you to burn all the calories you get from munching on an “Au Bon Pain Chocolate Chip Brownie” that gives you 380 calories worth of chocolate loving, you have to spend 129 minutes of Hatha style yoga. For everybody’s sake of knowing, the Hatha style is the slow-paced  and gentle type of the basic yoga. How convenient! But it surely won’t beat an hour going to Calculus class. Then again, who would want to study Calculus when all they need is to emulate Dhalsim and his videogame antics?

Yoga Fire! See you next week amigos.

The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.

When Yasutani Roshi was, once upon a time, thinking out loud, he dished out a Zen proverb so beautiful that I had to name my first post with it.

It’s the last day of May today, which means the busy days are upon me. Funny, I didn’t really hate June that much to begin with. A few weeks back, I was sorely missing school. Now that I’m days away from it, I just can’t stop thinking about vacation. I just can’t choose which one to love!

But I’d rather not stress myself out with that one. Now, I’ll just make do and make love with the time I have left before school starts for real. This is where all the Zen stuff comes in handy.

“The fundamental delusion of humanity is to suppose that I am here and you are out there.”

It should only mean to say that there is oneness with the world the moment you stop thinking about distance and boundaries. After all, we all are one, in one world, with one thought, and one goal. In one way or another, you have been me and I have been you. I know your thoughts, just as you know mine. Just like that pervert guy in the corner, you sure are pervert too (and yes, I occasionally am). And just like me, and everybody else in the world right now, you’ve been thinking of yourself quite a lot lately - which means we’ve been thinking of one person - and that is me, or you, depending on how you see things now.

While that should be everything for now, we both know you’re coming back to check once in a while (because I certainly will). Probably to catch me thinking out loud, just to find out if we’re still one in thought, despite having two separate hearts beating as one.