Response

This post is but compensation to all the wasted time I would have spent updating this blog. Previous promises I imposed upon myself were but fleeting  declarations and false hopes. If I were to continue writing (or "keying" in this respect), then I must do it with sincerity and honesty, and with enough concentration to induce bleeding in the eye sockets. If I were to make a new promise, however hard keeping it would be, a revaluation of what I have done a few posts in the past need be considered.

In my previous post, I found myself driveling about conjuring drivel. My twisted mind is not that oblivious to the moronic phrases contained in that "treatise." Take note of this: Although I referred to it as a work purely of drivel, I was actually settled in a state of addressing the sleeping artist incarcerated within. He itches in his sleep, uncomfortably bound by the ankles and the wrists. Poor fellow needs relief, even for a short while. He bangs the back of his head to the wall, and the tumult manifests itself to me as a hellish migraine. He stays there in dire need of attention; but most of all, he needs total independence from all the dullness. He resides in my mind, never bitching much about being uncomfortable and all. He worries much that he might wither into a dust heap before I wither in a coffin myself. Inside a prison cell can be very, very abject, unless the prisoner finds a fanciful way to escape his predicament. I pity the artist within me, so I give him things to muse upon. I give him drivel.  Enough drivel to send him into violent panic, provoke him to break his bonds, and come after me, waxing melancholic and, telling me that I'm doing things in the most atrocious manner.

What I did with my previous post contained hogwash, nonsense or whatever trifling word so-called literary experts use. Like writing in a journal,  one writes without the consent of standards. This blog is never different from a journal. Whoever stumbles upon my writings must bear in mind that I write with the consent of the self and of the freedom-deprived artist that dwells miserably within. Drivel, to me, is a mechanism, that allows a free-flowing river of thoughts stream down from the subconscious and unto an empty sheet of bordered paper. Drivel, to me, is rudimentary in translating insipid thoughts into reinforced language; language which is understandable, which persuades and not pose as revolting to an audience.

I'm not saying that I write drivel for the most serious of occasions. I write (or speak) drivel simply for building confidence, and the more confidence that seeps through my drivel, the more I mature with my writing. If anyone detects problems insofar as my method is concerned, let him step forth so I may use drivel in my defense. Chances are, he may not go as far as understanding the complete gist of my defense. I am an apt student of the School of Drivel, and I have strong conviction that drivel can lead me and the incarcerated artist  from the pangs of intellectual idleness.

By the way, for the record, I am a (self-proclaimed) disciple of the Surrealist Movement. I bet that will explain fully why I am a slave for driveling.

On a side note, unlike those who think they are doing a pretty good job telling people what's intellectually worthy and unworthy,  I believe in individual differences.. People are not the same. Each one is unique from another. Included are the writers and their readers. If a writer sermons on  "accepted standards" in his practice, he is violating not only himself, but his colleagues and his readers. What makes art beautiful is the existence of creative faculties. These are faculties, by the way, that recognize no boundaries, and give a work of art a humanistic touch.

I do not care about how the reader reads, or how I the writer writes. What matters the MOST is the ability to create something without the existence of standards, the very standards that give insult to art.

Drivel

Finally, another blessed time given to me from the heavens; that give light and reason yet to key in my thoughts, no matter how twisted and utterly disdainful they are.

Yet again, the reason for this another preposterous hiatus is my incapability to find the right conditions to churn out drivel. And so, drivel may it result to, I am still in upright and eager capacity to do so. Even through the drivels and the nonsense I relay forth from my mind to the ever curious reader of this isolated blog (if there is such a reader who dares tread upon this blog), the satisfaction and the glory to write again, to return to this world in which I keep my forte, to reopen this bomb shelter that protects such an idle mind from the perils of inactivity.

I shall take the blame for this dilemma; the dilemma of "write or not to write." I agree I do have within the corners of my mind small specks of ideas that, apart from their tininess, have the potentialities and capabilities to expand towards the vast space of the world wide web. But the only problem is impasse of idleness. For it is idleness, I believe, that hinders a surfeit of chunks of thoughts. These thoughts are ready to suffuse itself with billions of other thoughts, influence and persuade the authors of these thoughts and gain ground in an intellectual battle for the Internet.

Winning such a battle seems far fetched. But if only the individual decides to deviate from passiveness, wil he be able to pour his mind into the stream, which is cyberspace.

I will not certainly let my thoughts, ideas, aspirations, philosophies so on and so forth continue to rot in isolated despair, for being deprived of the liberty to invade others minds.

That is my agenda.

This blog will serve that agenda.

And I will ensure that my quest to invade every single Internet user's mind with my drivel. My ideas disguised as drivel.

The Republican Effect

My patience becomes limited when conversation turns to politics for an apt topic, combined with a cup of joe and a pack of mamon and having activists and writers around to discuss social science verbal doohickey. But when it comes to American politics, I for one have yet to grasp everything essential, especially the basic ones like the Two-party System, the midterm elections and how Republicans and Democrats are gradually locking horns for a chance to steer Congress-the US Congress in this case.

This dearth of sufficient comprehension of American politics has led me to a callous state of not caring on how a change in the legislative agenda of the US Congress could mean dire consequences. I'm not the one who cares about consequences here. I have witnessed how politics in the Philippines has turned out, even after the departure of Her Excellent Majesty and High Lord of All Things Mundane and Disparaging (activists who were once a part of proud, fist-raising movements during eight long years of oppression and corruption can easily recognize who I am referring to. Hint: Mole). Why care about politics any more than American politics? But when I was observing the drama behind the Midterm Election held at the States on November 2, there are in fact a lot of reasons why people, not only Americans and Filipinos, should care about politics, particularly the American legislation.

I've learned that most Republican candidates oppose the outsourcing of  US jobs to foreign countries, like the Philippines. If a law is passed easily with minimal Democratic intervention, then doom will come to call centers here in the country, which serve as beacons of hope for college students and graduates alike who are seeking amidst a global economic downturn. Most of these students and graduates who receive minimal wage will find it very insipid to cope up with daily expenses. So if ever the Republicans get through with such a law, there's no telling what will become of our struggling newly grads, especially nursing graduates who are dealing with major problems of their own.

We Filipinos shouldn't limit our selves to being boxed within the current political spectrum of today. There is an even greater need to be cognizant with what's happening abroad. There's no telling what effects the Republican takeover of the House will inflict on the global community.

Well, better turn to the media for guidance at times like these.

State of Fear

As a living, breathing human being with an uncontrollable urge to like and angst just about anything culturally stupid or utterly interesting to the senses, I am fully cognizant with the notion that fear is an inevitable sensation common among all living and breathing human beings walking the Earth.

Fear is what we blurt out every time we come across a carton of milk exceeding its expiration date, knowing that disregarding the apparent warning would make us spend three in the bathroom, regurgitating chunks and chunks of hardened dairy product. You and me both know that the scenario I just mentioned is a not a pretty sight to see; tons and tons of unsightly vomit. And I could just imagine becoming the unsuspecting victim; clutching my stomach to relive the abdominal pain and all, and nothing can scare me the most than abdominal pains and three hours of relentless vomiting. But I'm not going to talk about expired dairy products here. What I'm trying to explain is not about constipation and expired milk. What I'm really pointing out is that fear is an essential component, not only in the individual, but also in this dog gone society. Philippine society in particular, which becomes too irrational to a certain point that it induces more groundless hysteria than lucid crisis handling methods. And this doesn't just happen in a  Southeast Asian nation, but it also occurs in ostensibly rational Western societies.

Recent news reports revealed alleged terrorist plots that would likely happen within the good old capital itself: Manila. The United States, with the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand following suit, issued travel advisories warning tourists to be wary of an imminent danger of a terrorist attack by (wait for it...) Islamic extremists.This precautionary action was raised following the discovery of a parcel bomb destined to blow up Jewish houses of worship. The parcels, which came from Yemen, provoked fear among the paranoid public since the aftermath of 9/11.

And as a result of this reaction wrought by peculiar contents in a box, Western countries released travel advisories in an effort to protect their citizens who want to go on an island hopping expedition in the Philippines from possible instances of a terrorist attack. Take note that these are just travel advisories, and not bans. So why should we, especially businessmen with interests in the tourism sector, be perturbed by the policies imposed by other countries?

We are "enjoying" a considerable amount of threats already. We have extremists terrorizing most areas of Mindanao, and add Communist rebels then we have a party-and not a good one at that. As a matter of fact,  these groups are in existence even before those parcel bombs arrived at a Chicago airport and much earlier than the September 11 attacks at New York. So it's okay for fear to set in. I mean, we have gotten used to North Korea having a stockpile of hidden nukes, we should also feel the same with these threats knowing that they can occur spontaneously.

There is no air of hysteria suffusing into Philippine society right now-because most of society is already distracted by noontime shows and Justin Bieber. It's not like America in the 1930's when Orson Welles created quite a stir among the populace with his mockumentary/science fiction opera. I guess society is getting used to have homicidal maniacs walking the streets from time to time. You can blame it all on the mass media, but you should also put all of your blaming energies to the reality of having religious zeal and nationalism laying around the hearts and minds of suicide bombers.

So why should we worry? Why should the US, or Australia, or New Zealand worry? Despite sophisticated technology epitomed by the latest bomb detecting devices, that still can't stop the fervor of a common enemy to inflict massive dilapidation. We are now getting used to fear, and it is quite annoying in some cases to send a paranoid travel advisory that would mostly protect more of foreign tourists than locals.

Fear is a defense mechanism, much like high tech warning devices installed around Bill Gates' crib. Defense mechanisms are essential to secure our properties, especially Mr. Gates' Microsoft blueprints, from burglars and spies and also with malevolent intentions. So fear works much like an alarm to stir us up into action against those trying to breach our privacy. But we can also note that warning devices can be annoying to the ears of its owners who are protected by them, given there are technical malfunctions of some sort and other electronics related problems within their structures. This could spell great annoyance to these owners who will become so exasperated with the noise that they'll pretty much throw them out to the dumpster.

Just like in society. Feeding the fire makes the flames grow. Much like how these foreign countries are doing. They're sending warnings that don't even benefit us in every level.

Here's a painful reality: The world is in a current state of fear. And we are getting accustomed to it.

After Hiatus

Here I am. Writing another blog entry which should document another one of my crazy excuses for being idle on the blogosphere for such a long while. Laziness, writer's blocks and the satiable impulse to key highfalutin words and phrases are the substantial reasons why I went on another delay in writing blog entries. These or the forsaken ideas that still remain in constant motion that's causing moment of a slack fest. But yes, I have to admit, I'm one hell of a lazy writer.

The sole purpose of creating this blog was to get in touch with other people's ideas; loosen myself a bit to prepare for a wondrous career in the pastures of the world of mass media and most important and painstakingly the . I am a mass communication major, but that wouldn't be a reason for having such an idle mind. And as a mass communication major, I am obliged and given the opportunity to document the things that are going on around me, and not just to slack all day, doing things that are not so productive for society to benefit on.

I think it's time for a little reassessment. I'm currently the news editor of the University publication, so why the hell am I indolent in managing this blog. I created this for a reason and that is to record my expressions that remain in a decomposing state inside my head, and the only way to revive them is to display them for other people to read. Furthermore, most journalists today own a blog or two, writing political opinions and what not.


So I must end here with a promise worth keeping, at least for a considerable amount of time because I know, I'm not good in keeping them let alone remembering them. Because today, I am committing myself to this blog, filling it with entries that are either good to read for some rational being to get interested in or bad enough to send a highly critical yet culturally ignorant dissident in a fit of uncontrollable rage.

Busy (Again)

Been busy for a while. Presentations here and there. Articles to write for the school paper. I am in a drastic position right now. But the only thing that keeps me going is the very thought that I am becoming a college student. A real one  at that.

Art Under Siege

           The arts are under attack. Under attack by the grotesque forces of pop culture that is! Yes, as society mended a drastic turn towards the new millennium, so-called artists that emerged with it began an inquisition that would become one of the most dastardly acts imposed on art since the persecution of Bauhaus philosophy by the Nazis during the 30's. These artists, who pose and call themselves advocates of art despite their lack of awareness of the humanities, have been doing a good job in keeping the arts in check. These pop-soda guzzling, Nike-wearing pseudo-pundits have been raking big bucks since their debut into the limelight.

          What I'm talking about here is the rise of "idols" and "sensations" who want to have their first taste of the good stuff in high society. Pop stars in particular are the ones who are leading this insulting crusade. First, there comes the discovery of talent, where agents or other annoying media vultures prey on innocent people, who live an honest lifestyle, who are oblivious to the effects of brief stardom and would consider the use of botox a genocidal act in pursuit of perfection, they consider having potential. Locked on their victims, these predators will try to convince their prey that they have what it takes to be a star just by looking at their Adonis-like appearance. Well, that's the reality of fame. You get to be uplifted in its ranks because you look just like one of those narcissistic, body-building yahoos who pose for billboards or those anemic, skeleton like beings they call supermodels. And at the end of it all, it's off to the pile of rejected celebrities who had their spirits, and dignity sucked out by the immense mechanism which is given a familiar yet evil name: fame. But when art comes in to consideration, celebrities are merely exploiting it and taking it to their advantage to hasten the effects they impart to the pitiful public.

The artistic prowess they produce are not as artistic as they ought it will be. Theirs is just a sham. A ruthless advantage of the arts for the purpose of blackening the minds of the young ones with idiotic words and lavish costumes present in ravenous, unprofessional music videos. True that their influence is overwhelming the very foundations of art, however, they are, without noticing it, are actually murdering a vast field of the humanities furnished by geniuses for countless years.

Art should be limited to the artist. And when I say artist, I mean a true artist. One who does not want to benefit anything from his craft, but the sole satisfaction of using it in delightful activity. One who does not want to implement stupidity among other beings, but would rather influence them to search for a deeper meaning of what art is. One who views art as art, and not a mindless chase for fame and wealth.

Pop culture can continue to impose its will to the masses, but it will not touch nor shake the beliefs of true art.

Youth, Society, Destiny

Youth empowerment is a much needed component for national development. The future belongs to the youth, as Rizal would say, owing to the great potential of young minds to bring about social change through getting involved with the great issues affecting the world. From campus journalists, to student leaders. The youth plays a vital part in shaping and sculpting an ideal community of cooperation, tolerance and peace.

The three day seminar workshop held at the Iloilo Grand Hotel is one of the stepping stones in developing the youth's identity as the movers for social and political change. Becoming a part of this great endeavor for the betterment of the nation, I can conclude that my participation in the Central Echo is an opportunity for me to impart my writings to my fellow youth and empower them further to act from passivity and let them be aware of their role in society. It's not about developing my skills in campus journalism, but rather, unveiling my potentials to move the world through the power of writing.

The seminar workshop, themed "Campus Paper Writers in the Realm of Community Building" and organized by the Philippine Information Agency, aims at improving the skills of campus press writers and editors in the field of journalism. With the skills they acquired, these young minds can use them to achieve development for the better.

I can say with total confidence that I have no regrets of becoming a part of my university's campus publication. I have just realized how important my role is to herald forth social change. And I shouldn't ignore my potentials nor should I delve into the habit of passivity. My writings can move society. My writings can scare off tyrants. And my writings can help my fellow man to rally himself towards fulfilling his destiny. I will not let my ideas rot in my mind. I will not leave a single page blank. Let the fires of youth kindle in our hearts. Let us take up our pens, unite and resonate the call for action.

Back (Again)

Haven't been around posting like crazy for a while. Been busy lately with a lot of stuff now that I'm a writer for the University publication. I'm still expecting more to come my way this semester. Like news stories to write, deadlines to meet, more teeth-grinding mental stuff. Despite all this, I'm pretty grateful that I'm beginning to be proactive. Opportunities like this don't come around often.

Wisdom Tooth

Nothing is more excruciating of an experience for a young adult than the emergence of a wisdom tooth. It hurts. And what's annoying is the more painful feeling of an intense migraine that results from the dental pain. I don't know how to deal with it, since it's, shall I say, part of "growing up."

Rising Dawn

On June 12, 1898, a very significant event took place. An event that has become a symbol of national pride and liberty. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, standing on the balcony of his ancestral home before a large mass of his fellowmen in Kawit, Cavite, made the proclamation that the Philippines was no longer under the rule of Spain. It was a moment of victory for the Filipino people. After nearly 333 years of settling at the hands of the colonizers, Filipinos had finally took their first taste of freedom.

But how pure is freedom nowadays? How are we sure that we are totally free from tyranny? From oppression and persecution? The succeeding years after Aguinaldo's proclamation, the nation came under fire from another set of tyrannic oppression. We did not fully embrace total freedom during the rule of the Americans and the Japanese. Even to this day, freedom is but a lone word, distant from our grasps.

The Americans introduced themselves as our friends. Being a nation of freedom-loving peoples, they wanted what is best for a country which suffered under the oppressive policies of the Spanish monarchy for three centuries. Most will say that the Americans and Filipinos are alike in terms of historical background. Both nations experienced the grueling conditions under despotic rule. And both nations took to arms with great eagerness to yearn for total liberty. It is a matter of fact that, in some way, we have this common factor with the Americans. But that was not the case, as they became the successors of the Spaniards. Their authority was far different than that of their predecessors. They trained us on how to run a democratic form of government and introduced us to the blessings of public education. Their acts were only stepping stones towards a better life of being free. But, all in all, we were not totally free being under their boots, so to speak.
The essence of freedom is all about liberation from foreign intervention. Therefore, under the Americans, we were not totally free, but rather, we were having the potential to be free with their ideas of democracy.

With the aid of the Americans, the Filipinos' anticipation for true independence heightened. The Philippine Commonwealth was introduced in 1935 to better prepare the country towards a democratic future. But one roadblock was laid ahead that stagnated the country and subjected it to another regime supposedly far worse than that of the Spaniards. The Second World War brought the Japanese to out doorstep. With their own blend of tyranny and aggression, they terrorized the nation and humbled it to its knees. Under the Japanese, independence seemed a fragmented dream. However, that bloody regime ended, and from the ashes of war, the Philippine nation had been given independence.

Truly, another moment of triumph. The Japanese left our shores, and so did the Americans. Should we conclude then that everything became more different now that foreigners had left the country? There is no reason to be optimistic by that assertion. We did gain our independence, but did we really gain true freedom? True liberty from tyranny?

We had gained our independence, but the succeeding years were blotted by the emergence of another form of tyranny. Ferdinand Marcos rose to power. Martial Law took control of the country by his blend of corporate tyranny and social oppression. His rise saw the mass persecution of intellectuals, student activists, university professors and others who he deemed antagonistic towards the new order.

The collapse of Marcos' regime brought about a new optimistic feeling in the hearts of the Filipinos. But much like in the past years, oppression still exists, in the form of political suppression and social stagnation. How can we call ourselves free if our lives are being controlled by megalomaniacs we call politicians? Corruption is another factor that made me realize that we are not experiencing freedom at its sincerest. With thousands of our fellow Filipinos starving due to the greedy advances of these "crocodiles-in-office", our country is being enslaved by yet another form of tyrannical rule. This time, it's Filipino exploiting Filipino.

Last week, as the 15th president, Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III, took oath as the new leader of our nation, more and more Filipinos are still hoping for another dawn. A dawn that may bring about a new light of optimism. A dawn that may change the souls of every Filipino. A dawn that may write itself in history as the moment of triumph over years and years of tyranny and oppression.

We may not see a new dawn right now. But we should look forward to it, as it may bring about great change. Perhaps, a brighter and much more dignified future that will hopefully perpetuate and overshadow our nation's turbulent past.

I feel afraid
Was it something I said
Was it the way I moved
Walking on the dunes
Alone and so confused

To sail away
It is my decision
To sail away
Cold and bitter
To the fray
Sailing on my own
This time

Drifting pass
I want to break that hourglass
And turn back to the time
I said things that were so sublime
Yet so bad in taste
I load a gun just in case

I hate the way
I move, and talk, and sway
Swaying through the waters of
Life itself
Remembering that fateful day
I said things that were short of honesty
Short of joy and short of glee

Burying
Those bitter memories I loathe and revile
Burying them six feet down
Looking at the sky and say
Was there a time I gave a smile
That fateful day
Distancing from close friends
Is this the beginning
Or is this the end?

Locked away
I bid farewell to that chest of dreams
Of bitter dreams and evil schemes
My mind is blank
And filled with thoughts of senseless acts
If there's one way to lose everything
I'd pick the part where the funeral bells ring

Bidding goodbye
From the fears and awful times
Times I hate where my friends had cried
Because of unsound moments and atrocities

Apologize
The only way out from here
From rational thoughts
That are unclear
And meaningless in taste

Revelry
The only thing I want to be
Is a withering maple tree
Waiting for the fall of leaves
Life is just a heap of leaves
Blown away by hostile winds
Never to be picked up again

Cold and numb
My soul is just cold and numb
Falling away from this cold, hard breeze
Life comes around in a sneeze

(Sorry for the way I acted. Sorry if I hurt anyone. Emotionally. Unintentionally.)

Back

So I was on hiatus for about a week. I miss logging in to my Facebook account. I felt so primitive without an Internet connection. Anyways, I'm back. Still kicking and keeping it surreal, if you will. But I just realized that I need to create at least six posts in this blog for the month of June to compensate and meet "my required quota". So that means I should write in a non-stop manner and at least make blog posts that actually have important and significant content.

Time, time, frggin' time.

So, my classes start tomorrow, so is my first take as a sophomore. I am as eager as a child salivating for a lollipop. I just can't shrug off the thought that time can be so hasty now that I'm in college. It's as if I just finished my Math 26 exam last Friday. Life is moving incredibly fast, and I don't know if I'm the only guy who notices that. Anything can change with a blink of an eye, and I'm saying it in a metaphorical way because time is starting to move in very unexpected ways. Unexpected because I was caught off guard when I realized that June was coming. Much to my disappointment, and with a little piece of eagerness in me, I let it slip away and tried to embrace the very thought of it.

As far as it goes, time can be somewhat burdensome to people like me who just want to take things in slow, semi-serious pace. But I am satisfied right now because I am spared from summer idleness. Now that I am well oiled and my mind is hungry, yet again, for learning, I can fully say that, although time may grab me by the neck unexpectedly, I have got to live with it and ride it smoothly like a wave.

Kicking Back.

I need some time to kick back, relax and think while I'm at it. Plan my strategy for my up and coming life as a sophomore. I'm a bit nervous because I don't really have an idea on what is in store for me in the coming days. So, it's best and obviously the most practical way if I could just concentrate 60% of my total functions as a living organism on my studies. That way, academic dominance will just be as easy as taking a walk in the park.

For now, I'm enjoying the soft sounds of French Jazz music on the net. What better way to relax before the start of school than an afternoon of emotional intimacy with Carla Bruni? Helps me think effectively every time I listen to her voice. Sach le bleu! Je suis amoreux!

A New Start

So, June is already here. We all know what that means. It is simply the time where all of us escape from summer idleness and head back to school and burn our brain cells for another academic year. After almost three months, school is coming back around the corner, with whatever it has in store for us; let it be a prosperous and cooperative year with excellent grades, or just another, usual academic year with crappy, vomit-inducing, gut-churning marks.

For me, going back to school isn't always about the grades. It's all about embracing the Philippine educational system. Well, apart from that, since I don't know much about the political side of academia, I am very eager for another year I am going to spend with my college homies. It is true that I miss school for that simple reason. It's been long since I've seen my buddies, so there's a kind of heart warming feeling around me every time I come around that thought.

So, next week, my classes will start. I'll be burning more brain cells than I've burned before because I think that my grades need a boost, lest they need a miracle. Aside from that, I think I need a good start. I promised myself to become more proactive. That means I need to contribute my drawings to the student publication and start attending seminars and events.

That is all I need for this year.

Technological Blues

Technology has changed the way we live our lives. I know that most of us possess a gadget or two and that we spend a minimum of six hours a day on the internet, whether to Tweet, make a blog post or watch a viral video on Youtube about a cat that rides a unicycle. Apart from amusement and personal interests and pursuits, modern technology  has given us an easier take on our everyday activities, whether it be simple or complex. In addition, modern technology has introduced us to new possibilities deemed impossible during the simple glory  days of  churning butter and riding horseback to a store just to buy a butter churner. My point is that rapid technological advancement has replaced old habits and introduced new habits fit for this new age of sophistication.  Most of the hassles we endured during the past are now gone, all thanks to the introduction of  sophisticated technology.

As an act of showing to the world that our country can embrace progress, the Philippines for the first time used modern means to deliver safer, more credible and cheat-free elections. The general election last May 10 introduced the nation to a whole new system of democratic suffrage. At first, it seemed that there were a lot of talks about the many flaws that would arise from the use of poll automation. This is usually the reaction that surfaces from the fear of using sophisticated tech. Many of us were wondering, if not pondering, if poll automation could do any good for our future. Our pessimistic senses have taken its toll on us. We could sense only the negative effects of technology, not seeing the true capabilities of it to illicit significant social change. We truly are a nation that expects the worse from technological advancement. It is the pessimists in us that prohibit us to try new things, to shun important change and progress.

But apart from such attitudes, we still expressed our desire to take a stand for our right to choose freely those who we deem fit as leaders. And modern technology can do just that, by letting us vote without the obstructions of unfair political actions. But human intervention has its ways to bend the system.

We couldn't say that the poll automated general election was a success, amidst allegations of fraud, but it gave us an idea that a significant adaptation to the unrelenting progress of technology is nothing to be afraid of. There were scandals concerning the new system, but are we even sure that those allegations are even credible? Most of us may believe that it is the work of an embittered politician, responding to his defeat by taking advantage of the nation's distrust to the new system. These allegations are the workings of dirty politicians who only wanted to cause trouble by pointing out anomalies that do not exist. It will only be perceived as true if anyone from a certain camp submit to the public the needed evidences that were used in the fraud.

I just wanted to say that technology  has given us the blessing of convenience, whether the form of convenience may either be beneficial or destructive, depending on how humans comprehend proper use for the better. The way most Filipinos look at it, because of the emergence of such scandalous allegations, the use of technology only prompted adverse conclusions. Technology, in some other sense, doesn't work that way. If there is something (or better yet, someone) to receive the blame, it is the humans themselves. Technology, like what I said, can either bring good or bad effects. Sure, technology can be subjected to certain limitations and a number of technical faults, but the real score here is that technology didn't have anything to do with the mentioned fraud. It is simply the result of an embittered politician who wanted to compensate for his defeat by making up accusations that he was cheated upon.

To be honest, I'm not much of a techie person, but I could clearly see the effects of sophisticated technology on our society today. I may not possess an iPhone and I am currently using a desktop PC deemed obsolete, but as far as I know, technological advancement is vital for our survival in the coming age.

Carla Bruni

I am officially in love with French music, particularly with Carla Bruni (And may I remind you that she is also the spouse of  the current president of France). I watched a music video of her song, "L'amoureuse" and I really admire her musical prowess. Though my understanding of the French language is very limited, Carla Bruni introduced me to a whole new musical experience worth cherishing forever. I got to hand it to the French, they really know how to reach inside me and twist my soul a little bit with their music.

Basketball!

Yes! After many curious years, I've finally able to play basketball without looking like a malnourished wimp. Well, I do agree I look like a malnourished wimp, but who cares?! I'm already playing basketball and getting the hang of it. Up yours Lebron!! Ha!

To Transfer or Not

I'm stuck with a dilemma. The start of a new academic year is just around the corner. And it got me thinking if I should transfer to a different university or not. I'm not saying that I hate staying at CPU. In fact, I come to love CPU, with all it's wonders and other stuff I'm familiar with. But I have this choice to transfer to WVSU. From private university to state university? Well, since my family's having a rough time budgeting our finances, it came to my mind that transferring to West will be a practical action. During my days as a freshman at Central, I had to ride two jeepneys just to get to the university. Apart from that, budgeting my allowance required critical thinking. I had to save a small amount for myself. but then again, there were projects. So I had to say goodbye to my dream of acquiring an iPhone. Life bites, but hey, at least I met other people. Even the eccentrics.

I'm not saying that CPU is not that good. I believe it's standards are high and it's one of the most prestigious universities in the Visayas. But, I think it's much proper if I transfer to West. Since I'm experiencing a little financial downturn, WVSU can offer me affordable, if not considerable, tuition fees. Also, I can ride only one jeepney towards West's campus, so that means I can save Php14.00 everyday, and perhaps, I can save enough cash for a freakin' sweet iPhone. Yesh!!

But then again, I lack the confidence to transfer. I want to transfer, but I'm too lazy to adjust to a whole new environment. Transferring from one university to another is like venturing to other galaxies. I have thoughts that maybe, West's academic environment is much different from Central's. It will leave me in a state of either shock or awkwardness.

I still have 10 more days to go before making my final decision. Transfer or not to transfer. transfer or not to transfer. Transfer or not to transfer!! Arrghh!! The pressure!!!