Category: rePosts

Cool!

Standard Insurance to repair 350 typhoon-damaged cars for free
10/20/2009 | 09:34 PM
Standard Insurance Co. will repair 350 vehicles damaged by two typhoons for free even without an “act of God” coverage, its president said.
Under its plan, the company will tow customers’ damaged vehicles to its accredited repair shops and seek estimates so that the cars can be repaired wholesale.
via Standard Insurance to repair 350 typhoon-damaged cars for free – Business – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News.

But instead of spending for the reception at the Araneta Coliseum, the couple agreed to donate the money for the victims of tropical storms “Ondoy” (international codename: Ketsana) and “Pepeng” (Parma).
The couple formally turned over P2.2 million in donation to six groups; Caritas Philippines (P500,000), ABS-CBN Foundation, Sagip Kapamilya (P500,000), GMA Kapuso Foundation (500,000), Philippine National Red Cross-National Blood Service (P250,000), Philippine National Red Cross for the account of typhoon Ondoy (P250,000), Igan Foundation (P100,000) and another P100,000 for ABS-CBN Foundation Kapamilya, Shower Na project.
“Matagal na naming plinano ni Korina ay pinaghandaan ang espesyal na araw na ito. Gusto sana naming na marami ang kasalo sa saya pero parang hindi tama na malaki ang gagastusin sa selebrasyon sa panahon ng kalamidad,” Roxas said in a statement.
“Napakarami nating kababayan ang naghihirap ngayon. Lubog sa tubig baha. Pakikiramay at pagtulong na rin naming ito sa kanila,” he said.
via Noynoy Aquino to act as sponsor in Roxas-Sanchez wedding – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.

Marvin Minsky is a leading AI (artificial intelligence) researcher at MIT. He has had a lot to say about science fiction. Minsky has said, “General fiction is pretty much about ways that people get into problems and screw their lives up. Science fiction is about everything else.” and “But aside from the science fiction, I find it tedious to read any ordinary writing at all. It all seems so conventional and repetitive.” While these quotes were in reference to written literature, they can be applied to television and movies as well. What has happened is that science fiction on television has, for the most part, become indistinguishable from most other television shows, which are written for women and filled with sophomoric relationship drama. Sure the juvenile relationship drama is in space, but as Minsky tells us from his quotes, it isn’t science fiction anymore, and men are not very interested in relationship drama in space.
via The War on Science Fiction and Marvin Minsky.

I actually agree with this. People have a bad habit of setting their clocks in advance so they would be fooled into going early. The real problem is that this habit is really annoying the beejezus out of me. Why? see nobody has the same time. People who work using computers need to realize that there is such a site its called time.windows.com it helps a lot, so we have at least a within a few microseconds accurate view off what time it is!
PS: I can be very late. But I tend to be very early. My being late is actually a reflection of how much i trust someone. hehe. a somewhat apology to all the times I was extremely late!

Bill to curb ‘Filipino time’ filed in SenateAMITA LEGASPI, GMANews.TV10/19/2009 | 08:01 PM
Aiming to cure the Filipino’s culture of tardiness – or “Filipino time” as it is commonly known – a senator has filed a bill that seeks to synchronize all time devices in the country to set a standard Philippine time.Sen. Edgardo Angara said Senate Bill 3479 aims to “breed a new culture of promptness” among Filipinos.”This is a good way to start changing the meaning of ‘Filipino time’ and shifting to a culture of punctuality. Time is a vital component of our social, legal, political and economic activities,” he said.
via Bill to curb ‘Filipino time’ filed in Senate – Nation – GMANews.TV – Official Website of GMA News and Public Affairs – Latest Philippine News.

Bravo!!! another excuse to watch Tarantino’s latest!

Tarantino and apl.de.ap help storm victims in RP
goodnewspilipinas.com
First Posted 13:44:00 10/16/2009
HOLLYWOOD filmmaker Quentin Tarantino and Black Eyed Peas singer apl.de.ap have pledged to do their share to help the Philippines recover from the devastation left by tropical cyclones Ondoy (international codename: Ketsanag) and Pepeng (Parma).
Tarantino is donating the proceeds from the premiere of his film, “Inglorious Basterds”, to the victims of typhoon Ondoy. The film, which stars Brad Pitt, premiered on October 16.
While apl.de.ap performed in a benefit concert in Manila to raise funds and deliver much-needed aid. “I just want to tell everybody that my heart goes out to you guys and I will try my best to help out,” he said.
A Los Angeles resident whose real name is Allan Pineda Lindo, apl said he was concerned when he saw television footage of the devastation and decided to make a brief visit to Manila and perform at benefit concert.
via Tarantino and apl.de.ap help storm victims in RP – INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos.

Ludwig Beethoven’s Testament: This strangely brought me to tears.  And please do read the whole thing. From  “Letters of Note” blog

Though born with a fiery, active temperament, even susceptible to the diversions of society, I was soon compelled to isolate myself, to live life alone. If at times I tried to forget all this, oh, how harshly was I flung back by the doubly sad experience of my bad hearing. Yet it was impossible for me to say to people, “Speak Louder, shout, for I am deaf”. Oh, how could I possibly admit an infirmity in the one sense which ought to be more perfect in me than others, a sense which I once possessed in the highest perfection, a perfection such as few in my profession enjoy or ever have enjoyed. – Oh I cannot do it; therefore forgive me when you see me draw back when I would have gladly mingled with you.
My misfortune is doubly painful to me because I am bound to be misunderstood; for me there can be no relaxation with my fellow men, no refined conversations, no mutual exchange of ideas. I must live almost alone, like one who has been banished. I can mix with society only as much as true necessity demands. If I approach near to people a hot terror seizes upon me, and I fear being exposed to the danger that my condition might be noticed. Thus it has been during the last six months which I have spent in the country. By ordering me to spare my hearing as much as possible, my intelligent doctor almost fell in with my own present frame of mind, though sometimes I ran counter to it by yielding to my desire for companionship.
via Letters of Note: I would have gladly mingled with you.

Something good where the Philippines is best at  LECHON!

The article in the Food & Wine Magazine blog, is written by their restaurant editor, Kate Krader, and includes excerpts of Anthony Bourdain’s interview by the New York Times food critic Frank Bruni at the NYC Wine and Food Festival held last weekend in New York City. And I quote:
On the hierarchy of pork he’s eaten around the world: “Puerto Rico’s lechon is great. In Bali, the lechon is even better. And in the Philippines, the lechon is slightly better than that. It’s the best of the best.”
via Market Manila – “It’s the best of the best.” – General.