Random nostalgia...

...music, please!
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by PAM


I was halfway through writing a "real post" here when "Perfect Day" came on on the Asian Food Channel.  The episode was shot in Öland, a Swedish island in the Baltic Sea.  All of a sudden, I miss Sweden, the kind people, especially my research adviser, who made me feel at home all throughout my stay... and the beautiful and serene Nordic countryside!  And I miss my Spanish friends, too, with whom I went on Scandinavian tour in the Summer of 2000 while on a break from Lund University... we all loved Öland!  Well, we loved the Scandinavian countryside, actually. :)  With its pristine waters, clean air, blue skies, thick but amazingly very "welcoming" forests, wildlife and fresh food everywhere, it gave us a relaxing break from the busy "urban jungles" that were Manila and Madrid... and a much needed respite from the demands of academic work in Lund.

Okay... while we're at it, let's just complete this quick nostalgic journey with one of the biggest pop hits in Sweden between 1999 and 2000...

..."Save tonight" by the Swedish artist, Eagle Eye Cherry.  Aaw, it still sounds good after all these years! :)

And, as for the "real post", which incidentally is (finally) about tennis (and Roger Federer), football (and FC Barcelona), and "shifting of gears" - professionally... uhm, I think it can wait.  Later....

***
Video credit:  Thanks, YouTube, for the video link.

Sec. Jesse Robredo, a bud of hope...

...in the blossoming of good governance in the Philippines. ============================================================================= 
by PAM 



The vigil that started in the afternoon of Saturday came to a close this morning.  Sec. Mar Roxas of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) greeted us with a sad news on our breakfast table today... and we faced the day with heavy hearts.

*** 
A sad day.

I join the nation in grieving the untimely demise of Sec. Jesse M. Robredo of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). He was 54 years old.  

The late DILG Secretary was on board a small plane, which crashed off the shore of the province of Masbate.  He was on his way to spend the weekend with his family in his hometown, Naga City, from a speaking engagement on behalf of Pres. Noynoy Aquino in Cebu City last Saturday afternoon.  About an hour after take off, the pilot of the plane, Capt. Jessup Bahinting, was requesting for an emergency landing in Masbate after an engine trouble became apparent. Later, Sec. Robredo's aide-de-camp, Senior Inspector June Paolo Abrazado, who escaped from the crashed plane and was rescued by local
"National loss" looming... at the Taskforce Kalihim
Command Post in Masbate.
(Photo: AP/Malacanang Photo Bureau)fishermen, was guiding rescuers in the crash scene, hoping to save Sec. Robredo, Bahinting and his Nepalese co-pilot, Kshitiz Chand.   

At about 5:00 PM, I had trouble following the news from a stunned-looking Pinky Webb and Alvin Elchico on ANC, who were visibly doing their best to compose themselves and absorb the shocking news from a field reporter in Masbate.  That was the start of a painful three-day vigil that started with sheer confusion, developed into incredulous ambivalence, progressed to a resolute and faithful hope for positive outcome, calmed to faithful acceptance of worst-case scenario as hope for positive outcome dwindled with time, and culminated to a sad feeling of loss - on a national scale. 

P-Noy himself led the search and rescue operations in Masbate, which brought together so many people, including private individuals who volunteered their services.  Meanwhile, people in different places organized prayer vigils to help propel the rescue efforts on the ground. This morning, at around 8:15 AM, Sec. Roxas confirmed that rescuers positively identified one of the trapped body in the sunken plane, some 180 ft. below the water surface, as Sec. Robredo's.  And that turned the day into a day of "national mourning"... no presidential decree needed.   

***
But it is a day teeming with hope, too.

The outpouring of support for the rescue efforts and the towering waves of prayers from so many Filipinos from different walks of life in the hope that Sec. Robredo and his companions would escape the mishap alive was indeed remarkable.  I was thinking that perhaps the crisis that we faced as a nation during the Luzon flooding just two weeks ago gave us a sense of community and "oneness"... and we were just facing yet another mega challenge with the same sense of community and oneness, armed as usual with the familiar weapon that is always guaranteed to deliver us from outright tragedy: prayer.  I was only half correct.  

Yes, we are slowly but surely developing a true sense of community and
Sec. Robredo: Good governance, integrity, humility.
(Photo: Jonas Cabiles Soltes/Phil. Inquirer
/Phil. Red Cross) oneness as a nation... yes, we were once again using our favorite weapon against mega challenges... and, as it turned out, most of us are silent admirers of that wonderful man who was Sec. Robredo. And why not when the "oneness" is the fruit of his silent perseverance - avoiding the limelight and working down to the grassroots... less talk, more action.      

With Sec. Robredo being a low-profile leader in a high-profile position, the spontaneous outpouring of love when it was first announced that his life was in danger can be considered “unexpected”... almost surprising. And what a joyful surprise, it was! It seems to confirm one thing: Filipinos - rich and/or poor - can still recognize a good, honest and honourable leader... one who exemplifies good governance and governing with integrity, and that Filipinos gravitate toward such a leader.  What a wonderful news, indeed!  And, it came on the day of the 29th death anniversary of Ninoy Aquino, who reiterated until the day he was assasinated that "the Filipino is worth dying for"... that can't just be a coincidence.  Providence, perhaps?

If Sec. Robredo could see how his demise made Filipinos realize and appreciate that, after all the layers and layers of corruption in the government that engulfed and suffocated us for so long, they - we - have this wonderful thing in common, then he'd know that his sacrifices weren't in vain... that all his life's work, founded on integrity in governance, was indeed a wonderful legacy that we will cherish, and hopefully live by, starting today. We can only hope that, despite their loss, his family is comforted by this realization.

Indeed, there is hope for this country - our country.  

Thank you, Sec. Robredo!  Rest in peace.

***

Word of the day: "Buffoonery"

by PAM

According to Google Dictionary:

buf·foon·er·y/bəˈfo͞onərē/

Noun:	Behavior that is ridiculous but amusing.
Synonyms:	farce - tomfoolery - antic - harlequinade

I don't recall using this word at all nor do I recall the last time I heard it before the 2012 London Games.  However, when the London Mayor, Boris Johnson, upped the volume of his "spirited" rallying of Londoners as the Games approached, we got an almost daily dose of "Boris's buffoonery", which was entertaining... somewhat.  The entertainment factor reached a high, of course, after Gov. Mitt Romney's London visit.  :)  I have to admit though that the London Mayor's so called buffoonery was indeed amusing, once you get past the initial shock and cringing in a few cases, that is. Bunnies kept leaping out of Mayor Johnson's bag of buffoonery, and what a spectacle it was!  Strangely enough, I miss it now... I guess it's a part of the 2012 London Games "withdrawal syndrome"!  It was an unforgettable fortnight of high-quality Games. 

One person, who followed the Games through my daily accounts, asked me to give an example of the "Boris buffoonery"... so, I "leafed through" my memory, and this one from irishtimes.com, which was the least amusing of all, was on top of my list:

"'Inspire a generation' is our motto.  Not necessarily 'Create a generation', which is sometimes what they get up to in the Olympic Village."

        - London mayor Boris Johnson extols the "energy and enthusiasm" of the Games'

          10,000 athletes, to whom some 150,000 condoms were distributed.

My goodness!  See what I mean by "initial shock and cringing"? =)  But, regarding the supposed circumstance of buffoonery, imagine sending your 15-year-old sport genius of a child to the Games to follow his/her "golden Olympic dream"... and then your child calling you up from the Olympic Village to tell you that their "welcome packet" included condoms!  I know, I'm such a "corny Catholic" in this "ultra modern world".  So what?

There is a reason why this is on top of my list, I'm currently wrestling with the thought of posting here why I STRONGLY OPPOSE the passing of the Reproductive Health Bill or "RH Bill" into law here in the Philippines.  I know I have the right to express my opinion... but I don't know if I could restrain myself from using "strong language" and end up doing the far from amusing version of buffoonering instead! I simply do not have Mayor Johnson's rare gift. :)       

***

If a picture paints a thousand...

...territorial lines, then why can't the lines just coincide? 

"The South China Sea: Troubled waters"

from The Economist.

Like the great John Lennon, it's tempting to...

"Imagine no possessions

I wonder if you can

No need for greed or hunger

A brotherhood of man

Imagine all the people sharing all the world..." 

***

QOTD

QOTD #6
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by PAM 

 "Like all those Olympic athletes, the Games organisers toiled for seven long years to achieve two glorious weeks in 2012." 

         - from "The joy of the nudge Olympics" 
           The Economist 

I have two reasons for posting this as QOTD: 

(1) Now that Chem.E. Batch 2012 of the University of Santo Tomas are preparing for their November Chemical Engineers Licensure Examination, I think this quote is a good advice for the current students at the Chem.E. Department. Guys, the preparation for the Licensure Exam begins as soon as you enroll in the first semester of your Freshman year in the Chem. E. Program. Working through your Program deligently - and consistently - is the best preparation for a successful licensure examination... and the "Olympic lane" to a wonderful Chem. E. career.  You cannot hope to do well in the examination by packing a five-year worth of knowledge in your heads within a five-month Usain Bolt lightning speed review.  There is a reason why that is called a "review", ya know... and engineering is all about discipline, the disciplined mastery of learning converted to skills, and the skillful use of acquired knowledge.  It would be a very good experience to go through College life now and then taking the exam later, all the while knowing that you're doing your job right... therefore, confident that things will turn out right - a great reason to hope for a wonderful future. 

(2) In the wake of the massive flooding in Northern Luzon last week, the Philippine President, Pres. Noynoy Aquino (P-Noy), is now speaking about a "permanent" (whoa, big word!) solution to the perennial problem. He said that at the end of his term, Filipinos will be "feeling" a positive change. Well, Mr. President, you have four years to make good of your promise. The catch is... I believe, the challenge that the yearly flooding poses is far more massive than organizing the Olympics... uhm, on second thought, wait here, I think I need to verify that with Gov. Mitt Romney. ;)  Seriously now though, with most of the people in the P-Noy government proving themselves to be the "less talk, more action" (and, hopefully, corruption-proof as well) kind, it looks like there is a reason to be hopeful... if only P-Noy could stick to "daang matuwid" and learn to keep it together under the allure of an attractive short-cut.   

***

Saturday photo

by PAM

72 hours of torrential rain... 504 mm of rain water in just one day, more than 2 million people displaced from their homes.
(AP Photo/Malacañang Photo Bureau/Jay Morales)

I woke up in the middle of the day on Thursday with the cheerful tweeting of birds outside my window, and two cats were chasing each other noisily on the roof under the beautiful sunshine, albeit weak... and I THANK GOD with all my heart!  

Wednesday night was a very long night, just like the three nights before it.  We were monitoring the rain and the danger it might bring to our home.  After 72 hours of relentless monsoon rain, it was hard to breathe normally.  The voluminous rain water that the southwest monsoon unleashed raged through the streets in nearby places in wild amok, swallowing more than half of Metro Manila, and many provinces in Central and Northern Luzon.  The massive floods affected more than two million people in the island.  

While most members of my family are fortunate enough to be in locations safe from flooding (dear God, THANK YOU!), the last 72 hours between Sunday and Wednesday, sleeping wasn't really sleeping for us.  We literally just passed out from exhaustion - mostly of the mind - caused by worries for a few members of our family who were stranded in places surrounded by flood water, and sadness for some friends who, unfortunately, were badly affected by the raging flood water.  Our country bled from the pounding of another calamity, and it dampened our spirits.      

But there was joy, too... the country may have been pounded to its knees, but we went down on our knees with our faces turned to the skies - in prayer to our Lord God, and our arms linked together in admirable Pinoy Bayanihan spirit.  I know this might be a time for sorrow... but I don't feel sorrowful.  I feel proud of the Filipino's unbroken spirit, and this country's will to get back on its feet notwithstanding the hardship it takes.  Kudos to all the wonderful national government officials and local government leaders who stood valiantly between their people and death, especially to the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) cool boss, Francis Tolentino.  Sir, you are awesome!  We have also seen the Philippine National Police (PNP), Marine, and Coastguard at one of their very best moments - risking their own lives to save many.  And, I'm sure, I am not the only person who wishes to thank sincerely the wonderful men and women in the different TV and Radio Networks' news crews who tirelessly worked 'round-the-clock to keep the nation sufficiently informed all throughout our ordeal.  Their contribution to the disaster management was invaluable indeed.  You guys are heroes!  

So, yes, it was a grueling 72 hours... but on Thursday morning, the birds were chirping merrily. There is hope.

***
Note:  I wrote a blow-by-blow account of the "72 hours of rain", and I was meaning to post it here.  I realized just now, however, that the account is full of RH Bill-related disgust for the Malacañang-House of Representatives Olympic-like synchronized "political acrobatics" that compromised "daang matuwid" to a "short-cut re-route" once again... as well as frustration from the Judicial and Bar Council's indecision over Sec. Leila De Lima's supposed disqualification from candidacy for the position of Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court.  Politics aside, it should be easy to just drop her.  Curiously, all that "muddy politicking" was in perfect "harmony" with the disgusting mud flow that the 72 hours of rain caused, claiming innocent lives and affected many, many more.  I think it isn't appropriate to post the 72-h account here at the moment.  Later....        

***

Who is the fastest man in the world?

by PAM

Who else, but this man...

"Lightning Bolt"

...the awesome Usain Bolt of Jamaica!  What a joy to see him dust off his seat as the fastest human being on the planet to a glorious gleam! The Beijing Games Champ didn't disappoint, laid all doubts on his fitness and motivation for winning to rest by claiming the gold medal in the men's 100-m race against a formidable line-up of terrific sprinters - the best in the world today - at the London Games.  Having seen the race live on TV just a few minutes ago, it's easy to imagine how the exciting race itself, Bolt's electrifying surge to a golden finish, and his fun victory celebration brought great delight to millions of people around the world... but most especially to his countrymen in Jamaica celebrating the 50th anniversary of their Independence Day. What a stunning gift indeed to Jamaica... and to the rest of the world!  He clocked in at 9.63 seconds - a new Olympic record. Oy!  Just incredible!  

***

Thanks, July...

...it's been great!
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by PAM


Like I said before, July is "my month". :)  It's wonderful that so many exciting things happened
Happy-ness...this month... I am truly thrilled!  Therefore, I would like to close this memorable month with something that I think is indeed quite special.


I am currently re-reading a book by John C. Bogle, which I purchased last year, and I've just gotten around to reading it this month - finally! And now, I'm leafing through it again.  Uh-huh, my current schedule affords me some leisure reading time, which is heavenly! I feel lucky, and I'm thankful. :)   I'll post something about my experience with this book, too... at some point.  In the book, Mr. Bogle reminded his readers about a beautiful poem written by one of my favorite writers of all time, the late Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.  The poem is entitled, "Joe Heller", which was about the author of the highly appreciated World War II book, "Catch-22".  The poem was printed in "New Yorker" in 2005.  These days,  New Yorker is one of my fave "on-line hangouts" as well, and I hope they (and the legal owner/s of this work of Mr. Vonnegut's) would forgive me for posting the poem here.


Here goes...

Joe Heller

True story, Word of Honor:
Joseph Heller, an important and funny writer
now dead,
and I were at a party given by a billionaire
on Shelter Island.

I said, "Joe, how does it make you feel
to know that our host only yesterday
may have made more money
than your novel 'Catch-22'
has earned in its entire history?"
And Joe said, "I've got something he can never have."
And I said, "What on earth could that be, Joe?"
And Joe said, "The knowledge that I've got enough."
Not bad! Rest in peace!

        --Kurt Vonnegut (1922 - 2007)
          The New Yorker, May 16th, 2005


July has been very kind.  I learned a lot this month - technology-related stuff, fascinating stuff... and, in the personal front, I've gained invaluable insights on so many things that used to be really perplexing.  Things didn't change, but July brought me a different kind of inner strength to confront conflicting thoughts and ideals on important things, and the borrowed wisdom to see what they all meant, and why I should, in fact, be thankful for them.  In the process, I met wonderful new people - new friends - as well... and that gives me so much joy.  


Thanks, July!  :)


***

Thanks to a former student of mine who dropped by my "hangout" earlier today (to show me her new car... which I never saw!)... our conversation actually inspired me to write this post.  Thanks, "pangit"! ;)  


.

Saturday photo

Let the games begin!

Nope, I wasn't in London (what a shame!), but I was one of the millions of people around the globe who watched the live telecast of the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony today, joining the countdown with BBC at 2:00 AM (Manila time), on to the wonderful opening ceremony itself on Solar Sports.  And, boy, did I love it! :)  Danny Boyle didn't disappoint.

The production featured so many things that are uniquely British.  That piece of coolness where the Queen was escorted by James Bond (played by the beautiful Daniel Craig) from the Buckingham Palace to the Games, arriving in a helicopter, and (supposedly) parachuting to the stadium for a grand entrance was brilliant!  And then I was laughing like crazy while watching Mr. Bean participate in playing the theme of the "Chariots of Fire" by the London Symphony Orchestra with Sir Simon Rattle conducting.  Rowan Atkinson was hilarious - as usual.  All that elaborate bedtime story segment with J. K. Rowling was fantastic, too.  Made me feel nostalgic about the many, many books by English authors that I read as a child from my late mother's encouragement. I also particularly liked Boyle's "scan-through" of Brit pop music over the years because I am a big fan of Brit music, especially from the "Second British Invasion" era. Boyle also paid homage to the man who has given us "our other world", the www: Sir Tim Berners-Lee.  I flipped happily, too, seeing David Beckham drive a speedboat up the Thames, carrying the Olympic torch, and passing it to Sir Steve Redgrave who brought it into the stadium.  The torch was then passed by Sir Steve Redgrave and six other great British Olympians to seven GB promising youth athletes who ignited Thomas Heatherwick's masterpiece of Olympic cauldron - a gathering of 204 copper petals, each representing a participating country.  And, of course, I sang with Sir Paul McCartney as he closed the ceremony. :) 

Apart from being "added information", all the political implications of the Boyle-ian opening ceremonies that I imagined didn't mean much to me. I took what I can appreciate, and I'm leaving the rest to the Brits themselves.... and, uhm, to Mitt Romney! =)   Hmm... actually, I'm leaving Romney to the Brits! ;)

Overall, the very casual but classy way by which the whole production went was very welcoming indeed.  It didn't feel pretentious, overwhelming or overdone, nor was it intimidating even when British culture is known to be incomparable in depth, richness... and "coldness".  It was honest and didn't feel consciously trying hard to impress... then again, what need is there for the Brits to impress anyone?  I cannot imagine any.  But, yeah, Boyle's Olympic piece was modern but warm with nostalgia. It was dramatic without being extremely theatrical. It was proud without being smug... would you believe it?! Yep, it was very cool! The use of familiar British and British-created figures and characters that millions of people in the world welcomed into their homes and embraced like their own was thoughtful, respectful, inclusive, and felt like an expression of gratefulness... a worthy theme for celebration, indeed, especially in the Games where peoples of the world converge to celebrate the best of human characters.  The brilliant Boyle brought balance between traditionally grandiose Olympic opening ceremony and a uniqueness that can only come from an impressive depth in story telling... and, of course, a wonderful story to tell.  He also brought a delightful mingling of drama and humor, new and ancient, history and pop culture, straight-as-arrow GB and the cool GB, the basic and the elaborate, information and entertainment... and it was fun - the witty British way. I felt like a part of the celebration, too, which was awesome!  

Salute to the rockin' Brits!

***
Good luck to the Pinoy athletes competing in the London Games!  Mabuhay kayo!  

***

QOTD

QOTD #5
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by PAM

So, the Philippine President, Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (P-Noy), gave his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) last Monday.  I've been asked many times this week about my thoughts on the SONA... like my thoughts mattered at all!  (Haha....)  Well, I had very low expectations.  In fact, I went shopping last Monday, and I bought a book, magazines, a pair of shoes, and random things... which was wonderful because I haven't really gone "serious shopping" in about two months... maybe longer, before that. So, I've really not been contributing actively to the growth of the Philippine retail economy. I ammended that by going shopping last Monday...  but I did rush back home in the afternoon to catch the SONA - in its entirety.  

So, what did I think?

Well, first of all, I LOVED IT that P-Noy's SONA was in Filipino - in its incredibly glowing beauty... music to the ears really!  It flowed nicely, too, that I didn't get bored even if it was more than an hour long.  Second, I think the SONA contained stuff that any taxpayer hoped to hear - positive stuff.  As for the veracity of the figures P-Noy mentioned to substantiate what he claimed to be a generally "arrow-up" scenario for the Philippines, I
It's more fun in the Philippines!have no way of knowing.  What I do know is that I don't feel as miserable these days when I'm moving about Metro-Manila as I did two years ago - and before that.  There seems to be some order these days, or at least, the perceivable desire to put order on things... there is also some feeling of hope rather than despair and discontent a few years ago.  And that Philhealth bit he spoke about, I benefit from that.  I had a first-hand experience last year, and I was absolutely satisfied... or maybe because I had very low expectations? ;)  Nah, they really did a very good job providing the service they claim they would provide.  If anything, this got me interested again in keeping abreast with the goings-on and progress the government is making, minus the (usually stomach-churning) politics part of it. With the allegedly ultra corrupt government of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and a host of mongrel allies of hers in power, it was just hard to stay interested... like I said, despair with the government was predominant - for me, at least.

Third, I liked it that P-Noy spoke about Education as a priority, and Science and Technology as a target for growth in the coming years.  I see that there are concrete programs in place, too... and I believe that those are doable.  While it remains to be seen how steadfast the government will be in pursuing the targets they set, I'm hopeful that they'd stay on track.  What this country can count on is that the folks in the Education and the S & T sectors are serious about getting this country on competitive wheels - as  
Daang matuwid? Sana. Tara!they've always been!  Now, with honest-to-goodness government support, maybe these folks' efforts will finally translate to concrete and sustained achievements that would be of more significant impact to the country. This country really needs a stronger Education and S&T sectors for greater self-reliance and sustained economic growth.  Fourth, I agree that infrastructure, energy, and transportation should be paid close attention to. They comprise some of the most basic government services that every Filipino could benefit from every single day, and they will speed up attainment of many goals pertaining to economic stability.  Fifth, if the figures stated by P-Noy were "for real",  I'd say I'm impressed by the progress they are making in the Agriculture sector.  In any case, it's about time that the Philippines re-claim its former place as one of the countries in the world with highly stable Agri sector.  That will give this country a real edge because a progressive and dynamic Agri sector will guarantee food security, an indicator of environmental sustainability, and it will give some degree of independence economically through sustained job generation.  Having said that I am ecstatic that P-Noy singled out coconut water as among the Agri sector's good news!!  Wow! :)  I'm sure that gave the "big kids" in the lab at the Research Center a great reason to keep working hard to work on the Philippine coconut water. :)  It would've been awesome if P-Noy also mentioned carabao's milk... maybe, next year! :) Indeed, we, geek people, are that easy to please. ;)

But, yep, no matter what, many people will always feel like P-Noy left a few things a-wanting for attention.  The important thing is, this government is trying - very hard - to convince  the country to leave behind the culture of corruption, start anew, and move forward towards true progress - together as one nation.  That said, I'm glad that P-Noy showed decisive leadership to rekindle national pride among Filipinos by speaking in strong note over Beijing's show of military muscle to edge out the Philippines in Scarborough Shoal.  I've been asked about this, too... and my jaw usually hurts from restraining blood pressure surge, just because I find it hard to answer a little girl's question: "China has so much already, what do they want those little islands for?"  But I'd like to follow the example of Sec. Albert F. del Rosario of the Department of Foreign Affairs in maintaining calm, diplomacy... and class.  Therefore, let me use this quote from one of my favorite writers of all time instead to express my feelings:

"(Kilgore) Trout’s story reminds me of the time my late great-aunt Emma Vonnegut said she hated the Chinese. Her late son-in-law Kerfuit Stewart, who used to own Stewart’s Book Store in Louisville, Kentucky, admonished her that it was wicked to hate that many people all at once."

           - Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (1922 - 2007)

So, peace to the Chinese.  

Alright, I have work to do... plus, I found an old Beatles CD in my collection, and I'm dying to listen to "Let it be", so I'd better be going.  Ciao!

***
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