tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-201909132024-03-08T15:27:10.927+08:00GalateaShe comes aliveUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-81312667896490821462007-04-13T11:06:00.000+08:002007-04-13T11:10:08.560+08:00My other placeI know I know it's again been over a month since my last post, but I'm having too much fun <a href="http://cayi.tumblr.com/">here</a> to bother. Don't know yet if I want to retire Galatea entirely. Isip isip :->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-72253345616877060382007-03-10T08:23:00.000+08:002007-03-10T09:32:11.794+08:00Tumindig kaElection season! Para hindi uminit ang ulo ko sa campaign jingles on the radio, I'm listening to the ‘classics’ instead. <br /><br />***<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Tumindig Ka<br /></span> by Buklod (Rom Dongeto and Noel Cabangon)<br /><br />Tumindig ka, ipaglaban ang karapatan<br />Tumindig ka, ipagtanggol ang karapatan<br /><br />Daangtaon na ang nakalilipas<br />Ilang pangulo na ang nagdaan<br />Kulang pa rin ang sweldo ni Juan<br />Wala pa ring sariling lupa si Juan<br />Wala pa ring masilungan si Juan<br />Subsob pa rin sa kahirapan<br /><br />Tumindig ka, tumindig ka<br />Ipaglaban mo si Juan<br />Tumindig ka, tumindig ka<br />Ipagtanggol mo si Juan<br /><br />***<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Trapo<br /></span> by Yano (Dong Abay and Eric Gancio)<br /><br />Jueteng at illegal logging<br />May sideline, rape at kidnapping<br />Dealer ng shabu at uzi<br />Commander ng private army<br />May ari ng subdivision<br />Stockholder ng corporation<br />Landlord na land grabber pa<br />Anak ka ng bobong tanga!<br />Ang hirap mong hulihin, lahat kaya mong bilhin<br />Wala kang silbi, wala kang silbi sa amin<br /><br />Trapo! Trapo ka kasi<br />Trapo! Trapo trapo ka kasi<br />Di na binoboto pero nananalo<br /><br />May misis pero siyam ang kabit<br />Naadik kaya sabik na sabik<br />Ang kapal mo hindi ka manipis<br />Ginugudtaym mo lang ang aming buwis<br />Mas maraming absent kaysa sa present<br />Di ginagawa kanyang assignment<br />Mula Lunes hanggang Biyernes<br />Wala sa congress, panay ang redirect<br />Ang sarap mong ihawin, ipalamon sa mga pating<br />Wala kang silbi, wala kang silbi sa amin<br /><br />Trapo! Trapo ka kasi<br />Trapo! Trapo trapo ka kasi<br />Di na binoboto pero nananalo!<br /><br />***<br />Read somewhere that Bamboo is going on a US tour where, presumably, they will also be playing <span style="font-style:italic;">Tatsulok</span>. Imagine that, <span style="font-style:italic;">Tatsulok</span> being played in the ‘belly of the beast’! (an observation made by the writer of that blog that I failed to bookmark...) Now why didn't Buklod think of that? heheh ;PUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-3255973395986946922007-02-18T10:02:00.002+08:002011-06-25T17:02:37.623+08:00More Dahlquist, please!A couple of weeks ago I finished reading <span style="font-style:italic;">The Glass Books of the Dream Eaters</span> by GW Dahlquist—an author I’d never heard of before but who now joins my list of authors to read and collect. (Though I suspect he isn’t even a real person—no ‘about the author’ section in the book, and nothing but a mysterious put-off on the <a href="http://www.glassbooks.co.uk/">website</a>. Hmm…) I love his crisp storytelling. It’s a suspenseful story so of course the plot was pushing me to read on, but I was mainly reading for the pleasure of hearing the words in my head. Dahlquist’s prose just sings.<br /><br />After being immersed in <span style="font-style:italic;">The Glass Books</span> for some time (it was a long novel and I only had time to read a few pages a day), I’m finding it hard to get into this next book I’m reading, <span style="font-style:italic;">One Good Turn</span> by Kate Atkinson. By all reports Kate Atkinson is an excellent read, it’s just unfortunate that I happen to be reading her on the heels of Dahlquist. But I’m pushing on, of course. Gotta give Kate a fair chance to wow me.<br /><br /><div>***</div><div><br />PS: Well OK, he's a <a href="http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=71933">real person</a> pala. Real enough, at least, to write an <a href="http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/story/0,,1983050,00.html">article</a> for <span style="font-style:italic;">Guardian Unlimited</span>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-28032969357406605162007-01-02T09:09:00.000+08:002007-01-02T09:11:27.295+08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Vih_LgluPXE/RZmxESpJqdI/AAAAAAAAABM/9Ad56lj_84E/s1600-h/resolutions.gif"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Vih_LgluPXE/RZmxESpJqdI/AAAAAAAAABM/9Ad56lj_84E/s400/resolutions.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5015234347335789010" /></a><br />Happy 2007 all!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-45990834619797248822007-01-02T09:08:00.000+08:002007-01-02T09:09:28.365+08:00AnniversaryHey it was Galatea's first year anniversary last Dec 26 and I missed it! Well better late than not at all. Congratulations to me for sticking to something long enough to reach an anniversary! Heheh ;PUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-79354034356483347432006-12-16T16:38:00.000+08:002006-12-16T16:42:27.155+08:00Pooh!Grabeh ito, watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OA2jO1uqrqM">this</a> and I swear, makakalimutan mo lahat ng problema sa buhay :PUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-42187852076011496012006-12-15T11:08:00.000+08:002006-12-17T01:03:43.175+08:00City mouseAnother <a href="http://jessicarulestheuniverse.com/2006/12/13/rustic-or-russian/">LOL post from JZ</a>, this time on the (de)merits of the rustic life. I like Peter Mayle's Provence books as much as the next reader—a dream of idle days, rich food and good wine, what's not to like?—but, if today I learned I would inherit a vineyard in France on the condition that I actually move in, I would have to say “Can I get back to you on that?” I think country living is just divine—as long as you can close the book soon as you feel yourself getting sick of it ;PUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1165456375563112172006-12-07T09:40:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:56:33.417+08:00Kingdom of fear"People in general scare me. That’s why I live in isolation in a remote area of Maine. I’m afraid of choking to death. I’m afraid of the San Andreas Fault. I don’t sleep on my left side because that’s where my heart is. I’m afraid it will wear out too quickly. I also have a recurring dream about the lake next to my house boiling and blowing up." —Stephen King<br /><br />***<br />Latest ultimate find at the Makati Cinema Square Booksale: A copy of <span style="font-style:italic;">Kingdom of Fear, The World of Stephen King</span>. It’s a collection of essays about Stephen King written by other greats in fiction and film, such as Clive Barker, Harlan Ellison, and Chuck Miller. And with a foreword by the King himself!<br /><br />I’ve already started reading it—the first two essays are by Andrew Greeley (“Stephen King’s Horror Has a Healing Power”) and Robert Bloch (“Monsters in Our Midst”)—and am enjoying it immensely. How could I not when it’s a virtual gathering of 17 people telling you their reasons for loving Stephen King’s work? Can’t think of a better fan club to hang out with :)<br /><br />***<br />"The average guy recognized that King was important a long time ago, and made him into a bookselling phenomenon. Among cognoscenti in the field he’s considered a master. But his work is also important both as literature and as cultural matter. He writes from the heart of the American experience." —Whitley Streiber<br /><br />***<br />Yes I know, it's finals week, I should be studying! I’ll be a good girl and go back to my @#$%^&*! transpo cases now :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1165071558460969742006-12-02T22:26:00.002+08:002011-06-25T16:54:18.077+08:0090 daysOMG it's December! I know my last post was a thousand years ago, so (to the handful of people who read this blog) sorry about that. As usual I've been juggling school (my load this term: tax, evidence, torts, transportation, insurance, international law) and work, but of course there was time for movies (<span>An Inconvenient Truth</span>, <span>Borat</span>, <span>Casino Royale</span>, <span>Marie Antoinette</span>, <span>Green Street Hooligans</span>) and books (Gaiman's <span style="font-style:italic;">Fragile Things</span>, Erik Larson's <span style="font-style:italic;">Thunderstruck</span>, Randy David's <span style="font-style:italic;">Nation, Self & Citizenship</span>, among others), just no time to blog about them.<br /><br />Today I'm taking a deep breath before diving into finals—our first exam is on Tuesday and the last won't be until the 16th or thereabouts. That means I have to get through at least two more stressful weeks before I allow myself to even <span style="font-style:italic;">think</span> about Christmas, so it will be another rush to get through my xmas list—the kids muna, the adults saka na ;)<br /><br />Am counting the days ‘til Christmas break—so exhausted! Not that the Christmas season is the best time for rest and relaxation (just thinking about shopping, parties and traffic makes me feel like lying down for a minute), but at least second term will be over and done with and I can behave like a normal person for a change.<br /><br />***<br /><br />My friend Indira is in London for a 12-month scholarship, and this list was among some <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thirstyfish/284594622/">wall stencils</a> she saw at the Tate Modern—<br /><br />HOW TO WORK BETTER<br />1. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Do one thing at a time.</span><br />2. Know the problem.<br />3. Learn to listen.<br />4. Learn to ask questions.<br />5. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Distinguish sense from nonsense.</span><br />6. Accept change as inevitable.<br />7. Admit mistakes.<br />8. Say it simple.<br />9. Be calm.<br />10. Smile.<br /><br />Ahh, but what if there’s more than one thing to be done but you only have time to do one thing but you can’t do just one thing you really need to do everything?<br /><br />***<br /><br />“Unless a man undertakes more than he possibly can do, he will never do all that he can.” —Henry DrummondUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1156984221959705742006-08-31T08:15:00.000+08:002006-08-31T08:30:21.986+08:00Take that, Mr Secretary!<span style="font-weight:bold;">Democracy is resplendently robed in all its nakedness. Tyranny is obscenely naked in all its finery.<br /></span><br />I was counting on the UP community to concoct a fitting response to Raul Gonzalez's inane comments. According to <a href="http://opinion.inq7.net/inquireropinion/columns/view_article.php?article_id=18149">Conrad de Quiros' column today</a>, the form of retaliation taken was not only fierce, it was poetic. Hear! Hear!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1156660166407285632006-08-27T14:06:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:50:17.994+08:00A history-book binge<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3247/1307/1600/Lincoln%20books.2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3247/1307/320/Lincoln%20books.2.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />My finds on my last three visits to the Powerbooks sale: <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780345458001&itm=2">Lincoln and Whitman</a> by Daniel Mark Epstein; <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780767902595&itm=1">Mrs Lincoln and Mrs Keckly</a> by Jennifer Fleischer, and <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780517446492&itm=8">The Day Lincoln Was Shot</a> by Jim Bishop.<br /><br />I’ve always had a general interest in American politics, particularly in what actually goes on in the White House, but only in a more contemporary setting. After reading <span style="font-style:italic;">The Devil in the White City</span> (Erik Larson) and <span style="font-style:italic;">The Dante Club</span> (Matthew Pearl), though, I'm finding early American life and politics a bit more interesting.<br /><br />So no, I’d no particular interest in Lincoln before this, and knew little about him too other than his role in abolishing slavery, which was why the first book I picked up was about Mary Lincoln’s friendship with Elizabeth Keckly, her dressmaker and a mulatto former slave. (I haven’t started reading this, I’m saving it for term break.) <div><br /></div><div>Browsing in Powerbooks again with a friend a week or so later, I spotted Epstein’s book on Lincoln and Whitman, about how Whitman’s poetry influenced Lincoln’s writing and oratorical style, and Whitman’s devotion to the president: “Lincoln is particularly my man—particularly belongs to me; yes, and by the same token, I am Lincoln’s man: I guess I particularly belong to him; we are afloat on the same stream—we are rooted in the same ground.” (This one I couldn’t resist, so I started reading it even tho it was the middle of finals week, heheh.) </div><div><br /></div><div>And then last night I was fuming after a particularly tricky exam so I did what I always do to unwind and let off steam: lose myself among the shelves (particularly effective when there’s a sale on!) What I found was Jim Bishop’s account of Lincoln’s last 24 hours on this earth, which was originally published in 1955. So that’s three books on Lincoln in as many weeks. Guess you could say I’ve turned into an Honest Abe fan :)<div><br />***<br /><br />PS: Alright, there’s more. To cap my little history-book binge, I also picked up an interesting volume written by former SC Justice Abraham Sarmiento, who apparently shares my fascination (at times obsession) with the trial and execution of Gat Andres Bonifacio. His book <span style="font-style:italic;">The Trial of Andres Bonifacio: The Appeal</span> is about a fictional Supreme Court decision on an appeal (also fictional) of the court martial’s ruling finding Bonifacio guilty of “conspiring to overthrow the government and assassinate President Aguinaldo,” and which recommended his execution. It’s complete with ‘separate opinions’ written by O.D. Corpuz and Haydee Yorac. Thank you Justice Sarmiento and the UP Press for publishing this!</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1154834724393079672006-08-06T11:15:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:39:25.385+08:00Freelancing and free<span style="font-weight:bold;">We derive our vitality from our store of madness.</span><br />— E.M. Cioran, <span style="font-style:italic;">THE TEMPTATION TO EXIST</span><br /><br />Madness, to let go of a job that pays the bills, and to do what? March blindly toward an uncertain and distant future life that may or may not materialize. But the alternative is worse, and I just can’t do it anymore—living by rote, risking nothing, accomplishing nothing of any importance outside of the office, having nothing more to be exalted about than being able to pay the bills on time. Boring myself to tears... and I don’t even know why I insisted on enduring it for so long. But that’s all ancient history now—that chapter has ended and I’m turning a new page. Not that it’s going to be a bed of roses (I know from experience that struggling to make ends meet is not a fun ride), but at least I’m out of that rut and surviving on my wits again. I want what that Switchfoot song says… <span style="font-style:italic;">when I wake in the morning, I wanna blow into pieces. I want more than just OK, more than just OK...</span> Now I may be worth less, but I’m not just OK, I’m great.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1151249009824984792006-06-25T23:19:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:37:52.001+08:00This week's guilty pleasureAs a break from all the headache-inducing corporation law cases I’ve had to read all week, I let myself finish <span style="font-style:italic;">The Devil Wears Prada</span> this Sunday. I disdain chick lit as a rule but getting the goods on what really goes on behind high-and-mighty <span style="font-style:italic;">Vogue</span> magazine was just too fun to pass up. (Is it really true that Anna Wintour wears a size <span style="font-style:italic;">zero</span>? I didn’t even know there was such a thing!) Hard to believe that world actually exists. Working in fashion is supposed to be really fun and glamorous, and it should be. It’s worth making a fuss about good clothes and shoes, I think. But when people become elitist about it, it just starts to seem terribly shallow. Here's a pretty good <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0767914767/qid=1151234402/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-0771482-3977736?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">review</a> by Amazon.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1150176966065646162006-06-13T13:28:00.000+08:002006-06-13T16:13:53.416+08:00Section 23. Forged signature; effect thereofWhen a signature is forged<br />or made without the authority <br />of the person whose signature it purports to be<br /><br />It is wholly inoperative<br /><br />And no right to retain the instrument<br />or to give a discharge therefor<br />or to enforce payment against any party<br /><br />Can be acquired through or under<br />such signature.<br /><br />Unless<br /><br />the party against whom <br />it is sought to enforce such right<br />is precluded from setting up the forgery<br />or want of authority.<br /><br />(My memorization technique: Treat the Law like Poetry ;)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1148486266062371162006-05-24T23:26:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:35:59.911+08:00A yellow-orange dayThis morning, sipping an exceptionally good espresso, reading <i>Delpher Trader Corp v IAC</i>, listening to Rico J sing <span>Ang Huling El Bimbo</span> on my Shuffle, I felt alive and at one with the Universe. The rest of the day felt almost mystical, the way I just kept stumbling onto one lucky break after another. Best day I've had in months. Everything is looking up.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1147845549224629482006-05-17T13:46:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:34:53.621+08:00Fun forwardWith classes starting next week I’m trying to cram as much fun-time in my few remaining free evenings. So far I’ve managed to—<br /><br /><strong>Finish watching the latest season of </strong><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/spooks/"><strong>Spooks</strong></a>, a series about a group of <a href="http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/Page2.html">MI5</a> agents doing post-Cold War spywork (i.e., anti-terrorism). I like it because it makes being a spy almost seem like an ordinary day job, though the official MI5 website contains a <a href="http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/Page253.html">disclaimer of sorts</a> as to how (un)realistically the Agency is depicted in the show (heh). Plus, I just find the British talent for understatement infinitely amusing—who else would classify such things as treason, civil unrest and terrorism as only so much “unpleasantness?” :P<br /><br /><strong>Become completely obsessed with Veronica Mars.</strong> <a href="http://www.ew.com/ew/article/commentary/0,6115,1176379_3%7C%7C472578_0_,00.html">“Nancy Drew meets Philip Marlowe”</a> is how Stephen King describes this show, and I emphatically agree! My favorite character is Logan Echolls (played by <a href="http://www.tv.com/jason-dohring/person/37375/summary.html">Jason Dohring</a>), their resident poor-little-rich bad boy. And <a href="http://www.tv.com/enrico-colantoni/person/1285/summary.html">Enrico Colantoni</a> is so cool as Keith Mars, VM’s dad. Not surprising since he was also great fun as Elliot in <a href="http://www.tv.com/just-shoot-me/show/160/summary.html">Just Shoot Me</a>. Love this show! Can’t wait to get the 2nd season on dvd!<br /><br /><strong>Read </strong><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0618059458&itm=2"><strong><em>The Human Stain</em></strong></a>. This is my first encounter with Philip Roth and I’m dismayed that it’s taken me this long to get around to reading him. Some find Roth a bit long-winded (a reader once counted 100+ words in 1 sentence!), but I find his style completely absorbing and stimulating. Now I’m in trouble ‘cause I’ll be compelled to collect his other novels! At the top of my list: <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0375701427&itm=1"><em>American Pastoral</em></a> and <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?z=y&pwb=1&ean=9780375707216"><em>I Married A Communist</em></a>, his two most recent Nathan Zuckerman books.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1147162821025207662006-05-09T16:15:00.000+08:002006-05-09T16:20:21.036+08:00Penguins, please<strong>A beautiful book is a beautiful thing.</strong><br /><br />The line above is from a piece by Rachel Cooke in the <a href="http://books.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1754699,00.html?gusrc=rss ">16 April Sunday Observer</a> to mark the death of Germano Facetti, art director at Penguin books from 1961 to 1972. Rachel Cooke and I apparently have something in common: we both collect old Penguins. Then again that’s not so unusual. Old Penguin editions are hard to resist—they are among the prettiest books there are—so I frequently end up picking up titles I already have if I come across a nice Penguin edition. What a sucker.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1146794376691152872006-05-05T08:32:00.002+08:002011-06-25T16:30:55.124+08:00No place like itAhh home at last! Was away close to two weeks working and freezing my ass off in chilly Oz. (It's only autumn but still cold by tropical country standards.) Well OK, the weather was nice in Brisbane, and even in Sydney, amazingly, but it was the pits in Melbourne. Brrrr! Then again, even if we had beautiful weather all the way I would still bitch about it. I just hate being away from home for so long, and I particularly resent this trip for eating up two whole weeks of my precious summer vacation. Kainis!<br /><br />But I suppose there are some things I do enjoy in Australia (and I admit this grudgingly), such as—<br /><br />1. Bookstore hopping! This trip I was able to browse in <em>Dymocks </em>in Brisbane, <em>Borders </em>and <em>Kinokuniya </em>in Sydney, and other small bookshops in Melb. There were so many nice books (sigh!) but I had to content myself with just one purchase: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0713996188/qid=1146794003/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-9740719-7958458?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">The Presidents (The Transformation of the American Presidency from Roosevelt to Bush) by Stephen Graubard</a>, which I've already started reading. Good one.<br /><br />2. The coffee. Anywhere you go in Australia the coffee is almost always superb. They claim to take their coffee very seriously over there, and so far I have to agree. Brought home a kilo of a particularly good blend so we can enjoy some at home.<br /><br />3. Watching TV. Cable's not very common in Australia, and what few channels there are broadcast mostly sports and news and sports. But there are still some good shows on, and I was able to catch new episodes of <em>CSI</em>, <em>Boston Legal</em>, <em>House</em>, and <em>NCIS</em>. Saya!<br /><br />4. Shopping for pet stuff. Have lots of pasalubong for Rory, my pretty rottie. So many nice doggie accessories in Oz. Too bad they're all so expensive!<br /><br />5. Walking. I can actually walk long distances without getting an asthma attack—the air's so clean!<br /><br />But the best thing by far about going to Australia is the part where I finally board a plane headed back to Manila. Feel that hot sun, breathe that humid air. So good to be home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1145072870492354412006-04-15T11:35:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:27:54.794+08:00This day in historyWas reading Adel Gabot's blog yesterday and thought his <a href="http://agabot.livejournal.com/82623.html">'my birthday on Wikipedia'</a> entry was interesting, so I looked up my own birthday.<br /><br />The following things took place on October 7—<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Events</span><br />1868 - Cornell University holds opening day ceremonies; initial student enrollment is 412, the most at any American university to that date<br />1942 - US and British government announce establishment of United Nations<br />1982 - <span style="font-style:italic;">Cats</span> opens on Broadway and runs for nearly 18 years before closing on September 10, 2000<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Births</span><br />1931 - Desmond Tutu, South African Anglican archbishop and activist, recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize<br />1955 - Yo-yo Ma, French-born cellist<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Death</span><br />1849 - Edgar Allan Poe, American writer (b. 1809)<br /><br />That was more fun than I thought it would be.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1145071919344215212006-04-15T11:22:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:24:59.275+08:00Dreaming of the White CityFinished reading Erik Larson’s <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0375725601/qid=1145071406/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-9034040-3436118?s=books&v=glance&n=283155">The Devil in the White City</a> today—loved it! The book’s main attraction for me when I bought it was the part about getting into the head of psychopath serial killer H.H. Holmes, but once I started reading I found the story behind the building of the <a href="http://users.vnet.net/schulman/Columbian/columbian.html">1893 World’s Fair in Chicago</a> just as, if not more, compelling. Larson’s account is meticulously researched and thoughtfully written, fully evoking the drama of the time. The group of architects who designed the buildings of the White City—led by Daniel Burnham, who was known as the best in the field—were among the greatest artists of their time. It’s said that every visitor to the White City could not help but be moved by its majesty. Wish I'd been alive then to see it.<br /><br />PS: Daniel Burnham went on to design many other cities, Manila among them. Unfortunately his design of Manila was never fully carried out, more’s the pity.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1142150253073657352006-03-12T15:47:00.000+08:002006-03-12T15:57:33.083+08:00Classic CoryWhat a treat, Cory Doctorow's latest novel <a href="http://craphound.com/someone/">Someone Comes To Town, Someone Leaves Town</a> is indeed available online--free! Naturally I still intend to get the 'dead-tree' version for my collection, but it's terrific to be able to <a href="http://craphound.com/someone/download.php">download a free electronic copy</a>. Thank God for <a href="http://creativecommons.org/">Creative Commons</a>, and thank you Mr D! You are one classy dude. <br /><br />[Cross-posted from <a href="http://dcoven.blogspot.com/">The Coven</a>]Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1141538023708046042006-03-05T13:48:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:21:23.134+08:00What nonsenseProclamation 1017 was lifted last Friday, but the Supreme Court hearing on it will continue as scheduled, at least according to the papers. Good. Even two-bit lawyers—heck, two-bit law students!—can see that GMA’s declaration of a state of emergency is unconstitutional, a blatant manipulation of the constitutional provisions for declaring a national emergency and suspending the writ of <span style="font-style:italic;">habeas corpus</span>. (Connie V makes a good job of dissecting it in her Manila Standard Today <a href="http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/iserver?page=connieVeneracion_feb28_2006">column</a>.) Proclamation 1017 has no basis at all in law, and why the Supreme Court didn’t issue a TRO right away is a great mystery to me. It just makes no sense. The only thing that makes sense at this point, actually, is to keep shouting 'FOUL!' at the top of one's lungs.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1141439180589843152006-03-04T10:17:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:17:40.849+08:00Pure pleasureMy head feels empty if there's no story percolating in it somewhere so, no matter how much I have to read for school, I can't abide not having something else to read on the side—before bed, during my morning commute, or as a reward in between reading cases. Not that the Rules of Court don’t make for compelling reading (pweh), but there's reading for school and there's just reading. My classmates don’t understand why, on top of my remedial law textbook I’m also carrying a copy of Elizabeth Kostova’s <span style="font-style:italic;">The Historian</span> (the legend of Draculya—fiction, of course ;) How can I manage to read anything else on top of our caseload, they ask. I don’t bother answering. What John Carey says in <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0571204481&itm=3">Pure Pleasure</a> is true: <span style="font-weight:bold;">“…the gap between people who read books and people who do not is the greatest of all cultural divisions, cutting across age, class, and gender. Neither side understands the other. To non-readers, readers seem toffee-nosed. To readers, the puzzle is what non-readers fill their minds with.”</span><br /><br />So what have I been filling my head with these days? Well, I’m still reading <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0316011770&itm=1">The Historian</a>, as I said, coz I had to put it down to prioritise Steve King’s <a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&isbn=0743292332&itm=1">Cell</a>—naturally—which was a great romp but actually a bit unsatisfying. I was speed-reading through most of it, couldn’t wait to see what would happen and why, only to collide with a solid blank wall of an ending. Then again what zombie story has ever had a satisfying conclusion? As far as zombie stories go, *The End* is a given. What matters is the carnage and the chaos ;P<br /><br />More on <span style="font-style:italic;">The Historian</span> when I finish it. Malapit na!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1140794178918793792006-02-24T23:07:00.000+08:002006-02-24T23:36:49.940+08:00Choose pain<span style="font-weight:bold;">“You must choose between pain or drudgery.” – Douglas Coupland</span> (from <span style="font-style:italic;">Girlfriend in a Coma</span>, I think)<br /><br />Caught an episode of <span style="font-style:italic;">Grey's Anatomy</span> where one of the residents (the one who's a former model) had to break up with her boyfriend because he couldn’t accept that he would always be second to her job. She tells him regretfully but firmly, “Sorry, this is my life now.” Something I wish I could say to some of my own friends sometimes. Not all of them understand why I'm taking up law studies this late, with conditions being far from ideal. The answer is, because I choose to.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20190913.post-1140793616319645012006-02-24T23:03:00.001+08:002011-06-25T16:12:30.312+08:00The biggest failure<span style="font-weight:bold;">“Even the biggest failure, even the worst, intractable mistake, beats the hell out of never trying.”</span> – from <span style="font-style:italic;">Grey’s Anatomy</span> (my new favorite tv series now that <span style="font-style:italic;">House</span> is on season break at AXN)<br /><br />You can see from my choice of quotations that I didn’t do too well in my midterms, or one of them at least (not all results have been released). So frustrating ‘cause I could have done so much better, I know. [Sigh!] But I’m not fazed. Bawi na lang sa finals, as usual.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0