blogthings 06.

You Should Be a Politician

Confident, assertive, and dedicated - you know what you want in life and how to get it. Stubborn and opinionated, you can stand your ground... even if it's unpopular. And while you have strong views, you never overwhelm people with your opinions. A true charmer, you subtly influence people into seeing things your way. You do best when you: - Work according to your own rules - Can change the world with what you do You would also be a good lawyer or talk show host.

What Should You Be When You Grow Up?

Blogthings.com is so... addicting .

blogthings 05.

You Belong in 1982

Wild, over the top, and just a little bit cheesy. You're colorful at night - and successful during the day.

What Year Do You Belong In?

I was born in 1982! Kewl

blogthings 04.

You Should Get a JD (Juris Doctor)

You're logical, driven, and ruthless. You'd make a mighty fine lawyer.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

How creepy is this? Hahaha.

Answer me.

During CivPro class, Atty Soriano asked us if we read the assignment. Nobody answered him because we were all afraid . Some of us thought that if we said yes there would be a graded recitation (which not all of us were ready for) or if we said no he will get angry and still push through with a recitation. See the pattern? We didn't want any recitations today . So nobody was answering him. He got a bit angry when nobody was answering him after asking the question a few more times. He said it was a sign of disrespect and even threatened to walk out of the class if no one answered him . On our part, i don't believe that we didn't answer because we didn't respect him. A lot of us were confused because the choice he gave were either to say yes or no. Our answers were qualified: Yes, we did read but we were not able to read the entire assignment. I for one only managed to read up to module 4 -- our assignment was up to module 5.

It was a good thing that he didn't get really angry with the class and walked out. We didn't have any recitations for that day, he just gave a lecture until module 3.

Isn't it sad that we're still afraid to answer these types of question, considering the fact that we're adults and should know better?

I would like to see...

... The Game Plan, Enchanted, and Hitman on the big screen. Would someone treat me to a movie? Onegaishimasu!

Client and Lawyer shot in courtroom

"An angry husband shot dead his estranged wife and her lawyer as they were waiting for the judge to hear an annulment case inside a courtroom in Las Piñas City Thursday, police said.

Alan Tubale, 53, pulled out a gun and fired on Lolita Tubale, 51, and her lawyer, Rebecca Basas, 57, as they waited for the hearing to start, said Senior Inspector Jan Dale Sulit, chief of the city police station investigation division."

-www.inquirer.net

This happened about a week ago. It is indeed sad but at the same time scary. A courtroom, or a courthouse for that matter, is supposed to be -for lack of a better word- scared, one of the places people are expected to respect. It is a sad time for our country, where convicts are pardoned without them showing any remorse for their crimes, where bombs go off in places where security should be tight, and where incidents like the aforementioned happen. And to top it off, the suspect was able to escape due to the commotion. If it weren't so tragic, it would have been a comedy of errors.

With these occurrences, one question comes to mind: Where is our country headed to?

Hanazakari no Kimitachi e

...or Hana-Kimi is a Japanese drama based on a popular manga of the same name by Nakajo Hisaya. It's about a young Japanese girl living in the US named Ashiya Mizuki who sees an athlete named Sano Izumi on television. She decides then to move to Japan and attend the same school he's into. However, he goes to an exclusive school for boys so Mizuki disguises herself as a boy to achieve her dream.

Not particularly original. There have been several movies which tackles similar plots. Among them however, i liked this one best because being a tv series, it showed the everyday chaos which ensues from living in an all-boys' dormitory. There's one where a fellow student, Nakatsu, starts to question his sexuality for having feelings for Mizuki, whom he thinks is a boy. Although comical, his struggle to deny, and ultimately accept, his feelings were heartfelt and honest. Truth be told, i was rooting for Nakatsu more than Sano. He was ready to accept her, even before he knew she was a girl. I applaud everyone in the cast and crew also for not being afraid to tackle issues which are still considered taboo by most of society, that of a same sex relationship. There were several scenes where boys kissed other boys. But then again, i've come to notice that Japanese literature is more accepting than others. Take the yaois and yuris found in various mainstream manga and anime for example.

I liked the ending of the story. The girl and the guy did get to profess their love for one another but instead of living happily ever after with each other, she went back to the US.

Don't be misled by the term Japanese drama. Although there are some dramatic scenes in the series, it's more of a romantic comedy.

Mastering an art

I think i've mastered the Art of Procrastinating. For instance, i should be studying for my CivPro class tomorrow but instead i'm online, lurking about. But really, i woke up this morning with good intentions: download the modules from our professor's site, print them, then study the assignment. But it's now nearing 3pm and all i've done is to print the modules. Should i blame the weather?

Balik-aral...

No wonder our country is what it is today.

"Our government... teaches the whole people by its example.
If the government becomes the lawbreaker,
it breeds contempt for law;
it invites every man
to become a law unto himself;
it invites anarchy."

~Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis

My brain's going numb.

One more week to go before classes start. At least in my case. And what have i done the past weeks? Nothing. Zilch. Nada. I'm getting sick of surfing on cable and watching dvds. I've already read all the ebooks i've downloaded. Wala na kong maisip i-download hahaha.

******

Well, that's not entirely true. I cleaned my room as soon as the sem ended. It's better now because i reorganized my bookshelf and either threw or gave away a couple of things. I should have sold my photocopied cases for recycling but i couldn't find a mag-d-dyaryo. At least my room's less of a fire hazard than it was before.

******

So last week I enrolled 15 units and i'm still planning on adding 5 more. I hope i can get Atty Pobre on my PIL class. I didn't enroll on a morning class, i learned my lesson last semester thank you very much. Although i'm assuming i didn't do well on my 8am Sat class so i might take it again next year i really, really, really hope not. It's going to drag my GWA down.

******

Why is it that whenever i'm on break nothing good's on tv? Has that ever happened to you? And then when school starts all the good shows are on. I'm happy though cause Heroes season 2 is on Crime/Suspense. And that they're showing Ugly Betty on Star World, even if it's still season 1. But it's all good cause i didn't buy the dvd. Hehehe.

******

So my brother finally convinced me to go see The Seeker: The Dark is Rising. I wasn't set on seeing it cause my friends who saw it gave it bad reviews. But it's my genre so i went. And they compared it to Lord of the Rings. Which for me is really no way to compare a movie; they'll just end up short Halfway through it i wanted to go out. Either that or shake the hell out of the kid. It had hints of LotR -- heck the books even had White Riders on it -- and Harry Potter. If he had powers, why didn't he use them? Why didn't the "Older" teach him how to use them? I really thought when he got the sign for a particular element he could control it to some degree and fight the Dark. I don't know if it's just a bad adaptation or the whole series is like that. At least Harry used his abilities. Will Stanton used his to vent his emotions by setting fire to a mill. They keep on saying he is powerful as he collects the signs but they never showed it on screen. So if you're planning on watching it, don't. On a scale of 1 to 5, 5 being the highest, i give it a two. We should have just seen Balls of Fury.

******

I know i should stop comparing every fantasy genre to LotR because Tolkien has influenced it a lot. And because PJ did a hell of a job adapting the stories to the big screen. But that's how i am. I even gripe about how the characters from Heroes are mutants from X-Men. But i still watch them. Hahaha. It's a big problem for me because i can't just enjoy the movie/show without comparing it to another. But if those Heroes writers make a Wolverine rip-off, i'd tear my hear out. They've already improved on Rogue's mutation, which just confirms that Rogue is the Ultimate Superhero if she just didn't suffer from that whole psyche thing and not that frakking Jean Grey. But Rogue would be so Mary Sue if that happens.

******

How bored am i? I'm watching Parental Control on ETC. Go figure.

******

Hahahaha.

Ako naman ang makiki-sawsaw XD

I checked my friendster account and i found this post from a friend's blog. I wasn't planning on blogging about what happened because a) i was busy with school, and b) while i empathize with all the angry Filipinos, i found some of the reactions a bit over-the-top -- yes, OA. I've read and seen and heard plenty of reactions to what Teri Hatcher's character said, all of them angry. But when i read Ajeet's take on it, my first reaction was, "Yes! At last may ka-pareho nako" and decided to give my two cents worth.

As i told him, not that i'm anti-patriotic but really, exagge naman yung ibang tao. Don't get me wrong, what the writer/s, director, actor, etc did was WRONG, i cannot stress that enough. Not because it's a slur against my country in particular, but it's a slur, period. Kahit pa anong bansa ang binanggit nila dun, mali pa rin sya. It's a clear case of discrimination. It would have been easier to swallow if they did not mention any specific location, like maybe just say a graduate from a medical school in a third world country or something. But i mean, c'mon, filing a $500 mil suit? I'm all for them apologizing. Instead of asking that much money, why not just ask for a live apology from all the people involved or ask them to prohibit the show from being shown or even erase the whole episode and make one where a Filipino doctor makes Ms. Hatcher's character eat her words or ban her for life in the Pinas and all her shows? Or demand for all of those. Cause what's the $500 mil for? Will it be used to pay for the outstanding debts of the country? Uhh i don't think so. And may i just be the devil's advocate here? Bakit sa palagay nyo, mga mahal kong kababayan, naisip nilang gamitin ang bansa natin? Hindi ba kagagawan rin nating lahat kung bakit ang pangit ng imahen natin sa buong mundo? Kahit si Manny Pacquiao eh hindi kayang baguhin ang pangit na pangalan ng bansa natin. Eh kung tayo nga dito nag didiscriminate against other people. May tatalo pa ba dun sa ginawa ni Senador Miriam Defensor-Santiago nung pinagbintanggan nyang ang mga Chinese daw ang nag-imbento ng korupsyon? At the halls of the Senate no less. Nakakahiya. "Eh si Miriam lang naman yun eh, masanay ka na sa kanya." Mashado na ata tayong manhid. At tingnan nyo na lang ang reaksyon ng Chinese community. Did they sue us for a gazillion dollars? They satisfied themselves with an apology. Sa totoo lang, masyadong defensive ang kinalabasan natin.

I don't watch that show, not my cup of tea. But i saw the clip on a news channel, same as everybody did. Then looked it up on youtube.

Oh and yeah, pwede pakiusap lang dun sa mga politikong nagbigay ng opinion nila, Teri Hatcher po ang pangalan niya. Hindi Teri Thatcher. Next time please make sure that you got the name correct. I felt disgusted but at the same time died laughing out loud. Naki-sawsaw pa kasi...

******

Reposted from Ajeet's blog, with his permission. Salamat Ajeet.

Motherfuck! Teri said what?!

"Oh no she di'in'!"

Unless you've been living under a rock, then you know that the latest bit of racism that has everyone in a pseudo-nationalistic uproar is Teri Hatcher bad-mouthing Filipino doctors on an episode of Desperate Housewives.

But before we call for the castration/mutilation of the man/woman who wrote that line, let's take a good, hard look at our own penchant for intolerance. I'm not saying it wasn't wrong, because it was, and I have a lot of former classmates studying medicine, but we're not exactly the most politically-correct race around eh?

Being half-Indian in this country, sometimes I feel like a racial slur waiting to happen. One of my earliest memories after moving back to the Philippines, and one of the first statements I understood as I was learning Tagalog, was swimming in a public pool at around age 8 and seeing a girl about my age drag her two brothers away from me while saying, in a voice dripping with revulsion, "'Wag tayo lalapit d'yan, mga bumbay 'yan, ang baho-baho." Sweet ano? I guess it's never too early to inculcate racism in your little girl.

I can't remember how many times I've been asked if my parents are 5-6, if they sell arinola and payong, why I don't have a scooter, why all Indians smell bad, etc. The worst is when people tell me I'm fair or handsome, then say, "Buti na lang, you don't look like other Indians." Why thank you for managing to simultaneously complement me while insulting the more than one billion other people of my race. It takes a very skilled asshole to pull off something like that.

One time, a nanny pointed at my dad while trying to shush her young charge, stating that if he didn't stop crying, "Papakuha kita sa bumbay." My dad turned around and asked her what she would do if he really took her kid. Naturally, the yaya was dumbstruck. Holy shit, the "monster" doesn't like being used to scare babies pala? What a shocker.

And hey, this isn't just on the street. How many times are Indians made objects of ridicule on local TV shows, radio, etc.? How many songs has Michael V. put out making fun of Indians? My boys at the home I work in sing one particular song all the time around me and think it's funny. I grin and bear it, but I'm pretty fucking pissed inside. Not at my boys, but at a media that would condone such offensiveness. At the institutionalizing of such racism. I tell my boys that while your average Filipino delights in making fun of Indians, your average Indian doesn't even know the Philippines exists. And it's true.

Oh and our word for ourselves is not bumbay. I have only ever heard that word here, in the Philippines. Bombay is one city in a country of dozens and dozens of cities. As my sister once said, that would be like calling all Filipinos Manilas. And we do not like that word, seeing as, and I say this from personal experience, that word is only ever used when Filipinos express disdain, revulsion, or some other negative feeling for Indians. The word itself has racist connotations; using it and saying, "Oh that's just the Filipino word for Indians," is like telling a black person, "Oh, 'negro' is just our word for people of African descent." It's beyond offensive, to say the least.

But c'mon, our country doesn't just confine itself to Indians. I heard that the common word used by Pinoys for Chinese-Filipinos, "intsik," is racist to them. My boys at the home think it's perfectly alright to go up to a black person and say, "What's up nigger?" because they hear it in rap songs. I excuse that and chalk it up to a lack of education. But even educated people torment anyone dark-skinned, calling them "negro," "ita" and "nog-nog." My brother couldn't stand his last school because the kids made fun of him for being dark. He was even cast as a (fuck me!) terrorist in some UN day presentation at school. Apparently, he was supposed to hug a fair-skinned kid, showing the West and the Terrorist making peace. I guess your average terrorist is a dark-skinned South Asian/Arab eh? Lovely. And this was his teacher's fucking idea, P.S.

I find it sad that, in this country, my brother has only found friendship and acceptance in an international school, among foreigners. I make fun of how he can speak French but not Tagalog and how he knows next to nothing about this country we live in, but I can't blame him for his disinterest. Given how actively hostile his former Filipino classmates appeared to be to him, this country has given him no reason to love it.

And hey, we call any fixed game "lutong Macau" even though your average Pinoy can't even point to Macau on a map. We say "amoy Arabo" for anyone who smells bad, and since 9/11, any Arab is automatically a terrorist. Before 9/11, people would automatically call me bumbay and make fun of my smell. Now, people automatically assume I'm Arab and make terrorist-flavored jokes. I don't know which is worse.

We even make fun of our own people. Anyone with a Bisayan accent is to be tormented. Aetas, or anyone with similar features, are to be relentlessly ridiculed. Anyone from Mindanao, or any Muslim, is to be feared because he'll probably go "amok" or is probably a terrorist. In a survey my group did for our college research paper, a Muslim man we interviewed in Baseco told us that Robinsons malls have an unofficial no-hire policy for any Muslim, which is why none of them ever get hired there.

I could go on and on but you get the picture.

And sure, everyone will forward angry e-mails and repost crap on their Friendster bulletin boards, but tomorrow, the same people will be lining up at the US embassy, desperately trying to get a green card. As what? As doctors and nurses in the US. If you're really so pissed, you'd all boycott that country's health industry.

So you'll excuse me if I roll my eyes and say "whatever" at this latest burst of "righteous" indignation. Before we crucify Teri, let's make sure we're not racists ourselves eh?

Otherwise, we're just being fucking hypocrites.

new pc

So nakabili na kami ng bagong desktop computer. Sakto nga lang yung pagbili namin kasi may promo sa Glorietta involving many computer shops. Yung dati kasi naming desktop eh mga anim na taon na, ilang beses na rin naming na-upgrade yun. But this time i think it needed a major upgrade, so we opted to buy a new one instead. We got the new HP Pavilion S3180D; it has a whopping 320GB hard disk, Core 2 Duo, and 1GB memory among others. I'm hoping that it would be years before i need to exchange it for a new one. I really, really love the monitor, a 22" LCD. I know ang uso ngayon is paliitan ng mga gadgets pero pwede rin kasi syang flat-screen tv. Lalo na ngayon pwede mong makabitan ng cable tv yung mga computers. I can't wait to play computer games and also fool around with pictures and stuff well, at least after my exams...

And speaking of...

...films, am i the only one who was disappointed in the last Resident Evil installment? I mean, really, i expected so much more from the film. I went in very optimistic. The only whoa moment for me was when she killed those friggin' birds. And that's because of the cg. I really, really hated the ending. I already had an idea when i first saw those dead Alice clones that they would play a big role in the movie. I think they could've made it so much better. AND the way they killed off Carlos Olivera, Oded Fehr's character? Huge disappointment. Although he died in a big explosion, it was very corny. I don't know why, but it reminded me of Titanic. Maybe it's because of how he died? Now i'm looking forward to the third installment of the Underworld movies and i hope they don't disappoint as well.

As an obiter though, i liked Alice's desert clothes.

Stardust

I still haven't seen the film adaptation yet. I liked the book, i'd really like to see the movie. BUT i just can't stand Claire Danes. I liked her in Romeo+Juliet but my reaction to her recent films is, in a word, meh. Plus the statement she made a couple of years back. She really left a sour and bitter taste in my mouth. So i am torn really. I could've seen the movie this weekend but... gyah... Oh well, maybe i'll see it this week. Or wait for it on HBO.

Quality time... and money

My mom and i went to the salon to have our hair did. It's always nice spending quality time... and money... with your family . We should have more of these.

Welcome to the world ^o^

My sorority sister Kat and my fraternity brother John welcomed the birth of their firstborn last Tuesday. Congratulations to both of them . So ano na ba pangalan ng baby nyo?

Pagkatapos ng final exam namin sa Property...

...craziness ensued. We went to MoA for lunch, went for a bit of window-shopping, then had a cup of frap at a well-known coffee shop. There we made a video for our friend's birthday -- she's in Canada and we miss her a lot . Juris' laptop had an integrated video camera so we took pictures of ourselves. Sabik sa picture

Bakit ba...

...kung kelan wala kang pasok or gagawin kinabukasan, walang magandang palabas sa tv?

blogthings.03

You Are More Yin

Feminine Devoted Forgiving Fall Winter Afternoon Moon Time Passive Metal Honey

Are You More Yin or Yang?

blogthings.02

You Are 60% Weird

You're so weird, you think you're *totally* normal. Right? But you wig out even the biggest of circus freaks!

How Weird Are You?

blogthings.01

You Are Impressionism

You think the world is quite beautiful, especially if you look at it in new and interesting ways. You tend to focus on color and movement in art. For you, seeing the big picture is much more important than recording every little detail. You can find inspiration anywhere... especially from nature.

What Art Movement Are You?

Drama queen-ish.

Okay, so our final exams start tomorrow. Can you say hell week? Good. Now say bokya. Goood. Give yourself a virtual cookie. Cause that's what i'll get for my property finals tomorrow -- the bokya, not the cookie hehehe. I can't find my JURADO REVIEWER anywhere!! Huhuhu... It's the only thing that can save me now. Like my codal, it's my security blanket, so to speak. I need it! Desperately...

And as i am writing this blog, i can hear the wind whistling outside. I'm keeping all my fingers crossed -- not literally you dope, i won't be able to type -- hoping for a typhoon to suddenly hit Manila. It's bad i know, but what the hell, i'm getting desperate. Would our neighbors think i'm weird if i suddenly do a rain dance outside? Oh shoot, i forgot, i'm a Catholic. And we don't do that. HEY! Maybe i should pray that oration that the Church asked us to pray a couple of months back...

I should be studying. I should be studying. I should be studying. I can't focus.

So my mom got back from her 1+ month of gallivanting around Europe. And doesn't that sound mayabang yuck hahaha. Well, she only visited a couple of countries. And yes, it was expensive. I wish i could have gone with her. She and four other Filipinos (plus other Asians) were chosen by the Swedish gov't to go to their country for a conference. At first she had no plans of going anywhere else, so i (and a couple other of her friends) managed to convince her to take the opportunity to go on a short European tour. So aside from Sweden, she has been to the Netherlands, France, and Spain. They were supposed to go to Italy and the Vatican after but they decided not to. I think they got tired of all that walking. Dare i say old age? Hahaha. Too bad though, they really should have gone through with their plans. And they found out that really, you can find Filipinos lurking about elsewhere in the world. The OFW's were really nice and they were happy to find a kababayan. Hay, naiinggit ako.

Okay back to my non-problem. I know it's irrational, my agonizing over this. I've been racking my brain on where i could've placed -- or misplaced -- it. Sana it's just lurking somewhere in my room. Kasi if nawala ko yun, grabe iiyak na lang ako, may kamahalan din kasi sya. Not to mention mapapagalitan pa ko ng nanay ko. Umulan ka na kasi! Pero pwede bang i-concentrate na lang yung baha sa school and its surrounding areas? Para makapag-mall ako? HAHAHA.

Sana paghinanap ko ulit sya ngayon, makita ko na sya... Pls pray that i pass my exams.

louie's fable

A high school friend sent this to me via sms:

A little bird was flying during winter. It froze and fell on the ground. A cow came by, saw the bird, then dropped some dung on it. The bird realized how warm it was and began to sing for joy. A passing cat heard the bird singing; it dug the bird out and ate it. The morals of the story?

1. Not everyone who drops shit on you is your enemy.

2. Not everyone who gets you out of trouble is your friend.

3. When you're in deep shit, keep your mouth shut.

Truer words have never been spoken. Thanks Louie

post midterm exam ramblings

Well, i still don't know if i survived my midterm exams this semester. I'm still feeling quite a bit numb from all that reading. My brain refuses to function; i wish my professors won't start recitations til next week. Would it be too much to pray that they won't attend their classes for a week or two? *sigh* I still have one more exam to take this Saturday. Oh well, at least i know i passed one subject -- according to a reliable source lol.

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It's September once again and that only means one thing -- to the legal community here that is. Bar month! That's where law students bravely take the bar exams and once they pass, they're included in the Roll of Attorneys and can now practice law. Hopefully in a few years time i'll be one of those taking the bar.

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I celebrated my 25th birthday a few days ago. I can't believe i'm now 25. The old adage is true -- tempus fugit. I evaluated my life and found that i'm quite satisfied where i am right now. Although i would have loved it if i already graduated from law school, i'm more or less where i envisioned myself when i was in college.

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So i saw Rush Hour 3 with my father and brother last week. If you're looking for something thought-provoking, don't watch it. I mean, hey, it's a Jackie Chan movie. Nothing against the great Chan but his movies aren't really known for their depth. I watch it for it's fun factor; i usually end up LOL. The plot was highly predictable; good vs bad, good always wins. But the action was funny -- nothing awesome but it was good entertainment.

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My father came home from East Timor for a visit. He's part of the UN Peacekeeping force in East Timor. Too bad he'll only be here until Friday. I'm happy though that he was here on my birthday. My mom wasn't, she is in Sweden for a conference. I'm hoping for something nice when she gets back. Haha.

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I love my ipod. I just hate the fact that once the battery life shortens, i have to have the whole thing replaced. Sux.

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I don't understand what's the big deal with the iphone. I'd choose my nokia over that any day of the week. And the price! My goodness.

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The weather's been nice lately. It rains once in a while; I can't wait til it gets cooler. That means Christmas is just around the corner.

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I want to say thank you to all who remembered my birthday and took the time to greet me. I really appreciate it you guys. You made my day brighter.

dabate on damages

Isang araw sa torts and damages class ko may interesanteng diskusyon na naganap. I would like to share these with everyone and anyone kasi gray area daw sya ng batas. And in the hopes na ma-share ninyo ang opinion ninyo.

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We were discussing moral damages. Moral damages are damages for pain and suffering -- kasama dun ang physical suffering, mental anguish, serious anxiety, etc (Art 2217 New Civil Code). Under Art 2219, they may be recovered in several cases, one of which is when a person is a victim of seduction, abduction, rape or other lascivious acts (SARA). Further, "the parents of the female seduced, abducted, raped, or abused xxx may also recover moral damages."

Rape, simply put, may only be committed by a man against a woman. That was the law's definition before. Since then, na-amend na ito by way of R.A. 8353 (The Anti-Rape Law of 1997 na i believe eh si Atty Kiko Pangilinan ang author, correct me if i'm wrong). One important feature of that law is the expansion of the definition from being "committed by a man" to "any person may commit". Ibig sabihin ang lalaki, sa ilalim ng kasulukuyang batas, ay pwede na raw maging biktima ng rape. No problem there. My classmate's contention is this: since na-amend na daw yung batas to include males as victims of rape, the phrase "the parents of the female" should now be deemed to be interpreted as to include parents of the male victims. Apparently, sabi yun ng author ng librong ginagamit nya (i think Pineda yun) and she subscribes to that opinion. My professor said there's no conflict between the laws. But she contends otherwise.

For my part, i believe that there is no conflict. RA 8353 contemplates the definition of a crime, the purpose of which is to punish those who commit it. Art 2219 contemplates a civil aspect of the crime, nagbibigay daan para maka-recover ang mga biktima ng damyos. It substantially provides that any victim of SARA may recover moral damages AND the "parents of the female". Hindi naman sinabi ng batas na yung female victims lang ang pwedeng maka-recover by way of moral damages; the male victim may also recover. However, since the law has specifically mentioned the rights of the parents of the female victims to recover, we must not include what has not been included. I am not insensitive to the plight of the male victims and their families. I believe that they too should be afforded the same right. BUT still, dura lex sed lex -- the law may be harsh but it is still the law. Yun ang nakasaad sa batas. Art 2219, i believe, is not in any way inconsistent nor contrary to RA 8353 so there is no need to amend, modify, or even repeal it. That is this person's humble opinion lang naman po.

Pinagdebatihan yan sa class. Some were confused, others had the same opinion as hers. I share the opinion of some of my classmates and my professor. But that does not mean we are automatically right -- remember she shares her opinion with the author who is also a lawyer. Well, ganyan talaga ang batas. Open to sound interpretation. Pagalingan na lang ng pagkumbinsi sa judge or justice na mas may sense yung sinasabi mo haha!

As for my classmate, well tumagal yung discussion until it was time for us to leave. Since almost 30 mins overtime na kami, in the interest of speeding things up, she told our professor, "Sir, i rest my case na po" and sat down.


__________________
started Jul 27, 9:07p
ended Jul 28, 6:40p

6 days of rest?

Yippie! No classes tomorrow -- again. Buti na lang, kasi start ng midterms namin bukas and i'm not as ready as i want to be. AND since sa Monday walang pasok (instead of Tues, Aug 21), extended ang bakasyon ko. Hmm weds to mon wala akong pasok? Coolness!

Clicky for new dates of holidays in the Pinas. Cheers!

emotional stress

Found the link to this on a friend's site. Original found here.

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“The emotional distress of law students appears to significantly exceed that of medical students and at times approach that of psychiatric populations.” That’s the conclusion of a new study, suggesting that law school has a corrosive effect on the well-being, values and motivation of students.

Here’s the 16-page study, “Understanding the Negative Effects of Legal Education on Law Students: A Longitudinal Test of Self-Determination Theory,” by Kennon Sheldon, psychology professor at the University of Missouri, and Lawrence Krieger, a law professor at Florida State. We picked up the study from the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, via the Chronicle of Higher of Education.

In a three-year study of two similar, unidentified law schools, the authors used questionnaires to measure the “subjective well-being” of students, their “need satisfaction,” how motivated they were for a career in law, and their “perceived autonomy support.”

The problem with most law schools, the authors write, is that they place little emphasis on hiring faculty members with proven records of teaching excellence. Instead, they tend to “emphasize theoretical scholarship and the teaching of legal theory, and many hire and reward faculty primarily based on scholarly potential and production,” say the authors. Observers suggest, they add, “that such priorities and processes train students to ignore their own values and moral sense, undermine students’ sense of identity and self-confidence, and create cynicism.”

book 7. limey spoilers.

So i was able to finish reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows last night (more like early today). It took me about 6 hrs, i started from 9pm til about 3:15 in the morning. I read it straight partly because i couldn't put the book down and partly because that's how i read, i try to finish it in one sitting -- i also have no concept of time whenever i read.

I'm still digesting some of the things that have happened, specially the deaths it's not all butterflies and rainbows. Yes, a couple of loved characters dies If you're like me and get so involved with what you're reading or if you're a serious fan, have a couple of tissues ready and prepare for a good crying session. Although it had a pretty positive ending -- what did you expect? -- the deaths left a really sour note in my mouth. Yes, i'm feeling a bit gloomy. But it has a really good twist, and since it's the last installment in the series, it answers all the questions you might have and then some.

Oh well, try and have a good read. Enjoy the book, savor each word, and hopefully by the end you'll feel a sort of bittersweet moment like i did.

the lady in red.

It's that time of the political season na naman. At syempre i couldn't help myself, i watched the SONA of that little lady from Malacanang, lalo na walang akong class. Every time there is a SONA, i try to watch or at least listen to it. Last year may klase ako so i just read the speech and watched bits and pieces from the news. I can't help but wonder why some people aren't interested in watching or even listening. I know she's probably BS-ing us, nagpapaganda, nagbubuhat ng sariling bangko, and all that crap, pero really, what do you expect? A normal person would of course show and tell her achievements and not her failures. Common sense people! The whole world is watching and you're going to admit to all your kapalpakans? Haler! Only a fool or a really, really noble and humble person would do that -- and where can we find such a person in the world, much less in the PI It's not a waste of time for me, it's a way of gauging how far from reality politicians really are Ok i'm generalizing, sorry haha, peace dun sa mga brods at sis kong may hawak na govt position.

I know there are some who really try to do their job. But the system eats you up. Politics is dirty; it's supposed to be that way. I've never heard of anyone saying that politics is clean-cut. And people are always saying wala nang ginawa kungdi mag-debate ang mga politiko. It's about time you realize that the political arena is just that, full of debates and compromising and grandstanding and all that crap, lalo na we follow a democratic system of government. Yes we have to admit that the political system we have is quite dismal. But look on the bright side. At least we're not known for having wrestling matches sa Congress, unlike an asian country i saw on the news na naman kanina. Nagbabatuhan ng silya, pati mga babae Nakakapanglumo. Pero let's not give up. I always believe that while we become more cynical as we grow older, we should also have a little bit of idealism left in us. Kung lahat tayo ay may mindset na wag maniwala, wag sumunod, wag makinig, wag makialam, saan pupulutin ang bansa natin?

I can't help but wonder lang, yung mga nagbabatikos sa presidente, have they tried working with her? Yung tipong supportahan muna yung mga programs and reforms nya before nilang batikusin? The way i see it kasi, bago pa man makita yung effect ng programs and reforms ng kung sinong politiko eh kinokontra naman agad ng kaaway nya, without giving it a chance to work. Di ba better kung batikusin mo pag talagang nag-fail? At least may basis ang pang-ngangakngak mo diba, hindi yung puro speculations. Ang this goes for all politicians. Ah well, this brings to mind a quote from John Stuart Mill which goes, "Every great movement must experience three stages: ridicule, discussion, adoption."

And so i leave this blog with another quote this time from Robert Stanfield, a former conservative leader and premier of Nova Scotia:


"These are the people we elected
and if we are not satisfied
we should get new candidates.

It is in our hands.
It is our country.

It is a very simplistic view
that politicians are to blame
for everything."

Jul 23, 2007
11:02pm

Viruses is the plural of virus NOT virii.

Whinning ahead. If you can't stand it, don't read.

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So I got caught in the rain last friday. As a consequence, i am now suffering from influenza. My head is aching, my throat hurts, my muscles are sore, i have a runny nose, and i cough like i have tb (joke lang, wala namang blood). I'm miserable and i'd love company. I've been drinking gallons of water and am now taking vitamin c.

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To make things worse, it's prelims week. Why couldn't i have been sick last week or next week? Ang swerte nga naman.

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I saw the newest Harry Potter film last Sunday. I didn't enjoy watching it kasi umpisa nung trangkaso ko, so yes, miserable ako nung buong palabas. All i could think about was going home and getting a good rest. Kung hindi lang nakabili na ng ticket yung kapatid ko nagyaya na siguro ako umuwi. So i might watch it again this weekend, if i have any money left. Syempre kkb na, hindi na sya funded ng magulang ko.

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Why was i caught in the rain? Kabobohan, walang dalang payong. Although, may dala akong windbreaker, na feeling ko eh sapat nang proteksyon sa ulan.

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I went home early today. Dalawa dapat yung class ko kaso i asked permission from my professor sa pangalawa kong class from attending kasi i'm feeling really bad. Buti mabait sya at pinayagan ako.

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Bakit ako online if masakit katawan ko? Because i'm feeling the need to vent out my frustrations and misery. Walang ibang makikinig sakin dito sa bahay so sa cyberspace na lang. Keber kung walang nagbabasa nito. I'm feeling a tiny bit better na just from this. So if you're reading thanks. Nakikisimpatya man kayo or hindi, salamat parin.

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Since nag-co-commute lang ako, may nahawaan na kaya ako? Every time i cough naman i cover my mouth.

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Lesson? Mag vitamin c na kayo. At magdala parati ng payong. Better yet, wag mag marunong tulad ko at sumugod sa ulan.

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I do remember seeing Stardust during the previews. Looks promising, kahit na si Claire Danes yung star/Yvaine (yes, may issue ako with her). Plenty of big stars like Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert De Niro, and Peter O'Toole. They even have Ian McKellen (Gandalf!) as the narrator. And they filmed in the Scottish Highlands (i HAVE to go there someday). Sana lang hindi nila ni-butcher yung novel.

Pumapatak na naman ang ulan

Kisses of silver drops
falling from the sky.

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"Splash," said a raindrop
As it fell upon my hat.
"Splash," said another
As it trickled down my back.
"You are very rude," I said
As i looked up to the sky;
Then another raindrop splashed
Right into my eye!
-Anonymous

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Saturated clouds,
Thunder and lightning, boom, flash
Rainbows follow rain.
-Paul Kester

Justy, Fred, and Andrei

Brods:

I wish you
a wonderful life filled with love and happiness;
another year
of laughter, joy, and fun;
surprises, love, and happiness;
and the fulfillment
of all your fondest dreams.


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!

Reprieve

(Re*prieve") (r?-pr?v"), n.

1. A temporary suspension of the execution of a sentence, especially of a
sentence of death. "The morning Sir John Hotham was to die, a reprieve
was sent to suspend the execution for three days." Clarendon.
2. Interval of ease or relief; respite. "All that I ask is but a short reprieve, ll I forget to love, and learn to grieve." Denham.

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found here

abakada guro party list vs sec ermita

So i finally found the case i was looking for. And yeah, it's only 300+ pages. And it's due tomorrow

So, yeah. I think i'll go pray now.

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8.44 pm
sa wakas

I finally finished digesting the cases. Seemed impossible really but i had help. I searched online for a copy of the resolution. I admit, i wasn't able to read the whole case. Are you kidding me? Contrary to what i've been telling people, i have no superpowers But kidding aside, i dug into old digests from Beda, searched the www, and even asked for help from a brod. Yes, i was that desperate. It's times like these where one's resourcefulness comes out. So yeah, i didn't read the whole thing. Hello, consolidated cases kaya sya! I only read the pertinent parts, looked for the issue related to our subject, then copied the SC's ruling. Hahaha.

Pika...chu?

words are not enuff...