The Hot and the Not

Today is Monday, and starting the week with a dose of politics seems to uplift my spirit. Last week, I made a rundown on the reasons why I will or will not vote. This time, I will provide the list of candidate who will and will never get my vote.

I will not vote.....

Mike Defensor..... The guy really likes to row a boat in two rivers. He appears to be competent, but his ass kissing attitude is scary.

Coco Pimentel..... Being a bar topnotcher is not an assurance of competence. But the most glaring barrier to his possible victory is his direct association with the elder Pimentel.

Sonia Roco..... Her comments on autism might ring a bell. On a clearer point, I am not voting her because she will just duplicate Loi Estrada.

Prospero Pichay..... Have you heard of his district being as prosperous as his name? If he can't do it on a local level, then a national position is unlikely.

Ralph Recto..... The EVAT was supposed to improve the economy. Well, as what I observe, the EVAT is an additional burden that diminishes buying power.

I will vote.....

Edgardo Angara..... No doubt Angara is a traditional politician. But among the candidates, he has passed the most significant laws.

Francis Pangilinan..... I am not voting him because he opted to stay independent. I am voting him because he is KC's stepfather.

Joker Arroyo..... Age does nor matter in politics according to some. Arroyo has figuratively and literally lived by this perception.

Francis Escudero..... There has to be someone who will inject new blood in the Senate. Among all the young candidates, Escudero's blood appears to be the most compatible.

Panfilo Lacson..... Throughout his career, Ping has been hounded by various controversies. But the man is tough and my best bet to instill integrity in the deteriorating walls of the Senate.

Of course this list will never materialize. But a hint will always help in making decisions. I may not be right, but at least I made a choice.

Farewell to the Unwell

For weeks, music enthusiasts and entertainment followers have been enamored by a guy named Sanjaya Malakar. The guy, despite the average voice, looks, and personality managed to survive several weeks before being eliminated. During the elimination show last night, Simon was sensing that something will happen after the bottom 3 was announced. His smile suggests that better days are ahead and he was right on target after Sanjaya was booted. With mediocrity written all over him, here is how Sanjaya managed to stay afloat.

10. The only way to be eliminated in the competition is to have the least number of votes. It favors contestants that get more attention from the judges.

9. Voting is usually decided based on favorites and not on who is the best singer. Definitely, contestants who have more following will succeed.

8. Performing several music genres can also provide some advantages. Even the best singers stink when out of their comfort zone.

7. A competition becomes more exciting when a mediocre remains in the hunt. It provides suspense which is important for the show's ratings.

6. Because Sanjaya regularly performed bad, the judging was shifted to some other aspects. Randy, for instance, looks at Sanjaya's hair than listen to the song.

5. Perhaps Sanjaya realized that his voice will never make him win American Idol. He compensated such weakness with other noticeable strengths.

4. Simon Cowell made Sanjaya famous. Allowing Sanjaya to stay will provide more interest to viewers as to what Simon will say after Sanjaya performs.

3. The tirades on Sanjaya over the media created an air of sympathy. Voters not particularly adept with judging good music based their votes on emotions.

2. Howard Stern publicly pushed for Sanjaya to win the American Idol. Stern was successful at first but ran out of support eventually.

1. American Idol is a competition. In any contest, underdogs can riseand take away the price from the expected winners.

Misadventures in the Railway Transit

Scene 1: The Long Journey (from Leviste to the MRT station)

Art: How come there was no extra rice?
Sam: I feel hungry....
Dundee: I got a picture with the resource speaker.....
Bert: Check out my haircut.....


Scene 2: Lost in Translation (queuing with hundred of people)


Art: What if I just took a bus?
Sam: My hunger is worsening.....
Dundee: I wonder if my picture with the resources speaker looks great.....
Bert: My new hairdo definitely rocks.....

Scene 3: Surprise, surprise (the entire MRT platform was full pf people)

Art: Do you think we can ride right away?
Sam: The hunger is killing me.....
Dundee: I think I made the right pose in the picture with the resource speaker.....
Bert: I took a work leave just to have this hair cut.....

Scene 4: The strategy (taking a southbound train instead)

Art: Can we just do a one round trip?
Sam: Now I am really hungry.....
Dundee: Next week I will suggest another photo shoot with the resource speaker.....
Bert: My hair will blow you away.....

Scene 5: Screw you! (being in a train exclusive for women is a bad idea)

Art: Are we in the wrong place?
Sam: I am losing my I.Q. with this hunger.....
Dundee: Maybe I can have a picture with the resource speaker in a different place.....
Bert: Stop, look, and envy my hair.....

Scene 6: Fools rush in (changing places means no place at all)

Art: Is there still enough room for us?
Sam: This hunger really sucks.....
Dundee: I am planning to frame my picture with the resource person.....
Bert: I am the king of the hair!

Scene 7: Refuge, finally (going home will take just one smooth ride)

Art: Can we switch places?
Sam: It will take 2 super meals to end this hunger.....
Dundee: I hope the resource person comes back next week.....
Bert: My hair saved the day.....

Scene 8: Conclusion

Art still questions,
Sam remains a hungry moron,
Dundee imagines his picture with the resource speaker,
Bert tries to show off his hair

This story appears to be weird. Indeed, the peculiarity of the characters' experiences sums up the entire account. Just try and read between the lines. You may find something of higher meaning.

Quote for the day: "I hope I can be as good a man as him, so that I can see him again someday." - Jim Ross (Hall of Fame commentator) This was said after Owen Hart's tragic death.

Ranking the Great Pugilists

The victory of Manny Pacquiao proved that he is the alpha dog in the super featherweight division. Barrera is too old, Marquez appears to be legit though, and others are well below Pacquiao's abilities. I consider boxing as my favorite individual sport because of the physicality and bloodshed involved. Through the years of watching boxing matches, I have been enamored by some and captivated by many. Paquiao is one of the best, but let's see if he belongs to the greatest boxers that I have seen.

10. Marco Antonio Barrera..... He has the uncanny ability to make comebacks and get up while being down. Plus he has the coolest monicker in boxing - "The Baby Face Assasin".

9. Felix Trinidad..... Before he decided destroy his career by challenging Bernard Hopkins, King Felix was amazing. His unbeaten streak is well publicized including his win over De La Hoya.

8. Oscar De La Hoya..... After capturing Olympic Gold, De La Hoya slowly paved his legacy. Despite all the losses, he still managed to change the world of boxing.

7. Evander Holyfield..... It is hard to find a physically challenged boxer such as Holyfield who dominated his division. Unsurprisingly, he did it using his wits.

6. Joe Calzaghe..... The guy is one of the most underrated boxers I have seen. All he did was to defend his title 20 times and stay unbeaten after 43 fights.

5. Julio Cesar Chavez..... I was beginning to grasp the sport of boxing when Chavez was at his prime. He was mesmerizing crowds then and destroying opponents in his path.

4. Bernard Hopkins..... After spending time in jail and getting beat by Roy Jones, Hopkins quickly learned the ropes. At present he is a partner of Golden Boy and manages to win.

3. Lennox Lewis..... Defeating Mike Tyson cemented the career of Lewis. Even before that fight, he was such a monster in the ring.

2. Roy Jones, Jr..... Watch Roy Jones and you will definitely be entertained. He has the capacity to give opponents boxing lessons and give a whole lot of beating.

1. Mike Tyson..... If you plan to watch Mike Tyson fights, you have to be glued on the TV screen. Just one blink and you will miss the entire match.

I would like to extend my apologies to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Winky Wright, and Erik Morales. It is noticeable that Pacquiao is absent in the list. Well, he never was an undisputed champion, he never had a sterling amateur-to-prime career, and he is one-dimensional. There will come a day when Manny will become part of the best. If only he can focus on boxing and knockout his political ambitions.

To vote of not to vote.....

After a temporary hiatus, the legal two-time is back in business. This time, I have decided to make the posts more organized. At least readers can expect something for the day instead of the usual unpredictable discussions.

Since its Monday, I would like to discuss politics. The midterm election is approaching and I will provide reasons why I will and I will not vote.

I will not vote because.....

• I am registered in a place miles away where I am currently residing. Technically, I will never be able to cast my vote.
• There is a possibility that the election will be rigged. Wait a minute, the election will definitely be rigged.
• The election has become highly commercialized. Since the campaign period, money has been flowing to create all election paraphernalia.
• Based on the list of candidates provided by the COMELEC, it appears that the quality of candidates continue to dwindle. Just imagine choosing among entertainers, clowns, and traditional politicians.
• Elections have passed and nothing significant has happened. This is why several voters have decided not to vote again.

I will vote because.....

• I am a taxpayer. My payslip suggests that more than 2,000 Php goes to the government and a portion of it will be used for the elections.
• Some of the candidates deserve the position they are aspiring for. Indeed, my vote will serve as an affirmation.
• It is hard to imagine that the one vote I will contribute will affect the results. But weird things happen during such exercise.
• The Philippine Constitution states that the right to suffrage is a privilege. Exercising such option is an act of conformity to state norms.
• Perhaps the only legitimate way to promote change is through an election. Street protests will never push for change and other mechanisms will only make the situation worse.

Since I am not voting, my right to complain against the government is curtailed. To all voters, I have a suggestion that you can consider. Allow the past to affect you reflection, consider the present in making a manifestation, and weigh the future before making a decision.