Top 10 Things I want wikileaks to share (before it's really shut down)

This could be a really longer list, but I'm going to narrow it down to what I feel the guys at wikileaks can share electronically. I grew up reading my dad's Time/Newsweek and my mom's Star magazine/The National Enquirer (nope, I am not talking about the newspaper folks; my mom used to read a lot of Hollywood gossip - the unusual factoids these tabloids provide are what intrigued me, like "Bigfoot seen in Las Vegas" or some s#*t like that), so there is a lot of unexplained stuff out there.

So before I give out my top ten things that I want wikileaks to shed light on, I have a couple of honorable mentions ala Bill Simmons:
• Elvis Presley: alive or dead? (is there some document from the US Marshall's office that put him in the witness protection program? And is he really racist like what Chuck D said?)
• Michael Jordan's first retirement - is there a letter from David Stern that "suspended" him from the NBA because of his gambling issues?


Without further adieu, here's my top ten (get it right, Assange!):


10. The Facebook movie – I just had to mention this, but can’t Assange share the diary of the girl who never added Zuckerberg on Facebook or the details of the settlement he paid the twins (did he really rip off from them?)? I don’t know why I am interested to know if he’s really an A-hole, but he’s our generation’s Bill Gates so I think we’re all entitled to that.


9. Kobe Bryant’s settlement– I’m not sure if it’s documented already, but how much was the settlement and did he really violate the girl from Colorado? Actually, I just want to see how she looks like, if it was worth my leaving the Laker fandom after Kobe mentioned Shaq’s infidelities to the police and ruined their working relationship etc etc etc. And even if Pau Gasol grows his hair and beard to look like uber-cool Bill Walton in the 70’s, I’m still not a fan of Kobe Bryant (and this doesn’t help).


8. GMA/Hello Garci - I would like to see the unedited script of her televised apology and who wrote it, complete with handwritten comments of what to omit etc. An election is just an approximation, I get it, but I would be lying as well if I say I fully believe that she won fair and square over Fernando Poe Jr. (I voted for neither of them, by the way). And I’m sure there’s more incriminating evidence. Too bad the proposed Truth Commission is deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court. Who appointed the Supreme Court Justices, you might ask? Hello? Hello?


7. Derivatives market bubble - there must be some study out there that should tell us more about this financial crisis that’s right around the corner. Like maybe a 4th Quarter 2010 memorandum from a certain bank to its employees saying "guys, start packing your bags", right? I'm almost positive guys here got one.


6. Gore / Bush in Florida - I remember seeing a televised celebration of Gore winning in 2000, and I also remember news networks retracting their announcements. And what followed was terrible. I enjoyed the Rage Against the Machine video on the election, but I have no doubt that the world would have been safer and better without Dubya as president (although without him, Will Ferrel would not have been nominated for a Tony). I would like to see the unopened votes opened and counted, and I don't care how Assange's team is going to post or assemble that data.


5. Vizconde Massacre – my memory is hazy, but if the people who have been incarcerated for the past fifteen years are guilty only because of the testimony of a star witness on drugs, then they really should have called Grissom first. That’s the Philippine justice system for you, folks! There must be some written order to dispose or transfer the evidence (but wasn’t there a fire or an explosion in the NBI office a few years ago? They can use that as an alibi… what the hell am I saying?!).


4. JFK’s death– I honestly believe that in today’s era of Flip cameras and Facebook, this investigation would have turned out differently. There must be more hidden info out there, perhaps hidden inside a pew of an abandoned church in the south…


3. The ending of Inception – seriously. Was DiCaprio dreaming the whole time? Nolan must have the complete story on a moleskin or something. If I come up with a list of movies that linger, this could be among the Top 5.



2. The Decision – I’m talking about stuff like the Sopranos video that James Dolan prepared for Lebron James or a photo of Delonte and Queen James. I mean, just anything to explain the logic of the televised “Decision”. Man, I do not know how killing a franchise saves the NBA (I feel bad for Cleveland, but in fairness Dan Gilbert had a chance to book Stoudemire with Lebron in 2009-2010...). And besides, between the Heat and the Knicks, shouldn’t the nod have been towards saving New York? After 9/11 and Isaiah Thomas, New York sorta needs a Lebron James-signing (sorry Amare, but I am just not feeling it when they play Empire State of Mind during your intro). If he had any hand in it, then David Stern needs a better financial advisor (I’ll make myself available!) before they enter into a lockout next year.


1. MOA on Ancestral Domain – I would love to read a trail of documents that started this sincere effort to recognize the Bangsamoro homeland and then the trail of emails/letters/what-have-you that made a mess out of it. I would like to see how it was supported and then abandoned. I’m still supporting it, if ever you are asking, and damn those who used the MOA-AD for their own agenda.

WORD COUNT: 970

Petrang Kabayo?

"Petrang Kabayo?"

That was the question asked by the girl at the ticket counter when my wife was buying tickets (there are only two theaters at Greenbelt 1). It really set the mood for her; she was cracking up while we were going in to see Bruce Willis' new film .



I had just got out of work and crossed the street to Greenbelt 1 to meet Michelle at National Bookstore when we bumped into our friend Jill at Via Mare. After a quick chat, I saw the movie poster from inside the restaurant and naturally geeked out. We checked on the kids and then booked a ticket for the evening's entertainment. And it was worth missing out on a home-cooked meal.

This movie about retired CIA agents is "loosely" based on the DC comic book. Well, for starters and spoiler alert, Willis' character in the movie is named Frank instead of Paul.

I have enjoyed a couple of movies this year, such as My Name is Khan, 3 Idiots, Inception, Despicable Me, Toy Story 3, and Hot Tub Time Machine. But this movie kinda takes the cake (so far). The pacing was great, and my wife really loved it in spite of not even seeing its trailer. And seriously, would you watch Inception again? I'd rather do a double take on this movie that has Helen Mirren shooting a machine gun.

The casting is superb, and it's nice to see Mary Louise Parker again although I can't remember when I last saw her perform. Ernest Borgnine is in it as well, and I pointed out to Michelle that he's the voice of Mermaid Man. But not to ruin the film for everyone, I just have to say that John Malkovich rocks in this movie. It's nice to see Cyrus the Virus in an action film again, and being John Malkovich, he does it in his unique way.

This is not a Bourne-type-simulated-action spy film. This movie is outrageous, over-the-top, cliched, and incredibly satisfying. It makes me think about retirement packages and golden parachutes in a totally different way.

Now if I can only still apply for the CIA...

WORD COUNT: 331

His Name is Khan

I'm not a big fan of reality tv shows, especially the Filipino versions. But now, one of my best friends since childhood is on one. And now I'm practically glued on Youtube.

Growing up with Genghis, I have always known him as "big". Always.

Big in personality. Big in laughs. Big in generosity. Big in appetite. Big in wisdom. Big in heart. Big in size. Big.

Being friends with him is like being buddies with Tom Hanks' character in "Big", except he never wished himself back to size.

My son was ecstatic when I showed Genghis' video on Youtube . My wife was equally surprised as I was (he "lied" and told us he was going to attend this year's comic con in San Diego). (Nice one, dude)

I can't wait to see him healthier and lighter, but I bet it would take a lot of getting used to. I have known him since I was 12 years old! I guess part of our job when he gets back is to make sure he keeps off those pounds he's lost (and will lose). In fact, seeing him struggle and persevere inspires me a lot to lose the pounds I gained over the vacation (which was about five years ago).

In spite of his size, he did have injuries back then so i know he can get through the strenuous physical activities. When he was in the US, he broke his leg or something while playing high school varsity football (with enough training, he probably could have been the next William Perry). The guy has tried to get healthier many a times already, and I cannot be more excited for him after seeing the results he's putting up on each show.

He may be on The Biggest Loser, but he is always a winner. You can catch Genghis Khan Enrique on The Biggest Loser Asia season 2 every Tuesday night at 9:00 PM on Diva Universal Channel.

Word Count: 325

A reaction to that pastor in Florida

“Every time I look at you
I don't understand
Why you let the things you did
Get so out of hand
You'd have managed better
If you'd had it planned
Now why'd you choose such a backward time
And such a strange land?
If you'd come today
You could have reached the whole nation
Israel in 4 BC had no mass communication”
-Judas Escariot to Jesus Christ, in the song “Superstar” from the Broadway musical “Jesus Christ Superstar”

This Broadway song is from a musical that was an artistic interpretation of the last few days of Jesus Christ. For some, the play was considered sacrilegious and even anti-Semitic. If it were released today, I am sure boycotting the musical would have been more popular because of the internet and we would unfortunately may even be deprived of the Lion King, the Phantom of the Opera, Cats, and other succeeding works of Tim Rice or Andrew Lloyd Webber.

We live in a time where you have people on television claiming they have a direct line to God. We live in a time when someone can go online and cause furor and controversy so much easier than it were decades earlier. We live in the age of mass communication.

A Florida pastor wanted to pay homage to the thousands who died tragically at the World Trade Center nine years ago by burning the Holy Quran which was thankfully called off . I’m of the belief that we should be moderate in our practice of our respective faiths partly because it only takes so much to push someone over the edge and inadvertently cause outrage. We have to be more responsible in this age of globalization, man.

If that Florida pastor pushed through with it, who knows how some people in the global Muslim community would have reacted (which I am almost sure would be generalized by some). There are just some things you shouldn’t mess around with – and other people’s faith is one of them. I wouldn’t even bat an eye if they burned Osama Bin Laden’s picture or hold a protest rally against the building of the masjid in Ground Zero, but what they tried to do is just too much. You cannot go out and say that another faith professes radicalism. Isn't the burning of the Holy Quran radical? Isn’t saying that God spoke to you radical or extreme?

Akbar Amhed, in his contribution to the Asian Wall Street Journal last September 1 said there are three types of Muslims, broadly stratified as the mystic, the modernist, and the literalist. I want to believe that I am a cross between a modernist and a literalist, as one who strives to coexist with people of other faiths. There are “literalists” out there who would disagree with “modernists” completely but I just cannot subscribe to violence to which some do and I believe that there is no compulsion in religion. We should be careful on how we human beings try to interpret religious scripture, and we should be careful on how far we stretch our devotion to our faith, regardless of denomination. We should respect other people's truths. And for any literalists out there, if someone does go far on the offensive, you don't have to go all Hetfield and fight fire with fire.

But do go Lennon on me on this one and imagine: Imagine if the revelation of the word of God happened today, in the age of the internet - in a time when anyone can be “Messiah” or "Pariah” almost instantly . How different the world may have been, and thank God things are the way they are. And thank God cooler heads prevailed.

To commemorate the 9/11 tragedy, I won’t burn anything. Even ESPN thinks some other things should instead be burned. In fact, I’ll try to read more about the tragedy. In this time of the internet, when Time even named me Person of the Year once, I am going to download a torrent for “Fahrenheit 9/11” and also try to look for videos about the tragedy on Youtube.

Because I want to seek the truth. Not burn it.


Word Count: 686

Who is Anthony Taberna?

After we completed our prayers for Eid ul Fitre at the Indonesian Embassy along Salcedo Street in Makati this morning, my mom read out an SMS from her sister saying that the Eid was discussed on Umagang Kay Ganda (the morning news show on ABS CBN). She stated that its anchor had made an announcement that prostitutes from Senegal are welcoming the end of Ramadan and that prostitution is legal in Islam. He accompanied his remarks with a laugh, even as his co-anchor Ms. Pinky Webb tried to say that it was not consistent in Islam.

The sound of his name alone ruins my day.

Why did ABS CBN even think of putting this person on a morning news show and call the show “A Good Morning”? This person has made it a habit of grilling guests on their show, or making controversial what is already controversial. When you watch him, he acts as if he is the most intelligent person around when in fact he could be the most ignorant. I never liked watching him, but now I have begun to hate him.

It is journalists like him that foster hate in this world. And for the record, prostitution is not legal in Islam.

It is journalists like him who enjoy the limelight of controversy and can create a hostage situation into a national embarrassment.

I am no perfect Muslim, but I am among the majority of the more than 1 billion Muslims who live in peace, love, and unity with other faiths. I am among those who wept for the people who died in 9/11 and it is sad that tomorrow a church in the USA will burn copies of the Holy Quran to commemorate the tragedy.

Today's Final Jeopardy answer: A Filipino TV journalist who is ignorant and makes the wrong perception of Islam even worse. (See my title)

Word Count: 315

Why Recruit From AIM?

That's one big bonus!

If you are on the board of the Metroplitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS), you get Php 50,000 monthly, some Php20k to 30k for Representation and Transportation Allowance (RATA), an additional Php 14,000 for every board meeting attended (it's an incentive I guess to generate attendance), plus an annual grocery allowance of Php 80k and also Php1 Million when your term ends.

I read that from this article as well as from President Aquino's State of the Nation Address. If you want to read it word per word, then go here.

Looking at the figures above, it just makes me want to kick myself in the nads.
What do they meet about that merits Php14,000 per meeting? I wish I get even a fraction of that for every meeting I attend. Maybe someone opens their board meeting like this:

"Ah, Mester Cherman, I tink we should foot a blockage in the sewage sistem of makati, farticularly in da area of pasong tamo so dat we have samting to pix, you know."

But seriously, I think our water system can be better. And maybe these allowances can be diverted into something else (like actually fixing Pasong Tamo! 10 minutes of hard rain equals knee-level water and congested traffic hell!).

But in a country where you have to pass the Civil Service Commission Subprofessional exam to clean latrines of government offices or chauffeur government vehicles but you don't need to pass the same exam to become President, Senator, Congressman, Governor, Mayor, or a blogger- well, what the f**k do you expect?

Returning the Favor

I just found out that Joh Diaz, my good friend from the land of chicken inasal and my batchmate from AIM and definitely among the smartest in our cohort, advertised my blog on his page .

Make sure you check his blog out - and take his advice: "Life is a long reflection paper...we better start writing".

Keep doodling your words and I'll keep reading them, Dude!

Job Hunter

It's nice to be on the other side. For years, I have been a recruiter trying to tap talent pools of universities and colleges for the companies that I worked for. Now, I'm in a job where I have to hunt for opportunities for a premier management school's graduates . And it's nice to have ample support from the faculty, staff, and the students themselves.

I am extremely glad that the job market is picking up post-recession. As an alumni of the same school I now work for, I can say that my batch was hit really hard but previous batches had a tougher time to penetrate the market. Our talent pool competes globally and not just locally - and compared to fresh graduates of business schools here in the Philippines, well you can say that we command a well-deserved premium (I remember telling my friend that we may be broke but we don't come cheap).

But there's still a rough road ahead. But an exciting one nonetheless because the landscape has changed for the better. I guess it's best incapsulated in the final words of this video from Canadian-Indian standup comedian Russel Peters. Believe me, I have had the exact same conversation about job opportunities. Well, except the part about disco dancing.

June 25, 1990

Mrs. Leoncio, my new adviser and English teacher, called me out to the center of the room.

She asked me to read a few paragraphs of “Little Women” in front of the class.

I was 12 years old. In the seventh grade. In my nth school. And just got back in the Philippines after two years in Goose Creek, South Carolina.

It was my first day in school. And man, was I nervous.

I started reading.
F@#$ if I remember what I was reading.

I was wearing a black shirt and jeans and my British Knights. Everyone else was wearing their school uniforms.

And everyone else was staring at me. At least it felt that way.

I kept reading, with my eyes glued to the borrowed book from my seatmate.

For some reason, they were laughing. Was it my accent? Was my fly open? Did I just fart while reading?

Mrs. Leoncio then tells me to pause whenever there was a “period” or a “comma” whenever I read aloud, and to not run through the sentences.

Clearly, I was not good in public speaking.

I tried to stay calm and looked around the room. I felt restless and embarrassed.
And then I saw her.

Her pretty face. Her lovely smile. Her beautiful skin. She was wearing a red headband.

And did I mention that pretty face?

With palms sweating I was asked to go back to my seat.

I asked my seatmate if I was really bad. He says yes, so I must have made an @$$ of myself. I probably sounded like Speedy Gonzales.

I then asked him the name of the girl with the red headband who is seated near the back.

He turned to look around.

He then told me her name.

Michelle.

Da Man!

Jack Black said in the School of Rock: Stick it to The Man!

I’m sorry Jack, but in this case, The Man is too good.

And no way am I giving him the finger for what he just pulled off.

Are you kidding me?! A 25 year-old Lebron James + a 25 year-old Chris Bosh+ a 28 year-old D Wade = WTF for everyone else!

Yeah, sure, LA has Kobe and Pau and Ron Artest’s psychiatrist, but I’m almost sure that a lot of veterans will find a way to join Lebron and company. Just look at 3-point specialist Mike Miller, who could have received more than the veteran minimum on other teams looking for a quality shooting guard.

Back in Cleveland, James wanted a better roster but management delivered too late. I mean, they could have gotten Shaq earlier or they could gotten Amare, but they settled on Antawn Jamison. So I don’t blame Lebron; I think Dan Gilbert was too comfortable with keeping him in Ohio.

I feel sad for NYC, but Cleveland has it worse. Maybe NYC can try to sign and trade Lee for a quality point guard (but I’d choose Lee over Amare’s knees any day).

(I still think this will be a fun NBA season; they’re going to make this as fun and profitable as they can to avoid a lockout).

He has won championships as a player and as a coach in Los Angeles, made basketball relevant again in New York as the head coach of Ewing and Co., and gave Miami its first championship as President/Coach. That’s a great career, but to have Lebron and Bosh join Wade is friggin’ awesome.

Pat Riley is The Man.

Peace is expensive!

I just had to read the letter sent to the Inquirer by a former head of the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

The most recent person to hold the post, Ms. Anabelle Abaya, is claiming that Php 170 million is unaccounted for. General Esperon, in his letter as former head of OPAPP, claims that since June 2008 this office had spent Php 227.8 million on a reintegration program for rebel-returnees.

That's far too many millions of pesos being thrown around for a failed peace process here in the Philippines, particularly in Muslim Mindanao. But maybe on the flipside, that's the value of how much this past administration tried to spend to resolve the armed conflicts in RP. But with all the allegations of corruption under the former administration still looming over our heads, I am really sad that someone earns a quick buck at the expense of so many others.

Then again, it's probably the same in any country, except that we're one of the 13 most corrupt in the world. Who earned (or earns)from this level of corruption? The Almighty knows.

There will be justice. Maybe not in this lifetime, but definitely in the hereafter. But until then, we mortals must carry on.

Would I look good without a shirt?

Vampire.

The wife thinks I am more of a vampire than a werewolf, and considering the vampire gets the girl I didn't ask any further (I think she said that primarily because I would look like this without my shirt rather than the mutated version of Tolits).

Yeah, so sue me! I had a date with the wife and we watched Gayclipse last night. The wife is really into the Stephanie Meyer books - she consumed those four novels faster than I can lose ten pounds (not happening). And I am really into my wife (pogi points, if she reads this).

But the really entertaining part of the film was when I got somewhat excited to see The Lady in The Water in the movie. So when I said, "Look, Bee, it's Bryce Dollar Howard!" And throughout the movie, I kept on noticing how weird Bryce Dollar Howard's eyes were (they are like Lady Gaga eyes!) and whenever I asked/complained why it wasn't Bryce Dollar Howard in the last two films (I think it irritated the nearby audience). The wife giggled whenever I said Bryce Dollar Howard.

The fight scenes were ok, I just don't get why the living dead/blood sucking parasites become crystal when they die (spoiler alert!... too late) and why the wolves don't need a full moon to become giant dogs. And how come Wolverine can heal himself but the wolfman here has to wear a cast? Dracula would have whipped all their @$$es. (did the author name the lead role after Bela Lugosi?)

Anyways, when the credits rolled and we waited for people to exit, I found out why I amused my wife so much. I read the name: Bryce DALLAS Howard. I'm so glad I'm married to her.

Happy Birthday, Arissa!

Dear Arissa,


On June 30, 2009, you were born. This was right about the same week that Michael Jackson died and when Ron Artest declared he will wear #37 as tribute to the 37 weeks Thriller was #1 (you can look him up when your older; just google "crazy but talented NBA player").


I remember seeing and holding you for the first time (you were so light and cuddly, but man, can you wail!).


It was a tough pregnancy for me and your mom, with her lupus symptoms and all. But it was also tough on you after you were born. We found out that the hard way that you couldn't drink the standard formula (mommy couldn't breastfeed at first because of all the steroids in her bloodstream).

You spent more than a week in ICU, and I had to split time between classes/reading business cases, and attending to our family as well as visiting you at the hospital. We had to bring you back to the hospital, to the emergency room in fact, because we didn't know why you suddenly turned yellow. We fed you milk not knowing it was making you worse. Yeah, it was pretty harsh.


Today, you still drink a special formula. Alhamdullilah, we got by through prayers and the support of our families, and you have become an incredibly healthy baby. And even more cuddlier.


It's been a year, and I thank Allah swt everyday for you, your mom, and your siblings.


Happy birthday, baby girl!


Love,

Daddy

I feel good!

Dear internet,

After weeks and weeks of carefully reaching out to corporate recruiters, one major bank has committed to 20 jobs for our MBA students graduating this year, and they will be located in Manila or abroad. 20 jobs! And they aren't hiring them as Management Trainees- the selected students will be hired as Program Managers! I choose not to say the name of the bank, but it kinda rhymes with this guy's surname.

I also have a couple more companies lined up, plus the students are doing a tremendous job in marketing our school to companies in the APAC region. So if any of you out there in the internet world want to look into the talent pool I'm managing, send me an email!

I'm feeling good, but I'll feel a whole lot better when their offers start coming in!

Altruism rocks!

Sincerely,

Fan of Ron Artest but not Kobe Bryant

Lebron in NYC?

I have been a fan of the NBA since I was a kid.

Back in the 80's while we watched games from betamax tapes from the video rental store near our place in Bel Air, I was cheering for Magic's Showtime Lakers and hated Larry Bird's moustache and the dreaded Boston Celtics. But now, even if Jackie Moon might somehow be based on the Basketball Jesus, I can honestly say that Larry Bird was a more formidable basketball player and a better team player than Magic. And looking back, I wonder if he could be just as good if he was on another team?

In the Nineties, I always rooted for teams against the Bulls just to piss off my brother who worshipped his Airness (I had to be a secret MJ fan for most of the time). So I was rooting for the Pistons (until I saw this) and I did want Barkley to win it in ‘93– but still I think hands down MJ is the greatest basketball player ever. But I always wondered what if he signed with the Knicks?

It’s a totally different scenario for Lebron – he doesn’t get to sign with a Patrick (Ewing or Riley). He won’t have Oak to get his rebounds. He instead gets a zero-defense D’Antoni and a clean slate of a roster. He may get other stars to sign with him and he might become the new King of New York, but unfortunately he also gets Eddie Curry.

If Lebron resigns with the Cavs, his chances of winning the title are very slim. But with NYC, everyone wins. Well, except Ohio. And of course, President Obama might have something to say about it.

But I really think the pros far outweigh the cons. Go Knicks!

The Kung Fu Kid?

I know - the title of this post is too easy. I may have missed out on something on why it was called "The Karate Kid" and not "The Kung Fu Kid", but I still enjoyed the movie. Besides, I had little expectations from the movie, considering it was reinventing the classic Mr. Miyagi franchise and considering it had the son of an uber-celebrity starring along with a very old Jackie Chan. (Whenever I see a child of a celebrity in a movie, I get a fictional scene in my head of Mikey Arroyo asking Mommy President to be in an action movie so he can play out the fantasy of being more invincible than FPJ and Lito Lapid combined + being more irresistible to women than Rene Requestas and Weng Weng combined.)



So just maybe Jaden Smith pitched the idea to Dad Will and Mom Jada on being the new Karate Kid – except he wants the cooler style of Kung-fu Panda and not of a local dojo karate class. If you get over this dilemma of not being aptly titled as quickly as I did, then the movie should be a worthy investment of time and popcorn.



The fight scenes were exceptional, especially the tournament battles. And even if I somewhat subscribed before to Bill Simmon's take on remaking this movie, I want my son to watch it and hopefully be influenced in learning martial arts (so that maybe ten years from now I can fulfill my dream of having a bodyguard free of cost).

Would I watch “The Karate Kid” again? Yes - to both Ralph Macchio and Jaden Smith’s version. I just hope there won’t be another lame-@$$ sequel like Karate Kid 2 or The Next Karate Kid. Although the Peter Cetera song rocked (...just kidding).