I like to think that I'm a good speller--after all, I did win a Spelling Bee waaaaay back in grade school (heh). Imagine my horror when I stumbled upon an article in Yahoo!, where an organization called "Simplified Spelling Society" is pushing to change the spelling of words to reflect how they're pronounced. Yes, change the spelling of words to reflect how they're pronounced.
Wow. Just...wow. After the initial outrage (and wincing at the writing style of the author...I picture her patting herself on the back, thinking how clever she is), I continued reading, if only to find out what their motivations were. From what I gather, Simplified Spelling advocates are arguing that the current system of spelling is "confusing" to children; words like "enough" is pronounced "ehnuf", but "dough" is pronounced "doh"; their way, they claim, would accelerate learning among children. This way of thought even had some high-profile advocates such as Benjamin Franklin, Daniel Webster and Mark Twain.
Now wait a minute, I thought. Franklin? Webster? Twain? Big names! Of course, I googled it to make sure. Franklin, yes. Daniel Webster, not really sure, might have confused him with Noah Webster. Mark Twain--well, I managed to find his essay on it, which seemed to argue that it will save pen strokes; unfortunately, this doesn't really apply in this day and age, when more often than not people bang away on a keyboard, and some words such as "education" spelled as it is currently require less keystrokes than "edyukayshun". Twain also seems to be promoting a sort of shorthand as well.
So what to make of all this? Well, personally I think it's nearly impossible to implement. It's too massive a change--imagine all the textbooks that have to be re-written, all the teachers that need to be re-taught. Most important of all, it's too confusing for the wee ones. Imagine mastering several difficult words in the third grade, only to be told to forget everything you've learned in the fourth grade. It's like that Twilight Zone episode Wordplay where the father wakes up to find that the meaning of words have changed.
It's impossible to change something completely overnight. The English language is an evolving beast, though, and it wouldn't surprise me to see some of what SS is pushing make it to the language. For example, l33t speak such as pwned! and pr0n have made it to common everyday usage. They will undoubtedly make it to Webster's at some point (if they haven't already). The texting phenomenon is also an interesting case, one I see quite often whenever my family sends me a message from Manila. You see Simplified Spelling in action, since you're trying to cram an entire message with a limited amount of letters, to wit: "m gng hm now. wil be hm soon. cya". It's only in text messaging though; their e-mails use regular, boring spelling.
So, for now I'll continue to live in the past, and revel in the fact that I once won the Spelling Bee (oh, and pray that Gaudere's Law doesn't come back to haunt me).
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Saturday, July 01, 2006
Petals Around The Rose
If you've been following the strange-but-funny idealogical war between Windows, Apple and Linux faithful, you've almost certainly heard that Bill Gates is stepping down from day-to-day activities at Microsoft. This has lead to some people praising Gates for his charitable work (he's stepping down to concentrate on his Foundation), while others continue to villify him, wondering at the hidden agenda Gates has in giving away his wealth.
Myself? I think he's a pretty smart guy to have been able to do what he did. He's also been very lucky. Anyway, what does this have to do with Roses? Well, some of you might know the game Petals Around The Rose. I certainly hadn't heard of it--until I came across an article about a young Bill Gates from Lloyd Borrett's excellent site, which provided an insight into his thinking.
The parts about Gates were pretty interesting (especially the last part--pretty funny, and a reflection about how programmers are lousy spellers); the part that grabbed me though, was the game itself. It was the first time I heard about it--essentially, the set up is this:
There are five ordinary six-sided dice that are rolled. There are only three pieces of information that you can have:
(1) The name of the game is Petals Around The Rose.
(2) The name is significant.
(3) The answer is always an even number or zero.
The Potentate of the Rose (the carney running the game who knows what the deal is) rolls the dice, and then tells the crowd what the answer is if they ask. Some get it immediately. Others never do (according to the Bill Gates story a lot of geniuses and math whizzes think up complex algorithms to try and solve it, but still come up with the wrong answer).
If I read the article correctly, Gates got it in the span of around three hours. After playing the game on Borrett's site on-and-off for an accumulated hour (and running scenarios in my head in the shower, which is where I work out the answers to most of the great mysteries in life, such as "How do I open that jewelled egg in Zork?"), I was able to rise to the level of Potentate. I won't give anything else away--it's pretty satisfying to solve it yourself.
Myself? I think he's a pretty smart guy to have been able to do what he did. He's also been very lucky. Anyway, what does this have to do with Roses? Well, some of you might know the game Petals Around The Rose. I certainly hadn't heard of it--until I came across an article about a young Bill Gates from Lloyd Borrett's excellent site, which provided an insight into his thinking.
The parts about Gates were pretty interesting (especially the last part--pretty funny, and a reflection about how programmers are lousy spellers); the part that grabbed me though, was the game itself. It was the first time I heard about it--essentially, the set up is this:
There are five ordinary six-sided dice that are rolled. There are only three pieces of information that you can have:
(1) The name of the game is Petals Around The Rose.
(2) The name is significant.
(3) The answer is always an even number or zero.
The Potentate of the Rose (the carney running the game who knows what the deal is) rolls the dice, and then tells the crowd what the answer is if they ask. Some get it immediately. Others never do (according to the Bill Gates story a lot of geniuses and math whizzes think up complex algorithms to try and solve it, but still come up with the wrong answer).
If I read the article correctly, Gates got it in the span of around three hours. After playing the game on Borrett's site on-and-off for an accumulated hour (and running scenarios in my head in the shower, which is where I work out the answers to most of the great mysteries in life, such as "How do I open that jewelled egg in Zork?"), I was able to rise to the level of Potentate. I won't give anything else away--it's pretty satisfying to solve it yourself.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Sad Songs Say So Much
So I just received my copy of Breathe's "Peace of Mind" the other day. Remember them? They who spawned the vest craze back in High School with the video from their song "How Can I Fall?" Yes, I'm a sap. I bought this CD because I was looking for the song "Does She Love That Man", which partnered with Breathe's older song "All This I Should Have Known" are a one-two punch to the gut for someone who just broke up with their significant other.
I had Breathe's first album, "All That Jazz", so I already had a copy of "All This I Should Have Known"; however, I wanted "Does She Love That Man" as well, and I couldn't find it on any of the legal sites. I was hesitant to buy the CD just for that one song, but I found one used for 47 cents. 47 cents! Shipping was $2.49, but hey, $3.00 for two songs ("Say A Prayer" was also on the CD) seemed to be worth it.
So why the sudden urge to look for this song? It's not that I'm suddenly pining for a lost love (happily married with two kids!); it just started after hearing an 80's New Wave CD in my friend JC's car ("We're always fighting for the state of the natiooooooooon." Heh.). It got me looking for "Burning Flame" by Vitamin Z (another why-did-we-break-up song). I thought I found it at Landmark, but instead found out it was a cover (the Pinoy accent gave it away). Finally, I was able to find a podcast that played it (along with an excellent Sting cover of "Aint No Sunshine"). I then started looking for other songs which I hadn't been able to find before; like "I'll Get By" by Eddie Money; "Distance Between Us" by Fra Lippo Lippi; "Different Seasons" by Johnny Hates Jazz; and "Does She Love That Man" by Breathe.
Come to think of it, those are all break up songs from the 80's. Huh. I guess I really am a sap.
I had Breathe's first album, "All That Jazz", so I already had a copy of "All This I Should Have Known"; however, I wanted "Does She Love That Man" as well, and I couldn't find it on any of the legal sites. I was hesitant to buy the CD just for that one song, but I found one used for 47 cents. 47 cents! Shipping was $2.49, but hey, $3.00 for two songs ("Say A Prayer" was also on the CD) seemed to be worth it.
So why the sudden urge to look for this song? It's not that I'm suddenly pining for a lost love (happily married with two kids!); it just started after hearing an 80's New Wave CD in my friend JC's car ("We're always fighting for the state of the natiooooooooon." Heh.). It got me looking for "Burning Flame" by Vitamin Z (another why-did-we-break-up song). I thought I found it at Landmark, but instead found out it was a cover (the Pinoy accent gave it away). Finally, I was able to find a podcast that played it (along with an excellent Sting cover of "Aint No Sunshine"). I then started looking for other songs which I hadn't been able to find before; like "I'll Get By" by Eddie Money; "Distance Between Us" by Fra Lippo Lippi; "Different Seasons" by Johnny Hates Jazz; and "Does She Love That Man" by Breathe.
Come to think of it, those are all break up songs from the 80's. Huh. I guess I really am a sap.
Sunday, June 25, 2006
Mensa this!
Found these games while reading through The Straight Dope Message Board. The games are deceptively simple; however, since there are no instructions, you have to try and figure it out on your own. Kinda reminds me of those old Mensa tests. I managed to get everything except 7 and 9 on my own; I needed a hint for 7 and 9.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Whiners, Not Winners
So as I'm writing this Dallas is playing Miami in Game 6 of the Championship. I used to like the Dallas Mavericks, starting from the days of the Three Js; they were somewhat loveable losers at that point, until Nash, Nowitski and Finley changed their team and they began winning. Then Game 5 of the Finals occurred, and I began to seem them as Whiners, rather than Winners.
It all starts at the top, with Mark Cuban, of course. Oh, sometimes his antics are funny, like the Dairy Queen stuff he pulled. But more often than not he gets out of line, getting fined $250,000 (!) for his outbursts after Game 5.
Then we get to "The Little General", Avery Johnson. Boy, this guy's a whiner. Remember after Game 1 of the Dallas-SA, when he complained about Bruce Bowen's defense? I don't think Bowen ever got a fair call from the refs after that. Johnson then hung a reporter--a reporter, mind you, for the Dallas Morning News--out to dry for asking a simple question (pretty much "What did you think of that call on Wade's drive?").
The players? Well, there's Josh Howard, being surly. Dirk's kicking a ball to the stands. Devin Harris is throwing a tantrum on the floor as I watch Game 6, legs flailing like a little boy.
And, of course, the fans. Complaining about the free throw discrepancy (forgetting about the 50-32 FT difference during Game 3 of the Dallas-SA series). Complaining about that ticky-tack foul that resulted in the game-winning free-throws by Wade(forgetting about the ticky-tack foul that resulted in the game-winning free-throws by Dirk in Game 3 of the Dallas-SA series). Complaining about the fact that Wade went to the free-throw line 25 times (forgetting about Dirk's 24 FTs in Game 3 of the Dallas-SA series). Boy, those fans sure have a short memory, don't they?
Whine, whine, whine. Just play already. Dallas may ultimately win, but they would've whined themselves to a championship.
UPDATE: Well, congratulations to Miami. I guess Dallas spent too much time whining that it took their eyes away from the prize.
It all starts at the top, with Mark Cuban, of course. Oh, sometimes his antics are funny, like the Dairy Queen stuff he pulled. But more often than not he gets out of line, getting fined $250,000 (!) for his outbursts after Game 5.
Then we get to "The Little General", Avery Johnson. Boy, this guy's a whiner. Remember after Game 1 of the Dallas-SA, when he complained about Bruce Bowen's defense? I don't think Bowen ever got a fair call from the refs after that. Johnson then hung a reporter--a reporter, mind you, for the Dallas Morning News--out to dry for asking a simple question (pretty much "What did you think of that call on Wade's drive?").
The players? Well, there's Josh Howard, being surly. Dirk's kicking a ball to the stands. Devin Harris is throwing a tantrum on the floor as I watch Game 6, legs flailing like a little boy.
And, of course, the fans. Complaining about the free throw discrepancy (forgetting about the 50-32 FT difference during Game 3 of the Dallas-SA series). Complaining about that ticky-tack foul that resulted in the game-winning free-throws by Wade(forgetting about the ticky-tack foul that resulted in the game-winning free-throws by Dirk in Game 3 of the Dallas-SA series). Complaining about the fact that Wade went to the free-throw line 25 times (forgetting about Dirk's 24 FTs in Game 3 of the Dallas-SA series). Boy, those fans sure have a short memory, don't they?
Whine, whine, whine. Just play already. Dallas may ultimately win, but they would've whined themselves to a championship.
UPDATE: Well, congratulations to Miami. I guess Dallas spent too much time whining that it took their eyes away from the prize.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
Thirty Three
So I turn Larry Bird today, and would drink Rolling Rock if I could. How did we celebrate? Well, we tried watching Cars, but the kids got restless halfway thru. Being the good neighbors that we are, we took the kids outside, where they proceeded to run up and down the hallways, screaming their little heads off. Pretty soon a couple of parents followed suit, and came out with their toddlers in tow. I never did find out whether Lightning McQueen learned humility. We then had some dinner, whereupon Amelie proceeded to finish a whole bunch of tortilla chips. I had some country-fried steak, and wished I had regular steak instead. Unfortunately, I've never really had a good steak in a restaurant chain, except for Hungry Bear over in Fullerton, so I didn't want to be disappointed again.
33. Just another day, I suppose, until 40. Then it's mid-life crisis time.
33. Just another day, I suppose, until 40. Then it's mid-life crisis time.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
Goooooaaaaallllllllll
Huh, I don't get it.
I tuned in to watch the USA and Italy kick their way to a draw today in the World Cup. I'm still not sure if I get it, much less like it. Oh, it does get exciting when a goal is scored, primarily because it seems so hard to get it into the net; however, the constant back and forth, just kicking the darned ball gets boring after a while. Maybe it's because I'm not really rooting for any particular team; I guess I'm partial to the US, seeing as I live here. There's no particular player I really like, unless you count Keira Knightley.
Or maybe it's just really boring. Then again, I like baseball, and I got absorbed watching the Ashes in Australia back when England was a sorry bunch of cricketeers (quite a while back).
It's all really a matter of taste, I suppose.
I tuned in to watch the USA and Italy kick their way to a draw today in the World Cup. I'm still not sure if I get it, much less like it. Oh, it does get exciting when a goal is scored, primarily because it seems so hard to get it into the net; however, the constant back and forth, just kicking the darned ball gets boring after a while. Maybe it's because I'm not really rooting for any particular team; I guess I'm partial to the US, seeing as I live here. There's no particular player I really like, unless you count Keira Knightley.
Or maybe it's just really boring. Then again, I like baseball, and I got absorbed watching the Ashes in Australia back when England was a sorry bunch of cricketeers (quite a while back).
It's all really a matter of taste, I suppose.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Another Waste of Time
In the vein of that Virgin find-the-musical-acts, here's another Time Waster:
LOVEFiLM
Right now I have around 75 for sure, with around 8 maybes.
LOVEFiLM
Right now I have around 75 for sure, with around 8 maybes.
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Tagged
Unfortunately, I don't really know any other bloggers, so the chain stops here.
4 jobs I've had in my life
1. Tech Specialist/DBA
2. Consultant
3. Analyst
4. Um...barista? (as soon as our coffee shop opens)
4 movies I could watch over and over again
1. Howl's Moving Castle
2. Spirited Away
3. The Incredibles
4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
4 Places I've lived
1. BF Homes, Paranaque, Philippines
2. Orange County, CA
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Chicago, IL
4 TV shows I love to watch
1. The Amazing Race
2. Lost
3. 24
4. ESPN News
4 Places I've been on vacation
1. Amsterdam
2. Cancun
3. The Caribbean
4. Boracay
4 websites I visit daily
1. gmail.google.com
2. The Straight Dope
3. Yahoo!
4. ESPN.com
4 of my favorite foods
1. Pad See Yew (or however they spell it--the Thai flat noodles)
2. Bun + ____ (Vietnamese vermicelli noodles with BBQ pork/egg rolls/shrimp)
3. My mother-in-law's fried chicken (just salt and pepper)
4. Bacolod Chicken's Inasal na Manok
4 places I'd rather be right now
1. Florence, Italy either in a walking tour or guiding said walking tour
2. Snorkelling in Cancun, Mexico
3. Hanging out with family and friends in The Philippines (afterglow still there)
4. The Louvre (didn't really get to see it, we were so tired)
4 bloggers I'm tagging
End of the road, I'm afraid...
4 jobs I've had in my life
1. Tech Specialist/DBA
2. Consultant
3. Analyst
4. Um...barista? (as soon as our coffee shop opens)
4 movies I could watch over and over again
1. Howl's Moving Castle
2. Spirited Away
3. The Incredibles
4. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
4 Places I've lived
1. BF Homes, Paranaque, Philippines
2. Orange County, CA
3. San Francisco, CA
4. Chicago, IL
4 TV shows I love to watch
1. The Amazing Race
2. Lost
3. 24
4. ESPN News
4 Places I've been on vacation
1. Amsterdam
2. Cancun
3. The Caribbean
4. Boracay
4 websites I visit daily
1. gmail.google.com
2. The Straight Dope
3. Yahoo!
4. ESPN.com
4 of my favorite foods
1. Pad See Yew (or however they spell it--the Thai flat noodles)
2. Bun + ____ (Vietnamese vermicelli noodles with BBQ pork/egg rolls/shrimp)
3. My mother-in-law's fried chicken (just salt and pepper)
4. Bacolod Chicken's Inasal na Manok
4 places I'd rather be right now
1. Florence, Italy either in a walking tour or guiding said walking tour
2. Snorkelling in Cancun, Mexico
3. Hanging out with family and friends in The Philippines (afterglow still there)
4. The Louvre (didn't really get to see it, we were so tired)
4 bloggers I'm tagging
End of the road, I'm afraid...
Friday, June 09, 2006
I'm Back!!!
Yep, back from the Philippines. Went on vacation for three weeks, visiting Cebu and Boracay. It was kind of a bummer, since I didn't see a lot of my friends--they were either out of the country (Calai) while I was there, or was in the city while I was in Cebu/Boracay (Richelle). Oh well, at least my parents got to enjoy playing with the twins.
Overall, I had a great time in the Philippines--a lot had changed since the last time I was there four years ago; my old subdivision, BF Homes, seems to have morphed into one big strip mall. I was also pleasantly surprised that everything seemed clean--no stacks of garbage lying around! Unfortunately, the pinoy driving style was still in full effect. I had also forgotten the way we pinoys watched movies as well; the wife actually yelled "Would you please SHUT UP" to the geeks behind us commenting on everything in X3 (it worked, though). Plus, of course, it was humid.
Everything else was great--the islands were fantastic, and the wife was in shopping heaven. I actually got tired of eating while I was there.
Going back to the US was a bit of a nightmare. I'm still fuming over the fact that you need to get your bags x-rayed and searched not once, not twice, but THREE frickin' times--with the last x-ray/search not a hundred feet from the last one! That seems so inefficient. Maybe it's a way to show foreigners that the airport is safe? It's more inconvenient than anything.
Celebrity sightings:
* Fidel Ramos was in our plane going to the Philippines. He posed for pictures, and walked once around the plane
* The former NCC sharpshooter, Chip Engelland, read one of my previous posts and dropped in a nice little comment. I'm starstruck, I tell ya, starstruck! Maybe I can ask for an autograph. =)
Overall, I had a great time in the Philippines--a lot had changed since the last time I was there four years ago; my old subdivision, BF Homes, seems to have morphed into one big strip mall. I was also pleasantly surprised that everything seemed clean--no stacks of garbage lying around! Unfortunately, the pinoy driving style was still in full effect. I had also forgotten the way we pinoys watched movies as well; the wife actually yelled "Would you please SHUT UP" to the geeks behind us commenting on everything in X3 (it worked, though). Plus, of course, it was humid.
Everything else was great--the islands were fantastic, and the wife was in shopping heaven. I actually got tired of eating while I was there.
Going back to the US was a bit of a nightmare. I'm still fuming over the fact that you need to get your bags x-rayed and searched not once, not twice, but THREE frickin' times--with the last x-ray/search not a hundred feet from the last one! That seems so inefficient. Maybe it's a way to show foreigners that the airport is safe? It's more inconvenient than anything.
Celebrity sightings:
* Fidel Ramos was in our plane going to the Philippines. He posed for pictures, and walked once around the plane
* The former NCC sharpshooter, Chip Engelland, read one of my previous posts and dropped in a nice little comment. I'm starstruck, I tell ya, starstruck! Maybe I can ask for an autograph. =)
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Sailing Around The World
I hate to admit it, but...
THAT was an amazing concert. I'm talking, of course, about The Wiggles concert I was moaning and groaning about last week. The songs were great (despite the fact that they sang a bunch of songs I didn't know), the ad-libbing was pretty funny ("Grease" and "Stairway To Heaven" played prominent roles), and Greg was a bit pudgy--but had such a smooth voice, I forgave him for it (the only downside was Larissa wasn't there. Caterina had to do, although Lucy was surprisingly pretty with longer hair, instead of the butch haircut she normally has).
Actually, everyone in my group (wifey, mom-in-law and sister-in-law) seemed to enjoy it far more than my kids, who were either concentrating very hard watching the show or were sleepy--they weren't reacting at all.
Oh, well, hopefully next year (if the kids still like The Wiggles, and if they haven't retired yet), the twins will show more life when we watch them again. And hopefully we'll have better seats.
Edited to add: the picture was taken by me during their April 22 concert at Gibson Ampitheater over at Universal Studios, Hollywood.
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Howl's Moving Castle
Howl's Moving Castle is the latest film from Miyazaki, the genius behind Spirited Away, one of the all-time favorite films here in the daddychoy household. When the DVD arrived from Netflix we eagerly popped it into the player, and sat down to watch it. It was pretty enjoyable; while not as good as Spirited Away, it was definitely better than Castle in the Sky, and a bit better than Princess Mononoke.
Some observations:
* The opening sequence reminded me a lot of Kingdom Hearts--what with the "mud" people, the jumping, the balcony--heck, it's Traverse Town! I wonder if that was intentional.
* Interestingly enough, the film seems to suggest that dark hair=ugly, while blonde=beautiful. Look at Sofie--she's not all bad (actually, she's pretty) when we first meet her, black hair and all; yet she considers herself homely, compared to her sister, who has blonde curls. Howl himself has naturally black hair, but when we first meet him, he's blonde.
* I'm curious to read the book now. I've heard that it's quite different from the written word.
Studio Ghibli's next film is apparently Earthsea, from the series by Ursula K Le Guin. Can't wait.
Some observations:
* The opening sequence reminded me a lot of Kingdom Hearts--what with the "mud" people, the jumping, the balcony--heck, it's Traverse Town! I wonder if that was intentional.
* Interestingly enough, the film seems to suggest that dark hair=ugly, while blonde=beautiful. Look at Sofie--she's not all bad (actually, she's pretty) when we first meet her, black hair and all; yet she considers herself homely, compared to her sister, who has blonde curls. Howl himself has naturally black hair, but when we first meet him, he's blonde.
* I'm curious to read the book now. I've heard that it's quite different from the written word.
Studio Ghibli's next film is apparently Earthsea, from the series by Ursula K Le Guin. Can't wait.
Friday, April 07, 2006
Sportsfan
I was discussing some work-related stuff with my officemate today when another co-worker passed by. "Dude, that much!" he said as he sauntered past.
"What was that about?" I asked.
"Oh, he was referring to the Lakers just losing to Denver last night." my co-worker replied.
This then lead to a discussion about how much I disliked the Lakers. I mentioned that I liked Luuuuuuuuuke Walton and Rony Turiaf, but Devean George and Brian Cook were softies. We even talked about the Sacramento series from way back, when Mike Bibby "fouled" Kobe with his nose, handing the Lakers a ring.
The question remained, though, as to why I disliked the Lakers. It's actually a pretty silly reason--growing up, my sister liked the Lakers, so naturally, I gravitated towards the Celtics (mostly because of Larry Legend).
This got me thinking about the Sports Teams I liked and disliked:
PBA - Philippine Basketball Association
Liked:
Crispa - because they were Toyota's archrival
San Miguel - because they were the successor to Crispa
Northern Consolidated/Cement - because of Chip Engelland's sweet stroke
Disliked:
Toyota - because my sister loved them
Ginebra - because of Jawo, who I considered "dirty" (but was loved by millions)
NBA
Like:
Celtics - at least during the 80's, with Bird, McHale, Chief, DJ and Ainge); not so much now
Spurs - because of how self-effacing Tim Duncan is
Rockets - because of Yao Ming, the Great Asian Hope
Pacers - because of Reggie Miller
Dislike:
Lakers - because they're the Celtics' arch rival, and because they seem too smug
Knicks - because of their ugly style of play during the 90s. Loved the jawing between Spike Lee and Reggie. Now they're just pathetic.
UAAP - Pinoy College Hoops
Like:
DLSU - my alma mater. Although the recent school scandal kinda makes it hard to root for them. Still, though, the Limpot years are fondly remembered.
Dislike:
Ateneo - La Salle's archrivals. Think of this as Duke and North Carolina in the NCAA. Both considered "elitist" schools
FEU - because of the championship they won in the boardroom against DLSU. Take it to the court, folks! Talks a lot of smack against DLSU. Heck, everyone hates DLSU anyway.
NCAA College Hoops
Like:
Duke - because of a comic I read when I was a kid called Blue Devil
UCLA - because they're the local team, and a couple of my close friends are alumni
Dislike:
North Carolina - because they're Duke's archrivals. I still don't understand why Duke is almost universally loathed (kinda like DLSU), when the Tar Heels seem just as smug.
Connecticut - because they didn't try during the just concluded Tournament, despite being the best team on paper (unlike Duke, who did try, but were so obviously overmatched)
NFL
Like:
Indianapolis Colts - big fan of Peyton, despite the fact that he's probably never going to win the big one
Pittsburgh Steelers - because of Sgt Slaughter look-alike Cowher; I'm happy he won the Superbowl, but was disgusted by the officiating.
San Diego Chargers - duuuuuuude.
Dislike:
Oakland Raiders - because they try hard to maintain their "thug" image, when they're actually just pathetic. Plus their fans scare me.
NY Giants - because of Jeremy Shockey. Although I'm trying to like Eli.
New England Patriots - because they got smug after they won, and just keep beating up on Peyton (heh).
College Football
Like:
USC - because they're the local team
UCLA - ditto, although in a game between UCLA and USC I'd have to go with the Bruins
Notre Dame - because I'm Catholic by default
Dislike:
No one, really.
MLB
Like:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - because they're the local team
Seattle Mariners - because of Ichiro. Started liking them during the Griffey/A-Rod/Buhner era. Buhner looked like one mean SOB.
St Louis Cardinals - because of Mark McGwire
Dislike:
NY Yankees - because they're the Evil Empire
Boston Red Sox - the very first time I liked in the MLB, I slowly grew to dislike them after they won the World Series. Their fans just got smug.
Going over this list, I found a couple of common denominators between certain teams I disliked:
* They're usually labelled as "dirty" (Raiders, Knicks, Jaworski teams)
* They're dominant, winning several championships, and are smug about it (Lakers, Yankees, Patriots)
* I just like being opposite with my sister (Toyota, Lakers)
My preferences will evolve, though, as I grow older and crankier. Who knows, maybe at some point I'll start disliking the Colts as well (unlikely, since they'll never win the Superbowl). Heh.
"What was that about?" I asked.
"Oh, he was referring to the Lakers just losing to Denver last night." my co-worker replied.
This then lead to a discussion about how much I disliked the Lakers. I mentioned that I liked Luuuuuuuuuke Walton and Rony Turiaf, but Devean George and Brian Cook were softies. We even talked about the Sacramento series from way back, when Mike Bibby "fouled" Kobe with his nose, handing the Lakers a ring.
The question remained, though, as to why I disliked the Lakers. It's actually a pretty silly reason--growing up, my sister liked the Lakers, so naturally, I gravitated towards the Celtics (mostly because of Larry Legend).
This got me thinking about the Sports Teams I liked and disliked:
PBA - Philippine Basketball Association
Liked:
Crispa - because they were Toyota's archrival
San Miguel - because they were the successor to Crispa
Northern Consolidated/Cement - because of Chip Engelland's sweet stroke
Disliked:
Toyota - because my sister loved them
Ginebra - because of Jawo, who I considered "dirty" (but was loved by millions)
NBA
Like:
Celtics - at least during the 80's, with Bird, McHale, Chief, DJ and Ainge); not so much now
Spurs - because of how self-effacing Tim Duncan is
Rockets - because of Yao Ming, the Great Asian Hope
Pacers - because of Reggie Miller
Dislike:
Lakers - because they're the Celtics' arch rival, and because they seem too smug
Knicks - because of their ugly style of play during the 90s. Loved the jawing between Spike Lee and Reggie. Now they're just pathetic.
UAAP - Pinoy College Hoops
Like:
DLSU - my alma mater. Although the recent school scandal kinda makes it hard to root for them. Still, though, the Limpot years are fondly remembered.
Dislike:
Ateneo - La Salle's archrivals. Think of this as Duke and North Carolina in the NCAA. Both considered "elitist" schools
FEU - because of the championship they won in the boardroom against DLSU. Take it to the court, folks! Talks a lot of smack against DLSU. Heck, everyone hates DLSU anyway.
NCAA College Hoops
Like:
Duke - because of a comic I read when I was a kid called Blue Devil
UCLA - because they're the local team, and a couple of my close friends are alumni
Dislike:
North Carolina - because they're Duke's archrivals. I still don't understand why Duke is almost universally loathed (kinda like DLSU), when the Tar Heels seem just as smug.
Connecticut - because they didn't try during the just concluded Tournament, despite being the best team on paper (unlike Duke, who did try, but were so obviously overmatched)
NFL
Like:
Indianapolis Colts - big fan of Peyton, despite the fact that he's probably never going to win the big one
Pittsburgh Steelers - because of Sgt Slaughter look-alike Cowher; I'm happy he won the Superbowl, but was disgusted by the officiating.
San Diego Chargers - duuuuuuude.
Dislike:
Oakland Raiders - because they try hard to maintain their "thug" image, when they're actually just pathetic. Plus their fans scare me.
NY Giants - because of Jeremy Shockey. Although I'm trying to like Eli.
New England Patriots - because they got smug after they won, and just keep beating up on Peyton (heh).
College Football
Like:
USC - because they're the local team
UCLA - ditto, although in a game between UCLA and USC I'd have to go with the Bruins
Notre Dame - because I'm Catholic by default
Dislike:
No one, really.
MLB
Like:
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim - because they're the local team
Seattle Mariners - because of Ichiro. Started liking them during the Griffey/A-Rod/Buhner era. Buhner looked like one mean SOB.
St Louis Cardinals - because of Mark McGwire
Dislike:
NY Yankees - because they're the Evil Empire
Boston Red Sox - the very first time I liked in the MLB, I slowly grew to dislike them after they won the World Series. Their fans just got smug.
Going over this list, I found a couple of common denominators between certain teams I disliked:
* They're usually labelled as "dirty" (Raiders, Knicks, Jaworski teams)
* They're dominant, winning several championships, and are smug about it (Lakers, Yankees, Patriots)
* I just like being opposite with my sister (Toyota, Lakers)
My preferences will evolve, though, as I grow older and crankier. Who knows, maybe at some point I'll start disliking the Colts as well (unlikely, since they'll never win the Superbowl). Heh.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Baldur's Gate II: Complete
Woo-hoo, finished this last weekend, using Yuan Chung, my monk. I'm now working on Throne of Bhaal. It's kinda difficult playing when your kids are sitting on your lap and are trying to mash the keyboards, but somehow I managed to get it done.
I'd still rank Planescape: Torment above this one, though. Finishing that was bittersweet; I managed to finish it the first week after I was laid off from my last job--i.e., when I had nothing else going on. *sigh* Oh, well, life, what can you do?
I'd still rank Planescape: Torment above this one, though. Finishing that was bittersweet; I managed to finish it the first week after I was laid off from my last job--i.e., when I had nothing else going on. *sigh* Oh, well, life, what can you do?
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Of SWAT teams and carjackers
I've been meaning to post something on this blog since this past Wednesday, but I've just been too shaken up to do it (that, and I'm a lazy bum. But I digress).
Last Wednesday, during the American Idol results show, we heard a police chopper circling around our neighborhood, spotlight on. They were looking for something--or someone. An hour passed, and it was still circling around. It got to the point where the spotlight moved across our house.
This is exciting! I thought at the time, and followed the chopper through the windows. Even Amelie was excited, and pointed at the chopper.
Then we looked outside, and there was a police car in front of our neighbor's house. Then we saw a K-9 unit. Then we saw several men with assault rifles.
Uh-oh. This is bad. I then hurried upstairs and made sure all our windows were locked up tight. They were obviously searching for someone, and that someone was obviously in our little neighborhood.
An hour later our worst fears were realized; a sharp rapping on the door, followed by a cop waving his badge at us. He's surrounded by three men with assault rifles and a frisky German Shepherd.
"We'd like to search your backyard. Is your gate locked?", Mr Policeman asked.
"No, but it's latched. You want me to open it?"
(yells at someone to try opening the gate, but the person doesn't succeed). "NO! Stay in the house! Is there a direct entry through your house to your backyard?"
"Yes."
"Can we go through your house?"
"Yes, please!"
So they proceed to walk through and exit to our backyard, and commence their search. They didn't find anything, so they left through our other gate and went to my neighbor's house.
Obviously, it was difficult sleeping that night.
The next day I managed to find out that there was a carjacking around thirty miles from where we lived--and the carjackers had made it all the way to our neighborhood, where they then abandoned the stolen car and tried to escape on foot. Two were caught, but the other person was able to escape.
The whole experience was surreal; it felt like I was in a movie. Luckily, no one was hurt.
It was the end of an eventful day, where the following happened:
(1) I got approved for citizenship (yay!)
(2) Eight children were hurt and a teacher was killed by a car that jumped the curb. This happened in front of where my wife worked, and was witnessed by one of her co-workers.
(3) SWAT team going through our house.
I was wondering at first if (1) and (3) were related (heh). The only link, though, was that I actually had to right to say "no, get a warrant" to the SWAT team. Then again, that thought never crossed my mind; what's the point? They were looking for a bad guy who could have hurt my family. I had nothing to hide.
Last Wednesday, during the American Idol results show, we heard a police chopper circling around our neighborhood, spotlight on. They were looking for something--or someone. An hour passed, and it was still circling around. It got to the point where the spotlight moved across our house.
This is exciting! I thought at the time, and followed the chopper through the windows. Even Amelie was excited, and pointed at the chopper.
Then we looked outside, and there was a police car in front of our neighbor's house. Then we saw a K-9 unit. Then we saw several men with assault rifles.
Uh-oh. This is bad. I then hurried upstairs and made sure all our windows were locked up tight. They were obviously searching for someone, and that someone was obviously in our little neighborhood.
An hour later our worst fears were realized; a sharp rapping on the door, followed by a cop waving his badge at us. He's surrounded by three men with assault rifles and a frisky German Shepherd.
"We'd like to search your backyard. Is your gate locked?", Mr Policeman asked.
"No, but it's latched. You want me to open it?"
(yells at someone to try opening the gate, but the person doesn't succeed). "NO! Stay in the house! Is there a direct entry through your house to your backyard?"
"Yes."
"Can we go through your house?"
"Yes, please!"
So they proceed to walk through and exit to our backyard, and commence their search. They didn't find anything, so they left through our other gate and went to my neighbor's house.
Obviously, it was difficult sleeping that night.
The next day I managed to find out that there was a carjacking around thirty miles from where we lived--and the carjackers had made it all the way to our neighborhood, where they then abandoned the stolen car and tried to escape on foot. Two were caught, but the other person was able to escape.
The whole experience was surreal; it felt like I was in a movie. Luckily, no one was hurt.
It was the end of an eventful day, where the following happened:
(1) I got approved for citizenship (yay!)
(2) Eight children were hurt and a teacher was killed by a car that jumped the curb. This happened in front of where my wife worked, and was witnessed by one of her co-workers.
(3) SWAT team going through our house.
I was wondering at first if (1) and (3) were related (heh). The only link, though, was that I actually had to right to say "no, get a warrant" to the SWAT team. Then again, that thought never crossed my mind; what's the point? They were looking for a bad guy who could have hurt my family. I had nothing to hide.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
It's a Wiggly Party!
Someone help me.
The Wiggles are having a concert on April 22, over at the Venue Formerly Known As The Gibson Ampitheatre. Seeing as my kids love the Wiggles, we bought tickets.
To prepare for this concert, we bought one of the latest Wiggles DVDs, "Sailing Around The World". We needed time to memorize the songs, so that we're prepared to rock out during the concert.
Read that again. Geez. I'm excited over a fracking Wiggles concert. Their songs are catchy (well, the early-to-mid-ones, at least, reaching an apex with "Top of the Tots"), and danceable. You can get a whole lot of dancin' from the twins if you sing "Do The Monkey" to them. Plus some of their dancers are pretty cute (unfortunately, Larissa probably won't be making it to the concert. But I digress).
Excited over a children's show. Help.
The Wiggles are having a concert on April 22, over at the Venue Formerly Known As The Gibson Ampitheatre. Seeing as my kids love the Wiggles, we bought tickets.
To prepare for this concert, we bought one of the latest Wiggles DVDs, "Sailing Around The World". We needed time to memorize the songs, so that we're prepared to rock out during the concert.
Read that again. Geez. I'm excited over a fracking Wiggles concert. Their songs are catchy (well, the early-to-mid-ones, at least, reaching an apex with "Top of the Tots"), and danceable. You can get a whole lot of dancin' from the twins if you sing "Do The Monkey" to them. Plus some of their dancers are pretty cute (unfortunately, Larissa probably won't be making it to the concert. But I digress).
Excited over a children's show. Help.
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
Wow. The Grammys were pretty surprising tonight. Not that U2 won practically every major category; but that most of the performances were pretty good.
The Gorillaz were cool--but I was spoiled by the fact that I've seen it already done in the MTV-Europe awards.
Madonna? Boy, does she look old in HD.
U2's Vertigo was okay, although Bono's getting a bit old as well. His voice didn't meld well with Mary J. Blige in One, but it gave me goosebumps anyway. Too bad Larry Mullen, Jr. was cut off by the NARAS president. Boo! Who wants to hear a suit when we could hear Larry talk?
Keith Urban was surprisingly good--and I hate country music.
Happy for Kelly, sad for Gwen. She looked like she was about to cry when they were going through the nominees for album of the year.
Fun to hear Helter Skelter from Paul McCartney. I remember first hearing it on Rattle and Hum: "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles, we're stealing it back." Ah, memories. =) Sir Paul also kicked in Numb/Encore. Although he looked kinda awkward trying to fit in with the young 'uns.
Jennifer Love-Hewitt looked a bit creepy in HD. Honestly, her face seems like a perfect triangle, kind of alien-looking. I liked her better when she was nice and round--Fergie looked a lot better.
Oh, and although Kanye West is annoying, his Gold Digger number was amazing. Credit goes to Jaime Foxx, though.
Randy Jackson! Playing bass! Sly Stone was all sorts of scary; Joss Stone was hot. So was Ciara. Maroon 5 looked stiff and uncomfortable.
Did I mention Madonna looked old in HD?
The Gorillaz were cool--but I was spoiled by the fact that I've seen it already done in the MTV-Europe awards.
Madonna? Boy, does she look old in HD.
U2's Vertigo was okay, although Bono's getting a bit old as well. His voice didn't meld well with Mary J. Blige in One, but it gave me goosebumps anyway. Too bad Larry Mullen, Jr. was cut off by the NARAS president. Boo! Who wants to hear a suit when we could hear Larry talk?
Keith Urban was surprisingly good--and I hate country music.
Happy for Kelly, sad for Gwen. She looked like she was about to cry when they were going through the nominees for album of the year.
Fun to hear Helter Skelter from Paul McCartney. I remember first hearing it on Rattle and Hum: "This is a song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles, we're stealing it back." Ah, memories. =) Sir Paul also kicked in Numb/Encore. Although he looked kinda awkward trying to fit in with the young 'uns.
Jennifer Love-Hewitt looked a bit creepy in HD. Honestly, her face seems like a perfect triangle, kind of alien-looking. I liked her better when she was nice and round--Fergie looked a lot better.
Oh, and although Kanye West is annoying, his Gold Digger number was amazing. Credit goes to Jaime Foxx, though.
Randy Jackson! Playing bass! Sly Stone was all sorts of scary; Joss Stone was hot. So was Ciara. Maroon 5 looked stiff and uncomfortable.
Did I mention Madonna looked old in HD?
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Steelers Win!!!!*
Well, I guess my "Curse of the Pitchman" theory didn't pan out. Of course, early in the game I saw the Disney ad...and it had Matt Hasselbeck and Shaun Alexander in it! Oy. I got a funny feeling then and there...
...and then all the NFL-produced ads had Porter, Roethlisberger, Cowher and Bettis in the first half, while the Seahawk players were only in a montage. Hmm. Something fishy there.
Then I saw the blown call on the first Seattle touchdown, the blown call on the Ben Roethlisberger "touchdown", and the blown holding call.
"But there was a quarter left to play!" Steeler fan would say. However, that was a game-changing call right there. One-yard line, Alexander gets in...then it's Steelers, 3 points down, and Cowher starts to put his hands around his throat.
Do you hear Joey Porter complaining about the officiating? Nope.
So, I'm happy Sgt Slaughter won. But to an unbiased party like me, I'm thinking this was a smelly win.
...and then all the NFL-produced ads had Porter, Roethlisberger, Cowher and Bettis in the first half, while the Seahawk players were only in a montage. Hmm. Something fishy there.
Then I saw the blown call on the first Seattle touchdown, the blown call on the Ben Roethlisberger "touchdown", and the blown holding call.
"But there was a quarter left to play!" Steeler fan would say. However, that was a game-changing call right there. One-yard line, Alexander gets in...then it's Steelers, 3 points down, and Cowher starts to put his hands around his throat.
Do you hear Joey Porter complaining about the officiating? Nope.
So, I'm happy Sgt Slaughter won. But to an unbiased party like me, I'm thinking this was a smelly win.
Friday, February 03, 2006
Superbowl: The Curse of the Pitchman
Well, we're finally at Superbowl weekend. Steelers-Seahawks. Yawn. I'm torn as to who to root for--Bill Cowher, because he totally deserves it? Or the Seahawks, because I want to wipe the smirk off Joey Porter's face?
Anyway, I have a pet theory about the NFL right now: if you appear in a commercial, you're not winning the championship. Let's see...
Chicago Bears: Had an ad for NFL Networks. Gone.
Peyton Manning: The silly, but endearing Mastercard commercials. Gone.
Donovan McNabb: Chunky soup? Boy, did his career go downhill after that. Gone.
Terrell Owens: Made a deodorant commercial, where he was "odor". Wonder if he realized that. Gone.
Chad Johnson: Fathead. Gone.
New England Patriots: That beer commercial (Coors?). Gone.
Tom Brady deserves special mention, since he not only made that stupid Visa commercial, but was also on Family Guy. Bing-bong! as Stewie said. Anyway, he and his Pats are gone (see above), and now he has a sports hernia.
Which brings us to the Steelers and Seahawks.
Steelers have Big Ben Roethlisberger (however you spell that) doing Fathead, and Jerome Bettis doing that asthma PSA.
Seahawks have...nobody. It's hard for the casual fan to even recognize any of the Seahawks. Heck, the MVP Shaun Alexander is constantly mistaken for one of the Barber twins.
So does that mean the Seahawks win, because of The Curse of the Pitchman? I guess we'll find out, won't we?
Anyway, I have a pet theory about the NFL right now: if you appear in a commercial, you're not winning the championship. Let's see...
Chicago Bears: Had an ad for NFL Networks. Gone.
Peyton Manning: The silly, but endearing Mastercard commercials. Gone.
Donovan McNabb: Chunky soup? Boy, did his career go downhill after that. Gone.
Terrell Owens: Made a deodorant commercial, where he was "odor". Wonder if he realized that. Gone.
Chad Johnson: Fathead. Gone.
New England Patriots: That beer commercial (Coors?). Gone.
Tom Brady deserves special mention, since he not only made that stupid Visa commercial, but was also on Family Guy. Bing-bong! as Stewie said. Anyway, he and his Pats are gone (see above), and now he has a sports hernia.
Which brings us to the Steelers and Seahawks.
Steelers have Big Ben Roethlisberger (however you spell that) doing Fathead, and Jerome Bettis doing that asthma PSA.
Seahawks have...nobody. It's hard for the casual fan to even recognize any of the Seahawks. Heck, the MVP Shaun Alexander is constantly mistaken for one of the Barber twins.
So does that mean the Seahawks win, because of The Curse of the Pitchman? I guess we'll find out, won't we?
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Rockstar: American Idol
Watching American Idol right now. It's not as interesting as it was back in Season 1 (Kelly vs Sideshow Bob!) or Season 2 (Rueben vs Clay!); heck, the only reason I watch it is because there's really nothing else at 8pm Tuesdays or Wednesdays (gotta watch something while waiting for Lost).
I've also heard that Rockstar 2: is going to be out pretty soon. It got me thinking...how would JD, Marty et al have fared if they had gone to "auditions" for AI? Here's my take:
JD: Hollywood, just because of the smarmy looks (see: Constantine), which a lot of women would find "sexy" (ugh). Decent enough singer, I suppose.
Marty: Probably out. Just doesn't fit Simon's style. Can't imagine him doing fluffy pop.
Mig: Hmm, tough one. Might be too...um...effete for Simon, although the niceness might sway Paula and Randy. Oh, and too thea-tah.
Suzie: Big notes...definitely Hollywood.
Jordis: Hollywood. She has that "It" quality, and has a good-enough voice (just don't have her sing Aerosmith). Remember, she did Star Search, so she's done something like this before.
Deanna: Her voice is great, but the boobs would be the main reason she gets to Hollywood (see: Ashley Jackson, the "Fit" model from this season)
Ty: See Mig. The mohawk may have to go, though.
Jessica: Voice not so great, but the sexy factor gets her in.
Daphna: Pretty enough...but on the fringe. Probably not.
Heather: Hmm, tough call. I'd say no, and we get to watch her flip Simon off.
Tara: Strong voice, has the look. Hollywood.
Wil: Hollywood. The looks, and apparently the voice (I think). More a solo act than band material anyway, which is why RS: INXS didn't happen.
Brandon, Dana and Neal: Might wind up in the "so-bad-they're-good" AI special
Somehow, I doubt any of them would want to do AI anyway, but it's a fun exercise to think what would've happened.
I've also heard that Rockstar 2:
JD: Hollywood, just because of the smarmy looks (see: Constantine), which a lot of women would find "sexy" (ugh). Decent enough singer, I suppose.
Marty: Probably out. Just doesn't fit Simon's style. Can't imagine him doing fluffy pop.
Mig: Hmm, tough one. Might be too...um...effete for Simon, although the niceness might sway Paula and Randy. Oh, and too thea-tah.
Suzie: Big notes...definitely Hollywood.
Jordis: Hollywood. She has that "It" quality, and has a good-enough voice (just don't have her sing Aerosmith). Remember, she did Star Search, so she's done something like this before.
Deanna: Her voice is great, but the boobs would be the main reason she gets to Hollywood (see: Ashley Jackson, the "Fit" model from this season)
Ty: See Mig. The mohawk may have to go, though.
Jessica: Voice not so great, but the sexy factor gets her in.
Daphna: Pretty enough...but on the fringe. Probably not.
Heather: Hmm, tough call. I'd say no, and we get to watch her flip Simon off.
Tara: Strong voice, has the look. Hollywood.
Wil: Hollywood. The looks, and apparently the voice (I think). More a solo act than band material anyway, which is why RS: INXS didn't happen.
Brandon, Dana and Neal: Might wind up in the "so-bad-they're-good" AI special
Somehow, I doubt any of them would want to do AI anyway, but it's a fun exercise to think what would've happened.
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