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	<title>Atheista -</title>
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	<link>http://www.atheista.net</link>
	<description>Atheism, Debate, Medicine, Music and Sports 2008 Philippine Blog Awards Best Personal Blog</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:10:09 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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		<title>Sticky: I&#8217;m Joining MTV&#8217;s Blogger Search</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/30/sticky-im-joining-mtvs-blogger-search/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/30/sticky-im-joining-mtvs-blogger-search/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 17:06:46 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[MTV]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1040</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
If you first heard from me via the MTV page, please feel free to leave your comments, criticism and other concerns on my comments form. Thanks

This is probably weird for most of my readers, but yeah, I decided to give it a go just for the sake of trying. Two weeks ago, I got an [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-1041" title="MTV Blogger sponsored by Nuffnag" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rotate.php-300x61.jpg" alt="MTV Blogger sponsored by Nuffnag" width="300" height="61" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><em>If you first heard from me via the MTV page, please feel free to leave your comments, criticism and other concerns on my comments form. Thanks</em></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">This is probably weird for most of my readers, but yeah, I decided to give it a go just for the sake of trying. Two weeks ago, I got an e-mail from Nuffnang regarding the  <a href="http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/BloggerContest" target="_blank">MTV Blog Squad Search</a>. I didn&#8217;t exactly jump at the opportunity right away but being a veteran (and reject) of <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">not-</span>so many adventure races, TV gigs and talent shows, my competitive side got the better of me so I&#8217;m now chest-deep in the search! I wouldn&#8217;t even begin to imagine what my chances are at this stage. All I know is that I gave it a real good shot.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Blogging was quite a good field for me last year. I started a new travel blog <a href="http://visitsagada.com" target="_blank">Visit Sagada </a>that is now the top Google search result for certain keywords pertaining to the backpacker Mecca of Sagada. My blogs was nominated as a finalist for three awards during the <a href="http://philippineblogawards.com.ph">2008 Philippine Blog Awards </a>and I was able to win the Personal Blog Category &#8211; probably the most contentious category that year. While I do not claim to be the best writer, I can assure you that I will be&#8230; TENACIOUS. haha</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There are four slots for the job and sometime during this process, those in the running will be asked to leave for Singapore for an interview. I&#8217;m guessing the Philippines will be lucky to get more than one blogger in.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">To date, I have written four entries for the MTV Blogger Search &#8211; three of them in music and one in *haha*fashion and lifestyle. The organizers pretty much limit your themes and topics so I had to really work with the canned subjects under each category. Please do take time to read them and rate them either with a thumbs up or thumbs down. I would really appreciate it that you support me if you believe that I should go further in the competition. You may for each entry vote every 5 minutes. <img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Entry:<a href="http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/BloggerContest/viewentry.php?id=512" target="_blank"> The Death Of Rockstars: On Labels And The Generation Of Haters And Posers</a></p>
<p>Topic: Do you consider indie bands who sign on to major record labels a sell-out to their beliefs and music?</p>
<p>Entry: <a href="http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/BloggerContest/viewentry.php?id=521" target="_blank">Rage Against The Rules</a><br />
Topic: Music and politics should never mix, what do you think?</p>
<p>Entry: <a href="http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/BloggerContest/viewentry.php?id=543" target="_blank">Matters Of Size: And The Elephant That Nobody Is Talking About</a><br />
Topic: What are your views on plus-sized models?</p>
<p>Entry: <a href="http://www.mtvasia.com/Funstuff/Contests/BloggerContest/viewentry.php?id=558" target="_blank">Cutting The Cliche And Looking At The Big Picture</a><br />
Topic: What can be done to encourage people to purchase music instead of downloading songs illegally?</p>
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		<title>Nine Inch Nails &#8211; August 5, 2009 Araneta Coliseum</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/29/nine-inch-nails-august-5-2009-araneta-coliseum/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/29/nine-inch-nails-august-5-2009-araneta-coliseum/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 29 Jun 2009 07:29:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1033</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
The thought of having Trent Reznor here in the Philippines is a bit surreal. We don&#8217;t usually get a lot of strong not-so-mainstream rock acts here so I&#8217;m really happy that Splintr has gone the extra mile and organized a concert for Nine Inch Nails. Come to think of it, NIN is probably the best [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-1034 aligncenter" title="NIN Poster 6_17" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/NIN-Poster-6_17-225x300.jpg" alt="NIN Poster 6_17" width="225" height="300" /></p>
<p>The thought of having Trent Reznor here in the Philippines is a bit surreal. We don&#8217;t usually get a lot of strong not-so-mainstream rock acts here so I&#8217;m really happy that <a href="http://splintr.com" target="_blank">Splintr</a> has gone the extra mile and organized a concert for Nine Inch Nails. Come to think of it, NIN is probably the best act since Metallica in the mid 90s to play a show here. If this does well, this might be the start of more left-of-center bands making Manila a tour stop in future &#8211; think of the possibilities! <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">Splintr please bring TOOL here!</span></p>
<p>This is being billed as the *gasp* last  tour so this might be your last chance to see them anywhere. Concert&#8217;s on August 5, 2009 at Araneta Coliseum.  You can still<a href="http://ticketnet.com.ph/2006/detail.php?eid=1124&amp;res=Y" target="_blank"> buy Nine Inch Nails tickets from Ticketnet</a>.  You may also check the ticket prices on that page. Pupil (NU 107&#8217;s Artist of the Year) will be opening the show.</p>
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		<title>ALIVE 2007 Album Finally Drops July 7!</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/26/alive-2007-album-finally-drops-july-7/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/26/alive-2007-album-finally-drops-july-7/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:56:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1031</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[After almost two years of waiting, the recordings from the now legendary Alive 2007 concerts at the Music Museum, Wolfgang and Razorback&#8217;s Alive 2007 album release is now underway.  You may track the updates and interviews at Wolfgang&#8217;s Official Facebook Page.
What&#8217;s known is that the album will contain no less than 11 tracks &#8211; probably [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After almost two years of waiting, the recordings from the now legendary Alive 2007 concerts at the Music Museum, Wolfgang and Razorback&#8217;s Alive 2007 album release is now underway.  You may track the updates and interviews at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/Wolfgang.Music?ref=mf" target="_blank">Wolfgang&#8217;s Official Facebook Page</a>.</p>
<p>What&#8217;s known is that the album will contain no less than 11 tracks &#8211; probably with a Led Zepellin or Black Sabbath cover thrown in with the healthy mix of Wolfgang and Razorback classics.</p>
<p><span id="more-1031"></span></p>
<blockquote><p>
The masters of mayhem, Wolfgang and Razorback, return to the scene of the crime with the forthcoming release of the much-awaited “Alive 2007” CD. The first of a series of onslaughts, it contains select but explosive live recordings from the reunion concert, which has since passed into legend, at the Music Museum.</p>
<p>“Alive 2007” is considered hallowed ground by both bands, marking the return of Wolfgang with the premiere of its critically-acclaimed first single “R.P. Deathsquad”, which ultimately, became the firing-pin for Wolfgang’s 6th studio album “Villains” in as many years as well as for a soon-to-be released series of brand-new singles by Razorback.</p>
<p>The “Alive 2007” CD is set to wreak havoc anew as it ships on July 7th and hits stores during the week of July 17th. Pre-selling kicks off now through the Alive07 Hotline 0915-6212189 and 0906-10353330 and via alive_2007@yahoo.com.</p>
<p>The album captures 11 tracks of Wolfgang and Razorback playing together and alternately – bigger, stronger and faster &#8212; on the same stage. Raging at full-throttle and running to CD capacity at 70 minutes, the material is “as much as we could cram into the disc,” nods Ramon Legaspi, Wolfgang bassist.</p>
<p>“This was the first time we did a show where both bands were featured, interweaving with each other,” said Basti Artadi, Wolfgang frontman. “Usually, one or the other opens and that’s it. At the “Alive 2007” concerts, it was more about playing on the stage as a unit, separate but still as one.” The result was an energy snarling from the combined intensity.</p>
<p>Tirso Ripoll, Razorback guitarist, said, “Both bands’ songs are always totally re-invented live from what’s on our albums. It’s always been a blast to play with Wolfgang and “Alive 2007” was really special as we hadn’t played together in years.”</p>
<p>The concert also marked Francis Aquino’s first appearance with Wolfgang, &#8220;and he has since become our drummer,” points out Manuel Legarda. Miguel Ortigas, formerly of Razorback, also cameos on the skins for one track.</p>
<p>Fans have been howling for the release of the album for more than two years, to which Louie Talan, Razorback bassist, vividly replies, “You can’t rush art! Think of this like making a great single malt.”</p>
<p>Artadi explained that two &#8220;Alive 2007&#8243; projects are in the works, “We also wanted to differentiate the material from the DVD (scheduled for release in January 2010), so not to worry, you will get your hands on most of it, in one way or another.&#8221;</p>
<p>He said, &#8220;I think for all of us the most important thing is that it gets done right. We did take our time to put in what we feel are some of the strongest, most-rocking bits.&#8221;</p>
<p>Legarda grinned, &#8220;Better now than never.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
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		<title>Bloggers Diving Off Batangas &#8211; Juned, Jayvee and Jun-jun</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/25/bloggers-diving-off-batangas-juned-jayvee-and-jun-jun/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/25/bloggers-diving-off-batangas-juned-jayvee-and-jun-jun/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:01:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[scuba diving]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1025</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I made this open invitation last year for bloggers to start diving and through sheer force of will, convenience in the form of dive instructor/dive master friends and not-so-busy schedules,  some bloggers have already heeded the call to pick up the hobby. My good friend Angel of the now-widely popular travel blog Lakwatsero finally made [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1027" title="Anilao Diving Taken By Juned" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/4822_112379486423_642316423_2897736_547745_n1.jpg" alt="Anilao Diving Taken By Juned" width="604" height="404" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I made this open invitation last year for <a href="http://www.atheista.net/2008/04/23/why-dont-you-try-scuba-diving/">bloggers to start diving</a> and through sheer force of will, convenience in the form of dive instructor/dive master friends and not-so-busy schedules,  some bloggers have already heeded the call to pick up the hobby. My good friend Angel of the now-widely <a href="http://lakwatsero.com" target="_blank">popular travel blog Lakwatsero</a> finally made good on his intentions to be a certified diver late last year. <a href="http://abuggedlife.com" target="_blank">Jayvee </a>also recently got certified while <a href="http://baratillo.net" target="_blank">Juned</a> was able to take a refresher course to revitalize his diving &#8220;career&#8221; that got it start in 1990.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Everything seemed to line up heading to last week&#8217;s dive. Schedules, finances and other logistical concerns seemed to be have been ironed out and to clinch it, resorts in Batangas had madly slashed deals that made it irresistible to not go. Angel was unfortunately out of commission so Juned, Jayvee and I had to troop to Lemery (as people claim) / Bauan (as it says on the resort&#8217;s sign) and be part of the biggest blogger dive party &#8211; this breaks the record of two.<span id="more-1025"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">It is really hard to put into words. Diving is akin to doing something that your body isn&#8217;t supposed to be doing. We didn&#8217;t evolve to breathe underwater; nor are we adept swimmers who can easily maneuver and turn on a dime underwater. The experience is surreal &#8211; it is mostly  a quiet stretch of time that is only interrupted by the sound of your own breathing (and bubbles).</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We did six dives all in all and every dive was different &#8211; every dive was awesome. Jayvee was lent a nice <a href="http://abuggedlife.com/2009/06/23/sony-dsc-t700-with-marine-pack-hands-on-in-anilao/" target="_blank">camera by Sony</a> so we also had a chance to shoot some photos underwater.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1026" title="The Deep Blue Sea Taken By Jun-Jun" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/5064_109312829065_500959065_2794081_6505448_n.jpg" alt="The Deep Blue Sea Taken By Jun-Jun" width="604" height="453" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-1028" title="Crawling at the bottom" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/5064_109312949065_500959065_2794100_5232394_n.jpg" alt="Crawling at the bottom" width="604" height="453" /></p>
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		<title>The Philippine Blog Awards Year 3</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/20/the-philippine-blog-awards-year-3/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/20/the-philippine-blog-awards-year-3/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:18:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1018</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The date has been set &#8211; it&#8217;s October 9 2009. After holding it at Makati and Pasay, the Philippine Blog Awards now moves to Pasig (Megatent Events Venue 30 Meralco Avenue, Bgy. Ugong, Pasig City). No other details have been released as of posting, but you may check the PBA official website for official updates.
Last [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The date has been set &#8211; it&#8217;s October 9 2009. After holding it at Makati and Pasay, the Philippine Blog Awards now moves to Pasig (Megatent Events Venue 30 Meralco Avenue, Bgy. Ugong, Pasig City). No other details have been released as of posting, but you may check the <a href="http://www.philippineblogawards.com.ph/" target="_blank">PBA official website</a> for official updates.</p>
<p>Last year&#8217;s edition of the Philippine Blog Awards &#8211; despite the usual fare of controversy &#8212; was arguably a well-executed affair that allowed bloggers to at least get together and interact on a non-virtual level even if you one didn&#8217;t exactly agree with the decision. I don&#8217;t think there could ever be a solid consensus, so I guess the lesson behind this exercise is that a grand event such as an awards night at least starts the conversation about gives the non-blogging, unwashed masses a chance to peek into our online lives/ <a href="http://philippinecommentary.blogspot.com" target="_blank">pageant of warthogs</a>.</p>
<p>I&#8217;m attracted to the prospect of competition. I&#8217;m a huge fan of sports &#8211; whether as a participant, spectator or arm-chair coach-cum-expert. I am drawn to reality shows that pits people into unnatural situations just to see who is most fit to run a company or win enough money to start a restaurant. Awards are also a competition, but the nature of the judging and the objective-but-still-arguably-subjective way of assessment makes it a lot more interesting and open to a lot of discussion.<span id="more-1018"></span></p>
<p>The organizers did fairly well last year, but if I were to be nitpicky about it, it would&#8217;ve helped tremendously had the list of finalists been released at least a week before the actual awarding. That would&#8217;ve started a discussion and created buzz and hype for the event &#8211; similar to how the anticipation builds up pre-Oscars. If there&#8217;s one change that would be done for this year, I sure hope it&#8217;s this one.</p>
<p>Just like in year one, I am approaching this awards season with great excitement to see who the nominees and finalists are.  I was fortunate enough to have been shortlisted for three categories last year so I am no stranger to the feeling of anticipation and anxiety. It&#8217;s easy to say that you don&#8217;t care about who wins, but when you&#8217;re competitive as I am, it doesn&#8217;t really matter if it&#8217;s an award or a finger-wrestling match. If you have a chance to win, you might as well give it your all and see if it works out for you.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s clear that for the third year running, the <strong>Personal</strong> and <strong>Travel Blogs</strong> category would certainly be the most competitive groups. The two earlier editions of the PBA have seen the who&#8217;s who and the consensus behemoths of both niches vie for the top prize. My extremely biased opinion is that at the very least, the judges have gotten the shortlist right. Last year&#8217;s finalist batch was a very long list of accomplished bloggers and there are still a few of them there who are just as deserving of winning this year.Everything&#8217;s up in the air, really.</p>
<p>Can <a href="http://ironwulf.net" target="_blank">Ironwulf</a> pull it off again, or is it <a href="http://byahilo.com" target="_blank">Byahilo</a>&#8217;s year? Maybe <a href="http://lakwatsero.com" target="_blank">Lakwatsero</a> can play the part of the dark horse and the spoiler and be this year&#8217;s surprise winner.</p>
<p>For the Personal Blog category, it would be heart breaking to deny <a href="http://ditz-revolution.net" target="_blank">Helga</a> and <a href="http://bikoy.net" target="_blank">Bikoy</a> &#8211; two bloggers who could have easily won last year &#8212; the top prize just because of the inconvenient rule that there has to be only one winner. I still think that the Personal category should be expanded to have multiple winners since most blogs are personal anyway. Some niches are NOT even that well-established to have some semblance of competition going.</p>
<p>There are so many questions that could pique your interest for the upcoming PBAs and it&#8217;s definitely filled with uncertainty. But one thing&#8217;s for sure &#8211; I won&#8217;t be winning this year.</p>
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		<title>Ten Emerging Influential Blogs of 2007: Where Are They Now? PART 1</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/13/ten-emerging-influential-blogs-of-2007-where-are-they-now-part-1/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/06/13/ten-emerging-influential-blogs-of-2007-where-are-they-now-part-1/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:53:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1015</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Janette Toral&#8217;s Ten Emerging Influential Blogs Project is easily the most democratic and arguably the most controversial competition for blogs on the events calendar. People love to pick on upstart bloggers because no one would hardly stand up for them and for the most part, it&#8217;s quite hard to establish oneself in the community. To [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://influentialblogger.net" target="_blank">Janette Toral</a>&#8217;s Ten Emerging Influential Blogs Project is easily the most democratic and arguably the most controversial <em>competition </em>for blogs on the events calendar. People love to pick on upstart bloggers because no one would hardly stand up for them and for the most part, it&#8217;s quite hard to establish oneself in the community. To fully understand the process and the sentiment of voters (and how wrong or right has the project gotten it), let&#8217;s look back at past editions of the weeks-long compilation of ballots and lists.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Violent reactions are very much welcome.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">(Countdown after the jump)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span id="more-1015"></span><strong>#10 <a href="http://jakethemiserable.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Jake The Miserable </a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">We aren&#8217;t exactly off to a strong start. <strong>This blog doesn&#8217;t even exist anymore! </strong>I don&#8217;t recall voting for it and I don&#8217;t really remember visiting it much when it was still up.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: In terms of influence and popularity, this blog failed to capitalize on the boost that it&#8217;s top ten finish could have provided. There&#8217;s no other option but to say that this blog is DOWN two years out.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>#9</strong> <a href="http://gibbscadiz.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Gibbs Cadiz</a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Gibbs Cadiz name gave the list a unusurpable credibility that made it harder for critics to slam the entire list without batting an eyelash. He didn&#8217;t really need to win this &#8211; everybody already knows that he can influence people through the way he writes &#8212; but he had to win (even at a dismal 9th) to show that the voting pool could somehow come up with a list that would meritoriously award those who are truly great with what they do.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: Let&#8217;s see. He was a Philippine Blog Awards Finalist even BEFORE making the top ten list. And yes, he managed to win the Arts and Culture category during the second PBA. He has definitely lived up to the title and most would probably say that he didn&#8217;t need it to begin with. He just was what the competition was all about from the get go.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>#8 <a href="http://anitokid.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">AnitoKid Kronikos</a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The bulk of the criticism certainly fell on Anitokid&#8217;s shoulders during those dark days. The now-infamous  comment calling his page a mere <em>blog of lists</em> comment has already been immortalized &#8211; or buried in the past with me merrily exhuming it for everyone to enjoy. People back then didn&#8217;t give him a second look but given how his sports writing has held up, I think he has more than proven himself.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: It&#8217;s very weird that even if there aren&#8217;t really a lot of good Filipino sports websites, blogs are still at the fringe when it comes to sports-related content. Maybe we can attribute this to waning interest in RP sports (especially outside of Manny Pacquiao&#8217;s exploits). Make no mistake about it though, Anitokid&#8217;s passion for sports (especially billiards) bleeds through his very comprehensive coverage and analysis. This one definitely went up.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>#8 <a href="http://jhed.asteeg.net" target="_blank">The Dork Factor</a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Personally, I think finishing better than ninth is a curse in this year. Having to prove that you had any business beating Gibbs Cadiz is tough. You won&#8217;t have much to work with if you want to compare Cadiz&#8217;s blog with this one though &#8211; this blog is no longer extant.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: Went down.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>#7 <a href="http://pinoyblogero.com" target="_blank">Pinoyblogero</a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Like him or not, Pinoyblogero made its mark by having a distinct look. The person behind it utilized his talents to put a visual signature through his posts and blog themes. His niche wasn&#8217;t exactly clear, but he definitely had the following. The guy is a real upstart &#8211; he has  had blogs before  (?) but this one was the one that caught fire and boomed to make him one of the more recognizable urls in the community &#8211; at least during that time.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: Pinoyblogero managed to do these things &#8211; win at last year&#8217;s PBAs, speak at iBlog4 and design for a handful of prominent bloggers. He may be polarizing, but his achievements speak for themselves. Up.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>#7 <a href="http://fruityoaty.com/" target="_blank">Fruityoaty</a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">She had a fairly steady readership before but the numbers right now have definitely jumped out of the charts. And I&#8217;m willing to bet that winning top ten had nothing to do with her success.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: The numbers simply speaks volumes.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>#6 <a href="http://kubiertos.com/" target="_blank">Kubiertos</a></strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The lone food blog on the list continues to run strong. It&#8217;s quite amazing really. I remember voting for this site and if anything, a finalist slot during the last PBA proves that the people behind this blog are more than qualified.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Verdict: Up.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">&#8211;Watch out for the big guns in Part 2&#8211;</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p> <a href='http://blog.cerebrate.ru/vc/' target='_blank' alt='VC' title='This site proudly uses Views Counter v.0.10'><img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/plugins/vc/vc.gif' alt='Views Counter v.0.10' border='0' class='vc_icon' /></a> Viewed 7919 times by 1154 viewers </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Ten Emerging And Influential Blogs For 2009</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/05/29/ten-emerging-and-influential-blogs-for-2009/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/05/29/ten-emerging-and-influential-blogs-for-2009/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 29 May 2009 09:14:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[blogging]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1008</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I would like to think that I have been one of the most ardent defenders supporters of this project. New bloggers deserve all the boost especially if they can back up the hype with quality. Winners in this project has been a mixed bag of success stories (Coy Caballes and Gibbs Cadiz) and also-rans like&#8230; [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">I would like to think that I have been one of the most ardent <span style="text-decoration: line-through;">defenders</span> supporters of this project. New bloggers deserve all the boost especially if they can back up the hype with quality. Winners in this project has been a mixed bag of success stories (<a href="http://thisiscoy.net" target="_blank">Coy Caballes</a> and <a href="http://gibbscadiz.com" target="_blank">Gibbs Cadiz</a>) and also-rans like&#8230; and&#8230;</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I believe that this year&#8217;s vote will be the most controversial yet since there is no clear front runner. Most people would once again disregard this year&#8217;s contest as a sham due to the lack of star power. But just the same, I would maintain that this writing contest is the one thing that makes it easy for the really qualified writers and content providers to gain quick recognition. It is also a good way to make laughing stock out of oneself if you can&#8217;t sustain the momentum.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">(Ballot and mechanics after the jump!)</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span id="more-1008"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">1. <a href="http://filipinofreethinkers.org" target="_blank">Filipino Freethinkers </a>- this is an initiative that I am most proud of. Through this blog and mailing list, we have mobilized free thinkers of different philosophies to attend almost a dozen events. We even had a relatively big event back in February with an attendance of almost 80 people. I will boldly predict that this site will be number one at the end of the vote.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">2. <a href="http://alpsaguado.com" target="_blank">Alps Aguado</a> &#8211; I wont be surprised if he gets a PBA nod as well for his new site. He&#8217;s a great writer and I think he&#8217;s one of the best personal bloggers around.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">*will build on this list as the months and weeks roll along*</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">Who can join?</p>
<ul>
<li>Any blogger in the world. Only one entry per blogger.
<ul>
<li>Blog or website owner profile and e-mail is accessible or visible online.</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>To join this effort, please do the following:</p>
<ul>
<li>Write a blog post and pick your choice of ten (10) emerging influential blogs.
<ul>
<li>Any blog in the world can be picked.
<ul>
<li><span style="font-weight: bold;">You can update the same post entry up to August 2 (date may be extended). However, please inform us of any changes.<br />
</span></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Old blogs who move to a new domain are disqualified</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Blogs who remove their archives just to fit in the cut-off date are disqualified.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Include a link to <a href="http://www.influentialblogger.net/2009/05/join-top-10-emerging-influential-blogs.html">this post </a>to help spread the word and encourage others to participate.</li>
<li>To be included in the raffle, links to the following sponsors should also be in the entry. They are <a href="http://www.absolutetraders.com/">Absolute Traders</a>, <a href="http://www.mybrutecheats.com/">My Brute Cheats</a>, and <a href="http://www.bizsum.com/">Business Summaries</a><span style="font-style: italic;">.</span></li>
<li>Post a comment and let us  know about your entry. Only one entry per blogger. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cut-off date and time for submission of entries is on July 30. After the said date, submission of comments in this page shall be closed.</span></li>
</ul>
<p> <a href='http://blog.cerebrate.ru/vc/' target='_blank' alt='VC' title='This site proudly uses Views Counter v.0.10'><img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/plugins/vc/vc.gif' alt='Views Counter v.0.10' border='0' class='vc_icon' /></a> Viewed 13239 times by 1734 viewers </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>11</slash:comments>
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		<title>Nine Inch Nails Tickets Now Up For Reservation (Manila, 2009)</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/20/nine-inch-nails-tickets-now-up-for-reservation-manila-2009/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/20/nine-inch-nails-tickets-now-up-for-reservation-manila-2009/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 20 Apr 2009 10:43:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=1003</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I posted the details of the concert earlier here &#8211; Nine Inch Nails Manila 2009
You may now reserve tickets for the show on August 5 (Araneta Coliseum)!



Seat Location 
Price


Patron VIP (Reserved Seating)
4725


Patron (Reserved Seating)
3938


Lower Box (Reserved Seating)
2625


Upper Box A (Reserved Seating)
2100


Upper Box B
1050


Gen. Admission
525



Please go to Ticketnet to reserve your seats.  
  Viewed [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>I posted the details of the concert earlier here &#8211; <a href="http://www.atheista.net/2009/03/21/nine-inch-nails-coming-to-manila-august-5-2009/" target="_blank">Nine Inch Nails Manila 2009</a></p>
<p>You may now reserve tickets for the show on August 5 (Araneta Coliseum)!</p>
<table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" width="100%">
<tbody>
<tr bgcolor="#cccccc">
<td width="75%" bgcolor="#cccccc"><strong>Seat Location </strong></td>
<td width="25%" bgcolor="#cccccc"><strong>Price</strong></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">Patron VIP (Reserved Seating)</td>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">4725</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">Patron (Reserved Seating)</td>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">3938</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">Lower Box (Reserved Seating)</td>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">2625</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">Upper Box A (Reserved Seating)</td>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">2100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">Upper Box B</td>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">1050</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">Gen. Admission</td>
<td bgcolor="#eeeeee">525</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Please go to <a href="http://www.ticketnet.com.ph/2006/detail.php?eid=1124&#038;res=Y">Ticketnet</a> to reserve your seats. <img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p> <a href='http://blog.cerebrate.ru/vc/' target='_blank' alt='VC' title='This site proudly uses Views Counter v.0.10'><img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/plugins/vc/vc.gif' alt='Views Counter v.0.10' border='0' class='vc_icon' /></a> Viewed 27012 times by 3336 viewers </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>3</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Atheista / Benj Espina Will Be A Speaker For This Year&#8217;s iBlog [May 9, 2009 UP Diliman]</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/15/atheista-benj-espina-will-be-a-speaker-for-this-years-iblog-may-9-2009-up-diliman/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/15/atheista-benj-espina-will-be-a-speaker-for-this-years-iblog-may-9-2009-up-diliman/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:09:22 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Uncategorized]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=999</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
I attended my first iBlog last year and it&#8217;s easily the biggest blogger education event in the entire blogging calendar. Honestly speaking, it can be quite a mixed bag, but for a relatively new blogger, thepresentations are very enlightening and interesting. The annual iBlog summit is also one of the few times where bloggers could [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://iblogph.org" target="_blank"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-998" title="iblog5logo150_83" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/iblog5logo150_83.jpg" alt="iblog5logo150_83" width="150" height="83" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I attended my first iBlog last year and it&#8217;s easily the biggest blogger education event in the entire blogging calendar. Honestly speaking, it can be quite a mixed bag, but for a relatively new blogger, thepresentations are very enlightening and interesting. The annual iBlog summit is also one of the few times where bloggers could actually lock horns and have their time discussing controversial topics swirling in the blogging community.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I will be one of the speakers for this years iBlog and my topic will delve on  the do&#8217;s and don&#8217;ts of blogging. I will be sharing the segment with <a href="http://baratillo.net" target="_blank">Juned Sonido</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The 5th Philippine Blogging Summit will be on <strong>09 May 2009</strong> at the <strong>Malcolm Theater, UP College of Law, UP Diliman</strong>, from 8 am to 5 pm. Admission is free but  seats are limited so make sure to <a href="http://iblogph.org/?page_id=119">register for iBlog5</a>.<span id="more-999"></span></p>
<p>Morning session: (some can be sponsored talk)</p>
<ul>
<li>9:00 &#8211; 9:20      Blogging 101 (<a href="http://www.micamyx.com/">Micaela Rodriguez</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.baklaako.com/" target="_blank">AJ Matela</a>)</li>
<li>9:30 &#8211; 9:50      Photo Blogging 101 (<a href="http://www.tanggera.com/">Faith Salazar</a> and <a href="http://www.fritzified.com/">Fritz Tentativa</a>)</li>
<li>10:00 &#8211; 10:15  Break</li>
<li>10:15 to 10:35 Video Blogging 101 (<a href="http://www.azraelcoladilla.com/">Azrael Coladilla</a>)</li>
<li>10:45 &#8211; 11:05  Mobile Blogging 101 (<a href="http://www.technobiography.com/" target="_blank">Edwin “Ka Edong” Soriano</a>)</li>
<li>11:15 &#8211; 11:35   Do’s and Don’ts of Blogging 101 (<a href="../">Benj Espina</a> and <a href="http://www.baratillo.net/">Juned Sonido</a>)</li>
<li>11:45 &#8211; 12:05   Blog Promotion &amp; Traffic Generation Strategies 101 (<a href="http://www.nitropixel.net/">Winston Almendras</a> and <a href="http://www.thisiscoy.net/">Coy Caballes</a>)</li>
<li>12:05 &#8211; 1:00    Lunch break</li>
</ul>
<p>Afternoon session:</p>
<ul>
<li>1:00 &#8211; 1:20 Legal issues in Blogging</li>
<li>1:30 &#8211; 2:30 Preparing Bloggers for the 2010 Elections<br />
- COMELEC on Blogging &amp; Bloggers (Dir. James Jimenez, COMELEC-EID Director)<br />
- Citizen Journalism for the 2010 Elections (<a href="http://www.rp2010.com/">Oliver Robillo</a>, NAMFREL Chairman &#8211; Davao City)<br />
- The <a href="http://philippineselection.blogspot.com/2008/08/bloggers-election-handbook-guide-for.html">Bloggers Election Handbook</a> project release (<a href="http://philippineselection.blogspot.com/">Janette Toral</a>)</li>
<li>2:40 &#8211; 3:30 Blog Advertising Situation in the Philippines (<a href="http://www.yehey.com/">Yehey</a> and 2 sponsors)</li>
<li>3:30 &#8211; 3:45 Break</li>
<li>3:45 &#8211; 4:45 Blogging to the Next Level (<a href="http://fitzvillafuerte.com/">Fitz Villafuerte</a>
<div style="display: inline; cursor: pointer; padding-right: 16px; width: 16px; height: 16px;">and <a href="http://www.ourawesomeplanet.com/">Anton Diaz</a>)</div>
</li>
<li>4:45 &#8211; 5:00 Raffle &amp; Group picture taking</li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-weight: bold;">7:00 pm onwards       After-Event Party</span> (sponsored)</p>
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		<slash:comments>7</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Atheista&#8217;s Lenten Season Post&#8230; Last Year.</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/10/atheistas-lenten-season-post-last-year/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/10/atheistas-lenten-season-post-last-year/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:27:38 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[atheism]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=996</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Because I&#8217;m lazy like that&#8230; and for the reason that I really like this post.
The Grand Plan to Affirm One&#8217;s Ego
To simplify it, if you orchestrated the entire time line of history to make you the king of all and the venerated on, doesn&#8217;t it make you quite an egotistic, self-centered individual (or deity) for [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Because I&#8217;m lazy like that&#8230; and for the reason that I really like this post.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.atheista.net/2008/03/21/the-grand-plan-to-affirm-ones-ego/">The Grand Plan to Affirm One&#8217;s Ego</a></p>
<p>To simplify it, if you orchestrated the entire time line of history to make you the king of all and the venerated on, doesn&#8217;t it make you quite an egotistic, self-centered individual (or deity) for that matter?</p>
<p>What&#8217;s the value of the supposed sacrifice when the trade off is immortality in the lore of mankind? </p>
<p>Disclaimer: This is an argument against the soundness of whole issue of &#8220;sacrifice&#8221; for mankind argument that continues to be the biggest draw of the christian faith. All cases were made on the assumption that the crucifixion and resurrection happened &#8211; since I have to engage those who believe those things actually occurred &#8211; don&#8217;t be confused though, I definitely don&#8217;t adhere to the idea that a resurrection actually happened.</p>
<p>Comments will be closed for this particular post. Kindly post your comments on the linked page. <img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Happy Good Friday. </p>
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		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Globe Is Upping The Ante With DUO! Unlimited Call Time!</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/05/globe-is-upping-the-ante-with-duo/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/05/globe-is-upping-the-ante-with-duo/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 04 Apr 2009 16:01:23 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[tech]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=987</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Globe Telecomm is absolutely changing the game with their new aggressive promo. It basically allows you to get unlimited calls for just under 400 pesos a month! This is really exciting and it&#8217;s potentially a good way to control your spending on phone bills. Duo will only be available for post paid subscribers as of [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Globe Telecomm is absolutely changing the game with their new aggressive promo. It basically allows you to get unlimited calls for just under 400 pesos a month! This is really exciting and it&#8217;s potentially a good way to control your spending on phone bills. Duo will only be available for <strong>post paid subscribers</strong> as of now.</p>
<p>It looks  real good. Let&#8217;s see if Globe can deliver their end of the offer. <img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<blockquote><p>How it works:</p>
<p>1.  Subscription to DUO Service is •399/30days on top of a Globe Plan. </p>
<p>2.  Once you are subscribed to Duo, you will be given your Duo Landline number.  Now, your mobile phone and SIM will have two (2) numbers:  your current mobile number (i.e. 0917-XXX-XXXX) and your Duo Landline number (i.e. 02-XXX-XXXX).</p>
<p>3.  Upon activation, the following calls are rendered free of charge: DUO to any Landline calls, any Landline to DUO calls, and DUO to DUO calls. Calls made to other mobile numbers are charged regular mobile rates.</p>
<p>4.  Everytime you call, no need for a keyword or special prefix:</p>
<p>     a.  To call any landline just dial the area code and the landline number</p>
<p>     b.  To call another DUO number just dial the area code and the DUO number of the person you are calling</p>
<p>     c.  For any landline to call you a person will just dial the area code and your DUO landline number</p>
<p>5.  Service is initially available in NCR and Cebu only. All other calls outside the area code (02 for NCR or 32 for Cebu) will be charged regular mobile NDD rates.</p>
<p>How to avail:</p>
<p>1.  Promo is open to all Globe Postpaid subscribers.</p>
<p>2.  Subscriber can avail of the service through the Business Centers or Register via SMS (with required SMS acceptance of Terms and Conditions). Simply text DUO to 8888.</p>
<p>3.  There will be an initial 90-day holding period for new activations, subject to pre-termination fee of •1,200.</p>
<p>4.  You can only avail of one (1) active DUO landline number for every active Globe line, at any one time.</p>
<p>5.  After the holding period, subscription is auto-renewed on a monthly basis unless otherwise requested by the subscriber.</p>
<p>6.  In cases of fraud, Globe reserves the right to discontinue the DUO service, and any of the subscriptions. DUO is not available for International Service Resale.</p>
<p>7.  Duo is currently not available for prepaid or corporate accounts.</p>
<p>Promo period from April 5- July 3, 2009 only!</p></blockquote>
<p>This is great! Try it guys and tell me what you think. <img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p> <a href='http://blog.cerebrate.ru/vc/' target='_blank' alt='VC' title='This site proudly uses Views Counter v.0.10'><img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/plugins/vc/vc.gif' alt='Views Counter v.0.10' border='0' class='vc_icon' /></a> Viewed 27081 times by 3044 viewers </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<slash:comments>4</slash:comments>
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		<item>
		<title>Ok, Ok. I&#8217;m 24.</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/03/ok-ok-im-24/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/04/03/ok-ok-im-24/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:11:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wolfgang]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[24]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[birthday]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[wurm]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=982</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[It&#8217;s my birthday so I figured that I would do something I&#8217;ve never done on a video blog&#8230;. I SHALL SING! This is 24 by Wolfgang. If you&#8217;re a member of Wolfgang (whether the band or the management team) or is a diehard like myself, keep in mind that it is my birthday. HAHA

Don&#8217;t waste [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>It&#8217;s my birthday so I figured that I would do something I&#8217;ve never done on a video blog&#8230;. I SHALL SING! This is 24 by Wolfgang. If you&#8217;re a member of Wolfgang (whether the band or the management team) or is a diehard like myself, keep in mind that it is my birthday. HAHA</p>
<p></p>
<p>Don&#8217;t waste your time telling me that I got nothing on Basti &#8211; we all know that already. haha</p>
<p>Thanks for all the greetings. Thanks for reading my blog.</p>
<p> <a href='http://blog.cerebrate.ru/vc/' target='_blank' alt='VC' title='This site proudly uses Views Counter v.0.10'><img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/plugins/vc/vc.gif' alt='Views Counter v.0.10' border='0' class='vc_icon' /></a> Viewed 24004 times by 2023 viewers </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>The Twelve Best Pinoy Bands Of All Time According to S Magazine</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/03/29/the-twelve-best-pinoy-bands-of-all-time-according-to-s-magazine/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/03/29/the-twelve-best-pinoy-bands-of-all-time-according-to-s-magazine/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Mar 2009 15:41:29 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[music]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=971</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The first question on your mind is probably who the hell are the people behind S Magazine ?! After reading the list, I&#8217;m sure your level of questioning will even increase two hundred fold. It&#8217;s one of the most spectacularly stupid articles in a long time.
One of the people in Wolfgang&#8217;s prod team showed me [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: justify;">The first question on your mind is probably who the hell are the people behind <strong>S Magazine ?! </strong>After reading the list, I&#8217;m sure your level of questioning will even increase two hundred fold. It&#8217;s one of the most spectacularly stupid articles in a long time.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One of the people in Wolfgang&#8217;s prod team showed me the copy and the piece was one of the most poorly-written music reviews I&#8217;ve come across with in a LONG time.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Since I&#8217;m in a forgiving mood, let me weigh in on things and react first on the bands whose inclusion I really agree with.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-976" title="wolfgang" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/wolfgang.jpg" alt="wolfgang" width="240" height="230" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>WOLFGANG</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Wolfgang has a tremendous discography to support their claim for a spot in the Pinoy band pantheon. Through over a decade long reign as the kings of the local rock scene, Wolfgang has ammassed a formidable collection of six studio albums, one acoustic live album and various side projects. They are also among the first bands to prove that heavy music can still be marketable but at the same time critically-acclaimed.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-977" title="Up Dharma Down Armi Millare Carlos Tanada Paul Yap" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/99010771-665-1129141647-up_dharma_down.jpg" alt="Up Dharma Down Armi Millare Carlos Tanada Paul Yap" width="345" height="235" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Up Dharma Down</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">When all is said and done, this band will probably have a shot in being in the really short list of the best bands ever. They broken the mold of commercialization like no other in recent history. Although the music may seem high-brow for the casual listener, they still produce radio hits that keep them in the consciousness of pedestrian music lovers. On a personal note, I really love these guys. Their two albums are easily in the top 5 of the best Pinoy albums ever.<span id="more-971"></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<div id="attachment_978" class="wp-caption aligncenter" style="width: 419px"><img class="size-full wp-image-978" title="Pepe Smith" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/pepe.jpg" alt="Juan dela Cruz band" width="409" height="499" /><p class="wp-caption-text">Juan dela Cruz band</p></div>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Juan Dela Cruz Band</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">There is no person that comes close to approximating the concept of rock and roll royalty like John &#8216;Pepe&#8217; Smith and no band has pioneered the explosion of a genre like the Juan dela Cruz Band did back in their hey day. Their songs (think &#8220;Beep Beep&#8221; and &#8220;Ang Himig Natin&#8221;) are still relevant to this very day are still being used in advertisements despite being over 2 decades old. Oh, by the way, those people at S Magazine only gave this band ONE SENTENCE worth of write-up. Lazy fucks.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter" title="Eraserheads Buddy Zabala Ely Buendia Marcus Adoro Raimund Marasigan" src="http://pechonjr.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/eraserheads.jpg" alt="" width="374" height="260" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Eraserheads</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I&#8217;m no fan, but they were probably the easiest call to include in the list. Much has been said about them already &#8211; I&#8217;m no longer going to add to it.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Dawn</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I personally believe that The Dawn ushered in a new sound during the 80s that was at that time very unique and distinct for a Filipino band. With the band pushing towards its 30th year, the  Jett Pangan-led group continues to churn out formidable tracks that have defined Filipino culture. &#8216;Salamat&#8217; and &#8216;Iisang Bangka&#8217; are two of the most electrifying songs of our generation &#8211; I don&#8217;t think any song by the Eraserheads even comes close to how these two songs build up drama and emotion. That being said, I think the biggest knock against The Dawn is that they&#8217;re not exactly known for producing strong albums. The gradient between the gems and the other tracks is quite obvious. But what the hell, that would be nitpicking.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Rivermaya</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Through all its reincarnations, Rivermaya has remained to be a relevant and creative force &#8211; even with just one remaining original member.  The band has transformed from a college rock band in the early 90s that just went to the bank with anthemic rock songs to the youth to a pseudo-brit-rock outfit with Rico Blanco as frontman to a line up that feels awkwardly un-Rivermaya. At it current state, Rivermaya is like what the Eraserheads were after Ely Buendia left and Kris Gorra filled in as a replacement.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Yano</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Dong Abay has to be one of the most brilliant lyricists of all time. Politically-tilted music wasn&#8217;t that big in the 90s, but Yano (thanks to Dong) made the pro-Filipino/anti-societal-ills slant in songwriting not only popular, but also profitable.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong> </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>P.O.T.</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">They only had one album, but if you add how they literally shook up the scene when they arrived, you would appreciate how big an impact they had with the overall variety of what was rock and funk in the 90s. Their first and only album is one of the strongest ever and once you factor in the tupsy-turvy life and health struggles of frontman Karl Roy, it&#8217;s hard to dismiss the achievements of P.O.T.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">I agree whole-heartedly with the eight of the twelve bands that they cited. Any list should have them, no questions asked.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here are bands who I think are good, but the writers may have been too generous to include.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Side A</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This band&#8217;s claim to relevance for the past 15 years is a slew of tired covers. If OPM is all about doing other people&#8217;s hits, go ahead and crown these guys.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Parokya ni Edgar</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I&#8217;ve never been a fan of this band. I think their approach to music has degraded rock into a genre that doesn&#8217;t need to be taken seriously much to the disadvantage of those who used music to forward a legitimate artistic/philosophical perspective. They&#8217;re popular though&#8230;</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Ethnic Faces</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">I have tons of respect for what they did, but I&#8217;m just not a big fan.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Radioactive Sago Project</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Among these four bands, I&#8217;m most comfortable with giving these guys a slot. I just don&#8217;t think that their music pervaded enough as actual songs as opposed to being shocking pieces of sound that nobody ended up remembering later on. But I do appreciate that they introduced a totally new genre with their breakthrough hit &#8220;Baboy&#8221; back in &#8216;01.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">&#8212;-</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Here are my four nominees for replacements &#8211; if I were to make the list, these bands would be in, EASY.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-979" title="post-5903-1234751219" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/post-5903-1234751219.jpg" alt="post-5903-1234751219" width="308" height="245" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>ASIN</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">This band is the biggest argument as to why the people behind the S Magazine article are TOTAL idiots. Asin bleeds TRUE FILIPINO AUTHENTICITY that is self-aware and pro-active. And no, these artists aren&#8217;t just fashionably socially-relevant, they&#8217;ve seen the horrors of vendetta, environmental destruction and addiction and that made their songs all the more powerful and honest. They should have easily been in the top five.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-980" title="razorback tirso rippoll kevin roy louie talan" src="http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/razorback.jpg" alt="razorback tirso rippoll kevin roy louie talan" width="292" height="195" /></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Razorback</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">How can these guys be dissed that badly? They surely have the following, the discography (four albums!) and the road experience to make a strong case. I guess the authors really are knuckleheads.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Skychurch</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Someone has to represent metal, right? Skychurch is the closest thing that the country has seen to a mainstream metal band. They&#8217;ve represented the genre quite well, if you ask me. It&#8217;s quite disappointing that their third album didn&#8217;t really take off.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Pinikpikan</strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Again, they must have been crazy to leave this super group out. Either that or they have never heard of them.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">
<p style="text-align: justify;">
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		<title>My Favorite Shot Of The Wolfgang Concert + Links To Other Wolfgang-related Content</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/03/28/my-favorite-shot-of-the-wolfgang-concert-links-to-other-wolfgang-related-content/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/03/28/my-favorite-shot-of-the-wolfgang-concert-links-to-other-wolfgang-related-content/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Mar 2009 15:24:09 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[wolfgang]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=974</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[
This one is just awesome! Thank you Karla Redor! I believe this was taken during the Semenelin performance.
More photos can be seen at Carlo Roderos&#8216; Multiply. His photo got published on the Philippine Star!
I believe Marocharim and Sha have also written about their experiences during the concert.
  Viewed 23059 times by 1685 viewers ]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><img class="aligncenter" src="http://photos-e.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2682/174/4/775437243/n775437243_2280812_1015562.jpg" alt="Basti Artadi Atheista Two Sides Live" /></p>
<p>This one is just awesome! Thank you <a href="http://rockersworld.com">Karla Redor</a>! I believe this was taken during the <strong>Semenelin</strong> performance.</p>
<p>More photos can be seen at <a href="http://muymra.multiply.com" target="_blank">Carlo Roderos</a>&#8216; Multiply. His photo got published on the Philippine Star!</p>
<p>I believe <a href="http://marocharim.com">Marocharim</a> and <a href="http://rockerfem.com">Sha</a> have also written about their experiences during the concert.</p>
<p> <a href='http://blog.cerebrate.ru/vc/' target='_blank' alt='VC' title='This site proudly uses Views Counter v.0.10'><img src='http://www.atheista.net/wp-content/plugins/vc/vc.gif' alt='Views Counter v.0.10' border='0' class='vc_icon' /></a> Viewed 23060 times by 1685 viewers </p>]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Filipino Freethinkers Forum II</title>
		<link>http://www.atheista.net/2009/03/22/filipino-freethinkers-forum-ii/</link>
		<comments>http://www.atheista.net/2009/03/22/filipino-freethinkers-forum-ii/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Mar 2009 08:13:12 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>benj</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[atheism]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[free thought]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.atheista.net/?p=969</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Here we ago again. Preparations are now being done for the next Filipino Freethinkers Forum.
Ryan has already set up the registration page so head out to Filipino Freethinkers&#8217; official website.
Where: a conference room in Ateneo (Katipunan) (ISO building near Xavier and Bellarmine bldg.)
When: 2-6PM &#8211; Saturday, March 28, 2009
What: Filipino Freethinkers Forum 2
“Practical Freethinking: Freethinkers [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Here we ago again. Preparations are now being done for the next Filipino Freethinkers Forum.</p>
<p>Ryan has already set up the registration page so head out to <a href="http://filipinofreethinkers.org/2009/03/20/registration-for-filipino-freethinkers-forum-2/">Filipino Freethinkers&#8217; official website</a>.</p>
<p>Where: a conference room in Ateneo (Katipunan) (ISO building near Xavier and Bellarmine bldg.)<br />
When: 2-6PM &#8211; Saturday, March 28, 2009<br />
What: Filipino Freethinkers Forum 2</p>
<p>“Practical Freethinking: Freethinkers in an Unfree World”<br />
The problems freethinkers face in Filipino society and<br />
the alternative solutions to cope or deal with it<span id="more-969"></span></p>
<p>Why:<br />
Free admission<br />
Free food<br />
Freethinking</p>
<p>Who:<br />
Anyone willing to discuss issues relevant to the theme within the framework of freethinking (reason, evidence, free inquiry).</p>
<p>Seats are limited so reserve your slot now! Deadline of reservations is this Sunday (March 22), 12 MN.</p>
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