I Was Published On The UP FORUM!
The UP Forum recently asked me to pitch in my two cents regarding the reproductive health bill and I was more that willing to oblige. Despite my staunch secularist stance on almost all issues, I’ve decided to keep mum on the Reproductive Health Bill because I thought it was a mere exercise in futility. Even if in principle the bill carried weight, the implementation would be a totally different thing. That is why I literally didn’t have the fire to fight tooth and nail for it unlike my buddies at Filipino Voices.
The format of the article was simple. It was simulated “round table” discussion with four students from the UP system - the current student regent, a fourth year law student, a sophomore from UPLB and a Medical Clerk! 
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Elation: A Chocolate And Shooters Buffet
Chocolate is one of the few things in life that most people can agree on. It has innate properties that makes it a feel-good food for anyone with a sweet tooth. I rarely blog about food events but when I read about this chocolate fondue buffet, I just knew that it would tickle the fancy of so many people.
On November 14 2008 (Friday), Elation Buffet will be launching its novel business concept at the Grand Terrace in Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City. Aside from loads and loads of the finest chocolate fondue, Elation would also be serving all the shot drinks that you can drink. The party starts at 8:30 PM and it would only cost you P250 to get in! Given the prices of fondue and shots elsewhere, it really looks like that this is definitely a steal! Read more…
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Life-Changing? Maybe not.
I read a post at Pinoyexchange boldly proclaiming that some publishing house had the planner could ultimately trounce the Starbucks planner. The press release was a bit off-putting due to its seemingly targeted and boisterous nature but I decided to give it a go anyway. I had nothing to lose and planner to gain.
Speaking of lofty promises, the cover definitely follows up on that very off-putting premise. I don’t anyone who would proudly take this planner around and claim that it can go to toe-to-toe with a Starbucks planner. Why will it change your life? According to the content, all proceeds for this journal are going to the building of wells and schools, and the planting of trees all over the world. It sounds well-meaning and noble but when you factor in how cynical this generation is and how we all clamor for transparency in everything that we’re involved in, the message is quite vague. The URL of a site is supplied but it’s hardly the reputable charity or organization that would command instant credibility. While it’s not really a knock against the planner, what could have been a strong selling point for the product was lost due to insufficient substantiation and the use of motherhood statements. Read more…
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Bipolar - Quite Possibly The Best OPM Album Of The Last Decade
photo by Ian Castañares
Thanks in large part to Wesoid and Harry, I was able to get a few hours off to attend the much anticipated launch of Up Dharma Down’s sophomore album Bipolar. The records comes almost three years after the release their ground breaking debut Fragmented that saw the band gain accolades from mainstream music junkies as well as the hard-to-please music critics. Staying true to the their established style of textured arrangements and use of electronic samples, Bipolar comes across a richer and more cohesive collection of songs that combines both the familiar and left-of-center elements. Although it’s hard to even conceive the idea that vast improvements could still be attained after Fragmented but the general vibe of Bipolar lends an even more satisfying and transcendent musical experience. You can literally hear elements of rock, metal, electronica, blues and the lesser known subgenres of trip hop and post rock infused in some of the tracks.
The Hexagon Lounge at RCBC Tower provided a very intimate atmosphere for fans to hear the songs off Bipolar for the first time. Ian and I came early (around 7:30 PM) so we were able to squeeze ourselves to a nice spot just in front of the stage. I also had the chance to finally meet legendary Pinoyexchange poster loc0 (Carlo) after almost a decade of participating in the Music and Radio threads. The event was originally slated to start at 8:00 PM so by the time the gates were closed at 9:00, the venue was already packed and dozens of people were left waiting outside. I’ve had a similar bad experience when I showed up late for a Wolfgang “reunion” (read: minus Wolf) gig at Peligro a few years back so I knew better than to not take such call times seriously. Read more…
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