Quake Hits Our Office

Thirty seconds. That's how long the 6.2 magnitude quake swayed our office in Eastwood.

We were busy discussing office matters when one of my office mates said: "I'm sorry. I'm just scared." Actually, I did not notice it until she said something. She was really scared I saw it. She wanted to run but I dissuaded her. There could be stampede if everybody starts running.

Our client from Stockholm, Sweden was worried because her fiancee was at the 26th floor. She was panicky. Minutes after, she relayed that while the quake was terrifying her, she could see by the window that construction workers are still working. Our client said: "Some people are just braver than the rest."

The Haiti thing makes quakes unbearable these days. Not another strong quake please.

Earthquakes All Over the Planet

Why in the world are we having so many earthquakes? After earth shook in Chile with magnitude 8 quake, another one hit Taiwan. Quakes are really making me worry.

When You Love Someone

Be a fool for love, just for a few minutes... Write it. Say it. No matter how goofy it may sound, sing it. Love is not just in the air. It is whispering in your ear. -- Love is more powerful than we know.

Happy puso everyone!

Ara Mina On National Issues

Here comes another hot controversy involving actors running for public office. Ara Mina takes the hot seat...

I have read the feedback on this I.M.O. video. Critics are feasting. And nasty comments are spreading like wildfire. How politically incorrect are her answers? I think it was obvious. And there is no need to make the obvious more obvious.

Sure, national issues awareness is a crucial determinant in choosing our leaders . First things first, how can they put solution to a problem know nothing about. They will just be searching in their head something which is not there. However, said awareness is not a guarantee that candidates will eventually become good servant leaders or politicians for that matter. There are a lot of intelligent politicians (more morons though). They sure know what is happening all over the Philippines. Unfortunately, they became part of national issues they vowed to resolve back when they were campaigning.

Your vote could be a catalyst in shaping our nation. It may sound annoying already but it pays to vote for the right candidate. Please do.

Formaldehyde in Calamares

Just a word of caution to calamares lovers... Our favorite deep fried squid is reported to contain formaldehyde popularly known as formalin. The latter which is used to preserve or embalm cadavers is a carcinogenic or a cancer causing substance and is thus very dangerous if ingested.

I first heard about the news in Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho last Saturday when a victim complained about it. Two days past, the report was reiterated in the afternoon news.

According to the report, the affected squids are imported from China and should be spoiled upon reaching Philippines had it not for the presence of formalin. They could have been costly if they are still fresh but they are not so they are sold for $40 per sack or P70.00 per kilo. That is the reason why they are affordable.

However, not all squids in the market are with formalin. Based on the tests conducted, some imported squids are affected. Local squids are formalin-free. Still, it is better to take precaution. Caveat.

Roxxxy: Wild or Frigid?

Inventors (well, not all) are getting crazier and crazier each day. I heard in the news that Douglas Hines, a True Companion engineer, invented a sex robot named Roxxxy (obviously spelled with 3 xs). The 5'7 bot weighing 120 pounds and donning a skimpy negligee is engineered to provide intimacy and sexual pleasure. You can choose her personality to shift from 'Frigid Farrah' to 'Wild Wendy'. She can even respond to simple conversation. I wonder how conversation would be like with her.

Roxxxy costs $7,000 to $9,000 and comes with an attached laptop. That's about P32,200 to P41,400 here. The inventor believes that the bot is the start of the first legion of sex robots. I think they will be upping the ante in every invention.

Queries: Have sex robots become a necessity to make inventors prioritize them more than other important inventions like the antidote to global warming? Have libidimal thoughts fatally overwhelmed morality?

I hope not.

Quake Survivors In Desperate Need

photo courtesy of gulf-daily-news.com

We see it on TV, quake survivors in Haiti are desperately in need of aid. Haitians are calling out for help. They need food, water, and homes to replace what they lost.

After buildings collapsed, hope seems to collapse too. Looting began immediately after the strong quake. Survivors are seen stealing food and water from the destroyed stores and houses. After several days, we also see them steal from their fellow survivors. True, they have escaped death but there comes the threat of famine.

While rescuers continue digging for dead bodies, authorities say it is too early to give a number. While doctors and nurses treat victims, more injured remain untreated. While survivors are scavenging, more of such sort will continue until I don't know when. One thing is clear, they need help at the earliest possible time.

The UN launched its United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. The International Committee of the Red Cross set up a website to help Haitians find missing loved ones. It is also distributing food, clothes and other necessities to the victims. Celebrities like George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Madonna, and a lot more also initiated a campaign titled Hope for Haiti Now. UNICEF is also conducting relief operations. US President Barrack Obama is also preparing a team to give medical attendance, food and supplies. People are helping even in little ways. More and more help is coming and I hope we see the improvement in Haiti soon.

Killer Quake Shakes Haiti

photo courtesy of mnn.com

When nature takes its toll everyone will be left shocked and dismayed. Its fury knows no limitation but dominance. That's exactly what happened yesterday in Haiti.

The quake, which is said to be the strongest to hit the nation in more than 200 years, has shattered numerous homes, collapsed a hospital, injured many, and killed thousands of people. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the killer quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.0 and was centered about 10 miles west of the capital of Port-au-Prince, 5 miles beneath the ocean surface.

Another sad thing is that there are Filipinos trapped inside the destroyed buildings in the impoverished nation. Some Filipino peacemakers and overseas workers are reported killed while others are still missing.

Brand New Year

When the clock strikes 12 yesterday, we celebrate and wish each other a blissful New Year. Definitely, it is more than a change of a calendar. It means the beginning of a better tomorrow. A time to be grateful for another year. A time to look back at all the memories but never to dwell in them. If life is full of peaks and valleys, for me it has been valleys lately. But I know there is wisdom to all of this. How about you? How's your 2009? Things will make sense soon. So everybody cheer up. Life has to go on.

Happy New Year To All!