Disenchantment (still on the UP LSG elections)

Another quickie, but still related to the previous post.

In any election, what is the term used to describe a situation wherein a significant fraction of the population is put in a position where voting is difficult, if not impossible? What does one call the act or omission that puts additional burden on a fraction of a voting population resulting in the difficulty of or the inability to exercise their right of suffrage?

Disenfranchisement, I believe, is the term. This, folks, is another beef I have with those who have set up the UP Law Student Government elections.

***
Whether or not one chooses to exercise one's right of suffrage, the fact remains that it is a right to have the ability to exercise it. By no means should there be any act or omission that results in the loss of his right.

To put it plainly: it is of no moment that one will or will not vote -- what matters is that one CAN.

That said, having read the heads-up text message of my block president that the UP LSG elections will be closed by 7:00 PM tomorrow, it seems to me that the evening sections of the UP College of Law, said to be comprising about 25% of the college, have been disenfranchised. The students who comprise a full quarter of the population of the UP College of Law have had their ability to vote impaired.

How so?

UP Law classes for those in the evening program by and large start at 6:00 PM. With travel time and other matters eating into the ability of a large number of the students to arrive much earlier (imagine leaving Makati at 5 PM and trying to arrive on time for one's 6 PM class, via commute), it will be difficult, if not impossible, for some (or even many) to be able to vote before class... and the voting will be closed long before class has ended.

Question: have those who convened the elections made sure that there will be means to allow the evening classes to vote? I do not think so.

There should have been, for instance, the development of means such as absentee voting, allowing the students to vote the day before, making arrangements with professors to allow them to vote, or other such solutions that would not take a stretch of the imagination. As RDM said in one candidate's campaign in her class: "We are aware of the issues... what are YOU going to do about it?"

It seems to me that not much, if at all, was done. If we are to take RDM's advice to heart, that we will not vote for candidates who campaigned in our class but failed to work to ensure the exercise of this basic right, then it seems clear to me where our votes will not go.

Question: is it the responsibility of the evening students to have found the solutions for their benefit?

Counter: should OFWs have usurped the COMELEC's responsibility in developing the Overseas Absentee Voting procedures for the expatriates' benefit? Sure there was a lobby for that for the law to be enacted, but was it not the government and its agencies that made sure that OAV became possible and practicable?

Since nothing was done to ensure that the right to suffrage of the evening section students were not impaired, then perhaps we can conclude that there was no interest to ensure the absence of such impairment.

Perhaps evening students can conclude that this is a symptom of a disinterest of those in the LSG to uphold their rights. I, for one, have begun to believe so.

(I hear rumblings about other symptoms of such disinterest -- deblocking, for instance -- but that is not a matter for today.)

***
Because there seems to be such a disenfranchisement that none of those responsible for setting-up the elections made means to combat, perhaps it is time for evening classes to disassociate themselves from such a government.

How can we do this?

(No, I am not calling for the formation of a separate government for evening students. That would, to my mind, be going too far.)

We may not be able to avoid paying LSG dues during enrollment (for some reason, the collection is automatic and the enrollment process will not continue without such payment), but we can express our disenchantment in other ways.

For instance, if the LSG requests evening classes to take up a collection in support of an LSG event (taxation without representation redux), evening classes can choose not to give a single centavo to support it. We can choose not to accept solicitation letters that we invariably carry to the companies we work for or are affiliated with.

Or, if the LSG requests that we exercise our influence and professional connections towards the publicity of some cause or other, we can choose to say that they can do this themselves and not depend on us, as we could not depend on them.

Our hard-earned wages, influence, professional affiliations, and our time should no longer be made available to those who want these when it suits their purposes but will not work to ensure our rights. To point, evening students can empower themselves in response to such impairment of rights by refusing to provide quo for no quid.

TANSTAAFL, ya know.

***
Not that I think this position is going to be read, though. I will, however, let my duly-elected block president (yes, boss, you know who you are -- no, wait, isn't it you? I'm confused) know about my position on this issue.

As usual, let the chips fall where they may.

(Now back to my ride -- I've got much ground to cover today and, as usual, not enough time.)



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Illegal, Immoral, and Utterly Gross*: Why I Will NOT Vote in the UP LSG Elections (probably Part 1; we'll see)

* with thanks to Myuzeeshun for the catchphrase.

Let's keep this short -- I've much to do still and not enough time.

If indeed "the idealized community that is UP Diliman is nothing more than a product of society, something so close to it, the best and closest example to a microcosm of Philippine society as we know it" (as Marck says), then it stands to reason that Malcolm Hall is a microcosm of Las Islas Filipinas' practice of law and justice.

That said, it bothers me therefore that in this microcosm the principles of law and justice seem to be violated... gang-raped, even.


***
Recently, the University of the Philippines Law Student Government (LSG) announced that the proposed LSG Constitution was ratified by a plurality of 47%.

There, right there, is something wrong.

A constitution is supposed to be the written contract that binds a population together, and is only supposed to be ratified by 50% plus one of that population. This is only legal, fair, and just, and this is what we learn about constitutions in Consti 1 and in the principles of aequitas in Legal History and Legal Profession.

(Panalo talaga magturo si ATM and PAA. 'Nuff said.)

Instead of meeting what is a clear requirement, it seems to me that out of expediency plurality was followed. But what is unfair about plurality in a referendum?

Relying on plurality makes certain of laziness, instead of making the effort to reach out to the entire population.

Relying on plurality makes certain of inequity, that affirmation is made in accommodation of small fractions, instead of the whole.

Relying in plurality can even be construed as the deliberate refusal to recognize the rest of the population, for if 7 out of 10 students voted yes, despite the fact that these 10 students constitute a small fraction of the seven-hundred-odd population, the plurality would still carry the day.

With that, it is clear that the ratification of this said constitution was illegal (by violating the principles of law that underlie the craft and exercise of a constitution), immoral (by the deliberate flouting of what is fair and equitable, and just), and utterly gross (by deliberately going with what is repugnant to the whole concept of aequitas).

***
Why then will I not vote?

If I vote, that means I recognize the validity of a constitution that I do not consider valid.

If I vote, that means I have tacitly accepted the LSG constitution as legal and binding.

If I vote, that means I acquiesce, and therefore put myself in estoppel, barring me from later on taking the position that the LSG constitution is not legal and binding.

Therefore, I will NOT vote. There, I said it -- this is my position on the matter.

***
Marck also said, "UP mirrors society as much as it aims to change it." Is this the change that we want in the practice of law and justice in our society -- forget doing the right thing because it's difficult, and rely on expediency instead?

No wonder -- as RDM once said vehemently in class -- "our justice system stinks."

***
If I can find time, I will amplify on other reasons. As it is, the fact that I believe the LSG constitution to be invalid is in and of itself reason enough.

'Nuff said.



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A List of Concrete, Effective, Efficient, and Repeatable Actions by UP's University Student Councils and Political Parties on Fraternity Violence

***
With apologies to the emperor's tailor.

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Reduce, Re(f)use, Recycle (or, The Jester-in-Exile's Strategies on How to Survive V-Day on a Shoestring)

Years and years ago, I belonged to a group of friends whose idea of a good time was CnC -- not Command and Conquer (although some of us like that game too), but rather coffee and conversation. Unlike kids in this day and age, our idea of CnC involved instant coffee, usually Nescafe, at six bucks per styrofoam cup.

(Okay, prices rose after we started hanging-out at the tambayan -- eight whole pesos -- but that wasn't as expensive as the Ionic Cafe brew, which was pegged at forty bucks at the time. We wuz poor, what can I say.)

(Oh, and yes, we're still friends after all these years. TOSStados once, TOSStados for life.)

At that time, when Valentines Day arrived, despite the fact that we were almost always broke, the men of the Coffee Club always found ways to make V-Day a D-day. Parse that any way you will (heh heh), but I feel that it's time to share our not-so-secret strategies on keeping costs low but keeping our chances flying high.

After all, despite what our wise and beloved Queen of the Enchanted Kingdom says, we're all feeling the crunch of the global financial crisis.

***
Obviously, the easiest way to work with a shoestring budget is not to spend much. Duh.

How did we do that? Easy. Back in Kafagway in those days, there were scads and scads of free or low-cost concerts, shows, events and whatnot, especially after the Baguio Flower Festival was instituted. It was a simple matter to make sure that we had enough pocket change for jeepney fare and a snack, as such was the only moolah necessary for a date to go well.

Here in chaos central, it's not exactly easier -- however, as we like to say, kung gusto, paparaanan, kung ayaw e torpe ka lang nyahaha. Here are some of the low-cost ways to go on a date:

- The UP Fair in University of the Philippines-Diliman's Sunken Garden. Cheap entry, cheap food, rock music, perya sights, and the potential for a hand-in-hand stroll on the tree-lined streets, under the full moon and stars.

(Apparently there are also make-out places on campus -- not that I would say I know where they are. Pity.)

- San Miguel Beer and Valentines 09. Thanks to Unca Juned, I've been told of a relatively cheap party series on February 12 and 13, 2009. Here's what he's let us know about:

San Miguel Beer Barkada Valentine Party

When: Feb 12 and 13, 2009, 6:00 PM onwards
Where: San Miguel Avenue Open Parking Lot across San Miguel Head Office Building
Cost: P250 (JEM: not bad, folks, but make sure you have some safety money, of course)

The P250 entrance fee per person entitles each to 5 beers (1 Pale Pilsen, 1 SML, 1 Premium All Malt Beer, 1 Red Horse, and for the 5th beer, choice of Strong Ice, Super Dry, and Cerveza Negra) and a raffle ticket. The purchase of 2 more bottles gets you another raffle ticket, and the raffle prizes include iPod Nanos, 5K in cash, Eraserheads concert tickets, SMB Summer Babad and SMB Premium Items.

Entertainment:

Live Music: Sugarfree and Silk (Feb 12); Kamikazee and Mocha (Feb 13)

Booth Games (caveat -- some aren't good when with jealous sweethearts teeheehee): Kissing Booth with Brazilian Models for Pale Pilsen, Jail Booth with Brazilian Models for Strong Ice, Massage Booth for Premium All Malt Beer, Tarot Card Reading for Cerveza Negra, Auction Booth for Super Dry

One can get into any of the booth games by buying 2 more beers of the same brand on top of the 5 free beers of the ticket. For example, to get smooched by the Brazilian models of the Kissing Booth, you gotta buy 2 bottles of Pale Pilsen.

(Personally, I'd rather get a kiss from my date that means something to us both rather than a kiss from some model or other that doesn't mean much to either of us, but that's just me.)

- Home Cooking. Think about it -- relatively low cost, free venue (if your sweetie agrees that you cook for her at her apartment), relatively low effort (if you know how to make magic in the kitchen, of course), with maximum returns.

Here's a menu and the recipes that won't take more than an hour of work and with minimal muss and fuss (and cost). Note that we'll have to take shortcuts -- who cares about your cooking skillz, paying attention to your date is much more important!

Appetizer: Peanut-Peach romaki with spicy mustard dip
Soup: Cream of asparagus, mushrooms, and young corn
Entree: Rosemary chicken with steamed buttered vegetables and rice
Dessert: Chocolate cake
Wine: Something red -- I'd recommend a Pinot Noir for this menu (it's not that expensive either, if you go Australian); if you want to splurge, go for a good rose (not my taste of wine, though)


Peanut-Peach Romaki
Small packet of bacon
Can of peach halves, pitted
Small packet of peanuts, unsalted
Dijon mustard
Salt
White pepper, coarse
Tabasco sauce

1. Preheat the oven toaster. Offer your date a glass of wine. Engage her in conversation.

2. Open can of peaches. Drain. Take a peach half and embed two or three peanuts (depending on the size of the peach pit). Wrap the peach half with peanuts completely with a strip of bacon. Secure the wrapping by spearing the romaki with a toothpick.

3. Don't forget to chat with your date -- she can watch you cook, sure, but let her rest easy.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until out of peaches, peanuts, or bacon. Clean up your mess after.

5. Put three pieces of romaki in the oven toaster. Toast for five minutes or until the bacon edges have browned.

6. Mix a dash of salt, a pinch of two of white pepper, and a drop or two of tabasco into two tablespoons of mustard. Keep chatting with your date while making the dip -- five minutes of dead air is an uncomfortable silence -- if you can walk and chew gum at the same time, you can do that.

7. Take out the romaki (it's hot, stupid, wear your oven mitts when handling the oven grill, else lose your panache), and with tongs place the romaki on a bowl with drain towels (not ordinary paper towels, as the paper fibers of ordinary tissue paper will stick to the romaki). When the romaki's cooled down a bit, offer them with the dip and refill her glass of wine. Have a laugh together as she offers her take on the taste, and make sure you get the next dip mix right.

8. Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 until you're out of ingredients and are ready to bring out the next course.


Cream of asparagus, mushrooms, and young corn
Small packet of young corn, sliced
Small can of sliced button mushrooms
Spring onions, minced fine
Packet of instant cream of asparagus
White pepper, fine
Black pepper, coarse

1. Dissolve instant cream of asparagus soup in a pot of cold water. Stir until all the lumps are gone. Put in the young corn and mushrooms.

2. Place the pot on the stove, and set the stove on a low flame. Bring the pot to a simmer. Stir from time to time, don't bring the soup to a boil else lumps will form from the bubbles. (This is the part where you start preparing the chicken.)

3. When you're ready to bring in the soup, garnish with the minced spring onions. Sprinkle with a dash of white pepper and black pepper.


Rosemary chicken with steamed buttered vegetables and rice

Medium sized chicken thighs, 2 pieces, marinated to taste
Rosemary, shredded
Baguio beans, sliced to thirds
Broccoli, sliced to bite-size
Cauliflower, sliced to bite-size
Carrots, sliced to half-inch wedges
Rice
Parsley to garnish
Butter

1. Rub the chicken breasts with rosemary... and we're back to the oven toaster (it should still be hot -- else, you've been careless). Put some more shredded rosemary on the dripping pan.

2. Roast the chicken. Depending on the size of the breasts, it should take between fifteen to twenty minutes. Here's one way to check -- poke a clean toothpick into the flesh; if it sticks or comes out bloody, the chicken isn't done yet. Start cleaning up while waiting.

3. Steam the vegetables about fifteen minutes before dinner time. Keep the veggies warm, but don't overcook; soggy veggies = BAD. (This is the part where you should be setting the table for your date.)

4. Prepare a small mound of cooked rice on each plate (a cup is good enough). When the chicken is done, put a chicken on each plate by the cup of rice and use some of the drippings as gravy (strain the rosemary, of course, jeez). Lay the veggies on another portion of the plate, place a square pat of butter on the veggies and allow to melt. Garnish the butter with a small sprig of parsley; do the same for the chicken.

5. Have dinner and conversation.


Chocolate cake

1 slice of chocolate cake from the Fleur de Lys cake shop along Tomas Morato

1. Have cake and wine for dessert.

2. Getting lucky before, during, or after dinner is, of course, preferred but not certain.

Whew. Writing that took more effort than actually getting any of the above done.

***
Still on today's theme, a far easier way to keep things inexpensive on Valentine's Day is to REFUSE TO SPEND.

Now, how and where can a couple have fun without spending?

I wouldn't know. Teeheehee.

(I did hear a blockmate speak of an anecdote related by a brilliant professor about how to have fun for free -- it involves a dark nook in UP campus. Unfortunately, said dark nook is for the exclusive use of UP Law students. No, I don't know where that is.)

All I know is that not going on a date equals not spending anything. Occam's Razor at work.

Nyahahaha.

(Of course, one runs the risk of not getting lucky. Anymore. Ever. There ya go.)

***
But seriously, how else can we try to make the girl we like special on Valentine's Day?

Recycling. Moohoohahaha.

Back in the day, we made a deal with our girlfriends -- the flowers and stuffed toys and balloons given to them as gifts but which they didn't like (or didn't like the givers) were for us to recycle as we pleased. This meant that we checked them for reusability (meaning we checked for hidden cards within the presents, pentel pen notes on the balloons, and similar stuff), quality (e.g., flower freshness, stuffed toy cuteness, et cetera), and suitability (i.e., would our intended recipient like the presents we intend to give). There were times when our V-day command center looked like a flea market or trading post... and we'd barter and haggle like crazy.

These days, with the price of Holland Tulips, Blue Magic, and other such stuff so exorbitant, it makes perfect sense to recycle presents. Cost = absolutely free. (Even the Dangwa Terminal flower shops don't come anywhere as cheap.)

Caveat: this works if and only if the recycled gift cannot be identified as such by the recipient. You're careless and stupid if you failed to remove the hidden greeting card or recorded greeting; on the other hand, if your recipient helped in purchasing the gift for the previous giver, it's just that the universe has decided to screw you. Haha.

Caveat again: unless your female friend is really one of those really close friends you have, it's difficult to find recyclables these days, as one will find many women hanging on to their V-day presents (apparently it's bragging rights or something).

Caveat final: this doesn't work if your female friends don't get V-day presents at all... not even recycled presents. Boohoohoo.

On another note, I've heard of recycled boyfriends; that is, women getting back together with the men they've previously broken up with just so they can say they had a date on V-day. Heh.

(Well, to be fair, that beats having gone on an imaginary date with the imaginary boyfriend, eh?)

***
No wonder quite a lot of people have taken to calling February 14 as Single Awareness Day -- the day when they are reminded that a) they are single, or b) they can't afford to go out on a V-date and are thus single that night.

Personally, I don't really care much about Valentine's Day -- as a smart Plurker sorta-kinda said, why should we let Hallmark dictate our lives?

'Nuff said.

(Fair disclosure: the above strategies are not guaranteed to work; the chances of these working are even less than zero if the woman in question only finds guwapo them boys with bling... or at least that's how I understood this blog post. If you is poor, fagedaboutit.)

(On the other hand, having friends to share the experience of the craziness of V-day recycling makes the try worthwhile. Dates come, dates go, but true friends are for life.)

(Man, I miss the gang.)

Later, all.



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I'm tired. So I will rant. Kthnxbai.

If there's anything that my friends have found unshakeable in the past almost-twenty years since I became a functioning citizen of the Republic (meaning that I have begun to vote, I began my stint as an income taxpayer, and I have involved myself in issues involving the public that I have felt an interest for), it's this deep-seated faith that Las Islas Filipinas will finally turn around.

Such is why I have not taken the easy route; that is, I have not left the country to become something other than Filipino (and with my portfolio of skills I'd have quite easily done so), nor have I acquiesced to the plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose attitude that I've found many of my elders and peers subscribe to in relation to life in this country.

It's tough.

With my thirty-first birthday coming up in just a few days (and therefore half of my clan's natural lifespan or thereabouts, as dictated by genetics), I have begun to wonder if this turn-around will happen in my lifetime.

I don't know.

Thus, here I go and pay my personal devil (she who whispers the doubts in my ear every so often) her due -- and slap her once more.

See, if we don't hold on to hope and work at it, we might as well jump off PSE Tower 1.

***
As usual, government's answer to the global financial crisis is to export more labor. Painful, yes, but lest we forget, there are so many things that are getting in the way of local job creation.

(Perhaps this is why the government would rather massage the unemployment statistics than create actual job opportunities? Bleh.)

Off the top of my head, here are some of the things I've heard that get in the way of investment opportunities and progress in the country:

Corruption. The cost of doing business in the Philippines is far too much to be financially viable for so many businesses. I know firsthand of a couple who are having a hard time getting their building permit for their house signed off because the city engineer's office wants 35% of the project cost as "SOP" -- standard operating procedure (imagine that the corruption is so blatant and so brazen in scale!). Had I had my way, I'd make corruption a capital crime -- death penalty starts at the first ten centavos skimmed off the top.

Legal instability. Forget government instability -- I have heard with my own two ears different sorts of people disappointed with the fact that the courts aren't consistent in ruling on different disputes involving business, despite the fact that legal precedents exist. See, I respect the courts, sure, but whatever happened to res judicata?

Terrorism. The New People's Army blowing up cellsites and construction equipment, the Abu Sayyaf kidnapping teachers, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front wreaking havoc and mayhem -- terrorists all. Had I had my way and the means to do it, I'd have them all obliterated with extreme prejudice. Kill them all. Seriously. We should by now have had enough of them... I believe in human rights, sure, but our country's been benighted for far too long because of their existence.

Religious fundamentalists and stupid unscientific idiots. Forget the militant zealots who write me hate mail because I support the Reproductive Health Bill (yup, I spend my Mondays reading my latest batch of hate mail) -- there are among these very same people who don't want nuclear power, geothermal power, mini-hydros, and other such clean power initiatives because of their unscientific biases. Imagine environmental advocates saying that we should oppose geothermal power because of the deforestation, or nuclear energy because of outdated arguments dating back to the seventies and are unsupported by good engineering practice (stupid stupid stupid). Had I had my way, I'd ship them off to Scarborough Shoal with nothing at all, not even clothes -- Survivor Kalayaan, I'd call it.

Incompetent government functionaries. If our official statistics and policy-making data were truly trustworthy, we'd know how to allocate our resources efficiently... but noooooo, the government would rather massage the data than go out and do their jobs because the numbers show that the numbers are really bad. Had I had my way, I'd likewise have such number-fudgers crucified.

Stupid politicians. What do you call senators and congressmen who pass laws that have far too many loopholes for the laws to truly work? Worse still, what of legislators who pass laws that have no basis in common sense? Such stupidity, especially when it's deliberate, ought to be a criminal offense.

Political dynasties. Instead of allowing governance to be run by the best we can find and those we trust, we instead have those who treat government as a family franchise. Perhaps we should have them all obliterated to the fifth degree of affinity and consanguinity so that we can start over? Include those who would rather coddle squatters because of the votes they can depend on, those who would encourage a culture of mendicancy instead of good old hard work (yep, like those of the Church and the Left).

And more.

When will these people finally die out so that ordinary hard-working folks can get on with the business of making things work?

***
This is not to say I've not any beefs with big business. Having been a wage slave for quite a long time, I've seen how labor gets screwed every so often.

(Of course, many of the militant leftist unions do get in the way of a true give-and-take relationship between labor and management, but that's another story for another time. Why else would some companies choose to close shop, if not for the unreasonable demands of these people? Eh kung di ba naman kayo tanga, at di kayo nag-iisip ng kung ano ang patas sa inyo pareho, eh di hindi sana kayo nawalan ng trabaho dahil nagsara ang mga kumpanya ninyo. Mga leche kayo.)

I know that the phrase "moderate the greed" has gained currency when talking about politicos and government functionaries, but if anything the phrase should apply to big business and labor unions as well. In this time of crisis, which if we weather successfully in the next decade or more we will doubtless undergo again, there's no way we can mitigate the impact unless every sector decides to act in consensus. Businesses do have their bottomline to consider, while labor unions do act to protect their members' rights -- but can there not be a point where the interests meet in a reasonable compromise?

This, yet again, is where all three sectors -- business, labor, and government -- have dropped the ball. Welcome to the proverbial seven lean years -- maybe even decades -- because of such lack of foresight and open-mindedness. Gutuman na 'to. Pati pansit canton mahal na din. Pasensyahan na lang, pare-pareho kayong tanga.

***
Elections are incoming in 2010 -- or so the people in power claim. Nonetheless, the possibility is there. Work for it.

Be part of the elections. Join the discussions, think long and hard about those you will support, get yourselves registered, and go out and vote on election day. How else will you start change for the better?

If you won't be part of it, well, PAKYU.

PAKYU TALAGA, GAGO. TANGINAMO, MAMATAY KA NA LANG SANA. WALA KANG KUWENTANG PILIPINO.

'Nuff said.

(Rant done. Now to look around for better stuff to write about. Later, all)



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Last-Minute and Not-So-Last Minute Announcements, 04.57 2009-02-07

This post is written with much gratitude to Farsi, a mom-and-pop concern serving Persian food, found on Scout Lozano Street, Quezon City, who have for quite some time now taken care of my chillaxin' and connectivity needs. Thanks, folks.

I've been swamped with so much stuff that I haven't been able to update you good folks about events that are scheduled soon, and that you might find interesting and useful... maybe even fun.

Sorry na, mga bossing. Heh heh.

So much for that, and here we go.

***
Something for Monday next:

The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) has sent an invitation to a round-table discussion on the proposed Right of Reply legislation, which the Senate already passed and is now awaiting approval in the Lower House. The discussion, which will be attended by key leaders of the media and information dissemination sector, will be held on February 9, 9:30 am to 12 pm, at 3/F Popular Bookstore, Tomas Morato cor. Timog Avenue, Quezon City.

Legal experts Carlos Medina of the Ateneo Human Rights Center and Theodore Te of the Free Legal Assistance Group have been invited to provide legal advice.

Call (02) 411-7768 for inquiries and confirmation of attendance, or send an email to nujphil@gmail.com.

Yes, bloggers, the proposed Right to Reply bill just might have impact to you.

***
Something for early today that you might find interesting:

There's a talk this morning on "Multilingual Education in the Philippines: Possible Implementation Strategies", with Diane E. Dekker as the speaker.

Admission is free, and the event will be held in Dela Salle, Conference Room 508, Yuchengco Building. For more information, contact Virgie Cello at 526-1402.

Hmmmmmmm.

***
Heads-up, bloggers, something interesting for this morning:

What: Roundtable Talk: Ethics and the Blogger

Where: Meralco Room, Asian Institute of Management, Makati City

When: 10 AM to 12 NN, Feb 7, 2009

This is something we should consider making time for, folks, what with all the things that have been happening. Bring your thinking cap with you -- we're going to have lively discussion, I'm sure.

***
And for the requisite entertainment after all the skull sessions:

Myuzeeshun has told me that a gal pal of hers has announced a music production involving a band or two, playing Pinoy rock music. For those interested in a night of good music, chillin' with friends, and good munchies and booze, the event will be held in the evening of February 7, 2009, at Mogwai, Cubao Expo, Quezon City.

BYOB (bring your own barya), folks, this ain't got no sponsors for our sakes. We gotta pay our own way, but I'm sure it'll be fun.

Who's in on this? It'll be fun, methinks.

***
That's it for now, folks. Now to get a power nap.



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Jim and Bang's Wedding Posts Index

Last February 5, 2009, the Spartans of Malcolm Hall attended the wedding of a good friend and brilliant classmate Bang, with her partner of so many years Jim. Share in the experience!

***
Index of posts:

Calaruega Church

The Spartans at the Calaruega Church

The Wedding

Spartans at the Wedding

Wedding Reception at Splendido Taal

The Spartans at Splendido Taal

Thank you for allowing us to share in your joy.

***
The jester-in-exile wishes all the best to Bang and Jim. You may not know it yet, but your wedding was an event that we have been inspired by and will cherish.

Best wishes, you two.



Email the jester-in-exile via jester_in_exile@yahoo.com or betajester@mysandbox.com.ph.

Jim and Bang's Wedding, Part 6: The Spartans at Splendido Taal

Last February 5, 2009, the Spartans of Malcolm Hall attended the wedding of a good friend and brilliant classmate Bang, with her partner of so many years Jim. Share in the experience!


***
The Spartans at Splendido Taal. Enrollment at Malcolm Hall? No, just finding our places, via Tin and Roi's assistance:

Tin and Roi assisting Christian

"Napag-uusapan naman yan." -- Roi to Christian and Myuzeeshun

"There's my name, you see it?" "Ay, maybe I should have my glasses checked." "Yes, you should." -- Christian, Roi, and Tin

"Do I have potential patients here?" "Right there, doc, that one might need your help." "Behave, this is Bang's wedding!" -- Doc Jan, Ser Rex, and Tin nyahahahaha

"I'm not sure you're on the guest list." "But what about my chances of meeting bridesmaids?" -- Tin and Roi teeheehee

"But it's my time to shine, you see? My watch says so!" -- Roi and Tin teeheehee

The Spartans enjoying the reception:

Sting Lacson, Ser Rex, Christian, Myuzeeshun, Ang Nang-aaway, and Doc Jan

"If you get in my way while I'm trying to meet the pretty girls here, you get this." -- Sting Lacson teeheehee

Discussion in chambers? Teeheehee:

Doc Jan discussing with Myuzeeshun and Christian the legal aspects of married life teeheehee

The future Judicial and Bar Council -- Ang Nang-aaway, Ser Rex, Myuzeeshun, Sting Lacson, and Doc Jan nyahahaha

Pañero y pañera moments teeheehee:

Phe partners in crime -- err, future law partners, that is, maybe: Ang Nang-aaway and Ser Rex.

"Where are you taking me?" -- Christian and Myuzeeshun

"I swear, proposition me one more time and I'm going to jump." -- Christian and Myuzeeshun teeheehee

Future masters of that which they survey -- Sting Lacson and Christian

"Yes, pañero, this cellphone has a telephoto lens. It's cheap, just several hundred thou. " -- Christian and Sting Lacson teeheehee

"Good game, pañero." -- Sting Lacson and Christian nyahahaha

Law chic -- Myuzeeshun and Ang Nang-aaway

Sharing in the couple's joy:

(Clockwise from left) Tin, Roi, Christian, the couple Jim and Bang, the jester-in-exile, Ser Rex, Ang Nang-aaway, Sting Lacson, and Myuzeeshun

Reminding Bang that classes are still ongoing awwwwww teeheehee:







Bang, our beautiful bride

Ending the evening:

Spartans all: Roi, Christian, Ang Nang-aaway, Doc Jan, Ser Rex, Bang, Sting Lacson, Myuzeeshun, Tin, and the jester-in-exile

***
It was a good day. Better than most, and more memorable than many.



Email the jester-in-exile via jester_in_exile@yahoo.com or betajester@mysandbox.com.ph.

Jim and Bang's Wedding, Part 5: The Reception

Last February 5, 2009, the Spartans of Malcolm Hall attended the wedding of a good friend and brilliant classmate Bang, with her partner of so many years Jim. Share in the experience!

***
Jim and Bang's wedding reception was held at the country club of Splendido Taal Golf and Country Club, at Taal Ridge Road, Laurel, Batangas, a short drive down from Tagaytay, Cavite. Probably because it was a friends' wedding that the jester-in-exile found this place charming and romantic.

The venue:





Photos of Splendido Taal:









"No entry for jesters-in-exile who cannot afford this place and/or are not golfers." Drat.

Jim and Bang's daughter Jay at Splendido Taal:







Golf course turned playplace. Teeheehee.

Arrival of the newlyweds:

The bridal car arriving.

"Pay attention, Jim, this is how to drive a golf cart..."

"I've got all that I need, right here in the passenger seat..." ...of a golf cart? Mmm-hmmm.

"Baby, I'm gonna drive your car... err, golf cart." Nyahaha.

"So remember when we were driving, driving in your golf cart..." Huh, whut? Teeheehee.

Stars. Rightfully so.

Moments:





So kakainggit. Drat.

Splendido at night:













***
Next, the Spartans at the reception. 'Twas a night to remember.


Email the jester-in-exile via jester_in_exile@yahoo.com or betajester@mysandbox.com.ph.

Jim and Bang's Wedding, Part 4: The Spartans at the Ceremony

Last February 5, 2009, the Spartans of Malcolm Hall attended the wedding of a good friend and brilliant classmate Bang, with her partner of so many years Jim. Share in the experience!

***
The Spartans at Jim and Bang's wedding:

Myuzeeshun and Christian

Poet and critic Sting Lacson leading the guests through the mass' first reading

Taray Chic -- Ang Nang-aaway

Ang Nang-aaway and the jester-in-exile

Spartans all -- Sting Lacson, Myuzeeshun, the jester-in-exile, Ser Rex, Christian, Ang Nang-aaway, and Doc Jan

Christian, Ser Rex, and Sting Lacson discussing the legal definition of marriage in the Philippines (Article 1 of the Family Code: "Marriage is a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman entered into in accordance with law for the establishment of conjugal and family life. It is the foundation of the family and an inviolable social institution whose nature, consequences, and incidents are governed by law and not subject to stipulation, except that marriage settlements may fix the property relations during the marriage within the limits provided by this Code."). Nyahahaha.

Ang Nang-aaway, Christian, Myuzeeshun, and Ser Rex: "No, Jester, there is no renegotiation of a marriage contract. Pagagalitan ka ni RDM, sige ka." Drat.

***
Still more to come -- there's the reception, you know?



Email the jester-in-exile via jester_in_exile@yahoo.com or betajester@mysandbox.com.ph.