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BAGUIO CITY, Philippines-- A web log video featuring a statue of a urinating man in g-string, which has been on display at a Baguio restaurant for years, has not amused United States-based Igorots.
They have been sending outraged messages to Philippine officials, friends and families after discovering the video on the web.
The restaurant on Upper Session Road here has been attracting tourists because of its collection of statues of Igorot men and women.
Tourists are familiar with the restaurant because of its life-sized statues of former president Corazon Aquino and the late Jaime Cardinal Sin.
But the statues that have driven foreign-based Igorots to protest cannot be seen from the roadside.
The video clips on the Internet show a statue of a man in g-string who is apparently urinating on a wall.
A signboard with the phrase "Bawal umihi dito (Urinating here is prohibited)" is posted on the wall.
Restaurant employees declined to comment, saying they were unaware that their décor had drawn this much flak.
An e-mail was sent to Commissioner Eugenio Insigne of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples on February 22.
"Rather than passing inconsequential ordinances like forcing businesses to have English signs, it is things like this that the Baguio City council should be looking into," said the letter writer, Bill Billig.
"My God, this restaurant is in Baguio which used to be the domain of the Ibalois and which still has a very significant number of Igorot residents, and the owners of this restaurant are apparently getting away with this?"
He added: "Are we going to allow this restaurant to piss at us in our own backyard? Maybe we should all go to that restaurant and collectively pee at its doorstep in protest."
Some foreign-based Igorots acknowledged that the statues were indeed a joke.
"If you wish to demolish stereotypes, you should not just be too eager to demolish false or unfair ascriptions; you must also have the balls to accept the truth, even if it puts you, your family, your clan, your community, or your nation in a bad light," went one article posted on the Sandati weblog.
"I am not a sculptor, but if I say I get lucky and get to finish a book that partly details bad things that Igorots do, would you kill me?"
"Get a grip of (yourselves). Take off your rose-colored glasses. You don't like anyone pissing you off by pissing on walls? Teach them (every one of them, not just Igorots or Filipinos) not to. How do you teach them? Put up statues just like this everywhere."
the following was just too much of delicious knowledge/info to not share with you. not everyone's a compulsive yahoo-news checker as i am, so when i saw this, i knew i just had to "lift" it to here. anyway, the here's the link of where i got it from, so don't say i didn't acknowledge the origins:
from: http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20061229/sc_space/fullmoonnamesfor2007
Full Moon names date back to Native Americans, of what is now the northern and eastern United States. Those tribes of a few hundred years ago kept track of the seasons by giving distinctive names to each recurring full Moon. Their names were applied to the entire month in which each occurred.
There were some variations in the Moon names, but in general the same ones were current throughout the Algonquin tribes from New England on west to Lake Superior. European settlers followed their own customs and created some of their own names. Since the lunar ("synodic") month is roughly 29.5 days in length on average, the dates of the full Moon shift from year to year.
Here is a listing of all the full Moon names, as well as the dates and times for 2007. Unless otherwise noted, all times are for the Eastern Time Zone.
Jan. 3, 8:57 a.m. EST - The Full Wolf Moon. Amid the zero cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. It was also known as the Old Moon or the "Moon After Yule." In some tribes this was the Full Snow Moon; most applied that name to the next Moon.
Feb. 2, 12:45 a.m. EST - The Full Snow Moon. Usually the heaviest snows fall in this month. Hunting becomes very difficult, and hence to some tribes this was the Full Hunger Moon.
March 3, 6:17 p.m. EST - The Full Worm Moon. In this month the ground softens and the earthworm casts reappear, inviting the return of the robins. The more northern tribes knew this as the Full Crow Moon, when the cawing of crows signals the end of winter, or the Full Crust Moon because the snow cover becomes crusted from thawing by day and freezing at night. The Full Sap Moon, marking the time of tapping maple trees, is another variation. A total lunar eclipse will take place on this night; the Moon will appear to rise will totally immersed (or nearly so) in the Earth's shadow over the eastern United States. The rising Moon will be emerging from the shadow over the central United States, while over the Western U.S. the eclipse will be all but over by the time the Moon rises.
April 2, 1:15 p.m. EDT - The Full Pink Moon. The grass pink or wild ground phlox is one of the earliest widespread flowers of the spring. Other names were the Full Sprouting Grass Moon, the Egg Moon, and -- among coastal tribes -- the Full Fish Moon, when the shad came upstream to spawn. This is also the Paschal Full Moon; the first full Moon of the spring season. The first Sunday following the Paschal Moon is Easter Sunday, which indeed will be observed six days later on Sunday, April 8.
May 2, 6:09 a.m. EDT - The Full Flower Moon. Flowers are abundant everywhere. It was also known as the Full Corn Planting Moon or the Milk Moon.
May 31, 9:04 p.m. EDT - The Blue Moon. The second full Moon occurring within a calendar month is usually bestowed this title.
Although the name suggests that to have two Full Moons in a single month is a rather rare occurrence (happening "just once in a . . . "), it actually occurs once about every three years on average.
June 30, 9:49 a.m. EDT - The Full Strawberry Moon. Known to every Algonquin tribe. Europeans called it the Rose Moon.
July 29, 8:48 p.m. EDT - The Full Buck Moon, when the new antlers of buck deer push out from their foreheads in coatings of velvety fur. It was also often called the Full Thunder Moon, thunderstorms being now most frequent. Sometimes also called the Full Hay Moon.
Aug. 28, 6:35 a.m. EDT - The Full Sturgeon Moon, when this large fish of the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water like Lake Champlain is most readily caught. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because the moon rises looking reddish through sultry haze, or the Green Corn Moon or Grain Moon. A total lunar eclipse will coincide with moonset for the eastern United States. The Central and Mountain Time Zones will see the Moon's emergence coincide with moonset, while the western United States will see the entire eclipse.
Sept. 26, 3:45 p.m. EDT - The Full Harvest Moon. Always the full Moon occurring nearest to the Autumnal Equinox. Corn, pumpkins, squash, beans, and wild rice-- the chief Indian staples--are now ready for gathering.
Oct. 26, 12:52 a.m. EDT - The Full Hunter's Moon. With the leaves falling and the deer fattened, it is time to hunt. Since the fields have been reaped, hunters can ride over the stubble, and can more easily see the fox, also other animals that have come out to glean and can be caught for a thanksgiving banquet after the harvest. The Moon will also be at perigee later this day, at 7:00 a.m., at a distance of 221,676 miles from Earth. Very high tides can be expected from the coincidence of perigee with full Moon.
Nov. 24, 9:30 a.m. EST - The Full Beaver Moon. Time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon comes from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter. Also called the Frosty Moon.
Dec. 23, 2:51 a.m. EST - The Full Cold Moon; among some tribes, the Full Long Nights Moon. In this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and the nights are at their longest and darkest. Also sometimes called the "Moon before Yule" (Yule is Christmas, and this time the Moon is only just before it). The term Long Night Moon is a doubly appropriate name because the midwinter night is indeed long and the Moon is above the horizon a long time. The midwinter full Moon takes a high trajectory across the sky because it is opposite to the low Sun.
Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for The New York Times and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, New York.1. Watch closely where your money goes. Often, people complain, “I don’t have any more money. I don’t know where it went.” A close scrutiny would show that aside from necessities, their cash went to eating out, shopping during the last sale, parking fees for weekly trips to the mall, movie tickets, and a new gadget. It’s not bad to treat yourself once in a while, but keep a close tab on where your money is going. Then be honest and see if you’re overspending on things that are not really necessary.
2. Decide where your money will go. What is it that you want to save up for? A new car, tuition for the kids, a trip to Boracay? Once you have set your goals, decide where your money will go by making a financial plan. (Click here for story on How to make a financial plan )
3. Make a spending plan. Allocate your earnings wisely by making a written budget every month. Experts say pay yourself first — meaning, set aside some amount for savings first before you settle bills and spend money. A good starting point would be 10 percent, but do make it bigger as your income improves. Then set a ceiling for your regular expenses and live within your means.
4. Start an emergency fund. Use your savings for an emergency fund that you can use for unplanned but necessary expenses. Make it your goal to have at least six months’ worth of salary in your emergency fund. This will tide you over if you lose your job or meet any emergency.
5. Be serious about investing. Those savings that you have put aside can earn more when placed in the proper investment vehicle. Leave some in a savings or checking account, but put the bulk in higher-yielding time deposits, mutual funds, unit investment trust funds, stocks or bonds, depending on your appetite for risk. It’s not difficult to understand how these investments work. Read personal finance books or articles or talk to your bank manager or financial adviser.
6. Manage your debt. Don’t go into debt that you cannot pay. Charge to your credit card only what you can pay comfortably. And before getting a car loan or housing loan, compute if your budget can allow you to pay these additional amortizations over a number of years.
7. Protect your name. Your credit history is tied to your name, so do all you can to have a good record. Pay bills on time, file income tax returns promptly. Your good name will allow you access to more credit later on should you need it.
8. Look for ways to grow your income. If you can have a sideline on top of your fulltime job, then go for it. Or invest your money in a business. If the business succeeds, use the extra income for investment.
9. Have the essentials. These include life insurance if there are people who depend on you, and health insurance (including hospitalization, disability, accident). You also need to make a will and take out a memorial plan or buy a plot in a memorial park. Make it easy for your loved ones someday.
10. Share your blessings. Help other people in need so they can get back on their feet and be on the road to financial security themselves.
Not everyone is born rich, but everyone, with discipline and foresight, can retire comfortably.
Published on page A1 of the December 11, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer
DOHA, QATAR -- Believe it or not: Three Filipino boxers had to share the same shirt and shorts in the 15th Asian Games.
Flyweight Violito Payla, featherweight Anthony Marcial and light welterweight Delfin Boholst were forced to wear the same fighting gear, leaving Philippine boxing coach Patricio Gaspi red-faced.
Gaspi said there were “some communication problems” between Philippine amateur boxing officials and those of the Philippine Sports Commission.
“I don’t know what went wrong. Perhaps our boxing officials thought the contingent leader had enough playing (fighting) kits for the boxers,” he said.
“But when we got here, we found there were no kits for three or four boxers. This forced Payla, Marcial and Boholst to share one kit to fight. We had seven boxers in our team and now we have four left to compete.”
Manny Lopez, president of the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines, and William “Butch” Ramirez, chair of the Philippine Sports Commission, could not be reached for comment on the embarrassing situation.
Happier of three
Despite the mix-up, Payla was left the happier of the three boxers as Marcial and Boholst failed to reach the semifinals.
That meant the 27-year-old Payla, an Army enlisted man from Cagayan de Oro City, had the shirt and shorts all to himself on Sunday when he fought and defeated China’s Yang Bo to earn him a berth in the finals.
And it comes as a convenience for Payla who, after all, was the first pug to give the Philippines something to hope for in the boxing competitions here after completely dominating Jitender Kumer of India in an RSC-Os (referee stop contest-outscored) match to reach the medal round.
The PSC, which failed to get support from the private sector, had earmarked no more than P30 million for the 240 athletes it sent to do battle in Doha
Insiders said the PSC had been saddled with funding problems after the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) failed to remit its P11-million annual contributions to the PSC the past two years.
The PCSO, in turn, had run out of funds because it paid for the Philippine Health Insurance cards of indigents who were enrolled in the Philhealth program in 2004. The program, according to political opponents of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was used to support her presidential campaign that same year.
Boxing history
Whatever, Payla may just make history by becoming the first Filipino who has had to share the same shirt and shorts with two losing boxers and win an Asian Games gold for his country.
Marcial bombed out less than an hour after Payla had booked his place in the final eight, running smack into the experienced fists of Kazakhstan’s Galib Jafarov, a former world champion, who dealt the courageous Filipino a 27-12 beating.
Boholst lost his bout against South Korea’s Shin Myung-hoon.
Light Genebert Basadre, super light flyweight substitute Godfrey Castro and bantam Joan Tipon were the other Filipinos who have barged into medal fights -- although they didn’t have to share their fighting kits with anyone. Agence France-Presse
One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up. As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off!
Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt. The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take a step up. Each of our troubles is a steppingstone. We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping, never giving up! Shake it off and take a step up.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1) Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.
2) Free your mind from worries - Most never happen
3) Live simply and appreciate what you have
4) Give more
5) Expect less
NOW .............
Enough of that crap . . The donkey later came back, and bit the farmer who had tried to bury him. The gash from the bite got infected and the farmer eventually died in agony from septic shock.
MORAL FROM TODAY'S LESSON:
When you do something wrong, and try to cover your ass, it always comes back to bite you.
SHANGHAI -- Shanghai, China's wealthiest and most dazzling city, plans to add to its reputation this weekend with a millionaire party aimed at hooking up rich men with beautiful women, state press said Tuesday.
Men wishing to participate must have assets worth at least two million yuan ($250,000), and women must be pretty and desirable, the China Daily quoted the event's organizer, Xu Tianli, as saying.
More than 20 men have signed up to take part in the event and half possess assets worth more than 200 million yuan ($25 million), according to Xu, owner of matchmaking website for the rich www.915915.com.cn.
"They have all come here in search of a serious relationship," Xu said.
A 34-year-old millionaire taking part in the event, who gave his surname as Sun, said he was hoping to find the woman of his dreams at the party, to be held on a cruise vessel on the Huangpu River.
"I often find pretty women on the street, but many of the women I meet in person are not the kind to win husbands," said Sun, a logistics business owner worth more than $500,000. "Appearance is most important to me."
Xu has so far selected 30 women out of 1,000 applicants to take part in the cruise.
"Only those who were attractive in every category can take part in this event," insisted Xu.
Some millionaire women will also join, but Xu said they were looking for men "richer and more successful than they are".
Poem: "How to Live" by Charles Harper Webb, from Amplified Dog. © Red Hen Press.
How to Live
by Charles Harper Webb
"I don't know how to live."
–Sharon Olds
Eat lots of steak and salmon and Thai curry and mu shu
pork and fresh green beans and baked potatoes
and fresh strawberries with vanilla ice cream.
Kick-box three days a week. Stay strong and lean.
Go fly-fishing every chance you get, with friends
who'll teach you secrets of the stream. Play guitar
in a rock band. Read Dostoyevsky, Whitman, Kafka,
Shakespeare, Twain. Collect Uncle Scrooge comics.
See Peckinpah's Straw Dogs, and everything Monty Python made.
Love freely. Treat ex-partners as kindly
as you can. Wish them as well as you're able.
Snorkel with moray eels and yellow tangs. Watch
spinner dolphins earn their name as your panga slam-
bams over glittering seas. Try not to lie; it sours
the soul. But being a patsy sours it too. If you cause
a car wreck, and aren't hurt, but someone is, apologize
silently. Learn from your mistake. Walk gratefully
away. Let your insurance handle it. Never drive drunk.
Don't be a drunk, or any kind of "aholic." It's bad
English, and bad news. Don't berate yourself. If you lose
a game or prize you've earned, remember the winners
history forgets. Remember them if you do win. Enjoy
success. Have kids if you want and can afford them,
but don't make them your reason-to-be. Spare them that
misery. Take them to the beach. Mail order sea
monkeys once in your life. Give someone the full-on
ass-kicking he (or she) has earned. Keep a box turtle
in good heath for twenty years. If you get sick, don't thrive
on suffering. There's nothing noble about pain. Die
if you need to, the best way you can. (You define best.)
Go to church if it helps you. Grow tomatoes to put store-
bought in perspective. Listen to Elvis and Bach. Unless
you're tone deaf, own Perlman's "Meditation from Thais."
Don't look for hidden meanings in a cardinal's song.
Don't think TV characters talk to you; that's crazy.
Don't be too sane. Work hard. Loaf easily. Have good
friends, and be good to them. Be immoderate
in moderation. Spend little time anesthetized. Dive
the Great Barrier Reef. Don't touch the coral. Watch
for sea snakes. Smile for the camera. Don't say "Cheese."
I just watched the movie adaptation of Rent, the musical. A lot of people who’d seen it trashed it, saying it was a poorly made film, but I think they said so because they compared it to the musical itself. As a movie, though, I think it rocked. Majorly, absolutely rocked. It made me laugh, sing along, cry buckets, and heave teary sighs of absolute relief. It was a total film, and effective in its message, which isn’t the point of the film, in itself, but that made it even better, because it made me think, it made me react, and in the end, made me feel extremely glad I watched it. Thanks to all the people who had a hand in bringing it to the screen, because I loved it.
You Have Fantastic Karma |
 You are a kind, sensitive, and giving person. And all your good deeds will pay off - if they haven't already. But you're not so concerned with what you get in return anyway. You have an innate caring nature - and nothing can change that! |
| You Have A Type B Personality |
You're as laid back as they come... Your baseline mood is calm and level headed Creativity and philosophy tend to be your forte Like a natural sedative, you have a soothing effect on people Friends and family often turn to you first with their problems You have the personality to be a spiritual or psychological guru |
| You Are a Prophet Soul |
 You are a gentle soul, with good intentions toward everyone. Selfless and kind, you have great faith in people, but are able to distance yourself enough to see the best path possible. No matter what, you deal with everything in a calm and balanced way. You are a good interpreter, very sensitive, intuitive, caring, and gentle. Concerned about the world, you are good at predicting people's feelings and direction. A seeker of wisdom, you are a life long learner looking for purpose and meaning. You are a great thinker and communicator, and always capable of seeing all sides to any situation. Souls you are most compatible with: Bright Star Soul and Dreaming Soul |
| You Are Blonde Highlights |
 Men see you as flexible and versatile - you fit in to every situation You've got the inner glow of a blonde, the intensity of a redhead... And the wisdom of a brunette. |
| Your Aura is Blue |
 Your Personality: Your natural warmth and intuition nurtures those around you. You are accepting and always follow your heart. You in Love: Relationships are your top priority, and this includes love. You are most happy when you are serious with someone. Your Career: You need to help others in your job to feel satistifed. You would be a great nurse, psychologist, or counselor. |
| He is a Man |
 You have yourself a perfect gentleman and a total keeper Your guy almost always acts appropriately He's probably even very upstanding when you're not around There's no boy left in your boyfriend - he's all man! |
| You Are Internal - Realist - Empowered |
You feel your life is controlled internally. If you want something, you make it happen. You don't wait around for things to go your way. You value your independence and don't like others to have control. You are a realist when it comes to luck. You don't attribute everything to luck, but you do know some things are random. You don't beat yourself up when bad things happen to you... But you do your best to try to make your own luck. You have a large amount of power, but you also know the pecking order. You realize that working the system does get you further. You know who to defer to and who to control. When it comes to the game of life, you play things flawlessly. |
| You Should Get a PhD in Liberal Arts (like political science, literature, or philosophy) |
 You're a great thinker and a true philosopher. You'd make a talented professor or writer. |
