If there are any altruistic Blogger users out there who'd like to help out a fellow blogger in distress, please go to this page. I created that seperate blog to test a template I am planning to use here on this blog. I am having difficulty with two things : the archive links and the sidebar. The archive links aren't displaying properly as far sa I can tell. The sidebar on the other hand used to resize when the browser window is adjusted. Now, it doesn't budge and its too far away to see if you're viewing it using a low-res monitor. Email me at daysleepered01@netscape.net if you have any suggestions. Thanks!

I laid low for a few days. Everybody's talking about the Makati mutiny. There won't be enough room for me to say what's on my mind -- LOL. Now, read my take on the events that transpired last July 27.

The other night I was watching an episode of the Probe Team. As expected, all the feature stories were about the Magdalo's (an episode about special children was moved to accomodate the breaking stories). Love Añover's man-in-the-street interviews presented the starkest extremes in opinion. Most of ambushed interviewees were non-commital. One man dared to speak out. Dare he did because he was an American (guessing by his accent) photojournalist who covered the Magdalo press conference. He said he was surprised to find some of the Filipino journalists covering the said PressCon apllauded when the Magdalo's were airing their grievances.

It just goes to show that many of them believe the allegations. I believe them too. Most everyone in these 7,000 island know it for a fact as well. Problem is the public doesn't have evidence to substantiate suspicions. The Magdalo's were in a position to possess that evidence. What they did took a lot of balls. These people, part of the very military organization that I depised when I was younger, showed me there was yet hope for this country's soldiers. They were just hired guns for the government. They represent the changing face of the military - young, idealistic, honest and true patriots in their own right. Mutineers they may be, but I believe their lot is better than the crooks that permeate every nook and cranny of government. They should be given the respect they deserve. At least that's what I think.

So, don't tick me off by sending me that email that was supposedly sent by a fan of Trillanes. It was a poor sap's attempt at comedy, which failed miserably in the face of its cynical comments. It did nothing but insult the idealist in me.

What the hell were they thinkin when they thought this up? Votes, maybe? Please enough people and you'll win elections.

I'f you've been wondering where I'd been these past few days, I was busy. I was busy trying to find a cure to one of mankind's most persistent enemies --the cold.

After almost a week of rainy weather, typhoon and all, I counted myself lucky that I didn't catch a cold. Half my officemates had it, I didn't. Last Thursday was sunny, so me and the wife went malling. It would've been a great day had I not started spasmodic sneezing fits while we were admiring the wonderful signs that said "50% off" and "SALE!!!"

That started the downward spiral. Friday morning, I had a cold. I went to work as usual, convincing myself that I would go away in a day or two. Well, It got worse by yesterday morning. I woke up with a fever. I called in sick to get some rest. I woke up better this morning so I'm back at work.

I did have to visit the company doctor to make sure I was fit to work. Still feeling a naseous, but I'm already fine. Just a little cough now and then. I hope I don't get worse. I hate being sick.

There was an instance a few weeks back when I noticed an error on my payslip. I notice they had overpaid me by 4 hours. I had taken half a day off during the cut-off date and I assumed they had presumed that I had ben working the whole day and paid me for the vacation time (4 hours) I filed. I also noticed that they underpaid me for our Sunday premium. We get an extra 20% in pay when we work on Sundays. I weighed the options. It seemed illogical for me to raise a complaint. I mean, if they adjusted the errors they made, I would be giving up 4 hours worth approximately Php 200.00 to get Php 80.00 in additional pay. My honest, moral side won the debate.

I talked to my super and submitted my payslip for scrutiny.

When he came back, he gave me surprising news. I had forgotten that there was a holiday included in the pay period that I was contesting. I was over paid by 4 hours but a holiday was omitted. So, it turned out that I had actually been underpaid 4 hours because they forgot to include the extra holiday pay in my payslip. So the payroll guys suggested they just offset the 4 hours and pay me the additional 4 hours they owe me on the next payday. Hehehe... Goes to tell you that honest intentions do pay off. In the end it, pays to be an honest sucker.

Now here's another story for all of you do-gooders out there. [found via Yuga's blog]

Old poem of mine. . .



Manunulat

Nakabibingi ang katahimikan
ng pagtigil ng makinilyang
kanina pa pinarurusahan
ng nangangalyo ko nang daliri.
Bahagyang s'yang napahinga
sa parusa ng aking pagtipa.

Sa isang hitit sa sigarilyo
pilit na kinakal
ang buong katinuan
para sa tamang salita,
isusunod na kataga.
Ito na ba ang "Obra Maestra"?

Nobelang hindi tapos,
hindi na alitana ang antok.
Obra maestrang nauupos
kasabay ng sigarilyong paubos.
ito na nga ang "Obra".

Kailangang matapos,
kailangang malathala.
Kailangang maibsan ang pangungulila.
Kailangang mabili
mga katagang sampu-'sang-pera,
matahimik lang ang kalam ng sikmura.

I think someone had a brain fart when they thought up this one. Hmmmm.... On second thought, I guess they didn't use any brains at all.

Have you ever wondered what you fave singer would look like if ever he got animated? Wonder no further.

I just read AOL is entering the blogging fray with AOL Journals. Jeff Jarvis shares his take on AOL's attempt to hook up members with the rest of the blogging world. Two points stand out in his discussion. The first would be the immense potential of AOL's membership base. Jeff pointed out that AOL's 34 million or so members would bring in a bigger audience to the greater blogdom. They would also have the potential to generate a lot of material to link to. As Jeff points out, what you blog isn't content until it's linked to. the more bloggers, the more blogs we can link to. It also means there'll be more that'll link back to us. That would be good for all bloggers, irrespective of affiliation. Pretty rational argument, if you asked me.

Second, the issue of linking to content. I once had a problem linking to a Time.com article I was referring to. I was prompted that I would have to buy the article. Why would I want to pay for it when I'm practically advertising them for free by linking to their article? Well, I found a way to do it (link, not pay). I accidentally discovered it when I did a search using Google for similar articles. Voila! I was able to link to the very same Time.com article for free. Apparently, you can Google your way into articles from Time, Washington Post and The New York Times without subscribing to them. Jeff is right in saying that AOL should allow its members to have a similar backdoor that people on the Internet could access. If they could link AOL's "exclusive" content to the world outside, it would be an immense contribution to all bloggers. Bottomline: More resources (stuff, sites, content, what have you...) to share and to behold.

Flattery will get you everywhere. LOL [via Eclectica]

Here's something you don't read about everyday.

Add some whoooomp to your walk.

When I was a child I would often earn the ire of my father. I was either clumsy or I was being stupid. True, I was clumsy. I always tripped on things, dropped stuff, broke toys. I was the only child who regularly broke plates or glasses while dishwashing. I was a real clutz.

Other times, I would be asked by my father to get a particular T-shirt or jacket from his closet. I would almost always come back empty-handed. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find what he was asking me to bring. These situations often ended with my angry father going to the closet to get the T-shirt himself. He would always point out the article he was asking for. Almost always, the damn thing would be hanging in plain sight. I always cried after those embarrassing errands. I often got a scolding that I would remember till the end of my days. I endured the harsh words, at times crying, at other times spitefully hunched in a corner. It was then that I realized the power of words. Maybe that was the reason why until today I have this overwhelming need to be heard.

Just the other day, I had an argument with my wife. I was on the phone with her that early Thursday morning. She was, as always, speaking her mind before I even finished what I had to say. I usually let it pass. It was afterall the way my wife is. But that morning, I was hungry and angry at the situation I had let myself get into. I felt that I had a right to speak my mind. It was one of those moments -- the one's when you just snap. I hung-up on her. My anger faded in the few moments that passed. Inevitably, a feeling of remorse came over my once I had realized what I had done. That's how I deal with it.

I had always promised myself that I would not inherit the ill-tempered side of my father. By letting my anger fly out of control, I was reneging on that promise. Now an adult, I constantly realize that I have become my father. I'm ill-tempered and intolerant, angry at the slightest provocation. I grew up like this and now I'm afraid I might pass it on to my son. What a horrible heritage. The thought of it upset for the rest of that day.

Now I realize that I don't need anyone else to beat me up emotionally. I do a good job of it myself.

It's been a week now that we've been sleeping on the floor. Well technically, not "on the floor." Last week, I dismantled the big wooden frame of our bed and put the mattress on the floor. That decision was reached when my son fell off the bed again (for the third time), even after we've thrown in more pillows than seemingly comfortable. Now that the mattress is on the floor, we can sleep more soundly. We just have to close that door to our bedroom. I haven't found a security gate just yet. If you're not from around here, you might be wondering why we would leave the bedroom door open. Well, it's a tropical country. However wide and high your windows are, you will feel a bit claustrophibic with the door closed.

Anyway, I was pleasantly awakened to find my son trying to stand all by himself. I prentended I was still asleep so I could secretly watch him. I grow all the more fascinated everday at what our son will try do. He's learning his way through the world, and I am lucky enough to be a witness to it all. There's a special kind of magic involved in those moments of discovery you share with your child. It make me grow sad at times to realize that he's growing up so fast. What next? His first step...then his first day at pre-school...then his prom...and then he'll be out of the house before you could say, "You are so grounded!" It all flashed before my eyes like a bad Mariah Carey music video.

:::SIGH::: And all this because I put the mattress on the floor.

This dictionary is the first I've encountered defining "bang (verb, transitive)" as "to fornicate." It even notes that the word, "Does not seem to have intransitive use..." Useful when you've been insulted in a chatroom and you're not exactly sure what they mean.

Are you a hardcore The Dawn fan? Then check out their official site, man. They've got everything from bio's to photogalleries. There's the standard discography, a section for photos and a section dedicated to chat and fanmail. They even have streaming audio (their own radio station). Check it out!

You learn something new everyday. I just read Time.com's list of the 50 best websites in the Net. I found sites in the list that I've been visiting for years. I also found new sites worth checking out. It's worthwhile read, man. Get to it.

Try this, just for a few laughs. Go to Google, then type this exactly the way it is (together with the quotation marks): "weapons of mass destruction"

Don't hit Google Search. Click on the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button instead. If you get a page error, look again and read it carefully.

Here's some food for thought on adversity
from Penelope Trunk

Another great voice is silenced by death. I mourn his passing...

The sexiest part of your body lies between your ears. New research seems to lay creedence to that adage. It's been dubbed as viagra for the brain, but is as far from viagra as a cow is from a carabao.

Ah! The wonders of modern technology! Helping men drool more since 2000 A.D.

Ladies, what are you waiting for? Get your prescriptions now!

These guys know how to negotiate. Way to go, guys! Linux right in yo' face, Bill -hehehe.

My wife sent me this article that she found. I thought it was just another article that expounded the value of the lullaby. I was wrong. It's actually a feature article on David Koz's latest project, an album made exclusively by fathers. Check it out. The site has audio samples of the tracks.

I couldn't have been more wrong the other day. AMD already has 64-bit chip in the works. Hope this drives down the prices of sub-3.0 Ghz chips real soon!