Thanks, Emmanuel

For the pride and composure.

We intended to see the live telecast at Something Fishy to try the breakfast while undercards are on, but arriving around 930am, wow the place is already packed! (at price of 750 PhP) Went to the Eastwood cinema, also no more seats! (even at price 650 PhP at that place).
Had to drive back to Robinson's Galleria. Four screens are showing the fight, all almost full! What we got are two seats just four rows from the neck breaking front! Anyway, it was worth it. Few remarkable things I jut down here for posterity:
--trailer for Wapakman shown several times. directed by Topel Lee. I hope this can be marketed overseas :-)
--the telecast shown at Robinson's Galleria had no commentary whatsoever. Did not miss Chino, but Quinito Henson, at least, should have been piped in.
--I suddenly remembered the "Phantom Punch" that stupid Rod Nazario and Murad Muhammad were previously brandishing. Those two leeches were almost successful in preventing Pacquiao to make it.

--in the replay, there was that weird, stupid, denr commercial, a la war of the worlds. whatsthefuckingpurpose of that ad, lito atienza? you need to scare people?
--great quote by manny (this is not telecast in the replay)... when asked by Mario Lopez... "I understand you have injured your hand... and look at your ears... does it hurt" , Manny said, "My hand doesn't hurt, my hand doesn't really hurt, but my ears... really hurt."... while pointing at his ears which really cauliflowered after the fight. Brought chuckles at the theater, but we appreciate the sheer, innocent, humble honesty.
--later i read that his ear had to be drained of blood. so this now the treatment for cauliflower ears after a fight? (i remember hagler having a similar terrible case after a fight with leonard)
--12 rnd tko is rare. no one won in the betting at the office. manny was still hunting cotto, although he's already the clear winner by the starting bell of round 10. take that running mayweather!
--Noli de Castro, Chavit, th eone guy that looks like Jimmy Santos, the other guy that looks like Sev Sarmenta, are all there again as pararaps during the national anthem.

--1100 PhP for the tickets for talampunay and me are well worth it!
--another great quote (ive read in an espn coverage later of the postfight presscon)... "He talked about backing to the ropes sometimes when Cotto hit him, said he wanted to make Cotto believe he wasn't hurt. Then he paused and smiled, and said, "But .... it really hurt."
--good article from someone who covered the fight ring side.  

--Nov 15, 2009 was a happy day in the Philippines!!!

Thanks, Manny!

(picture grabbed from an AP article)


***

I watched two replays of the fight with two different commentaries (HBO and Skysports in UK). I noticed that the camera shots were closer on both broadcasts. Could these two be using different cameras in the arena? How can they fit so many sets at MGM?

I also saw that Cotto was not that manhandled. In terms of solid punches, he was also able to throw a couple himself. (Malakas lang talaga sumuntok si Manny, in comparison. Manny punches are probably four times the impact). But all the articles that you read today explains it like Cotto was humbled, manhandled, beaten-up, etc, rarely a comment on some good rounds in his favor.
Then again it's natural in boxing, as it is in life--when you lose, you are put down, like you failed to do anything right in the whole fight.

Review: Einstein: His Life and Universe

The book is a well-researched and well-referenced biography. Walter Isaacson is the former Managing Editor of Time mag and CEO of CNN. (He’s a distinguished biographer though even before he assumed many of these executive roles). His own fascination--bordering on idolatry--with Einstein is evident on the pages. Why bordering on idolatry? For one, I think the book’s treatment on Einstein’s first wife is unfair or not balanced. But save for this one minor quibble, the book is near perfect. I can imagine that the author has an army of fact-checkers, archivists, and professional reviewers (Professors/Physicists) in the making of this book. The book benefited from these assets, evident up to the bibliography (for further reading). If you consider that the author probably paid for these services, the book should be a good buy, like a machine delivered after thorough R&D :-)

The first chapter until the part on Einstein’s Miracle Year and formulation for General Relativity are remarkable. The arguments with Bohr and the delving into thought experiments are engrossing. Chapters near the end (discussing politics and immigration to America) bored me a bit. This is probably not the fault of the book. This should be natural for most biographies formatted from birth death (not all decades will be full of excitement and achievement. Then the Epilogue on the strange journey of Einstein brain—the literal chopped-up, stored in a jar, and ferried-in-a-pickup-truck brain—propped me up again for a fascinating ending.

In ending, if I may digress a bit, there are so many quotes and anecdotes that are attributed to Einstein by so many people with vested interests--like the one about Einstein as a kindergarten proving the existence of God as an absence of heat whatever (there's even a youtube video for this). This book more or less contains all of Einstein's snippets, aphorisms, 'quotable-quotes,' and surely all major milestones in his life. There are even lengthy discussions by the author on possible 'misquotes.' So if the quote/anecdote is not in here, it's probably urban legend. 

And on hindsight yes, you can even use this nonfiction as a reference book for real, academic discussions. Some sort of 'semi-textbook' on certain topics on Theology, Physics, and Math. 

Definitely worth anyone’s money and time. The most expensive hardbound that Ive bought ever at that time. Im happy with the purchase.

Susubukan ko lang magsulat nang tonong tambay uli

Pwede ring sisiga-sigang tambay.

Putangina talaga ang magtrabaho kikinaanginang opisinang puro mala-lunggang kyubikel. Tangananangnang mga kasamahang pilit na pilit mag-inglis puro ahhh ahhhh ahhhh eehhh ahhh uuuuh naman sa gitna. Hindi makumpleto ang letseng sentenses.

Samantalang ang mga bwakaknginang konyong grumadweyt nang skolastika, mukhang gustong-gusto naman naririnig ang pilantik ng mga dila nila sa ibabaw nang ngala-ngala. Hindi tumigil sa kakaboka nang parang saranggola. Nagpapahaba nang miting! Biruin mong sang oras na nag-uusap nang inventory at hirit nang hirit, hindi pala naintindihan na kaya naiipon ang sakit-nang-ulong imbentori ay dahil hindi na pwedeng ibenta ang nailaunch na nung nakaraang buwan.

Meron din namang isang baklang bukbukin ang mukha na todo kung sumipsip at humigop para mapromote at makapili ng Hyundai Tucson. Pukinginang kaplastikang daig pa ang plastic crate sa tibay. Sobrang santo at napakagaling pag nag-adbertays nang sarili.

Putsa. Motherfuckers mamatay na kayo.

Club Punta Fuego

Spent 3 days on this place for another one of those 'Planning Sessions.' Not a single dip was enjoyed in any of the pools. I didnt see any one on the beach as well.

Great food though. I think Mgt assigned a Chef just for us because of the recent disaster at Taal Vista (their sister company).

The fish below and creme brulee (or was it Panna Cotta?) were the best--among the already fantastic lot of snacks, dinner, dessert, lunch, breakfast, etc--for me.

Now anticipating the new orgchart and added workload, demmit.

11am, the following day, at a conference room in Taal Vista

My colleagues are walking out one by one to... the comfort room. 9 out of 15 participants were hit by food poisoning. Going back to the loo as much as 6 times inside one hour. I was one of the 'survivors' who later drove to the nearby Mercury drug to buy boxes and boxes of gatorade.
By the time we were distributing the drinks, one wing of taal vista is fecal odorous. Other guests lodged a complaint by the same afternoon, so we had to buy three tubes of Lysol. (I think two more were given by Taal Vista Management).
All victims ran a fever and called their folks to bring them home. Two others had to be IV'ed with dextrose.
The suspect is either the dinner at Josephine's the night before or the buffet breakfast earlier that morning.
By the next day, Taal Vista was serving plated breakfast (instead of the buffet).
I wasnt involve on the negotiation on claims.
But I wont be going back to Taal Vista or Josephine's soon.

8pm, Josephine's, Tagaytay

This place looks old. Waiter seems to be haggling, pulling, and craving the expensive order from us. While waiting for our food, boss is yapping non-stop. Most of the people from the far side are busy surfing using the free wi-fi.
These sorts of planning session, junket, sojourn are tiring. Id rather stay at home and read. Play with babies in between breaks from the pages.
Haaayyy.
845 the food arrived. The bulalo is not good. Paella is ordinary, tawilis is just ok, crispy pata fine. Blueberry cheesecake is horrible, leche plan is bad. Not worth the money and time in Josephine's

Two weeks hence, and still swimming

Two weeks after the storm most emails that we receive at work still start with: “First of all, I hope that you and your family is safe...”

To most colleagues all these are funny. But to those whose daily lives today still consist of riding a raft daily, to and from work, these are big, big burdens!

Imagine giving up to the routine of having your underwear wet everyday... with stagnant water.

Panalo ang batang ito!

Kwistyonz, hijo: 

alam ba nang nanay mo ang pinaggagawa mo?

Masarap ba ang  fwrapucchinowz sa starvuckz?

Sino ang naggupit sayo 

Grand Villa, Bay, Laguna

[Bay is pronounced as Ba-i. It's the next town after Los Banos. Grand Villa has a website for complete directions]

Another place for team building.

What sets it apart are the decent-sized pool,

butterfly farm that really raises and cultivates butterflies.

Definitely better than Balai Isabel, though I havent seen an equivalent Obstacle Course; I think you really need this to complete any team building 'excursion.'

I wasn't involved in the dealings in on prices and cost though, so I have no idea how they compare in this aspect.

Rebyu: FHM Celebrity Diaries

Tangina naman FHM. Nakita ko yung FHM Ladies Confession ninyo. Wala na ba kayong makuhang ibang models. Ampangit naman nung iba. Mga hipon! Hindi yata karapat-dapat. Parang naging pampuno lang tuloy ng mga pahina para makapag-publish ng isang full-fledged na special issue. Nakakontribyut pa yata kayo sa lalong paghina nang industriya nang paglalathala sa Pilipinas.