Hottest Reads: Umbert the Unborn

Before I start off with this post, I would like to introduce a new segment to my blog which is Hottest Reads. This segment focuses on reviewing print publications, particularly books and comics. To start off, I would like to introduce this cute but educational comic called Umbert the Unborn. 

The comic's basically about an Unborn baby named Umbert, gender is unknown though but for me, I have a good feeling that Umbert is a male baby. Aside from Umbert, there are also other characters in this comic strip, click here to see the characters: http://www.umberttheunborn.com/wombsite1_006.htm. Umbert the Unborn has a very awesome storyline, a balance between current issues and comedy. This comic certainly gives you more reasons to love life. 

Here are sample comic strips for your viewing pleasure: http://www.umberttheunborn.com/umbsamps.pdf

Like Umbert the Unborn on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Umbert-the-Unborn/64929798236

Check out the Umbert the Unborn Cartoon of the Week blog: http://www.umberttheunborn.blogspot.com/

Visit Umbert the Unborn's official website: http://www.umberttheunborn.com

'Till the next post

-Therse

99 messages and counting. :)

So I'm going to talk about that dude again from a previous post. So we had another chat again last night and I counted the number of messages that we have exchanged with each other and it was exactly 99. I knew a few things about him though and reading through the messages, I knew he was a nice guy. (though we rarely spoke in real life for some reason)

So much for that, here's Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris with We Found Love:

'Till the next post!

-Therese

This law should NEVER, EVER be passed.

Lawmaker Winston Castelo’s proposed “Anti-Planking Act of 2011” was met with derision on the Internet. I loved it—it was the funniest thing I had heard that day.The ridiculous proposal specifically refers to students and prescribes a “universal code of student conduct whereby planking by a student or a group of students during street rallies or similar protest actions as a form of redress of grievance be strictly prohibited,” with appropriate sanctions to be imposed for violations.From the proposed law, as posted on Rep. Castelo’s Web site:“Sec. 3. Under this Act, planking is when a student or group of students lies face down in unusual locations especially in streets or other public places, keeping the hands along the body and the feet outstretched and especially where such act is meant as a form of redress of grievance against government.Sec. 4. Every bonafide student from any school, college or university shall conduct himself with high degree of discipline and propriety.Sec. 5. The Department of Education in the case of elementary and high school students and the Commission on Higher Education in the case of college students shall draft a universal Code of Student Conduct to carry out the provisions of this Act.Further, DepEd and CHED, respectively shall issue appropriate rules and regulations to effectively carry out intent and purpose of this Act.”What’s wrong with this Act, apart from the fact that it’s shallow and senseless to begin with?It is specifically addressed to students. Therefore, if a non-student planks right beside a student during a rally, only the student would be charged. (Is that fair? Whether or not it’s a student who planks, the streets or “unusual location” would still be obstructed!)Section 3 defines planking as lying “face down” while “keeping the hands along the body and the feet outstretched”. Therefore, if students lie face up or sideways, and/or extend their arms and draw up their feet, they do not violate the Act. (That’s a loophole big enough to drive a tank through.)If students were to be specifically prohibited against planking during rallies, this means they can do “owling” (in which a person squats like an owl in unusual places) or “teapotting” (bending the arms into the “I’m a Little Teapot” nursery song shape) instead—both fads rose after planking went globally viral. Or they could perform “horsemanning” (a photography fad in the 1920s, named after the Headless Horseman in the Washington Irving story—it involves two people posing so as to “appear to be a single body with a detached head”).Section 4 is so vague it could mean anything; is that the way to write a good law?Castelo was also quoted by news media as saying, “…unbelieving bus drivers and law enforcement authorities might just ram through these warm and living bodies rolled out on highways.” (Because motorists and traffic cops are that stupid? “Unbelieving”, what does that even mean in this context? That statement certainly shows a high regard for the intellectual level of the ordinary Juan.)Why not create a law banning truly hazardous behavior during rallies? These could include the wearing of heavy costumes (they could cause the body to overheat and perspire profusely, leading to body odor), setting effigies and flags on fire (the students might burn themselves or other people and property), rushing the riot police unarmed (the police might retaliate— those water guns pack a hell of a punch), and clenching fists at rallies (because one could accidentally punch someone else in the face).While we’re at it, how about an “Anti-Flunking Law” (to motivate students to pass their courses)? An “Anti-Plunking Law” (to prevent people from dropping things heavily and abruptly)? An “Anti-Thunking Law” (prohibiting the creation of dull, hollow sounds)?Seriously, a law against planking? It’s a fad, something that is “generally considered a fleeting behavior” (Wiki). And like all fads, it’ll wear itself out sooner or later and people will go on to the next silly thing. Remember the siete haircut for girls? The bands Menudo or F4? Jejemon? You don’t? My point exactly. Looking back at these fads, we wonder what the all the fuss surrounding them was for.Instead of focusing on more urgent matters such as the reproductive health bill or the freedom of information bill, this lawmaker chooses to penalize a fad adopted as a peaceful form of protest.

From what twisted parallel dimension did this galactically stupid and time-and-effort wasting proposal emanate? As a lawyer told me some years ago after I had attended my first Congress hearing, “The Constitution does not set an IQ requirement for people running for public office.”

I found this funny, actually. What kind of congressman would do something like this? I don't even think people would plank in the middle of the street, who wants to end up being injured badly, anyway? Isa pa, it's just a fad, it will fade soon. Making a law to prevent this is just plain ridiculous. It's like taking candy away from a baby. I may not be a politician but I bet this law is to ridiculous to be passed. You don't have to study law or be a congressman to know that. You know what, this congressman should go and focus on laws like Freedom of Information Law or perhaps pass laws that would finally put an end to corruption. Comparing this to Mayor Sara Duterte's punching incident, (which some didn't like) I bet Mayor Duterte's punch makes more sense than this and I bet this congressman should be punched by her for making such ridiculous law but yeah, I'm just kidding with that but seriously, that punching incident made more sense. This is just plain nonsense and I bet even senators and other congressmen and even us would just laugh our asses off while reading a copy of this bill. My message to all the planking people out there, here's a little piece of advice, get out there and plank! Just don't harm yourself, if you think that the place you're planking in is too dangerous for your standards, then don't force yourself, if you have enough guts and you're sure you won't hurt yourself (and I hope you won't) then go for it. Most especially, try to avoid planking on busy streets, you don't want yourself to be run over, don't you? Let's be Responsible Plankers. May kasabihan nga "With freedom comes responsibility".

'Till the next post

-Therese

Congratulations to Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup!

Congratulations to Miss Philippines Shamcey Supsup for making it to the top 5 and winning as 3rd runner up. Kahit hindi ka Miss Universe, for us, you have already achieved a lot and you are indeed, our Miss Universe! Here's what a few foreign celebrities say about Shamcey:

"I have reservations with the results. If the only basis is the Q and A portion, after having been trimmed down to 5, Ms. Philippines deserved to win. What made her different from the rest is that she had no seconds to rethink of her answer as she had no interpreter to break the ice. The rest had their interpreters and having breaks on seconds to think about their answers. Hands down, Ms. Philippines answered straight to the point." -Oprah Winfrey

I was really rooting for Shamcey of the Philippines... Oh well, dahhhlings, next year! - Mariah Carey (via Twitter)

Well for me, Shamcey would have been more deserving to win Miss Universe but hey, I am also proud of Miss Angola for being the 60th Miss Universe. Her answers were also good in the Q&A, you know. Like Shamcey, she made a point in what she said. The thing is, just because Shamcey didn't speak Filipino and have a translator during the Q&A portion doesn't mean na taksil siya sa ating bansa or something, she is simply adapting to global audience (what do you think of Miss Universe? A local contest?) and she was even brave enough to speak up for herself that she didn't need any assistance at all and isa pa, she is comfortable with speaking English, if ever she made a mistake, that was probably because of stage fright and mind you, the other people in the top 5 also had stage fright during the Q&A. Shamcey really showed it to the world that even under pressure, FIlipinos can still adapt to global audience. She was really confident when she faced the crowd and the judges. She really carried herself to the public well. 

Again, Congratulations, not just to Shamcey but to Miss Angola and the other candidates who made it to the Top 5!
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Quote for the day:

I will not change my religion to marry the one I love. Anyone who loves me should also love my God. :)

- Shamcey Supsup, Miss Philippines

That dude & University Days.

I might as well talk about my crush again and no, I'll not reveal his identity this time. So we finally had an actual chat via Facebook, can't tell what exactly we're talking about but it has nothing to do with romance, more of the how's school and the weather stuff. Second, University Days, it's confirmed, there's gonna be a zipline, this is so freakin' awesome. Can't wait to try the zipline and perhaps do another round of rock climbing. This time, I'm bringing a camera para naman I'll get pictures of myself on the zipline. (only when the folks there permit me to do so)

This has been one really busy day.

'Till the next post

-Therese

FMA Features: Jojie Alcantara's Sign Off! Collection

Today, I'm going to feature Jojie Alcantara's Sign Off! Collection. It's a collection of funny signs that she took pictures of during her trips. Here are my top 5 pictures from her collection which are not placed in any particular order:

I kinda remember seeing this during a trip to Manila Zoo last year

Paano kung singing cellphone? :))

Counted ba diyan ang request for pasa-load? :))

WTF?!? ROTFL

More of this can be found here: http://www.pbase.com/jojie_alcantara

In other news...

I'm going to add more content to my photography portfolio soon, kaso, busy pa ako this week, I might as well upload it by Saturday this week.

ANG I.P. (Investigatory Project). BOW.

For the record, this is one of the few times I stayed up really late. Thanks to our Investigatory Project, of course. Like I said in my previous post, It's for Regionals. We're printing copies for our I.P. 'coz the deadline for pre-judging or whatever it is is tomorrow. I'm so effing stressed. >.< 

I just hope I'll get an award from Regionals, I don't care if it's last place. Meanwhile, my printer is starting to go on EPIC FAIL mode. Malapit na kasi maubos yung ink and yup, I can't buy ink at this time, our city is so "outdated-ish" that you can't buy whatever you need at 9 pm (even though there are bars and a few convenience stores here) . I wished I lived in CDO or Davao instead, maybe I'd consider encoding my IP late at night a reward. So much about ranting about my hometown where you could only live your dreams if you left that place. (but if you're like so rich then you might not consider leaving, then)

So much for that again. I have to go to sleep, it's getting late.

'Till the next post

-Therese