UFC 100

UFC 100 was one really entertaining event. We were promised an entertaining show and the fighters delivered:

Henderson v Bisping: Henderson shuts Bisping’s mouth good, as promised. Hendo planted two devastating right hand to The Count’s face in round 2.

St-Pierre v Alves: GSP proved that his “skill beats size…technique beats strength all the time” ideology is true – he neutralized Alves’ strength with his takedowns and superior wrestling game. All 5 rounds showed how good and smart a fighter GSP is.

Lesnar v Mir: Lesnar showed that immense strength + improved technique + excellent strategy is a really dangerous combination. Lesnar proved that he has the right to be the heavyweight champion by decisively defeating Mir. Unfortunately, Lesnar also proved the Mir has more class than him.

Monkey See, Monkey Do

Gusto ko sanang mag-comment sa sinabi ni Freddie Aguilar tungkol kila Arnel Pineda at Charice Pempengco, pero hindi lang kasi yung pagiging gaya-gaya natin yung nakikita kong problema e. Sa issue kasing ito, parang sa mga informercials, mayroong isang malaking “but wait, there’s more!” na bonus na problema na hindi pwedeng hindi pansinin – ano nga ba ang maituturing na likas na “Filipino” sa panahon natin ngayon?

Dahil nagsimula na rin naman ako kay Freddie Aguilar, sa panig ng musika natin tingnan ang isyung ito. Ano nga ba ang musikang Pinoy? Ang kanta bang “Anak” ay masasabi nating sumasalamin sa uri ng mga awitin ng ating bansa? Paano ang kundiman? Paano ‘yong mga folk songs mula sa iba’t ibang rehiyon na ating bansa? Kapag ba may kudyapi at kulintang na ang kanta, mas Filipino ang dating nito? Ang mga kanta ba  ng Up Dharma Down pwedeng maging representative ng musikang Filipino? Si April Boy? Slapshock? Eraserheads? Ano nga ba ang tunog na masasabing sariling atin?

Mahirap sagutin, di ba?

Sa isang banda, pwede nating sabihin na kapag Filipino ang gumawa, Pinoy ito. Mga banda tulad ng Juan Dela Cruz, Apo Hiking Society, The Dawn, Wolfgang, Eraserheads, at iba pa, hiram din naman ang ilang elemento ng kanilang musika pero masasabing Pinoy na Pinoy ang kanilang dating, di ba? Sa isang banda, yung mga tulad nila Charice Pempengco, Regine Velasquez, Pops Fernandez, Martin Nievera na hindi mabubuhay kung wala silang gagayahing artista mula sa ibang bansa. May mga orig din silang kanta pero mas sikat sila dahil sa kanilang revivals. Pero kahit anong sabihin mo, Pinoy na Pinoy rin sila dahil, sa ayaw mo’t sa hindi, nasa kulturang Pinoy na ang pagkahilig sa mga singers na wala nang ginawa kundi bumirit. Mahirap namang pumili ng folk songs na pwedeng sabihing tunog Pinoy dahil isang katutak na ethnic groups ang mayroon tayo…

Sa madaling salita, kung sinabi nung artist na proud siyang maging tunay na Pinoy (hindi counted ang Pussycat Dolls, si Jasmine Trias, si Camille Velasco, si Chad Hugo, si Enrique Iglesias, si Kirk Hammet, at iba pang tulad nila na may ilang patak lang ng dugong Pinoy sa kanilang katawan at/o gusto lang ng abodo), e i-consider na nating tunay na Pinoy ‘yan at maging medyo proud ka na rin na kalahi mo sila. Oo, medyo mababaw na basehan ng pagka-Filipino ngunit sa isang bansang kinakapa pa ang national identity mas mabuti na ‘yang alternatibo kaysa sa wala.

Ikaw mismo. Gago.

“Ako mismo, hindi magbloblog nang ikakasira ng bansa ko.”

Kung sabihin ko na ang unano pinuno ng ating bansa ay corrupt at maraming pagkukulang sa kaniyang mga nasasakupan, ikasisira ba ng bansa natin yun? Isa ba itong blog entry na hindi dapat ilathala dahil magbibigay ito ng masamang imahe para sa ating bansa?

Marami akong gustong sabihin na “ikakasira” ng bansa natin – mula sa pinaka ordinaryong bagay tulad ng pagkahilig sa pagdura ng iba nating kababayan sa kalye hanggang sa kagaguhan ng ating gobyerno – ngunit hindi ibig sabihin nito na pakay kong sirain ang imahe ng ating bansa. Ang pagpuna sa mali ay hindi kadalasang nangangahulugan ng paninira. Gets?

Para sa iyo na “hindi magbloblog nang ikakasira ng bansa ko”, inutil ka. Mas pinili mong magbulag-bulagan kaysa maging kritikal sa mga pangyayaring nagaganap sa iyong paligid. Minsan, kailangan mo munang sirain ang isang bagay para mapabuti ito. Olrayt?

Dodo!

From Inquirer:

The breast implant procedure done on President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo back in the 1980s was a “medical necessity” and was not spurred by vanity, her deputy spokeswoman, Lorelei Fajardo, said on Monday.

Mrs. President and company, you’ve been lying to us for years now and that’s the best you come up with? Seriously?

Subtle Variations

We need to look at things closer once in a while. Just for kicks.

Terror, Shock, and Awe

It’s easier to look when they don’t have eyes that stare back at you…

Hurm…

Rorschach is, more or less, the face of Watchmen. His ideals and motives may not be as grand as Ozymandias’s nor his abilities as vast and great as Doctor Manhattan’s, but he’s still more popular than them. It’s his tough guy attitude and his unwavering commitment to cleanse this world of injustice using his own method that makes him so.

Anyway, I’m just glad that I finally got this figure. Can’t wait for the DVD to come out…

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Review

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen has more robots, more action, and bigger explosions. It doesn’t necessarily make it better than the first film
feature length toy commercial but it is still, at the very least, an enjoyable movie toy advertisement to watch.

The basic premise of the movie can be summarized by these lyrics from the original Transformers theme from the 80s cartoon show - Autobots wage their battle to destroy the evil forces of the Decepticons. As long as you don’t stray from that premise, you’ll be ok. Excessive amount of plot rationalization will only severely hinder film enjoyment. The Fallen and his Decepticon army are threatening the Earth and the Autobots, together with their human allies, will stop them no matter what. What’s not to get? That’ll make perfect sense to a kid. This will be the movie that’ll define “awesome” for a child…

Unfortunately, not a lot of adults will be won over by the amount of explosions and flashy robot combat. There’s much to be desired from the plot and the number of cheap laughs and juvenile humor is just upsetting. The human scenes are often reduced to short skits that slowly push the story forward and they ultimately feel like fillers for the gaps between the big robot fight sequences.

Is Revenge of the Fallen worth watching? Kids and those in the mood for an easily digestible action film won’t be disappointed. Those wanting something more from this franchise will sorely be dissatisfied though. No amount of special effects can hide the fact that this film could’ve been something more.

Life as a Gangster 003

The events happened between 23:00 and 00:00 in Mafia Wars:

A certain mobster named Liberty Belle robbed me 11 times in a row. This is definitely worse than being attacked 4 times then being punched in the face afterward. Why? Because the buildings on my turf seems take more damage from looting than me getting my face punched in…

What are those buildings made of , anyway? Cardboard?

Imaginarium: Songs from the Neverhood

Terry Scott Taylor’s Imaginarium: Songs from the Neverhood is a really great soundtrack from a really neat game that was released more than a decade ago. Those who still remember The Neverhood will probably agree with me.