Carlo J Caparas mulls over Senate in 2010

After the controversy over the National Artist Award, it looks like we have another one coming as a recent interview, film director Carlo J. Caparas admits being overwhelmed at the prospect of being considered a National Artist; having come from a poor and humble background.

On top of that, he is mulling over the possibility of running for the Senate in 2010!!!!

Mama Mia! Ay Caramba!

What has happened to this country of ours. (SIGH)

We need Divine Intervention......

see http://www.gmanews.tv/index.html

P.E.N. Calls for Abolition of Tax on Imported Books

The Philippine Center of the International PEN (Poets & Playwrights, Essayists & Novelists), led by National Artists Bienvenido Lumbera (chair) and F. Sionil Jose (founder and chair emeritus), has issued a resolution calling for the scrapping of Department of Finance Order 17-09, which levies duties on imported books.

 

While Malacanang has suspended the order, writers, and publishers are afraid that the tax would be re-imposed soon.

 

Text of the resolution is as follows:

 

We, The BOARD of DIRECTORS and members of the Philippine center of the International PEN, invoking the international PEN charter, join the many other sectors of our society in denouncing the Department of Finance Order 17-09, which imposes duty on the importation of books.

 

We believe that “literature though national in origin knows no frontiers, and should remain common currency between nations in spite of political or international upheavals” (Article 1, PEN Charter)

 

We, as a worldwide organization founded in London in 1921, consisting originally of Poets & Playwrights, Essayists, and Novelists, but now also of Journalists & Historians, were organized precisely and principally to promote friendship and intellectual cooperation among writers everywhere.

 

We are of the firm conviction that literature plays a crucial role in developing world culture and global understanding, and that the most accessible way of spreading thoughts and ideas, vision and imagination along this line in through books: “PEN stands for the unhampered transmission of such thoughts and ideas through books between nations all over the world” (Article IV, PEN Charter). To be left behind will certainly not be good for our youth and our country.

 

Moreover, the unenlightened and misinformed Department Order violates the Florence Agreement, an international treaty the Philippines signed in 1952. It also violates Republic Act 8047, the Book Publishing Industry Development Act passed in 1995.

 

The Philippine Center of International PEN joins other writer groups and publisher associations, and the general reading public, in urging the Department of Finance, to permanently withdraw—and not just suspend—Department Order 17-09, so as to finally allow the continued duty-free importation of books.

David Archuleta on SIS

David Archuleta on SIS.

First, it was really cool of David to have taken the time to guest on the GMA-7 talk show inspite of his busy and hectic sked as the big show is already on Saturday. How he would have to fit in the scheduled practices and seeing other scenic parts of the country is all part of time management.

What I'm griping here is the overall treatment and how his guesting on the show was done and "managed". Here are my gripes about it:

1. When the show opened, they had Gma talents sing his first hit single, "Crush". - this was horrible as some of the talents did not only give the song any form of justice or conviction but to quote Randy Jackson...the singing was way too PITCHY! The 3 girls who call themselves La Divas were also way off. The arrangement of the song didn't even fit the girl's range so much so that when Kyla did her part, it was too high for her to sing it. (duh, where's Ricky Minor when you need him?)

2. Throughout the show, they also had their own talents come out and sing songs that were associated with David, from his rendition of Angels on Idol, to his singing "And I'm Telling You" to Kelly Clarkson then during his first visit to the show on its first season as a fan. The writer's didn't bother to include in the hosts spiel to translate for David what was going on and David would be left just listening to mediocre renditions while flashing his boyish smile. The only one who did any justice was Kyla, who sang the "And I'm Telling You".

3. But apart from having them sing, the hosts would ask for David's opinion how the talents fared. Jeez, guys the show isn't about GMA talents but about David; his influences; his musicality; his memories on Idol and where he hopes to go at this point in his career. These are the questions that should have been asked not lame and shallow questions like, "who are your idols, or who did you listen to growing up". True that we need to know these things too but c'mon please re-phrase them intelligently.

4. Also when David was singing, as the crowd was really in the "super kilig" mode, he could hardly hear himself singing. On top of that, they didn't give him an earpiece so he can hear himself. Either that or the show doesn't have the budget for it. (GASP!)

5. Along with that, the show's hosts and the subsequent talents who would come out to sing would pose and have a photo-op moment after each number that they do. (in tribute to David). What the frak? Didn't the director foresee or even bar this from happening? It may look cute at first but when it becomes "routine" for each and every GMA talent that comes out to sing, it just gets irritating.

At the end of the hour long show, did we leave knowing more about David? Well, apart from him naming his musical influences growing up that ranged from Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson and to his current favorite Jason Mraz; all we could do like David is smile back at him and at the show which failed to unravel and enlighten the audience as to who David is both as a person and as an artist. And although he is still on the road to fully flesh his own artistry, we can sit back and watch him and grow....and smile.....and hope that any future guestings of international talents would be handled more intelligently and not fawned on.

And as a nation, i hope that we be aware also of that. That WHAT and HOW you say on LIVE TV subliminally affects and influences your viewers. One would want viewers leaving the show with a sense of inspiration and awe not left with the polite smiles of people and the histrionics of the crowd all blurring the main purpose at hand.

Premiered my 1st single- HELPLESS

Played my first single, HELPLESS, over the AM talk show I host over the weekend with our Ms. World (and fabulous b-day celebrant), Evangeline Pascual.

Thank you to those who were able to tune in that day. I must say it felt like I've taken a big step, with regards to achieving my dream of making my own record. Those who know me, know that it's a longtime dream; and certainly one that was long in the making.

Bittersweet that Dad's not around to share this but I know that wherever he is, he's partying along with me and breaking out the cases of champagne and Chardonnay & smiling down at me, knowing that it is in his memory that I am living my life; fulfilling my dream and paying it forward in every way that I can.

Incidentally, I do have a song for Dad in the album and I'm expecting the album to come out late January 2009 or early Feb. Still got a little over a couple of songs to work on but the process of creating, birthing an idea and putting it to melody and words just keeps ongoing and never stops.

I'm grateful for the creative process and for the people that shared it with me as I work on this and envision the day that  when the album comes out, people will know that a new voice has surfaced and one that hopes and aspires to be heard.

And upon hearing it, will join me in raising awareness and pay it forward.

Because we are never helpless...only in the mind are we truly so....

Blessed Be!!!

I am....Jacob Black (well, according to the test that is)

Rating:	★★★★★
Category:	Other

Which Twilight Character Are You? Jacob You're loyal as the day is long. Once you give your heart to someone, there is no going back. Despite what others may tell you, you are always stead fast and true--though sometimes you wish you weren't. This is a noble quality that can only lead to great things in your life. Sure your road might be hard, but once you choosing to stay the course will help you see thing through. Personality-Emotion Quizzes

SAMHAIN- Oct 31

Samhain — the Celtic ancestor of today's Halloween — was both the last of the four seasonal celebrations that divided the Celtic year into quarters (see Imbolc, Beltane, and Lughnasa) and the first of their new year. The word samhain means the end of summer, but the time of year meant the beginning of winter. The Celts chose this celebrational but ominous turning point as their New Year.

Their harvest was in, their livestock were back from summer pastures, and their families were as ready as they could be for the long winter ahead. To celebrate the New Year, the Celts spent a long eerie night honoring their dead, who might be wandering around cold and lonely at this transitional time of year. They lit bonfires and prepared food for any of the dead who might come to call. Other more negative spirits might also be abroad, which added an element of fear to the occasion.

As far as today's Halloween is concerned, we have the Celts to thank for the skeletons, ghosts, goblins, and other scary or supernatural elements. We can also thank them for the the fact that we celebrate Halloween at night. Because Celtic days began at sunset, their festivals always began in the evening and lasted until well after dark.

When the Romans invaded Celtic lands, they added their own November harvest festival to Samhain. So Halloween's harvest elements — especially apples and nuts — came from the Romans. Later, when the Christians began to dominate Roman and European cultures, they added the church's celebration of dead saints and martyrs — All Hallows — to Samhain. So it was the Christians who gave us the name we now use: All Hallow's Eve modernized to Halloween. Finally, during the 1840s, the Irish fleeing their potato famine added the jack-o'-lantern to customs evolving in this country. In Ireland, children had carved rutabagas, turnips, or potatoes, but our native pumpkins made much bigger and brighter jack-o'-lanterns.

Of the Celts' four seasonal celebrations, only Samhain has persisted with some of its original power still intact. Imbolc has degenerated into a somewhat ridiculous Groundhog Day, Beltane has become an international labor day, and Lughnasa has been forgotten altogether.

But Samhain survives as our massively popular Halloween — a Celtic, Roman, Christian, Irish, and now thoroughly American celebration. It invites us, as it did the ancient Celts, to take an eerie but festive break between the ease of summer that's now behind us and the rigors of winter that loom ahead.

A Pagan Alphabet

A Pagan Alphabet
Copyright 1989, Breid Foxsong

To learn your letters you must start
With a clever mind and a willing heart
Each one is special, just like you
And you will learn them all by the time we are through!

A is Athame, the knife that we use
B is for Beltaine, when partners we choose
C is for Circle where we all are one.
D is for Deosil, path of the Sun.
E is for Esbat, when we gather round
F is for Fire and its crackling sound
G is the Goddess in beauty and love.
H is the Horned One, our Father above.
I is for Imbolg, candles light the way,
J is for June when it's Midsummer's Day
K is for Karma, the things that we do
L is for Lammas, harvest's almost through!
M is for Moon, riding way up so high,
N is for Nighttime, which darkens the sky
O is for Ostara, when we hunt for eggs,
P is for Pan, with hairy goat legs
Q is the Quarters and there are just four,
R for the Rites when we open the Door
S is for Samhain, end of the year,
T is for Tarot cards, futures to hear
U is Undines from the watery West
V is Vervain for protection and rest
W is Widdershins, the path of the moon.
X is the sign that's the sign of the God
Y is for Yule and the sun's return
Z is the Zodiac, 12 signs to learn

To learn them all you will have to try
And now it is time to say goodbye

Merry have we met, and Merry have we been
Merry shall we part and Merry meet again!