LSS of the Week: Give a Little More by Maroon 5

*Seriously, I cannot remove this song from my head! I've been listening and memorizing it for all I can remember.. I can't wait for the album to be released!

Now you've been bad, and it goes on and on and on
'Til you come home babe, 'til you come home
Now you taste past the poison you learn to love is gone
I'm all alone baby, I'm all alone

I'm waiting for something, always waiting
Feeling nothing, wondering if it'll ever change
And then I give a little more, ooh babe
Give a little more, ooh babe

I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
'Til I get a little more from you baby
Get a little more from you babe

You were wrong for turning me on and on and on
And on and on
You make it so hard

I'm waiting for something, always waiting
Feeling nothing, wondering if it'll ever change
And then I give a little more, ooh babe
Give a little more, ooh babe

I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
'Til I get a little more from you baby
Get a little more from you baby

I have no defense
I know you're gonna get me in the end
(gonna get me in the end)
And I cannot pretend
I never want to feel this way again

I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
Till I get a little more from you baby
Get a little more from you babe

I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
I'm not falling in love with ya, I'm not falling in love
Till I get a little more from you baby
Get a little more from you baby

Aftermath: Dancing to Mayhem (Thoughts After the August 23 Hostage Crisis)

*This will be my entry for the Citizen, The Assembly's Newsletter. Hope it gets accepted..

Last Friday, September 4, several security units of the government, which included the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), the Special Action Force (SAF), considered an elite unit trained to handle hostage situations, the five SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) units of the Metro Manila police districts, the Aviation Security Group, Maritime Group and the Regional Public Safety Battalion, took part in simulation exercises to determine procedures that need to be further refined in training to respond to different crises. Advanced firearms, kevlar armored vests and helmets; armored personnel carriers and other necessary equipment were on hand for a six-day "reassessment and reevaluation" course after the events that transpired during the August 23 hostage situation that took the lives of 8 Hong Kong tourists and the hostage taker himself, Rolando Mendoza, an ex-policeman who wanted his case of extortion reviewed and he to be reinstated into the force. All the information collected from the exercises will thus be used to evaluate on whatever changes need to be done in order to improve the effectiveness of our police officers.

The case in point that a set of police exercises being hastily organized to reassess procedures after a botched hostage situation that has angered the island of Hong Kong is in itself appalling. After the massacre of innocents stemmed from a nearly daylong fiasco, President Benigno Aquino III apologized to Hong Kong Chief Executive Donald Tsang for the bungles of the police force and took on the responsibility for remedying the situation. With this PR move, he managed to take up some of the blame and possibly the anger of those who were affected by the tragedy. Yet, this does not diverge from the fact that "Manila's Finest" did not look good in front of international news outlets. Like a scene straight out of a tense action drama, media personnel came in the droves to cover the tragedy that was about to unfold near the grounds named after our National Hero. This all angered not only the Filipinos then, but also the international community at large. The people of Hong Kong, the most affected, have been thus filled with rage after how the police executed their 'plan' to solve the problem. Some local officials would want to believe that this should be a 'local problem' and that this should not be taken as something serious by other states, however the damage has been done. The world now knows how much of a blunder our police officers are after smashing windows on the bus and being scared away by a single hostage taker!

With the current socio-political climate after the incident, dialogue and calls for improvement are still being pushed forward. Cries of anger and hatred for what had happened and for what is continually happening, such as the lack of justice and compensation for those who have lost friends and family, still continue to resound in the minds and hearts of the Hong Kong people. But it is not just foreigners who are disgusted with what had happened. A lot of Filipinos feel disgraced over the hostage taking, only deepening the common notion that the government's inability to handle critical situations trickle down not only into national and local legislative affairs, but also in its various active organizations. Sighs of corruption, ineptitude and lack of regard for the welfare of the common people have also been invoked. I for one personally felt the infuriating complaints of my Chinese Filipino friends, who instantly tuned in to the news, on how much wrong the officers on the scene approached the bus where the hostages and the hostage taker were. Of course, because of their common ancestry with the hostages involved, they felt a certain connection and deep sense of horror as to what was happening. The complaints I thus read from their own personal blogs and entries ranged from utter rage to mere humor, traveling through cyberspace and became shared content amongst their other friends. Given the availability and advances in technology, more people were able to express their own personal views and misgivings over the case, with the more or less same emotion that my own friends had.

But will all this hullaballoo eventually end in the annals of history as another misgiving, another slap in the face, another picture to gawk and frown at, another to discard and to be forgotten? Will we necessarily treat this incident as something unfortunate yet a difficult yet lucrative opportunity for improvement to our self-image, that in spite of the bad mouthing and discrimination emanating from the different parts of the world towards our race and culture, that we may someday look back at this and say, "we have passed this, let us forget it"? The government, after President Aquino's public apology, can only take so much of the blame and responsibility over the situation History dictates that such international incidents, an example being the hostage taking and eventual killing of Israeli athletes by Islamic extremists in the 1972 Munich Olympics, repeat themselves and teach valuable lessons. From the example, an elite, leading counter-terrorist force, the GSG-9, was formed. In comparison, the SAF too, are further being assessed and retrained to see to it that these incidents may never happen again. Will the promise of a better and peaceful daily life overshadow then the bloody and senseless killing of innocents that stemmed from a lack of communication and preparation? Only we, encouraged to be active, speaking citizens, will be able to answer these questions in the future.

EPIC FAIL DAY

This day may be one of the most awful days in my entire academic life. Imagine, writing a 10 page paper since yesterday, giving your all, trying to decipher some pages of research journal material, believing you can pass it on time as the clock expires.

Then all of a sudden, in the last 20 minutes, you get stuck on a few lines towards the 9th page. GAWD. Why does everything have to fall apart today, of all the days?! Just when everything seems bleak even at home and at school, I FAIL THIS PAPER. It was a sort of consolation that I was able to finish all 10 pages of it and still pass. I passed by our prof (sir RR Raneses) on the way to my next class and was able to pass the paper right then and there. Feeling bad and crappy, I sulked throughout the next class (POS 100) without even trying to participate.

What more, we received our AWEFUL test scores from class. Just when you thought you had the class hands down, with the theories and practical applications to think of in applying to the daily situations of Philippine Law and Politics, these unbelievably low scores, that include a couple of 0's and 1's. I think I'll die now.

Hay..... I'll be getting a tongue lashing once I get home, take out some of my organizational privileges and won't probably be able to attend a party or debut towards the end of the year. Other than that, UE lost to ADMU by 2 points, and Kirk Long ends up with nil.

So.... what's new on this gorgeously rainy day?

LSS of the Week: Before We Come Undone by Kris Allen

You could break this silence with words we wish we'd never said

But I can hear it like a scream

What's become of you and me?

Are we still inside this night or am I going crazy?

I'm just trying to understand who I was and who I am

But you are changing just the same

So can you tell me who's to blame?

Could we put our weapons down just to figure this out

Now pride is out the door 'cause I know we can make it before

Make it before the sun breaks another day

I'll wait till you say I'm the only one

Before we come, before we come undone

If you say that it's too late those are words my heart can't take

And this night is out to kill and if we let it will

Could we both forgive somehow?

'Cause I'm not letting you down

Now pride is out the door 'cause I know we can make it before

Make it before the sun breaks another day

I'll wait till you say I'm the only one

Before we come, before we come undone

Watch out, here we go

There's no turning back, you know

We can keep going round and round and round and round

So now, pride is out the door 'cause I know we can make it before

Make it before the sun breaks another day

I'll wait till you say I'm the only one

Before we come, before we come undone

Pride is out the door 'cause I know we can make it before

Make it before the sun breaks another day

I'll wait till you say I'm the only one

Before we come, before we come undone

Before we come undone, before we come undone

My OLD LOVE...

...was Blizzard's Starcraft.

Nope, my ACTUAL past loves did not include Hilary Duff, the guitar, music or even Counter-Strike, despite the latter's self-preserving popularity back in the late 1990's. All of these and more paled in comparison to the passion I had for a particular computer game that became a smash hit in 1996, which had a follow-up expansion pack in 1998 that even made it more memorable.

I was an innocent, impressionable young boy who was still fond of playing with toy robots and running around with unbridled energy. I was your normal kid who preferred to hit the books and occasionally play soccer. But then, one fateful weekend changed everything. Being the curious boy that I was (and still am), I sneaked in my uncle'sroom when we visited our grandparents. I noticed my uncle, who was one of my only few "older relatives" who still played video games, tinkering with a game I've never seen before. I asked if I could give the game a try and so he gladly gave me the seat and taught me the basic commands, along with the cheat codes so that I'd have a lesser learning curve. To this day, I cannot imagine how much of a difference that afternoon changed my life.

There's very little not to like about this game. Considered a masterpiece in terms of production values, gameplay mechanics, strategic depth, technological innovation, great storytelling and unwavering fan support that solicits the adoration of a nation (I'm looking at you Korea), it is no wonder that it has garnered critical acclaim. Until now, nostalgic gamers such as myself still keep a copy of the game somewhere stashed in their attics. The game back then was smoothand crisp, with very little 'bug' issues and lag. Playing it either on the 3-tier single player campaign with the Terran, Zerg and Protoss chapters and the addictive multiplayer over Battle.net service, proved to be extremely addictiveto most players. I for one was satisfied playing 1-on-1 with an AI opponent, learning the ropes of Real Time Strategy tactics and war strategies. In essence, I wouldn't learn too of the many thought processes and commands I use in games to this day without getting my a**whooped by a superior enemy computer intelligence. But what made the experience playing the game more enthralling and captivating was the intricate story line. Never has a game (except Warcraft 1 and 2, both also coincidentally created by Blizzard Entertainment) shown such human, flawed and contemplative characters such as Jim Raynor, Sarah Kerrigan, Arcturus Mengsk and Edmund Duke. Even the alien characters, like Tassadar, Zeratul, Zasz the Cerebrate and the Fenix showed that they too had very much in common with their Terran counterparts.

What's the best way to make a great game even better? You add in an incredible expansion pack that is a game in itself. 2 years after the release of the original game, the Brood War expansion pack flooded gaming stores and put the premium back into Starcraft. With an even better story line, resolved balance issues and new units that actually made sense in the greater scheme of things (thank God for medics), it was the first expansion to actually breathe full life into an already aging classic. Not even Red Alert 2, another much-awaited follow-up in a great franchise, could trounce the sales of Brood War. And who could forget the now Infested Kerrigan's unfavorable bitchiness to everyone. She made sure she was everyone's top bitch in our lists.

In spite of the Terran's militaristic demeanor towards combat and their traditional approach to tactics, the Protoss' technological superiority and magic abilities, plus the innovation of the Zerg when it came to hit-and-run tactics were the two aspects of the game that continue to amaze me to this day. I was a die-hard Terran commander, mind you, and I always respected players who were able to weld these sides' best attributes. I never did find another great Terran commander, since my friends often used the other races into impunity. Even my brothers preferred to use the heavy units of the Protoss, due in fact of their advanced armor and shields. In this sense, you could have called me an 'old war junkie', preferring to fight tooth-and-nail.

Now that I'm sitting at the cusps of another Starcraft game (Wings of Liberty), I wonder if my self indulgence recently in producer's playthroughs and cinematic trailers will wear off. Time will tell in my point of view if I will ever grab a copy once again of this amazing title, revived again through 12 years of sheer, hard labor. I, along with the rest of the gaming community, am thrilled to once again be proud of being loyal to a franchise through thick and thin. This doesn't mean I want to live somewhere in North Asia, but all the same, I am as happy as those trigger-happy Koreans. Now, if only I have enough money to upgrade my computer and grab a copy of the game...

LSS of the Week: Misery by Maroon 5

Oh yeah

Oh yeah
So scared of breaking it
But you won't let it bend
And I wrote two hundred letters
I won't ever send
Somehow it is cut so much
Deeper then they seem
You'd rather cover up
I'd rather let them be
So let me be
And I'll set you free

[CHORUS]
I am in misery
There ain't no other
Who can comfort me
Why won't you answer me?
Your silence is slowly killing me
Girl you really got me bad
You really got me bad
I'm gonna get you back
Gonna get you back

Your salty skin and how
It mixes in with mine
The way it feels to be
Completely intertwined
It's not that I didn't care
It's that I didn't know
It's not what I didn't feel,
It's what I didn't show
So let me be
And I'll set you free

[CHORUS]
I am in misery
There ain't no other
Who can comfort me
Why won't you answer me?
Your silence is slowly killing me
Girl you really got me bad
You really got me bad
I'm gonna get you back
Gonna get you back

Say your faith is shaken
You may be mistaken
You keep me wide awake and
Waiting for the sun
I'm desperate and confused
So far away from you
I'm getting here
Don't care where I have to go

Why do you do what you do to me, yeah
Why won't you answer me, answer me yeah
Why do you do what you do to me yeah
Why won't you answer me, answer me yeah

[CHORUS]
I am in misery
There ain't no other
Who can comfort me
Why won't you answer me?
Your silence is slowly killing me
Girl you really got me bad
You really got me bad
I'm gonna get you back
Gonna get you back

My favorite band is back with the same high quality, soulful rock they've always been known for! I cannot wait to get their new album soon :D

With a Grain of Salt

This recent month's basketball news is literally 'hard to swallow'. Implied by the title of this post, I take it all in with certain precaution that my brain does not not explode all over the walls and floor, knowing full well this is inappropriate. The opening of the NBA free agency period certainly did not ask a spot light to leave everyone's favorite league, despite the FIFA World Cup cropping all the sporting world's attention. Wimbledon also figures into the mix, with Rafael Nadal, sans Roger Federer, and Serena Williams winning it all again. It took me several days to analyze everything, so I'd like to wrap everything up, with a little bow tie to boot.

As of my general lack of knowledge with the rest of the sports in the world, I apologize in advance if this blog seems all 'basketball' and nothing else. Certainly, you'd give a guy a break if all he does in his free time is write a blog and read insane numbers of readings, right?

1. The new triumvirate- Cleveland fans must have bled bloody tears and weeped several more after hearing their 'dear' LeBron James will be leaving the Cavaliers after 7 years of not winning a title. In fact, the owner of the Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert was so embittered by the announcement that he posted a public letter on the team site how much of a 'sore loser' the King was. Now, I'm only paraphrasing how much of the letter I have read (which is close to null), but that's the general feel of it. With a new lease on NBA life and renewed aspirations to Be Like Mike, the King (or should I say, the new Batman to Dwayne Wade's Superman) changed his jersey number finally to no. 6, which should have been retired in honor of Eddie Jones, who played for around 5 years with the team. I wonder how his mustache is doing.

LeBron himself considered it a done deal when another All-Star in Chris Bosh signed on with the Miami Heat, the future place for championship rallies for the years to come. Dwayne Wade will be seeing more championship rings on his hands if the new star trio will stay away from injuries and learn to play in an offense where they can no longer "ball hog". And on that note, the Heat only have to fill up 11 roster spots with guaranteed contracts, with the 4th locked-in player as Mario Chalmers.

I hope to see these more soon.

2. Two sides of the same coin- Besides 'Bron and CB1 finding new homes, other free agents in the NBA could not pass up the chance to make big splashes too. And boy, did they make big ones. A couple of multi-million signings here, some messed up ones over there, and it is possible that we have now one of the most exciting free agency periods the league has had in the past couple of years.I would like to point out two particular contract signings that are of two polar natures: one is sensible and positive while the other is vague and stupid. I'm not going to hold back much on the bleeps when it comes to the latter deal because the honest side within me does not agree fully to my good side.

Amar'e Stoudemire signed a 5-year, 100 million dollar contract with the New York Knicks. Those that only look at the recent records of the team may see this as a bad move for STAT.

'Oh well, there goes a great PF in his prime.'

'My gosh, what is he doing with his life and talent?!'

In actuality, this may be a good idea. The Knicks are in rebuilding mode, losing David Lee, there only bright spot last year, to the Golden State Warriors with a sign-and-trade and unloading some bad contracts. They have a few good pieces they could surround Amar'e with, and if he is serious about signing with NYC and having a plan, then golly, the man must be serious. All he needs now is a point guard (luckily, they have one in Raymond Felton) and winter gear. If he was only able to court someone from the Rockies and the Southwest successfully then cheering at the Garden wouldn't be such a bad idea now after all.

On the other hand, Joe Johnson, the on-and-off star guard for the Atlanta Hawks signed a ridiculous 6-year, 123.7 million dollar deal that can cripple any franchise's financials. I guess with deep pockets for an owner, money is technically not a problem. But here's the deal: Why would you sign a 29-year old, 6"7 swingman who's known to jack up so many three-pointers, fade in the playoffs and commit too many turnovers in the clutch? Sure, he may be of star quality and he is reaching his prime, but you do not break a deal like in an economic climate such as ours, today. With a new Collective Bargaining Agreement and not much promise for the team in the coming months before training camp, plus no head coach, you're looking at a promising group of playoff performers on the downside. Well, at least they signed the guy who dunked on LeBron a couple of summers ago.

There's more Free Agency left to swallow for the coming weeks. Hope everything does not end up tasting bitter.