Why spend?

It’s 6:30pm, and I’m procrastinating. I’m craving for seafood, I’m sleepy, AND I’m already in vacation mode. Plus the fact that I hate hate hate the client for whom I’m supposed to be toiling away right now.

So anyway, one wise Starbucks barista once taught me to order a grande Americano in a tall cup instead of a triple tall Americano. Saved me Php20-30 per order during bar review. (It took AT LEAST two grande Americanos in a tall cup everyday to keep me awake everyday. Add up my coffee bill during bar review, and... On second thought, never mind. Bygones.) Thanks Mr. Barista! Hehe!

Anyhoo, let me make it clear that I am not rich, by any known or unknown standards. I am also not the most monetarily efficient person alive. I take a cab to and from work everyday. (I live in Quezon City; my office is in Makati. Go figure.) I go to Baguio every weekend, and when I’m there, I treat Tita Susan and Jem to lunch or dinner, buy Cassie her cute little baby things... I buy little trinkets for myself and for my family. I recently completed my Christmas shopping, and ended up spending a looooooooot. I was able to get nice gifts for my family and close friends this year though. I had to cut my office presents budget though. But it’s all good.

In light of this, here are my TOP 5 REASONS TO SPEND THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

(5) It’s the season to be jolly. (My Christmas list is looooooooooooooong. But I finished my Christmas shopping in record time, and quite a bit ahead of schedule.)

(4) Money was made to be spent. Otherwise, go barter stuff.

(3) Because you can.It’s YOUR money, anyway. Who’s to say what you should and should not spend it on?

(2) In order to be inspired to work, you have to feel the fruits of your labor.

(1) To prevent an economic slowdown / recession, money has to circulate. So the next time you consider whether or not to buy that LV you’ve been stalking, those shoes that your feet are begging to seen in, or that phone that would go perfectly with everything, don’t think, just buy. Whip out the cash or the plastic, and go spend! Just think, you’re doing it for the economy. And no, not just the local economy, but the global economy. You’re a hero.

An Atenean blogs about immersion

Here you go.

New Britney Video

Here you go. Enjoy! =)

http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/oDSf8DcOUto/

On Immersion

I was directed to this post by Nico, who got it from Jules (Cabigon)'s post:

http://juliusivan.multiply.com/photos/album/132/MGA_ATENISTA_READ_THIS?replies_read=19

I think Jules' post is restricted to his contacts, so I just attached the screen grabs

My thoughts on the matter:

I did not think the facilities at our immersion site (Napindan, Taguig) rivalled the comforts of a fancy shmancy hotel, or home, and I did cringe at a lot of things. I was relieved when I got back to the dorm after my immersion weekend and take a long hot shower. There's no denying any of that. However, I think what some students fail to realize is that the point of the immersion experience is not to provide students with a grand vacation or a literal walk in the park. In this country, and in countless others around the world, social inequity has become a way of life. Most have become so desensitized to the tragedy that has befallen this race because we live with it every single day. We pass shanties on our way to work. We look absently out the window at beggars and toddlers rummaging through trash to find a decent meal. Our trash is, quite literally, their treasure. Though the immersion experience can not and will not make staunch advocates of us all, at the very least, it will send the tiniest waves of realization lapping at our feet. I just find it sad, really, that for some, the experience failed to achieve this for this girl. It would have made a better person out of her.

Washington voters approve assisted suicide initiative

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008352565_apwaassistedsuicide2ndldwritethru.html?syndication=rss

Wash. voters approve assisted suicide initiative

Voters approved Initiative 1000 on Tuesday, making Washington the second state to give terminally ill people the option of medically assisted suicide.

By Curt Woodward

Associated Press Writer

OLYMPIA, Wash. —

Voters approved Initiative 1000 on Tuesday, making Washington the second state to give terminally ill people the option of medically assisted suicide.

The ballot measure, patterned after Oregon's "Death with Dignity" law, allows a terminally ill person to be prescribed lethal medication, which would be self-administered.

With about 43 percent of the expected vote counted Tuesday in unofficial returns, I-1000 was being approved by a margin of about 58 percent to about 42 percent.

Supporters, led publicly by Democratic former Gov. Booth Gardner, said the initiative would provide a compassionate way for terminally ill people to die.

Gardner has Parkinson's disease, an incurable disorder that causes tremors and stiff or frozen limbs. Gardner, who would not be eligible under I-1000 because Parkinson's is not considered fatal, said he pushed the measure in his "last campaign" because he understood why other ill people would want the option.

Opponents, including the Catholic church, said assisted suicide is a dangerous step that devalues human life. Critics also said the assisted suicide measure could exploit depressed or vulnerable people who worry they've become a burden on their families.

The measure involved a multimillion-dollar campaign, including TV advertisements featuring actor Martin Sheen, who urged a "no" vote. But polling before Election Day showed I-1000 with significant support.

Outside of Oregon, advocates of similar laws haven't fared well. California, Michigan and Maine voters rejected the idea, and bills have failed in statehouses around the country. In Washington, voters rejected physician-assisted suicide in 1991.

This year's proposal differs from the earlier Washington measure - it doesn't allow doctors to administer lethal drugs on behalf of patients who can't do so themselves.

Any patient requesting the fatal medication must be at least 18, declared competent and a resident of Washington state.

The patient would have to make two oral requests, 15 days apart, and submit a written request witnessed by two people, including one person who is not a relative, heir, attending doctor, or connected with a health facility where the requester lives.

Two doctors also would have to certify that the patient has a terminal condition and six months or less to live.

Forty-nine people died in Oregon last year under that state's assisted suicide law, according to a report by the Oregon Department of Human Services. Since it went into effect, more than 340 Oregon patients have used the law to end their lives.

Most suffered from cancer, and the most common reasons reported for choosing assisted suicide were loss of autonomy, loss of dignity and a decreasing ability to participate in activities they enjoyed.

The decision on I-1000 was a personal one for 82-year-old Jean Hoggarth of Yakima. She battled breast cancer and the disease now has spread to her bones, but voted against the initiative.

"I've had experience with people dying, but I believe it can be done peacefully," Hoggarth said. "And we have doctors today who give the best care. They should be allowed to do that all the way to the end."

Mike Dingus, a 39-year-old long-term care worker in Yakima, voted "yes."

"You don't get much choice coming in, so you should get some choice going out," Dingus said.

---

AP Writer Shannon Dininny contributed to this report from Yakima.

Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company

Text of John McCain's Concession Speech

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hmJfimrZW3jBur_BmaFtqj7mfFgQD948JFJG5

Text of McCain's concession speech

By The Associated Press – 21 hours ago

Text of Republican John McCain's concession speech Tuesday in Phoenix, as transcribed by CQ Transcriptions.

___

MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

My friends, we have — we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him.

(BOOING)

Please.

To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I've always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too.

But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation's reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt's invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.

America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.

Let there be no reason now ... Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans ... I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural. It's natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.

We fought — we fought as hard as we could. And though we feel short, the failure is mine, not yours.

AUDIENCE: No!

MCCAIN: I am so...

AUDIENCE: (CHANTING)

MCCAIN: I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We do, too (OFF-MIKE)

MCCAIN: The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I'm especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother ... my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.

I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate's family than on the candidate, and that's been true in this campaign.

All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also — I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I've ever seen ... one of the best campaigners I have ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength ... her husband Todd and their five beautiful children ... for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.

We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don't know — I don't know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I'll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I'm sure I made my share of them. But I won't spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

(BOOING)

Please. Please.

I would not — I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.

Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

AUDIENCE: USA. USA. USA. USA.

MCCAIN: Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama — whether they supported me or Senator Obama.

I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender.

We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.

Transcript: 'This is your victory,' says Obama

For Nico.

In the spirit of judging the content of Barack Obama's speech minust the mob melodrama...

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/11/04/obama.transcript/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

CHICAGO, Illinois (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama spoke at a rally in Grant Park in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the race for the White House Tuesday night. The following is an exact transcript of his speech.

Barack Obama speaks at a rally in Chicago, Illinois, after winning the presidency Tuesday night.

Hello, Chicago.

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It's the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It's the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

It's the answer that led those who've been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It's been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Sen. McCain.

Sen. McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he's fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Gov. Palin for all that they've achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation's promise in the months ahead.

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation's next first lady Michelle Obama.

Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that's coming with us to the new White House.

And while she's no longer with us, I know my grandmother's watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you've given me. I am grateful to them.

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe, the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best -- the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

To my chief strategist David Axelrod who's been a partner with me every step of the way.

To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you've sacrificed to get it done.

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

And I know you didn't do this just to win an election. And I know you didn't do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime -- two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage or pay their doctors' bills or save enough for their child's college education.

There's new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won't agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can't solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it's been done in America for 221 years -- block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can't happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it's that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let's resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let's remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

To those -- to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America's beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

That's the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we've already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight's about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons -- because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America -- the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes we can.

A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves -- if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see? What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can't, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Horse hangover

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1077831/Pictured-Fat-Boy-pony-got-drunk-fermented-apples-fell-swimming-pool.html

Pictured: Fat Boy, the pony who got drunk on fermented apples and fell into a swimming pool

By Luke Salkeld
Last updated at 2:10 AM on 16th October 2008

It was not Fat Boy the pony's best night. First he ate so many fermented apples that he became drunk.

Then he staggered across a garden and tumbled into a swimming pool.

Unable to extricate himself, he had to endure the final embarrassment of being hauled out by the fire brigade.

Good night out: The tipsy pony was unable to get out of the swimming pool after accidentally falling in

It is clear from the picture on the right that the humiliating chain of events left Fat Boy feeling rather long in the face.

However, apart from a probable hangover, he is none the worse for wear after his adventures, his bulk helping him cope with the chilly water of the swimming pool.

His predicament was discovered by 28-year-old Sarah Penhaligon who woke up after hearing a splash from her garden and went outside to find the 12-year-old Moorland Pony in some distress.

'When I looked outside I saw this massive animal in the dark and I thought the Beast of Bodmin was in the pool.

Four legs less: The hapless horse broke into a back garden with another pony and began munching on apples before falling in the pool

'I didn't have a clue what to do next - who do you call when there's a horse stuck in your swimming pool?

'He looked a bit panicked,' Miss Penhaligon added.

'He was trying to get out but couldn't manage it and was getting very tired.'

She said she sat down next to him and tried to calm him down - by feeding him more apples.

Fat Boy had escaped from the nearby Trenance Riding Stables in Newquay, Cornwall, and broken into Miss Penhaligon's garden where he gorged on rotting fruit on the ground - which had begun to ferment and produce alcohol.

Water jump: Sarah Penhaligon next to her swimming pool into which Fat Boy fell after eating too many fermented apples

Police and fire crews arrived early on Tuesday and spent two hours building a set of steps into the pool. They hoisted him out two hours later with the help of several harnesses.

One of the staff at the stables said: 'It looks like he was scrounging for apples in the garden and fell in when he trod on the tarpaulin over the pool.

'It's a good job he's got a lot of bulk, as it kept him warm. He was checked over by a vet, but he's fine.'

Sobering lesson: It's the morning after the night before for Fat Boy, who was probably nursing a bit of a hangover

From CNN: Unlisted address stops lawsuit against God

Talk about improper service. Hahahaha!!!

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/US/10/15/suing.god.ap/index.html

Unlisted address stops lawsuit against God

LINCOLN, Nebraska (AP) -- A judge has thrown out a Nebraska state legislator's lawsuit against God, saying the Almighty wasn't properly served because of his unlisted home address.

State Sen. Ernie Chambers filed the lawsuit last year seeking a permanent injunction against God. He said God has made terroristic threats against the senator and his constituents in Omaha, inspired fear and caused "widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth's inhabitants."

Chambers has said he filed the lawsuit to make the point that everyone should have access to the courts regardless of whether they are rich or poor.

On Tuesday, however, Douglas County District Court Judge Marlon Polk ruled that under state law, a plaintiff must have access to the defendant for a lawsuit to move forward.

"Given that this court finds that there can never be service effectuated on the named defendant, this action will be dismissed with prejudice," Polk wrote.

Chambers, who graduated from law school but never took the bar exam, thinks he's found a hole in the judge's ruling.

"The court itself acknowledges the existence of God," Chambers said Wednesday. "A consequence of that acknowledgment is a recognition of God's omniscience."

Therefore, Chambers said, "Since God knows everything, God has notice of this lawsuit."

Chambers has 30 days to decide whether to appeal. He said he hasn't decided yet.

Chambers, who has served a record 38 years in the Nebraska Legislature, is not returning next year because of term limits. He skips morning prayers during the legislative session and often criticizes Christians.

You can't eat your cake and have it too. (from Sarj)

William Safire in his NYT column on June 12, 1996:

“Correct usage of a much-abused proverb first recorded in the 16th century has become evidence. In paragraph 185 of his 35,000-word “manifesto,” published under duress by The Washington Post and The New York Times, the Unabomber wrote, “As for the negative consequences of eliminating industrial society — well, you can’t eat your cake and have it too — to gain one thing you have to sacrifice another.” In a letter discovered in Kaczynski’s mother’s home — a letter that inexplicably found its way into the media — the same proverb appears in the same words, with the same lack of a comma before the “too.”

“In both instances, the having and the eating were in correct order. Many people err in saying, “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” because you can — first you have it, and then you eat it. The impossible is the other way around; to “eat your cake and have it” is the absurdity that makes the point. Both the Unabomber’s creed and the Kaczynski letter had it right, which is more than can be said for half the quoters of the proverb.”

You can't eat your cake and have it too.

William Safire in his NYT column on June 12, 1996:

“Correct usage of a much-abused proverb first recorded in the 16th century has become evidence. In paragraph 185 of his 35,000-word “manifesto,” published under duress by The Washington Post and The New York Times, the Unabomber wrote, “As for the negative consequences of eliminating industrial society — well, you can’t eat your cake and have it too — to gain one thing you have to sacrifice another.” In a letter discovered in Kaczynski’s mother’s home — a letter that inexplicably found its way into the media — the same proverb appears in the same words, with the same lack of a comma before the “too.”

“In both instances, the having and the eating were in correct order. Many people err in saying, “You can’t have your cake and eat it, too,” because you can — first you have it, and then you eat it. The impossible is the other way around; to “eat your cake and have it” is the absurdity that makes the point. Both the Unabomber’s creed and the Kaczynski letter had it right, which is more than can be said for half the quoters of the proverb.”

Refreshing post for the day (From Ngangi)

DISTURB US O LORD

Disturb Us, O Lord
when we are too well pleased with ourselves
when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little
when we arrived safely because we sailed too close to the shore

Disturb Us, O Lord
when with the abundance of things we possess
we have lost our thirst for the Waters of Life;
having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity.
And in our efforts to build a new earth,
we have allowed our vision of the new heaven to dim.

Disturb Us, O Lord - to dare more boldly
to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery
where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars.
We ask you push back the horizon of our hopes,
and to push us into the future with strength, courage, hope and love.

Sir Francis Drake

Ateneo de Manila request for alumni email addresses

Yellow people. I got this email from the OPDAA earlier today. Please note, and send to other Ateneans.
------------
Dear _________,
Peace!
As the Ateneo de Manila University nears its Sesquicentennial in 2009, we would like to get more of our alumni involved in this milestone event, whether here in Manila or in the many places in the world where you have chosen to make your homes. To disseminate information--news, plans, event updates and invitations--easily and quickly, may we please ask you to send us the email addresses of your Atenean friends and batchmates, with their full names, of course. You may reply to this message, or send updates to alumni@admu.edu.ph or rdalandan@ateneo.edu. A more comprehensive alumni update form is also available on the Ateneo website http://www.ateneo.edu/alumniupdate/.
Please feel free to forward this message to other Ateneans you know. We would like to make the celebration of our 150th year truly meaningful and involving the entire university community.
Thank you very much,
Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ
President

Just a few hours more. =D (Grabbed from Ray's Multiply.)

This is it guys. We're gonna win this!

ONE BIG FIGHT!!!!

Paul Potts in Manila

Paul Potts will be performing at the PICC on October 8. I sooooooooooo want to watch, but I haven't figured out who to bully into going with me. For one thing, not many people know him. Second, a lot of people drop dead at the thought of sitting through opera. And third, I am not willing to pay for my bully-ee's ticket. (And ticket prices range from 750 to 4500.)

I'm not much of an opera fan. Never been to the opera. I just like Paul Potts. (Check the videos section of this multiply account, I posted all of Paul Potts' and Connie Talbot's Britain's Got Talent performances.) His journey is just so impressive. Phenomenal, even. And that voice. Wow. Words cannot describe how a song I do not understand would drive me to tears.

So anyway, I'll spend my self-imposed breaktime watching my Paul Potts clips. Maybe viruses are scared of opera. Who knows, maybe Paul Potts can cure me of this dreaded cold-mutating-into-the-flu thing. Arrrgggghhh. I think I'm dying.

Just read it.

(This is a forwarded text message. Just skip the grammatical errors and forego proper sentence construction crap.)

When the unfaithfulness of the wife became known, they quarelled.

And that guy killed his wife.

The 5-year-old kid was still sleeping, and the neighbors never did find out.

So it was a perfect crime.

The weird thing was, the kid didn't notice that his mother was missing even afer a day or two later.

So the father told his son, "Do you have anything to ask me?"

The kid said, "Nothing... It's just that...

HOW COME MOM IS ALWAYS AT YOUR BACK?"

Bwahahahahahahaha!!! Happy Halloween in advance! =p

My fine is... (from Troy)

This is fun to do. Just read the "offense" and if you' ve done it, you owe that fine. Keep going until you' ve read each "offense" and added up your total fine. When you are done, tell me your fine below and make the same entry. You don' t have to confess your answers, just the amount of your fine. Make sure you have a calculator with you before taking this test.

> Smoker -- $10
> Ever had sex at church -- $25
> Woke up in the morning and did not know the person who was next to you -- $40
> Had sex with someone on an internet site-- $25
> Had sex for money -- $100
> Ever had sex in the bushes -- $20
> Vandalized something -- $20
> Had sex on your parents ' bed -- $10
> Beat up someone -- $20
> Been jumped -- $10
> Crossed dressed -- $10
> Given money to stripper -- $25
> Been in love with a stripper -- $20
> Kissed some one who ' s name you didn ' t know -- $0.10
> Hit on some one of the same sex while at work -- $15
> Ever drive drunk -- $20
> Ever got drunk at work, or went to work while still drunk -- $50
> Used toys while having sex -- $30
> Got drunk, passed out and don ' t remember the night before -- $20
> Went skinny dipping -- $5
> Had sex in a pool -- $20
> Kissed someone of the same sex -- $10
> Had sex with someone of the same sex -- $20
> Cheated on your significant other -- $10
> Masturbated -- $10
> Cheated on your significant other with their relative or closeriend -- $20
> Done oral -- $5
> Got oral -- $5
> Done / got oral in a car while it was moving -- $25
> Stole something -- $10
> Had sex with someone in jail -- $25
> Made a nasty home video -- $15
> Had a threesome -- $50
> Had sex in the wild -- $20
> Been in the same room while someone was having sex -- $25
> Stole something worth over more than a hundred dollars -- $20
> Had sex with someone 10 years older -- $20
> Had sex with someone under 21 and you are over 27 -- $25
> Been in love with two people or more at the same time -- $50
> Said you love someone but didn ' t mean it -- $25
> Went streaking -- $5
> Went streaking in broad daylight -- $15
> Been arrested -- $5
> Spent time in jail -- $15
> Peed in the pool -- $0.50
> Played spin the bottle -- $5
> Done something you regret -- $20
> Had sex with your best friend -- $20
> Had sex with someone you work with at work -- $25
> Had anal sex -- $80
> Lied to your mate -- $5
> Lied to your mate about the sex being good -- $25

Tally it up and Title it ... "My Fine Is..."

'Google phone' in stores in October

'Google phone' in stores in October

by Charlotte Raab Tue Sep 23, 1:27 PM ET

NEW YORK (AFP) - Internet search leader Google took a giant leap into the mobile phone market on Tuesday, unveiling a handset developed with telecom carrier T-Mobile to compete with Apple's hot-selling iPhone.

The T-Mobile G1, the first mobile device powered by Google's open-source Android software, will be available in stores in the United States on October 22 and will cost 179 dollars.

Cole Brodman, T-Mobile chief technology and innovation officer, called the G1, built by the Taiwanese firm HTC, a "game-changing" device which will "power a new mobile Internet of the future."

The G1, which is a bit thicker but slightly narrower than an iPhone, will go on sale in Britain in early November and in other European countries served by T-Mobile, a subsidiary of Germany's Deutsche Telekom AG, in early 2009.

The G1 offers many of the features of the iPhone and Research in Motion's popular BlackBerry including a touch screen similar to that of the iPhone, a trackball for navigation, high-speed Internet browsing, Wi-Fi, e-mail, instant messaging and SMS texting.

It has a 3.0-megapixel camera with photo-sharing capability and a slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a feature lacking on the iPhone.

Internet retail giant Amazon.com announced shortly before the G1 release, in a direct challenge to Apple's iTunes, that the entire catalog of the Amazon MP3 music store would be available on the new phone.

The new phone has, unsurprisingly, been closely integrated with Google applications such as Google Maps and G-Mail and can display videos from YouTube, the video-sharing site purchased by Google in 2006.

"Google's strategy is all about broad reach for their services," said Charles Golvin, an analyst at Forrester Research. "It's just the first step in a long strategic voyage for Google."

Carolina Milanesi, research director at Gartner Consulting, agreed.

"Google is moving into the mobile devices market not to become yet another mobile phone manufacturer but to enable a large addressable market for its services and applications," she said.

"The G1 is the first of a series of devices that will come to market and will be optimized to offer consumers a superior experience when using Google services and applications."

Google hopes the open-source Android software powering the G1 will eventually become the dominant operating system for mobile phones and make handsets compatible with the networks of multiple carriers.

"A developer will be able to use it as a platform," said Andy Rubin, senior director of mobile platforms for Google. "A developer will be able to modify the platform and make it better."

"It's very exciting for me as a computer geek to have a phone that I can play with and modify," said Google co-founder Sergey Brin, who made a surprise appearance at the launch event.

The phone, Google's first foray into the highly competitive mobile phone market, also will allow users to access the Android Market, where they can download software applications from developers around the world.

Google announced the formation in November 2007 of a 34-member group called the "Open Handset Alliance" to develop Android, including China Mobile, HTC, Intel, Motorola, Qualcomm, T-Mobile, Telefonica, LG and eBay.

Google's share price rose by 4.62 percent in New York to 434.76 dollars shortly after the unveiling of the G1.

Thought/s for the day

Some people are just so predictable. And not in a good way.

Enough said.

Life explained (from Troy)

On the first day, God created the dog and said:

'Sit all day by the door of your house and bark at anyone who comes in
or walks past. For this, I will give you a life span of twenty years.'

The dog said: 'That's a long time to be barking. How about only ten
years and I'll give you back the other ten?'

So God agreed.

On the second day, God created the monkey and said:

'Entertain people, do tricks, and make them laugh. For this, I'll give
you a twenty-year life span.'

The monkey said: 'Monkey tricks for twenty years? That's a pretty long
time to perform. How about I give you back ten like the Dog did?'

And God agreed.

On the third day, God created the cow and said:

'You must go into the field with the farmer all day long and suffer
under the sun, have calves and give milk to support the farmer's family.
For this, I will give you a life span of sixty years.'

The cow said: 'That's kind of a tough life you want me to live for sixty
years. How about twenty and I'll give back the other forty?'

And God agreed again.

On the fourth day, God created man and said:

'Eat, sleep, play, marry and enjoy your life. For this, I'll give you
twenty years.'

But man said: 'Only twenty yea rs? Could you possibly give me my twenty,
the forty the cow gave back, the ten the monkey gave back, and the ten the
dog gave back; that makes eighty, okay?'

'Okay,' said God, 'You asked for it.'

So that is why for our first twenty years we eat, sleep, play and enjoy
ourselves. For the next forty years we slave in the sun to support our
family. For the next ten years we do monkey tricks to entertain the
grandchildren. And for the last ten years we sit on the front porch and
bark at everyone.

Life has now been explained to you.

(copied from forwarded email)

Troy's advice on how to achieve a state of inner peace

I am passing this on to you because it definitely worked for me and we
all could use more calm in our lives. By following the simple advice I heard on a Medical TV show, I have finally found inner peace.

A Doctor proclaimed the way to achieve inner
peace is to finish all the things you have started.

So I looked around my house to see things I'd started and hadn't
finished and, before leaving the house this morning, I finished off a
bottle of scotch, a bottle of wine, a bodle of tequila, a butle
of vocka, a pockage of Prunglies , tha mainder of bot Prozic and Valum
scriptins, the res of the Chesescke an a box a chocolets.

Yu haf no idr who fkin gud I fel. Peas sen dis orn to dem yu fee ar in
ned ov inr pece.

WILOCI Induction Night (Please pass.)

The UP Women's Lawyers Circle (WILOCI) will hold its Induction and Recognition Night on September 11, 2008, 6:00 pm, venue is at Social Hall B of One Roxas Triangle.

WILOCI will welcome and induct its new members that night, led by the recent female bar passers from UP. At the same time, WILOCI will honor some outstanding members. All female lawyers who graduated from UP Law are automatically members of WILOCI. While the ticket for the event is Php1,000 per member, the inductees will be free. There will also be a raffle. Door prizes include cell phone from SMART, some cash gifts, etc.

The Recent Female Bar Passers from UP are as follows:

1.Along, Angela Sigrid
2.Alviar, Myvilen
3.Amparo, Ma. Lourdes
4.Avance, Candy
5.Bacelonia, Joy Anne
6.Bacorro, Lianne
7.Balba, Jennifer
8.Balein, Mignonette Emelaine Gail
9.Barroso, Rachel
10.Bartolome, Sheryl
11.Batocael, (Domingo) Faye
12.Castenada, Kristina
13. Celino, Sarah Eufrosina
14. De Claro, Christine Joanne
15.Del Rosario, Julie Fe
16.Dela Torre, Mailene
17. Depasucat, reyna Faith
18. Dychiao, Lorraine
19. Espano, Mary Trish
20.Espinosa, Maria Karla
21.Gan, Paula Katherina
22.Gervasio, Lianne
23.Lim, Joanne
24.LLave, Maria Isabel
25.Lu, Anna Victoria
26.Luna, Sandra
27.Macapagal, Richelle Joy
28.Manalang, Kristina
29.Menez, Kristine Joy
30.Mercado, Katherine C.
31.Milla, Patricia COrpuz
32.Ong, Jennifer
33.Paner, Linda
34.Rafael, Hyacinth
35.Ramos, Carmen Grace
36.Ramos, Liz Michelle
37.Recolizado, Ma. Nerissa
38.Repol, Judy Alice
39.Reyes, Ronces Anne
40.Rienza, Pia
41.Romero, Rowena
42.Rosales, May Ann
43.Sabado, Susan
44.Sabitsana, Clemens Angeli
45.Sabundayo, Maria Lourdes
46.Saldua, (Castillo), Cherry
47.Sanchez, Dionne Marie
48.Sarinas, KAren
49.Sebastian, Mia Mary
50.Sevilla, Camille
51.Sicangco, Maria Cecilia
52.Sta. Maria, Odessa
53.Tagle, Sharon
54.Tamayo, Kristine Jazz
55.Tan, Vivian
56.Timbol, Jennifer
57.Tizon, Sheryl Ann
58.Togle, Maria Inez
59.Torralba, Mary Grace
60.Tumaneng, Rochelle Marie
61.Veloso, Tonette
62.Yumul, Ily Grace

Interesting...

Interesting. Although in my case and most of my friends', the whole thing's moot and academic. Anyhoo, I got this off Michelle (Santos)' Facebook page:

http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=1781&TrackingID=516311&BannerID=544658

Can exes be friends?

By Analise Pendergast

Wouldn't life be a little sweeter if we could all just get along? But when it comes to exes, bad blood too often taints the mix.

The weird thing is, theoretically, you used to think this guy was the bomb! Even if you don't exactly miss being his significant other, maybe you do miss his hilarious sense of humor, his lasagna and the ways he really "gets" you as a person. Okay, so the party's over, but does that mean you drop out of each other's lives forever?

Transitioning from breakup to buddies is a tall order. Even with the best of intentions, it's not always possible to bury the baggage and make a fresh start as friends. But if you're both up for the challenge, the rewards can be great.

If you and your ex want to stay friends, make sure that you:

Give it time. Changes of this magnitude doesn't happen overnight. After a split, there will inevitably be issues to resolve, lives to reconfigure, feet to be gotten back on. It may take a couple of years or more before relating in a whole new way is really workable.

Disconnect old buttons. Didn't it drive you nuts, the way he always left his dirty socks on the floor? Know what? It's not your problem anymore. Detach from old judgments and irritations that bedeviled your former days as a couple. Remember the bigger-picture stuff you really like about him, and let the picky stuff go.

Dredge for grudges. If grudges lay buried in your inner underground, employ grudge-removal techniques forthwith. Whether your style is to sort it out in a journal, with a therapist or by beating hand drums and burning sage, do your homework and work it through. You can't expect to have an honest friendship until you harbor no hard feelings.

Clarify boundaries. Are you absolutely sure you're ready to be friends, and just friends? Is a little tiny part of you secretly yearning to re-spark the old flame, or have a roll in the hay for old times' sake? If so, stop right there. It's not yet time to pursue a platonic friendship if romantic intentions still reside within either of you. Wish each other well, and proceed with establishing your own separate lives for now.

Jettison jealousy. Nobody's expecting you to love the one your ex is with now, but do respect their relationship and be cordial, at least. Still, a little jealousy can be a natural reaction, turning that hip dinner for four suddenly unappetizingly cold and crusty. Suck it up and be nice. Besides, she's the one who gets to deal with that nasty sock habit now.

Offer the olive branch. Accompany it with a slice of humble pie. Forgive yourself, and him, for blunders and bygones. It's a delicate operation, but with wisdom, patience, and care, you can welcome this man you once held most dear, back into your inner circle. Like the old campfire song says, "Make new friends and keep the old. One is silver and the other gold."

The earth is getting bigger around the waist. Literally.

Because the planet rotates and is more flexible than you might imagine, it bulges at the midsection, creating a sort of pumpkin shape. The bulge was lessening for centuries but now, suddenly, it is growing, a recent study showed. Accelerated melting of Earth's glaciers is taking the blame for the gain in equatorial girth.

http://www.livescience.com/php/trivia/earthfacts/index.php?qnum=10

Paris Hilton for President (This one works. The one I posted doesn't pala.)

Fairy tale trivia

I just finished reading some of my favorite fairy tales, as translated from the original, i.e. with all the blood and gore and taboo that you can’t let children read. I learned quite a few things. The originals are actually quite different from what most people remember having read as children. (I think Ray can attest to this. Hehe!) Anyway, here are some things I thought were quite interesting:

(1) Rapunzel is the German word for lettuce. Rapunzel was named so because, as you may remember, her mom had such an insatiable craving for the lettuce from the sorceress’ garden.

(2) Cinderella is not the poor girl’s real name. She was called that in jest because she was made to sleep near the hearth, over cinders, that her skin was perpetually darkened by ash.

(3) The original Cinderella story originated from China.

(4) Cinderella does not involve a glass slipper, a pumpkin that turned into a carriage, mice that turned into horses, or rats that turned into a coachman and a footman. It actually involved birds magically flying gowns into the cemetery where Cinderella’s mother was laid to rest, and where she frequently visited.

(5) In the original Cinderella, both of Cinderella’s stepsisters were not ugly. They were, however, quite the obedient children to their mother, as the first cut off her big toe, and the second cut off a portion of her heel in order to force their feet to fit into the slipper. And yes, the original story says that blood flowed into the shoe.

(6) In the original story of the Princess and the Frog, the princess did NOT kiss the frog. She flung him at the castle wall in a blind rage. And THEN he turned into a prince AND married her. Bad sign, Mr. Prince guy.

(7) Snow White was seven years old.

More next time. Have to go back to work already.

Did you know...

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger bought the first Hummer manufactured for civilian use in 1992. The vehicle weighed in at 6,300 lbs and was 7 feet wide.

Coca-Cola was so named back in 1885 for its two 'medicinal' ingredients: extract of coca leaves and kola nuts. As for how much cocaine was originally in the formulation, it's hard to know.

Cocaine was sold to cure sore throat, neuralgia, nervousness, headache, colds and sleeplessness in the 1880s.

Colgate claims "Tooth Fairy" as a registered trademark.

Dismal first-year sales of famous products:
1. VW Beetle (U.S.)--sold 330 first year.
2. Liquid Paper--sold 1,200 bottles first year
3. Cuisinart--sold 200 first year.
4. Remington typewriter--sold 8 first year.
5. Scrabble--sold 532 first year.
6. Coca-Cola--sold 25 bottles first year. (For total of $50; supplies and advertising ran $70.)

False eyelashes were invented by film director D.W. Griffith while he was making the 1916 epic, "Intolerance." He wanted actress Seena Owen to have lashes that brushed her cheeks.

For two years, during the 1970s, Mattel marketed a doll called "Growing Up Skipper." Her breasts grew when her arm was turned.

Gatorade was named for the University of Florida Gators where it was first developed.

Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

In 1984, a Canadian farmer began renting advertising space on his cows.

In 1991 Procter & Gamble won a $75,000 lawsuit against James & Linda Newton who were found responsible for spreading rumors that the company supported the Church of Satan. The two were distributors of Amway Products, a competitor of Proctor & Gamble.

In M&M candies, the letters stand for Mars and Murrie, the developers of the candy in 1941.

In the 1700s, European women achieved a pale complexion by eating "Arsenic Complexion Wafers" actually made with the poison.

67 million pounds of pesticides and about 3 million tons of fertilizer are used annually on lawns in the US.

A single share of Coca-Cola stock, purchased in 1919, when the company went public, would have been worth $92,500 in 1997.

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger bought the first Hummer manufactured for civilian use in 1992. The vehicle weighed in at 6,300 lbs and was 7 feet wide.

Americans consume 29 billion, or 58 percent, of the 50 billion aspirin tablets which are taken worldwide each year.

Americans spend more than $5 billion a year on cosmetics, toiletries, beauty parlors and barber shops.

Americans spent over $360 million in 1982 to avoid having bad breath.

Bayer was advertising cough medicine containing heroin in 1898.

Britain's first escalator was installed in Harrods in 1878.

BVD stands for the organizers of the company: Bradley, Voorhies, and Day.

Carbonated soda water was invented in 1767 by Joseph Priestley, the discoverer of oxygen.

Cheerios cereal was originally called Cheerioats.

Chewing gum was patented in 1869 by William Semple.

Coca-Cola was so named back in 1885 for its two 'medicinal' ingredients: extract of coca leaves and kola nuts. As for how much cocaine was originally in the formulation, it's hard to know.

Cocaine was sold to cure sore throat, neuralgia, nervousness, headache, colds and sleeplessness in the 1880s.

Colgate claims "Tooth Fairy" as a registered trademark.

Dismal first-year sales of famous products:
1. VW Beetle (U.S.)--sold 330 first year.
2. Liquid Paper--sold 1,200 bottles first year
3. Cuisinart--sold 200 first year.
4. Remington typewriter--sold 8 first year.
5. Scrabble--sold 532 first year.
6. Coca-Cola--sold 25 bottles first year. (For total of $50; supplies and advertising ran $70.)

During the Prohibition, at least 1,565 Americans died from drinking bad liquor, hundreds were blinded, and many were killed in bootlegger wars. Federal Agents and the Coast Guard made 75,000 arrests per year.

False eyelashes were invented by film director D.W. Griffith while he was making the 1916 epic, "Intolerance." He wanted actress Seena Owen to have lashes that brushed her cheeks.

For two years, during the 1970s, Mattel marketed a doll called "Growing Up Skipper." Her breasts grew when her arm was turned.

G.I. Joe was introduced at the annual American International Toy Fair in New York on Feb. 9, 1964.

Gatorade was named for the University of Florida Gators where it was first developed.

Hershey's Kisses are called that because the machine that makes them looks like it's kissing the conveyor belt.

Hungarian brothers George and L"szlo Biro invented the ball point pen in 1938.

IBM's motto is 'Think.'

If you put a raisin in a glass of champagne, it will keep floating to the top and sinking to the bottom.

In 1889, the 1st coin-operated telephone, patented by Hartford, Connecticut inventor William Gray, was installed in the Hartford Bank. Local calls using a coin-operated phone in the U.S. cost only 5 cents everywhere until 1951.

In 1964 General Mills began marketing Lucky Charms cereal with pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers. The marshmallow bits (technically referred to as marbits) were invented in 1963 by John Holahan. The cereal is marketed using a leprechaun character named Lucky (L.C. Leprechaun is his full name) that touts his cereal as being "Magically Delicious." Over the years the various shapes and colors of the marshmallow bits in the cereal have undergone many changes.

In 1965, LBJ enacted a law requiring cigarette manufacturers to put health warnings on their packages.

In 1984, a Canadian farmer began renting advertising space on his cows.

In 1991 Procter & Gamble won a $75,000 lawsuit against James & Linda Newton who were found responsible for spreading rumors that the company supported the Church of Satan. The two were distributors of Amway Products, a competitor of Proctor & Gamble.

In 4000 BC Egypt, men and women wore glitter eye shadow made from the crushed shells of beetles.

In M&M candies, the letters stand for Mars and Murrie, the developers of the candy in 1941.

In the 1700s, European women achieved a pale complexion by eating "Arsenic Complexion Wafers" actually made with the poison.

Insulin was discovered in 1922 by Sir Frederick Banting and Dr. Charles Best.

It was the Frisbie Pie Company of Bridgeport, CT, whose name -- and lightweight pie tins -- gave birth to the modern Frisbee.

Jergens Lotion was created by Andrew Jergens, a former lumberjack, in 1880.

Kikkoman soy sauce was originated in 1630 in Japan.

Kotex was first manufactured as bandages, during W.W.I.

Laser stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." Developed 1950s - 1960s.

Levi Strauss blue jeans with copper rivets were priced at $13.50 per dozen in 1874.

Money isn't made out of paper, it's made out of linen.

Most American car horns honk in the key of F.

Most lipstick contains fish scales.

Perfume contains ethyl alcohol and 25% fragrant oils. Cologne is cheaper to produce and to purchase because the oil content in cologne is only 3%. Cologne was named for the German city in which it was first produced. The original formula combined alcohol, lemon spirits, orange bitters and mint oil.

The Baby Ruth candy bar was actually named after Grover Cleveland's baby daughter, Ruth. The Butterfinger candy bar was first produced by Chicago's Curtiss Candy Co. in 1923. As an advertising ploy, candy bars were dropped from an airplane on cities in 40 states.

The condom - made originally of linen - was invented in the early 1500's.

The electric chair was invented by Dr. Alphonse Rockwell and was first used on William Kemmler on August 6, 1890.

The first credit card, issued in 1950, was Diner's Club. Frank X. McNamara started the company with 200 card holders.

The first safety feature for an automobile was invented in 1908 by John O'Leary. He patented a large net, to be installed on the front fender, to scoop pedestrians out of the way before they could be run over.

The first toothbrush with bristles was developed in China in 1498. Bristles were taken from hogs at first, later from horses. The nylon bristles were developed in 1938 by DuPont.

The first toy product ever advertised on television was Mr. Potato Head®. Introduced in 1952.

The first US consumer product sold in the Soviet Union was Pepsi-Cola.

The glue on Israeli postage stamps is certified kosher.

The revolving door was invented August 7, 1888, by Theophilus Van Kannel, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The safety pin was patented in 1849 by Walter Hunt. He sold the patent rights for $400.

The soldiers of World War I were the first people to use the modern flushing toilet. The inventor: Thomas Crapper.
This sounds feasible, but isn't true! Crapper actually invented the automatic shut-off mechanism used in the modern toilet.
"Flushable" toilets were in use in ancient Rome.

The WD in WD-40 stands for Water Displacement. It was invented on the 40th try for a formula that worked.

The word vaccine comes from the Latin word "vacca," which means cow. This name was chosen because the first vaccination was derived from cowpox which was given to a boy.

The yo-yo was introduced in 1929 by Donald F. Duncan. The toy was based on a weapon used by 16th-century Filipino hunters.

There are about 30 milligrams of caffeine in the average chocolate bar, while a cup of coffee contains around 100 to 150 milligrams.

VHS stands for Video Home System.

When Scott Paper Co. first started manufacturing toilet paper they did not put their name on the product because of embarrassment.

Wrigley's promoted their new spearmint-flavored chewing gum in 1915 by mailing 4 sample sticks to each of the 1.5 million names listed in US telephone books.

Thought/s for the day

I’ve basically been bumming around since yesterday. I finished everything I have to do so far, and I’m just waiting for everything to come crawling back to my in-tray. So anyway, lately, I’ve been seriously considering either pursuing an LLM degree or getting a second (well, third, if you count the LLB) degree, in the natural sciences (I was thinking either chemistry or physics, both of which I’ve always been very interested in pursuing a bachelor’s degree in, but my dad wouldn’t let me.), or in humanities (literature, philosophy---dannnnnng, I shouldn’t have shifted out…). So anyway, since I’ve got tons of time on my hands, and unlimited free internet access, I’ve been browsing through LLM and other post-graduate degree sites and scholarship sites, and the US State Department Student Visa site, and goddammit, I need at least 2M to go study abroad. And that’s a conservative estimate. Quoting Mondy, “ANAK ng MINATAMIS NA KAMOTENG KAHOY!!!” Exaj!!! How the hell am I supposed to come up with THAT?!!! Fulbright requires at least 2 years of work experience. Fine, maybe it’s too early anyway… I’m just craving student-dom. It’s so addicting, I swear! And the thought of studying abroad, oh boy. Freedom!!!

Well, I guess I’ll study my options first. Take the FSO exam next year. Get some work experience. Figure out how to work around the whole expense thing. AND rank the so many things I want to do:

(1) Get myself my LLM degree.

(2) Pursue further studies, preferably relating to my other interests: chemistry / physics / literature / philosophy, etc.

(3) Travel. – One of the reasons why I want to study abroad.

(4) Visit my relatives abroad.

(5) Shop.

(6) Buy a car.

(7) Get my own place

(8) Invest wisely. – which will have to be balanced vis-à-vis # 5, 6 an 7.

(9) (Reserved for future use.)

(10) (Reserved for future use.)

By 2010, I ought to have at least started on one of these. Otherwise, my life is going to the crapper keeper.