India Road Motto: Blow Horn

During my 2009 trip to India , i guess i agree to the comment that if we want to find some mottoes for India, Blow Horn would certainly be one. Not only is this motto plastered on the back of most trucks, every other vehicle driver practices it religiously. Basically it appears a way of saying, I'm behind you (or passing you) and I want you to move over or just know I'm here. There's no malice.  People tend to blow horns at the drop of a hat: night, day, wherever and whenever. A vehicle horn may be  a warning that I am millimetres away from being mowed down as I attempt to cross an obstacle courses which passes itself off as a road.

 A traveller even noted in her blog her observation of india road rules. Although she has not actually driven a car in India,  After careful consideration, she  come up with the following guidelines for correct horn usage a la India style.

• Beep if you see a horse.
• Beep if you see a cow.
• Beep if you see a camel.
• Beep if you see an elephant.
• Beep if you see a pig.
• Beep if you see another car.
• Beep if you see a truck.
• Beep if you see a motorcycle.
• Beep if you see a toy car (technically these are known as autos—they are green and small and have three wheels, use CNG, and are everywhere).
• Beep if you are about the merge.
• Beep if you are illegally going through a red light.
• Beep if you are not going to stop at the stop sign.
• Beep if you are changing lanes.
• Beep if you don’t believe in lanes.
• Beep if you are about to get hit.
• Beep if you think you are about to get hit.
• Beep if you think the guy next to you is thinking of hitting you.
• Beep if you are about to hit someone.
• Beep if you are thinking about doing something that would hit someone.
• Beep if you are about to hit something.
• Beep if you are about thinking about doing something that would hit something.
• Beep if you see an accident.
• Beep if a car is stopped in front of you (in this case continue beeping until the person moves regardless of if they can do anything about it).
• Beep if you haven’t hit your horn at any point in the past 30 seconds.
• A single beep cannot count towards two of the above at once. For example if you see both another car that is about to hit you and a cow, you should beep three full times (once for the car, once for the cow, once for almost being hit)

“Blow Horn” is painted on just about every truck in India, and for good reason. The vehicle horn has a definite purpose. Please keep in mind that while these general mandates are not followed by everyone and are not legally binding—they are the norm (and only slightly exaggerated- perhaps).The horn is a multi-purpose tool for all occasions. It can take the place of:

• headlights (two short taps)
• orange side indicators (tap a few times as other vehicles part)
• brake (hold down until in the clear)
• rear- and side-view mirrors (tap sporadically until required manoeuvre executed)
• Western-style emergency horn as above (hold down with gusto for ten seconds, yelling of expletives optional)

Upon my return here in the Philippines, the first thing i did was to visit an ear doctor to check if i still have my hearing senses intact and without perforated eardrums.

Italian Filmfest and Cinemanila in November 2011

 Fellow Manila film buffs will have the chance to see two almost simultaneous film festivals this November : the 10th Italian Film Festival from Nov. 9 to 13 at the Greenbelt 3 cinemas 3, 4 and 5 and the 2011 Cinemanila International Film Festival will be held from November 11 to 17, 2011 at the Market! Market! Cinemas in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City

The 10th edition of the annual Italian Film festival now spells grandeur as it collaborates again with Cultural Center of the Philippines. The festival is organized by the Italian Embassy, also in collaboration with the Associazione Culturale Playtown, Asiatica Filmmediale, the Philippine Italian Association, the Film Development Council of the Philippines and the Province of Rome. Now introduced as Moviemov: Italian Cinema Now, it is touted as the biggest edition of the growing film event as it will also be staged in Bangkok and New Delhi. Seven never-before-seen films, a retrospective dedicated to director Bernardo Bertolucci, a homage to the great master of Italian horror Dario Argento, and a special honor to Brillante Mendoza’s Serbis, Lola and Kinatay are the main attractions of the festival that will run from Nov. 9 to 13 at the Greenbelt 3 cinemas 3, 4 and 5.

Apart from ideas cultural exchange and the promotion of Italian cinema, the main goals of the Italian Film Festival are develop friendship among the participating nations, promote the love of cinema to the whole world particularly in this part of Asia, and spread the kind of entertainment movies can bring to all sectors of the society most especially to the youth.

Warning: entrance is free so be ready to line up early if you want to see the italian  films.

The 2011 Cinemanila International Film Festival will be held from November 11 to 17, 2011 at the Market! Market! Cinemas in Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. Around 80 international and local films will be screened in a span of 7 days, from the current toasts of the local indie scene to the award-winners and favorites of prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, Sundance, and Pusan. The festival will also feature workshops, seminars, and master classes. For more info,  go to www.cinemanila.org.ph.

The 2011 Cinemanila International Film Festival, in cooperation with the City of Taguig, will pay tribute to Dario Argento Italian film director, producer and screenwriter, and Nora Aunor by bestowing them with the Lifetime Achievement Award on 11 11 11, during the festival’s Opening Night. Argento, 71, is best known for his work in the horror genre, particularly in the subgenre known as giallo (Italian for ‘yellow’, or more precisely, ‘thriller’), and for his influence on modern horror and slasher movies. Argento is also known as the Italian Hitchcock.As part of the homage to the multi-awarded Aunor, a short video tribute will be shown during the presentation of the award. And throughout the festival, Cinemanila will screen (with English subtitles) classic films showcasing Aunor’s legendary acting talent, including Tatlong Taong Walang Diyos (1976), Minsa’y Isang Gamu-Gamo (1976), Bona (1980), and Himala (1982), winner in 2008 of the CNN APSA (Asia Pacific Screen Awards) Viewers Choice Award for Best Asia-Pacific Film of all Time.

In my blog , Cinemanila Losing its Luster, i said that the good thing in watching Cinemanila films is that as if you have the whole moviehouse on your own pleasure. My  viewing of  cinemanila 2010 films is a reaffirmation of my critic: that  Cinemanila2010   suffered the same fate it had during the past few years of dwindling audience. Perhaps the venue was an unpopular choice for the organizers.The access by the viewing crowd is i guess a big factor  Or.it has something with to do with the ticket prices. I remember when the films were shown in greenbelt, the tickets were less than 100 pesos.  Last year, it was priced as a regular movie (150). It was quite expensive if compared to previous years. That is, I think, one of the reasons why moviegoers are being more selective.The economic downturn might be affecting people too. It's a bad time for anything, any kind of activity.

WHY SOME ENGLISH MOVIES CANNOT BE TRANSLATED INTO TAGALOG

1. Black Hawk Down - Ibong Maitim sa Ibaba
... 2. Dead Man's Chest - Dodo ng Taong Patay
3. I Know What You Did Last Summer - Uyy... Aminin!
4. Love, Actually - Sa Totoo Lang, Pag-ibig
5. Million Dollar Baby - 50 Milyong Pisong Sanggol (depende sa exchange rate)
6. The Blair Witch Project - Ang Proyekto ng Bruhang si Blair
7. Mary Poppins - Si Mariang May Putok
8. Snakes on a Plane - Nag-ahasan sa Ere
9. The Postman Always Rings Twice - Ang Kartero Kapag Dumutdot Laging Dalawang Beses
10. Sum of All Fears - Takot Mo, Takot Ko, Takot Nating Lahat
11. Swordfish - Talakitok
12. Pretty Woman - Ganda ng Lola Mo
13. Robin Hood, Men in Tights - Si Robin Hood at Ang Mga Felix Bakat
14. Four Weddings and a Funeral - Kahit Apat na Beses ka Pang Magpakasal, Mamamatay Ka Rin
15. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly - Ako, Ikaw, Kayong Lahat
16. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Adik si Harry, Tumira ng Shabu
17. Click - Isang Pindot Ka Lang
18. Brokeback Mountain - May Nawasak sa Likod ng Bundok ng Tralala/Bumigay sa Bundok
19. The Day of the Dead - Undas
20. Waterworld – Pista ng San Juan
21. There's Something About Mary - May K'wan sa Ano ni Maria
22. Employee of the Month - Ang Sipsip
23. Resident Evil - Ang Biyenan
24. Kill Bill - Kilitiin sa Bilbil
25. The Grudge - Lintik lang ang Walang Ganti
26. Nightmare Before Christmas - Binangungot sa Noche Buena
27. Never Been Kissed - Pangit Kasi
28. Gone in 60 Seconds - 1 Round Lang, Tulog
29. The Fast and the Furious - Ang Bitin, Galit
30. Too Fast, Too Furious - Kapag Sobrang Bitin, Sobrang Galit
31. Dude, Where's My Car - Dong, Anong Level Ulit Tayo Nag-park?
32. Beauty and the Beast - Ang Asawa ko at ang Nanay Nya
33. The Lord of the Rings - Ang Alahero
34. Die Hard - Hindi Mamatay-matay
35. Die Hard, With A Vengeance - Hindi Na Mamatay-matay, Nag-higanti Pa
35. Lost In Space - Mga Tangang Naligaw sa Kalawakan
36. Paycheck - Sweldo
37. What Lies Beneath - Ang Pagsisinungaling sa Ilalim
38. Superman, The Return - Si Superman Bumalik, Naiwanan Ang Brief
39. Cinderella Man - Bading si Cinderella
40. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Nag-trabaho si Charlie sa Goya
41. Blade Runner - Magnanakaw ng Labaha
42. Schindler's List - Mga May Utang kay Schindler
43. Men In Black - Mga Lalaking Namatayan
44. X-Men, The Last Stand - Mga Dating Lalaki, Huling Tinayuan
45. Wedding Crashers - Mga Bwiset sa Kasal
46. The Day After Tomorrow - Sa Makalawa
47. Three Men and a Baby - Ang Tatlong Yayo
48. Catch Me If You Can - Habulin Mo 'Ko
49. A Bug's Life - Ang Buhay ng Isang Surot
50. Die Another Day - Mamatay Ka Uli Bukas
51. The Rock - Ang Shabu
52. Jaws – Mga Panga
53. Back to the Future - Sa Likod ng Hinaharap
54. In the Line of Fire - Tumulay ka sa Alambreng may Apoy
55. Saturday Night Fever - Sabado ng Gabi, may Trangkaso
56. Stepmom - Tapakan si Inang.

Speech of Sr. Annie during the 2011 SCPS reunion

 Note: After the death of Msgr. Caoiliin 1981,  the Most Rev. Gabriel V. Reyes, then Auxiliary Bishop of Manila, became the Parish Priest of Sta. Clara de Montefalco. He solicited the services of the Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary (RVM) to attend to the operation of the school. Sr. M. Annie Balatayo, RVM was appointed as Directress of the Sta. Clara Parish School  (SCPS) in Pasay from  1981 until 1985. She died of pancreas cancer last October 16, 2011 and was buried October 18. Below are excerpts of her speech during the April 30, 2011 Alumni Homecoming at the SCPS grounds.

Good evening.   Alleluia to all!.  It is difficult to put into words what my heart wish to say to you this evening.  Only the Lord, will be able to comprehend this feeling of mine at the moment.   As the saying goes: “when the heart is full, the mouth is silent”.  I am in this predicament now.  However, it would be against the norm for this activity to keep my mouth closed.    Allow me then to say anything under the stars for the purpose of this occasion.

            I am very happy.  Extremely very happy indeed.  Your initiative in allowing this occasion to happen, for us to come together again, on Easter Season 2011, is overwhelming.  We would sing alleluia to the Lord, for the wonders he has done for us.  Praise the Lord.  What shall we say to the Lord at this point in time, “SALAMAT PO PANGINOON”.  The main purpose of having reunion is to give thanks to God for all the blessings He has poured upon us through the years, successes and gift of ourselves.  We should all rejoice and make this occasion a happy and an unforgettable even in our life.   All joys and sufferings in life are blessings from the good Lord.  Naniniwala ba kayo dian?

            Many things that happen to us are announcements from God, telling us He is involved in our lives and cares for us.  Many events bear God’s fingerprints.  Everything that comes into our lives has meaning and purpose, and can be understood in the life of faith.  It depends on how open we are to the spirit, how willing we are to see God’s bigger plan, and how humble we are to notice it.  Maganda diba?  It affects heavy hearts and joy takes over.  Food for our souls.  Baon ninyo yan ha?

            When my Mother General told me I would assigned here in Santa Clara Parish School, my instant gesture was, “ayaw ko”.  All boys, what will I do with these boys, I am not trained to handle boys”.  It was almost at the same time I was pulled out from Pagadian City, was involved in community organizing on one of the remote barrios there.  I encountered NPA supporters in this area.  As soon as Mother Josefina, (my general at that time, may she rest in peace) notice my negative gesture, spontaneously she told me on the spot in her office,  “kaya mo man ang NPA-bakit ang mga boys sa Pasay? napatawa ako, at na challenge ako.  Kaya from her office, I packed my things for St. Mary’s Pasay Community, to report to Santa Clara the following day.  What made happy when I entered here, the students were very happy for the first time, may MADRE sa Santa Clara Parish School.  Ako na ang muse.  Nainggit ang iba sa inyo.  Hehe!  The students welcomed me and how they did  it, by going to my office in groups or individually.  The students and I had so many underground secrets and movements.  In spite of the odds in those days, hindi ako nag  give up , almost 4 years ako dito.  In fact, ayaw ko ng umalis, if not obedience – my vow.  Grabe and story of love namin dito makulay.  The teachers and personnel learned to like me after 2-1/2 years.  This is understandable – adjustment is a long process.  All those happenings inspired me during my stay with you.  Many things that happen to us are announcements from God, telling us he is involved in our lives and cares for us.  Many events bear God’s fingerprints.  Everything that comes to our lives has meaning and purpose and can be understood in the life of faith.  It just depends on how open we are to the Spirit, how willing we are to see God’s bigger plan, and how humble we are to notice it.  See the realization.

           

            My greatest advantage as far as intimacy is concerned, I had two (2) jobs in the school.  Directress and Christian Living Teacher for the 3^rd and 4^th years class.  It was quite a heavy bag on my shoulders, but I had to do this because no lay Christian living teacher would handle the higher years.  This arrangement was again a contributing factor in my closeness with the students.  It was a blessing in disguise.  Our negative experiences in your Alma Mater were a learning process.  We were teching each other in the journey.  I learn from you and you also learn from me.  Our journey was full of pains and joys, kaya matinik at Masaya talagang samahan, the reason for after sometime, missing each other.  I know some of you missed me a lot.  Naniniwala ba kayo diyan?  The graduating class that time were very much involved and affected by the signs of the times.  We became tight to each other in principle because of the events that went through in the journey to wholeness. Hindi ba malaking inspirasyon yan? Salamat, before I left, there were signs of improved camaraderie.

            Marami pa ang mga inspirational instances, but you know recalling stories in the past knows no end.  No amount of time can accommodate stories of the past.  It continues to pop up and becomes more interesting as we go on.  We shall never be able to this – limited time we have.  Important is to realize and remember that we have been together once in a lifetime and we tried our best to become an inspiration to each other for better or for worst till we meet again tonight.  Le us continue to praise God for what has been and will be – Santa Clara will stand forever in our hearts.

            We should acknowledge that the most significant inspiration for us all is the fact, until up to this time, the RVM Sister are still herein your beloved Alma Mater, to continue the ministry of education entrusted to them in this institution.  Let us give them a warm of applause.

                   

OCCUPY abandoned houses and vacant lots

OCCUPY abandoned houses and vacant lots! The postings of my friend Dong Abay in his facebook account.

As a response i told him that when i was in amsterdam, i saw houses applying this principle. In the past a building could be used legally by someone who needed to squat if it was empty and not in use for twelve months, and the owner had no pressing need to use it (such as a... rental contract starting in the next month). The only ille...gal aspect was forcing an entry, if that was necessary. When a building was squatted, it was normal to send the owner a letter and to invite the police to inspect the squat. The police checked whether the place was indeed lived in by the squatter. In legal terms, this means there must be a bed, a chair, a table and a working lock on the door which the squatter can open and close.

LIVE WITHOUT DEAD TIME - People who talk about revolution and class struggle without referring explicitly to everyday life, without understanding what is subversive about love, and what is positive of refusal of constraints, such people have a corpse in their mouth..Raoul Vaneigem
wordings posted in the door of "squatters" in amsterdam. In cities, there was often a kraakspreekuur (squatters' consultation hour), at which people planning to squat could get advice from experienced squatters. In Amsterdam, where the squa...tting community is still large, there are four kraakspreekuur sessions in different areas of the city, and so-called "wild" squatting (squatting a building without the help of the local group) is not encouraged. Dutch squatters use the term krakers to refer to people who squat houses with the aim of living in them (as opposed to people who break into buildings for the purpose of vandalism or theft.


An estimated 100 million people are homeless worldwide
Source: United Nations Commission on Human Rights, 2005An estimated 3 million people are homeless in Europe
Source: Red de Apoyo a la Integración Sociolaboral (RAIS) 2010
32.8million, 40% of the population in Philippines, live in slums
Source: Homeless International, 2008

An estimated 1,200,000 children live on the streets in the Philippines
Source: http://www.unhabitat.org
Mr. Hideo Aoki that classifies them as “street homeless.” Director of the Institute on Social Theory and Dynamics of Hiroshima, Japan, Mr. Aoki is also a researcher at the Institute on Church and Social Issues in Quezon City. He said that since the 1980’s, a new type of homeless has emerged in industrial cities and towards the end of the 1990’s, homelessness grew at alarming rates in developing countries, like the Philippines. But, because “street homelessness” is usually confused with “squatter homelessness,” it is not viewed as festering social problem in itself. Mr. Aoki said the “street homeless” are becoming “a peculiar social group” in Metro Manila. Who then are the “street homeless”?

Mr. Aoki describes them as “…people working in the street who have been evicted from squatter areas, who recently arrived from the provinces, ethnic minority groups of people who work as seasonal laborers, and street children and their families…The street homeless are people who do not have permanent and fixed homes, who do not have relatives with whom they can live, and who live alone or in a family unit on the streets…They have to find on the streets the basic necessities of life in order to survive…” Because they have to stay “where goods constantly circulate” in areas of dense human traffic.

Graffiti tour of Europe

Is graffiti art or is it a crime? Graffitis, big and colourful letters and pictures are the vibrant expressions of modern cities, which i saw during my recent trip to germany, denmark  belgium, and netherlands. In modern times, paint, particularly spray paint, and marker pens have become the most commonly used graffiti materials. Graffiti may  express underlying social and political messages and a whole genre of artistic expression  But In most countries, marking or painting property without the property owner's consent is considered defacement and vandalism, which is a punishable crime.

Graffiti and graffito are from the Italian word graffiato ("scratched"). "Graffiti" is applied in art history to works of art produced by scratching a design into a surface. A related term is "graffito", or "sgrafitto," which involves scratching through one layer of pigment to reveal another beneath it. This technique was primarily used by potters who would glaze their wares and then scratch a design into it. In ancient times graffiti was carved on walls with a sharp object, although sometimes chalk or coal were used. The word originates from Greek γράφειν — graphein — meaning "to write."

 In RECLAIMYOURCITY.NET, it noted that  nowadays, urban public spaces are reserved for those who have enough money. Advertising dominates the urban landscape, and we are constantly bombarded with slogans from multinationals everywhere we go. Architecture and the streets are shaped by commercial interests, not by the residents of the city. It is impossible to avoid, the public have no access to these spaces, that is, unless we claim them for our own.

Graffiti and street art are the only ways that people can interact with public spaces actively. These art forms can, for example, express emotions, give critique on current politics or society, or offer venues for public art. 

 Therefore, they create a space for communication and discourse, where private experiences can be made visible, and where critical, personal or artistic messages can be passed onto others outside the artists' immediate circles. Graffiti makes the streets colourful, brings life into the greyness of everyday life and sterile architecture, showing signs of life of the people living behind the facades. 

Graffiti is a democratic means of expression. Historically  graffiti was, above all, a symbol of freedom. Freedom of speech and movement made it possible for graffiti all over  Europe  to starkly emphasize the tighter restrictions of society.  Europe  recognized the symbolism of the graffiti and in this sense, welcomed it. Graffiti often has a reputation as part of a subculture that rebels against authority, although the considerations of the practitioners often diverge and can relate to a wide range of attitudes. It can express a political practice and can form just one tool in an array of resistance techniques.

  

 Indeed, graffitti is an art form and there are incredibly talented people who do their work with aerosol cans and public walls. Sometimes, graffiti has a way of stating something that just wouldn't be as appropriate any other way. But to others, the graffiti is not an attempt at art, but what appears to be late-night scribbles by disaffected individuals that wish to state publicly their discontent with politics, football, the environment, their personal lives, etc. 

There is one school of thought that says that Graffiti done with permission is art in the eye of the beholder.However, it becomes a crime when you put that "art" on someone else's property - "your freedom of expression ends where my property begins." Graffiti , to them, is a gateway crime that both leads children and adolescents astray and sends a message that a graffiti-covered neighbourhood is ripe for criminal activity.   Europe, paticularly in Britain,  has  a so-called  Anti-Social Behavior Act of 2003 which was is similar to a piece of potential EU legislation with the aim to:"…eliminate dirt, litter, graffiti, animals' excrement and excessive noise from domestic and vehicular music systems in European cities, along with other concerns over urban life."