new year. time for les bonnes resolutions.  hope all of you are well. i’ve resolved not to make any resolutions this year, and just go on with what i’ve been doing–being the best me I could ever be, in every moment.

sounds simple, yeah?

i got this off of a comment from the comments page of this noted blogger. i think those with blogs should post this for the benefit of their readers who drive. it’ll save you a lot of hassle and finally show them “blue gators” that you know better.

TOOLS AGAINST MMDA OFFICERS
(from Ramil Valiente)

I just reached my limit last weekend, and decided to take action against the abusive MMDA enforcers. I basically called up the MMDA head office and inquired from the Personnel Officer, Antonio Pagulayan, to clarify their policies. Here is what I got.

If any of these abuses seem familiar to you, Mr. Pagulayan has asked that you call either the MMDA hotline (136) or call the Metro Base at 0920-9389861 or 0920-9389875 and ask for an Inspectorate. They will send inspectors to the place where these MMDA officers are extorting, even while you are arguing out of your apprehension.

1. MMDA officers are not allowed to group together in order to apprehend. They are not even allowed to stand together in groups of 2 or more. The only time they are allowed to work together is for special operations (probably when they apprehend groups of buses for smoke belching).

2. Swerving IS NOT a traffic violation. Moving one lane to the left or right is not swerving, no matter where on the road you do it. And it is even less of a violation when you do it with a signal. Swerving is defined as shifting 2 or more lanes very quickly. So you can argue your way out of this, and call the Metro Base for help.

3. Sadly, using the yellow lane is a traffic violation and will get you a ticket. However, buses are really not allowed to go out of the yellow lane, so if you see selective apprehension of private cars only, you may complain.

4. MMDA has confirmed that your license MAY NOT BE CONFISCATED at a traffic apprehension. The only time they can do so is if you are part of an accident, or if it is your third violation and you have not settled your fines yet. They are only allowed to give you a ticket, which you can contest. He recommends actually receiving the ticket in some instances, so that you can report the officer who did it.

5. Also, you are free to ask any of these officers for their “mission order”, which is written by their supervisor. If they apprehend you for a violation that is not in their mission order for the day, you can report them and they will receive disciplinary action.

So go out and fight for your rights if and when the occasion arises!

Ever the source of things curious and/or geeky, my friend’s blog had this test on. For those who don’t already know me, you will now find out that I did (and may) play Dungeons & Dragons. This is, apparently, what I would be in that world.

I Am A: Chaotic Good Human Sorcerer (5th Level)

Ability Scores:

Strength-11

Dexterity-14

Constitution-11

Intelligence-16

Wisdom-15

Charisma-15

Alignment:
Chaotic Good A chaotic good character acts as his conscience directs him with little regard for what others expect of him. He makes his own way, but he’s kind and benevolent. He believes in goodness and right but has little use for laws and regulations. He hates it when people try to intimidate others and tell them what to do. He follows his own moral compass, which, although good, may not agree with that of society. Chaotic good is the best alignment you can be because it combines a good heart with a free spirit. However, chaotic good can be a dangerous alignment because it disrupts the order of society and punishes those who do well for themselves.

Race:
Humans are the most adaptable of the common races. Short generations and a penchant for migration and conquest have made them physically diverse as well. Humans are often unorthodox in their dress, sporting unusual hairstyles, fanciful clothes, tattoos, and the like.

Class:

Sorcerers are arcane spellcasters who manipulate magic energy with imagination and talent rather than studious discipline. They have no books, no mentors, no theories just raw power that they direct at will. Sorcerers know fewer spells than wizards do and acquire them more slowly, but they can cast individual spells more often and have no need to prepare their incantations ahead of time. Also unlike wizards, sorcerers cannot specialize in a school of magic. Since sorcerers gain their powers without undergoing the years of rigorous study that wizards go through, they have more time to learn fighting skills and are proficient with simple weapons. Charisma is very important for sorcerers; the higher their value in this ability, the higher the spell level they can cast.

Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)

Well, here it is again.  another Christmas season.

You’re another year older, the landscape of your life has changed somewhat.  new people, situations, relationships, activities… they all have shaped you throughout the year.  And now, at the close of this one, the ubiquitous holiday season.

There are some places that don’t celebrate Christmas, or rather, celebrate something else; from pagans and the Winter Solstice, to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and all the manner of other celebrations.  but one thing is certain though, people gather at the close of the year to enjoy each others’ company, to look back and look forward to the coming year.

I remember Christmases long past when the focus was on getting stuff.  You try your best to get on Santa’s “nice” list (which usually means a lot of kissing up to parents and other relations in the last few months of the year), you go through the religious rituals, you spend Christmas Eve waiting with baited breath for the go signal to open those shiny, colourful packages under the tree…  some years were good, others not so, but there would always be a table laden with the seasonal goodies (most of which are now deemed pretty unhealthy when you get to this age. hahaha)… then  there would be a shift; because you were making money now and the onus is now on you to give the gifts, not so much receive them.  These are the times the holidays become filled with anxiety. (who do i give to? what? will they like it?) and perhaps, for the fortunate ones, this is also the time you bring significant others to meet the family (what does she bring? will this be alright?  will they like her?)

Caught in all of this seemingly mindless hustle is what i now choose this time of the year to mean for me.

The winter solstice is the longest night of the year.  the one time where the world is plunged in the darkness for most of the day.  the turning point, as from that day forward, things get brighter, days get longer.  a cycle repeats, yin gives way to yang, and so on.   families get together to celebrate the year that’s passed, together.  The Chinese for example, celebrate the Dong Zhi festival, which is marked by eating balls of glutinous rice called tangyuan, with your family as a symbol of unity and prosperity.  In ancient Japan, people marked the festival of Amaterasu, where loud noises and much celebrating convince the Sun Goddess, who had hidden herself away, to peek out of her cave, where she is convinced by the other gods, to come out and bless the land once again.  Other cultures make various sacrifices on this night, to appeal for the sun’s return.

What do these celebrations all mean for me?  Well this is, what I see the coming solstice as meaning, to me:

It is a time to come together.  Life is like a tide, I think, ebbing and flowing.  You undoubtedly have spent most of the year going out into the world to discover and fulfil your vision of who you are.  You have done much, now is the time for families to flow back and come together, to return home in order to pool the energy that will power another year’s journey towards hopes and dreams.

It is a time to let go.  The passing of days in the year undoubtedly attract a fair share of darkness and negativity, not to mention whatever darknesses  you’ve already been carrying through out the years.  On the solstice, the darkest of all nights, give back to the long night what is hers, what you were never obligated to carry.  Give up your burdens, you need bear them no longer.

It is a time to remember.  The veil between the worlds, they say, is thinnest on these sorts of days.  Now would be the time to remember those who have gone on, but not to lament their passing.  Rather  reflect on their enduring legacy, the goodness that one remembers of them.  And to wish them well, wherever they now travel.

It is a time to look forward.  After the long night is the return of light into this world.  Though the skies may still be dark, from this day one can see an ever brightening tomorrow.  Reaffirm your visions, or discover new avenues for yourself.  The light rallies forth with you.

And always, always, as with everyday, it is a time to love. :)  So whatever observance you’re observing this year, I wish you well, for now and in the coming year.

Happy Holidays All!

It staggered and plodded, looking lost and confused. It was clutching at pieces of a tattered screenplay, looking for comfort over its dismal state. It didn’t know its name, nor did it care. It had lost something this poor thing, it had lost its dæmon. This was the product of the experiments at Bolvangar, this cold, frightened, mass of imagery and words. A few brave souls ventured to approach it, but it was too late. The rest just stood there, with looks part terror and part compassion frozen on their faces. Some tried to approach it, to try to touch it, understand its plight. But all of us were loath to think at the savagery that had been done.

“It’s a severed film,” I whisper to myself. “So this is what the intercision does. Horrible, just… horrible.”

* * *

In a dimly lit hall, a small group of people sat around a large oaken table. A few of them read bibles and thumbed rosary beads. But all had self-satisfied grins on their faces.

A man is led before the group. He stops at a respectful distance from the table, and genuflects.

“It is done my lords and ladies. Like you said, it was only a little cut.”
“You have discharged your duties quite well Fra Emmerich. For this you shall be richly rewarded.”
“No one will understand what you allowed our agents to do, but believe us, you have protected this world’s children.”

———————–

If you’re not getting any of this, I suggest you do yourself a favour and read Philip Pullman’s books.