PakbetPodkasts Presents: The Mega-Pakbet Podcast – Episode 1
Introducing the PakbetPodkasts’s initial episode of The Mega-Pakbet Podcast, where Sonny and J (Gilbz wasn’t around) with our special guests Karen and Joiz.
Where we talk about:
Earth Hour
Plurk, and the Plurk Life
IE8
http://everyone.islone.ly/
HK Racist Writer Disses On Filipinos, Ownership of Spratlys (http://hk-magazine.com/feature/war-home)
NIN in Manila, the August concert
UP Fair violence
UPDATE: PakbetPodkasts haz website now! Here: http://raincontreras.com/pakbetpodkasts/
Dieting and Podcasting
I’m on my second week of dieting, and I haven’t had a dieting regimen that lasted this long. I tried a no-rice diet for the first 8 days, but eventually figured out that no exercise and no rice makes me ultimately miserable. So no, its a cup of rice every meal, and two meals, with healthy snacks like fruit in between. As for exercise, I bought my own bike helmet that fits my large-ish head, as motivation, and I actually did go out once, before work, and ran along with 18 wheelers that just exited out of the Sta. Rita exit at NLEX.
Like I really have a choice. There are no bike tracks where I live.
There’s also a gym nearby, but it doesn’t appear to be an enticing place to flex muscle or do the treadmill at all. The gym attendant sits in a corner, mending her sari-sari store snack items, since the local office of the NBI is a few steps away. You’d only notice the huge containers of muscle-building powders on the top shelf. And since I went there around noontime, the heat was suffocating, since there was no airconditioning. I’m just going to look for a better jumprope, so I can do cardio at home, thank you.
Oh, and podcasting, how I missed you.
Gadget Review: SanDisk Sansa Clip
Sansa Clip from Sandisk
The last mp3 player I had -and still have with me- was a 1GB Creative Zen Stone. Cheap, of reasonable quality, and perfect for my daily commutes. I had a 40GB iPod 4th gen previous to that, the drastic drop in storage needed adjustment, but all I had to think about was how my first portable media player was: a TAPE Walkman.
Presently, my Nokia E63 was my all-in-one gadget, but I know how the sound jack it has was pretty off when I listen to music, radio, or an audio book, even with good earphones. The phone wasn’t meant for that purpose, so its not at fault.
My initial choices consisted of the usual devices that pretty much derive its features from the evolved iPod Nano concept: same storage capacity (4GB-8GB), same candybar phone-sized screen, video capability. I didn’t allot a generous budget for this purchase, so there’s also that to consider, which also does easily cancel out what would be the most obvious choice for me: a 160GB iPod Classic.
I saw the Sansa Clip device being sold over at TipidPC before, but didn’t really put it up as a candidate. That is, until the day I realized I didn’t need one common feature that comes standard now with media players: VIDEO. My phone has video capabilities already, and even with that, I don’t use the feature as much.
Oh Today I Might As Well Blog
Hello folks who swing by this online space I pay for. I just updated the software running it, so that does mean I still care, in a way.
Its a Friday afternoon, and I’m at home, having awoken an hour or so shy of noontime, and I haven’t really left the computer except when I was cooking rice and reheating days-old adobong sitaw. We currently have an abundance of uwi food at home, so there really is no need to do the groceries this week.
I haven’t been around the rock clubs, too, and its apparent by just looking at my Flickr photostream.I haven’t manhandled my camera/s like I used to. There is a reason for that, but I’m not telling yet. Definitely, its not a super secret project, cult, mission, or what-have-you. Before or after work, you would just find me commuting to places, dining alone, or walking semi-aimlessly in malls.
Duster
As far as music goes, I already got Duster’s Sweetheart Snackbar cd (ooh chance for old photo insert to blog entry), but haven’t listened much to it. On an audio-related note, I’m done with Neil Gaiman’s Coraline audiobook, and I’m prep’d for Ian McEwan’s On Chesil Beach. Everything’s done on a non-dedicated portable music player, and thats my almost 3 month old phone (Nokia E63). That also includes my re-listening of radio, and radio talkshows.
On UP Fair Violence: A Personal and Less Critical Approach
I spent five years in University in the last half of the 90s, and I might have gone to each UP Fair during that time. This was when bands like the Eraserheads was approaching mega-band status, and the very fresh and novel but infectious Parokya ni Edgar were still wearing wigs and jogging pants.
The fair atmosphere was always great. You either go with your college barkada, dormmates, or even that elusive crush who would never really give you the light of day. After graduating, at the onset of the 21st century, the fair was that de facto place to hold reunions. This was also when I heard and saw a body thump loudly, falling on the UP Sunken Garden, after being reportedly stabbed. A year or two after, I saw little parades of kids who couldn’t get in the venue, some with their girlfriends in tow. About an hour later, a part of the fair fence was destroyed. Not long after that, during a band performance, the vocalist pointed out somewhere in the audience and said “Ginigripuhan o!“.
Two years ago, I strategically placed myself just beside the stage, since I wanted to see if I could take any pictures of the bands. I was fine with the predicament: I was happy that my camera gear is relatively safe from the moshing crowd. Did anything else happen of note that night? There was none, but I don’t think I’ll be back anytime soon. I was also glad I was alone, and didn’t have to look after anyone.
I’ve read some blog posts about the recent fair incident, the violence that has again occurred, and though most points are fair, my impression is that the collective voice is somewhat distant, and yes, classist. Noting what I just wrote, this wasn’t the first time this happened, you know.
I’ll cite what’s obvious to me: the Sunken Garden is clearly not the venue for a makeshift-fenced, non-free rock concert these days, and the only preventive measure is increased, and visible security. Place uniformed security 6 feet apart around the perimeter of the venue, and repeat the same setup around the Sunken Garden area. Note that this is only prevention, because I don’t think the violence involved in a big event like this will cease to exist.
Is there really no solution? None. Unless they change the venue of the band performances, and leave the fair grounds to the food and activity booths and the fair rides. Yes, I know, that will suck. Invite less rock bands? The chances of violence will be less, I believe, but it doesn’t matter that much to those who want to have rowdy fun at the expense of others, at a very accessible venue. Give up on the annual fair to finally stop this? Yes, but no one will like that.
Taking a few steps back, one would be wondering long and hard why a good number of the standard rock concert crowd has adapted to this sort of behavior, and if there is anything that can be done about it as well. I don’t think I will ever dwell on it, since I accept that what we’re seeing now is a) part of a natural rock-oriented masa crowd d/evolution; b) relies heavily on one’s peer environment, but one can’t say that it comes generally from one umbrella-like evil influence (rock music?!); c) and that there is little that we -we, being those who want to stop the violence- can do.
But read on.