What's in a name?

The campaign is on full-blast. Each candidate sounds very optimistic of winning. It is often said that no Filipino candidate ever loses, they just get cheated of victory. At the moment everyone has a catchy nickname that ensures name recall. How will they be called in the event they lose? Here's how.

Noynoy Aquino - "NGOYNGOY" (sobs)
JC de los Reyes - JC "the LOST REYES"
Erap Estrada - "HERAP" Estrada (poor)
Dick Gordon - "FLUSHED" Gordon
Nick Perlas - Nick "PERLAST"
Gibo Teodoro - "BIGO" Teodoro (fail)
Manny Villar - Manny "BELAT" (jeers)

Except for Noynoy, the rest better start getting comfy with their new names.

Cerge Remonde's last Facebook entry

Now this comes as a shock. Cerge Remonde, a friend of a friend, an ever loyal supporter to his boss despite the public's collective hatred against her, suddenly died today of a suspected heart attack. What makes his death eerie is his last post, actually a prayer, on Facebook.

My women's tennis album 20

Maria Sharapova was ousted in the 1st round by the other Russian Maria, Maria Kirilenko. Here are some photos of yesterday's action.

Sto. Nino - remembering the innocence

Yesterday was the feast of the Sto. Niño. We often see images of the Sto. Niño dressed in different attires: as a farmer, as a cop, as a fireman, a boy scout. It usually indicates the occupation of the owner of the image. How do I dress the Sto. Niño as a civil servant pretending to know IT? Sometimes we also see a naked version called Sto. Niñong hubad which is also supposed to be a love amulet. It could be  blasphemous to think that the owner could be a macho dancer?

Yesterday's homily mentioned something about remembering the innocence. We adults have many worries, compromises, and guilt. The kids have it much simpler. They never worry at all. They always manage to have a good time. They play a lot with friends, classmates, anybody, even with strangers. They fight occasionally, at times to the point that the parents get into their fights as well, but only to patch things up as quickly as it started. The adults' quarrels caused by their kids' fights last longer, even if the kids are alright already.

I don't know exactly how and when we lost the innocence. We are a bunch of cynics now. Don Henley's song rings in my mind. Isn't it good to have that childlike innocence again?

This could make the Pac-Floyd happen

Much blame has been passed around for the fight not happening. It's late now, but I suggest a possible compromise to the fiasco.

Pacman balked at the idea of blood tests close to the fight but agreed to a post fight test. Floyd agreed to a $10M/pound overweight penalty.

Floyd should accept the after-fight blood test as Pac counter suggested. Then if anybody is found dirty (for any reason - drugs, steroids, whatever), the penalty can be $15M or something that would really hurt, like the $10M per pound penalty for anybody overweight.

That would mean withholding the purses until the test results are in. But that should make everyone happy. Pac because he can clear his name, Floyd because he got what he wanted, and especially the fans because the fight materialized.