musings.thoughts.ek ek ek
He’s the second degree cousin of my mom and the husband of my dad’s sister.
Rest in Peace Uncle Meliton! Mamimiss kita! Iniisip ko na lang na at least now, magkasama na kayo ni Kuya Simo.
Prayers for the Sanchez, Julian and Joaquin Families!
Well, hindi naman ako die-hard fan, but I have copies of his albums, fave ko ang songs nya na heal the world, man in the mirror at i just can’t stop loving you at na-sad ako when i heard the news na namatay na sya.
Sa kabila ng mga intriga sa kanyang buhay, we can’t deny na ang laki ng kanyang contribution sa daigdig ng musika. May his soul rest in peace!
For more information on Michael’s life, please click here.
Magulo ngayon sa Iran. Pagkatapos ng Presidential Election nung June 12 at pagkapanalo ng incumbent President na si Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, sunod-sunod na ang protesta, panawagan at pagkondena sa diumano ay electoral fraud, censorship at police brutality against demonstrations across Iran. Pinagbawal na nga ng gobyerno ng Iran ang mga foreign correspondents at reporters na mag-cover ng rally doon.
Ang mahigpit na kalaban ni Ahmadinejad na si Mir-Hossein Musavi ay naghain na ng kanyang formal protest at official appeal against the results of the election sa Guardian Council ng Iran at nag-announced na rin ang nasabing council na magkakaroon ng recount.
Pero habang ginagawa ang recount na aabutin daw from 7 to 10 days, tuloy tuloy pa rin ang protesta at kaguluhan sa Tehran, ang kapital ng Iran. Kahit na nga ipinagbawal na ng gobyerno ang mga ganitong activities, marami pa ring mga Iranians ang matapang na lumalabas sa mga lansangan para ipakita ang kanilang disgust sa Ahmadinejad government. Ang iba naman piniling gawin ang protesta online sa pamamagitan ng twitter at blogs.
At isang pangyayari ang gumimbal hindi lang sa Iran kungdi sa buong mundo nang ang video ng isang babaeng binaril at namatay habang nagkakaroon ng kaguluhan sa Tehran ay inilabas sa internet. Ang babae na nakilalang si Neda Agha Soltan ay naging simbolo ng opposition sa Iran at ngayon nga ay tinatawag ng martyr ng kanyang mga kababayang Iranian. Pero sino nga ba si Neda? Heto ang isang articulo mulo sa CNN.
Who was Neda? Slain woman an unlikely martyr
TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) — The young woman who last weekend emerged as a powerful symbol of opposition to the Iranian government embraced life in many ways, but there was little about her that would have led her friends to predict she would become a martyr, one of them told CNN.
Neda Agha-Soltan, 26, rose to prominence within hours after a crudely shot video documenting her final moments was uploaded to the Web shortly after she died Saturday from a single gunshot wound to the chest.
“It’s heartbreaking,” President Obama said Tuesday in Washington, referring to the video of the woman the world has come to know simply as Neda, which means “divine calling” in Farsi. “And I think anyone who sees it knows there’s something fundamentally unjust about it.”
Since Saturday, the Iranian government has sought to minimize the impact of her death, but one of her friends on Tuesday described her to CNN in an attempt to inject life and context into what has been — for much of the rest of the world — just a few seconds of powerful, if grainy, video.
Much about her remains unclear, but here is what CNN has learned from at least one source:
The second of three children, Neda lived with her parents in a middle-class neighborhood east of Tehran.
She was a happy, positive person. Though she studied philosophy and religion at the Azad Islamic University, she was more spiritual than religious. She also loved music. She once studied violin but had given it up and was planning to take up piano next. She had just bought a piano, but it had not yet been delivered.
Her demeanor was typically calm, even serene, but she had a quirky, playful sense of humor. A friend recalled that once, when Neda was visiting her friend’s house, she picked up a white Teddy bear, took off her big, purple-studded earrings and put them on the bear. Then she removed a necklace from around the neck of a friend and put it around the bear’s neck, taking delight in the bear’s transformation.
She liked to travel, having visited Turkey three months ago with a tour group. And she believed in human rights, her friend said.
That may have explained why she was at an anti-government demonstration in Tehran on Saturday afternoon. After being stuck in traffic for more than an hour inside a Peugeot 206 — a subcompact with a poorly working air conditioner — Neda and a family friend decided to get out of the car for some fresh air.
Shaky video captured on a cell phone shows her walking with the man, a teacher of music and philosophy, near an anti-government demonstration.
The two are near where protesters were chanting in opposition to the supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, whose calls for an end to anti-government demonstrations have sparked defiance across the nation.
Neda, wearing a baseball cap over a black scarf, a black shirt, blue jeans and tennis shoes, does not appear to be chanting and seems to be observing the demonstration.
Suddenly, Neda is on the ground — felled by a single gunshot wound to the chest. Several men kneel at her side and place pressure on her chest in an attempt to stop the bleeding. “She has been shot! Someone, come and take her!” shouts one man.
By now, Neda’s eyes have rolled to her right; her body is limp.
Blood streams from her mouth, then from her nose. For a second, her face is hidden from view as the phone camera goes behind one of the men. When Neda’s face comes back into view, it is covered with blood.
Then, the teacher pleads with her by name. “Neda, do not be afraid, do not be afraid,” he repeats.
Another man curses as the first man begins to wail. “Somebody come and get her in a car and take her away!” a voice pleads.
She was taken to a nearby hospital and, within a day, she was buried at Behesht Zahra, the city’s largest Muslim cemetery, on the outskirts of the capital.
A friend of hers interprets the fact that her body was released so quickly as a tacit acknowledgment by the government that the killing was carried out by government forces. That theory is supported by the fact that Iran’s strict gun-control laws mean private citizens cannot carry firearms, the friend said.
Since her death, public displays of mourning for Neda have been prohibited, the friend said.
A gathering of about 60 people at a mosque was broken up by members of the Basij, the pro-government vigilantes blamed for much of the violence against demonstrators, according to New York Times columnist Roger Cohen, who observed the incident.
Neda’s family has not been allowed to post a black banner of mourning outside the family’s house, the friend said.
Yet Neda’s influence may not diminish soon. Under Muslim tradition, the seventh and 40th days after someone dies are devoted to mourning and reflection.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/meast/06/23/iran.neda.profile/
Para mapanood ang video, click here. (Warning: Graphic images!)
Last June 9, sumugod ang beauty ko sa Skydome sa Sky Garden ng SM City North Edsa para sa First Philippine Radio Music Awards. This event was organized by the The Radio Partners Incorporated (89.1 wave; 89.9 magic, 99.5 RT, 88.3 Jam at 103.5 max). Impressive ang opening number ng show, as in ang galing ng mga dancers ng Halili Dance Group.
Pero syempre may mga bloopers din, like nung tinawag yung mga magpepresent ng certain awards eh biglang video ni Tado ang ipinakita, kaya ang mga DJ na poise na poise na sana eh biglang bumaba ng stage. Then ipinakita ang video para sa mga nominees ng best RnB group award pero ang tinawag na winner eh best RnB solo artist. kaloka.
Dahil late na, di na namin tinapos ni Amiga Arlene (na taga Max FM) ang show. HIndi na namin nahintay si Gary V na magperform with Sponge Cola at hindi na rin namin nakita ang tribute for Francis M. Well, at least naabutan naman namin sa backstage si Champ ng Hale, ang gwapo as in! Nagperform din ang Sino Sikat (ang pretty ng soloist in fairness), Dice and K9, Miguel Escueta (cutie cutie) and Pinoy All Stars.
Heto ang complete list ng winners. Congrats!
RnB Solo Artist: Luke Mejares
RnB Group: Dice and K9
Alternative Solo Artist: Miguel Escueta
Alternative Group: Parokya ni Edgar
Pop Male Artist: Gary Valenciano
Pop Female Artist: Sitti
Pop Group: Overtone
Best New Artist: Rico Blanco
Breakthrough Artist: Richard Poon
Best Solo Artist: Rico Blanco
Best Independent Artist: Kitchie Nadal
Album of the Year: Rico Blanco, Your Universe
International Artist: Bamboo
Listener’s Choice: Sarah Geronimo
Lifetime Achievement Award: Gary Valenciano
Some fectures:
1. 111th Independence Day
happy araw ng kalayaan! pero are we really free? hmmm
2. Dentist Day
I admit, isa sa greatest fear ko ay ang fear of going to the dentist he he he. nagka-phobia kasi ako. i had this not so good experience nung elementary days ko at grabecious kasi at this age of mine na 30 plus plus he he he dala-dala ko pa rin ang takot na yun ever. na-remember ko pa nung high school ako mega-cry ako habang nagpapabunot ng teeth, as in mega cry na may sounds na waaaa, aray, aray, waaaa to think na may anaesthesia naman yun. buti na lang at very mabait ang dentist ko that time na si dr. noel perez. ang mommy ko nga akala inatake na ko sa puso. kaloka.
then nung nag-visit ulit ako for cleaning naman nasa abroad si dr. noel so i was referred to his bro na si dr. eric. in fairness ang bait din ng dentist na itesh at mega-chika pa kami. sabi pa nya sa akin may teeth daw ako na dapat kong ipa-root canal ever. syempre muntik akong nahulog sa dentist chair when he told me kung magkano at kung ano ang gagawin. ang ending di na muna ako nagpakita sa clinic nya. kaka-sad lang kasi wala na si dr. eric. he was murdered sa house nya. hay ever. may he rest in peace and sana magkaron din ng justice ang pagkamatay nya.
anyway, i have this cutie cousin na dentist din at sa kanya na ako nag-consult ever. dahil cousin ko nga sya, wala syang choice but to tolerate my tantrums sa dentist chair. he he he. tapos a few months ago, nag-fly sya ever sa saudi arabia para mag-work. wala na naman akong dentist.
so today, i visited the clinic of ate levy, ang aking bagong dentist. and since i’m older now sabi ko sa sarili ko “kaya ko na dapat to”, i need to overcome this phobia sa dentista. in fairness, she’s very supportive naman at ang gaan ng kamay nya ever.
then, time na para i-open ang aking mouth for the cleaning and then pasta. all throughout the ordeal, nakapikit lang ako at nagpe-pray. almost 2 hours din ako sa dentist chair and babalik pa ako sa saturday dahil may kailangang bunutin na teeth sa akin, 2 as in, and then i’ll have my immediate dentures.
sa trulili lang, i feel na na-liberate ako sa fear ko ever. yes, may kaba at konting takot ako habang nasa dentist chair pero na-feel ko na nandun si God, holding me, telling me to be still dahil hindi nya ako pababayaan. pakiramdam ko that moment was a time na i’ve completely surrendered everything to Him and He was there to make sure na I’m okay. and of coz, thankful ako dahil ang patient ni ate levy and God used her para ma-overcome ko ang aking fear.
hay syempre may kaba ever na naman na nabubuo sa dibdib ko dahil sa tooth extraction ko next week but I’m putting my trust kay God kasi alam ko hindi naman Nya ako pababayaan.
at least now i can flash my super sweet smile na walang fear…..o deva!
1. World Environment Day
World Environment Day (WED) was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
Commemorated yearly on 5 June, WED is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. The day’s agenda is to:
The theme for WED 2009 is ‘Your Planet Needs You-UNite to Combat Climate Change’. It reflects the urgency for nations to agree on a new deal at the crucial climate convention meeting in Copenhagen some 180 days later in the year, and the links with overcoming poverty and improved management of forests.
For more information please click this.
2. Birthday ni Kenny G.
i so love this guy and i can’t wait for the release of his new album called “rhythm and romance: the latin album”
happy birthday to the smooth jazz legend! mwah!
3. Ulan, ulan at marami pang ulan
hay kaloka! isang linggo nang umuulan grabe sa timing dahil sumabay pa sa opening ng klase para sa school year 2009-2010. As expected, grabe ang traffic, baha sa metro manila, umapaw ang sta maria river, suspended ang klase sa elementary at high school sa NCR, marami na naman ang may ubo, sipon at lagnat at nakakatamad pumasok sa trabaho. ang sarap uminom ng mainit na kape habang nakabalot ng kumot. mas lalong masarap kung may kayakap sa gabing malamig. wiiii!
sabi ng PAG-ASA may low pressure area daw na namataan 800 kms east of Luzon kaninang 2pm kaya expect na raw na magiging mas maulan pa sa mga susunod na araw.
happy wet wet wet weekend! mwah!
