Scandal!

From a virtual unknown, Dr. Hayden Kho is now a household name! Man, talk about NOTORIOUS! He did try his hand on show business...unfortunately, show business didn't want him all that much! Now he's got the attention of the whole country with those sex scandals leaking out one after the other!

Did he want the attention? I do believe so! The video was done without the knowledge of his partners and was obviously meant to be his sexual trophies. Diary my brown ass!

Now there's another scandal of yet another big name!

Actually, video scandals are not new to us. There was the alleged Vivian Velez and Connie Reyes betamax movies in the early 80's. In the 90's, Ruffa Guttierez and Donita Rose was also victimized when their candid naked pictures came out! Well, that's the prize of being a celebrity!

My advise to our dear showbiz celebs: be a good example and keep your nose clean! The same goes to our beloved politicians!

Mossimo Bikini Summit 2009

I was suppose to go to the Mossimo Bikini Summit 2009 at the Skydome of the SM City North Edsa today but at the last minute had a change of heart.

Well, first of all, I'm not equipped to attend and take my place at the back. My camera only has 4x optical zoom and I'll just end up with small size captures of the event. To remedy this situation I can go there early and get a front row seat. However, early would mean being there at 5pm and wait it out until the 8pm start. Question was---do I want to go there that bad? I guess not! So here I am writing this blog after finishing my week's worth of clothes to iron. More productive, right?

Things happen for a reason. I guess this gig was not for me to attend!

Teletech Summer Auto Show-May 22, 2009

There's a bigger auto show running from May 21-24---unfortunately, the venue is at the Cebu International Convention Center. So in order to satisfy my car show craving, me and my wife set off to the parking lot of Building F, SM Corporate offices, near SMX and Mall of Asia to witness the one day Teletech Summer Auto Show.

I get my updates from the Tsikot.com web site to keep abreast and pick the car shows worth going to. Originally, the Teletech Summer Auto Show was scheduled for May but for reasons unknown and with the homepage announcement of Tsikot not updated, I was fortunate that I had the good sense to text the event organizer to inquire whether or not the activity will push through. Not so fortunate for one who commented on the site that he spent Php 500 worth of gasoline to go to a postponed event! Naturally, when I was texted that the event was re-scheduled for May 22 I did not believe it outright. It was only when I was told to check the Tsikot.com forum that I saw the schedule adjustment. Anyway, on to the show.

Based on the activity list, what caught my attention was "The Big and The Bad Motorcycle Display"! The TLC series "American Chopper" really rubbed in on me because upon knowing that there would be a chopper display I immedietly filed for a half-day leave for me to attend this event! Like Pavlov's dog I salivated on the first ring of the bell!

This one was parked outside of the venue when we arrived but surely worth the shot.

We arrived at the Mall of Asia with the sun still high up in the sky and found the organizers still setting up camp. We decided to gallivant in MOA to while the time and came back at 5pm only to find only a handful of cars and no motorcyles! By 5:30pm I was beginning to feel depressed thinking that it was a waste of time to have come to this event when suddenly there came the roaring sound of v-twin engines! Led by the Williestreet Choppers and Team NOS, it was a grand entrance indeed as 20 motorcyles rumbled their way to the Teletech parking lot! It was a mix of new(cruisers) and old school(with their long forks, sissy bars, ape hangers, and fat rear tires) choppers and an unlikely Suzuki scooter! Man, it was a real treat! The air was suddenly heavily scented with leather and engine oil!

For me, this was the highlight of the event given that the participating cars were quite ordinary compared to those in the Manila International Auto Show and the Trans Sport Show. Conspicuously missing also were the car show models! When we left around 6:45pm the event was bare of babes worth taking pictures of! I'm not sure if the organizers left showing off the girls later in the evening to keep the crowd worked up until 2am. I hope they didn't because that would definitely ruin my day!

Star Trek

Star Trek the original television series aired from September 8, 1966 to September 2, 1969 totalling 79 episodes.

Set in the 23rd century, the original Star Trek follows the adventures of the starship Enterprise and its crew, led by Captain James T. Kirk, his First Officer Mr. Spock, and his Chief Medical Officer Leonard McCoy. Their mission, as explained in Captain Kirk's voice-over introduction during each episode's opening credits, states:

"Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its five-year mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations; to boldly go where no man has gone before."

I got to watch the re-runs in the late 70's and I immediately got hooked! I found the technology really cool and the characters were very interesting! Warp drive, teleportation, and boy, the Starship Enterprise was awesome! By this time, the franchise already had a cult following! "Beam me up, Scotty!" and "Live long and prosper" became catch phrases among fans. Supporters, aptly called Trekkers, organized Star Trek conventions with chapters spanning around the world! Its fan base was so huge that they even got NASA to name the first space shuttle after the fictional starship Enterprise!

USS Enterprise

In 1979 the first Star Trek movie grossed 80M at the box office. Ten more movies followed after this including the latest installement, Star Trek 2009. All of which I watched! It's an addiction I admit! I do believe I made a fan out of my wife whom I watched that latest movie with last Saturday! Personally I liked it better than "Wolverine" and "Angels and Demons" mainly because as a Trekkie, the story of Star Trek 2009 provided me with the story of Spock and James Tiberius Kirk before they became Starfleet officers! Well, actually, it was a warped history as the protagonist, Nero, emerged 154 years in the past and inadvertently messed up the space and time continuum when he attached and destroyed the USS Kelvin where James Kirk's father was first officer. But being biased to the original TV series it was the uncanny resemblance to the original characters popularized by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy that really got my attention! Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto (who played Sylar in the series "Heroes") reprises the role of Captain James T. Kirk and Lt. Commander Spock, respectively, in the latest Star Trek saga!

Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner/Zachary Quinto and Chris Pine

(L-R) Scotty, Spock, Kirk, McCoy, Uhura, and Chekov of the original series

(L-R) Chekov, Kirk, Scotty, McCoy, Sulu, and Uhura of ST 2009

What's the Fuss About?

I was relaxing at home last night leafing through the day's edition of the Philippine STAR when I chanced upon the column "As I Wreck this Chair" by William M. Esposo. His topic: Martin Nievera's controversial national anthem version.

This news has been hogging the news since Pacman's second round demolition of Hatton. I just dismissed it as another topic to hype the othewise short story of Pacman's bout with Hatton. However, after reading this piece, where Martin Nievera suppoose to have violated Section 37, Chapter 2 of Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, I was suddenly intrigued! Man, I didn't even know such a Law existed!

Based on the erudite discourse the Mr. Esposo put forth to criticize Mr. Nievera's version of the Philippine National Anthem, I'd say that the former is a purist pumped up with traditional blood! I salute Mr. Esposo's patriotism and I must agree that Mr. Nievera is not in the league with Pavarotti, Domingo, and Contreras but to malign Mr. Nievera and comparing him to a plundere and with Salman Rushdie was unfair!

Ignorance of the law excuses no one. Poor Martin! What if Pacquiao lost the fight---would we be having this discourse as to how the anthem was sung? I don't think so! Was Martin the first singer to deviate from the original arrangement by Julian Felipe? Mr. Esposo mentioned two other names---Charise Pempengco and Jennifer Bautista. How come their version did not generate the same intensity like what we're having with Martin? If this law was really sacrosanct our lawmakers should have put their foot down the first instance! This only goes to show that even our dear upholders of the law share the same ignorance as the singers who violated it!

Quo Vadis Brett?

Oh no! Not another return! As if un-retiring the first time wasn't bad enough!

Well, right now it's all speculation. Do I want him to play? I'd say yes but under different circumstances.

Based on Favre's official website he said, "I foresee getting the impulse to play...but as good as Mike Tannenbaum has been to me, I could never bring myself to do it. I know I won't do it. If I did, I'd be putting the Jets in a tough spot, because I know they can't release me."

If Favre is truly an honorable and principled man---which I believe him to be---I don't think a second comeback is likely...

So Brett, quo vadis?