from a bbc documentary, from bits and pieces that i know of physics, from science fiction novels, and some loose ends from philosophy:

one of the implications of the general theory of relativity is that time and space are just two sides of the same coin (not sure if the analogy is correct). this means that you can treat them as two very similar things. the way space stretches is a bit like how time stretches as well.


Figure A

in figure A, objects in space all exist together at a certain point in time. you, standing on the street exist at the same time as the house exists and the tree exists and the earth exists and the galaxy exists. you might be in different places but you all exist together. you can move towards the tree or towards the house or suddenly teleport to another planet but still all the other things will still be there in space. if the general theory of relativity is correct, the same should apply to time.


Figure B

if time has the same property as space, that means all past instances and all future instances exist together. the person you were yesterday exists as real as the person you will be tomorrow as real as the person you are this very moment. you can therefore think of the future as a place you are headed for, like you are headed for a tree; just because you havent gotten there yet it doesnt mean that it doesnt exist yet, meaning (if i understood the bbc docu right) the future already exists! and by corollary, the past STILL exists, just as the tree still exists even if you move away from it in space.

this has many interesting implications:

a) time travel and clairvoyance are both possible in a universe that follows the general relativity model

and

b) the universe is deterministic; the future is already OUT THERE. meaning you can't really change it, its already been set since time and space evolved from chaos

if somehow that depresses you, there is some relief offered by the OTHER big theory in physics, quantum theory. in the quantum universe, when you get to the very very small small tiny tiny particles of things, it seems that things are so very NOT deterministic. they actually random, chaotic. there is no predicting where this piece will be in the next millionth of a second. it could suddenly be somewhere else. everything suddenly becomes probabilistic instead of being set in stone. the happy thing about that is that there might be some way quantum randomness affects human beings so that in the end our choices are entirely free, random, nothing pre-determined

the strange thing is that physicists seem to find that BOTH theories are true, so far. how can that be? i dont know, but scientists and philosophers are trying to reconcile the two together. could it be that they could find a way to marry the idea of FATE and FREE WILL? too bad none of my friends chose to be scientists or philosophers. things like these are great with beer and peanuts


D demonstrating the concurrency of his two past selves

Travelling Bonfires - Mayrics, Oct 14 2005

salamat kay miz jaja campos, ang babaeng maraming hawak (na banda), para sa pagkakataon na putukan ang maraming tao sa mukha (ng flash). galeng ng pinekpekan, este kinepyasan, o baka...

now here's something for april fools that i wish i had the guts to do. because its so funny. maybe one of you can do it and tell me about it after.


Galing ng Novaliches ang bus at papunta na ito ng Baclaran. Ordinary kaya ang kapal ng usok ay pwede mong kusutin. Mainit at ang mga tao ay lukot at kupas parang lumang pera. Alas-tres imedya ng huminto ang bus sa tapat ng Heritage sa kanto ng Edsa extension at Roxas boulevard, bago mag flyover. Nagsakay ito ng pasahero. Umakyat ang isang lalaki na naka polo barong. Mukha siyang malinis at amoy mumurahing pabango. Humarurot muli ang bus kaya kumapit ang lalaki at nagsimulang sumuray-suray papasok. Sa isa niyang kamay ay mag tangan siyang makapal na libro. Baka diksyunaryo, ang isip ng iba. Ngunit hindi nag-hahanap ng upuan ang mga mata ng lalaki, bagkus ay pagkarating nito sa gitna ng bus ay tumayo ng tuwid at nagsimula: "Magandang hapon mga kapatid na Manlalakbay, at magandang hapon sa kapatid na Tsuper at Kundoktor. Gambalain ko lang po ng isang sandali ang inyong pagbiyahe dahil ako po ay isang Alagad ng Katotohanan at nais ko lamang po ipaabot ang Magandang Balita na dapat marinig ng buong Sangkalibutan. Opo, dala ko po ang Magandang Balita at nawa ay alayan man lamang ninyo ako ng kahit isang tainga kung hindi man dalawa at isang sandali lamang po kung hindi man lima para maibahagi ko ang isang Mahalagang Katotohanan. Dahil ang Magandang Balita o Good News sa Ingles o gud nws kung itext ay ito: Wala pong Diyos. Tama. Iyan po ang Magandang Balita. Wala pong Diyos. At dahil walang Diyos ay wala rin pong Demonyo at Impyerno. Kapwa tao lang po natin ang nag Di-diyosdisyosan at kapwa tao lang ren po natin ang nang Dedemonyo ng kapwa nila. Kaya mula ngayong araw na ito, nasa kamay na ninyo ang Kapalaran ninyo at kayo lang rin ang dapat sisihin sa kung ano mang Kabulastugan o Katangahan na mangyayari sa buhay ninyo. Wala pong himala. Ayaan ninyo pong alayan ko kayo ng isang dasal: O Mundo na hindi nilikha at walang patutunguhan, kaawaan po ninyo ang mga Anak ninyong mga ito na Walang Saysay ang buhay. Halellujah Amen. Salamat po uli mga kapatid na Manlalakbay at salamat muli sa ginoong Tsuper at Kundoktor. Magandang hapon at maaliwalas na paglalakbay" Nag abot ang lalaki ng mga sobre. Bibigyan mo kaya siya ng pera?

okay so maybe some of you didn't think it was so funny. blasphemy is a tricky thing. if i die within the week that means He/She doesn't have a sense of humor (at least my life won't be a waste if i prove there really is a God) if i'm still alive that probably means He/She is going to do something Much worse

isang bagay lang ang maaaring magdulot ng martial law: pandemic. kung mamamatay ka na aantayin mo pa ba ang kongreso? i find it strange how some people cannot stand long silences. a photographer's work is never done; it develops. it is better to learn kindness than politeness. kakayanin ko pa kaya mabuhay kung paralisado ang buong katawan ko? hindi ako isang hawking. astig talaga si isting: ders da black hole sun in the sun too-daaaay. ala-singko na, naka lab ka pa?

our_song.mp3 (right-click save target as)

my most upbeat not-so-happy song so far

hahaha! eto na ang pinaka skwater kong kanta! lumabas nalang bigla sa ulo ko parang hatsing. (save target as dito)

labsong

eto ang plano
ganito, ganito
sisikat tayo
hit na hit,
parang anghit
kailangan lang magpagupit
at maalalang mag-ahit
wag mag drugs, wag iinom
magensayo, alagaan ang instrumento
mag cologne, mag polo
dahil alam ko na ang sekreto
panalo ang manok na to
kung gusto mong sumikat
labsong ang gawin mo

iisa lang ang hanap ng pilipino
yung may tampuhan sa umpisa
pero lampungan sa dulo
pakipot na romansa
malanding mga nota
pwedeng maangas, malupit
basta may chorus na swit
parang anghit
ito ang patok
ang nakout na sapok
kung gusto mo sumikat
labsong ang gawin mo

ito ang dating daan
ito ang katotohanan
wag mong pahirapan ang iyong mga fans
sa mahihirap na chords
at lyrics na may sense
dapat senti, dapat madrama
kung gagawa ng video, dapat may kama!

ano ba itong tinatawag nating wikang filipino kundi tagalog na dinamtan ng bandila ng komisyon ni quezon. makatarungan bang hirangin ang isang dayalekto sa ibabaw ng iba? ang mga taga cebu ay nagsisikap magaral ng tagalog, pero ang mga taga maynila ba ay nagaaral ng bisaya? sangayon ako na dapat bilingual ang linggwahe, pero bakit hindi nalang Ingles at Katutubong Wika (Hilagaynon, Bisaya, Chabacano, etc. kung san ka mang rehiyon lumaki). ang wikang filipino ay isang imbensyon ng mga tagalog na gustong koopalin ang mga taga-Timog. pagyamanin ang lahat ng wika sa pilipinas at hindi lang tagalog. ang maynila ay hindi buong pilipinas (na madalas kalimutan ng mga taga-maynila).

plato's cave

Kaya mo bang hulaan ang pamagat ng drawing na ito? (Kung sirit ka na, tingnan ang "comments" para sa sagot)

WARNING: L & A

the following is an excerpt of things that go through my mind when i ride a bus and i am trying to ignore "daisy siete" on the on-board t.v.

i dont know who came up with the word, but "post-everything" is a good way to describe the intellectual world today; its even a good way of describing blogging. in a post-everything world, one of the watchwords is exploitation. meaning its to be avoided. but i have two problems about it on my mind:

1. is profiting from human suffering always exploitation?
this seems to be a no-brainer but take this example: I like taking pictures. we all know the really great pictures are the pictures that tell a human story. especially moving pictures happen to be about the bleakness of the human condition. since i dont really earn anything from photography and i dont get my pictures published anywhere except the net, i am an amateur; i take pictures for the personal enjoyment of it. so, if i take a picture of an especially pathetic looking quadraplegic leprosy ridden beggar, i am really doing it because i think it would make a good picture, not because i am serving some higher cause (except, maybe, art), or because i earn a living out of it. so i am profiting from the beggar's pitiful condition. is it exploitation? obviously i could give him some money for his trouble, but not much since photography drains the funds enough as it is. is a token amount enough to compensate the exploitation that i think happened? is the offense mitigated if i ask for the person's consent? i could give him a copy of the picture but that doesnt help his condition any and i still get more from my end of the bargain (e.g. improve my portfolio, aesthetic pleasure, admiration from people, etc). is it ok to shoot scenes of social reality or should i stick to party pictures and inanimate objects?

2. is pornography always exploitation?
there is no denying that porno is enjoyable to me and many other people. i dont really buy into the belief that watching porno makes rapists; might as well say that watching the ten commandments will make you want to become a priest. there is however the question of exploitation. it is generally agreed by me and my friends that a beautiful woman will strip and fuck for the camera if and only if she meets the following requirements:

either she:
a) has no other skills, has a low IQ score, for some reason cannot or does not want to get married, and is desperately in need of money

or she:
b) is suffering from any of various mental disturbances (schizophrenia, personality disorders, nymphomania, alien mind control, etc.)

or a dreadful combination of both

if that is the case, if you are the sort of person who despises exploitation but doesnt have anything against jerking off (a consciencious type of pervert) would watching hentai be the safe thing to do? or is the enjoyment derived from cartoon bimbos a vicarious kind of exploitation?

i tell people 3 things after completing the term (a trimester, or maybe trimenstrual because its a period of three months). that they should:

1. recognize individual differences
2. never lie to themselves. lie to others but never to yourself
3. forget everything else and remember the two things above

Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo
the Bloodhound Gang

Vulcanize the whoopee stick
In the ham wallet

Cattle prod the oyster ditch
With the lap rocket

Batter dip the cranny ax
In the gut locker

Retrofit the pudding hatch
Ooh la la
With the boink swatter

If i get you in the loop when I make a point to be straight with you then
In lieu of the innuendo in the end know my intent though
I brazillian wax poetic so pathetically
I don't wanna beat around the bush

Foxtrot Unifrom Charlie Kilo
Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo

Marinate the nether rod
In the squish mitten

Power drill the yippee bog
With the dude piston

Pressure wash the quiver bone
In the bitch wrinkle

Cannonball the fiddle cove
Ooh la la
With the pork steeple

If i get you in the loop when I make a point to be straight with you then
In lieu of the innuendo in the end know my intent though
I brazillian wax poetic so pathetically
I don't wanna beat around the bush

Foxtrot Unifrom Charlie Kilo
Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo

Put the you know what in the you know where
Put the you know what in the you know where
Put the you know what in the you know where
Put the you know what in the you know where pronto

from www.lyricstop.com

truth is a missing page
truth is the last breath of a murdered journalist

Another Case of Strangulation
music by sonic
words by mute

They buried truth today in an unmarked grave
No one came
No flowers laid

In the fields and towns they are singing songs
To army drums
And cracking guns

Chorus:
This here's another killer front page
There'll be another wake come Sunday
Another fire gone cold
Another freedom sold

They are reading lines of official type
All was fine
A matter of time

All across the land they are wringing hands
No one stands
No honest men

Chorus 2x
They buried truth today in an unmarked grave

it would be deeply appreciated if people refrain from presuming that they know what i think and feel without asking me first. contrary to what some might believe, i have never deliberately avoided people who want to talk to me. premature assumptions and non-existent communication sow confusion. that being said, it seems i am also presuming to know what you think and feel about what i think and feel. therefore it would be wrong of you to expect me to make sense. got that?

Out of admiration for George Orwell (having just read Hitchens' "Why Orwell Matters") i would like to review my prejudices, because knowing them is extremely useful:

1. It seems i have a prejudice against popular culture. e.g.: i tend to categorize "my music" from "mainstream"; i am suspicious about television and what most people think is "entertainment"; i keep telling myself "why would i feel the need to read dan brown when i have yet to read dostoevsky?". i find this troubling because its seeping into my politics. to say it plainly: i distrust the masses. this train of thought is dangerous because it could eventually lead to fascism. ware the iron boot

2. I also have a prejudice against people who i find are unabashedly self-confident, who make bold assertions, who, in general, seem to know more than i do. i tend to assume that such people do not know self-doubt and therefore will make stupid mistakes. i should know better than to judge people by my own weaknesses

3. I have a slight prejudice against smoking, though it hasnt stopped me from having lots of friends with the habit. i am always tempted to wonder about smokers whether they do it for self-esteem, relaxation or as a social crutch. really, is it possible that they dont mind having cancer a few years from now?

4. I still have a lingering homophobia, but being around male faculty who have "defected" clears the air a lot. not that ill be a new recruit in the near future (defensive)

feel Young

this sound clip is inspired by neil young so it has that country-grunge ballad sound to it

from baller recordz

the phenomenal duo that pioneered gay gangster (gayster) rap are back with another bitchin album sure to knock your panties off. "wassup bhakla" features the best songs that jols2005 and marlonX have come up with so far. with such hard hitting tracks like "jimmy grab my gun", "eastside backside", "Rasheed, are you sniffin my crack?", "prison buddies", "boyz on boyz", "my ghetto burrito", and the chart topping single "bruthas unda cuvas", the girls have really shown that theyve got balls.


...on the related topic of whether same-sex marriages should be allowed i have only one argument: the world doesn't need more children; it needs more parents

id over ego

ikaw na walang trabaho
at puro lagim ang hinaharap
ano pa ba ang gagawin
kung hindi ang sumama at makisigaw
para kay ganito at ganyan
nagbabakasakaling may magbabago
dahil wala nang pwede pang mawala sa iyo

ikaw na may puso na bumabatingaw
ginagamit nila ang galit mo
dahil sila ay walang puso
at ikaw ay mayroon
at alam nating lahat
sa diwa ng madla
alipin ng Damdamin ang Katuturan


whether you are lenin or pol pot you have used the poor for something. to justify an intellectual cause or to implement genocide or to ease your guilt by giving alms you have used the poor for something. because it is easy to use the poor. and no one trusts them to have their own opinions. so people feel free to tell them what to do while dangling hope in front of their eyes. they are treated like children, who will do tricks for sweets. the question is, as they are right now, can the masses be trusted to rule themselves (and by implication, rule all of us)?

overheard from some photographer friends:

"...set-up na yung mga ilaw. adjust-adjust nalang. kaya pag dating nung model ipasok mo na sa kwarto tapos putok ka nalang ng putok..."

well, it didn't go down exactly like that but the way i tell it is much better than what really happened. after all, this isn't a newspaper.

Its le tour de france! I wonder why there arent any women along with the pale sweaty men in tight shorts. And I havent seen any black or asian people either. Everytime I watch my feet get itchy and I suddenly want to pedal to albay. I wonder if I'll look good in those swanky helmets and those swanky visors

rarely do i read news that make me smile, but this one did