The US, The Philippines, and Tourism

US declares: "Americans or any foreigner should NOT travel to the Philippines."

Imagine, if you will, a group of Americans disgruntled with the system, banding together and committing acts which can only be described as pure terrorism. They are paramilitary force that wants to make a statement so they plant a bomb in a government building, killing scores of innocent civilians. They may even cite a distorted sort of religion as justification for their acts.

Impossible scenario? Of course not! It has happened before, on American soil, and it could undoubtedly happen again. My point is this: if a very small group of individuals can kill innocent civilians in the US, similar groups can cause similar carnage anywhere else in the world--in Spain, Japan, Indonesia, or Philippines.

Why then has the US singled out the Philippines, again, as a dangerous place to visit?

The US State Department issued an advisory warning Americans against visiting the Philippines, not just one small part of it like Palawan or Cotabato, but all of it, including places that have never experienced anything remotely resembling a terrorist attack. The mountains of Sagada, the beaches of Batangas, the dive spots of Bohol and Cebu, the beautiful cities of Rizal, Tagaytay, Bacolod, and can I say Boracay, Dakak and El Nido? We could go on and on enumerating all the wonderful places a tourist can visit in the Philippines, and with the hot summer months come the endless fiestas where strangers are treated like family in every barrio or big city where they are held.

It is no secret that the struggling Philippines economy is greatly counting on tourism to save our beloved country. With its decades of friendly ties with the US, the country had been expecting the American tourists to boost the numbers. Instead, what the Philippines got was an advisory for all Americans to stay away because of the possibility of a terrorist attack. How a handful of Abu Sayyaf can endanger an entire country is beyond us. Deep down in our hearts, we know that the Philippines is just as safe as any other Asian tourist destination, and that's without mentioning the world-famous Filipino hospitality.

We could also put a check mark on the Canadians and Australians who issued similar advisories, but they at least limited the "no go" places to Mindanao. Then again, the Mindanao is such a huge island and the Abu Sayyaf hold sway only in one small province at its outer edges. So the Canadian and Australian governments did a great disservice only to generally peaceful Mindanao and its peoples.

Thankfully, the Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and other Asian tourists and their European counterparts are still making their way to the Pearl of the Orient.

Last time I checked, the US and the Philippines were still the strongest of allies. What happened? Is this still an aftermath of Angelo dela Cruz? Kawawa naman ang bansang pinakamamahal ko.

Posted by: Abesamis™

Bakit Mahilig Ang Lalaki Tumingin Sa Boobs At Pwet

MRT. Bus. Jeep. Mall. Classroom. Office. Bar. Kahit saan ka yata pumunta, makakakita ka ng isa o grupo ng mga lalake na matitigilan at mamamangha sa presence ng isang babae (minsan ex-lalake) na may malaking boobs o magandang hugis ng pwet. May mambabastos, may mapapangiti, may mapapatitig, at ang karamihan ay gagamit ng kanilang "pornographic memory" para magamit pag-uwi sa bahay.
May isa akong nakilalang babae na malaki yung boobs, 36C. Naiinis siya kasi lahat ng kausap niyang lalaki hindi maka-maintain ng eye-to-eye contact. Isa na ako dun sa mga lalaking yon. Dati naman kasama ko yung girlfriend ko. Nag-away kami dahil hindi ko namalayan na nasundan ko pala ng tingin yung isang babaeng mala-Jennifer Lopez ang likod. At nang minsang nakasakay ako sa bus at walang maupuan, hindi ko mapigil lingunin nang lingunin ang cleavage nung isang nakaupo.

Dito ako napatigil at napaisip. Manyak ba ako?

Ano nga ba ang dahilan kung bakit mahilig tumingin ang lalaki sa boobs at pwet ng babae? Tsaka bakit halos lahat ng lalaki, hindi lang ako? Bakit madaming nagpapalaki ng boobs para mapansin lang? Bakit prerequisite ang hugis ng katawan para masabi mong maganda talaga ang isang babae?

Sa paghahanap ng mga kasagutan sa mga tanong na ito, sinubukan kong mag-search sa Google. Maniwala kayo sa akin, mahirap maghanap ng kasagutan sa tanong na "Why men love looking at big breasts" sa internet. Hindi kasagutan ang ibibigay sa yo kundi mga links sa porn sites. Buti na lang may kakilala ako na nagsabi sa kin na tumingin sa "evolutionary psychology". Evolution as in Darwin, Psychology as in Freud.

Ayon sa mga sites at forums na nagdi-discuss ng evolutionary psychology, iisa lang ang direction ng evolution. Ito ay ang pag-maximize ng chances sa survival. Ang lalaki ay pipili ng babae na makakapag-ensure ng survival ng kanyang offspring, at ang babae naman ay pipili ng lalake na makakapagbigay ng magandang genes.

Hindi na ako nagtataka kung bakit ang mga babae ngayon ay tumitingin agad sa CAR-acter at sa PESO-nality ng lalaki. Ito ay rooted sa mga ninuno natin na ang pinakamagaling na lalaki sa isang tribe ay ang pinakamaraming maiuuwing game mula sa hunting nila. Natural na sa babae ang maghanap ng isang "provider".

Gayun din na ang fixation ng lalaki sa malalaking boobs ay rooted daw sa idea na ang mga ito ay makakapagbigay ng "nourishment and sustenance". Kapag malaki ang boobs, mas malaki ang chances ng survival ng offspring. Ang pagtingin naman sa pwet ay natatagpuan din sa ating mga kapatid na primates, specifically ang mga chimpanzees, na kung saan pag "available for sex" ang isang babaeng chimp, inilalapit nya ang kanyang pwet sa head monkey para lamas-lamasin, kurut-kurutin, at amuy-amuyin. Pag nagustuhan ito ng alpha male monkey, doon sila magse-sex. Nakakatawa kung iisipin, pero ang pagtingin ko pala sa boobs at pwet ay bahagi lang ng aking nature as a male. Ika nga ng tatay ni Jim sa American Pie, "it's a perfectly natural thing". Kung totoo ito, bakit masama ang tumingin? Tingin lang naman e. Walang hawak, walang hipo. Tingin lang.

Siguro nga, kultura lang ang nagpabago ng perspective natin sa natural urge na ito. Dahil sa relihiyon, ang pagtingin sa katawan ng babae ay nilagyan ng label na "pagnanasa". Dahil sa media, ang mga artistang babae na maganda ang boobs at pwet ay tinatakan na "sex symbol" o "pantasya ng bayan". At dahil sa marketing, ang liposuction, breast enhancement, at kung anu-ano pang retoke sa katawan ay ginagawa "to enhance the self confidence of a woman". Ang mga revealing na bra, ang mga push-up bra, ang mga binebenta sa TV na breast creams, yung cycling shorts na nage-enhance ng butt cheeks, ay tinatatakan na "personality enhancement apparel/tools". At shempre, ang mga lalaking katulad ko na tumitingin lang ay tinatatakan na "manyak".

Just my 0.02

Celebrity Greeter of the Week

"What are you staring at?!? Come over here and undress me!"

- Ashlee Simpson
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Feature Car of the Week: "Ferarri Enzo"

Our feature car of the week is definitely need no introduction. It is also one of the most expensive sports car in the market. A car so exclusive you have to be invited by Ferarri just to have the privilage of buying one. 400 units sold out of the factory for 600,000 USD, now this car has a market value of 2 million USD. Not bad for an investment right? But you must previously owned 3 limited Ferarri models before any one can be invited.

This car is a formula-1 car built for the road. It was designed the same way a formula-1 is, except that it last longer.





Engine: F140 65º V 12
Engine Location: Mid , longitudinally mounted
Configuration: alloy block and head
Displacement: 5.998 liter / 366 cu in
Bore / Stroke: 92.0 mm (3.6 in) / 75.2 mm (3 in)
Compression ratio: 11.2:1
Valvetrain: 4 valves / cylinder, DOHC
Fuel feed: Bosch Motronic ME7 Fuel injection
Aspiration: Naturally Aspirated

Drivetrain
Chassis/body: carbon fibre body on carbon fibre monocoque
Front suspension: double wishbones, pushrod dampers
Rear suspension: double wishbones, pushrod dampers
Steering: rack-and-pinion, power assisted
Brakes: ceramic / carbon discs, all-round
Gearbox: Paddle operated 6 speed Sequential
Drive: Rear wheel drive

Performance figures
Power: 660 bhp / 492 KW @ 7800 rpm
Torque: 657 Nm / 485 ft lbs @ 5500 rpm
BHP/Liter: 110 bhp / liter
Power to weight ratio: 0.48 bhp / kg
Top Speed: 350 km/h / 217 mph
0-60 mph Acceleration: 3.3 sec