Cynic, pessimist, or just plain stupid?

A few days ago, the automated absentee voting was held in Hong Kong. According to Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., co-chair of the joint congressional committee on the automated elections, there were a couple of glitches in the event. Two machines stalled due to the cold weather there. It simply needed to dry out, and after an hour, it functioned properly.

Now, there were two voters who were disenfranchised (ballots were spoiled). The first one is because s/he "accidentally smudged her ballot due to pen stains". OK, understandable, but I hope it won't happen here. The other one, however, made me pause and think for a while. I don't know if this is human nature or inherent to us Filipinos. Anyway, what happened to the other voter was that s/he "deliberately crumpled the ballot to see if the machine would reject..." The machine did not accept the ballot. (Source here.) Hmmm...

Ang masasabi ko lang sa voter na yun:

\m/

Fake Obama Sex Video Contains Virus -- BUT OF COURSE!

Some people are just so stupid sometimes. Here's a news clip from a news site (http://www.switched.com/2008/09/11/purported-obama-sex-vid-is-just-more-malware-in-disguise/):

Like Megatron's Decepticon minions from 'Transformers,' spyware and malware keep finding new ways to hide themselves in an effort to infect your home computer. The latest attempt is a supposed video showing Barack Obama engaged in some sort of sinful act. It's all a lie -- it's just another piece of malicious software looking to hide itself on your machine.

In this case, the malware is a trojan called Mal/Hupig-D. It runs in the background and, as with most malware, steals passwords, credit card numbers, bank account information, and can pretty much do whatever it wants once installed. That's no fun, of course, so as with every other example we keep posting about, watch what you click, and keep that virus scanner up to date! [From: Yahoo! News]

People's reactions from Facebook people? Range from "Oh, thank you, Sir, I was a victim of this, too," "I was a victim, I got ot from someone reliable *sigh*, " to "I suspected it was a virus because it's all over the Internet, but I fell for it". Holy effin sh#t! They needed to hear this from a news source just to confirm it was a virus?!?!?! WTF! And some of these people are the ones who hated Adam Carolla for telling the Filipinos to get our sh#t together. Maybe Adam Carolla simply had the guts to said what everyone was thinking about us.

Are you afraid of being touched?

Hey! Not "that" touch touched! There is this phobia called haphephobia, or the morbid fear of being touched. And that is what I am referring to. Anyway, Merriam-Webster came out with a list of unusual phobias. There are 10 of them but only 3 made my day. I just want to share them with you.

The first one is ergophobia. What it is? Its a fear of or aversion to work. Hehehe. I wonder if Juan Tamad was born with this phobia. I can only assume that since the list actually came from a reputable institution (Merriam-Webster), then, it is a legitimate and scientific one. I wonder if there are any doctors around who'd make this diagnosis on me so I can file a leave of absence from work...

Dear Boss,

Can't work today, experiencing ergophobia since yesterday. Please see attached medical certificate from my physician.

Regards,
Eks

http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/be-very-afraid/ergophobia.html

The next one is taphephobia. Do you guys have any idea what this is? After I give you the description of this phobia, you'll realize how stupid this phobia is. Taphephobia is the fear of being buried alive. Hehehe. Who in this world is not afraid of being buried alive?!?! :-)

Word history: The Greek word taphē means burial or grave. Bonus points: You can see the same Greek root in the English word epitaph (an inscription on a tomb).

http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/be-very-afraid/taphephobia.html

And finally, phobophobia. I have this feeling you already have an idea what this is: phobophobia is the excessive fear of acquiring a phobia. From the Web site itself: "When there's nothing left to fear but fear itself, this word is the perfect double whammy of the Greek word for fear."

http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/be-very-afraid/phobophobia.html

Got to go guys, need to secure that medical certificate. Have a great week ahead.

E = MC2

Nope, not Mariah's album. I was referring to Albert Einstein's formula. Did you know that today is his birthday (http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/physics/laureates/1921/einstein-bio.html)? Well, now you know. :-) So, in honor of the great Albert Einstein, let me post here some (fun) facts about him.

1. Einstein cared little for money. He once used a $1500.00 check as a bookmark and then lost the book. (Imagine how much that check is worth now, considering inflation.) 

2. Never learned how to drive a car. (But he loved riding his bike for scientific -- and I guess environmental? -- reason.)

3. After his death, his brain was weighed and found to be 1.5 kg (2.64 lb). It is now preserved in a glass jar in Wichita, KS. (Mine would probably be 1% of that mass.)

4. Awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921 (for his discovery of the Photoelectric Effect).

5. An element, Einsteinium, is named after him. (Hah! Beat that, Landon Carter!)

So, Happy Birthday, Dude!

PS: This is not photoshopped:

Enneacontakaihenagon

Let me just document the highlight of my day: I just found out that a polygon with 1,000 sides is called "chiliagon." (To which, I asked: E aanhin ko naman ang polygon na may 1,000 sides?)

And while I am at it aready, let me share with you that a polygon with 10,000 sides is called "myriagon"; and if it has 1,000,000 sides, it's "megagon." Now, here is the awesome part: the internal angle of a regular megagon (the polygon with a million sides) is 179.99964 degrees! Whoa! Note that a straight line has 180 degrees. Can you imagine that polygon/plane figure with an almost-straight-line interior angle? Galing no?
At this point, you are probably so ecstatic with the new knowledge I have imparted to you. Who wouldn't be?

Ladies and gentlemen, this is what happens when you try to write something even if the better part of you advises you otherwise.

PS: Enneacontakaihenagon is a polygon with 91 sides.

Who's your president? and other funny stories

The official campaign period for the 2010 elections started yesterday. Di ba kayo nagulat? Hehehe. Some of the candidates have already exceeded the number of hours allotted to them as per the Election Code. Don't you feel so sad that you are living in a country where Constitutional Commissions like the CHR and COMELEC appear weaker than agencies like MTRCB? :-)

Also about politics and elections

• Erap still maintains he did not commit any crime (after being "evicted" from the house and found guilty by the judicial branch);
• Noynoy now promises he will distribute Hacienda Luisita in 5 years (after saying he has minority share and that he can do nothing about the Luisita issue)
• Bongbong and Satur are under one ticket (saan ka pa?!)
• Jamby was seen yesterday checking the price of egg and GG (if you did not watch the Inquirer Presidential debate, I'm sure you can't relate to this)

Ang saya ng election. And I enjoy watching it on the sidelines instead of actually going to the polling precincts! (Sue me.)

How I wish Plato's Guardians and Philosopher-Kings are real.

Kampay!

Here's to alcohol: the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems!

(halata ba na tinatamad akong magsulat ng kahit ano? hehehe.)