Overslept

Dear Mouse, For the past days, I have been very sleepy. I might have been bitten by a sleeping-venom-carrying-bug. This morning, I overslept. Much as I want to write something about I read from one of my favorite sites, I do not have the time but I will when I get home tonight. I should get dressed and leave for workzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz The CAT

That's my CAT, that's my girl

Dear Mouse, Can you beat this? Cheeky cat steals show from Tigers NISHINOMIYA, Hyogo -- A baseball game between the Central League leading Hanshin Tigers and their arch rivals the Tokyo Giants was interrupted when a cat ran onto the field Wednesday night. In the fifth inning when the Tigers were batting, the cat abruptly appeared near their dugout and ran onto the ground at Hanshin Koshien Stadium here, officials said.The cat surprised fans at the packed stadium but soon disappeared after jumping into the Giants' dugout. . (Mainichi Shimbun, Japan, Aug. 28, 2003) ==================== Dear Mouse When I was a kid, I always hear from the adults... Oy bait bait niyan...susunod na yan sa sinasabi ko. Oy ganda ganda niyan, kukunin na niyan ang tsinelas ko.. That's my girl!!! that's my boy!!!! In the opposition's call for GMA to step down, Enrile made the same gesture of treating the President like a little girl urging her to step down and I quote. "I have a feeling that as an act of nobility on her part and to spare the nation of the pain inflicted by Edsa II, she would voluntarily step down. That is the test of her patriotism, nobility and love of country. If one thinks that this is a reverse psychology at work, excuse me while I clear my throat. Ano uto-uto? The CAT ========= Dear Mouse, In a research by Prathiba Shammi, a psychologist at the University of Toronto, and Donald Stuss, director of the Rotman Research Institute at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, an academic health-sciences center affiliated to the University of Toronto showed that the frontal region of the brain plays a critical role in higher cognitive functions such as humor and emotion. The frontal region of my brain must be bigger than the regular size that my forehead needed these cute little bangs to make it look less like a helipad. This is the reason why I find some politicians' statements funnier than the jokes I regularly get from my e-mails. Tatad: there was "a clamor in the streets and elsewhere that there should be regime change." He said this was the "only worthwhile objective of the opposition." Excuse me, while this Cat breaks into guffaws instead of the usual grin. What clamor ? What worthwhile objective ? Does he know how to count? It is only a matter of months and election is here. Can they not accept that their prophesy that the GMA regime is not going to last is far from getting into realization ? Damned this frontal lobe, it is making this CAT emotional...kaya mga kababayan...pagdating ng.. Tatad: He said it was "now clear to the public" that Joseph Estrada was the "real president." Did I miss something? What is clear to the public. arghhhhhhh Where has he been after the people dumped him ? He still lived in the past and his president is still Estrada. How come the Erap lovers sing the same tune ? The public he is referring to is the same public that snobbed the coup d'etat. The public he is referring to is tired of the grandstanding politicians abusing the freedom of expression and manipulating the media. GAlit na ako. Excuse me while I fix my bangs.Mousey, don't even try to humor me. The CAT

My Mouse

Dear Diary, I got two mice; one was a dot.com memorial that came with the pc's, desks and chairs from a corporation that breathed its last when no venture capitalists would want to throw more money to save it from dying from thirst due to lack of liquid cash. The other one is in my sanctum, sleeping the whole day and coming to life only after I have put away the dishes. The first mouse expired today. I tried to wake it up from deep slumber and no way it would move. I tried to apply resuscitation but it all did was to blink and freeze after a couple of minutes. Thank the virus alert these days, the help desk was ready for quick response for mayday. The IT guy-with-a-beautiful girl friend-responded by coming to the only cubicle-with-an-attitude at a short notice without the sop mail request for assesment-thru-problem-that you cannot understand-description. He brought a new mouse. Beautiful, brand new and with the light under.(cannot understand why it has to be at the belly. I gave him my old mouse with a heavy heart. I know, I must have contributed to its early demise. Lately, I have been using it to read some news about politics. I can feel its shock, I admit, it's overworked and must have fallen into depression by reading the negative world news. The CAT

Prayers

Dear GOd, A critical spirit is like a poison ivy-it only takes a little contact to spread the poison. Let me avoid empty chatter that may only bring insult and offense to someone. But can you allow me a little smile if I see somebody with hair that is colored green. It gives me the feeling of getting the shear and giving the person a nice hair cut. Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of the heart. Let me be the broom that can remove those cobwebs by making them laugh even to the extent of wearing a pair of shoes of different colors. Well, they are of same style, same name brand but just of different colors. The first was not intentional but elicited laughs. The second will be. Two things are hard on the heart-running upstairs and running down people. Please, Lord, do not allow the elevator to break down again. A minute of thought is worth more than an hour of talk. Please Lord, let her get tired of talking. She is back from vacation and the office is filled with her noise again. I need some focus in what I am doing. Is it bad to pray that she contract a sore throat even for two days, the most? The CAT Sounds of thunder and lightning. Okay, okay, I will just play Mozart in my computer or bring ear plugs.

Weirder news

Dear Mouse, As I have told you in the previous blog, you can find the weirder news in our Philippine Senate. The accuser, Lacson refused to name his principal witness for the Blue Ribbon committee investigation for the reason of security but the name of Eugenio Mahusay, a former messenger of the Arroyo and godchild of the couple was aired in a TV newscast to be the secret witness. Knock some sense to me Mousey, ploink toink coink. !@#$%^&. According to Inquirer, in a conference last Monday, Mahusay,positively witnessed Arroyo signing checks under the alias, Jose Pidal, sometimes in the presence of Victoria Toh, financial officer of the First Gentleman whose accounts were allegedly used to deposit parts of alleged 271-million-peso laundered funds from campaign contributions to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Holy smokes, holy cow, jumping jupiter... it is secret but there was already a press conference. I remember the time I stayed awake watching Clarissa Ocampo stood as a witness during the impeachment trial of Erap. She too was not identified not until she showed up in the Senate but there was no press conference. At the rate this investigation is going, some groups should hire a new script writer. Too shallow and predictable. In the world of scriptwriters, this plot has been used, the lines have been recycled. They should write Inspired by a true story. The moral lesson, is never allow anybody see you signing any documents that will incriminate you. But wait, hindi siya mahusay magtestify. One million to five miliion pesos daw pinawiwithdraw sa kaniya. I hope that after the signature was declared to be forged and the First Husband to have denied the accusation, I would not see him proudly boasting of admission in a public telecast. Baka masibak ko ang TV o maitapon ko sa labas. I, too mousey should not drink coffee while reading this "weird news". Kawawa naman ang keyboard. The CAT

WEIRD NEWs

Dear Mouse, For a change, I like you to read serious but weird news around the world. Credit the news title to the CAT. Hello, help my cell phone is on fire Associated Press Thursday, August 21, 2003 AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- A Dutch woman who dropped her cell phone suffered serious burns after it burst into flames when she tried to make a call, police said Thursday. The woman, who wasn't identified, turned the Nokia phone on after it had fallen and held it up to her ear. Reacting on Dutch television, a Nokia official said the fire was caused by the phone battery, which was not manufactured by Nokia. FRIED CHICKEN ANYONE? Henhouse fire smokes 7,800 chickens SUMOTO, Hyogo -- About 7,800 chickens were burned to death after a fire destroyed a henhouse here Saturday night, local police said.At around 9:15 p.m., a fire broke out in a warehouse in the premises of poultry farm in the Amashioyamachi district of Nandan, Hyogo Prefecture.Police are investigating the cause of the blaze. (Compiled from wire reports, Japan, Aug. 24, 2003) Terminator may become a CA governor but this robot is a an ambassador of goodwill and speaks Japanese 1.2m-tall talking robot named Asimo walked into the dining room at the city's Hrzansky Palace and shook hands with Japanese Premier Junichiro Koizumi and his Czech counterpart, Mr Vladimir Spidla, the BBC reported.Asimo said in Czech: 'I have arrived in the Czech Republic, where the word 'robot' was born, together with Prime Minister Koizumi as a Japanese envoy of goodwill.'It then performed a little jig to techno music before leaving the room, AP said.Asimo, the world's most advanced humanoid robot, can also speak Japanese and walk upstairs. It is made by Japanese company Honda.-Reuters Man lol to death in sleep Associated Press Thursday, August 21, 2003 BANGKOK, Thailand -- An ice-cream truck driver in Thailand died while laughing in his sleep, a newspaper reported Thursday. Damnoen Saen-um, 52, laughed for about two minutes on Wednesday and then stopped breathing, The Nation said, quoting officials. The newspaper said Damnoen's wife tried to wake him up but he kept laughing. An autopsy suggested that he might have had a heart attack. Weird, aren't they. wait'till you hear news on Philipiine politics. The CAT

Smile

Dear Mouse, Lesson number 5. Every one you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile. I read blogs of other women. I learn from their journals, their loves, their families and their jobs. Much as I want to discuss my work environment like they do, I feel that it is indecorous to present one sided view about people who I find blatantly show their dislike for Asian like me. I chose to be improper. I was going to the second level when the door of the elevator opened when I was a few feet away. I run in order not to miss another precious minutes waiting for it to come back. Inside, I met this director again. To break the ice and to know where the elevator is headed to, I asked him, UP ?. He looked at me. No words came out of his mouth. No body language to acknowledge my question. His eyes did not blink. I guessed he has not learned the lesson yet. This has always been the icy treatment. Whenever or wherever I meet him, he has this blank stare. I just thought that it is unbecoming conduct for a person in the organization where the spirit of diversity is promoted like a dogma. Was it because, I am in a department where documents are scrutinized to the minutest detail before they are approved for checkwriting. Naah.... He does not treat the non-Asian staff that way ? Was it because his skin was fairer than I am ? Naaah In my experience, a signature dress or suit and an equally expensive shoes and accessories do not a good manager make. I feel comforted however on the thought that I infected others with my smile. One person will not make a difference. Smile. the CAT

Hero

Dear Mouse, After 20 years, many people still do not realize why Aquino is considered a hero. Sad, sad, sad, indeed. We have defining moments in history that make us great and they are taken for granted especially by self- deprecating Filipinos who take a few individuals as representative of the race. People ruled by tyrants are reduced to silent suffering cowards and Filipinos were not exceptions. During the rule of Marcos, they chose to keep quiet. The era of fear made them looked the other way when human rights were violated. The unreported anomalies and crimes were interpreted to be non-existent. Good governance. huh It took one individual and his death to make Filipinos wake up from stupor. Why is Aquino a hero? It took one Superpower Nation to remove a despot from Iraq; it took one man to lead the nation to stand up and rise against the Filipino dictator. It took thousands of death to "liberate Iraq; it took a yellow ribbon to unite the Filipino people to drive the tyrant out of the country. Kim Jong II of Korea ruled in 46 years killing hundred thousands of people . The tyrant rule was passed on to the son. If Saddam was not removed, he would pass on the rule to Udday, his evil son. If Marcos was not removed, the power could have been passed on to god knows who. The abusive media people can never call their President pandak, a lieutenant can never call his President, arrogant. They would not know what their destinies will become. Mao ruled China unopposed. People were required to chant his name and put his picture in a shrine in their homes. He died. No brave Chinese dared remove him. The ignorant juveniles of today think that being a hero is having a hulk body and is able to leap in tall buildings or fight computer generated villains. The CAT P.s. In a democracy, when people change their minds about their leaders, they resort to recall or impeachment. In the Philippines, they impeached an actor and replaced him with a former academician as the President. In Califormia, they recall the governor and may change him with an actor. Dear Cat, I will be back. The Mouse

Lessons

Dear Mouse, For GMA 1. One should keep his words soft and tender for tomorrow he may eat them. The President is noted for her temper and frankness. She has no qualms about speaking out her mind against a person who caused her annoyance. During an official dinner at Calapan, Oriental Mindoro, she approached the table of the media where Tina Panganiban-Perez of GMA 7 who recently interviewed "inaccessible" Senator Gringo Honasan was seated. She informed her that the interview was conducted before the state of rebellion was lifted and, therefore, constituted "abetting rebellion". Several days and several critics after, Gloria Arroyo attempted to make up by tendering a dinner for the media at Malacañang, with three red roses for Tina Panganiban-Perez. 2. We cannot choose how to feel but we can choose what to do about it. It is understandable for a lady President to get hurt especially if she is working hard for the country that is in political turmoil but whatever she did would always be interpreted as infringement of the freedom of the press. Ex-President did worse in order to punish unfriendly media people. He made the purchase of the hardhitting Manila TImes by his buddy Jimenez possible to assure that the newspaper would only carry news and opinions favorable to him. He tried to bankrupt the Philippine Daily Inquirer by urging the advertisers to boycott the newspapers. 3. that the Lord did not do it in one day What made the rogue soldiers expect change in 24 hours ? 4. That no one is perfect, until you fall in love and fall in love and fall in love in search for a perfect partner The CAT Dear CAT, NO one is perfect until you fall in love and fall out of love when you find him not perfect at all. The Mouse Dear Mouse, One of the lessons is to give advice only in two circumstances; one is when asked and the other is when it is life threatening. I will give you a hint. Number 2. RUN. The CAT

You got mail

Dear Mouse, It is said that a man is known by the company he keeps but this "social scientist " judged a man by the e-mails he sends, how fast he replies to the e-mails and how he participates in a discussion forum. Using the pattern of acitivities without reading the messages, this said social scientist who is actually a techie trying to probe the human side of technology arrived at the following observations: 1. People who post multiple replies on every discussion thread tend to be the arguers, the nitpickers. If I may add, these are the people who believe that they can change a person's principle or belief by their kilometric replies or copied articles of "authorities" on a subject matter. Some of them have egos as big as the Titanic but with an intelligence quotient equivalent to a geriatric 's ebbing vital signs. 2. Those who post just one reply -- especially if that reply ends the thread -- tend to be the expert problem solvers. 3. Someone who wants to know how to configure a printer would probably choose a group with a track record of quick answers 4. Someone looking for entertainment might choose a group whose history is riddled with flame wars, or online arguments. 5. Someone who does not reply e-mails quickly may claim he is busy The study on the rhythmn of responding to e-mails was conducted in a workplace environment specifically interoffice mail when one communicates with the man in the next cubicle without having to open his mouth or dial a number. Therefore the finding is limited. He could postulate that a man who does not reply quickly may not have a ready answer to address the issues sent to him for resolution. Either he does not know the meaning of the flag indicating HIGH IMPORTANCE or he simply misses the point of acknowledging the mail with a short reply of of i will look into it or a simple, don't know. I am criticized in the office why I am fond of sending e-mail insted of calling the person for quick response. Having been trained in a profession where documentation is always important, I like my instruction or my inquiry in black and white.The call comes next with the sound of aol icon, You got mail. There are jerks who simply become amnesiac when responsibility and accountability are the words of the day. The CAT Dear CAT, How come you do not reply to your e-mails? The Mouse Dear Mouse, Some of my e-mails are just for read-only-types and the senders are appreciated. The spam mails are reported and deleted. There are mails that need postage stamps. Mental note, I need stamps. hehehe The CAT

More Angel Stories?

Dear Mouse, The dream made me take a trip to the past. Regression uncovers memories that were "archived" in the innermost part of the brain. I may be 12 or older. My mom allowed me to go with my classmate who was also our neighbor to spend the Holy Week in their hometown in Arayat, Pampanga. We stayed in her cousin's house. I found her cousin a little flirtatious. She would tell her parents that she would bring us around when actually she would leave us in some places and hang out with some guys.One time she did not come at the time she promised she was going to pick us up. It was already dark and my classmate and I became afraid that she would not show up. We started walking home by trying a short cut. It was a narrow road that was surrounded by tall wild grass. We did not know where it would lead to but we kept on walking. At the end of the road was a big tree. Under the three was a papag where three or four half naked evil-looking men were drinking local wines. My classmate screamed and run back to where we came from. I froze and just stood there while one of the men approached me with an evil grin. As he was about to grab me, a lady appeared ( i do not know from where, I was just scared. )She asked them to let go of me. The man stopped and I run without looking back. We managed to go home thru the help of the cousin's neighbor.The scoldings of the parents' cousin did not abate the hatred I felt for her. I could not sleep. The images of the four men kept coming to my mind. I was wondering what happened to the lady. The next morning, I was waiting for a news about a lady being raped or killed when my classmate told me that we were cutting short our vacation. I never told the incident to my family but I never spoke to my classmate's cousin again even when I saw her in the neighborhood for a family visit. As to the lady, even if she were a mortal, she was still my angel at that time i needed somebody's help. The CAT

WEIRD DREAM

Dear Mouse, This afternoon, I fell asleep in the couch while watching an old movie in the DVD. What was weird was my dream. I was seated in a car and a strange woman was driving. She missed a left turn and the car fell in a ravine. I was aware all the time when the car was up in the air until it finally landed at the bottom with the front hitting the surface first. I told the woman not to speak. I would like to know if I were alive or dead. The woman smiled. She asked me to look up at the roof of the car. The first thing I saw were two small feet, then a white dress, a pair of pale blue colored wings and a beautiful doll-like face. An angel. The woman told me that my angel saved me. Then the strange woman disappeared. Several years ago, the actual accident happened. I was on my way to school and I had to pick up my classmate who had the class reports. Fascinated by a structure on top of a hill near my friend's residence, I asked the family driver to allow me drive the car. At first, he hesitated then he obliged and switched seats with me as I anxiously stepped on the gas driving up the hill. Acting like a jerk backseat driver, he nervously asked me to make a left turn in a u-shaped corner since it was dead end ahead. I made a left turn and missed to make another left to negotiate the U-shaped corner... and I drove all the way down the ravine. The car stalled in the air momentarily, must be my sudden step on the brake....then it landed not at the bottom but at some branches of the tree. Our rescuer jestingly told me that he was naming the tree after me. To cut the story short, the car was dangling and the driver could not get out of the jammed door by his side. I was too afraid to move, lest the car would fall off the tree. The impact was too strong...was it ? that men came running to help us. The rescuers had to extricate us from the car and let the car fell in order to bring it down from the tree. Was the message of the dream to remind me that an angel saved me from the accident ? The rescuers told me that it was highly improbable that those small branches can hold a car with two passengers. I cannot exactly remember when this happened but I know it was somewhere in August. I do remember however, that the book, I brought to the bathroom to read this morning while leisurely taking a dip in the bath tub was about Angels. After reading one story, I dozed off with a question in my mind, are angels real? The CAT

Eight Vans for your FYI

Dear Mouse, It did not only disturb me, it pissed me off no end reading Trillanes' responses that are insulting even to ordinary Filipinos who know how to count without the aid of a calculator. Eight luxury cars, each with a value of more than millions of pesos for rent a car business. heh I am disappointed to observe that the man they claimed to be brilliant does not make sense in trying to ward off incriminating questions. 1. He claimed that he was just the Treasurer of the research firm but his investment exposure to the business is merely PhP 12,500. Why would a corporation designate the treasury function to a stockholder whose exposure risk is very minimal/ 2. He said he resigned from being treasurer because he could not work full time. Baloney..big one. The position of the Treasurer in a board of newly incorporated firm does not tie down the Treasurer to a 9-5 desk job. The most that he will do is to sit in a board meeting and discuss the financial strategy of the corporation. Baka naman cashier ang ibig niyang sabihin? 3. when he was asked about the FYI offer of survey to Reyes, he claimed he knew nothing about that because he is only in charge of research design. holy cow browncow.. my mouse. He gave up the position of the Treasurer because he could not afford to work full time. Research design, my dear four footed friend is more time and effort demanding. 4. About the vans a. he said that the vans belong to his mother who bought the vans from FYI thru the loans that she borrowed in year 2000. The FYI research firm was incorporated in July 2002. The mother must have foresight to borrow money in 2000 put the money in the bank, paid the interest and waited for the incorporation of the FYI in 2002 ; for the vans to be bought ? and later on made available for sale, underutilized. b. why do they need eight luxury vans for a research start up business? It is not a car rental business. A research business proposal quotes a fixed sum for a contract plus plus out of pocket costs. These are inclusive of transportation costs that will be needed to distribute questionnaire. The luxury vans, if originally owned by the FYI, must have been valued for investment purposes. They could not have been bought from the revenues of the research firm not unless, they already generated millions in revenues in the their first year of operation. If the eight vans are owned by the FYI, then they are assets of the firm. The FYI therefore has millions for initial paid up-capital. How many investors are there?. How come the stockholders allowed the mother of Trillanes only to buy the vans. How many vans do the firm own that with the sale of eight vans, how many still remained that can be used in the operation of the business ? If the FYI business is not making money, it is because, it is not meant to earn but to give these people alibi for their unexplained wealth. The CAT

Gambala

Dear Mouse, Gambala in English means disturb. Gambala is also the name of the Army Captain who was among the soldiers accused of plotting against the government. Use disturb in a sentence. Captain Gambala's responses to the queries by the Senator during the investigation of the coup disturbed me. Use Gambala in a sentence. Ang aking pag-iisip ay nagagambala sa mga sagot ni Gambala na nagpapakita ng kababawan sa mga sagutan sa mga katanungan. Parang hindi kapapanipaniwala at parang sagot ng bata. Question: Why did you check in at Oakwood in July 24 Answer: I was being hunted by "authorities". Question: Why chose Oakwood? Answer: Because it is a luxury apartment and the military intelligence does not have the money to book at the high end luxury high rise. Mousey, methinks the miliitary inteliigence would not scrimp in its budget if it is the security of the nation that is at stake. Question: and you have the money? Answer: I have a personal savings of 700,000. I was assigned in Mindanao for eight years and I did not spend my salaries. Mousey, can you believe that ? He did not spend a single cent from his salaries. Question: Why chose a five star hotel? Answer: I think that is the best for me. Mousey. For a soldier who was assigned in the mountains of Mindanao, he has expensive taste. Question: Why not Shangrila then ? Answer: I prefer Oakwood. Mousey, Eh gusto niya Oakwood eh. May reklamo ? The CAT Dear CAT, Color his hair blonde. The Mouse

Legally blonde CAT

Dear Mouse, I was watching or was I really watching a TV series where the case was about a rapist. The victims were not photographed nor were identified with their real names. I stole a glance at the TV while busy browsing in the internet when I saw a scene where the victims got to meet each other introduced themselves, I am ...Doe, as the oldest among the victims reached the hands of the other ladies.The second lady said, I am ...Doe and the next, I am ...Doe. Ow, I thought at first they were related. Goshhh, the whole Doe girls victimized but how come they need introduction to each other . Ploink ploink ploink..that is the sound of my head hitting the back of chair. The Cat did not realize that the Does are for aliases for people with unknown identities. Doe a deer a female...hhhhhhhmmm Do not push your luck, mouse, I saw the snickers. The CAT Dear CAT, It is not a snicker, I am just burping. Too much acid. BTW, who trim your bangs ? People I know observe their intelligence level drops when they cut their hair. Samson lost his strength, you know. The Mouse Dear Mouse, Do you remember the song where one line says, the farmer's wife cut off their tails with the carving knife. The CAT

DARN CAT

Dear Mouse, I sure like to hunt this cat. It is a shame for the catdom. Cat plunders neighborhood during frequent nighttime raids Wednesday, July 23, 2003 (07-23) 14:25 PDT SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) -- A cat burglar's booty is being hoarded in a Ventura County home. A marauding feline named Midnight -- now dubbed Klepto Cat -- has been sneaking off in the dark to raid neighbor homes, garages, sheds and patios, bringing home shoes, hats, shirts, socks, panties and even a wrapped Christmas present. Klepto must be transforming into human during the night that it needed these personal stuffs. It's stressful for pet owners Richard and Sue Boyd. "We get so embarrassed by this," Sue Boyd said. "We wake up in the morning and go out and there's stuff under the truck. The cat leaves things all over. We don't want these things." "He's a klepto cat," her husband said. Each day, Midnight's owners leave a bag with the purloined goods hanging from their mailbox so neighbors can reclaim missing items. It is unclear why Midnight prefers wearables. I wonder what is its size and brand preference ? Gary Sampson, an Indianapolis-based veterinarian who specializes in cat behavior, said the 13-year-old cat is probably drawn to body odors. "He's obviously a hunter," Sampson said. "He's doing this at night. This is when they can get prey. It's just an extension of that." Midnight wasn't always a property plunderer, Boyd said. Like other felines, he came home with birds and rodents. But that changed several years ago when the family brought a Doberman pinscher into the family. "It's possible that this made the cat not want to be home as much. That's why matching pets is such an important issue," said Deena Case-Pall, a Camarillo-based psychologist who specializes in animal behavior. Like sibling and friends rivalry ? Neighbor Jerome Richard has another theory: It may be the legacy of a neighborhood cat named Squiggy that occasionally lifted personal items from homes. "I wondered when Squiggy died a few years ago if maybe he left his spirit and Midnight got a hold of it," said Ricard, who keeps his garage locked tight to deter the marauder. A case of possessed cat? hehehe Police Sgt. Paul Fitzpatrick said there isn't anything the police could do about Midnight's crimes, except refer the complaint to animal control. The Boyds tried locking Midnight up at night, but it didn't work. Case-Pall suggested one of the obsessive-compulsive medications allowed for cats. Does Cat suffer dementia too? BTW, mouse what is the date today ? The CAT

Plutocracy eerm I mean lottocracy

Dear Mouse, Plutocracy means government by the wealthy or controlled by the wealthy people. Lottocracy is my made up word for the system adopted for California voting for the 250 candidates for the gubernatorial position. Sa letrang A, Ahnolddd. My friend's mother thought that it is similar to her favorite game, bingo where one draws numbers until one shouts out loud...BINGO. Sa Letrang O , kalbo. hehehe The CAT is confused by this recall movement and the concept of democracy. What I know is my lotto ticket did not win. The CAT

Full Moon

Dear Mouse, It is full moon today. When I was a kid, I thought that the moon kept following me. So did my friend. So we tried to prove if it is true. One full moonlit night, we agreed to meet in a place while watching the moon followed us. We arrived at a conclusion. There were two moons, one was following her and the other was following me. We missed the part when they merged to be one. Away in a camp, our favorite activity before hitting the sack in the tent was ghost and aswang stories. A manananggal was said to be an aswang that fly with just the upper torso leaving behind the lower part during full moon. I am retiring early tonight. I may look for a place where I can park mine. The lunacy starts now. The CAT

SOME NEWSBITS

Dear Mouse, 1. Somehow I suspect that there is something in the air that caused blogger's block. My favorite bloggers either said goodbye for now or have found new loves that they stopped chronicling their whines about the love of their life. Moi also failed to update this blog. Am busy...reading $%^&* news. 2. Something bothered me last Friday that I called it FREAKY FRIDAY; 1. the overhead light in my desk cannot decide whether it will join the busted bulbs in the special trash bins or it would keep its post. The maintenance department asked me if I am absorbing the energy from the bulb. They have already replaced the bulbs more than three times than those others' fluorescent bulbs. They checked the lighting system and there was nothing wrong with it. Weirdo. 2. I went to the vending machine and waited for two office associates to get their sodas. Each one inserted a dollar bill and promptly got their quarter change. I inserted a dollar bill, got my soda and missed the quarter. I pushed the return coins several times and still no quarter. Why me? Thief. 3. I got by the store to buy my favorite Magnolia ice cream. On my way to the big freezer, I tripped and brought two or three "sarsa ng lechon bottles" crashing down to the concrete floor. The cashier/owner ran to the scene of the "accident" to assess the damage. The bottles were not broken. He looked at me and asked, how did you do it. Hmmm why ask me ? freaky. 4. Checked the receipt issued to me, dated Friday, August 3. It was August 8. Was that 3 or 8. It seems three to me. Blind mouse. and now going back to the news mouse.... Shortage of monkey Associated Press: BOSTON -- A nationwide shortage of rhesus macaque monkeys is hampering efforts to create cures from new information such as the human genome sequence, organ transplant techniques, and the use of stem cells to replace diseased of damaged tissue, scientists say. I say, they can find some of them in the Philippine Senate. oopsie..mean, mean, mean me. 2. 130 candidates for governor SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Aug. 10) - California's gubernatorial recall election is set to become the year's ultimate political reality show. With Democratic Gov. Gray Davis fighting for his job, at least 150 potential replacement candidates will angle for attention as party leaders search for strategies in an election with no historical precedent. Voters have less than two months to decide if they should bounce the chief executive of the nation's most populous state and, if so, who should replace him. Among their choices: actor Arnold Schwarzenegger; Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt; political commentator Arianna Huffington; comedian Donald A. Novello, who created the chain-smoking Father Guido Sarducci character; and Angelyne, a buxom actress and model who has posted billboards with her likeness around Los Angeles for years. whoeversez dat it is onli in the pilipins where you will find array of personalities running for elective positions should have their lips injected with botox. The CAT

The Value

From my brod's email and the Cat's pun To realize The value of a sister: Ask someone Who doesn't have one. To realize The value of ten years: Ask a newly Divorced couple. To realize The value of four years: Ask a graduate. To realize The value of one year: Ask a student who Has failed a final exam. To realize The value of nine months: Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born. To realize The value of one month: Ask a mother who has given birth to A premature baby. To realize The value of one week: Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper. To realize The value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. To realize The value of one minute: Ask a person Who has missed the train, bus or plane. To realize The value of one second: Ask a person Who has survived an accident. To realize The value of one millisecond: Ask the person Who has won a silver medal in the Olympics. Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have. You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special. To realize the value of a friend: Lose one. Dear Mouse, A. the value of a sister: Those who have no sister will miss the fun: 1. of giving her dolls a bath and watch her run to the mom to make "sumbong" 2. putting a spider in her school bag and watch her scream like Jamie Lee Curtis in the Friday the 13th. 3. make an imaginary line in the shared study desk and warn her not to cross over or else 4. knock at the bathroom's door, the moment she gets inside 5. use a flashlight and a white blanket to scare her during power outage. and many more... B.To realize The value of one hour: Ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. and did not see each other because the watch was low bat. C.To realize The value of one minute: Ask a person Who has missed the train, bus or plane. because he woke up late as always, the car broke down, the mom was reminding about the groceries, etc. and realized that he left his wallet. The CAT

Games they play 2

Conclusions 2. There are several forms of corruption being practiced. These are; lagay, negotiated canvass, rigged bidding, "ghost delivery", overpricing, tong, substitution and under delivery. 3. The main reason why corruption is being resorted to is to expedite the processing of documents. Also, the corruptive behavior is not initiated by the dealer nor the procurement official instead, the practice had become a routine that both parties readily and mutually agree on the terms. 4. All offices involved in the procurement system had corruption incidences. However, some offices were perceived to be more corrupt than the others. Ironically, the COA, which is supposed to be the watchdog of the government against corruption, got a 100% response in corruption perception. RECOMMENDATIONS There are only two practical recommendations that can be formulated as a result of this study. First, is for the PN to strictly adhere to the merit system of promotion and selection of officers to be designated as commanders of its different units. The primary criteria for qualification should be an officer who possesses moral integrity, technical competence and vision to effectively formulate reforms and, more importantly, he should also have the political will to implement these reforms. The other recommendation is to limit the boundary exchange processes to the front line levels only so as to totally insulate the other offices. Thus, these offices can perform their review and inspection functions with a more independent and dispassionate perspective. Dear Mouse, The Cat finds the recommendation wanting from real solution to the problem identified. The corruption was observed to be initiated not by the officers alone but also the dealers. It takes two tango and the ballroom is wide. However the recommendation for improvement of the merit system of promotion is making too much assumption that an officer who might have been morally upright before joining the unit would not succumb to the temptation and peer or superior's pressure. The Cat does not find recommendation directed to other two variables, the dealers and the system. It has been mentioned in the study, that corruption has become a standard operating procedure that whoever is placed in the position has to follow certain unwritten rules and procedures that have been going on even before the current administration. The CAT Dear Cat, Even without the study, it is already of public knowledge that there is corruption. The study merely put it in black and white. The Mouse Dear Mouse, You are beginning to become smart ? Do you drink Coke? The CAT Dear Cat, NO, I drink left over coffee from the coffee shop. Is this supposed to mean that there is no more hope, that these young officers resorted to coup d'etat ? The Mouse Dear Mouse, Now you are not smart. The corruption in the military is an internal problem. The people cannot identify with that. There are more high profile corruptions that need to be addressed to. This what makes their mutiny being suspected to be supported by people who will benefit from the putsch. There are a lot of them. They used these idealistic young officers as pawns to capture the queen. The government is playing chess by sacrificng the Rook. The Senate is playing a simple game puzzle while Oreta needs to play the scrabble to find the right word so she will not appear dumb. Could it be that the whistleblowers are playing the Price is right while Honasan is playing a Cat and Mouse or hide and seek ? anybody wants to play the Battle of the Brains? The CAT

Games they play

Dear Mouse, When we were young, chess was the favorite game in the house. The dishwasher-for-the-week was usually the loser in a series of three games that usually lasted for hours. The Games of General was played too. I did not understand what was the game about, how to play, win and score. However, I found the board useful when I play my jackstones.They provided smooth surface over the wooden floor slats. Scrabble was also a favorite especially during power-less typhoon days, when there was nothing to watch and soaking in the rain was no longer an attractive activity for the boys in the family who had grown ugly hairs in their legs. Trillanes papers dealt with the Games of the Generals. This time, I have an inkling of what was the game about. Here are his conclusions and recommendations. Sorry, Mousey, if I am going to dissect this part of the study. It brought me back memories when I was at the mercy of my professors who found uncanny enjoyment of shredding a thesis into a useless-recyclable unworthy piece of paper- to think that you had agonizingly prepared it in between your games with the corporate- execs- acting like- generals sans -the medal-decorated uniforms---- and the lose-lose games of the heart. Trillanes paper CONCLUSIONS Based on the data gathered, the following are the conclusions: 1. There is corruption in the Philippine Navy procurement system. However, the levels of corruption of the different units of the PN varied and are dependent on the corruptive or non-corruptive behavior of their respective Commanders. The study is about perceptions of corruptions. The respondents were the dealers. The study should have been delimited to Corruptions in the Philippine Navy Procurement as Perceived by the Dealers. According to the study, there were more than a thousand dealers. The sample size is only thirty. Purposive sampling solved the problem of the percentage of the respondents to the total population. The question is, is the sample size big enough to make the conclusions valid ? If my professor could read this now, he would be proud of me-But then he could tell me to have originality. His was already copyrighted. I suspect that if he has a book about grilling a thesis writer, this kind of questions will be categorized under FAQs. To be continued--

Coke is it ?

Dear Mouse, Some friends chose coke because of its many uses. 1.You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days. CAT:the coke may take one day to make it disappear. My friends can do it in a matter of hours. 2.To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china. CAT: Now I know how to empty the can or the bottle with left over coke and save clorox at the same time. Funny, they start with C as in corrosion. 3.To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola. Cat: The people with rusty memory ought to drink coke too ? 4.To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion. Cat: The people with corroded conscience like the corrupt politicians should be bathed in a tub of COKE. 5.To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes. CAT: TO loosen nuts of stubborn people, a cloth soaked with Coca Cola should be spread to the head. 7. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield. CAT: No amount of Coke will cleanse the greasy stains in the personalities of corrupt politicians. The Cat Dear CAT, Burpppp The Mouse

Coke or water

Dear Mouse, I decided to feature this e-mail of my brother for information dissemination. I am coke drinker but not necessarily an addict to the cola if it precludes the symptoms or feeling thirsty in the middle of a cold night while rummaging the fridge for a midnight snack. What about you, mousey ? Coke or water ? If you've got a bottle of coke or Pepsi on you desk right now, read this- You choose - Water or coke? The water part is interesting but wait till you get to the Coke part. We all know that water is important, but I've never seen it written down like this before. ::: WATER ::: 1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to halfworld population.) 2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often mistaken for hunger. 3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%. 4. One glass of water will shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost100% of the dieters studied in a U-Washington study. 5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue. 6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers. 7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page. 8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%, and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer. (P.S. Most people don't know this, but if your mouth is dry or you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated.) Are you drinking the amount of water you should every day?" ::: COKE ::: 1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident. 2.You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of coke and it will be gone in two days. 3.To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china. 4.To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola. 5.To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion. 6.To loosen a rusted bolt: Applying a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes. 7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before the ham is finished,remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy. 8.To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of coke into a load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield. ::: For Your Info ::: 1. The active ingredient in Coke is phosphoric acid. Its pH is 2.8. It will dissolve a nail in about 4 days. Phosphoric acid also leaches calcium from bones and is a major contributor to the rising increase in osteoporosis. 2.To carry Coca-Cola syrup (the concentrate) the commercial truck must use the Hazardous material place cards reserved for Highly corrosive materials. 3.The distributors of coke have been using it to clean the engines of their trucks for about 20 years! Now the question is, would you like a glass of water or coke? [P.S. Coke & Pepsi (and other colas and dark pops) have the same ingredient, phosphoric acid.] The Cat