The Curious Case of Automated Fraud

Never have I imagined that the recent election would be epic, historic and the constant subject of debate in my conversations. The hype seemed ecstatic and was everywhere, from rubber ballers to catchy political songs to a leaked mental disorder form, etc. The list could go on and on.

It all started when former President of the Philippines Cory Aquino passed away from cancer which led the country asking if her son Noynoy would pursue presidential candidacy. I never tuned in for the latest news regarding politics before but this was news that was making its place in history as days passed by. People waited in deep breaths on Noynoy’s decision which caused quite the popularity he was never given before being a brother to famous TV personality Kris Aquino.

The announcement was officially made and the color yellow was everywhere. Even former Presidential candidate Mar Roxas stepped down to run instead for Vice Presidency in favor for his fellow Atenista.

The country was divided in choice for the next leader but united in hopes and dreams for a better Philippines. The surveys were up, the frenzy was crazy and people couldn’t wait for the 10th of May to arrive.

One of the great things about this election though are not only the smart and eligible candidates, the youth speaking out but also the innovation of an automated election through Smartmatic machines. It was easier, safer and arguably more efficient than the usual type of voting people were used to since the country elected its public officials. It caused a debate though as it, people claimed, was easier to manipulate the votes through computer hacking. The makers of Smartmatic rejects those allegations insuring that it was safe as simply put by the president of Smartmatic—shade, open, close and transmit. Voila! Now go get that thumb inked.

Cool right?

But the heat turned up to the highest degree when the winners were announced. Noynoy Aquino became President with Jejomar Binay with his side as Vice President. It would turn out to be one of the most peaceful elections ever with losing candidates conceding but some were not contented with the result. They demanded recount and accused Smartmatic of manipulating votes. They also claim of being cheated without proof.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) started gathering evidence for the investigation while the Nationl Bureau of Investigation (NBI) addressed the complaints with their own investigation bringing in people from Smartmatic for questioning and checking the tampered memory cards.

Apparently, The Commission of Elections (Comelec) are looking into the source of yet another tape scandal called “Hello, Nico” allegedly between Interior and Local Government Sectary Ronaldo Puno and Comelec Commissioner Nicodemo Ferrer discussin poll fraud.

Even though the amount to purchase the PCOS machines—7 Billion Pesos—the government has leased them after the 2010 election, it is still looking forward to using it this upcoming 2013 election. But Smartmatic might not be paid in full regarding the circumstances.

The Thai Sauce Wars

Unexpectedly, I took a bite into a subject I hardly touch which is politics but then I took the necessary chewing and then swallowed into the delicious scandal of the civil war in Thailand.

Let me enlighten you, Thailand is on the brink of a civil war due to the ousting of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006 who was appointed by Thailand’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The country then divided into colors you might familiarly find in cheeseburgers: Ketchup(Red) and Mustard(Yellow).

The Red wearing population rallied and caused enormous damages across Bangkok in protest to the ousting of Shinawatra in terms of corruption and absentia while traveling abroad in favor of the Thai King’s elected Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva which the red protesters claimed unjust and a biased decision from the royal leader which led to almost two dozen deaths according to CNN.com when the military was needed. But that whirlwind decision was supported by the pro-government Yellow wearing patriots who counterclaim that Shinawatra’s win in the election was fraud.

According to CNN.com this is a classic case of power struggle between the rich and poor. Apparently, Thaksin became a threat to the bourgeois class when he enacted populist policies which was popularly supported by the rural class that led to concerned billionaires who were afraid to be cast away in their position. The army, supported by the sour billionaire mustards successfully ousted Shinawatra.

Even though the taste of ketchup and mustard compete in flavor it still doesn’t seem to wane the interest of tourists to visit the beautiful country filled with legendary tourist spots, cuisine and a very rich culture. However divided the country maybe in terms of politics, the tourism is booming especially after the disastrous Tsunami six years ago. The smell of Thailand is definitely worth the bite which will remain indigested in memory and experience.

First Video Posting(How Epic)

My first attempt to post a video. I know right, LOSER.

Eenie Meenie: Devon or Tricia?

It wasn't even the full show itself but the previews already made Tricia Santos of Pinoy Big Brother Teen Clash 2010 a trending topic not only to major websites but also through conversations and text messages. She won more fans due to the lack of Villa housemates and an incomplete set of Apartment housemates who made a decision on which party to attend, hers or Devon's.

Personally, I would've picked Tricia's soiree because ever since from the start of the show I never despised her. I never really got the hatred the other housemates felt because I understood Tricia to the bone. There were times when she was a bit annoying but she worked those negative comments about her but the other housemates could not be impressed or contented.

Poor Tricia Santos was a human target.

The viewers of the show however were feeling the exact opposite as been proven through her weekly votes rank and that party episode would no doubt increase public adoration.

That particular episode really hit me because I could relate to Tricia. She was being ganged up on, stabbed behind her back and been shown cruelty in public. Yes, I have been through all that. It's safe to say that I didn't have the perfect childhood where everybody from school to the neighborhood bullied me throughout those years, even still today.

I know how she feels where you don't know who to trust and you have no one to talk to about the torment but Tricia is luckier than me because she has supportive parents. Not that I don't have supportive parents because they are but they just weren't there always as they are abroad working. But I got through it without nobody holding my hand or making me feel good about myself because I'm a fighter which obviously Tricia also is too.

Watching her sob listening to the fun that was happening at the next house made me even hate the Filipino housemates even more because that was what exactly the Pinoy youth is, a team. I had a hard time fitting in(until today) because everybody ganged up on me like the housemates did. They were influenced by other housemates and made little things bigger by talking about it as a group. It's very dysfunctional and cruel and the worst part is they are being watched by millions of people. The least they could do is to show some respect to each other and lay off the back stabbing on national television.

That episode should be a lesson to everyone especially the teens that it is not okay to gang up on others, to give others a chance to prove themselves that they are not what they seem and try to understand and be open minded because nobody deserves to be treated like an outsider or they don't belong.

I'm sure Tricia is a strong girl and that she can still change what others are bothered of because she's young. She deserves my vote and I'm sure yours too.

Ahoy, There Matey!

Sun. Yachts. Fedora hats. Stripes. Celebrities. And Coco Chanel.

Those are a few words to how I would describe my dream destination Saint Tropez next to Paris, j'adore! Though I may not know exactly where it's located but a short trip to my online encyclopedia, Google.com, and I know not only its location on the map but also it's land mass, population and language!

But none of those really matter because all I know is that pretty soon I am flying there jet setting with the elite in Madamoiselle Coco Chanel's signature sailor stripe shirt, white shorts that end above the knee and their famous leathor goods pride, Rondini sandals.

I maybe dreaming out loud but you know what they say, if you're gonna dream might as well dream big, right?

A Divided World: The Battle Of Beauty and Personality

It was one of those lazy afternoons where I would get up from bed late and then surf the internet while listening to newly downloaded music when I got bored from the cycle and decided to shut the computer down and just stare outside the window when all of a sudden I turn around and there they were. My two heroes who saved me from boredom, my gay neighbor friend and his boyfriend. I was so shocked and very taken by the scenery that was just a feet away from me that I had to hide behind the curtain and took a satisfactory peek.

There were hundreds of things that ran into my mind during that brief secret encounter--how silly of me to be snooping on such a socially controversial relationship, the things I would gossip to our mutual friend, the looks of the boyfriend, the looks of my friend, etc, etc.

What struck me the most is that how could my friend bag someone so out of his league in the looks department? Not that the boyfriend was a looker himself but he somehow had this physical appeal a little bit. He was fair skinned, had a good skinny build and dressed well while my friend whom I have known since childhood was UGLY. I'm not being mean just honest. It's not like everyone doesn't agree with me because all our friends thinks he is and that he smells and doesn't have good hygiene or has one for that matter. Trust me, when you see my friend you wouldn't think I'm being mean and bitchy at all, you would totally sympathize on the fact that I even had a friend like that. Okay, now that's mean and I'm sorry but I just couldn't get over the fact a walking garbage could attract an average looking Sam Concepcion.

It's been quite a cliche really, beautiful people dating ugly ones but every time we saw a weird combination we can't help but ask what was the blessed one thinking and what was with that disaster? The popular answer would be, the personality. Ah, personality. It can take you a long way that not even beauty or money can trump. It's how the unfortunate looking ones made it and it's tried and tested. You can be wearing some crazy Lady Gaga outfit in a room but you will never ever stand out without the personality. Kind of ironic and it makes you think that God DID make everyone equal. The ugly people get the personality, most of the time. I'm not saying it's always the case but in most scenarios it is a fact. I wouldn't have to worry though, I have both. KIDDING! Don't raise that eyebrow on me. 'Kay fine, go ahead.

But that sneaking around behind the curtains was a big thing for me though 'coz it made me ask myself where I belong. Beauty or personality?

The hell with personality I'm crossing my fingers for beauty.

Bitches On High Horses

On an episode of Gossip Girl, which I religiously watch, Dan Humphrey described everyones secret alter ego Blair Waldorf as 'oozing with girly evil' which I thought was genius 'coz it was then that I realized that Saddam Hussein evil is different from a high school brat princess evil. In fact, it's even scarier than a plane crashing on a building scarring everyone who survived the 'attack'.

Like what they always say-high school never ends, it just follows you everywhere you go and for now, its following me throughout my college existence. I really got over this whole cat fight set up which I was used to in elementary through high school but this is college and everything is bigger. That means that the mean girls' devil tiara got more sharp and pointy it could stick an eye out. They are among us, my friend. It could be someone famous in campus, your classmate or even worse, your friend.

You see, I have this friend who everyone hates because of her inability to keep secrets, amazing skills on disseminating whats locked in Pandora's box and believable storytelling. Yeah, this girl is very talented in terms of the 'girl world' as Cady Heron of Mean Girls would call it. She was spreading nasty rumors of our friend which eventually reached my vulnerable friend.

My friend who was now the subject of every gossip got fed up so she took the revenge scheme to Facebook and boy, did the lie blabber got what she deserved. NOT! Okay, at first I thought that what my friend did, creating a hate page with unflattering pictures and alleged narcissistic status updates, was very funny and clever until I introduced my sister to be a fan of the page 'coz it was damn hilarious when I got a different reaction from her. She was kind of mad to the girl who created the page justifying that it was not justifiable for her to do that even though she was being attacked by claims of sluttiness which was probably not even true. She reasoned that nobody deserved such cruelty and that every deserved a chance. I told her that my friend did give my other friend a chance but she did it again so now she's facing the repercussions of her harsh actions. My sister wouldn't give up though. She kept yapping away about social humiliation and then asked me something I haven't thought about being blinded by how much effort and humor was given to the hate page "Would you really go to that extent-creating a page to humiliate someone in front of her friends even though you have good reason for doing it?"

My sister is no saint herself but she did have a point. A point so clear you could see it from afar. I mean, when did others get to think that a hate page out of someones expense was funny and just?

A close friend of mine talked about the frightening situation where she really opened my eyes about what I truly am, one of those mean girls I've been so afraid of. I was so focused on putting myself on my poor friend who created the hate page that I forgot about being plainly a good person who was raised well by his parents. My friend said that she avoids mean girls because they're very hard people to deal with and it would be risking her reputation to social pariah.

This situation leaves me wondering, when were hurt is it necessary for us to humiliate others for revenge to the point where they transfer schools?