I Am Not A Rapist

“No one would confess to so heinous a crime had they not committed it.”
Larry A. Hammond

I came back at Robinsons Galleria to pick up my clearance, two weeks after enduring the exhausting NBI clearance new application process. However, I was advised that I needed to undergo a personal interview at the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) head office before they release my clearance. I am totally bored that day, so I thought maybe this unusual glitch on my daily routine could put some color on my uninteresting day.

I was entertaining weird thoughts on my way to NBI head office. Imagining myself sitting in an abandoned and dark interrogation room with swinging light bulb. Bully NBI officers would come in, with torture written all over their faces, holding electrodes for my sorry testicles, and other officers coming with rubber hoses to beat me up.

Of course not, I was actually smiling while imagining this torture-interrogation thing just like in the movies – me and my boring days and hyper mind. But yeah, all I need was an NBI clearance and what I got was an irritating {yet exciting} day.

The interview

We sat in silence for a minute. I just breathed easy.

“Do you know why we want to see you?” asked the lady officer sitting on her shabby standard government issued desk.

“Hmm, No I don’t Ma’m,” I replied calmly.

Then I was barraged by questions about my work, hometown, present address, college degree and other personal info, which of course didn’t intimidate me a bit. She flipped into my dossier, stopped on a page then said,

“So you got a government scholarship during college?” she asked, then flatly added, “You cannot leave the Philippines because you have a contractual obligation with the Dept. of Science and Tech”

Well I am well aware of that, and I already served my obligations to our Republic years ago. So I just gave a lazy nod – thinking about my recent trip to Hong Kong without any hassle.

She then asked me to sign some documents and instructed to proceed to the adjacent desk to swear, with my right hand raised, that I am not a criminal, in front of an administering officer, holding a Special Prosecutor III stamp, ready to seal my dossier.

What’s in my name

It was so trite, so routine. She seemed happy with my answers. With a smile, she reached out her hand to shake mine. Would I accept and shake the hand of an officer representing the Philippine criminal justice system who disturbed my day as a suspect in a crime – as a rapist?

This was not normal; I am a law-abiding citizen. The only crime I can think of is vandalizing LRT stations during my college years as an activist. So I asked her what was this all about.  

“We are tracking a guy with a rape case in Mindoro with the same name as yours. That is why we want to talk to you.” She quickly quipped then pretend to be busy stamping and signing some documents.

Well I just said, “Whew, blame my Mom for giving me a generic first name.”

But I thought my middle name and surname is unique in the Philippines – because people always pronounced it wrong! (And I grew tired of correcting it, so I just let people read it the way they want)   But still I am unlucky enough to have the same name as a rapist suspect with pending case in Mindoro.

Afterthought

It's bad enough if you share the same name as terror suspect or in my case a rapist. What would you do when the NBI interrogate you? Sue?

There are many interesting mistaken identity stories which reflects the flaws in our criminal justice system. I am sure you heard sad news about these cases of mistaken identity where innocent people experienced torture and imprisonment. It's one of the tragedies that can occur in the criminal justice system.

Does this type of  “HIT” or probably “lack of common sense” happen more often? Why would a criminal voluntarily come to the NBI willing to be interrogated by the investigating officer?

Of course, sometimes the police arrest the wrong person, especially when people share the same name or look alike. The interrogation process itself was a punishment.

After that, what will they say? Ooooops, sorry

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INTERESTING CASES OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY IN THE NEWS

» "Mistaken identity destroys OFW’s dreams"  The case of Jason Aguilar detained by the Doha police after he was mistakenly identified as American citizen Jason Ivler, the road rage suspect wanted in the Philippines.
» "Mistaken identity eyed in woman's killing"
»  Brutal torture of a 25-year-old man over mistaken identity in General Santos City, Mindanao 
The case of Haron Abubakar Buisan who was allegedly illegally arrested, detained and brutally tortured by the policemen attached to the General Santos City Police Office (GSCPO) following his arrest on 12 December 2005. {Asian Human Rights Commission:}
». Ex-judge in mistaken identity case cleared by SC, gets retirement perks
{GMA-News}

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Related Post:
» NBI Clearance New Biometric System » How to get it without losing your patience

Get Loud! » Me Being Me is Being Loud

Although I’m not Chinese but partly, I also joined in the celebration of the Chinese New Year. I send out Kung Hei Fat Choi greetings and received boxes of sweet tikoy. Yey, thanks to my boss’ Chinese buddies. This celebration coincide with the love month so there’s red red red everywhere – and lots of rabbits too, playboy! So I guess this is the perfect time to get LOUD!!!

Uh, I didn’t hear that - what’s that again? A perfect time to get laid?

NO! I said LOUD not LAID you green rabbit! That’s what you get by watching fireworks too close our putting watusi inside your ears.

What do I mean by being loud

Last year is a crazy year for me (because I’m crazy most of the time.) I mean, my 2010 was super fun. Because, you know what, while scratching my balls one hot afternoon, I realize that sometimes the only way to have a life is to commit to it like crazy. Life is short (maybe that’s why size doesn’t matter). I don’t know how but, time flies. When it’s over, it’s over. So why get so seeeeriouzzz eh? Be LOUD, be happy, be kalog, be with me..he he. Because this year, I intend to be LOUDER!!!

I’m not talking about life after death here. I reserved that topic to Bro. Mike Velarde. Ask him, but don’t forget to bring white hanky and an upside down umbrella.

My point here is to live life, have fun. Be you! That is being loud. This is what I’ll do this year, so watch out.

Me being Me is being Loud

You don’t have to be a philosopher to know some absolute truth. Such as, nobody can make his or her anus smelling fresh all the time or nobody cares if your pubic hair is curly – who wants it straight by the way.

Here’s another truth. On a strict 20th century thinking, who you are and what you want to project doesn’t matter. My point here is, we can’t sacrifice our everyday happiness because of some “status” we are maintaining or some “image” we are protecting.

So here’s what I will do. I will just allow myself to be who I am. I’ll do what brings me joy. Me finding my bold dreams and going after them.

No one will remember me anyway. I might as well stop trying to fit in, stop striving hard, stop pushing, stop being a victim of circumstances and just allow myself to be LOUD and do what I want to do and what makes myself happy.

Being Loud is Being Happy and making others happy

We don’t have that much time left so why worry. This year, I’m also planning to do more videos like this:

That's crazy me on the left side, together with my kulit buddies.

Dreaming Out Loud

This year I will also talk about how I will pursue my outrageous dreams and plans even though others might laugh. Of course it’s not about world peace and saving the world. It’s kindda trivial because I’m planning to have a third career (as if I have one now, ha ha). Details of it will be discussed on my future posts. But still it is my dream and I dare to claim it and commit to it.

Scheming Out Loud

Damn yes, I’m still single. People always make it a big deal but so what. Since I’m planning to be bolder and louder this year I’m planning to kill my torpe self and ask that girl on a date. Yes, that cute former classmate of mine from grad school.

She might reject me, but who cares. No one will remember little unimportant me anyway.

Change is scary. However I have to face my fears and do it anyway. It is scarier to stay stuck where I don’t belong. I don’t want to be like a fish babbling wordless nonsense.

At this point I want to call J-Lo to sing for us…. Calling J-lo hello, where are you.

Alright, I think I’ll just have to sing this.. C’mon join me people!!!

If you want to live your life

Live it all the way and dont you waste it

Every feeling, every beat can be so very sweet

You got to taste it, you got to do it

You got to do it your way

You got to prove it

You got to mean what you say

C'mon people let's get loud

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Eating Microwaved Foods Can Cause Cancer, Infertility and Loss of Memory » Debunking the Microwave Oven Myth

What? Microwaved foods can cause cancer, brain damage, immune system deficiencies, loss of memory, emotional instability, and decrease of intelligence?

We always use microwave oven in our office for our “baon” and I’m sure you too in your own home, and if this is true then it is totally, totally scary.

Who wants to become an emotionally unstable moron with tumor because of eating microwaved food? So when Ms. Ching M. Alano, a reputable columnist in The Philippine Star suggested that it’s better to throw out those microwave ovens, I agree.

The proven dangers?

Probably you also read this article last week entitled “A burning warning on microwave ovens” [1] written (or most probably copy-pasted from the internet) by columnist Ms. Ching M. Alano in The Philippine Star, one of the leading English broadsheets in the country. Yes, it’s a reputable broadsheet, not a Tiktik tabloid. Probably the facts are checked and verified before publishing (that’s the ideal), therefore there’s a valid reason to be alarmed.

According to Ms. Alano there is a latest scientific clinical studies done by Swiss, Russian, and German experts about the dangers of microwave oven and added that there are Russian research documents written by Drs. Luria and Perov specifying their clinical experiments in this area. She mentioned Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website as the source of the information and also posted the top 10 reasons why you should throw away those microwave ovens. I posted it here for reference:

According to the article:

1. Continually eating food processed from a microwave oven causes long-term permanent brain damage by “shorting out” electrical impulses in the brain (de-polarizing or de-magnetizing the brain tissue).

2. The human body cannot metabolize (or break down) the unknown by-products created in microwaved food.

3. Male and female hormone production is shut down and/or altered by continually eating microwaved foods.

4. The effects of microwaved food by-products are residual (long term, permanent) within the human body.

5. Minerals, vitamins, and nutrients of all microwaved food are reduced or altered, so that the human body gets little or no benefit, or the human body absorbs altered compounds that cannot be broken down.

6. The minerals in vegetables are altered into cancerous free radicals when cooked in microwave ovens.

7. Microwaved foods cause stomach and intestinal cancerous growths (or tumors).

8. The prolonged eating of microwaved foods causes cancerous cells to increase in human blood.

9. Continual ingestion of microwaved food causes immune system deficiencies through lymph gland and blood serum alterations.

10. Eating microwaved food causes loss of memory, concentration, emotional instability, and a decrease of intelligence.

Wait something is wrong with that article!

My habitual impulse to alarming information like these is naturally to share it on this blog so that others may know. However, before posting, there is one factor that is a must, which is indicating clear references with respect to the reliability of who says them. That means we should not just believe in anything even if it’s from a reputable newspaper.

Naturally, I began checking the supposed sources using Google, an extraordinarily research tool, as most of us do these days. The Internet of course has its black holes – because anybody can post anything and everything on it. The challenge is to differentiate between reliable and unreliable sources.

Then to my disappointment, I found this microwaved food myth posted everywhere on the Internet like a hoax perpetrating “scare tactics” which Ms. Alano just probably copy-pasted and published on her column.

Where does this myth really came from?

The article mentioned Dr. Joseph Mercola’s website as the source so I checked it out.

According to Dr. Mercola, the Nazis are credited with inventing the first microwave-cooking device then after the World War II, the Russians retrieved some of these microwave ovens and conducted thorough research on their biological effects. Dr. Mercola concluded that the twenty-year Russian research (and German studies as far back as 1942 in Berlin) make a strong argument against the safety of microwave cooking. [2]

However, Dr. Mercola admitted that he can’t attest to the methodology or conclusions of the said research because the documents are difficult to track down. No researchers have tried to reproduce said research, and said papers were never peer-reviewed or published in any scientific journal.

My question is, why nobody, on this more-high tech world validated, repeated or conducted the said research? This is a serious claim and food and health regulatory board of every country should verify it!

The claim that giant corporations making microwave ovens are blocking the information to protect their business is absurd!

The Great Doctor against the authorities

After reading many additional articles, I found out the following information from verifiable and authoritative sources:

• » Dr. Joseph Mercola, is a Chicago-area osteopath, selling health-care products and services, relying on slick promotion, clever use of information, and scare tactics. [3]

• » In 2005, the FDA ordered Mercola and his Optimal Wellness Center to stop making illegal claims for products sold through his Web site. A second warning was sent in 2006 for violation of the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act [4] [5]

Well I guess a professional direct marketer knows how to tap into people's fears, and in the health-care arena that isn't difficult to do.

Killing the myth : Notes from a more reliable sources

Image Source: cspinet

This is where we kill this myth. There are many organizations and individuals that provide unbiased, free of business interest and fact-based information to us, so it is always good to do extra digging. In the case of microwave ovens, I personally trust the following conclusions:

1. When a microwave oven cooks or heats up food, it does so mainly by energizing — which is to say, heating up — water molecules, and the water energizes its molecular neighbors. So, as a general proposition, cooking with a microwave probably does a better job of preserving the nutrient content of foods because the cooking times are shorter. [6] {The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide}
2. Microwave ovens generally do not destroy nutrients in food. [7] {The New York Times}
3. “There is nothing solid evidence that microwaved foods cause cancer. I can honestly tell you that I have never seen a valid scientific study—and I pay attention to most of the cooking research out there—that has given us reason to test whether microwaving food could cause cancer,” says Lawrence Livermore’s Jim Felton, who is also associate director for cancer control at the Cancer Center at the University of California. [8]  That may explain why scientists haven’t spent time and money looking for a link.
4. Accidental exposure to high levels of microwave energy can alter or kill sperm, producing temporary sterility. But these types of injuries - burns, cataracts, temporary sterility - can only be caused by exposure to large amounts of microwave radiation, much more than the 5mW limit for microwave oven leakage. [9]   

That means you have to put your testicles inside the microwave oven, turn the dials to the highest settings and leave it there for few hours.

So now what?

Unfortunately, as in all areas in life, those with no integrity mess it up for everyone else. That’s why the world needs all the millions of rules and regulations to stop the unscrupulous from harming the innocent. When the people who make the rules have no integrity, we’re really in trouble.

Instead of throwing out that microwave oven, we should just take certain COMMON SENSE precautions.

And by the way, columnists should be more careful in perpetuating myth like this on respectable broadsheets.

Hit my comments section, I need your thoughts on this.

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References:

• » [1] Alano, Ching M. “A burning warning on microwave ovens” CONSUMERLINE The Philippine Health  and Family. 25 January 2011. Section E4     Online version: {http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=651022&publicationSubCategoryId=80) (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [2] Mercola, Joseph “Why did the Russians Ban an Appliance Found in 90% of American Homes?” 18 May 2010 http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/18/microwave-hazards.aspx (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [3] Gumpert, David E. “Old-Time Sales Tricks on the Net Should a popular alternative-doctor's Web site be allowed to blur the lines between business and medicine?” 23 May006 http://www.businessweek.com/smallbiz/content/may2006/sb20060523_063274.htm (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [4] Barrett, Stephen, M.D. “FDA Orders Dr. Joseph Mercola to Stop Illegal Claims” 23 December 2010 http://www.quackwatch.com/11Ind/mercola.html (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [5] Albietz, Joseph. “9 Reasons to Completely Ignore Joseph Mercola” 16 October 2009 http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/?p=2116 (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [6] The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide “Microwave cooking and nutrition” June 2008 http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Microwave-cooking-and-nutrition.shtml (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [7] O’Connor, Anahad “The Claim: Microwave Ovens Kill Nutrients in Food The New York Times” 17 October 2006 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/17/health/17real.html?_r=1 (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [8] Schardt, David “Microwave Myth” Nutrition Action Health Letter 5 April 2000 http://www.cspinet.org/nah/04_05/microwavemyths.pdf (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• » [9] FDA US Food & Drug Admin “MICROWAVE OVEN RADIATION” http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/ResourcesforYouRadiationEmittingProducts/Consumers/ucm142616.htm (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

• Image Source:  Persson Carl "Lunch Monkey" 2008, Oil on Canvas. Traditional Art / Paintings / Surreal http://karlpersson.deviantart.com/art/Lunch-Monkey-80229617 (Retrieved: 01 February 2011)

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When Idiots Attack » Our Prime Assertive Customer Rights and How Salespeople Violate It

My jurassic Nokia phone has been with me for five years and already served its purpose more than it is bound to. Its hardware is now getting weird, so last Christmas, as a gift to myself, I decided buying a new Samsung mobile phone.

I grant you that the shop where I bought my phone is legit with official reselling rights, permits and stuff. However, my experience as a customer of that shop tested my temper, patience and my assertive customer right. At any rate, I hope that you can learn over my tales of woe, agree, disagree, defend, or commiserate as you see fit. Please note that it is not my intention to discredit any establishment – this is purely personal opinion on being on the receiving end of a lousy customer service. So with that being said, and without further adieu, let my rants begin!

Mega Exchange’s Mega-Bad Customer Service

I bought my new Samsung Galaxy S in a retail shop called Mega Exchange at SM Megamall Cyberzone because they offer the lowest price compared to other stores in Megamall. I definitely fell in love with my new “all-around” phone running on Android 2.1 (Éclair).

I learned that software upgrade for Samsung Galaxy S from Android 2.1 (Éclair) to Android 2.2 (Froyo) is already available in the Philippines via Samsung Kies but I’m having trouble downloading and installing Kies on my jurassic laptop so I brought my phone to Mega Exchange (the store where I bought it) and asked if software upgrade is part of the store warranty. They said it is not, but if I want to upgrade it, I have to pay 900.00 pesos for it. Whaaatt? I argue that that price is too much for a free downloadable software.

 

Mega Exchange re-tail store at SM Megamall Cyberzone where I bought my phone

Just around the corner is the Samsung Service Center, and they told me that software upgrade for my Galaxy S is FREE provided I have the original receipt. They checked my phone and sadly told me that they cannot do any upgrade on my phone because it is NOT NTC APPROVED (meaning it didn’t pass the National Telecommunications Commission inspection and I suspect it also didn’t pass Customs perhaps to avoid tax.) It’s what they called “puslit.” Damn!

This is the conversation I had with the Mega Exchange manager:

DAY 01:

Me: “Sir, Samsung Service Center refuse to do any free upgrade on the phone I bought here because it is not NTC approved”

Manager: “I’m not aware that some of our phones are not NTC approved. We just accept delivery from our head office, besides we offer store warranty.” {This is just a goddamn alibi – but still I didn’t switch off my diplomatic mode}

Me: “But you’re charging me for the software upgrade, which I am supposed to get for free. If you disclosed that this phone is not NTC approved, I will not buy it. Please upgrade my phone to Froyo.”

Manager: “Sir we don’t do Froyo upgrade here.”  {Liar Liar}

Me: “I talked to one of your technician this morning and told me they do Froyo upgrade for 900.00 pesos. Although I can do it myself, I don’t want to, because if anything happens I know your warranty will not cover it because, of course you will say I tampered with the phone’s OS” 

Manager: “Currently we don’t have the software for Froyo upgrade. We need to install it to our system.”

Me: “Installing Samsung Kies only took an hour, I’m willing to wait.” {The Manager didn’t realize I do research in advance}

Manager: {Whispering something at the technician beside him} “Sir we don’t use Samsung Kies, we are using different software.”

Me: “What software?”

Manager: “Sir, we’re not disclosing it to our clients”

Me: “Then problably it’s illegal. Anyway, I want a Froyo upgrade, can I have my phone upgraded today?”

Manager: “Sir, our senior technician who’s in-charge of upgrades is not on duty today. He’s only here every Saturday ”

Me: “Then I’ll be back Saturday”

DAY 02 – Saturday

Technician: “Sir, it will took one hour for the upgrade.”

Me: “Ok I’ll just leave my phone and be back after an hour”

{After 2 hours}
Technician: “Sir, we need another hour because we need new USB cable. The cable we have is malfunctioning.”

 Me: “What do you mean your cable is malfunctioning?”

Technician: “Sir, its resistor is defective.”

Me: “Look pal, I perfectly know what a resistor is. USB cables doesn’t have resistors. Just tell me if the phone you sold me is defective.”

{It’s damn obvious these guys is messing around, but I just took a deep breath to control myself. Lecturing the poor T-shirt-wearing soldering-iron-jockey would have been pointless because my goal is to have my phone fixed as soon as possible. But I'm not going to leave my phone to collect dust for a few days.}

After another long hour of useless fiddling and head scratching…

Technician: “Sir we can’t connect your phone to the PC. Our software cannot detect your unit. We need a few days to fix it”

Me: “Then the phone is defective. I need it upgraded today.”

Technician: “Sir we need to reformat it and flush the OS.”

Me: “I understand, but I need an upgraded and working phone today.”

Technician: “Sir, we have other customers requiring service and we need to download additional software for your phone.”

Me: “I need my phone today, Can I talk to your manager?

Manager: “Sir, our technician is finding ways to fix your phone. You need to leave it for a few days.”

Me: “Returning back here already cost me money and I already wasted my time here. If you can’t upgrade it today, then it’s definitely defective. Plus it’s not NTC approved. I need a phone today. Please replace it with a new NTC approved phone”

Manager: “Sir, we don’t do replacement, we will just fix it.”

Me: “I know my rights as a customer. You guys already make me look like a fool here. Our agreement is, you will fix it today in just an hour. You already wasted a lot of my time waiting here and giving me obnoxious alibis. You said you can fix it in an hour, then you said you need additional hours, and now you need days? I will not accept that defective phone. I need a new NTC approved phone TODAY.

Manager: “Sir, maybe you want other higher units. You just have to add a certain amount for it.”

Me: “What I need is a Samsung Galaxy S. I need replacement, and I need it today.”

Manager: “Sir you’ll need to add 4,000 pesos for the 16G Samsung Galaxy S, I’m not sure if we still have 8G Galaxy S today. {This is too much and really exasperating! Making sales to an already unsatisfied customer.}

Me: “Just tell me if you will replace it today or not. If not, you’re giving me no option but to file complaint to NTC, DTI or Customs! I want you to replace that defective phone and I want an NTC approved phone TODAY!” {I said it a little louder so that other customers around will hear it}

Manager: “I’ll see what I can do.”

The manager left the customer area and after a few minutes a saleslady handed me a new Samsung Galaxy S – brand new with official NTC sticker inside. They just let me leave without even saying “we are sorry for your inconvenience!”

The following day, I visited Samsung Service Center also in Megamall and got my phone running on Android 2.2-Froyo, upgraded for free.

This most recent experience teach me two things: the value of being well-informed and coping with other people through diplomatic verbal assertiveness. I understand that times are hard for many these days, and that retail shops in particular are feeling the economic pain, but selling non-NTC approved phones, probably to avoid tax and getting away with it is unacceptable. Most of the time, making returns is a bit more unpleasant, but it is our right as a customer.

Any thoughts? Or maybe you also have a bad Customer Service story to tell. I would really appreciate it if you could share highlights of it in my comments box.

 

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Image source: Matt Tusenfot “Familiar Faces II”  

Cosplay Mania » Absurd Escapism or Creative Self-expression?

Is cosplay a cool pastime to hone creative self-expression or a nerdy and expensive way to escape pressures of the world? And do you care either way?

I just can’t help but notice this group of teens and adults in amazing anime costume roaming around SM Megamall. I first thought they are the next level Emo, or the evolution of them or perhaps it is a cool new social trend or “pauso” like the Jejemons. However, I later learned in an article in the Philippine Daily Inquirer that they are called cosplayers.

CosPlay 101 for the uninformed and misinformed 

What the heck is CosPlay? Sounds like a new online video game or a new Facebook apps like Farmville to you? Well, no. CosPlay is a combination of two words: “Costume” and “Roleplay.” Therefore, a Cosplayer is a geeky, not necessarily good-looking somebody who assumes the role of a character from an anime show, a video game, comics, manga, comic series, movies or TV series. These cosplayers step into the shoes of the characters that have inspired them or they think is really cool and copy their costumes, prosthetics, make-up, hair and uber-cool accessories. Here’s what really surprised me, cosplayers not only have to look like characters, they have to act like, sound like and essentially be the characters they portray down to the last giggle.

Cosplayers at the mall

There is this issue among cosplay elders as to how and when this social phenomenon really started. However, they seem to agree on one thing – the origin of the word Cosplay. Most of the elders agree that the journalist Noboyuki Takahashi, first coined the term in the article “My Anime,” after attending the 1984 World Science Fiction Convention and seeing a bunch of Trekkies (Star Trek fans) strutting their stuff. From there, cosplay has evolved into a subculture among enthusiasts of anime, manga, comics, movies and basically everything fun and fictional under the sun and elevated into an art form and subculture in various countries. In the Philippines, the popularity of cosplay has also spiked in the last few years.

Cosplay and The Modern Escapist 

"I have claimed that Escape is one of the main functions of fairy-stories, and since I do not disapprove of them, it is plain that I do not accept the tone of scorn or pity with which 'Escape' is now so often used. Why should a man be scorned if, finding himself in prison, he tries to get out and go home? Or if he cannot do so, he thinks and talks about other topics than jailers and prison-walls?"

-- J.R.R. Tolkien--

I'm no card-carrying psychologist or sociologist, but I can tell you roughly on the observations I made that cosplay is now part of the modern escapism. Mr. Webster defines escapism as the habitual diversion of the mind to purely imaginative activity or entertainment as an escape from reality or routine.

I’m sure you will agree that the world in which we live is full of stress, threats, constant noise, irritating soap operas, unhealthy fast-food junks, dizzying billboards, and overnight facebooking. Hence, we all need to escape – to refocus our attention on things pleasant or enjoyable, as opposed to the hard realities of the everyday world. When we are stressed we want nothing more than escapism, and cosplay certainly offers that for others.

It is nice to add a bit of fantasy to an otherwise boring or stressful world. Yet, translating someone’s fantasy into reality can be tricky. I don’t know if parents should really get worried about their teens’ expressing strong desire to live in fantasy world of anime, perhaps they should consider that as healthy and part of today’s social reality. And that the desire to 'escape' is part of the complicated process of discovering ourselves.  I think we are all escapist in different ways. 

This is where I got myself into the most trouble-of-judgement. I failed both to understand how important the notion of escape is to many cosplayers and to clarify the exact type of escape I was addressing. I admit that many Filipinos nowadays participate in cosplay not mainly to avoid their own personal wars such as their jobs, relationships, school pressure and other life hassles, but rather to have fun, compete, and even make a living.

The Magical World of the Escapist

"Harry goes off into this magical world, and is it any better than the world he's left? Only because he meets nicer people. Magic does not make his world better significantly. The relationships make his world better. Magic in many ways complicates his life."

--J.K. Rowling--

Is there a difference between healthy and unhealthy escapism? In today’s reality, we cannot do our ancestor’s way of escapism – which is telling stories around the fire or do writing on the caves. We now escape the woes of the world by reading books, watching soap operas and movies, browsing the internet, blogging and so on and so forth.

As I said earlier, cosplay is a new and modern form of escapism. Unlike other forms of escapism, cosplay is much more involved. Other “characters” are directly playing in their magical world, interacting using their assumed personality. Events, such as regular conventions and gatherings, also take place in this new form of escapism that is directly dependent on the authors of the anime characters.

Fantasy Self and the Anime World

Anime cosplayers' photo-op during a convention

 Therein causes the problems of the cosplayers. This is just my theory OK. The assumed character, which I will call the Fantasy Self begins to rival the real world. Because of the sheer complexity and magic of the anime world, the Fantasy Self may continue to rely on the cosplay as his or her form of escapism. There is a possibility that the Fantasy Self will treat the anime world as a large part of the person’s real life and may dominate the real world.

When the anime world becomes part of the their real world, any stress from the anime world will be brought with them when they enter the real world. Now, no longer does the cosplayer have to be concerned with only real world, but also must be concerned with the happenings in the anime world. Such cosplayer are those who come home so stressed and depressed after attending a cosplay convention – when it is supposed to be just a fun day walking around in costume and be someone extraordinary for a day.

The Collapse of the Fantasy Self and Real Self

 The other possibility that might occur with prolonged stay in the anime world as a form of escapism is the collapse of the Fantasy Self into the Real Self. I repeat, this is just a possibility, I’m not a psychologist – but I do read psych books – and it’s just my theory. This is the situation when the cosplayer loans money to buy costumes, skip classes or work to attend cosplay conventions, and if they started claiming that cosplay is more than just costumes. Actions such as these are clear demonstrations of where the cosplayer’s priorities lie.

The trouble with this sort of collapse is apparent. As their real lives are no longer the focus of their attention, their grades in school will falter, their health will falter, their performance at work will falter as will their social lives – often sacrificing time with friends and family for time with cosplaying.   

The Cut-off Point

I guess the cut-off point is whether it can be a healthy means for not getting completely depressed by reality, and on the other side, in its extreme form, whether it results in obsessive behaviors that make people completely ignore reality to their detriment.

After all, I'm not the final arbiter of what counts as healthy or unhealthy, and more importantly, I can't claim to know everything about cosplay- I am not a cosplayer myself. I just want to give my comments and learn surprising things about what is happening around me. For people who are more extreme than I am, I respect their choice to be that, just as I hope they respect my theories and opinions I make regarding my observations or what I prefer to keep as leisurely pastimes.

I can safely conclude that Cosplay, can be a healthy form of escapism and a great opportunity in developing creativity and self-confidence. Of course, extremes have bad effects.

Any thoughts from your Fantasy Self?

_______________________

References: [compiled by the author: Yodz de Veas Insigne]

» Manifold, Marjorie C. "Culture Convergence or Divergence? Spontaneous Art-making and Participatory Expression in the Private and Collective Lives of Youth." [Retrieved 14 July 2010]

» Grossman, Lev "J.K. Rowling Hogwarts And All" Time Magazine [Retrieved 14 July 2010]

» Ellis-Christensen, Tricia. "What is Escapism?" [Retrieved 14 July 2010]

» Servando, Kristine. "Pinoy Cosplay craze getting bigger, better" ABS-CBN News. [Retrieved 14 July 2010]

» Jee, Yein. "Origin of the word cosplay"  [Retrieved 14 July 2010]

» Winge, Theresa. "Emerging Worlds of Anime and Manga - Costuming the Imagination: Origins of Anime and Manga Cosplay"  MECHADEMIA Vol. 1 Copyright 2006 University of Minnesota Press: 68

» Bruno, Michael. "Cosplay: The Illegitimate Child of SF Masquerades" [Retrieved 14 July 2010]

Nocturnal Wisdom » Thou shall not sleep at seven in the evening

I don’t know if it it’s worth writing what I have to say, because basically I am talking to a half-sleep idiot – which is myself. But I’ll say it for the two or three of you who are not. 

I only got three hours sleep last night because of watching that damn TV series “The Legend of the Seeker” which, by the way, lacks depth. After watching a few episodes I find it has a very common story plot – but I’m still planning to finish season one, and even bought season two DVD. Isn’t it idiotic? Well, still nothing beats Heroes, Lost and Prison Break.

Nocturnal wisdom

But I digress, I force myself to wake up early for work – sleepy and edgy the whole day, drink a bottle of beer at 6:00 p.m. while waiting for the heavy rain to get heavier. I felt really tired and wish that a lightning would perhaps strike that nearby tree or the radio antenna of the adjacent Paragon building – you know, just to break the damn monotony of this damn Monday. Karen Carpenter is right – rainy days and Mondays always get me down.

Expecting nothing unusual will happen today, I decided to go home and violate the bachelor’s unwritten commandment – Thou shall not sleep as early as seven in the evening. 

The annoying thing is that I wake up before midnight having these random thoughts about life. I cannot force myself to get back to sleep so I grab my laptop and decided to write my random midnight rants. 

Here’s  my self-help nocturnal wisdom:

Opportunity is not a talking peacock

I repeatedly ignore opportunity so maybe it loses its interest in me too. I now realize that opportunity is like a bird suddenly showing itself one sultry afternoon at the veranda. Because I thought it is just a common bird I see everyday, I immediately lose interest and turn my back on it. Then it spread its wings as it flew away, showing its bright and rare color hiding underneath – but of course, I missed it, because I’m impatient and turned my back on it. If I look a little longer and waited, I might saw it and be able to grab it. I beg to disagree to those who are saying that opportunities are rare; it is actually presenting itself to us everyday, the problem is how we look at it. It’s not always appearing as the flamboyant-talking peacock saying “Hey moron! I am opportunity, would you like to grab me?”

I always leave self-discipline on my pillow when I wake up

I always buy a Stradmore organizer at the start of every year. Written on the first few pages of it are the things I accomplished the previous year and what I intend to accomplish for the coming year. For the past three years I realized that I haven’t fully accomplished what I set three years ago – because I lack self-discipline. I always start a plan or project with fiery enthusiasm for a few months, only to be neglected and abandoned without any solid result. I can’t imagine what I could have accomplished if I could simply get myself to follow through on my best plans and intentions no matter what and if only I could always carry with me the art of self-discipline. 

Next time, don’t leave discipline on the pillow you bastard!

I guess I need a round of LATIGO whipping

I heard the military are the best teachers of discipline – so maybe educational institutions should include in their curriculum a one month stay in a military academy to learn about discipline? But of course, in any school even in military, they don’t actually teach the important life lessons; like discipline, attitude, and life in general. You have to learn it in the real world, in actual interaction with others and oftentimes learning it all by yourself.

So here I am, in the middle of the night, writing this nonsense and feeling stagnant.  I’ve written a number of blog post about discipline and I know I’m sounding like a crazy cricket here, repeatedly screaming meaningless and annoying noise in the middle of the night.  I guess what I need now is a round of whipping with a latigo – yes, that old trick of gaining self-discipline over our behaviors with the latigo (Filipino term for a whip).

However, self-flagellation with a latigo is a crazy 14th century practice of those obsessed Opus Dei members. Hence, I just make an acronym for LATIGO to make a convenient way to remember self-discipline.

What? An acronym for LATIGO? Yeah I know you’re probably thinking of those corny Filipino acronyms like I.T.A.L.Y. (I Trust And Love You) – I can’t believe they even make it a movie title, or C.H.I.N.A. (Come Here I Need Affection) or the worst - P.H.I.L.I.P.P.I.N.E.S. (Pumping Hot.. I Love It! Please Please.. I Need Erotic Stimulation!)

All right, all right let’s stop it. Here’s my acronym for L.A.T.I.G.O. (Lifelong Attitude Towards Initiating Goals Outstandingly)

See? I just gave my own definition of self-discipline meaning:

SELF-DISCIPLINE = LATIGO (Lifelong Attitude Towards Initiating Goals Outstandingly) 
{Applause! Applause!}
 
Ok, I’m not yet sleepy but I’ll stop this nonsense. Maybe a few pages of Umberto Eco’s Turning back the Clock and a glass of warm milk will help me get back to sleep.

…Oh shit, the milk carton is empty.

I didn’t expect comments but if you would like to drop one, I’ll appreciate it. Goodnight and Good morning folks!

Multi Level Marketing (MLM), Pyramiding and Networking Scams has Urban-Dumb Effect unless it is SugarFree

That night was supposed to be a good jamming, slam dancing night. All was set - the mood, the unintentional black shirts (thanked-goodness Anjho didn’t pursue her emo-laslas-pulso necktie outfit she was planning the other night), we got the best spot near the stage and we are really hyped up for a sweaty, energy draining night. Why of course, that was an ITCHYWORMS-SUGARFREE-URBANDUB Independence Day Rakista concert.

It was held in Crossroad 77 Convenarium in QC and as usual, we arrived a little late, but of course like all rock concerts, it started fashionably late. So our timing was also perfect – or that is what we thought.

Everything started with The Blast of the…What?

The invited bands turned out to be just "guests"

Weird things slowly unfold as soon as the front row guests in tuxedo  showed up – Oh my gums! They looked like preachers. The crowd is also not your usual jammers – there are lots of prim and proper Gen-X and Y and a lot of baby boomers. Can you imagine a concert with long speeches, a ballroom dance number followed by an amateur hip-hop dance?

We thought we attended the wrong event, maybe this is a charismatic group, a cult gathering perhaps and the band concert is in the other room?   

By the way, the concert was sponsored by Core of Infinity (Global Fusion Incorporated), which I thought was a new Internet broadband product and was dubbed as “The BLAST of the B.L.E.S.T.” We all thought it was a grand product launching, because there are raffle draws with cash prizes to over 220K Pesos and a downpayment for a BRAND NEW MAZDA 3! – cool eh?

This is Sparta!

Photo-op outside the venue before getting drunk

Then the real BLAST begins when the emcee shouted “Do you want to be a millionaire!!!  I didn’t saw any Spartans with Jesus’s abs but I heard them answered – Awoo! Awoo!

Beyond the dizzying strobe lights, all suddenly became clear now – This is not a concert, this is Sparta!!!  LOL

I heard that question before when my college friend lured me into attending an “opportunity” seminar in a company called Forever Living. That damn question, which is of course not actually a question, followed by an enumeration of answers - that include big incomes, a new house and lot and expensive cars, financial freedom and huge bank accounts while working part-time - confirmed our suspicion that we are attending a "business opportunity presentation" of a networking company.

Urban-Dumb Effect of Multi-Level Marketing (MLM), Pyramiding and Networking Scams

Ok, let me set this straight. I don’t mean to offend anyone, and I just want to pour out my thoughts about MLM, this is purely my personal opinion, I’m entitled to it and you are entitled to yours which you can write in the comments section below. I suggest you stop reading at this point if you are a die-hard awoo-awoo fan of Multi-Level Marketing or you can read on and enlighten me. Maybe you can convince me and perhaps you could recruit me as your downline. I believe that the best downlines are those converted MLM non-believers. 

What the hell is Urban Dumb Effect anyway? Well, I just invented it, and it’s not a parody of the Urbandub band.

Based on my observation when it comes to convincing people, MLM die-hard tends to become aggressive and obnoxious more than ordinary salespeople. Usually there will be a mood shot of a large new home, a luxury car, a yacht, perhaps a beautiful family enjoying a luxury vacation, and so on. If you ever gave a hint that you doubt them or the product, they will defend their proposal like defending their religion – to the point of making you feel like an Urban Dumb, and dumber and dumber. 

Since most of them are not salespeople by nature, and MLM attract people without any experience selling that particular product or service, they usually sell by attacking the "conscience" or “I-just-want-to-help-you drama." Thus, sales pressure is exerted by focusing on their millionaire members (usually those on the top of the pyramid), as an example.

Worst of all worst, they will even mention God. In that concert I attended, I heard one speaker said “Those of you who wants to be a millionaire, raise your hand!” Of course not all raised their hand, so he said “God is watching you, those who didn’t raise their hand will not get the blessing.” And so the speaker will repeat the question again. It is also common for other networking companies. Well it is an age-old tactic, when men talk of God, it always give an impression that they are doing something that should not be taken lightly. Even the Pope, I suppose, will find it absurd and pointless.

Funny enough, I always feel sick in my gut that there is some hidden agenda or deception. These tactics definitely turns me off, it definitely makes me feel treated like an urban dumb. 

Greed is always not Sugarfree

Marketing presentation of the most tricky pyramiding or multilevel marketing groups often start by appealing to the materialism and greed of their prospects – new home, cars, weekly cash, grand vacations. This works most of the time because, in general, we want to have everything we like. To do this, we must take from our fellow human beings who like the same thing – in our case it’s about money, and I don’t mean illegally robbed them or something like that. Yes, greed is universally condemned but it is ever present.

Homo Homini Lupus

Sometimes, it is very obvious that some MLMers are the ones who badly need money – to the point of “sponsoring” others or paying the membership fees as loan just to make them their “downlines” so as not to lose the “opportunity.” Maybe they have not only conned them and profited at their expense, they also made them feel like losers, since they are not able to make a success of the hopeless MLM scheme. Why not simply ask friends and family or relatives for help rather than taking money from them under false pretenses – and also selling them products?

Homo homini lupus – Man is a wolf to man.

Is Multi Level Marketing Illegal?

Scary question eh? So which is legal and which is illegal?

Pyramiding involves the investment of money in which you have to recruit your downlines and earn a certain percentage from their membership fee or whatever they call it, and earn again from the recruits of the recruits. That is illegal!

To make it legal, some companies offer products, mostly food supplement, vitamins beauty products and other services which they called Multi Level Marketing.

So yes, we have to acknowledge that some multi level marketing based companies are completely legit and reputable. They are not all scams waiting to trick and lure you. But most of them are – especially the aggressive one. 

However, according to the report by Max de Leon appeared in Manila Times (April 28, 2003) there is a very thin line between multi level marketing and a pyramid schemes. De Leon also mentioned that in MLMs the product is not the real reason people are enticed to join. The product offered is merely the excuse to legitimize the real and probably illegal moneymaking scam.

Anyway, it is always up to you if you will let your naivete and greed guide your decisions.

Why are they acting like itchy worms?

Do you observe it too? Most MLM scammers are like itchy worms – they always have that very high confidence. Some of them will even proudly tell you that they gave up their hard-earned profession to focus on this business full time.

On the contrary, Dean and Laura Vandruff [in the article “What’s wrong with multi level marketing?”] argued that if their product or service is so great, then why isn't it being sold through the customary marketing system that has served human society for thousands of years? Why does it need to resort to a "special marketing" scheme like an MLM? Why does everyone need to be so inexperienced at marketing their product! Is the product just a thin cover for what is really a pyramid scheme of exploiting others?

The Vandruffs further summarized that:

1. MLMs are "doomed by design" to recruit too many salespeople, who in turn will then attempt to recruit even more salespeople, ad infinitum.

2. For many, the real attraction of involvement in multi-level marketing is the thinly veiled pyramid con-scheme made quasi-legal by the presence of a product or service.

3. The ethical concessions necessary to be "successful" in many MLM companies are stark and difficult to deal with for most people.

4. Friends and family should be treated as such, and not as "marks" for exploitation.

Ok, enough of this long post. I now subject all my beliefs and what I learned to your criticisms. But please pay attention to common sense.  
  
____________________________
You might also want to check out:
» The Myths and Facts of MLM (Multi-Level Marketing)
» What's Wrong With Multi-Level Marketing? 

» A very thin line between multilevel marketing and pyramid schemes
» The Mirage of Multilevel Marketing
» List if Networking companies in the Philippines  

» MLM vs. pyramiding scams: Know the difference
» Section “k.” and “Article 53” of the Republic Act 7394 or The Consumer Act of the Philippines.
» Concert Photos

UPDATE: MLM SCAMMER ALERT!

I received a text (SMS) message today (July 08, 2010) from an unknown mobile Number, there's something fishy in the message, so I checked some forums and found out it's an MLM scam: Here's the text message F.Y.I.

From: 09196296589

Greetings! Attend by special invitation only. You're one of those chosen to attend AIM Global's Entrepreneurial Workshop on July 9, Friday 2:45 pm to 5:30pm at Unit 301 AIC Burgundy Empire Tower ADB Ave. Ortigas Centre Pasig City (at the back of Robinson's Galleria).
Outline of events include : >Business & Livelihood Opportunities >College Scholarship Assistance >A chance for an all expenses paid to USA trip with multiple state entry visa assistance. R.S.V.P. If interested, please text in your fullname with the phrase "YES! I WANT TO BE PART OF IT" for seat reservation. Come and be part of this life changing business education! Reserve now! Thank you so much and God Bless! ~Mr. Nestor Gonzaga of AIM Global, Inc.