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Mon, 07 Mar 2005 13:16:27 GMT

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National Champs for Half a Decade Running!!!! :)

Wed, 03 Nov 2004 05:51:57 GMT

THE ATENEO DEBATE SOCIETY BAGS NATIONAL DEBATE CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE FOR THE 5TH CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Ateneans dominate Top Ten Best Debater List

OCTOBER 29, 2004-- The Ateneo Debate Society (ADS) emerged as the Grand Champion of the 6th National Debate Championship (NDC) for the 5th consecutive time. This marks the Society’s half a decade run as the National Champion. The 6th NDC was hosted by San Beda College from October 24-29, 2004. Facing teams from De La Salle University and the University of the Philippines Diliman, ADMU A composed of ADS President Eleanor Uy (IV AB Political Science) and Jess Lopez (IV AB Political Science) emerged as the champions of the nationwide debate competition after 11 grueling rounds of intense argumentation and exchanges of stinging wit. Debating on the motion that “this house regrets the feminization of the OFW”, Ateneo A argued as the Closing Opposition team that the phenomenon should instead be celebrated by Filipinas and the country in general, for it provides empowerment opportunities for the Filipina through the professionalization of care-giving. The adjudication panel, composed of nine of the country’s most distinguished debate judges, awarded the championship to the Ateneo team by a clear majority vote. The Society also won the prestigious All-Asian Debate Championship for the fourth time in Bangkok, Thailand earlier this year. Uy and Lopez were also members of the Ateneo team that won the Asian title, and were ranked as the 3rd best and best debater in Asia, respectively.

The rest of the Ateneo teams also turned in outstanding performances throughout the course of the tournament. ADMU B composed of Lisandro Claudio (II AB Communication Arts) and freshman Charisse Borromeo (BS Management Engineering) qualified for the Semifinal leg of the tournament. ADMU C composed of Glenn Tuazon (II AB Communication Arts) and Sharmila Parmanand (II AB Political Science), and ADMU D and Anna Santos (I BS Physics CE) and Kristel Tiu (II BS Psychology), respectively, qualified for the Quarterfinals. ADMU E composed of Patricia Suzara (IV AB Political Science) and Clarisse Ong (II BS Management of Communications Technology), was recognized as one of the three best rookie teams in the competition, and qualified for the Octofinals, together with ADMU G, composed of Ramon Fuentebella (II AB Management Economics) and Czarina Medina (II BS Legal Management). The successful team standings also reflect in the individual speaker rankings, with 6 out of the Top 10 speakers of the competition coming the ADS, namely Lopez (3rd), Tuazon (4th), Uy (5th), Borromeo (6th), Parmanand (8th) and Claudio (9th). Dae Rubinos (IV AB Philosophy) was also awarded as one of the five best rookie adjudicators in the competition.

The ADS is currently preparing for a new round of debate tournaments in preparation for the World Universities Debate Championship to be held in December in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In November, the ADS shall be competing in the prestigious Oxford and Cambridge Intervarsity debate tournaments.

We won it guys!!!!! :) To the ADS diaspora and the ADS alumni - We did it again!!!! :) Thanks for all the text messages of support, as well as those bitchy ones from the likes of petite and cams!!!! :)
For those interested, a blow by blow account:

Round 1: That an effective population management program must include the 2-child policy. 3pts!
Round 2: TH would exchange cash for disarmament by the Iraqi insurgents. 3pts!
Round 3: TH would grant access to racist literature on campus. 1pt...
Round 4: That a true European identity can only be formed through Turkey's accession into the EU. 3pts!
Round 5: That fast food companies should be held liable for the problem of obesity. 2pts...
Round 6: That Darfur justifies a Western presence in Africa. 2pts...
Round 7: TH supports the re-regulation of the Philippine oil industry. 3pts!
Octos: TH would grant asylum to US army deserters. 3pts!
Quarters: That the UN should hire PMCs for peacekeeping. 2 pts...
Semis: That secularism has failed to accommodate religious tradition. either 3 or 2 pts, not sure...
Final: TH regrets the feminization of the Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW). 3pts!!!!

Playlist

Thu, 14 Oct 2004 04:50:52 GMT

As a response to Joel's comment on my previous post, I decided to put together my playlist for the upcoming series of tourneys, well for the National Championship, at least. Oh, yeah I agree with Len, those songs are so not for me, Joel ;)
As it is, my playlist includes:
1. Sunrise - Duran Duran: new song by dinosaur band. was featured on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy OST
2. Cue the Pulse to Begin - Burnside Project: Off the soundtrack of Queer as Folk, 4th season.
3. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
4. Break It Down Again - Tears for Fears
5. All Day Long I Dream About Sex - JC Chasez: as if innuendo would ever be absent from my music
6. Desire - Holly Valance
7. Slow (Chemeical Brothers Mix) - Kylie Minogue
8. Steppin' Out - Kaskade
9. Sweet Music - Kylie Minogue
10. Toxic - Britney: This has never left my playlist since Singapore Worlds where Lel and I made Quarters
11. One More Time - Daft Punk: Para one more time talaga - to break in Worlds hehe
12. Rock Your Body Rock - ?: "I'm on a mission, gonna take you back and forth..."
13. Ready Steady Go - Oakenfold: Off the Collateral OST
14. It Doesn't Get Better Than This - Katy Fitzgerald: Off the Prince and Me OST
15. Darkbeat - Oscar G: reminiscent of Malate haha
16. Maybe - Emma Bunton: the song Star World was using to promote the Ms. Teen USA pageant
17. Chase the Sun - Planet Funk
18. We Will Rock You - 5ive
19. Let's Dance - 5ive. haha, high school days
20. Flawless - George Michael: Cuz len and i are flawless hehe
21. All Nite - Janet Jackson
22. Hey Ya - Outkast
23. When You're Looking Like That - Westlife: haha
24. Ready To Go - Republica: Mental image: plane taking off from Manila, destiination: the UK for Oxbridge
25. Addicted to Bass - Puretone: another Malate tune
26. Shiny Disco Balls - ?: and still another Malate tune
27. Beautiful Day - U2
28. All Or Nothing - Cher: Off her "Farewell Tour" CD. It's really live this time, and not the machine hehe

I'm thinking of fixing it some more. Methinks that there are too many club-type tracks. Thinking of putting some R&B and/or rock tracks haha.
Not yet done with my Finals. One more to go. On Saturday. Philo orals at 8am. Should be no problem - I'm good at oral-s hehe

Tournament Tradition/s

Mon, 04 Oct 2004 05:24:48 GMT

Everyone has them right? I mean, in the run up to a debate competition, people do have rituals/superstitions/traditions they perform/don't perform right? Here are just a couple of mine....

1. No sex/sexual activity in the days leading up to a tournament. I actually believe that if and when you perform/receive anything sexual, that you aren't gonna do well and lose early on. Started this ritual mof abstinence after losing in my first All-Asian Octofinal at Mahidol in 2002. The night before the Octos, I got back to the hotel from Patpong. Put 2 and 2 together.... and there. we lost. So, no sex/sexual activity in the run-up to and during a tournament, unless you get eliminated or win the entire thing already. It's a rule that I also force my teammates to follow. So len, keep everything closed ;).

2. I make a playlist of songs that serves as my tournament soundtrack for a particular tourney. No recycling of entire playlists, or else you won't win. Mainstays on the playlist are Eye of the Tiger (Survivor), Break It Down Again (Tears for Fears), Ready To Go (Republica), etc. Primarily dance/rock songs that get me into fighting mode. No slow/sentimental/depressing songs, pls.

3. Always buy a tournament notebook. One notebook for one tournament. Using a notebook for more than one tourney will make you lose the latter. Also, always have a tournament pen. One pen for one tournament.

4. If you lose something important during the tournament, you're gonna win. Though it never has happened to me personally, I've seen enough examples to back the theory up. For instance, when William lost his wallet during Glasgow Worlds, he and Bobby ended up winning the ESL Championship. When Leloy lost his passport in Thailand, we ended up winning Asians. I just hope I never have to lose anything to win Worlds :)

Returning to....

Sun, 03 Oct 2004 05:31:35 GMT

Haven't updated this thing in the longest time. Result i guess of being busy/lazy, but anyways, since I'm writing on this once again, might as well update people on what's been happening.

1. Ranked no.1 in what most probably was my last tryouts run as a member of the ADS. Going off to NDC, Oxbridge, Ateneo IVs and Worlds, in that order, with Len. I hate to admit it but I'm nervous - primarily because I know this last series of tourneys is my last hurrah, and I really don't wanna end my career on a low note. Hence I've been matterloading and casebuilding like crazy. Hence, this long-delayed journal update.

2. Sem is almost over. Strangely enough, this just might be the sem that I get the highest grades I've ever gotten in College. Depending on what I get for Theology, since I'm pretty sure already about what grades I'm getting for my other classes, I might even reach the bar for 1st or 2nd honors (i can just hear len and bob giggling in the background....bitches!!!! :))

3. Am in the process of re-discovering high school music favorites. Got re-addicted to Westlife's When You're Looking That, for instance, as well as a couple of other tracks that were at the peak of theior popularity like 4 years ago. Nostalgia, I guess...

4. Law school entrance tests are coming up. I'm applying to 3 law schools, all of which are here in the Philippines: Ateneo, UP and UST, in that order of preference. My brother and I had this conversation before that if my college grades were high enough, he wouldn't mind sending me to London for law school. But what are the chances right? I honestly don't consider my grades during my first 3 years of college to be HIGH, so I guess there goes London...

Amyway, I'm off to studying now. Finals are a week away, so I better get up to speed.
BTW, get the Mean Girls DVD. It's a laugh.

I'm going to....

Sun, 05 Sep 2004 10:58:41 GMT

The Dante's Inferno Test has banished you to the Seventh Level of Hell!
Here is how you matched up against all the levels:

Level	Score
Purgatory (Repenting Believers)	Very Low
Level 1 - Limbo (Virtuous Non-Believers)	Very Low
Level 2 (Lustful)	Very High
Level 3 (Gluttonous)	Moderate
Level 4 (Prodigal and Avaricious)	Very High
Level 5 (Wrathful and Gloomy)	Very High
Level 6 - The City of Dis (Heretics)	Low
Level 7 (Violent)	Very High
Level 8- the Malebolge (Fraudulent, Malicious, Panderers)	Very High
Level 9 - Cocytus (Treacherous)	High

Take the Dante's Inferno Hell Test

I am....

Thu, 26 Aug 2004 15:41:52 GMT

Nemesis

?? Which Of The Greek Gods Are You ??
brought to you by Quizilla

It's Over

Thu, 26 Aug 2004 05:15:54 GMT

last night, i felt like i was back in the 1800s or something, way back when some Philippine provinces still had no electricity, when our national heroes lived and died and had their stories chronicled by those around them.
Last night, because of the typhoon or what not that's been causing the rainy weather, the lights went out in my neighborhood, in the same way that they did at kellda's village, apparently and some others. And because I was supposed to have my midterms in one of my classes today, I was forced to look for a way to study - given the constraints of no electricity, no electricity generator and, yes, dead batteries rendering the flashlight unusable. What did I do? I had a romantic evening, studying by candlelight. Yes, believe it. The Jess Lopez who everyone knows as not really being the 'model student', sitting at his study table, reading roughly 3-inches worth of readings, with a candle providing the only light in the rainy and windy evening. It's a true story, but what a joke...

And as luck would have it, classes were suspended today because of the weather. I'm about to go to sleep again hehe

I started watching old Queer as Folk episodes again, starting with the first episode of the second season. I'm watching them all over again for 2 reasons: 1) to familiarize myself again with the plot of the second season before getting the third season (and the fourth if it's out already), and 2)to listen more closely to the songs that were featured throughout the season - especially the ones played at Babylon, the infamous bar - because I really like all the other songs that I discovered were featured in the series as well. And mind you they're not all just dance stuff and the like, there are also nice slow songs and rock-ish sort of tracks that have been played as well. Anyway....

I'm especially thankful that my International Law class under William is finally over. My partner for the final exam e-mailed our answers to william, who is now back in NY, yesterday. This means that my Mondays and Wednesdays have become incredibly freed up, since my International Law class was scheduled for 6-9pm on those days. That means I can shift gears now and start re-allocating my time to other classes and hobbies that have been neglected as of late, actually ever since William's class started. In particular....
1)Debate
- I actually haven't read any issue of The Economist ever since the first week of July, right before Australs. Yup, I have a very big matter deficit, which simply won't do if I wanna win Worlds, right Len? :)

2)Working out
-I haven't gone to the gym for the past 2 and a half weeks, I think, due to the run-up, at the time, to the International Law final. Prior to that, I'd go to the gym everyday for around 2-3 hours, on the treadmill and then lifting weights. Haven't been able to do that as of late because of you know who... and here I am wanting to have a hot bod by the time Christmas comes along.... sigh....

3)Catching up in classes neglected because of international law class. in order:
-Contemporary Issues in Philippine Politics (POS160)
-Contemporary Issues in International Relations (POS138)
-Philosophy of Religion (Ph103)
-Marriage and Human Sexuality (Theology131)

Well that's it for now. I'm sleepy already...

First Time

Thu, 19 Aug 2004 05:05:27 GMT

First time to make an entry. seems weird, but since most of my other friends are doing it, why not, right?
Only reason I'm doing this right now is because there are no classes, ie I have time to spare. I doubt if I'll be able to keep this up regularly.
I've been reading a lot recently, as in a whole lot. School readings (international law stuff and polsci readings) as well as my own books, which have piled up over the months - whenever I go out of the country for debate tourneys, I always make it a point to pass by a bookstore and buy books. As a result, I have a backlog of unread books. I've fininshed 3 over the past one and a half months - A Home at the End of the World by Michael Cunningham, The Vampire Armand (Anne Rice) and Angels and Demons (dan Brown). I highly recommend the first one, though I'm not at liberty to say why hehe.

I've been downloading a lot of mp3s recently. BTW, if some of you are still stuck on kazaa, I suggest you move to Ares. Mostly dance/house stuff, music you can listen to while pretending to saunter down the catwalk hehe. Not surprisingly, the best cuts I've heard and downloaded come from the soundtracks of 2 gay tv shows - queer as folk and queer eye for the straight guy. I have the first 2 seasons of the former, and occasionally catch the latter on tv. If you like dance music, I suggest you download a couple of tracks ;). Oh, I've also downloaded a couple of tracks from emma bunton's (the ex-spice girl) second cd. pretty good actually. But I have to say that the best record I've gotten my hands on in the past couple of months has to be George Michael's ned cd - Patience. Again, if you have time, download Amazing, Flawless and Precious Box. Love them.

I think I now know what I really wanna be in a couple of years. I am gonna take up law, and I really really wanna become an international lawyer. Love the subject matter - was taught by none other than william panlilio, one of the few debaters I would readily concede to as being better than I am hehe. Speaking of debate, there isnt much happening right now. Haven't picked up any news magazine in the longest time. Too busy, tamad, etc. Ewan. But I really wanna win Worlds this year. What the ?*!^ do I do?! Crap.