OrangeinaPod #6: The Loooong Weekend

Play today's episode here:

Episode 06 - The Loooong Weekend
~ 24min 32sec

• Slideshow might take a while to load. Patience is a virtue.

Topics for today:

• November 30 is Bonifacio Day
• Controversy surrounding Andres Bonifacio's execution
• Exploring Tam-Awan Village
  
• Christmas decorations need not be expensive
  
• Other December celebrations

Links:

• Tam-Awan Village
  
• Jessica Rules the Universe
• World AIDS Day 2008

Tomorrow’s Episode of OrangeinaPod

Dear America,

OrangeinaPod #5: Of Celebrations and G-Strings

Play today's episode here:

Episode 05 - Of Celebrations and G-Strings
~ 19min 20sec

Topics for today:

• early Christmas Celebration here in the Philippines
• the Adivay Festival in Benguet
  
• Christmas in Baguio City
• Gay Community celebrations
• Proposition 8 in California
• Same-sex Marriage in the Philippines
• Day Without a Gay
  

Of Celebrations and G-Strings (Episode 5 Out Tomorrow!)

Tomorrow's episode of OrangeinaPod is all about celebrations and boys in g-strings!

We're gonna have a lot of fun.

Remembrance of Things Past 2

Remembering my K-Lite days… The very first program where my voice was heard was with my very dear friend Dana Grey as a semi-regular co-host of ‘Heart to Heart’. Sometimes 5 deejays would squeeze in that little booth and just have a blast with the microphone. Every episode we would ask our listeners to share in their thoughts about a particular topic and we would sometimes play the cheesiest songs on air.

A few weeks later, I was offered to co-host ‘K-Lite Interactive’ alongside Hanna Grace where we ‘interact’ with our listeners via phone patch and text messages. Immediately after KLI, my very own program ‘The Weekend Countdown’ follows where I reveal the Top 25 songs of the week. My last broadcast was on January 26, 2008 for ‘The Weekend Countdown’.

Hate vs. Hate?

A spokesman for the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints tells NBC 4 News of the evacuation of the Mormon Temple in L.A. after employees received an envelope filled with an unidentified white powdery substance.

The temple was the target of protests last week following the passage of Proposition 8, a proposed Constitutional Amendment that would change California's constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman. The Mormons are believed to have raised a significant amount of money to actively campaign for this anti-gay marriage ballot measure.

I was wondering if the incident mentioned was a plot to seek revenge against the Mormons. Should we fight hatred with hatred as well? Is it right to take it against the group? Comments are welcome.

• Interesting Article from Red Room: Proposition 8 and God

OrangeinaPod #4: Oliver is Back!

Episode 04 - Oliver is Back!
~ 16min 48sec

After two long years, I'm back with the 4th episode of my podcast.

Topics for today:

• the long-process of coming back
  
• Baguio Pride Network
  
• 10th Manila Pride March
  
• LGBT Bloggers Party for Pride

Links to this show:
Baguio Pride Network
2008 Manila Pride March
LGBT Bloggers Party for Pride

Who is Oliver Twist?

1. Obviously that is not my real name. I acquired that nick when I worked as a talk show host on radio, courtesy of my good friends Dana Grey and Hillary from the same station. It kinda stuck so I kept it until today. I don't do radio shows anymore. My last broadcast was in January 2008 on 96.7 K-Lite Baguio.
   
   
2. OrangeinaPod is a weekly podcast show I started in July 2006. A podcast is like a radio show except that it's available online and may be downloaded or subscribed to. I produced 3 episodes then i 'pod-faded' for 2 years. But I'm back to do more shows.
   
   
3. I used to own OrangeCafe in Baguio City. It didn't do well, probably because of its location. It's still there but with another name and management.
   
   
4. Yes, I am on friendster.
   

New Members of the Family

Say hello to my two little kittens... Uhm, they don't have names yet, though... So i would like to ask for your help naming them. The orange one is male, the grey one female. Suggestions please... Thanks!

Free Cinema

On all Saturdays of November, the Gay and Lesbian Activist Network for Gender Equality (GALANG) will hold screenings of LGBT-themed films. Admission is free, so come and check it out!

For more information, log on to www.galangnetwork.org.

2008 Manila Pride March promises to be BIG!

Shopping Tip: Avoid the Rush, Go Online

It's the time of the year once again and we went round the metro to witness the early holiday rush. The streets are now lined with Christmas decors and whatnots, customers enjoying the bargains, Christmas carols blaring from various corners. Stores are filled to the brim, shoppers looking for the best bargains trudging crammed alleys and literally climbing hills for cheap stuff.

Filipinos love to shop. But this is the craziest time of the year. Shopping means dealing with the mad crowd, walking from store to store looking for the items you need, long waits on check-out lines, evil taxi drivers and horrible traffic.

You might say, well, 'tis the season...

Wrong!

Shopping over the Internet is now becoming the best alternative. It's easy, it saves you time and lots of money. Contrary to popular belief, it's safe to shop online IF you know where to go. At SHOP.com, for example, every merchant passed their stringent quality review process so you're assured of the quality of the products that you order -- customer satisfaction is a top priority and they guarantee safe shopping.

If you're bargain hunting, you can get more savings with coupons and avail of great promotions, even free shipping offers. Beat the rush and start your holiday shopping online -- check out their wide array of carefully selected stores and brands.

Our friends from SHOP.com are also giving away Hot holiday gifts until December 14 in the Top Holiday Gifts Give Away including flat screen TV, iPod Touch, GPS Navigation System and more.

Shop at the comfort of your homes, avoid the crowds, and enjoy the best bargains. Now who says shopping should be a burden?

America's Victory

My partner and I closely monitored the results of the elections in the US. Since we don't have a cable connection, we just satisfied ourselves looking at various websites as they revealed the numbers, from time to time watching CNN live reports online. This is the first time that I've witnessed such moving event in American politics.

The moment Obama's number went up to 200, we already know. And we felt so moved. For this is not just a victory to be celebrated by Americans but by the whole world.

I know that millions of blog entries will be written expressing their joy as to how Obama made history. I do not wish to go in that direction.

What saddens me is the fact that Filipinos don't care. What's with the apathy? Are we in such hopeless shambles that we can't feel anything anymore? This is a historic event. This is the American Dream realized. Yet, we're indifferent.

Because for Filipinos, this changes nothing. In two months' time, America will be governed by its first black American President, a symbol of hope, a complete turn around from what Bush represents. Back home, politicians continue to preen on TV gathering pogi points and belting out Frank Sinatra on game shows.

Books Galore

Visiting Booksale again.

Got Jean Auel's 'The Shelters of Stone' in hardcover for P30.00. Saw Anne Rice's 'Belinda' but didn't buy; the price is quite steep plus it's not in my list. Was about to buy a paperback edition of 'Dune: House Atreides' but it's kinda expensive.