tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33148512011-11-27T15:42:26.102-08:00*Extremes collide* I AM MELL DITANGCO (MY Pseudonym). Its either I talk about really heavy polical issues or I will talk about light hearted topics such as my pet dog, peanut! That is as simple as I can put it!mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.comBlogger1101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-30593785549284030912010-12-11T09:56:00.000-08:002010-12-11T10:00:09.896-08:00

I will be honest with you. My marathon training is off to a shaky start. After week 1 of training, where I ran 26 miles, I got so exhausted that I was sick. I even missed 2 days worth of work. So I decided to take it easy on week 2, I ran 14 miles during the work week, not bad, but I woke up exhausted and could not get myself to do my long run. Now my window to run this morning has come and

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-12417315950228370262010-12-07T12:19:00.001-08:002010-12-07T12:22:48.039-08:00

"Where Are You Christmas" Where are you Christmas Why can't I find you Why have you gone away Where is the laughter You used to bring me Why can't I hear music play My world is changing I'm rearranging Does that mean Christmas changes too Where are you Christmas Do you remember The one you used to know I'm not the same one See what the time's done Is that why you have let me go

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-70710499325213898352010-12-04T01:56:00.000-08:002010-12-04T01:56:51.243-08:00

So I am wide awake. How cruel, after a few days of being sick and sleeping all day, now I am wide awake and not even a blink closer to sleepy. So was yelping a lil bit, facebooking a bit... but that got boring... Nothing too interesting in Netflix... Darn...

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-62063900443824702492010-12-02T10:31:00.000-08:002010-12-02T10:31:37.614-08:00

I guess I over did it. My son had the flu Thanksgiving week, and I was baby sitting him during this time... Whenever he napped I ran, and I ran a lot! ended up running 26 miles in that week. I guess that was too much!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-28601959338518917132010-11-26T10:12:00.000-08:002010-11-26T10:15:31.800-08:00

So last night, with my well researched Black Friday list ready, I was ready to go Black Friday shopping at 12 mid night. So, I open the door to head off to the mall... then I promptly turn around go straight to bed! If you know anything about me you would know that I get cold easily. Once that chill hit my face, my bargain seeking desires evaporated! Ah well... Maybe next year? lol... For

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-28686974915048660552010-11-25T08:04:00.000-08:002010-11-25T08:04:36.840-08:00

I am off from work for the entirety of Thanksgiving week. I have a list of things that I want to get done to ensure I make the most of my time off. Hang out with family - in progress Finish Anthony Bourdaine Book - in progress Run at least 15 miles this week - in progress Create Cooking Video - done Volunteer to distribute food for elderly and help out at food bank Watch Clippers game - done

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-52140975262264358602010-11-24T13:52:00.000-08:002010-11-25T08:06:43.401-08:00

Its the eve of Thanksgiving. I realize there are many things wrong with this world. BUT... Its up to us how we will live in this world. Our circumstances may not change, but we can certainly change our perspective... I for one have chosen to live by these sayings: Have a great no matter what... Choose to love as much as you can today... :)

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-42276681513953071912010-10-16T21:32:00.000-07:002010-10-16T21:32:53.292-07:00

I have trained long and hard for this half marathon. Tomorow is the day of the big race. May God bless me with strength tomorow.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-428195264720650862010-08-29T13:28:00.000-07:002010-08-29T13:28:44.799-07:00

Comedy Films - I just want to watch one that can make me laugh... Watching Sunshine Cleaning, supposed to be a comedy... and its not making me laugh one bit... but the film is interesting enough to keep me watching...

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-14151265672120727292010-08-28T09:34:00.000-07:002010-08-28T09:34:36.408-07:00

I did it. I ran 8 miles, and it was a good run at a pace of 11 minutes and 56 seconds per mile. This pace is 10 seconds faster than my pace last Saturday and the best news is I feel good. I ran earlier today as well and the morning cloud cover was still there after my run around 9 AM... I think the run was better today because of the cool weather and fueled myself better. I drank soy milk

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-91659887749395348142010-08-22T23:32:00.000-07:002010-08-22T23:32:23.167-07:00

Last Saturday I did my long work out. I ran 7 miles at a pace of 12 minutes and 6 seconds per mile... So that means I completed the 7 miles in a little over 84 minutes... This is very good... But my post run routine did not go too well. After the run I felt nauseous... So I wasnt able to eat or drink as much as I would have liked... This was bad because I was not able to replace the

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-77282036148043750172010-08-14T19:44:00.000-07:002010-08-14T19:44:22.387-07:00

I ran 6 miles this morning in 1 hr 12 minutes at an average rate of 12 minutes and 6 seconds. This is a very good improvement from two weeks ago of 5 miles in 62 minutes... Not only did I run faster, I ran a mile farther and to top it off I ran on a outside track vs. a treadmill...

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-49479758156456871752010-08-14T05:36:00.000-07:002010-08-14T05:36:31.600-07:00

I am preparing breakfast. 2 hard boiled eggs, two eggo waffles and coffee. I will be doing my long run today, six miles on pavement. My run time will be right around 7 AM.... I got my new shoes by the way, its the same shoes I have been wearing, the ascics gel pulse, I got it at Finish Line for $49!!! Pretty sweet deal huh! I really dont have much to say... Will update later today after my

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-20724568404886136112010-08-13T23:00:00.000-07:002010-08-13T23:23:32.030-07:00

My poor poor blog. I have neglected you for so long. I even let my hosting account for divergentpoles expire... I have missed you my dear blog... Its as if you are my a part of my soul that I have not visited for a while. Shunned to the most inner part of me as if you never existed. But the outside world has not been kind either... Sometimes I just want to crawl back into you and never

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-6319402817803539392010-08-13T22:50:00.000-07:002010-08-13T22:50:56.814-07:00

Wow, my last post was November 2, 2009. Last November I could only do 2.6 miles in 45 minutes. Just yesterday I did 2.6 miles in 30 minutes, thats quite an improvement from last year!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-82293312401532071392009-11-02T21:08:00.000-08:002009-11-02T21:08:29.983-08:00

I did 2.6 miles in 45 miles. Not bad considering I have been having pain in my feet the past few weeks. By Saturday, I am set to walk 5.5 miles. So far I feel good. Last week I actually did a lot of walking on surface streets, which put a lot of strain on my feet and legs. I am glad I have a treadmill at home; it is really a life saver since I have been having some pain in my feet.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-34508554011706269812009-10-31T12:49:00.000-07:002009-10-31T12:49:38.587-07:00

Last June, I had a car accident, a minor fender bender that forced me to take the train to go to work. This is how I started my walking routine. From that point, I made it a point to walk around the neighborhood for at least 30 minutes three times a week. Last June I was 235 pounds, clearly my heaviest I have ever been. I am only 5' 6". So I am quite heavy. I managed to lose 20 pounds since

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-78341187720073722392009-08-22T12:41:00.000-07:002009-08-22T13:07:51.870-07:00

Sigh, Some years ago I bought a url, divergentpoles.com ... unfortunately I managed to reformat my content so *pooof* My blogging history for the past 7 years were inadvertently erased. So, the content that I have left is in blogger... I still own divergentpoles.com, but its completely blank... To the blog universe, I do have some limited backup data for content... So if you are an expert

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1111558955595784022005-03-22T22:22:00.000-08:002005-03-22T22:22:35.596-08:00

Gawad Kalinga Housing Project 

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1111514023017180872005-03-22T09:52:00.000-08:002005-03-22T09:53:43.016-08:00

For lack of a better alternative, I have re-installed my old tag-board in my blog! :D hahahahha oh well!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1111483897024850522005-03-22T01:27:00.000-08:002005-03-22T01:31:37.026-08:00

Doing business in the Philippines is expensive. The electricity rate in the Philippines is only second to Japan. This is due to antiquated power generating processes and shortsighted contracts signed by the Ramos administration with private power generating companies, giving these companies discretion to set the price for electricity that they produce. As a result, it is tough to build a

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1110956421726581082005-03-15T22:59:00.000-08:002005-03-15T23:00:21.726-08:00

Atsi Deanie,Atsi (ate or older sister) Deanie is my mentor. She has taught me so much about perseverance and compassion. If you know anything about www.ivolunteer.ph, you would know that it would not be here if not for Atsi Deanie. Her sheer determination to network with individuals, corportations, civic organizations, government entities, etc. has kept the first Philippine voluntarism portal

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1110784537977459942005-03-13T23:15:00.000-08:002005-03-14T16:07:27.036-08:00

Pinoy Blog of the Week 03/11/2005 I am absolutely flattered that my blog was recognized as blog of the week by Pinoy Blog! Thanks to all of you who regularly visit my blog. It is my hope that through discussions in this medium that we will be able to better understand the problems that confront the Philippines today. With better understanding comes more effective individual decisions. Again thank

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1110672324344127482005-03-12T16:04:00.000-08:002005-03-12T16:05:24.346-08:00

I must confess that I am frustrated. Why? You ask. I really thought that micro-lending is the answer to the poverty that is gripping more than 60% of our countrymen in the Philippines. Based on my research results, the government’s initial micro-lending program was a failure. According to an independent study by the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants, recipients of the

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1110657284896052932005-03-12T11:54:00.000-08:002005-03-12T12:02:51.670-08:00

Baby Colin I have been debating for a while if I should share this bit of great news in my blog. The picture above should say it all. My wife and I are going to have a baby! :) The feelings of becoming parents for the first time is exciting and un-nerving at the same time. I think there is nothing one can do to emotinally prepare in becoming a parent. I guess its instinctual once the baby is

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1110527379721142862005-03-10T23:47:00.000-08:002005-03-10T23:52:16.353-08:00

I have been part of the www.tsinoy.com community since 1999. I have met a lot of great people there. It is there where I met my www.ivolunteer.ph co-founders. When I first started posting at the message board of www.tsinoy.com I was just a junior at the University of Southern California. I must admit, my views back then were less mature and naïve. Its just amazing how quickly time flies.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1110502037695521432005-03-10T16:45:00.000-08:002005-03-10T16:47:17.696-08:00

I deleted my Tag-Board. Its always down anyway. Do you know of a reliable tag-board? Please let me know! Thanks!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1109919441906558742005-03-03T22:08:00.000-08:002005-03-03T22:57:21.906-08:00

So Martha Stewart is free. Martha got sentenced to go to jail due to insider trading of M Clone (spell check please) stocks. I don’t agree with the amount of scrutiny that Stewart got, especially when she only benefited a few hundred thousand dollars. That is chump change compared to the billions of dollars lost due to the collapse of Enron and Andersen. Andrew Fastow has done more damage in

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1109879659430543572005-03-03T11:47:00.000-08:002005-03-03T11:54:19.433-08:00

Dear Self,In a few weeks you are going on a one week vacation! I am sure you can't wait; I am so excited for you!You have been working very hard this past year, working 11 to 14 hours a day. I am sure you feel so tired right now. No matter, your vacation is near.So what are you going to do on your vacation?Oh, read a few books, do lunch with friends, go to the park, go to the beach. Staying

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1109660771154080742005-02-28T23:04:00.000-08:002005-03-01T19:00:11.800-08:00

I came to America as a teen-ager. I have read, watched and heard all about the American story from the White, Black, Hispanic, Asian perspective. But how about my story, why is the Filipino story in America so scarce? These types of questions lead me to seek out works that is Filipino centric. The works of Jessica Hagedorn (Book: Dogeaters), Carlos Bulosan (Book: America Is in the Heart), and

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1109573180084470002005-02-27T22:44:00.000-08:002005-02-27T22:46:20.086-08:00

Isulong Mo Foundation, is organizing a fundraisingproject entitled “isa.dalawa.takbo!” This is a fun runfor the benefit of our Teacher Training Program forPublic Schools. This event will be held on March 6,2005, 8:00-11:00am at the UP academic oval.Registration fee is P150. Registration starts at 7:00and the race will start promptly at 8:00am. Thestarting line will be at the new stage at

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1109558495393040572005-02-27T18:41:00.000-08:002005-02-27T18:53:14.376-08:00

Peanut 3 Peanut 2 Peanut 

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1109371946535834692005-02-25T14:43:00.000-08:002005-02-25T14:52:26.536-08:00

I am sick and tired of my template. I would have changed my template a long time ago, but I am afraid of losing all my blog-add ons such as my tag-board, sitemeter, RSS feed, etc. Do you know how to change templates without disturbing my blog-add ons? Hellllllllllllpppppppppppppppp!!!!!!!!!!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1108854200242218872005-02-19T15:00:00.000-08:002005-02-19T17:46:50.243-08:00

The Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants conducted a study of the progress of micro-financing in the Philippines. The results of the study are discouraging. The study revealed that incidences of loan defaults among micro borrowers were high; so high that government micro lending programs could not continue, as funds could not be replenished. Many of the borrowers felt no need

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1108531315186215682005-02-15T21:20:00.000-08:002005-02-15T21:37:59.280-08:00

When I first visited Gigi goes gaga, I was instantly impressed with the quality of the articles. Her articles are typically about her past, may it be distant or recent. Gigi makes it a point that you see the place where she’s been; not only that she makes sure that you see deep within her – Only to realize you are looking at yourself. She boldly tells you the lessons she learned in her life--.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1108484092200996762005-02-15T08:12:00.000-08:002005-02-16T10:12:31.250-08:00

I found a comprehensive article which describes how Micro-Financing has faired in the Philippines.Here is the link to the article:http://www.picpa.com.ph/articles/vision.pdfI will post an analysis later.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1108247858179053732005-02-12T14:23:00.000-08:002005-02-13T09:24:59.756-08:00

If you are a working stiff like me and from the USA, you should have gotten your W - 2 by now. I am an accountant by training, so I have been doing my own taxes ever since; this is not to say that I specialize in tax preparation. Truth is, you don't need accounting training to put together tax returns. There are detailed instructions available from the Internal Revenue Services that you can

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1108229998749352412005-02-12T09:33:00.000-08:002005-02-12T09:42:15.790-08:00

One of the threads in pinoyblog is about blog recommendations. Recently, Loving Cielo (http://lovingcielo.blogspot.com/) says that he likes my recommendations. Since I am having severe writers block regarding micro-finance, poverty, corruption, tragedy of the commons, etc. I have decided to write blog reviews! Maybe if I write something lighter it will help me with my writer's block! :DI will

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1107927916872224402005-02-08T21:45:00.000-08:002005-02-08T21:49:29.763-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year!  Kung Hei Fat Choy! Happy year of the Rooster! Did you ever wonder how the Chinese name a particular Chinese Year? I was browsing one of my favorite websites, Tsinoy.com (www.tsinoy.com), and low and behold they have an article explaining how they name a new year. Here is how the Chinese name a new year: 1. By an animal (like a mascot). There are 12 animal names;

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1107891339026896262005-02-08T11:34:00.000-08:002005-02-08T11:36:29.326-08:00

A friend referred me to the website (http://www.amadeocoffee.com/index.html) of the Municipality of Amadeo, Cavite; its an awesome website. Amadeo is a leading producer of Coffee in Cavite. The municipality of Amadeo has taken the initiative to revitalize the coffee industry. They even have an Adopt-a-Farm Project. Here is a small blurb about the program from the Amadeo website: The

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1107551874991029262005-02-04T13:16:00.000-08:002005-02-04T13:25:04.726-08:00

My manager actually gave me the day off today. I have been working on one client for an entire year preparing the company for compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley (for more info go to http://www.sarbanes-oxley.com/). Its been a grueling year, with 10 to 12 hour days my normal working hours. It’s a wonder I have been pretty active in updating my blog! So, ceased the opportunity to take it easy

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1107530370652668312005-02-04T07:13:00.000-08:002005-02-04T07:22:20.936-08:00

Do you know how tough it is to come up with original content? Its not easy. I would say it consumes you to the point of insanity. So next time you see interesting content in the internet, make sure you give credit where credit is due if you are going to repost it. Is that clear!? Good.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1107381003488781382005-02-02T13:50:00.000-08:002005-02-02T20:55:30.776-08:00

Kape: A Philippine Coffee Cookbook  Kape: A Philippine Coffee Cookbook is a great read. It is very educational as far as the coffee industry in the Philippines and full of tempting coffee and pastry recipes. Chit Juan and Vicky Veloso-Barrera are the authors of this book. Chit Juan is very impressive; as the Figaro Coffee Company's CEO, she has turned her love for coffee to a crusade to save

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1107223437206414352005-01-31T18:02:00.000-08:002005-01-31T18:05:32.856-08:00

Volunteers are people whose heroic efforts are left unsung. But the time has come for them to have all the attention and to celebrate the great service they have given to the community and society. The Best Volunteer Experience Essay Writing Contest, a project of iVolunteer.ph in cooperation with United Nations Volunteers (UNV) and Philippine National Volunteer Service Coordinating Agency (

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1107112963291048382005-01-30T11:20:00.000-08:002005-01-30T17:01:22.223-08:00

Here is some piece of infuriating news. The Makati Regional Trial Court has issued a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on three MMDA traffic schemes. The traffic schemes to be suspended are the following: Metropolitan Traffic Ticketing System (MTTS), No Physical Contact Policy and the Edsa Organized Bus Route Project. These programs by the MMDA actually help reduce traffic and corruption in

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106979801903322912005-01-28T22:22:00.000-08:002005-01-29T12:06:40.770-08:00

I have problems too. But I would rather not talk about it here in my blog. I admire those folks who have the guts to talk about their vulnerabilities in public. I may talk about my fondness for my family, my pet peanut, but I don’t feel comfortable talking about what lies deep within. I admire bloggers such as sofia_g of Do you Have Game (http://sunbridgesofia.blogspot.com/); every post is

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106958721478061012005-01-28T16:03:00.000-08:002005-01-28T18:51:46.036-08:00

Since I made my blog public I was always curious where my visitors came from. Thanks to the blog of sparks (http://caffeinesparks.blogspot.com/)I discovered a referral service (http://www.truefresco.org/referrers.htm) that identifies your referring web pages; this allows you to know where your visitors got your link. I have had the service for a day now, when I reviewed my referring web pages,

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106759931319222132005-01-26T09:09:00.000-08:002005-01-26T09:22:05.466-08:00

Here is the deal; if I loan you 100,000 pesos what would you do with the money? Please don't be shy, post a comment! :) Read on to see conditions. Here are the rest of the terms: - I will not require collateral - The interest rate is at 9% to 10% - You will have to take courses on how to run a business - You will have to take a course on the benefits of frugal living - You will have to take a

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106631348370020352005-01-24T21:35:00.000-08:002005-01-24T21:50:50.920-08:00

Wilson Park, Torrance California  Every Saturday, I take a walk in the park. Its my chance to smell the roses so to speak. The picture above is the park I frequent. Go ahead click on it; its a beautiful panoramic picture of Wilson Park.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106497497330174482005-01-23T08:19:00.000-08:002005-01-23T08:24:57.330-08:00

Britney Spears and Paris Hilton are among the 10 most popular search terms this year in separate lists published recently by Yahoo, Google and Lycos. Lets see if I can draw people in my blog by mentioning these two names at random!? Lets go: Britney Spears is beautiful! Paris Hilton is hot! Paris Hilton is a brat and needs to be spanked. Britney Spears should spank Paris Hilton. :D

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106466306343594252005-01-22T23:41:00.000-08:002005-01-22T23:52:11.910-08:00

I received a very interesting comment from bambit of Bambit Online (http://bambit.blogspot.com). Bambit said the following: “What is your opinion on microlending vs. grants? A friend from an INGO once told me that microlending makes money from the beneficiaries instead of really giving them the means to start and maintain a business, as what grants do. But I am really interested in what you

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106201165147622882005-01-19T22:02:00.000-08:002005-01-20T06:44:24.883-08:00

In my last article I introduced the idea of micro-lending as a tool to alleviate the economic station of the poorest Filipinos in the barrio. I must admit that the impact of micro-lending is somewhat limited, but it is effective in keeping the very poor "productive" and "participating" instead of being unemployed and a burden to society. Unless you amplify the impact of micro-lending

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1106113911215412002005-01-18T21:51:00.000-08:002005-01-18T22:03:10.786-08:00

American Idol  I saw the premier of the fourth season of American Idol a few minutes ago. You know I just love this show! My job is very stressful and whenever I watch the auditions for the American Idol it just makes me laugh; a great diversion from stress. Some people who audition have no idea that they just can't sing. People say Simon Cowell is just rude, but I think he is just being

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105992309934009862005-01-17T13:01:00.000-08:002005-01-17T12:08:48.340-08:00

I was going through My Hiding Place (http://myhideaway04.blogspot.com)and I read an interesting blog entry. The entry was asking the question, what prevented the Philippines from becoming an economic tiger. Here are my responses: Response 1: Pre World War Two, Asian countries were predominantly feudal in nature, where a small number of families controlled the economy. The four great

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105898678701199732005-01-16T09:38:00.000-08:002005-01-16T10:09:25.306-08:00

When I was in high school I started composing poems; it was my creative outlet. This pretty much continued up to my senior year in college. I was always creative in everything I do. Even in doing my assigments in one of my dull accounting classes, Financial Reporting and Accounting Standards, I wanted to be creative. So my professor(Hi there Professor Larson) gave us an assignment on how to

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105822240550846672005-01-15T13:50:00.000-08:002005-01-15T13:11:25.506-08:00

Peanut  When I come home from work peanut, my pet dog, always runs to me and licks my face. I love that about dogs, they are so affectionate; they have a way of making you feel at home admist the hustle and bustle of life in Los Angeles. Another thing I observed about peanut is that she loves to chew on socks. Why does she like chewing socks!? My dog peanut loves socks with a passion! It

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105671091604542532005-01-13T18:49:00.000-08:002005-01-13T19:04:13.493-08:00

Here is an inspirational story that someone e-mailed me regarding the history of Grameen Method of microlending. It is a story of hope that might help our countrymen be self-sufficient and restore their pride in themselves. =============================== It began with a simple $27 loan. After witnessing the cycle of poverty that kept many poor women enslaved to high-interest loan sharks in

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105582744218314752005-01-12T18:16:00.000-08:002005-01-13T20:48:01.410-08:00

I was browsing through sitemeter, my visitor counter, and I was reviewing what countries my visitors came from. I was pretty amazed that I have visitors from all over the world namely France, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and of course the Philippines. I was also astonished to learn that my readership in the Philippines only constituted 2% of my visitors. While I have 5% of my blog

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105427908294176622005-01-10T23:18:00.000-08:002005-01-10T23:34:12.576-08:00

I have decided to mix things up as far as the topics I cover in my blog. I have been thinking of what topics would be cool to wire about; so far I have jotted down a few topics. Tommy Trojan: University of Southern California Symbol  In light of the USC Trojans winning the National Football Championship I would like to write about my alma matter, the first thing that I would like to write

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105235799365515242005-01-08T17:56:00.000-08:002005-01-13T19:06:53.746-08:00

:D

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105232630391741792005-01-08T16:56:00.000-08:002005-01-13T19:05:39.136-08:00

Simple Plan - Perfect  Ok, here is one of those rare occassions where I am going to talk about myself in this blog. I promise you its going to be rare! :D -------------------- When I first heard the song Perfect by Simple Plan, it struck a cord within me. The song is all about a father that does not understand his son and the pain that situation brings. In the song the son pleads for the

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1105212394176464942005-01-08T11:26:00.000-08:002005-01-08T11:45:03.236-08:00

PEX  I frequent PinoyExchange’s Local and Foreign Issues forum, talking about political issues and the like. The most frustrating thing about PEX is the flame wars! I don’t engage in flaming, so once things turn ugly I stop responding to posts. Here is a particular thread that I am active in. Here is an exchange of posts where I defend Benign0’s statement. Phooey's post: mell, I think

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1104793240429371632005-01-03T14:58:00.000-08:002005-01-03T15:00:40.430-08:00

I have been blog hopping for some time now, more than two years now in fact. I noticed that the most common topic in a blog is about the blogger’s life or something immediate to his/her life. I on the other hand, write mostly about the either about Philippine society, government, academia, religion, big business and corruption or all of the above in my articles in my blog. Dude, what is

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1104781473217504972005-01-03T11:35:00.000-08:002005-01-03T11:44:33.216-08:00

Previously, I have talked about how our society’s institutions (Academia, Religion, Government and Big Business) have allowed itself to be corrupted by the elite, to the detriment of the poor and middle classes. One of the biggest problems the poor is facing today is the lack of access to capital, as a result they have no hope of pulling themselves out of their poverty. My proposed solution

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1104532732652522252004-12-31T14:38:00.000-08:002004-12-31T14:39:45.853-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!  Happy New Year to all!!! :D

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1104441172488987782004-12-30T13:11:00.000-08:002004-12-30T13:12:52.490-08:00

HERE'S THE SCORE By Teodoro C. Benigno The Philippine Star 12/31/2004 For a nation as down as we are, a nation the whole world seems to have forgotten, our only survival kit as we enter the year 2005 is the fabled Filipino smile. Maybe we see less of this smile as the current year ends. Maybe a pall of hopelessness is beginning to spread. Maybe Christmas this year wasn’t what it used to be,

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1104211374642476642004-12-27T21:19:00.000-08:002004-12-27T21:22:54.643-08:00

In the past few weeks or so, I have been doing a lot of modifications on my blog. So much so I have been sidetracked from writing my usual essays. I know I have a handful of regulars that might be missing my essays by now!!! Anyway, I have been working on the following features on my blog: Comments: - Added a trackback feature (HAL0SCAN) - Comments and trackbacks appear in a different

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1104129847347443042004-12-26T22:23:00.000-08:002004-12-26T22:44:07.346-08:00

I want to thank the people who took time to explain what a trackback is. Gary LaPointe of Let Me Make My Point(e)(http://garylapointe.com/mypointe/) hit home what a trackback is. Also, I would like to thank Mark of http://clickmomukhamo.com/ for a thorough explanation of the concept behind a trackback! Thank you guys!!!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103999988845977712004-12-25T10:20:00.000-08:002004-12-25T10:39:48.846-08:00

Hi, I have a problem, can you lend me a helping hand? For some time now, I have been trying to understand what a "trackback" is!? But I just don't get what it is all about! I looked up the meaning of "trackback" in the internet, but I still don't know what it is all about! Here is the definition provided by www.haloscan.com: Trackback is a system that alerts and allows a blogger to see who

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103864665623016242004-12-23T21:04:00.000-08:002004-12-23T21:11:04.030-08:00

Maligayang Pasko!  I am not sure if I will have time to post this Christmas, but I just wanted to greet all of you this holiday! Maligayang pasko sa inyong lahat!!!! Merry Christmas to all!!!!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103781254708446762004-12-22T21:54:00.000-08:002004-12-22T22:00:39.946-08:00

I spent half of my Christmases in the Philippines. Field I especially enjoyed the ones I spent in the province. The thing that I enjoyed the most was the trip to the province. I would excitedly pack my bags the night before, and we would wake up early in the morning, about 4:00 AM. My mom would prod me to eat breakfast, usually its those red hotdogs made either by purefoods or swift with

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103609545151901152004-12-20T22:12:00.000-08:002004-12-20T22:14:09.913-08:00

iVolunteer: Celebrating Everyday Heroes Through Gerry Chua, communications head of the Association of Phil Volunteer Fire Brigades (the dependable Filipino-Chinese volunteer fire brigade group who almost always get to the fire first), TXT FIRE was created. Report a fire by sending REPORT [Location] to +0918.6888888 (your report will be verified by the local fire station). Or text FIRE, send

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103607726701278822004-12-20T21:42:00.000-08:002004-12-20T21:48:43.263-08:00

God Is Love (Source:www.rc.net/wcc/) 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not selfseeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. ------------------ Whoever said Love was

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103355149022987822004-12-17T23:32:00.000-08:002004-12-17T23:52:07.426-08:00

Hanauma Bay, Hawaii Yes folks this is Hanauma Bay, Hawaii. The view there is so pristine! This picture turned out so well I made this my wallpaper. I was there back in 2002. Imagine me writing about those serious essays regarding corrupt government officials. Then once in a while I minimize my word document and stare at that picture. I recall that moment that picture was taken. It was

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103343584069331532004-12-17T20:19:00.000-08:002004-12-26T23:45:35.866-08:00

F. Sionil Jose By F. Sionil Jose (Speech delivered by the author at the Universityof the Philippines, Diliman, on Nov. 23, 2004) What is an old man like myself doing here,talking about revolution? Hindsight is the lowestform of wisdom. I can tell you what it was likewhen your campus was nothing but cogon waste,when all those trees that line your streets werejust saplings. I can tell you,

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103173807602614782004-12-15T21:10:00.000-08:002004-12-15T21:46:22.166-08:00

Peanut & Spidey 2 Spidey is 18 inches tall. Peanut is a wholloping 5 pounds!!! Based on this picture, Peanut is 12 inches tall. Cute ain't she!?

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103173702825083202004-12-15T21:08:00.000-08:002004-12-15T21:45:46.356-08:00

Spidey & Peanut Ok ok ok, I know I have been posting serious articles lately. Let me lighten up the mood around here! :D Here is Peanut hanging out with Spidey one Saturday Morning! We have actually trained Peanut to sit. We used Cheez It crackers to reward Peanut for sitting.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103091310395649032004-12-14T22:15:00.000-08:002004-12-14T22:15:10.396-08:00

FPJ: One of the enduring symbols of the 2004 Presidential Elections 

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1103091350860619022004-12-14T22:07:00.000-08:002004-12-26T23:47:22.946-08:00

I wrote this article before the Philippine Presidential election of 2004. For some reason I never published it in my blog. With the death of FPJ, it reminded me of this article. Hopefully, my message is still relevant even if the presidential election is long over. ---------------------------- Have Filipinos Completely Lost Their Trust in Government? The short answer is yes. However, Filipinos

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1102787000085755802004-12-11T09:41:00.000-08:002004-12-27T17:09:18.890-08:00

A corrupt elite begets corrupt institutions (e.g. government, church, academia, and business). Corrupt institutions produces a culture of distrust. A culture of distrust results in a dysfunctional capital market, which only serves to stifle entrepreneurship amongst the individuals that are not part of the establishment. The bottom line is there needs to be a functioning social control mechanism

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1102312328433524602004-12-05T21:52:00.000-08:002004-12-05T21:55:16.633-08:00

iVolunteer, celebrating everyday heroes. 1. SAGIP BUHAY needs volunteers to repack goods for the Quezon victims. Please drop by Xavier House, Sta. Ana (past OB Montessori) and look for Monet. 2. Assisi Devt Foundation needs volunteers with mountain climbing skills to bring relief goods to Quezon. Please contact Milet Mendoza tel 632.1001.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1102054386457793052004-12-02T22:13:00.000-08:002004-12-03T06:28:13.103-08:00

Peanut and Bone in Checkered Background I just wanted to share a pictue of "Peanut."

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1101797280253763322004-11-29T22:48:00.000-08:002004-11-29T22:51:37.573-08:00

ivolunteer, celebrating everyday heroes. To mark this year’s National Volunteer Month and International Volunteer Day, various groups sharing the same vision to promote volunteerism in the Philippines have come together to organize a special celebration: “Discover. Act. Volunteer. A Volunteer Fair to Celebrate Everyday Heroes" at the Intramuros’ Clamshell 2 on Dec 5 (Sunday). The Volunteer

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1101425715703791742004-11-25T15:35:00.000-08:002004-11-25T15:36:59.783-08:00

Source: http://www.webtree.ca/ Looking back at the things that happened to me this year, I realize that I have so much to thank about! A new job, a new apartment, a new puppy, etc! I owe all to God! Mind you I had a tough time adjusting to my new job; I must admit I was at the brink of just quitting! Thank God I stuck with it! What I learned through this experience is that perseverance will be

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1101325788399946182004-11-24T11:49:00.000-08:002004-11-24T11:56:58.693-08:00

ivolunteer.ph, celebrating everyday heroes. Deanie Lyn on 11/9/2004 2:35:44 PM Spend a worthwhile night of acoustic music with no less than pro folk icon and alternative singer, Noel Cabangon. His well-mastered repertoire will be composed of original songs covering the values of volunteerism, nation-building, giving & Christmas. VOICE!, a fund raising concert to support VOICE Network's

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1101187716799005012004-11-22T21:28:00.000-08:002004-12-27T17:22:49.413-08:00

AURAS, by Hermes Alegre Author : Mike Portes-Borromeo Tingin ng mga bobong kapitbahay ko puta daw ako. Nagpapagamit, binabayaran. Sabi nila ako daw ang pinakamaganda at pinakasikat sa aming lugar noon. Ang bango-bango ko daw, sariwa at makinis. Di ko nga alam kung sumpa ito, dahil dito naletse ang kinabukasan ko. Tara makinig ka muna sa kwento ko, yosi muna tayo. Alam mo, maraming lumapit sa

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1100980650604782842004-11-20T11:57:00.000-08:002004-12-27T17:24:25.046-08:00

Source: http://www.virtualtourist.com/ A thread in Tsinoy.com peeked my interest “RP Economy to Crash in Two years”; Click Here to see the thread in the forum. One of the responses to the thread is the following: This is the way of life they've chosen, let them lie in the beds they've made. In the entire history of civilization, there's the "haves" and there's the "not haves". They can't all

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1100582268336960732004-11-15T21:17:00.000-08:002004-11-15T22:00:33.596-08:00

Gift for Mama This is my surprise gift for my Mother's birthday! Shhhhhhh, my mother visits my blog once in a while! Anyway, here is the description from the website that I bought the necklace from: "A beautifully crafted sterling silver daisy pendant on a bead necklace will surely captivate the heart of the lady in your life. Bring her daisies of a different form... diverse and elegant." I

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1100148478998583322004-11-10T20:47:00.000-08:002004-12-27T17:07:26.440-08:00

Source: www.mymanila.net/ There is a lack of order within Philippine society that is keeping its people from transcending poverty. I am indicting three Philippine institutions (namely government, academia, organized religion) within our Society for the poverty that our nation is suffering today. I touched upon this topic in an earlier article I wrote and here is an excerpt from that article,

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1099713368234808702004-11-05T19:56:00.000-08:002004-11-05T20:59:38.383-08:00

Peanut A co-worker of yummy (not my wife's real name) gave us this beautiful chiwawa. The first few days the poor dog could not eat as it was still acclimating to our apartment. A few days later it started eating really well; with that it started doing its business everywhere! The horror!!!! I guess we will just have to be patient with it and take it to the park often! Yummy told me not to

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1099544554392416262004-11-03T21:01:00.000-08:002004-11-03T21:25:21.706-08:00

In the end, I declined to vote for US president. Rather I focused on the initiatives that affected my state such as the state government stem cell research funding (voted no); public funding for children’s hospitals (voted yes), etc. Since California voted heavily for Kerry, my vote would have not mattered either way. In my book, both of them are suspicious. At least now, there is no doubt in

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1099457934899912762004-11-02T20:53:00.000-08:002004-11-02T21:06:01.746-08:00

I just found this wonderful feature at http://www.tag-board.com/. This site provides you with the code for a tag board that enables your visitors to leave messages in your blog! Oh what fun! If you are reading this please do leave me a message in my tag board! Happy tagging!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1099162317315805462004-10-30T11:51:00.000-07:002004-10-30T11:54:22.280-07:00

Thats me jumping for joy!!! It’s one of my favorite times of the year! Is it Thanksgiving? No! Is it Halloween? No! Is it Christmas? No! What time is it? Its time to set our clocks back as daylight is becoming shorter and shorter! I get to sleep one more hour, oh what joy!!! So, don’t forget to set your time back by one hour tonight if you don’t want to be at church too early tomorrow!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1099111522096744902004-10-29T21:45:00.000-07:002004-10-29T21:57:29.243-07:00

Source: http://www.newciv.org I am an undecided voter for the poll for US President to be held this November . There are just a lot of things to consider. In my effort to decide for whom to vote for I have spoken to friends, family and co-workers what they thought and the following are my conclusions. One of the reasons that I like about Kerry is his anti-war stance. In my opinion the Bush

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1098423669333439042004-10-21T22:41:00.000-07:002004-10-21T22:45:21.813-07:00

Birdie Look at my birdie. I know, I know the title is a little bit misleading! This birdie is not even mine, its actually wild. This photo was taken in Hawaii two years ago. I love this picture. By the way if you are reading this, feel free to comment on any of my articles.

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1098064500449489882004-10-17T18:55:00.000-07:002004-12-27T17:29:35.660-08:00

Asiong: Source: www.geocities.com/larryalcala/ Editorial: Re-Instill Fear in the Hearts of Filipinos Gone are the days when the rule of law governed the lives of Filipinos. Today, more than ever before is the need to re-instill the fear of law in the hearts of Filipinos. Without the rule of law, our nation cannot go anywhere. In this article I would like to discuss the problems in our justice

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1097994030598072392004-10-16T23:20:00.000-07:002004-10-21T22:49:13.496-07:00

http://www.ivolunteer.ph/default.asp Ivolunteer is the first volunteerism portal meant to serve the Philippines. I have just much respect for Deanie Ocampo, the heart and soul of I-vol! ================== Here is a little something about I-volunteer: iVolunteer.ph is the Philippines' First Volunteerism Portal. iVolunteer.ph seeks to promote volunteerism for social development by harnessing

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1097992658560621452004-10-16T22:57:00.000-07:002004-10-17T20:40:33.533-07:00

Wedding Reception: Its time to show the worl my wedding pictures. Yummy (this is not my wife's real name) and I got married on December 14, 2002. It has been almost two years ago. Wow, time sure flies. Its almost like life just went on fast forward when I got married. But, I think Yummy and I are finally getting settled down through the Lord's guidance. Thank God!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1097991588602471232004-10-16T22:39:00.000-07:002004-10-21T22:51:04.530-07:00

Hawaii Picture This picture was taken in November 2002. Frank, Belinda, Charles and I had a chance to explore Oahu right before the wedding of Atsushi and Laura. I guess posting this picture is two years too late, but better late than never! :) My wedding and Atsushi's wedding are actually only a month a part! Cool huh!

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3314851.post-1067117988099638562003-10-25T14:39:00.000-07:002004-10-21T22:57:26.833-07:00

Current Events A different slant: By Mell Ditangco Are the freedoms that we enjoy today in the Philippines worth the anarchy it begets? I am very well aware that a system is only as good as its constituency and the people that represent them. Our problem is systemic with one core issue; the populous is enabling the corrupt practices in Philippine society may it be in government, organized

mell ditangco (this is my pseudonym)http://www.blogger.com/profile/12732004874505254187noreply@blogger.com