Philippines Hot Actress: Angelica Panganiban

Angelica David Panganiban, better known as Angelica Panganiban is a Filipina actress and member of ABS-CBN’s elite circle of homegrown talents properly named Star Magic. She entered showbiz at the age of 6 and was a part of the kiddie show, Ang TV. Since then, she has been casted in several movies with notable stars like Vilma Santos in Lipa Massacre and Maricel Soriano in Separada. She has appeared in the Ginebra calendar, in the cover of Cosmopolitan Philippines in September 2006 and in the cover of FHM Philippines in March 2007. She is the Maxim Philippines’ first cover girl. She was nominated as Best Actress by FAMAS for Santa Santita in 2004. Angelica’s first boyfriend was said to be Carlo Aquino, an actor and a band member of Kollide. She was first teamed-up with Carlo in the then youth-oriented TV series, Gmik. She is currently in a relationship with actor-model, Derek Ramsay.

Korea Beautiful Actress : Ko So young

Ko So-young is a South Korean female actress and model. She graduated from Chung-Ang University with a major in Drama & Cinema. She was known as one of Korea’s “ideal women”. She is currently in a relationship with Jang Dong-gun. Debuted in the TV drama Love Tomorrow in 1993 and quickly established herself as a representative star of her generation. She made her film debut opposite Jung Woo-sung in The Fox with Nine Tails in 1994, which ranked as the first Korean film ever to use computer-generated images. However, it failed to make an impression on audiences or critics. Ko first achieved wide recognition through her role in Beat (again with Jung Woo-sung), a film that caught the imagination of many Korean high school students. Since then she has acted in a series of successful melodramas, portraying a young model in If the Sun Rises in the West, a Jeju Island tour guide in Love Wind, Love Song, and a Korean American adoptee in Love. In 2001, Ko teamed up with actor Lee Seong-jae in A Day, about a married couple who have trouble conceiving a child. Her acting in the film was much praised and garnered the Best Actress prize from the local Grand Bell Awards ceremony. Then, after two years off, Ko returned in 2003 opposite Han Suk-kyu in the spy thriller Double Agent; however, the film failed to live up to the expectations of most viewers and critics. At present, she is scheduled to appear in two films that will shoot in 2006: the horror film APT by director Ahn Byeong-ki, and a romantic comedy by debut director Jeon Young-gap.

A Tsunami, a wedding, the French woman's weightlifting team and a Christian Jazz festival.

Ablai learning how to make a NZ BBQ.

Arrived in New Zealand last Tuesday from Jakarta for Ruia and Gavin's wedding at Hamner Springs on Friday.

It's ll a.m. on Sunday morning and the big wave generated by the Chilean Tsunami is beginning to hit the East Coast of the North Island and eastern parts of the South Island of New Zealand. Not far from where I am living in Christchurch, waves of up to 3 metres are expected to hit Bank's Peninsula in a few minutes. Large tsunamis affected this part of the NZ coastline twice in the last part of the 19th century, and again in early 20th century.

It's ironical that after working for five years on the Indian Ocean Tsunami, I come home for a break from Tsunami, and a Tsunami lashes New Zealand.

I just spoke to Peter Cameron , who is the regional Manager for Civil defence New Zealand's, South Island. Peter worked with me in 2006 and 2007 in Indonesia on the Tsunami operation so is no stranger to these disasters. He said the tsunami warning system has worked well and he hopes people " will not be tempted to go back to the coastline to have a look."

As I write, the main wave has hit the North Island and it seems from initial reports, it hasn't done much damage.

Ablai and I arrived in Christchurch last Tuesday and travelled to Hamner Springs on Thursday. I have great memories of Hamner where Harry Ayres and Mick Bowie, two of NZ's great mountain guides, retired to. Bob and Ablai, ready for the wedding

Ruia and Gav's wedding went really well and was a great family reunion. We also had a the French women's weightlifting team here, and a Christian Jazz festival in Hamner springs which added further sparkle.

What I have enjoyed very much during the wedding process, is meeting Gavin and Ruia's friends. They are strong and determined farming stock mainly from Southland and Otago. Typical is Gavin's best man, Richard, a giant of a fellow, who farms 35,000 stock units, which includes 30,000 sheep. I also found out that his wife, is the sister of the Southland Ranfurly shield captain, and All Black Jamie MacIntosh.

Richard and his mates put on a massive BBQ yesterday after the wedding, and we had the best lamb, beef and venison available in NZ. And as we drank Speight's Beer and ate delicious food, a Christian Jazz group played superb music next door. Unfortunately the French Women's weightlifting team never turned up, and I am sure they knew they would have been out lifted by these strong, frisky NZ farming lads, or spiritually uplifted by the Christian Jazz groups.

I have gotta run. Heading for Christchurch where we are going to watch the T 20 match between NZ and Oz, hen to Otipua (near Timaru) where Jonts and Anita have a farmlet. Hopefully from there to Mt Cook to take Ablai up the Tasman Glacier and introduce him to the Southern Alps. When we flew over the Alps last Tuesday near Arthur's Pass, Ablai exclaimed " Can we see more of those mountains Dad?" I have a promise to keep !

I'm In To Music...

Hey guys well i just want to let you guys know im in to music i dont know why but it feels great and i like singing and want to learn how to play the guitar (i have one) and im learning how to play th violin and i wannna continue piano so yeah thats all for now bye =]

My First Interview in Starbucks

Ok I'm here waiting for the Starbucks manager to interview me.
He still needs to interview one more person before me.

So I'm waiting.

Alot of exciting thoughts come playing endlessly in my mind.

Will I make it in the f&b world??

I know it's gona be tough.
Physically, mentally or emotionally.


But I just say. And pray.

Jesus, please be with me.

Amen.

Will update u.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Are Men Breast Obsessed?

There is a common notion that men like big breasted women. Hence, the statement “The bigger a woman’s bust, the stronger a man’s lust.”

Photo Credit: Me (of course I made this myself)

While enjoying my grocery shopping, the other day, one big breasted woman passed by me. She must be a cup D or E. How I felt belittled seeing the huge endowment she possessed. Darn am only cup "tot"(ah never mind...hehehe.. )She flaunted her ample cleavage like they were hotcakes for sale. The men all over her went drool at the size of what they saw- a magnificent landscape on sight! There was stillness and silence as if the men were devoured by two very welcoming, definitely non life-threatening enchanted peaks! I was about to tell her “Move away! Hide your mountains before another’s eyes and eyelids stop blinking!” lol... (Though, I hoped they had no thoughts of grabbing what they saw..gosh!)

Are men really breast obsessed? Maybe “breast-obsessed” is too much of a word! One thing is certain though “men like the pleasant sight of breasts before them”. One (because) they don’t have them. Two, they accentuate the difference between men and women. Three, they trigger their sexual fantasies.

Breast size doesn’t really matter to most men. Ten thousands eyes may be cast on bigger boobies, but that doesn’t mean the smaller ones won’t get ten thousand tongue applause too...(oh don’t think naughty now...;))

High Bulging Forehead: Sign of Superior Intelligence?

“I’m a dangas girl, like my mother!” (Loose Translation: "Dangas" means “malaki noo or bonbonan”/ big or bulging forehead)

I remember this line pretty well.

At age 6 and below, I was always asked to say this line in front of all my uncles and aunties. It appeared as if I was bragging at having a high bulging forehead. My relatives seemed entertained as they watched a 6 year old cheerfully and innocently boasted about her bulging forehead. That wasn’t embarrassing at all as they’d bribe me with big claps, and few cents to a peso. They all loved my little presentation, I knew by their merry eyes. . Then I’d slowly exit, with that childish grin thinking “Yeheey Naa ko Kwarta!” (loose translation: “Yeheey, I have money!”) It felt like I outsmarted them all to giving me some cash with a simple sentence. Now I know they tricked me for fun’s sake..lol..

Anyway, is a high bulging forehead a sign of superior intelligence? This is the common belief that’s not proven scientifically. Having a bulging forehead does not indicate above average brainpower. So don’t get intimated upon the sight of someone with bigger/wider forehead than yours. Seriously, a high bulging forehead means just one thing: “a high bulging forehead”. heheh

I Need to Scream Aloud or Die!

I agonize over every pimple I get these past days, in the same vein as I fret over every frown line I notice on my face. I know am getting older everyday, but to see new pimples all over my face freaks me out. Anxiety over my damned pimples has seized me. I try to comfort myself with made up suppositions like “The pimples will be gone tomorrow.” These are just allergies. Having taken antihistamine, my face will be better tomorrow”. But I am not even an inch close to convincing myself. The next day I wake up with new zits giving me morning pangs of hideous truth right in front of my mirror. What you might mistake here as exaggeration to the point of madness is often called as vanity... but is pleasant to the ears when termed as health consciousness. Lol..

Instead of tossing over tear soaked Kleenex tissue for all of these, I try to ward off the feeling of depression I feel over my seriously affected physical appearance and sex appeal. hahahaha.. Okay let me say the first “eeww” (heightened voice) to the last few words I said..hihihi..

Seriously, I couldn’t bear anymore the hypocritical smiles I imagine from other people. Yes, I am creating my own ghost so to speak. But I need to vent this feeling, scream aloud or I die... (okay, am exaggerating again...:))

Poor old Kipling, they're bashing him again!

I leave for New Zealand tomorrow. I was so relaxed and looking forward to the visit until I came across an article on the BBC website about Rudyard Kipling, saying that plans for a museum in Rudyard Kipling's Mumbai home commemorating the writer have been shelved following concerns that a memorial to the renowned imperialist and chronicler of the British Raj would be politically unpalatable. But is it time for Indians to reappraise him? It certainly is!

I love India and have enjoyed immensely the one and a half decades I have lived there, but I get infuriated when Indian's keep dishing out this Imperialist crap.

Like Ranjit Singh, who butchered millions of innocent people in the name of something, or those who engineered partition and millions were killed yet again, is it not time to accept they were a product of their time and should be accepted as a part of history ? Apart from Tagore, I would like someone to name an Indian historian, poet and writer better than Kipling.


Nearly 75 years after his death, the poet and author Rudyard Kipling remains as celebrated and controversial as ever.
The man who created the popular image - or myth - of the British Raj, has gone through somewhat of a renaissance in modern Britain.
His poem If - for so long virtually ignored by poetry experts and anthologies alike - topped a BBC poll as the greatest poem of all in 1995.
And in 2002, when his works came out of copyright, a flurry of cheap editions of Kipling's poetry and novels proved a popular attraction.
But, for Indians, the man praised by George Orwell as "a good bad poet" remains a divisive figure.

Aravind Adiga: 'Deep ambivalence to Kipling's work in India'
The Indian-born novelist Aravind Adiga, whose debut work The White Tiger garnered a Man Booker prize, is a long-time Kipling devotee. Indeed, he researched him while studying at Oxford. Photo: Bob Mckerrow, Siliguri Zoo, India, 1972

And now, plans to turn the house in Mumbai where he was born in 1865 into a museum have been abandoned in the face of a huge political row. Kipling's birthplace is instead set to showcase paintings by local artists.
Mukund Gorashkar, who is leading the renovation project for the JSW Foundation, says "if we tried to convert it into a Kipling museum simply because Kipling was born there, that would ruffle quite a few feathers.
"In the political storm, you may find that the conservation effort would be set aside."

Kipling's works were celebrated by the Royal Mail in 2002
Kipling was born in the Dean's bungalow which nestles in the grounds of the JJ School of Art, one of the many jewels of what was then Victorian Bombay.
And his childhood experiences in the city inspired one of Kipling's best-known and loved characters, the boy spy Kim.
Mr Gorashkar said that municipal government officials with whom he had spoken had strongly discouraged him from referring to the building as "Kipling's House", insisting that it should be called by its original name, "Dean's House".
Some of Kipling's work, including lines like "And a woman is only a woman; but a good cigar is a Smoke'', jar with critics today. But the debate surrounding their actual meaning remains active and vigorous.
For instance, one of his most famous poems, which begins: "Take up the White Man's Burden/ Send forth the best ye breed" does not refer to British Imperialism at all but celebrates the US occupation of Cuba and the Philippines after the 1898 Spanish-American War.
'Wellspring'
It may well be that, as the columnist Geoffrey Wheatcroft once put it: "to his detractors, Kipling's real sin isn't that he is politically incorrect so much as that he is so readable".
Even so, it is hard to put any sort of revisionist spin on aphorisms like "a man should, whatever happens, keep to his own caste, race, and breed."
Andrew Lycett, Kipling's biographer and whose latest work, Kipling Abroad, has just hit the bookshops, believes that India has a love-hate relationship with the writer.
"It was the wellspring of his imagination. But I can well understand why Indians look askance at him in this day and age. He was an imperialist. He was not a supporter of Indian nationalism.


Kipling's works were celebrated by the Royal Mail in 2002

"On the other hand, he was the first great Indian writer writer in the English language. He was of English stock.
"The British are still trying to make up their mind about Kipling."

Aravind Adiga: 'Deep ambivalence to Kipling's work in India'
The Indian-born novelist Aravind Adiga, whose debut work The White Tiger garnered a Man Booker prize, is a long-time Kipling devotee. Indeed, he researched him while studying at Oxford.
He believes that "it's odd how little of his work is known in India.
"There has been such an explosion of Indian writing in English that Kipling is not read very much any more," he says, adding that Indian readers today prefer writers like Jeffrey Archer.
"People who study Indian literature at universities whether in India or abroad are very political," he added. "But the people who actually buy books and read them in India don't really care.
"There has always been a deep ambivalence to Kipling because of his dislike of Indians who read and speak in English. His deep antipathy towards people in Calcutta who are university-educated means that he's in trouble because it's those people who now read in English in India."
But Mr Adiga said that Kipling had a "deep love" of India's forests and that his jungle tales presented a picture of "a part of India that is now quickly vanishing".
As Orwell pointed out in an oft-quoted essay, Kipling was not just a writer but someone who added phrases to the English language.
But could it be that, for the man who wrote "what do they know of England who only England know?"; "the female of the species is more deadly than the male" and "you'll be a man, my son", a more lasting theme may be "East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet"?

Thanks to the BBC for permission to run parts of their article.

Tiger Woods Apology Speech Video (February 19, 2010)

OMG! Tiger Woods made a 13 minute apology speech for his selfish, foolish behavior and affairs with women. This is the full video of Tiger Woods' Press Conference. The Tiger Woods' affairs with women almost ended Tiger Woods' salad days, as evidenced by many sponsors who have dropped Tiger Woods as a top endorser of their products.

Earlier this Friday, Tiger Woods issued a press conference. The full video below for you to watch. It's up to you to decide on his sincerity.

Silly Questions from a Chatmate!

Idle hands are the devil’s handiwork.. Nyay, that doesn’t sound good, so to kill the boredom I felt a few hours ago I logged in to my Yahoo Messenger account and joined “Mindanao Chatroom”. Ironically, instead of meeting chatters from Mindanao, Philippines, I met chatters from India, UK, and USA. There was this one chatter from India who said he was a psychology student. He started to ask questions related sex.. sigh! Most male chatters do.. So anyway, the conversation went this way:

He said: Do you enjoy sex?

I said: (jokingly or was it.. hahhaah.. figure it yourselves) “Yes”

He said: With whom?

I said: With my boyfriend.

He said: Do you do it weekly.. mam.

I said: No.. depending on our mood. How about you?

He said: Yes very much with my aunt..

--- I cried out silently “Incest!” But I was still nice as pie..

I said: What?

He said: Yes, she would call me if she wants to.

--- I needed to get the heck out of this nonsense conversation..

I said: Okay. I have to go. Nice chatting with you.

He said: last question, mam

I said: yes.

He said: why ladies wear bra can’t understand, mam..



--- I laughed... What a silly question!

I said: (Simply I said) hahaha.. bra support our breasts. Otherwise gravity will take its toll on our breasts and they get saggy.. hahahaha..

He said: Its so soft ..mam..

I never replied then..

What a conversation we had! It did kill my boredom at the same made me laugh..hahaha!

I thought You Were Gay.. I still do think the same way at times

I’m fed up! I just need to get a few things out my head. Otherwise, I would explode.

Seriously, I really thought he was gay and I still think he is gay at times. He is a smart person., a constant honor student and is now an accomplished professional. But we all think of him as gay. He is just soft in his ways.. But my crystal ball is foggy this time so I'd like to keep this "gender issue" ending with a comma, rather than a period.

In the past, he courted me. It’s not that I was spellbound or something but my world seemed to have stopped in shock. Armageddon!!! I knew my subconscious mind echoed to me “Could this be the end of the world?”. In a snap I was back into myself and realized the truth, a ROMEO is expressing his love for me. But only this time, ROMEO is GAY or likely gay! lol..

There was not a chance that we could be lovers. There was no love, no chemistry..Things just didn’t feel right. I likened it to buying lingerie. No matter how beautiful the lingerie is, but when you slip it on, it’s either too loose or too tight. Buying it is just a waste of money.

I’m talking about this thing now because he again reiterated his “love” for me a few days ago (in a jiffy) and dropped the nuclear bomb guy lingo through a cowardly text: "I am in love with you.. Am truly, madly, deeply in love with you."



He also mentioned about “first love never dies” thing. So cliché! I felt like I was opening my history book upon hearing his words. My past just got dug up and I had to re-live in it again...re-enacted the past of saying “NO” to him. I’m sure it hurt him. But the biggest issue really is not about his being gay or gay-ish. It’s more on the genuineness of the intentions. For years we haven't seen each other, and then he came up through text and told me how he much loves me.. In my book, that is so questionable. He couldn't fall in love with me again in a blink of an eye!

Oh well, I just let this roll off my shoulders, and just guess that he could be in his cups, intoxicated and all when he said those words and let karma do its thing.

Note: To the guy, if you read this, please don't get mad at me.. I'm just being true. And I will try not to talk about "love" in my next articles..hehehe..

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You’re married and you want to date me? Are you out of your stupid brains?!

I can’t be a home wrecker and never will I be!

This guy is married and he wants to date me.

The story is simple. We were schoolmates. We casually knew each other, not until we joined the same review class for we were sort of introduced. I paid respect to him by calling him “Sir”. Nothing unusual then, not until I wore a jacket to the review class. He seemed to have a different look at me. We talked and he asked me quite a few things. Since I repeatedly called him “Sir” he again told me to just call him by his first name. That’s odd! He is older than me.. he’s an engineer and all my other friends don’t call him by his first name. A bit suspicious.. I insisted I call him “Kuya ___”, to which he objected but later on didn’t bother at all. So I shook off any bit of inkling I initially had.

On that same day, I was too tired and bored to finish the review class, so I wanted to sneak out. He volunteered to carry my bag for me. The plot was this, I leave the room, carrying nothing, and then he will follow with all my things hidden in his jacket (am not sure if he was wearing a jacket then...) So I successfully left the review class without the lecturer knowing. There were times when he’d treat me for snacks during breaks in our review class. . He did the same thing to his other friends too, I guess.

One weekend, we travelled together back to another city. We boarded the same taxi bound for the terminal. He paid the taxi for both of us. He also paid the fare of the bus for me. I told him I could very well pay for the fare but he insisted. He really seemed like a “Kuya” so I had no suspicion. We talked in the bus about his life but more on his children. We arrived safely and parted ways.

Let’s fast forward this story ... shall we? Let’s get to the meat of this nonsense narration..hehehe.

Last month, he texted me as he was going somewhere. He asked if I have plans of going there too. I said yes but not this time. He said he was going so why not I go too.. I politely responded, it’s not yet time for me to go, besides my finances ain’t enough yet as I am jobless.. To my surprise he said, he would pay the one way fare. Shiver me timbers! Santa Claus came by early! Shocked, I said, no thanks. Going on a trip with a married man is definitely not my cup of tea. Heaven forbids!

Let’s hit the forward button again...

This Valentine ’s Day he greeted me but the word “dear” was added in his message.

I said something like : “please don’t even joke about calling me “dear” because you are married.. what if someone reads your message.. "

to which he responded :“it’s just gonna be the two of us who will know”.

Then he said he wanted to date me this Valentine ’s Day! Things couldn’t be clearer now. Holy. cow! This man is out of his head! Whether his intentions were pure or not, I don’t care. The point is, it’s not right for him to ask me that!

Okay so I said something like: “Sorry, I’m taken”

He said: “So you have a boyfriend”... “Just don’t tell him”

And then he made a last-ditch for the night saying: “Come on, let’s go on a date!”

On Valentine’s Day itself, he asked me out again. I rejected the indecent offer.

After Valentine’s Day he texted me asking if I was still in ______. I said yes, and he said he wanted to date me.

I blatantly said "no .. adding, it’s not right.. what if your wife knows this.. blah blah blah.."

He responded, “she (wife) won’t know am with a beautiful lady”.

I said: "Stop it! I’m taken. Bye.."

This guy is like loose cannon. But I won’t fall in the kind of trench he has prepared. I’m not a home wrecker. Just the thought of dating a married guy is drowning my sanity! .I have no feelings for him! He is married! I’m taken! Let sleeping dogs lie.

I used to see a good man in him. But now I see a treacherous tongue and traitor heart! Worst I see a cheating husband, who sends sweet words to other women and goes home to his wife as if nothing happens. Am glad am not a headless chick that jumps into just about anything. I still have my morals intact. I will not go into a slippery slope like this and entangle myself with a married man, not even in my last hurrah, not even in my death bed. He better sling his hook!

Perth Chillax

I miss Perth. Hope I can visit my friend this April.
Would love to go roadtripping.

Thought I can blog.

Well, here I am and would like to seek your suggestions, tips, help
in Blogging.

You see, I have been blogging for like 3 years now and I am getting frustrated.
My adsense takes months to have a check out while I know some bloggers that
are earning $200 plus per day and even thousands.

WhaT is my problem? Where have I gone wrong?

You see,

I love blogging but I also want to monetize it but just don't know how.
Someday, I'm gona ditch my 8-5 job and then just focus on what I really love
but I just need someone to show me how.

Anyone?

Links, Tutorials, articles would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Al Lavelle, John Vann and Lamar McFadden "Mac" Prosser, - South Vietnam icons/iconoclasts

Al Lavelle leaning on one of the two aircraft he owned and piloted regularly. Al mastered aerial acrobatics and stunts in his specially designed planes, but some of the best stunts he pulled, was working for USAID in South Vietnam.Al taught me a stunt or two, but above all he taught me to put people first, and deal with the bean counters in HQs later.

I was 22 years old, going 23, when I first met Al Lavelle, in Qui Nhon, South Vietnam in 1971.

Two months earlier I had returned to New Zealand after spending 13 months in Antarctica with three other men, and I was looking for work overseas with a humanitarian organisation. Luckily I was interviewed and accepted to join the 4th New Zealand Red Cross Refugee Welfare Team, working with displaced people in South Vietnam.

Al Lavelle and our New Zealand Red Cross team worked with Montagnard (hill tribes) internally displaced people photographed below.

The photo of our team is above L to R. Simon Evans, Bob Mckerrow, Andrianne Lattimore, John Gordon and Peter Barnes.

I had only been in Qui Nhon a few days when I met Al, a sturdy barrel-chested second generation Irish-American. He wore an Hawaiin shirt, partially buttoned up with a mass of greying hair growing over the top button, and a black hat with a coloured hat-band woven by Montagnard women. Al would have been 51 then and in fine physical shape. Over the next year Al became a sort of guru to me, and introduced me to reality of working in war zones, and what humanitarian aid was, and how the line between aid, politics and war was blurred.


Al was an advisor to USAID on refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs). More than anyone else in my life, it was Al who made me realise that the Red Cross with its seven principles which includes neutrality, impartiality and independence, needed to keep a certain distance from gun-slinging USAID workers, and the many US soldiers that surrounded us. He was a generous man with a heart of gold, and found his true calling working with IDPs and refugees.

Saigon i (below)n the 1971, the Paris of the East. Photo: Bob McKerrow


.

Many children in South Vietnam lost legs and arms by stepping on landmines. Frequently we would find injured children in villages and bring them back to Qui Nhon to have limbs fitted. Here is a young boy I brought back and after two months, was playing football. Photo: Bob McKerrow

I slowly got to know Al Lavelle during 1971, sitting in his trailer hut, sometimes drinking Budweiser or Jack Daniels, or just sitting on the beach and hearing his stories. We did a number of field trips together, to Van Canh and Bong Song where I was supervising the construction of two schools.

The first trip I did with Al was to An Khe, in the central highlands. We were about 5 km from An Khe pass when the US forces launched an all out aerial attack on Vietcong position near the pass. As an array of helicopters swooped in for the attack, Al would excitedly tell me, "That's a Cobra," or " That's a Huey or Chinook." Al would stop his olive green Jeep by the road side and explain to me the intracacies of laying landmines and show me claymores and other booby trap mines..

Another trip I did with Al was from Qui Nhon to Pleiku, where I met the man he admired most, John Vann (photo right), a fellow pilot and an inconoclast like Al.
Vann was an impressive man, a man in a hurry with a mission to right the wrongs of the US Government in South Vietnam.
Lavelle served on staff of the famous John Paul Vann in Southeast Asia working in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. That is when I met Al. He was staunchly loyal to his country but was disenchanted by the direction his Government was taking in Vietnam, and that is why he had a huge amount of respect for, and hope, for John to fix it. I recall the day John Vann became Al's boss when he was appointed commander of II Corp in about April 1971. He excitedly told me " John Vann has just been appointed to get this war back on track, he'll show them."



Montagnard refugees in Pleiku where I first met John Vann in 1971 and where I worked in 1973-74 for one year. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Vann's wit and iconoclasm did not endear him to many military and civilian careerists, but to Al Lavelle and many young civilian and military officers he became a hero as he understood the limits of conventional warfare in the irregular environment of Vietnam, and dare to chellenge his superiors.Vann was assigned to South Vietnam in 1962 as an advisor to Col. Huynh Van Cao, commander of the ARVN 7th Division. In the thick of the anti-guerrilla war against the Viet Cong Vann became aware of the ineptitude with which the war was being prosecuted, in particular the disastrous Battle of Ap Bac, January 2, 1963. Vann, directing the battle from a spotter plane overhead, earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery in taking enemy fire. He attempted to draw public attention to the problems, through press contacts such as New York Times reporter David Halberstam, focusing much of his ire on the US commander in the country, MACV chief Gen. Paul D. Harkins.

1971 saw a scaling down of US troops, but the roads of South Vietnam were dotted with US military equipment. Photo: Bob McKerrow





Vann was forced from his advisor position in March 1963 and left the Army within a few months. He returned to Vietnam in March 1965 as an official of the Agency for International Development (AID). When I arrived in Vietnam in 1971 Vann was assigned as the senior American advisor in II Corps Military Region when the war was winding down and troops were being withdrawn. For that reason, his new job put him in charge of all United States personnel in his region, where he advised the ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) Commander to the region and became the first American civilian to command U.S. regular troops in combat. His position was the job of a Major General.



The meeting of man and moment: John Paul Vann (white shirt) and his staff at their Pleiku headquarters

Al Lavelle was thrilled to be working for John Vann again and served him loyally he advising him on internally displaced people and refugees that were noving back and forth between Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Al Lavelle knew so much about IDPs, refugees and used to regail me with stories of his work with refugees and quote UN refugee conventions. His hero John Vann was killed after the Battle of Kontum , when his helicopter crashed in 1972. Al Lavelle lost one of his most respected friends and colleague.

Journalist Neil Sheehan wrote a Pulitzer Prize-winning Vietnam history and biography of Vann, A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam.in his book, Sheehan describes Vann as an ardent critic of how the war was fought, both on the part of the Saigon regime, which he viewed as corrupt and incompetent, and, as time went by, increasingly, on the part of the U.S. military. In particular, he was critical of the U.S. military command, especially under William Westmoreland, and their inability to adapt to the fact that they were facing a popular guerrilla movement while backing a corrupt regime. He argued that many of the tactics employed (for example the strategic hamlet relocation) further alienated the population and thus were counterproductive to U.S. objectives. In the late 90's a movie was made about John Vann's time in Vietnam. Al Lavelle used to quote Vann and one of his favourites was

"If it were not for the fact that Vietnam is but a pawn in the larger East-West confrontation, and that our presence here is essential to deny the resources of this area to Communist China, then it would be damned hard to justify our support of the existing government." Like Vann, Al Lavelle was unhappy with the way his Government closed a blind eye to the high levels of corruption and gross inefficiencies of the Government of South Vietnam.

This is a typical village that Al Lavelle and I worked in on the road between Pleiku and An Khe. Photo: Bob McKerrow

Returning from Vietnam, Lavelle became an educator teaching languages and world history for 23 years at Roosevelt High School and at the Junior College level.

He was one of only three U.S. teachers selected to teach in the then Soviet Union during the first year of Détente. The exchange was meant to ease tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States.


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Last night when looking at my Vietnam photos to post with this story, I began to realise most of the montagnard women were topless At the time, I never noticed it. I do now !

He taught at the University of Foreign Languages in Kiev Ukraine in 1975. Lavelle was often called upon to lecture at various colleges and universities because his knowledge of the Soviet Union was quite extensive and at that time few Americans had really been inside the so-called Iron Curtain.

Al Lavelle, my good friend Mac Lama Prossers, myself any many others who worked with the Montagnard people in South Vietnam, were grief stricken to learn that after taking over South Vietnam in 1975,  the communist government had many religious and political Montagnard leaders executed or imprisoned in harsh re-education camps while simultaneously instituting a policy of cultural destruction and forced assimilation on our population. Examples include the Montagnard Senator Ksor Rot who was publicly executed in 1975 and Minister Nay Luett (who was subjected to torture) and died in a re-education (forced labor/concentration) camp in the 1980s.

The origins of the Montagnard persecution stems from several historical factors namely, the alliance many Montagnards had with the United States military during the Vietnam War and the intent by the current communist regime to exploit the ancestral homelands of the Montagnards in the manner that indigenous peoples around the globe have all suffered by modern encroachment. History will show that it was people like Vann who were part of the US military effort that supported the Montagnards. also influenced the North Vietnamese distrust and dislike for the Montagnards.

Al Lavelle and I were close to Nay Luett the then Minister of Ethnic Minorities and I was very proud that on my departure from Vietnam in 1974, Nay Luett presented me the Ethnic minorities medal first class for the work the New Zealand Red Cross team had done in the for the Montagnard people of Central Highlands of Vietnam for many years. Somewhere I have the medal with the head of an elephant on the ribbon.

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During his long and active life, Lavelle pursued his hobbies excelling in competitive acrobatic flying, wood working, painting, music, writing his memoires, and contributing his interviews on Vietnam to Texas Tech University – The Vietnam Archives, Special Collections Library, Rm. 108, Lubbock, TX.

Somewhere round 1999 Al had heart surgery, sold his planes, and ended his flying.
It was Al's last wish that there be no flowers, cards, funeral service or memorial service.

He requested that donations be made to a charity of one's choice. His last Hurrah was: God Bless America, Erin Go Braugh (Free Ireland), Help Russia and the Ukraine become Democratic, followed by God Help Us All.


Allen Silberman  a freind of Al's wrote this tribute: Your comments about Al Lavelle accurately portrayed the man and his ability to see through the facade of politics and war. He was a true humanitarian, a dedicated teacher, a true aviation enthusiast, and most of all the best friend I ever had. During our 40 year friendship we flew many hours together, watched night air strikes, walked into Viet Cong villages together, and spent many hours before the war sitting on his front lawn talking politics and sharing flying stories. Thanks for writing the blog. Al had been a special part of our family since the mid 1960's.


He is survived by his wife of 12 years, Margarita T. Belous-Lavelle; daughters: Jean Antoinette Villarreal and husband, Rogelio of San Antonio, TX; Sheila Marie Lavelle and husband, Steven Tysver of Gloucester, MA; Dawn Lee Miyasaki and husband, Mitsuyuki of New York, NY; grandchildren: Laura A. Cross of Knoxville, TN; Ruth Villarreal of Austin, TX and Roger Villarreal of San Antonio, TX.

Allan J. Lavelle
Born in Denver, Colorado on 15 July. 1920
Died Jun. 15, 2008 and resided in San Antonio, Texas.


I met Il Lavelle and John Vann during my first mission to Vietnam in 1971. I was ar an age when I needed mentors and could I have asked for better ?  I came back again in 1973 and stayed fior another year, leaving in September 1974.  By 1973, the American troops had departed. However the CIA and USAID still had large num,bers of staff.

Lamar McFadden "Mac" Prosser

Then I met Lamar McFadden "Mac" Prosser,  another one of these intriguing characters who was on the South Vietnam and Indo China landscape for many years. Born in 1922, Mac as we knew him, was a polished, suave diplomat, whio I first met in Pleiku in 1973.  Mac impressed me with his work for the International Red Cross in the Congo, and a spell pushing papers in Geneva at Red Cross HQ.  He began his military service in 1940 when the South Carolina National Guard was activated. He served in the 760th Tank Battalion in North Africa, Italy and Germany during World War II.

The New Zealand Red Cross IDP team worked in Pleiku for more than two years, and Mac was always there to support, give advice and encourage. He had loved his time working for Red Cross for a few years during a long military and humanitarian career, and was impressed with the community development work we were doing.

I spent many a long evening with Mac, enjoying his never-endingd hospitality and unlimited duty free grog, discussibng thr world's problems. His knowledge on community development was extensive and we learned from him..

Mac served in Italy and we talked about the various battles including Monte Cassino where my Dad fought. Mac was wounded in Italy but returned to duty four months later. After the war, he served in Indochina and then retired from military service in 1961. He immediately joined AID and had assignments in Chad, Geneva, Bangkok and Saigon, and after his stint in Pleiku 1973-74. moved to Saigon as an advisor to the US Ambassador. Mac was happy in Saigon, because his wife was working for the US Embassy. He retired from AID in 1982.

Mac died at the age of 77 of pulmonary disease on July 21, 1998 at Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, D.C. His wife Katherine, died in 1996.

To John Vann, Al Lavelle and Max Prosser. I thank you. From you guys I learned about war, humanity, peace, and above all, putting people first.

The World Without Men

Men are complex beings in the kingdom animalia. They are hard to understand, at times stubborn, yet at times submissive. They say men are from mars and women are from venus. Too much for a poetic license... we’re no alien. We’re from earth, where women can’t live without men, and men can’t live without women.

But, woman, imagine the world without men!
Allow my ingenious psyche to set off my tedious imaginations. Bear in mind this is one of the most difficult thing to do in a woman’s existence, for the time being I will be removing all the “HEs” in my life. Imagine how lonely would that be! I’m making this short for it’s like committing suicide!
Okay, here I go. . I’m gathering my full prowess to be able to start my journey to a life without men inside my aching skull and griping heart (i need some pain relievers.. nyah!)..

Without men, there’ll be less war in the world.
Without men, there’ll be fewer crimes.
Without men, our prison cells will be less crowded.
Without men, there’ll be less of those cars, and moving things that men drive that hurt the environment..
Without men, there’ll be less road accidents.
Without men, the car industry, video games industry will die.
Without men, the dictionary will be restructured, dropping the words “he, him, his”, etc.
Without men, Playboy and the porn industry are dead.
Without men, the beauty and fashion industry will collapse.
Without men, what’s the purpose of sexy thongs and lingerie.. victoria’s secret is doomed!
Without men, you’d see ugly women everywhere.
Without men, you’d see lots of fat women everywhere too.
Without men, there’ll be no fathers, brothers, boyfriends and husbands.
Without men, what’s going to happen to sexual congress?
Without men, all women would be lesbians.
Without men, there’ll be no gays.
Without men, what’s going to happen to human proliferation?

... such a forlorn world would that be!
... when this happens, (I dread), am sure to raise my cry to the judges of the world.. a protest with relevance far more than any problem this world has faced.. A world without men.. there is no condition more terrible than this..Let this not happen, lest it be the end of the world, lest it be hell.

The God in the heavens has created such complex creation called “men” to live side by side with “women”. Since time immemorial, men and women have been co existing. Men and women living under one sun is equilibrium. We may sometimes or oftentimes hate the male species, but women we all love our men. We don’t want to live a life without them, don’t we? So to all men, please don’t leave. . .Stay!

Note: Please pardon any grammatical, or typo errors. I write as I think and feel, with less room for proof reading or editing.

This article may not be copied, or published or used in any way without my express permission.

Terms of Endearment: Tips in Choosing Plus Examples

No matter how cheesy or cheap they may sound, terms of endearment, those unique, bizarre, funny, sometimes out from nowhere names we call our significant other just add to the spice in any relationship.

How do you call your partner? Dear? Honey? Sweetie? Baby? Pie? Lab? Kitty? There are tons of names available out there that you can use or create a unique one for your partner. I’ve thought of some cute terms and coined some.. You can use them at your own liking. Here they are Muffin, or Munchkin, or Chocobabe, or chocohunk, or love-a-babe or love-a-doo, smoochie,. Of course it would be best if you coin the term yourself, something distinct. Go wild and crazy yet funny and sweet at the same time.

Finding a hard time picking the perfect term of endearment for you and your partner. Here are some of my personal tips to help you.

1. Think sweet- literally. What’s your favourite sugary food or cake, or candy? Or what was the first sugary thing your partner gave you? Derive your terms of endearment from it. For instance, your partner gave you chocolates, you can use – chocobabe, chocopie, chocohun, or “late” or “colate” or “yum-yum” or “yummy”,

2. Use the funny names you used to tease each other when you were not yet officially on. Examples would be “chub” (chubby), “icken” (chicken) etc..

3. Think food. Use “Fruitcake”, “dumpling”, “pudding”, “pumpkin”, “bunwich”, “peach” , “tootsies, etc.

4. Think sexy. Use “Hottie”, “hot-stuff”, “seducer”, “delicious”, ”twinkles” “baby-aah!” or “baby-ooh!”, “sexy-ahh or sexy-ohh”, “love-a-babe or love-a-doo” etc.

5. Use common fun terms – “Cuddles”, “Giggles”, “Snuggles”

Remember no matter how cheesy your term of endearment may be its still one way of flirting and expressing your love. So go ahead be cheesy. You’re not alone! Your only limit is your imagination.

Note: terms of endearment in red font color are personally coined by me or so I thought.. :)

This article may not be copied, used, or republished without my express permission.

My First Onitsuka Tiger Shoes

Introducing! My first Onitsuka Tiger shoes. Wooohooo!

They are fairly comfortable. I'm very happy with my purchase.

Definetely, it's shopping-friendly!
:)

Gonna collect some more of this.

If anybody is on the fence about purchasing these sneakers, jump off and start ordering!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Email Scam

I received this kind of email 4yrs. ago and up to now they are still on it. I wonder how much money they are making for cheating on people like this. Tsk! Thats why I'm blogging this out to warn you.
How they are doing it?

First of course, they will send you this notification to ask you to send them your personal infos like name, address and contact number.

PLS. Don't!

Their goal is to ask you some $$$ to process and fund transfer the mentioned winning amount to your account. Or some will ask you to deposit any amount in their bank account just to prove you're the right person qualified for the prize. Then, they will request you to transfer an amount like maybe $500-$1000 on their account. Of course, if you are stupid, you will say "what's $1000 when I will have $4million . Rofl!

At first it makes you feel excited thinking about the $$$ but as the communication prolongs, the next conversion would become such a drag. Lolx!

I am sharing this based on my experience. If you ever receive an email like this and still have doubts,it is better that you ask around first or investigate.

How can you win a lotto when you didn't even buy the tickets.
Lolx!

Pls. read the email below.
-------

Dear Lucky Winner,

THE MC DONALD'S SEASONAL PROMOTION PRIZE AWARDS WINNING NOTIFICATION.

We are pleased to inform you of the result of the just concluded annual
final draws of McDonalds Annual Promo.

The online McDonalds KL, Malaysian Annual Promo draws was conducted by a
random selection of email addresses from an exclusive list of 29,031
E-mail addresses of individuals and corporate bodies picked by an advanced
automated random computer search from the internet. However, no tickets
were sold but all email addresses were assigned to different ticket
numbers for representation and privacy.

After this automated computer ballot, your e-mail address emerged as one
of twelve winners in the fourth category for the second prize with the
following data:

Ref Number: EAASL/941OYI/02/SHYN
Batch Number: 12/25/0034
Ticket Number: 025-11464992-750

You as well as the other winners are therefore to receive a cash prize of
£1,350,000 (ONE MILLION THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND BRITISH POUNDS
ONLY) each from the total payout.

Your prize award has been insured with your e-mail address and will be
transferred to you upon meeting the requirements, statutory obligations,
verifications, validations and satisfactory report.
To begin the claims processing of your prize winnings you are advised to
contact our licensed and accredited claims agent/security company
for SECOND category winners with the information below: You are also
advised to give the following information’s to the claim's agent via email

1. Full name and address:
2. Country:
3. Tel and fax number:
4. Occupation:
5. Your Reference and Batch number at the top of this mail:
6. Age:

Dr Harry Hector,
MCDONALDS PROMO CLAIMS AGENT
Email: mcdonalds.malaysia@live.com.my
Phone: 00-601-720-65605

NOTE: All winnings must be claimed within 20 days from today. After this
date all unclaimed funds would be included in the next stake.
Remember to quote your reference information in all correspondence with
your claims agent.
You are to keep all lotto information away from the general public
especially your reference and ticket numbers. (This is important as a
case of double claims will not be entertained).

Members of the affiliate agencies are automatically not allowed to
participate in this program.

Thank you and congratulations!!!
Yours faithfully,
Azmir Jaafar,
Managing Director McDonalds Malaysia.



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Blood and floods - Indonesia

Sadly, we have floods again in Jakarta and late yesterday I visited thousands of homeless people sleeping in makeshift Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) camps, under bridges and on roadsides. The Indonesian Red Cross is out there helping with rescue, accommodation, food and clothing. It was a pleasure to accompany the recently elected Chairman of the Indonesian Red Cross (PMI) Jusuf Kalla, and to see his commitment to strengthening the PMI nation-wide.



Families evacuated from flooded areas sheltering in an old warehouse in east Jakarta: Photo: Bob McKerrow

PMI volunteers from flood-affected areas of East Jakarta preparing food packages for distribution. Photo: Bob McKerrow

A mother and child who were rescued from the roof of a flooded house by young PMI volunteers (right) in an inflatable boat. Photo: Bob McKerrow



During the last 8 days I have travelled with Jusuf Kalla, new Chairman PMI, Pak Budi secretary general, and a number of board members and staff, to 8 provinces of Indonesia's 33 provinces, on four different islands. We visited Surabaya and Jakarta provinces on Java, Makassar, Mamuju and Kendari on Sulawesi, and Jambi and Riau on Sumatra and the Bangka and Belitung islands, off Sumatra.

Jusuf Kalla has a clear vision as Chairman PMI and that is one of expanding the quantity and quality of the PMI national blood programme and strengthening readiness for disaster response. Jusuf Kalla sees blood as a vital component of risk reduction.



Jusuf Kalla inspecting PMI blood bank in Pangkal Pinang. Photo: Bob McKerrow



He has set a target of 4 x 4 ? No it's not a Land cruiser, but it stands for reaching a target of having 4 million units of blood for four days at any one time, all the time, in Indonesia. Apart from servicing the growing day to day demand for blood, it will provide a huge buffer stock in times of emergencies, which asre frequent in this country which is a Supermarket of disasters.



Blood must be screened and tested with utmost accurancy. The Blood bank in Pangkal Pinang.



In this enormous island nation comprising 17,500 islands , and where it takes seven hours to fly from the eastern extremity to the remotest north western corner, the task ahead of the Chairman is daunting. During the past eight days in travelling with him, I have witnessed a strong compassionate man with a vision, a mission and an iron will to complete things quickly. Like Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Sonia Gandhi, Jusuf Kalla has the walk about charisma. He loves people, he loves his country while keeping a global overview, and with his passion, contacts, networks and business acumen, he has the team to assist him to reshape the humanitarian landscape of Indonesia. Below I have posted a few photographs to illustrate some of the lighter moments of our trip in the past eight days.

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Young women greeted us in Bangka Belitung province by throwing flower petals over us and displaying traditional dance. Photo: Bob McKerrow

In Jambi we were welcomed by young dancers in traditional dress. Photo: Wayne Ulrich



On the trip to Sumatra, Jusuf Kalla travelled with his wife. To her surprise, someone produced a birthday cake and we celebrated her birthday. Photo: Bob McKerrow

One of Jusuf Kalla's great strengths is his ability to undertake arduous field trips to motivate Indonesian Red Cross volunteers and to share his vision. Photo: Bob McKerrow





The Mosque in Makassar.





The countryside in Sulawesi is green and fertile.



A small party on the plane for Ebu Jusuf Kalla's birthday. Photo: Bob McKerrow



With Jusuf Kalla, in the centre wearing a white shirt. The Ambulance behind, was donated by a local businessman in Pangkal Pinang.









I travelled with Pak Budi SG of the PMI (right) and Peder Damm from the Danish Red Cross (left) and on other trips, colleagues from the French and Canadian Red Cross joined us too.