NoelDM's Xanga

Oh man, rare fiesta, must be cooking the fish for Holy week...

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 17:50:01 GMT

By OLIVER TEVES, Associated Press Writer Oliver Teves, Associated Press Writer – 30 mins ago

MANILA, Philippines – Fishermen in the Philippines accidentally caught and later ate a megamouth shark, one of the rarest fishes in the world with only 40 others recorded to have been encountered, the World Wildlife Fund said Tuesday.

The 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) 13-foot (4-meter) megamouth died while struggling in the fishermen's net on March 30 off Burias island in the central Philippines. It was taken to nearby Donsol in Sorsogon province, where it was butchered and eaten, said Gregg Yan, spokesman for WWF-Philippines.

Yan said a WWF Donsol Project Manager Elson Aca took pictures of the megamouth and tried to dissuade the fishermen from eating it. Shark meat is the main ingredient in a local delicacy.

The first megamouth was discovered in Hawaii in 1976, prompting scientists to create an entirely new family and genus of sharks. The megamouths are docile filter-feeders with wide, blubbery mouths. Yan said the Burias megamouth's stomach revealed it was feeding on shrimp larvae.

Yan said the fish was tagged "Megamouth 41" — the 41st megamouth recorded in the world — by the Florida Museum of Natural History. It was the eighth reported encountered in Philippine seas.

He said the megamouth was caught in 660-foot (200-meter) deep waters, which are also frequented by the endangered whale shark, the world's largest fish and also a filter-feeder in the Donsol area, about 185 miles (300 kilometers) southeast of Manila.

Aca said the presence of two of the world's three filter-feeding sharks along with manta rays and dolphins indicates that the region's marine ecosystem was still relatively healthy and should continue to be protected.

Yan urged fishermen who encounter the rare shark to immediately report to authorities or the WWF.

Others megamouths have been encountered in California, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Brazil, Ecuador, Senegal, South Africa, Mexico and Australia.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090407/ap_on_re_as/as_philippines_rare_shark

I’m calling you out FILIPINOS! And your food!

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:43:06 GMT

Unless you lived under a rock you most likely ate out in a semi-fancy / fancy place. Most of you have probably been to a few fancy fusion joints, sushi bars, cultural fine dining places and the likes. In my case, I would say it’s been a fair amount of time, including business dinners and the friends that know how to make-a-hole-your-pocket eating out, it seems like I’ve been from restaurant to restaurant, menu to menu experiencing the fine dishes of Italy to the unique recipes of Thailand and everything in-between.

These restaurants ironically share something in common…you not only realize the amazing food but the very atmospheric feel and impression that comes with it. You come out feeling that you’ve learned something along the way without even opening a text book or having a professor right before you. Thousands of miles away and even without a hint of a clue, you take with you a piece of that culture by ways of your cravings awakening all your senses.

In my case, once those senses faded away from me, I realized that I’ve been there before, and I’ve seen those cultures before! It’s right there in my own personal back yard! I ate Thai food from a friend in school before, I’ve tasted that true Italian pasta and I’ve even ate true French food at a French home in France before…

I realized that the food I was spending the well worth $20 at those fine diners was deriving from the ordinary “authentic” places and people I know of. Many of these restaurants are from families back from their home that have invested on exporting their goods and recipes to the rest of world with an equal amount from culinary students who have been inspired by those recipes…

All of this just made me look back at my own culture in the Philippines. I come home, eat the amazing food my mother cooks, and looking and eating at the food makes me realize that all of those other nations with amazing recipes are no different from my own.

This inspired me to go out on trek to all of the Filipino restaurants in Jacksonville, literally Yellow paging and googling all existing restaurants. The good news, amazingly all of the foods were good, of course very familiar, and maybe not the best since I have my mother’s bias. Now for the not so good news…I come inside one of these restaurants and I’m greeted by a friendly middle aged man, who takes me to my seat, and takes my order. I complete my order and the same guy rushes to the back, 30 minutes later-he’s there with my food. When this waiter/host/chef removes his apron he’s wearing a Hooter’s shirt! I thought I was in a Filipino restaurant? And for quick access to certain foods, I have to point to already cooked food by means of “Turo-Turo”…

So maybe it’s not like that in all Filipino restaurants, I’ve actually seen several that were noteworthy, what I’m generally presenting is the unintentional lack of presentation and seemingly lack of care for what’s at hand. I even googled about other restaurants around the nation, same deal, I even landed on a YouTube video of a middle aged Filipino lady inviting to come out and line-dance and karaoke with her. Yikes!

I’m not really complaining about their business, but it just so happens to be the presentation of our culture. I don’t mind that we have restaurants like that in the Philippines and I know we have large Filipino populations that would support such a business in this country, but again it’s about the presentation of our culture.

As Filipino cooks, Filipino restaurant owners, and Filipino chefs…you’re not only blessed with recipes, you have an export, and in business terms special kinds of exports are typically worth more value and given more attention to as imports. In this case, a restaurant is an import of our culture. In Philippines case, our food is an export of our people, our history, and the arguably one of the few things that unite us.

I’m writing this not as an attack, but as a hopeful inspiration. I don’t cook and I wasn’t even born in the Philippines, but I believe myself as a true Filipino and have infinite respect for the culture and the hard working other Filipinos out there… We live in this great country that is obsessed about its many cultures and melting pot of nations, yet we come back from a beautiful land that’s hundreds of years a culmination of a melting pot of people all the way from the East to the West. Why present it in ways of “Turo-Turo” and “Karaoke bars”? Let’s reach out and show the true beauty of our culture, even as simple as food.

So once those senses fade away for you, I want to know your thoughts.

Immanuel Masinsin
a.k.a. Noel
a.k.a. Weng Weng

PS: If you try what I did, being a health nut, I only tried light menu items and increased my gym time. LOL

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:49:09 GMT

Key Verse: If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Click link below to study this verse: 2 Corinthians 5:17

http://www.studylight.org/desk/?query=2co+5:17

What idea have you of the salvation of your soul? The experience of salvation means that in your actual life things are really altered, you no longer look at things as you used to; your desires are new, old things have lost their power. One of the touchstones of experience is - Has God altered the thing that matters? If you still hanker after the old things, it is absurd to talk about being born from above, you are juggling with yourself. If you are born again, the Spirit of God makes the alteration manifest in your actual life and reasoning, and when the crisis comes you are the most amazed person on earth at the wonderful difference there is in you. There is no possibility of imagining that you did it. It is this complete and amazing alteration that is the evidence that you are a saved soul.

What difference has my salvation and sanctification made? For instance, can I stand in the light of 1 Corinthians 13, or do I have to shuffle? The salvation that is worked out in me by the Holy Ghost emancipates me entirely, and as long as I walk in the light as God is in the light, He sees nothing to censure because His life is working out in every particular, not to my consciousness, but deeper than my consciousness.

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Taken from 'My Utmost for His Highest', by Oswald Chambers. © l935 by Dodd Mead & Co., renewed © 1963 by the Oswald Chambers Publications Assn., Ltd., and is used by permission of Barbour Publishing, Uhrichsville, Ohio.

I'm in Awe

Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:42:44 GMT

I cant sleep, (like I ever sleep) I can barely compose myself but I just read an e-mail that has literally placed me at the crossroads. Where do I begin? I don't know, It's something I've always dreamed about and prayed about. Wherever it leads me, I'm gladly taking it.

On another note, I watched the debate, and I've made up my mind...

He knows economics, he knows foreign policy, he knows morality, and OH!...he knows how to take care of terrorists...I'm voting for Batman...

UFC Presents: The Ultimate U.S. Election!

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:50:29 GMT

So if you noticed my last post you'd probably realize how crazed I am about UFC, sure its an awesome event and no it doesn't require a lot of testosterone to watch, its fun to watch for everyone (except maybe for my best friend who fall's asleep, and yea he's a guy. sad). I keep up with the events as much as I keep up with my favorite fighters. I've been a big fan since I was a kid, the days when I was at family gatherings watching legendary events with crazy fighters such as Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock bout with almost little to no rules (it was the closest thing to Roman Gladiator in our time) before it became illegal and banned. How was it banned? it was primarily targeted by a certain senator that was shocked of how violent the human cock fighting was.

That senator to help promote that ban, was John Mccain, and unless you've been living in a rock, he's running for the presidency. Of course having been such a fan and a purist of the original UFC you'd think that I'd hate Mccain's guts. No more 100 pound man owning a 300 pound beast through crazy submissions...I know it sucks, but what can I complain about now? Some of my favorite fighters emerged in recent history, and it turns out Mccain's ban actually helped to change the sport to one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and if you don't know how big its getting, its even taking over the title belt from boxing.

If John Mccain can change MMA does it really warrant him the title of changing government? Maybe if we're pounding one another to the ground, than he can, but we're talking about someone running for the high office that governs this amazing country. Lets take a look at how I see each candidate so far...

Since I opened up with Mccain, lets start off with him, like I said my UFC ties with him are evened out, so as a candidate for presidency he seems alright to me. Whatever way people see him, half dead man, bush 2, robot, etc. to me he is a good man, he even has that story that makes him like a legend, as if he lived the war movie and came back alive. He's like the man in Tim Burton's Big Fish, he has the perfect life to tell his grand children, and maybe even America.

Mccains competitor, Mr. Barack Obama, is AMAZING, an anomaly in so many different angles and not just because of skin tone, you're talking about the man's life and how he's now running for office... hearing the man speak is already pure gold. For me what's different about him is his sense of charisma that not a lot of politicians have these days, it could be a combo of his good looks, picture perfect family, and his postmodern Martin Luther King tone. Whatever it is, its gotten him somewhere...

Mr. Obama's running mate on the other hand, Mr. Joe Biden, from the get go seems like a boring guy, on top of that, either not enough spotlight is given to him, or the spotlight doesn't want to shine on him. I looked into him and he's actually a descent guy. He's a guy that was labeled as stupid person when he was younger because of his stuttering problem, glad to see where he's at now. It's kind of messed up to actually see a guy as good as him with an equally humbling story placed where he's at...

As for Sarah Palin, she's just as much of a living anomaly as Mr.Obama, just in a different way, because Palins character is something we're all familiar with but NEVER have we seen anyone in her category run for office! It's almost unheard of. you're talking about an average Jane that somehow managed to get to high office just by following her passion step by step. Hillary backers can get me on this, but Hillary wouldn't be average in my books, she's like Geraldine or Condoleezza running for office. It's easy to actually assume someone like Hillary to get to the high office, but someone like Sarah? You would assume someone like her would just stay home and have girlfriend discussions with other fellow moms. She's definitely a different take of women in power and politics...It's like seeing my Mom run for presidency...

As far as where I stand on voting, its getting more polarized everyday and very much a swing, I'm doing my research on each candidate carefully by the minute. I don't like being dictated by a political party, impulse or popularity. I do tend to vote more on character but I equally vote on the issues I believe are important. Alls I can say, I'm glad to know that my vote preciously counts, and HEY so does yours...This is one of the most exciting elections in U.S. History, so get involved! my little advice: do your research as well, if you don't know your economics or if you know little about the outside world, ATLEAST know yourself and what's important to you, do your research on your candidates, and place your vote in November.

Be thankful and make use of our system! If we never had it, we'd probably be pounding each other to the ground...

like this...

Street Fighter in Real Life

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:01:36 GMT

The UFC bout this past weekend was pretty good, the iceman finally got knocked out good, I was never really a fan of him except he reminded me of Zangief from Street Fighter. I'm not sure if any of you actually think like this when you get bored, I guess its just me! It does seems like my dreams of seeing Street Fighter in real life as a kid is now becoming a reality....

I mean look at this guy, just throw on red and he'll remind you of Ken, he has a quick fighting style and he's also from California.

Urijah Faber

Now this guy looks like Ryu and just as mysterious as him, he's a Japanese descendant in Brazil, I guess almost a similar fighting style as well. It seems like no one really cares for him but that doesnt seem to phase him out, he's all about honor and the art of what he does best. This is seriously Ryu...I'm a big fan of him

Lyoto Machida

KAAMULAN!

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 04:36:53 GMT

This past weekend, the amazing Kaamulan performance not only reminded me of how amazing the Philippines is but it humbled me just hearing how some of the young performers dedicated their heart, mind, body and soul for a whole year and half of training without compensation or recognition but just for their belief of what they were performing and what they were performing for.

It reminded how the Philippines is a country that’s worth everything we’re living for!

Its amazing, I thought meeting up with other fellow advocates with uncle Tony along with his amazing speech was good enough, but it seems like signs and reminder constantly kicks in. As if something distantly calls or something just yearns me to go ahead accomplish what’s being presented.

Am I a man of character?

About Telecommuters....

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:55:44 GMT

so I realized I need to start blogging again, I kinda miss this thing....

I get so couped up in the house working from home (So what do I actually do? if I explain it'll feel like a Friends Chandler moment), considering the type of person I am I sometimes feel less productive being a telecommuter with such a strong urge to do more! When I actually realize it, I'm doing more since I started with the Bank, its just that the typical work lifestyle of getting ready for work, dressing up, driving to work and seeing real life people, etc is no longer there...they've actually warned us telecommuters that its a normal feeling that'll go away after some adjutments from the typical 9-5 scenario. Kind of weird when I work with my tank top and boxers on without having shaved or brushed my teeth....ok, totally kidding...

I guess whats made things more balanced is actually doing things on the weekends, matter of fact, miami in just a few hours...here i come!

Anyways, God is awesome, bless us all....peace!

To Leave Everything....

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 02:11:37 GMT

This past weekend was just a reflection of what I could get into

Hmmmmm...

LoveBox

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 18:56:44 GMT

Watchout Johnny Cupcakes!

http://www.loveboxclothing.com/

Fashion Run:

After Party:

Favorite Quote...

"If a guy is man enough to wear a heart, he's man enough to win the the heart of the girls"

nice save Tim!

congrats and good luck to my boy iTim!

be sure to check out the site and order a few:

http://www.loveboxclothing.com/

PERFECT FOR VDAY!