Baywalk along Roxas Boulevard during the Atienza Administration

Columns from Malaya and Abante – Edition 2009 – 356

Lito Atienza Wants Manila – Again!

“Manila has deteriorated once again under the present local administration with its lack of vision and program of government.”

by Ducky Paredes

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary and former Mayor Lito Atienza, the only undefeated Mayor of Manila, was elated that, on filing his Certificate of Candidacy (COC), a large crowd of Manileños greeted him, shook his hands, clapped and urged him on. After a Thanksgiving Mass at Quiapo Church, Atienza marched to Comelec’s local office along Arroceros Street with his Buhayin ang MayniLA ticket to file his certificate of candidacy for Mayor of Manila.

Lito sees his candidacy as heeding the cry of Manileños to restore his urban renewal and sustainable development program and replace the present administration, which totally neglected the city and its residents:

“Manileños, especially the poor and other marginalized sectors, have not only witnessed but experienced genuine progress under my administration’s Buhayin ang MayniLA program. We had a vision and it was pursued and delivered. For nine straight years (which is the only allowable maximum term limit for elected local officials under the Constitution), residents enjoyed, among others, health centers and hospitals with adequate equipment, facilities, free medicines and services as nutrition programs were also in place.

“Young underprivileged Manileños were given ‘no tuition fee’ quality education with competitive standards. Businesses were thriving as jobs and livelihood opportunities were generated and city hall processes were streamlined against red tape and corruption. Manila was always safe then because law violators were not only apprehended but punished as well. Garbage, likewise, were regularly collected and roads were well maintained. The city had a clean, healthy and progressive environment to live in.”

Roxas Boulevard Baywalk - 2009

Inheriting a low revenue collection of only P2 billion annually from his predecessor in 1998, Atienza, through innovative reforms, raised the city’s revenue to P8 billion. Atienza’s income-generating efforts were highlighted when he was cited in a center spread published 2006 financial report of no less than the Commission on Audit (COA) and Department of Finance (DOF): “The city enjoyed a very healthy economy when taxes were effectively collected and efficiently delivered back to Manileños.” Atienza left a P2.6-billion fund after Lito’s term as Mayor ended in 2007.

“Manila has deteriorated once again under the present local administration with its lack of vision and program of government. For three years, the Lim government has deprived Manileños of the right kind of life they deserve by removing and destroying what my administration worked hard for the people in nine years.

“Chaos and squalor in all parts of Manila were tolerated once more that shooed people and opportunities away from the city. Ang ibinigay naming tunay na pag-asa at liwanag ng kaunlaran sa Maynila ay muli na namang nagdilim sa mali at di-wastong pamamalakad. Noon, Maynila ang nangunguna at sinusundan. Ngayon, napag-iwanan na naman ang lungsod. Despite great opposition from residents, non-government organizations and the church, they (Lim administration) even railroaded an ordinance (8187) which allowed and ensured the permanent stay of “highly pollutive and extremely hazardous industries” in the capital, including the oil depots in Pandacan which placed the lives of Manileños in grave danger and made Manila the most polluted and toxic city in the world. I consider it the highest form of insensitivity against worldwide efforts to fight pollution and global warming. Plus, the massive syndicated graft and corruption which effected the sale of prime public properties to favor some individuals and personalities,” Atienza stressed.

Atienza was born and raised in Manila. He rose from the ranks starting as a barangay tanod (watchman). He moved up to kagawad then, barangay chairman. He was elected Assemblyman, despite being an opposition candidate, representing the City of Manila at the Batasang Pambansa during Martial Law and served as National Housing Authority (NHA) General Manager during Cory Aquino’s presidency. Atienza was elected Vice Mayor of Manila in 1992 and, in 1998, became the only Vice Mayor ever elected Mayor of Manila. He has defeated political giants in Manila including current Mayor Alfredo Lim in 2001. In 2004, he garnered the largest lead vote against an electoral opponent ever recorded in Manila’s political history.

Atienza’s governance has always hewed to his steadfast belief on the value of life. He was unanimously elected anew as President of Pro-Life Philippines, being the longest serving head of the organization. Atienza has consistently been at the forefront of upholding and protecting the value and sanctity of life. Lito dismisses the idea that poverty is caused by population growth; he sees this as a mere “alibi for failure.”

During his turn as Mayor, Atienza ensured an improved quality of life for Manila residents by bringing out the full potential of each and every Manileño. He firmly believes that development, good governance, and the equal distribution of opportunities are the necessary elements to sustain a healthy growing population and would bring people to their best state.

The other candidates under Atienza’s Buhayin ang MayniLA ticket are: Bonjay Isip-Garcia for Vice Mayor; for district 1 Councilors – Dennis Alcoreza, Edwin Simbulan, Eduardo Solis, Danny Isiderio, and German Nuñez; for district 2 Councilors – Marlon Lacson, Numero Uno Lim, Ivy Varona, Boy Laxa, Nida Buenaventura-Panti, and Ike Hernandez Villegas; Letlet Zarcal for district 3 Congressman; for district 3 Councilors – Joel Chua, Ramon Morales, Larsil Silva, Robbie Oca, Don Neil Dela Peña, and Alejandro Gomez; for district 4 Councilors – Gerino Tolentino, Jocelyn Quintos, Susan Beltran, DJ Bagatsing, Caloy Trinidad, and Robin Aquino Padilla; Amado Bagatsing for district 5 Congressman; for district 5 Councilors – Cora Gernale, Cristy Isip, Rafael Borromeo, Robert Ortega, Joey Cabreza, and Harry Huecas; Benny Abante for district 6 Congressman; and for district 6 Councilors – Joy Dawis-Asuncion, Joey Uy, Caloy Castañeda, Vladimir Cabigao, and Casimiro Sison

* * *

According to a recent survey, Lito Atienza is presently running third behind incumbent Mayor Fred Lim and former policeman and Peace Adviser Sonny Razon. Of course, the campaign has not yet begun and Lito has not yet begun campaigning and did not do so as a non-candidate prior to filing his CoC as Sonny Razon did.

My take on the Manila elections is that it will be a dogfight exclusively between Mayor Lim and Former Mayor Atienza.

lito-atienza

lito atienza

Blog Catalog Blog Directory

Calling them ‘companies with conscience,’ Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza (center) honors eight companies that have shown exemplary environmental performance in a simple ceremony held at the DENR’s Social Hall in Quezon City. Leading the awardees in presenting the “DENR Seal of Approval” awarded them under the Philippine Environment Partnership Program (PEPP) implemented by the Environmental Management Bureau is business tycoon Dr. Lucio Tan for Absolut Distillers, Inc. (to Atienza’s left). The other awardees are (from left): Gilbert Javier for Nestle Philippines-Lipa Plant, Amador Alas for Nestle Philippines-Cabuyao Plant, Jess Reyes, also for Nestle Philippines-Cabuyao Plant, Edith de Leon, also for Nestle Philippines-Lipa Plant, Annie Ambay for PSI Technologies, Lloyd Magat for Vishay Philippines, Liza Beronio for STMicroelectronics, Robin Batacandolo for Analog Devices-Gen. Trias, Noel Pabilona and Gina Picandal for ON Semiconductor, and Gerry Tee, also for Absolut Distillers, Inc.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources awarded eight companies with exemplary environmental performance with the “DENR Seal of Approval”.

On hand to receive the awards for their companies include business tycoon Dr. Lucio Tan for Absolut Distillers Inc.; Facilities Manager Robin Batacandolo for Analog Devices-General Trias; Vice-President and Corporate Environment Officer Jess Reyes for Nestle Phils., Inc.-Cabuyao Factory; Sr. Vice-President for Corporate Affairs Edith de Leon for Nestle Phils., – Lipa Factory; Environment, Health and Safety (EHS) Manager Noel Pabilona for ON Semiconductor; EHS Manager Anne Ambay for PSI Technologies; EHS Manager Liza Beronio for STMicroelectronics, Inc.; and Facilities Manager Lloyd Magat for Vishay Philippines.

It is very important that we give recognition to companies that give importance to our environment through their strict compliance to environmental standards. The awardee-companies have shown excellence in mitigating pollution by establishing wastewater treatment facilities, thereby contributing to the protection of the country’s important bodies of water such as the Pasig River, Laguna de Bay and Manila Bay.

Aside from the “DENR Seal of Approval,” the awardees were also entitled to some regulatory privileges and assistance such as relaxation of reportorial requirements and simplified requirements for securing an environmental compliance certificate for their expansion projects.

The “DENR Seal of Approval” may be used by the companies in their product labels and other promotional campaigns for a period of one year.

Mabuhay ang mga korporasyong tumutulong sa pangangalaga ng ating kalikasan. We will continue to reward and acknowledge companies which contribute to the sustainability of our environment and our natural resources, while we will penalize those who do not.

The recognition rites was in line with the Philippine Environment Partnership Program (PEPP) of the Environmental Management Bureau, a line agency of the DENR, which seeks to support local industries achieve industry self-regulation through improved environmental performance.

Under the PEPP, a package of incentives and reward mechanisms await companies or industries that voluntarily join the program. Among these are technical assistance in the preparation and implementation of environmental management plan, public awareness-raising, development of industry-specific effluent standards and practical strategies and technologies to enable them comply with prescribed effluent standards.

To qualify for the program, companies must meet three important requirements: they should have no cases filed with the DENR’s Pollution Adjudication Board for at least three years prior to the date of application, they must be in full compliance with all applicable environment laws, and they must be proven to have superior environmental performance by a 3rd party auditor.

lito-atienza

lito atienza

Blog Catalog Blog Directory

The potato gun could have easily cleared this long parking lot.  At a steep angle it got about 100 yards of altitude and 150 yards of distance.

Then, my secretary, aka the coolest secretary on earth, took a turn.

Good times!  And Merry Christmas!

Brian

.

Dear all,

.

The Annual Activity Report 2008-09 of ExESS (Electronix Engineering Students’ Society) is now available for download from the link below.

.

.

.

Download Report

.

.

.

Courtesy: As in the E-mail received from Ms. Indu Unni, Secretary, CEC ExESS 2008-09.

.

.

Regards,

.

Arunanand T A,

CEC 2010 CS.

.

I want a job where all I do is make coffee and use a copy machine all day. These are the two most exciting things in the world for me.

Maybe I should become a secretary. I would clearly want to have a boss who I secretly serviced behind closed doors, then we would get to spend all day pretending that he wasn’t hiring me for a fuck on the side.

Ok, I had so much fun doing the Best 9 of ‘09 I figured why not do every other year in the Aughts (2000-2009) and then the best of those best! Best of the WHOLE decade! So I’ve done that. It got harder and harder as the years went back, especially considering I was pretty young in the year 2000. But I think I’ve come up with a pretty good list of my favorites (and least favorites!) from the past ten years. Again, maybe Avatar or some other such movie will blow my brains out all over the place before the end of 2009 and force me to amend my lists, but we’ll see. Ok, I’ll start with the shakiest years and move forward ending with my best 9 of the decade:

Worst of 2000:
Battlefield Earth

Best of 2000:
9- Battle Royale
8- O Brother, Where Art Thou?
7- Shadow of the Vampire
6- The Emperor’s New Groove
5- Memento
4- American Psycho
3- Gladiator
2- Requiem for a Dream
1- Best in Show

Worst of 2001:
Jurassic Park III, Monkeybone, Planet of the Apes

Best of 2001:
9- Amélie
8- Zoolander
7- Ocean’s Eleven
6- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
5- Wet Hot American Summer
4- Shrek
3- Mulholland Drive
2- Monsters, Inc.
1- The Royal Tenenbaums

Worst of 2002:
Queen of the Damned, Signs

Best of 2002:
9- The Salton Sea
8- Solaris (2002)
7- Secretary
6- The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
5- The Bourne Identity
4- Punch-Drunk Love
3- 28 Days Later
2- City of God
1- Adaptation

Worst of 2003:
Cold Mountain, The Hulk, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

Best of 2003:
9- Lost in Translation
8- Bad Santa
7- 21 Grams
6- Kill Bill Vol. 1
5- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
4- The Cooler
3- Coffee and Cigarettes
2- Swimming Pool
1- Finding Nemo

Worst of 2004:
Alexander, The Village

Best of 2004:
9- Undertow
8- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
7- The Aviator
6- Kill Bill Vol. 2
5- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
4- Primer
3- The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou
2- Shaun of the Dead
1- The Incredibles

Worst of 2005:
The Jacket, The Devil’s Rejects, The Island

Best of 2005:
9- The Three Burials of Malquides Estrada
8- A History of Violence
7- Batman Begins
6- Oldboy
5- Capote
4- Grizzly Man
3- Paradise Now
2- Good Night, and Good Luck
1- Cache (Hidden)

Worst of 2006:
Ultraviolet, Thank You for Smoking, The Da Vinci Code, Superman Returns, The Wicker Man, The Black Dahlia

Best of 2006:
9- The Proposition
8- Inside Man
7- Stranger Than Fiction
6- Brick
5- Pan’s Labyrinth
4- Inland Empire
3- The Fountain
2- Casino Royale
1- Children of Men

Worst of 2007:
Transformers, Across the Universe

Best of 2007:
9- 3:10 to Yuma
8- The Bourne Ultimatum
7- The Darjeeling Limited
6- Michael Clayton
5- Superbad
4- Eastern Promises
3- The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
2- There Will Be Blood
1- No Country for Old Men

Worst of 2008 (and among some of the worst movies ever made):
The Happening, Wanted, Chapter 27, The Life Before Her Eyes, Choke, Repo! the Genetic Opera

Best of 2008:
9- The Fall
8- Iron Man
7- The Dark Knight
6- Young@Heart
5- Tell No One
4- The Wrestler
3- Slumdog Millionaire
2- WALL-E
1- Let the Right One In

I’ll post 2009 here again, just so your life is easier!

Worst of 2009:
The International, Watchmen, Adventureland, Surveillance, Public Enemies, Where the Wild Things Are

Best of 2009:
9- The Brothers Bloom
8- Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans
7- Inglourious Basterds
6- Zombieland
5- The Road
4- A Serious Man
3- Star Trek
2- Up
1- Moon

And here it is… the moment of truth…

My favorite 9 films of the Aughts!!!
9- Best in Show
8- Star Trek
7- WALL-E
6- Up
5- There Will Be Blood
4- Moon
3- Cache (Hidden)
2- Let the Right One In
1- No Country for Old Men

Well there you have it! My favorite and least favorite movies of the past ten years. Maybe not all technically the best movies ever made, but my favorite. Agree? Disagree? Think I’m crazy? Maybe I am. Why don’t you tell me about it, or better yet offer up your lists in the comments I’d love to hear them!!

December 17th, 2009 Chicago [IAN]

Many of us have so many things on our to-do list till we feel overworked and stressed out. Then other times you just need a helping hand for the moment. The outsourcing of your document/ copy typing & editing is a wise business move it has become very popular and continues to grow everyday.

Many people find great relief and support through outsourcing their copy typing. Outsourcing copy typing is a reliable option. You can get your work done faster, proficiently and receive top quality work from Clerical Business Solutions.

Subscribe in a reader

You Can Outsource:

• Copy Typing Of Hand Written Documents or Typed
• Typing Of Scripts: Plays, Movies etc…
• Emails, Newsletters, Resumes
• Thesis, Dissertation, Manuscript Typing/ Editing
• Books/ E-Books
• Calendars, Leaflets
• Advertising Materials
• Typing Of Faxed Documents
• Booklets, Audio Typing
• Interviews Typing, Conference calls
• Webcasts, Mini Cassettes
• Data Entry
• Course Work
• Magazines
• Business Document Typing: Reports/Manuals/ Procedures/ Policies etc….
• Notes, Certificates, Letters
• Article Writing/ Editing
• Research Papers, Essays ETC……

Copy typing/ editing services are very useful for individuals, professionals, different areas of business and across all industries. Outsourcing copy typing is a reliable option.

You need support for your projects & to accomplish your goals. So outsourcing your copy typing can help you do more with less. Many professionals and businesses have utilized Virtual Assistant services for their copy typing needs. You can reap the benefits also.

There are many reasons that companies outsource various jobs, but the most prominent advantage seems to be the fact that it often saves time & money. outsourcing your copy typing can relieve you of many tasks that you find time consuming.

So get started and outsource your copy typing today.

~Clerical Business Solutions

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Lito Atienza (right) inspects the LPG gas compartment of one of four LPG buses that recently arrived in Metro Manila from Xiamen, China. The environment-friendly buses will initially ply the route Fairview-C5 to test the efficiency of their smoke emissions. If found effective, 200 units of the LPG-powered buses will be imported to help boost the government’s effort to improve the air quality in the metropolis. The project is being undertaken jointly by the Office of the President (OP), DENR, Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC), Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), Department of Energy (DOE), Board of Investment (BOI) and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Briefing Secretary Atienza on the LPG bus is Emmanuel A. Atienza (left), executive vice president of Auto LPG Co., Inc.

The year 2009 marks the 10 th year of the implementation of Republic Act 8749 or the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999.

Considered a landmark legislation on environment, the Clean Air Act paved the way for the country to put in place concrete measures to reduce emissions of air pollutions, especially in Metro Manila and other highly urbanized cities.

The Clean Air Act is definitely an very important piece of legislation consistent with the constitutional mandate to protect the environment, in this case the air we breathe, while guaranteeing the protection of the people’s right to live in harmony with nature.

And, for the last decade, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which is mandated to spearhead the implementation of the Clean Air Act, has continually made partnerships with other government agencies, local governments, transport and industry sectors as well as the civil society, to ensure that the law’s objective to reduce air emissions are realized.

After 10 years, what have we achieved?

* Based on the monitoring of the DENR, the overall air quality of the country is improving. A reduction of 29% in levels of Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) was achieved and this is partly due to the combined efforts of concerned sectors committed to improve the quality of air that we breathe.

* According to the Department of Health, there has been a significant improvement in blood lead levels among children in Metro Manila since 2000, when the Government started to use unleaded gasoline. In 2003, only 34.6% of study children were found exceeding the US-Center for Disease Control guideline value of 10µg/dl as compared to 90.3% in 2000.

* Improvement in fuel quality was implemented. The Department of Energy has undertaken the following:

o Phase-out of leaded gasoline in January 2001;
o Reduction of benzene and aromatics in unleaded gasoline (ULG) from 4% (by vol.) to 2% and 45% to 35% from Jan. 2000 to Jan. 2003, respectively;
o Reduction of sulfur content of automotive diesel oil ( ADO ) from 0.5% to 0.20% from 1999 to 2001 & further reduction to 0.05% in Jan.2004;
o Reduction of sulfur content of industrial diesel oil (IDO) to 0.30% in Jan.2001;
o Implementation of Memorandum Circular No. 55 requiring all government vehicles to use diesel fuel blended with 1% coco methyl ester starting July 2004;
o Use of 2% biodiesel blend (no more 100% conventional diesel) and availability of E10 effective February 2006 (Bio-Fuels Act).

* Efforts to curb air pollution from motor vehicles were intensified through the Land Transportation Office’s effort to operationalize four Motor Vehicle Inspection Stations (MVIS) under MVIS Phase I, which include: (1) LTO-East Avenue, (2) San Fernando, Pampanga; (3) Las Pinas City; and (4) Cebu City and issued directive to conduct emission testing prior to registration through private emission testing centers (PETCs) starting January 2003. The monitoring of these MVIS and other LTO Emission Testing Centers and PETCs is guided by the DENR-DOTC-DTI Joint Administrative Order in 2003 and this was further revised in December 2007.

* Other efforts to reduce air pollution from new motor vehicles and in-use motorcycles/tricycles are the adoption Euro 2 Type Approval Standards, more stringent emission standards since January 2008 and establishment of hydrocarbon emission standards since June 2003, respectively.

* Anti-smoke belching operations were likewise strengthened with the support of the Metro Manila Development Authority and local government operations. Several programs were also launched to increase participation in anti-smoke belching activities, namely, the SMOKE–FREE EDSA (October 2003) and the LINIS HANGIN PROGRAM (November 2004 up to present) by DENR.

* The use of alternative fuels was also promoted by concerned agencies and this led to:

* conversion of gasoline-fed taxis to liquid petroleum gas;
* introduction of new compressed natural gas (CNG) buses pursuant to Executive Order No. 290 [Natural Gas Vehicle Program for Public Transport (NGVPPT)] . To date, a total of 30 new CNG buses are plying the route of Batangas/Sta. Cruz-EDSA-Cubao & vice versa on a commercial scale.

* In mid-2006, motorcycle manufacturers voluntarily phased-out two-stroke motorcycle engines in support of the Clean Air Act.

* Efforts to abate air pollution from industrial sources and establishments were intensified through the accreditation of third party source emission testing firms to conduct compliance testing prior to operation. Likewise, major sources of air pollution were directed to install continuous emission monitoring systems to monitor their compliance to emission standards at all times.

What’s left to do?

Despite the winnings, however, there remains huge task to do to assure the people of improved air quality to breathe. The ambient air quality monitoring being conducted by the DENR indicates of improving air quality. But still the air pollution level is high and unhealthy especially among the vulnerable sectors like the young, the old and the sickly.

Based on information collected from national and local government agencies, through Clean Air InitiativeI-Asia Network in 2003, Manila ranks 7th among twelve (12) cities in the region with dirty air, in terms of total suspended particulates (TSP).

And in the face of global warming and climate change, more work needs to be done especially since air pollution and climate change are strongly linked to each other. Bringing the level of air pollution down to safe levels can cut on greenhouse gas emissions.

Local government units share the responsibility in managing air quality within their territorial jurisdiction. The local chief executives are members of the airshed governing boards. They also play key roles in carrying out the other provisions of the Clean Air Act.

Among other things, the DENR is urging all LGUs to:

* Strictly implement the ban on smoking inside public places
* Designate an Environment and Natural Resources Office in every province, city, municipality
* Implement air quality standards set by the Governing Board
* Prepare and develop, with the assistance from the Department, an action plan consistent with the Integrated Air Quality Framework to attain and maintain the ambient air quality standards within their respective airsheds
* Prepare and implement a program and other measures including relocation, whenever necessary, to protect health and welfare of residents in the area in during extreme air pollution events.

The steady brown haze that blankets major cities in the country is something that cannot be ignored. Now is the time to act and with increasing steps over time, we can fight air pollution and give next generations of Filipinos a cleaner and healthier future.

lito-atienza

lito atienza

Blog Catalog Blog Directory

Jen Szalinsky had a very busy day yesterday, but somehow was able to complain to all who came her way.

     Szalinsky, a 25 year old secretary for the Rollins Company, walked into the office yesterday to find a huge workload on her desk.

     “It was like, awful,” she griped. “Faxes, call-backs, making appointments, breaking appointments, customer service, copies to make. It was like, oh, my god!”

     Before sitting at her desk, Jen took a picture of all the work on her desk with her cell phone and sent it to her entire contact list with the caption reading, “I hate Mondays!” After sending her mass text, she decided to get some coffee in the break room and ran into Keith from Quality Assurance. “Before I even said ‘hello’ to her,” Keith reported, “She just started bitching in my ear about how much work she had to do.”

     After grabbing her coffee and complaining to Keith for 14 minutes, Jen headed over to Accounting and draped herself over William Cunningham’s cubicle wall. “Oh, I knew she wanted to bitch,” Cunningham stated to reporters. “And she kept giving these heavy sighs until I asked her how she was doing. That was a mistake.” What resulted was a 16 minute verbal tirade from Jen regarding how she will never have enough time to finish all of her work for the day.

     Jen went back to her desk and began to respond to all of the sympathetic texts she received from the 39 people on her contact list. By 11:30, Jen was ready to get started on her work, but the office phone rang, and she talked to a constituent, stating, “Oh, my god, my boss is like, so unfair. He is like, a sadist or something.” By the time the phone call ended, it was lunch time.
“I like, totally needed some energy if I was going to do all that work,” she told reporters.

(Above:) Jen on her busy lunch break, which she extended an extra hour to compensate for her boss's sadistic tendencies.

     By 2:00, Jen was fully prepared to get started, and began to get to work. She finished all of her assignments by 3:45, and spent the rest of the work day stalking the halls, complaining to people about how much work she had just done.

Week after week (after week after week…), CollegeCandy and our pal John bring you some of the weirdest, funniest, and saddest things he hears on his college campus. And we know he’s not the only one who hears this stuff. Join the Overheard revolution! Listen in on some weirdos’ conversations and share them in the comments or send ‘em over. You know there’s a lot of funny things to be heard on your campus, so get listening.

(Frat guy, at a party.)

Guy: Okay, everyone! Dicks up, boy couch!

(Two guys in class, before lecture starts.)

Guy 1: My girlfriend broke up with me, and sent me pictures of her and her new boyfriend in bed.

Guy 2: Ouch.

Guy 1: Yeah, I sent them to her dad.

(Girl at a party.)

Girl: C’mon, let’s get out of here!

Guy: We can’t. You’re wasted. Let’s stay here.

Girl: I’m not that drunk. (Passes out into a pile of empties.)

(Guy, at one end of a long table in a diner.)

Guy: Yo, can someone pass me the cat?

Girl: What?

Guy: The jelly. Pass me the jelly.

(Guys, studying in the library.)

Guy 1: Shakespeare got to make up whatever words he wanted.

Guy 2: Like “s***dick.”

Guy 1: What? No, he didn’t.

Guy 2: He sure did. Never used it in his plays, though.

(Guy, on the phone.)

Guy: Guess what? Last night a BJ saved my life.

(Girl and guy, in the dining hall.)

Guy: Can you get me some soda?

Girl: No. I’m not your secretary.

Guy: Sure you are. Get me a Coke, titmittens.

(Girl and a guy, sitting in Taco Bell.)

Guy: You want to have sex after this?

Girl: Nah, I’m pretty full.

(Two guys, sitting on the shuttle bus.)

Guy 1: Hey, excuse me.

Guy 2: Huh?

Guy 1: Our butts just touched. Sorry about that.

(Two girls and a guy, talking in the dining hall.)

Girl 1: Would you want to be a guy for, like, a day?

Girl 2: I don’t think so. I wouldn’t want to feel my genitalia outside of my body.

Guy: You get used to it.

(Girl and a guy, reading the newspaper.)

Girl: Look. It’s you. (pointing)

Guy: Not really?

Girl: Yeah, if you were a little five-foot tall Nazi.

(Girl, alone at a check-out counter, with a bag of beans.)

Girl: I like beans.

LA photographer, Dan Monick, is my artist of the day… or fortnight or however often I actually end up posting an art-related subject. Basically I’m a big fan, right down from his scraggy beard to his penchant for masks and birthday cakes. Dan’s photography is all based around portraits – portraits of any sort, whether it’s people just caught there, or posing, or snapped on a polaroid – whatever. He also spends his time making videos, art directing the LA Record, putting out t-shirts of his photography (under umbrella fashion label, ‘Blood is the New Black’) and basically being pretty fucking cool.

His website has a really nice layout to it, with his professional work separated from the stuff he does just for kicks and a link offsite to blog that he regularly updates. To be honest I think I prefer the personal stuff to the portfolio sections just because it feels more direct. While the professional work is really well composed and shot, the personal stuff has that sort of Guerilla-photography vibe to it that Dan is just too good at. It features polaroids of people in a dark monochrome setting, shots of well-dressed friends smoking or fucking about and two separate sections dedicated to condom machines and birthday cakes. I never thought I’d settle on a favourite johnny-dispenser, but now I have (see right) just because everyone wants to be reminded of the Holy Trinity when they’re getting laid.

A quick wander over to his blog – Duck Boots – tells us he just got the cover of the latest edition of ESPN and is stoked as shit to have it. Meanwhile he just contributed ‘Dino Roar’ as his latest addition to his ‘Blood is the New Black’ line and it’s sure to be as a big a hit as the rest.

‘Blood is the New Black’ is actually where I discovered Dan Monick, with his range of portrait t-shirts that grabbed me quicker than any other graphic tees I had seen in a while. Definitely go have a look if you want to see what I’m making a fuss about and I’ll do a more general post on the other artists that contribute to this exciting underground clothing brand.

In a sad way his video-making is a little more lacklustre than the other projects he chases up on a regular basis, but bear in mind he is first-and-foremost a professional photographer – the man’s got bills to pay. What he does have to offer is still good, with two videos directed for LA band, The Icarus Line, one for (LA again) Secretary Bird and a more recent one (8 months ago) for Valerj Pobega’s Fall 2009 clothing line.

Secretary Bird – Somewhere Girls (dir. Dan Monick)

ART

BLOG

FASHION

VIDEOS

In fact, just type ‘Dan Monick’ into Google Images and a whole host of good shit will come up.

Go.

Posted by Audiegrl

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius after signing a memorandum expanding government funded health clinics across the country

Starting today, we’re making $88 million in funding available for centers to adopt new health information technology systems to manage their administrative and financial matters and transfer old paper files to electronic medical records. These investments won’t just increase efficiency and lower costs, they’ll improve the quality of care as well –- preventing countless medical errors, and allowing providers to spend less time with paperwork and more time with patients.

That’s the purpose of the final initiative I’m announcing today as well -– a demonstration project to evaluate the benefits of the “medical home” model of care that many of our health centers aspire to. The idea here is very simple: that in order for care to be effective, it needs to be coordinated. It’s a model where the center that serves as your medical home might help you keep track of your prescriptions, or get the referrals you need, or work with you to develop a plan of care that ensures your providers are working together to keep you healthy.

So taken together, these three initiatives –- funding for construction, technology, and a medical home demonstration –- they won’t just save money over the long term and create more jobs, they’re also going to give more people the peace of mind of knowing that health care will be there for them and their families when they need it.

And ultimately, that’s what health insurance reform is really about. That’s what the members of Congress here today will be voting on in the coming weeks.

Now, let me just end by saying a little bit about this broader effort. I know it’s been a long road. I know it’s been a tough fight. But I also know the reason we’ve taken up this cause is the very same reason why so many members from both parties are here today –- because no matter what our politics are, we know that when it comes to health care, the people we serve deserve better.

President Obama announces that the Recovery Act will provide new funding for Community Health Centers to finance new construction, modernize information technology, and build a “medical home” model. December 9, 2009

PSA: Jeannie loves Master. Pass it on!

In this episode, adorable Jeannie has decided that she wants to be Tony’s secretary so they can spend more time together. He tells her to do this, she has to join the Air Force, thinking it will deter her. Naturally, it does not, because she loves him and is his devoted slave*. Whatcha workin’ on there, Jeannie? Studying hard?

Or hardly studying?

*She is his slave by choice, it must be noted: he freed her from the bottle and she chooses to stay with him. He in turn takes care of her; I think they have an absolutely wonderful relationship, but I’m all kinds of fucked up.

Anyway, I effing love this show ’til the end of time (I’ll get in to why I think it is better by far than that sterile slop Bewitched another day) and I believe Barbara Eden to be the most delightful, adorable, cuter-than-shit blonde gift from God to ever totally prove his existence, so look for plenty more Jeannie where this came from!

All stills from “G.I. Jeannie,” I Dream of Jeannie: Season 1, Episode 5. Original air date October 16, 1965.

Kansas Labor Secretary Jim Garner joined other state labor department administrators as well as public policy, labor and civil rights representatives in calling on Congress to act expeditiously to renew provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act related to unemployment. The provisions are set to expire at the end of the year, leaving millions of unemployed Americans without benefits.

“Unfortunately, the job market is not seeing the same signs of recovery that have been evident for the remainder of the economy,” Garner said. “Until we begin to see improvement in the labor market, keeping these critical benefits available to the millions of people without work due to this recession will be imperative.”

I guess my main question is: what improvement is Garner seeing in the rest of the economy. Seems to me I heard Obama say something like that also. Yet everything remains the same as it was and still declining. If there is still growing unemployment, then there has to still be businesses not functioning as well or growing and less income being circulated into the economy by buyers.

During the last week I started with another new client which was great.  The following day I received an email from this client to format a small document to ensure consistency of logo placement & branding specifications.  The client specified in their email “please spend no longer than two hours on this project”.

Now, I took a look at the documents that were sent through as examples and the unformatted document and I thought I had misunderstood the instructions.  Perhaps I was to redo all of these documents in the two hours, not just the one document.  After calling the client to clarify, it was just the one document that needed formatting and so I began. This job was completed in just under half an hour.

This situation caused me to think of how many potential clients out there base their budget and required hours per month on how long it would take them to complete the tasks? Does this often cause some to think that engaging a Virtual Assistant would be too expensive as they themselves spend a lot of time on these tasks?

It is important when engaging a Virtual Assistant to remember that an experienced Virtual Assistant will often take half the time, or less, to complete tasks as this is their area of expertise. Whilst you are the expert in your business, Virtual Assistants are administrative experts and know the quickest way of completing various projects and tasks.

For example, if a small document (e.g. 2 pages) takes you 2 hours to type up and format, consider the following:

* What is your typing speed?
* Do you format consistently?
* How are you formatting…is it the quickest way?

If you are investigating the possibility of working with a Virtual Assistant, it may be an idea to commence your business partnership on a lower retainer at first and ascertain if you need to increase these hours later. If you find an experienced Virtual Assistant who is fast, this will save you money in the long run. Best to go over your retainer hours in a month, than to have unused time during a month.