LaSallian

menager e
The
LaSallian
Exploring mystic
beings
The other side of the Pantheon, 3
The vanity
syndrome
CaMEra, 8
Cutting down the
scissors policy
Cut it out, Scissorship, 11
e
ditor’s
note
One glance at the cover can either
induce feelings of terror, disgust, or
sympathy. Most would be terrorized at the
site of the corpse and the idea of murder.
With this comes disgust over the site of
blood and the incredible inhumanity of
such an act. But there would also be the few
who would sympathize for the murderer,
wondering what abuse he has gone through
that led him to grabbing the knife. Who
would you be in such a violent situation?
The victim lying on the ground? The lucky
one who only got an injury? Or the one
holding the knife, with someone else’s
blood tainting your body?
Greetings. I do not mean to usher in
the school year with such morbidity. Please
do not shy away from reading on further,
because this June issue has much more to
offer. First and foremost, we “entice” you
with an exploration on campus violence as
our cover story. Here, campus violence in
the US and the Philippines is compared,
with some highlights on how it has occurred
in the Lasallian setting. In relation to
campus violence, our 25 Cents’ Worth
subsection offers refreshingly intelligent
insights on the Discipline’s Office infamous
“scissors policy.” For a lighter but intelligent
read, we have revived the subsection called
Round the Globe, which discusses the
popular “disease” that almost everyone has
fallen into: camwhoring. More cultured
readers or those in search of more could
find themselves reading the vignette on
the various gods from the mythologies of
Ireland, Norway and India. Finally, our
Lounge section features recent BPI Science
Awardee Mico Geronimo.
Read on and enjoy!
r
Gela Velasco
Menagerie Editor
COVER CREDITS:
credits
imaging by
Karla Peralta
GeneCarloMagtoto
concept by
Carmela Prado
2 THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
LAYOUT:
Carmela Prado
Abdul Onos
FUEL CREDITS:
Brian Christian Uy
ant &
RAVE
T V
SERI ES
Ugly Betty Season 1
By ARIK AARON ABU
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Name
CAST America Ferrera, Erik
Mabius, Christopher Gorham,
Alan Dale
GENRE Drama/Comedy
u
gly is the new beautiful.
It is about time for people to see
beyond what the naked eye can
perceive–this is simply what ABC’s
Ugly Betty is trying to convey its growing
audience throughout the globe. The
title “Ugly Betty” would seem familiar
to the ear simply because it is indeed
a revision of the hit Colombian
telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea – which
translates into “I am Betty, the ugly.”
The series is but one of the many
renditions to the show, following
versions hailing from countries like
Indonesia, Bulgaria, Malaysia, Czech
Republic, Switzerland, and Japan, just
to name a few.
Ugly Betty tracks the life and times
of fresh college graduate and
aspiring magazine editor Betty Suarez
(America Ferrera). Initially rejected
in a job interview at the renowned
Meade Publications because of her
“u n p l e a s a nt ” a p p e a ra n ce, C E O
Bradford Meade (Alan Dale) sees
Betty’s potential, and assigns her
immediately to Daniel Meade (Erik
Mabius) as executive assistant. This
series of events ultimately leads
her to whom she thinks is her “soul
mate” Henry Grubstick (Christopher
Gorham), the accountant in the third
floor of the publication office. Betty
becomes fond of this man simply
because she once dreamt of kissing
him. Unfortunately, she is not able to
realize that there is already someone
else in her fantasy man’s heart.
The series is an excellent
adaptation of its original Colombian
counterpart. Ugly Betty was able to
sustain the essence of its predecessors
while managing to surprise its viewers
with unexpected twists and turns
along the way. Who could not at least
grin the moment a thick-browed
woman with braced teeth steps in the
room? But though Ugly Betty seems to
be a certified hit to many, it still fails
to reach out across the boundaries
of audience groups. Humor is one
thing, but wittiness is another. Behind
the many antics shown in the show,
only a few people will be able to
notice the values of fairness and
equality that Ugly Betty is trying to tell
people. It might not be suitable for
all viewers, but it should still wring a
few chuckles. After all, there is more
to come out of Betty’s sleeve–or
braces, for that matter–episode after
episode.
rating
3.0
January 2007
“l
rating
2.5
3.5
rating
3.5
January 2007
For One More Day
by carmela sioco
et me guess. You want to know why I killed myself.” Starting
off with a riveting prologue, For One More Day is Mitch Albom’s
third novel following the successful Tuesdays with Morrie
and The Five People You Meet in Heaven. This novel revolves
around Chick Benetto, a hopeful baseball rookie, and his
long tarnished relationship with his mother.
Chick grows up in a broken home, with his childhood
memories often centering upon his having to choose sides
between his parents. His father left him and his mother;
consequently, always felt the need to be loved and accepted
by him. Unfortunately, that need came with a hefty price—
Chick taking his mother for granted. As he grows older and
has a family of his own, he becomes the reflection of a broken
man. S educed by the promises of a budding baseball career
and with no time for his family until suddenly, his mother dies
from a heart attack. Consumed in his misery and remorse,
everything goes downhill for Chick as his marriage falls
apart, his daughter stops speaking to him, and he realizes
the futility of his baseball dreams.
Chick then tries to commit suicide, but in an odd twist
of events, his brush with death leads him to a supernatural
encounter with his mother. Their time together gives
s
rating
B OO K
B OO K
Shiva’s Fire
By yasmin najib
hiva’s Fire is another inspiring tale by Suzanne Fisher Staples,
the award winning author of Shabanu and its follow up,
Haveli. In her new book, Staples is able to weave a touching
fantasy story about a young girl who is able to discover her
passion for dancing despite the awful circumstances she has
to live with. The main character Parvati is born and raised
in a sleepy town in the south of India, where she becomes
known for strange things happening every time her feet
pounds the ground to dance. Parvati’s childhood is filled
with taunts from the other villagers, until a famous classical
dance master visits her village looking for her. He whisks her
off to dance school where she loses herself in dance, music,
study, and devotion. Parvati then meets a very special boy
who turns everything she has come to know in shambles,
s
Chick his peace, as he gets to reconcile with her, and most
importantly, with himself.
If you’re a Mitch Albom fan, then you’ll most likely know
his writing style and trademark charm. His Chick Benetto
narrative is simplistic in style, yet touching and contemplative
in complexity. The problem is that it is too much like his
preceding novel, Five People You Meet in Heaven. It is almost
entirely the same, with regretful characters and redemptive
encounters with spirits. The plot is also eerily identical, as
characters describe dealing with death, and then meeting
significant people with weighty secrets to reveal. The stories
start to seem a bit formulaic at this point, and one can wonder
if Albom can bring something new to the table. It is not
questionable though, that this novel can definitely make its
readers nostalgic and meditative with the morals divulged
throughout Chick’s day with his mother. The novel is still a
good book to read, but it is not something that stands out
from his past works, nor something altogether memorable.
Its wise life lessons and wistful philosophies on life and death
do account for a lot; although with its predictable storyline
and characters, this novel can turn out as a disappointment
to its readers.
leaving her to wonder if destiny, as she believes, is really all
that cracked up to be.
The book is a great read for anyone who enjoys diving in
to a world that is unlike the one we live in, where mystical
happenings occur and a tiny statue of a god can start
dancing before your very eyes. It is also a great read for
giving readers a peek into rural life in India where curses,
folklores, kings, and princes exist and thrive. A winner
of several awards such as Parents’ Choice Gold Award by
Parent’s Guide, a Best Book selection by Publishers’ Weekly,
and Children’s Book of the Year, Bank Street College, this
book deserves every bit of recognition it has received.
Indeed, a page turning read for all devotees of the
unimaginable.
EVE N T
Revicon Ion Summer Invasion
By ROAN GUINTIVANO
ummer is almost over, but the fun and games have just begun for
the Revicon Ion Summer Invasion. From May 5-6, Revicon Ion
brought together lucky participants for a weekend to the white
sands of Boracay for some summer activities on the beachfront
of Willy’s Resort in Station One. DLSU was the most represented
university,baggingthetoppositioninthreeofthegamesheldafew
weeks before the Summer Invasion in Boracay. Teams competed
in different games that involved kayaking, leg races, water balloon
dodgeball, and beach soccer.
The White Sharks team emerged as the winner in most of the
games, and were named overall champions for the whole event.
DLSU Arrowheads, the University’s flag football team, made up
most of the winning team, composed of Charles Mesina, Jessica
Manalo, Roger Luza, and Aurora Siso. They were joined by
celebrities such as John Joe Joseph and Borgy Manotoc.
.
Celebrities,students,andthemediawereallpresentintheevent,
making the Revicon Ion Summer Invasion in Boracay a huge
success. The free henna, free massage, and overflowing Revicon
Ion energy drink didn’t hurt as well. The hosts, Amanda Griffin
and Will Devaughn did a great job in facilitating the games. The
scorching sun reflected the clear waters of the ocean and white
powdery sand, making it impossible for anyone to resist staying
inside the hotel.
However, the event seemed to be disorganized at first, and no
one seemed to be going to their respective teams due to the heat
and the early flights. But in the end, everything turned out well.
Oncethefirstgamestarted,everybodywascheeringfortheirteams.
Only one team emerged as the winner, but everyone was a good
sport and gave their best on the beach. It was indeed a fun and a
memorable way to end summer.
THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
3
L feature
ong
the other side of the
Pantheon
by marielle antonio, ali caronongan, yasmin najib
The Dagda (Irish)
Supreme among the Tuatha De Dannan, the most famous race of Irish gods, the Dagda is ruler
over lands and men. He is a master of the arts of magic, war, and craftsmanship, and identified as the
Ollathir, meaning “All-father.” The Dagda is said to possess a club and a cauldron --the former able
to kill nine men with one end and resurrect them with the other; the latter said to be a bottomless
pit that never runs out of food.
Despite his might, The Dagda is not immortal. During the second battle of Magh Tuiredh, an epic
battle of gods and men, the prophetess Cethlenn wounded the Dagda, and brought his eighty-year
reign as High King over all the gods to an end.
Odin (Norse)
Odin is the all powerful figure in Norse mythology, and has fathered offspring with different
goddesses. He hung wounded for nine days on the world tree of Yggdrasil after having injured himself
with his own spear in order to learn nine powerful songs and 18 tunes. Odin is capable of speaking to
the dead, questioning their intellect and choosing the ones worthy of residing in Valhalla, his place
of residence where the slain are brought. From his throne, he can observe events in the nine worlds
that exist at Asgard. He is one-eyed, having traded the other for a drink at the Well of Wisdom in his
thirst to acquire incalculable knowledge.
Shiva (Hindu)
fathersalmighty
As a cross between history and the imagination, mythology has always been looked to for explanations
regarding natural phenomena, and has emerged in modern times as a source of inspiration for literature and
the arts. Popular culture has paid due homage to the mythologies of various cultures by borrowing names,
ideas, and even actual events; and incorporaing them into modern day games and fairy tales. Many aspects
of ordinary life such as names of the days of the week also have mythological references, while disciplines
such as mysticism and philosophy also take root in it. Prepare to enter the distant lands of India, Norway, and
Ireland through the rich folklore they have to offer.
4 THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
Shiva is the last of the Hindu trinity (creation, preservation, destruction), being the god of
destruction. His home and work companion is Parvati, goddess of disintegration. Shiva stays on a
high, snowy mountain range where he prays and meditates to strengthen himself as the source of
all knowledge--symbolized by the third eye on his forehead. Shiva carries the heaviest burden in the
Hindu trinity, because after they have created and preserved the world, it is Shiva’s duty to destroy
parts of it in order to facilitate growth and creation.
January 2007
Thor (Norse)
Ganesha
Kali (Hindu)
Mannanan mac Lir is the Irish equivalent of Poseidon, the god of the sea. Translated to English, his name
literally means “Son of the Sea.” The Isle of Mann is named after him, and on midsummer its inhabitants
traditionally offer him “a bundle of reeds, meadow grass, and yellow flowers.” In return, he is said to protect
its fishermen and make their catch plenty.
Traditionally the sea god is a guide from the world of the living into the world of the dead. Historians
use the term “psychopomp” to describe gods or creatures whose work is such. Manannan mac Lir is said to
have possessed a magical cauldron of rebirth, a power associated with him because of his role as a ferryman
into the netherworld, which was also known as the world of youth and regeneration.
A prominent female god of Hindu mythology is Kali, also called Kali Ma (mother) by her followers. She
is the goddess of time and death, and is the counterpart of the divine mother Shakti. Kali’s role is to detach
a mortal being from these attachments. However, she chooses the mortals from which she removes this fear.
She selects these mortals on a whim, yet they say that those in which she leaves fear behind are the ignorant
--another reason why she is feared and worshipped. Her appearance is as daunting as her job: she has four
eyes, a black tongue, menacing eyes, and dons a chain of decapitated human heads (representing her affinity
with death).
Aengues (Irish)
Mannanan mac
Lir (Irish)
Ganesha is a deity with an elephant head, and there are many theories how he acquired it. Ganesha
was created as a guard for the goddess Parvati. One day, the Lord Shiva wanted to visit Parvati, but Ganesha
would not let him so Shiva beheaded Ganesha. Later on Shiva decided to restore him to life by giving him
a new head, but an elephant head was the only substitute available. Another legend recounts that Ganesh
was born as a perfect baby boy whose head was turned to ashes by Parvati’s brother Sani, who had a cursed
eye that disintegrated everything it saw. The gods Vishnu and Brahma then replaced Ganesha’s head with
that of the very first creature they found: an elephant.
Ganesh is also the lord of all existing beings, and all worship ceremonies in the Hindu religious tradition
begin with an invocation to him.
Aengus, the god of love and youth, wears a crown of four flying birds around his head, believed to be
the origin of the letters “xxxx” which are used to symbolize kisses in modern times. As the god of romance,
his love story alone makes him worthy of his title. Legend has it that Aengus had, quite literally, fallen in love
with a girl he met only in his dreams. After a one year quest, he found her among 150 girls chained in twos
at the lake of Dragon’s Mouth. Her name was Caer Ibormeith. Every first of November, she and the other
girls would turn into swans, and the only way Aengus could win her was if he could identify her in her animal
state. He accomplished this by turning himself into a swan and having her join him in flight. Once they had
married, they flew away and sang a melody that enchanted all who listened to a three-day sleep.
Freya (Norse)
grotesque guardians
deathandthepsychopomp
hopelessly devoted
January 2007
Usually depicted as a large and ferocious man with a scarlet beard and eyes of lightning, Thor surpassed
the mighty reputation of his father, Odin, and built a status of his own by being one of the most feared and
ferocious warriors ever born. Despite his unattractive appearance, Thor is married to Sif, a fertility goddess.
Ironically, he has no offspring with her, and instead enjoys the company of a mistress, the giantess Jarsaxa.
A protector of both gods and humans against evil, Thor fights with his trusty hammer, Mjollnir, from which
lightning is said to strike whenever thrown by him. His biggest enemy is a serpent named Jormungand,
which he kills in the final battle of Ragnarok minutes before he is poisoned by its venom.
The most attractive of all Norse goddesses, Freya is the goddess of love and beauty, the patron of crops,
a sacrificial priestess, and the epitome of female sensuality. She resides in the kingdom of Folkvang, where
nothing but enchanting tunes and melodious harp music are played. She is a lover of music and flowers, and
has a fascination with elves. Freya’s prized possessions include the necklace of Brisings, which she received
after she fornicated with dwarfs, and a wild boar named Hildesvini (rumored to be her human lover Ottar
in disguise).
THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
5
C Story
over
Campus
BITING TH
by ali caronongan, elvin
On August 1966, Charles
Whitman made history
by living his dream
of being a sniper and
randomly shooting 16 of
his schoolmates in the
University of Texas. He was
later shot and killed by the
police. Whitman’s horrifying
rampage came down as the
very first campus shooting
in America, and campus
grounds were never deemed
as secure havens since
then.
D e a d a n d Ass a u lted M e n o n
Campus
Long before the University of Texas
incident, collegiate institutions were
perceived as harmless environments where
healthy relationships were formed within
protected barriers. Colleges were places of
refuge where students could go about their
lives while pursuing a higher education.
An alarming number of incidents involving
hazing initiations for fraternities, bullets
being fired during class hours, and stabbing
occurrences within the past years, however,
have certainly crumbled this vision of an
academe-inspired utopia. And after the
recent massacre at the Virginia Technological
Institute where a student slaughtered 32
people by opening fire at a dormitory and
6 THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
classroom, society is posed with the question
of whether the existence of a safe haven for
anybody is still possible.
There have been numerous theories and
ideas on what actually causes these incidents,
and knee-jerk answers have always pointed
fingers to media, alcohol, and drugs. People
are quick to judge these as the main culprits
of youth violence, but they have to question
why they even had to feel the need to resort
to these in the first place. Why did they have
to buy drugs or binge on alcohol? Why did
they feel that the media held the answers
for their problems, and not their families
or friends?
W he n the T r igge r P u lls the
Finger
There are a lot of factors to consider
in studying campus violence, and they
may not always be easy to grasp. For one
thing, bullying in school has sadly become
a common practice. Studies by Television
Ontario Parents online have concluded that
adolescents do feel unsafe at school, and
some 160,000 students in the USA stay at
home because they fear being bullied. Luke
Woodham blamed bullying before he started
the shootout at Pearl High School, Mississippi
on October 1997. Woodham ranted, “…it was
not a cry for attention, it was not a cry for
help. It was a scream in sheer agony saying
that if you can’t pry your eyes open, if I can’t
do it through pacifism, if I can’t show you
through the displaying of intelligence, then
I will do it with a bullet.”
Apart from school bullies, troubles at
home could also be seen as a huge and
January 2007
Violence
HE BULLET
vin ngo, carmela sioco
The Fraternity Mentality
The Philippines, despite not being
known for campus shoot-outs, has seen a
good number of fraternity hazing incidents-the most recent hazing case involving
Marlon Villanueva, an agriculture economics
student at the University of the PhilippinesLos Baños (UPLB). Villanueva underwent
serious beating at a beach resort as a result of
initiation rites by members of the Alpha Phi
Omega fraternity chapter of UPLB.
But what if membership in a fraternity is
mandatory? Mark Welson Chua, a second-year
mechanical engineering student and ROTC
January 2007
cadet at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST),
was kidnapped on the university campus on
the evening of March 15, 2001. Three days
later, his bloated and decomposing body was
found floating on the Pasig River, his face
and head wrapped tight in silver packing
tape, his hands and legs hogtied. His death
is widely believed to be linked to his exposé
of alleged irregularities in the ROTC Unit of
the university; and became the catalyst for the
passage of Republic Act 9163 or the “National
Ser vice Training Program (NSTP)” Law,
which removed the completion of mandatory
ROTC as a precondition for graduation of
“
it was not a cry for
atte n tio n , it wa s
not a cry for help.
It was a scream in
sheer agony
“
telling factor. Grayson Holmbeck, winner
of the Hershel Thornburg Disser tation
Award from the Society for Research on
Adolescence, affirmed that a sound and
healthy relationship with parents during
the adolescent years are tantamount to a
lot of positive effects. These include wellformed identities, strong self-esteem, and the
development of socially acceptable behavior.
When parent-adolescent relationships falter,
it is a lot harder for the adolescents to handle
school pressures of having to fit in and
making an identity for oneself. Other studies
conducted say that teens’ behavior at home
determines their behavior outside of it, and
can also shape how they view and deal with
their peers.
Another factor is the distribution of guns.
A lecture in North Carolina Wesleyan College
(NCWC) hypothesized that no adolescent
could resist the priceless seduction of a
shiny and powerful handgun. The American
Center of Disease Control stated that in 1992
alone, 20 percent of students came to school
armed, while a startling 5 percent carried
guns. The number has doubled from 1970
to 1999, and is even more today.
C l e a r l y, w i t h l e g i s l a t o r s , s c h o o l
administrators, and parents all able to
influence violent tendencies, the lines of
accountability involve many parties.
male college students.
DLSU has had its own share of campus
violence as well. In the 1970s, fraternity
related violence was rampant, with frequent
brawls plaguing campus. This prompted
then DLSU President Br. Andrew Gonzalez
to provide written codes of conduct in the
student handbook to halt the mayhem.
( Today, all students are required to sign
a contract forbidding membership in a
fraternity upon entering the University.)
I n 1 9 9 5 , S e t h Lo p e z d i e d d u e to
injuries sustained when he went through
his fraternity’s hazing rites. There was also
the stabbing of Starrie Sun, a Computer
Engineering student, at Room 408 of the
Gokongwei Building on November 19, 2002.
The Lasallian community was shocked by
the stabbing incident, which was the first
reported frustrated murder incident inside
the University. This goes to show that violence
can still happen in DLSU, despite its relatively
strict security measures.
B a n g ! Yo u ’ r e D e a d - T he
Aftermath
The repercussions of campus violence
have questioned the morale, or lack thereof,
of our society today. The media has tried to
counteract the rise of violence and campus
shootings: There has been an array of movies
that deal with social cliques and bullies like
Mean Girls, Breakfast Club, and Carrie; other
movies have dealt with campus shootings
directly. The television show One Tree Hill
has even dedicated one episode to campus
shootings, with the actors giving a public
message on fighting campus violence.
Films like Bowling for Columbine and Bang
Bang! You’re Dead have both tackled campus
shootouts in a plea to stop violence. In the
Philippines, RA 8049 – The Anti Hazing Law
– was ratified in 1995 during the presidency
of Fidel Ramos, to help curb the rampant
fraternity related violence.
The question now, according to the
NCWC lecture, is “Did the finger pull the
trigger, or did the trigger pull the finger?”
Is it simple fascination with guns and overt
influences of violent media that makes
students end other people’s lives, or is it
something that runs deeper in society, with
not one clear-cut cause?
The conditions that lead people to choose
violence will remain . There is no such thing
as a person born innately peaceful , but on
the side of hope, neither are people born
innately violent. It all boils down to choice
and society. Society can choose to take part
in the solution.
THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
7
Rglobe
ound the
You turn on the power
and plop down on your
computer. Once you’re
connectedtotheinternet,
youbeginyourusualonline
routine. You open your
instant messenger and
begin chatting; you open
your browser and start
surfingtheweb,updating
yourselfonthelatestnews
and current happenings,
and browse through the
latestseriesofphotosposted
by your friends.
That ’s right. The
everyday routine of a‘net
denizen typically includes
themostup-to-datephoto
albums of everyone of
interest. A daily e-mail, a
manualcheckofFriendster,
Multiply, or MySpace-whatever the method,
anyoneinterestedenough
can see what’s up with
his or her buddies, or, to
be exact, what’s up with
their faces. Welcome to
a world defined by the
“camwhoring” culture!
8 THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
caMEra
by Samantha Modina, Jensen Bryan Ching, Teresita Velez
Cam-what?
The “camwhoring” phenomenon begins
with the person, a “camwhore.” The term
itself is quite new and, like a lot of slang terms
coined from the internet, has yet to be in
the pages of Merriam-Webster. “Camwhore”
is a portmanteau of the words camera and
whore. It was first printed in The CourierMail on November 2001 in an article entitled
Virtual Lolitas, but was reportedly coined
much earlier in Australia back in 1999.
The context in which the word appears
has the world’s oldest profession as the
background and the web cam as the primary
tool. Camwhores are people who expose
themselves online and earn from it. Other
people who aren’t necessarily in the flesh
industry but have exhibitionist streaks are
also labeled as such. The last few years have
seen the situation so aggravated that in 2005,
the New York Times published In Through
His Webcam, a Boy Joins a Sordid Online World,
a feature about Justin Berry, a teenager who
strips and does sexual acts in front of the
computer for money.
In the present day the term “camwhore”
has come into widespread use as part of web
lingo. Although its initial usage was shady,
“camwhore” as a derogatory depiction
of a person has evolved into a funny and
edgy description of people possessed by
narcissism.
Me, Myself, and Everyone in the
‘Net
The user-centric dictionary www.
urbandictionary.com, defines camwhore in
a host of ways. One definition of a camwhore
is someone who “posts endless pictures of
themselves on the internet for people to
see. The most severe cases keep posting new
pictures just like the ones they posted the day
before, and the day before that, and so on.”
Although a bit informal, the description is
definitely not unfounded. Proof of this is the
myriad social media in the internet that have
placed their money in this phenomenon.
Websites such as MySpace, Friendster, and
Multiply have become venues for posting
images of latest trips to exotic islands, group
outings, and outrageous facial expressions. It
isn’t improbable to imagine that after some
time, acquaintances and even strangers
would be very familiar with every aspect
of people who post pictures or videos of
themselves on the internet for everyone
to see.
Paparazzi-ing the Self
Just what is it that makes people want to
make like Narcissus and reveal themselves
to the world? A December 2006 CNN article
entitledWelcome to Hiltonworld introduced the
term “Hiltonworld,” coined for the celebrityobsessed and voyeur-friendly universe where
paparazzi-attracting Paris Hilton and her
cohorts reside. As a conclusion, the writer
conjectures the possibility of anyone easily
getting into this world for “15 minutes of
fame” through a video on social medium
YouTube or any other form of exposure on
the net through creating an account on any
social networking website.
Take 2007 American Idol reject
Antonella Barba, for example. In a March
2007 article, TIME magazine described how
private pictures of Barba eclipsed major
and pressing events at that time, such as the
drop in the stock market and the Iran crisis.
The photos were taken way before Barba
set foot on the Idol stage. Hers is a classic
illustration of how an unknown can get
into “Hiltonworld” and get the proverbial
15 minutes of fame.
YouTube has also helped gather
exposure for amateur actors and actresses
like lonelygirl15, whose videos about her
fictional life and troubles have spawned
countless imitators; lonelygirl115’s account
is the most subscribed on the site, and has
helped the featured actress with her dreams
January 2007
of making it in Hollywood.
Kodak-an
Filipinos, of course, aren’t spared from this
phenomenon. With camera in hand wherever
they go, Pinoys are far from being camera-shy.
While MySpace is the premier social networking
site in the United States, Friendster and Multiply’s
user base is predominantly Asian, with the
Philippines taking up a large chunk of the online
population. It’s not uncommon to see bars, places
filled with people with their arms outstretched
and their weapon of choice, a cell phone or
digital camera, clicking and smiling like there’s
no tomorrow.
Freeze Thyself
Although no one would like their intimate
pictures splattered all over the internet,
the promise of celebrity might be lurking
in the subconscious of camwhores or not.
Ali Caronongan, II-AB-LIM, a self-confessed
camwhore, admits vanity plays a big factor in
being a camwhore. “Nowadays, looking at the
mirror isn’t good enough,” she says, “We want
real and tangible evidence that tells us that we
do look good.” Former The LaSallian Managing
and Photo Editor, Eric Siy, also reiterates the idea
of camwhores looking for other ways to look at
themselves. “It has the same effect as looking
into a mirror,” he explains, “but here you get to
freeze yourself, study your face and your angles.
You can’t do that with a mirror.” Looking at the
mirror, one sees oneself at the eye-level, with a
camera, virtually every angle of vision is possible
with just a click. One can see which position or
lighting is suited for a picture and can do himself
or herself in public photo opportunities and
gatherings. The apparent limitless film brings
out the inner Narcissus in anyone, after all, how
can one shoot one’s self with one of those Jurassic
models way back?
Aside from its utility for vanity, Siy mentions
how camwhoring is similar to what photographers
call a self-portrait in the sense that the one who
shoots the camera uses his or herself as the
model. But, it must never be considered as an
actual self-portrait. “Owning a camera and using
it doesn’t make one a photographer,” he says,
“And a self portrait uses the photographer as a
model to communicate an idea or an emotion
which is very different from camwhores who
just take pictures of themselves aimlessly.” The
increase in the number of people claiming to
be photographers seems to be correlated with
the number of camwhores which sadly degrades
photography as an art.
January 2007
Click Happy
The camera was invented to capture images
that cannot be fully justified by a canvas. Far
from a mere tool for chroniclers, the
camera is most often employed as
a way to document the existential,
even trivial, events in one’s life. Be it
to record a baby’s first walk, a child’s
first play production or even one’s
latest haircut, pictures are ubiquitous
in everyday life. And since today’s
technologies have made taking and
sharing pictures that much easier,
the camwhore culture will continue
to flourish. Hopefully, camwhoring
and the camwhore culture wouldn’t
degrade the discipline it has evolved
from, photography. Until then, click
and be merry.
THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
9
TLounge
he
Not your ordinary geek
by samantha d. modina
WhenonefirstmeetsMikhailFranciscoGeronimo,onewouldimmediatelynoticethislaidback
aurasurroundinghisfriendlyface.Oncehestartstalkingthough,someofthosefirstimpressions
seemingly fly off the window. Average isn’t what you may describe this self-confessed geek.“If
I just stopped at being a normal student, it’s something that I know is not me,”he admits.Yet
behindthebusyandgeekyexteriorisapersonwhowantstosharewithotherpeoplehispassion
– computers.
Overachieving Techie
Reading Mikhail Francisco Geronimo’s list of
credentials is like reading a fantasy checklist of feats
one must accomplish before graduating. Mikhail, more
popularly known as Mico, became twice the Legislative
Assembly Representative of his batch under Santugon.
He then became the party’s Computer Science College
President. He was also Vice President-Externals of
Moomedia and, just recently, a 2007 BPI-DOST science
awardee.
Formerly a student council president in high
school, he joined Santugon despite promising himself
less extra-curricular involvements in college. Yet that
wasn’t exactly what enticed him to go back to leading
his fellow students. “I was inspired how the SC works
in [De] La Salle,” he muses. Mico was impressed with
how the system, specifically the policy making works.
“Having the students doing policy making themselves
was really appealing for me.”
In 2005, he pushed the envelope further, running
for the Student Council presidency under Santugon’s
ticket, but lost to eventual winner Simoun Ferrer. He
admits that the College of Computer Science factored
in his decision to run. “One of the reasons I said ‘yes’
to run for SC president [was that] people have been
waiting for a second CCS SC president,” he says.
Giving Back
Serving as icing to his cake in De La Salle is the 2007
BPI-DOST Science Award. Given to outstanding student
research papers, BPI and DOST recognized Mico’s and
his groupmates’ (Solace Arevalo, Paolo Alcera and
Sanam Mirpuri) thesis entitled e-SME: A Viable Tool for
National Development. The business-oriented research
aims to help small and medium enterprises utilize
technology for improvement. Ironically, Mico almost
failed to show up for the award’s panel interview if
not for thesismate Sanam Mirpuri’s reminder. “I went
to the interview, [but] I wasn’t expecting anything,”
he sheepishly admits. Mico, however, made it to
the top six. He is proud that his research is in line
with the government’s goal of strengthening the
information technology sector. “We use information
technology, computer science to bring changes for
development, not just to contribute something to
10 THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
science or technology,” he states. The said thesis aids
small-scale entrepreneurs through a web site, “It’s your
regular e-commerce website with a lot of additional
functionalities,” he explains. Their research’s simplicity
belies its pivotal function in changing entrepreneurs’
minds about the role of information technology in
business. “It does contribute to the knowledge, not on
paper but somehow it changes mindsets of people,”
he imparts.
Despite the research’s beauty on paper, Mico’s
group is after its application to small and medium
enterprises in the Philippines. “The challenge
really here is implementation for these companies
to accept it, for the government to actually use it,”
he affirms.
As for the prestige of winning the Science
Award, Mico admits that it gave him the chance
to give something back to the university, “This was
my chance to at least give something back and for
people to be able to see that there’s promise in
terms of computer science students. He even muses,
“I was happy that at least I was given validation that
I have the potential to be one of the good people
in this industry.”
Striking Out
So what’s next for this hardworking techie?
Come June, Mico will be joining the men in suits
in Procter & Gamble, officially bidding goodbye
to student life. “It’s not a problem, going into work
quite early,” he says. As for the organizations he would
be leaving behind, he reveals that he’s confident with
the batch next in line. On the other hand, a company
already said yes to applying their thesis. And finally for
his life, he reaffirms, “We’re not just computer geeks.”
As his achievements have shown, the world knows they
are, or he at least, is more than just a computer geek.
January 2007
25worth
cents’
Scissorship
Cut It Out,
by darcy reburiano
Do you believe in clairvoyance? I don’t. That’s
why I was quite pissed off when I discovered
that in De La Salle University, student
organizations and offices need to present
sharp objects (ie scissors) to the Discipline
office “not later than the first month of the
school year.” For those not in the know,
buying from the university those little
“snippity-snips” are regulated, and possession
without a DO sticker can be grounds for an
offense. Tampering with the DO sticker and
transferring it to another object is grounds for
a major discipline offense. Based on common
sense, efficiency, and good policy making, I
don’t think this policy should have been made
in the first place.
Lethal or Illegal?
Common sense isn’t just uncommon these
days—it’s an endangered virtue. To make
things worse, the creation of a policy which
regulates scissors as a lethal weapon has dealt
common sense a fatal blow. Anything can be
a lethal weapon. A mineral water bottle can
be shoved down a person’s throat, choking
him to death. Forks, which are present in
abundant quantities in any of the schools
canteens, can be used to stab someone in the
heart. So why not ban
them,
or regulate them?
I f
scissors, which
are mundane
tools available
ever ywhere,
a re b a n n e d
b e c a u s e
these can
be used to
kill
January 2007
somebody, why don’t we also require a permit
for everything? That would make a lot of us
feel safer, I’m sure.
We regulate something because it has
been proven to be dangerous on a consistent
basis. Like guns, which were meant to inflict
injuries both to animals and humans. Or
drugs, which besides their addictive nature,
poses plenty of health risks. Thus far, there
have been no outbreaks of widespread
people-stabbing events in the world brought
about by scissors. In fact, even grade school
students are allowed to bring and use scissors
without regulation. I guess it implies that the
university believes an eight year old kid taking
up art classes is more responsible than an 18
year old Computer Science major. Where’s
the common sense in that?
Bureaucratic Buffoonery
In terms of efficiency, the policy on
regulating scissors just imposes more
bureaucracy. The bureaucratic effects of
such a policy enforce mindless following
of orders, which any institution of higher
education should disapprove. Even in
the corporate world, there is a shift from
hierarchical structures to systems that employ
more critical thinking. Employees in these
new systems are given more responsibility
so that they become experienced in making
good decisions. How then does a university
claiming to be globally-competitive contribute
to this change if it dictates the proper use of
scissors by regulating it? Doesn’t DLSU trust
its students enough to be able to decide by
themselves that stabbing people with scissors
is wrong?
The inefficiency extends to the time
and manpower wasted in maintaining the
policy. The scissor has to be presented to
the DO and lost stickers must be reported
for replacement. Employees who could be
processing more important documents
instead have to contend with someone’s
application for a permit to bring or
buy scissors. Instead of catering to a
bureaucratic policy, why don’t these
employees and guards patrol the
premises more frequently?
S cisso r s ,
Stewardship
S a fet y
and
Finally, there’s the issue of good policy
making. The policy of regulating scissors and
other sharp objects such as cutters and Swiss
knives was brought about by the stabbing
incident that occurred at the Gokongwei
Building in 2002. In short, it was a response
to an isolated incident, and not as a method
of addressing a general concern. They were
merely trying to show that some action was
done to play down the consequences of the
incident. Good policy making, however,
does not to respond to a singular event.
While a catastrophe may be a wake up call
for lawmakers, there should be a careful,
objective, and thorough study of the issues
intended policies would affect. In the case of
the “scissors policy,” it seems that no careful
study took place, as the arguments of common
sense and bureaucracy were not taken into
consideration. God knows that short-sighted
and unfinished policies are proposed often in
government, like shortly after the Guimaras
oil spill, when there was suddenly a clamor for
stricter and clearer environmental laws, or the
legislative oversight of not having laws against
digital property destruction until the “I Love
You” virus incident. Should we condone such
an attitude in a university that tries to produce
excellent future leaders? The answer should
be fairly obvious.
Cutting It Out
You may say that, “Hey, it’s just a policy
about scissors. We don’t even use that often in
the university.” True, but its implications are
much more important than what it’s trying to
accomplish at the surface level. By creating
an illogical, inefficient, and short-sighted
policy, we are in effect promoting intellectual
suicide. While the policy is largely the product
of administrative bodies, we are also to blame;
after all the ruling against scissors has been
effect for more than four years, and no one
has tried to seriously challenge it. We are
in the university to exercise our greatest
assets as human beings: our rationality. Not
clairvoyance.
THE LASALLIAN MENAGERIE
11