The Real Bongbong Marcos

Here's an interview on Bongbong Marcos by the Manila Bulletin on Feb 26, 2011. Some very interesting bits about the life of his father Ferdinand Marcos and his views on the current political situation in the Philippines.

Here's some excerpts.

MANILA, Philippines — Twenty-five years ago, he was on the other side of the battlefield, the one who firmly stood by the side of his father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, until the very end of the latter's 20-year rule brought about by the world’s first peaceful people uprising.

Today, amid the commemoration activities for that uprising that has come to be known as EDSA Revolution, Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos, Jr. has chosen to move on and reduce the experience to a painful memory.

“I have found myself a career. Once in a while your thoughts go back to the things that happened but only in a nostalgic sense. Tapos na so you get on with your new life and that’s really where we are.
Those after effects have become ripples in a pond, becoming smaller and smaller as time goes on. Today, it doesn’t affect me anymore because it really has no bearing on the things that I do,” shares the 54-year-old senator.

So whenever people would compare the similarities and exploit the parallelisms between the political paths taken by Ninoy Aquino and his son, President Noynoy Aquino on the one hand, and of Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and his son Ferdinand Marcos Jr., on the other, Sen. Bongbong could only shake his head in exasperation.

“It’s redundant and the answer is I don’t see the irony. I’m a senator and I will do my job as a senator and he will also do his job as the President. If I agree with him, I would support him. If I don’t, I will not. What does it have to do with mga malalim na kahulugan?” he says.

From the eyes of the fallen leader’s only son though, there was never a need to vindicate his father who only wanted the best for his people.

“My father does not need me to defend his administration. If my father was a good President and I’m a bad senator, he’s still a good President. The only person you can redeem is yourself. So the best vindication is to just do a good job,” stresses Sen. Bongbong.

That was exactly what Sen. Bongbong has been doing throughout his 17 years in government. His accomplishments during his terms as governor and congressman of Ilocos Norte, have made breakthroughs for the province and the country. Among them are the windmills that provided alternative source of energy, a tourism boom that yielded more jobs and strengthened local economy, the increase in agricultural productivity, and the provision of health insurance for each and every constituent.

But while he was born and raised in the world of politics, being in it was not part of his grand plan at all. In fact, Sen. Bongbong went to school in Oxford University in England where he would have wanted to pursue a science course, and live an ordinary life away from the limelight.

“I’ve always had an interest in numbers and science. I remember when I was going to Oxford, I told my father that I wanted to take up this course which dealt a lot with logic. He said 'No, you won’t make any money from this. You will be poor. You study something practical.' So I studied politics, political science and economics. I went on to study at Wharton. You can see I’m heading to private business, 'yun ang plano ko talaga. Eh nung nasa Wharton ako second year palang ako napatakbo akong vice governor na. Wala na. From then on, I was heading towards politics na,” he recalls.

So fate and his father’s wish carved his path to politics. And while he is in many ways like his father, Sen. Bongbong says he has become his own person – a quiet, low profile, and even shy politician and family man.

In this 60 Minutes interview, the senator shares his thoughts on the country, post-EDSA, the role of the youth in nation-building, those happier times with his legendary parents, on the joys of raising his three boys, and that strangely funny, decades-old myth of not being the real Bongbong Marcos. (Rachel C. Barawid)

Full story at the Manila Bulletin.

UFO Extraterrestrial Contact - Former Canadian Defence Minister

Former Canadian Defence Minister Paul Hellyer

Exposing the truth regards to UFO / Unidentified Flying Objects & Extraterrestrial Life.

Recorded at the April 2008 X-Conference at the National Press Club, Washington D.C

Disclosure Project was set up and headed by Dr. Steven Greer in 1993. To date, four hundred such witnesses have been identified throughout the world and spanning every branch of the armed services, the NRO, DIA, CIA, NASA, the former USSR, and other agencies and countries.

High-level witnesses include Doctors, Scientists, and Government Officials testimonies.

Coca-Cola Happiness Truck Philippines

Gringo to Jim Paredes on Twitter: 'Get elected first, then let's talk.'

From GMA News.

MANILA, Philippines – What started off as a lively discussion on popular social networking platform Twitter ended up becoming a confrontation session between participants of the 1986 People Power uprising.

Senator Gregorio Honasan lashed out at Apo Hiking Society member Jim Paredes regarding comments the latter made on the "agenda" of various Edsa players.

Honasan was one of the leaders of the Reformed the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) whose attempt to stage a coup against then President Marcos served as a prelude to the 1986 People Power revolution.

Paredes himself is also considered an Edsa 1 personality, being one of several artists who sang "Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo," (The Filipino's gift to the world)—regarded as the anthem of the bloodless uprising.

On Friday, February 25, Honasan was one of the "Twitterviewees" (read: interviewees on Twitter) in the virtual discussion organized by Newsbreak together with its newest blogger @I_AmHolo to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Edsa 1. The entire event was staged on the popular social networking site.

Opportunism?

The conversation began to heat up when ABS-CBN News anchor Ces Drilon (@cesdrilon), one of the guest "Twitterviewers" (read: interviewers on Twitter) for the event, referred a comment from a Twitter user to Honasan (@gringo_honasan) and asked him if he can respond to it.

The Tweet, posted by Twitter user @janicegamos said, "I would've believed in the spirit of Edsa 1986 if not for the fact that its so-called heroes, et al. became opportunistic."

Honasan, apparently slighted at the comment, answered, "Opportunistic?! In & out of jail, 7 years underground, 17 years soldier, bullet wounds in body... Opportunism?!"

At this point, Paredes (@jimparedes), who was initially holding a separate conversation with other Twitter enthusiasts regarding his own thoughts on Edsa, joined the discussion on hashtag #TweetConPH and said "Major players in EDSA came for various reasons. Gringo, Enrile, RAM had an agenda different from the millions who were there."

Paredes tweeted on, "They joined EDSA to save their assess against Marcos. When it was safe again, they launched their coups."

Paredes was clearly referring to the participation of Honasan in various attempts to overthrow President Corazon Aquino from 1986 to 1989. Jailed after the 1989 coup attempt, Honasan was subsequently released in 1992 after President Fidel Ramos granted him amnesty.

"Serial coup plotters who never accepted the people's will except when they won in elections," Paredes said. "They owe the people an apology. They were plain users without the nation's good in mind."

Indeed, Honasan's exploits made him so popular among the masses that he was able to parlay the goodwill when he entered politics. He became a senator from 1995 to 2004 and again from 2007 to present.

"Business end of a gun"

Heated words were exchanged between Paredes and Honasan after that.

Honasan, reacting strongly to the comments, and told Paredes, "Until you have faced the business end of a gun as a soldier, for God, country & family HERE, you know nothing." He added, "I didn't go abroad," obviously pointing to the fact that Paredes migrated to Australia.

Paredes for his part responded, "Until you can be honest about your true motives, then I can't believe you." He added, "Until you can tell us why or even admit you launched those coups causing deaths and economic dislocation, wala ka." (You are nothing) "Sorry but the truth and facts are pesky things you have to live with," Paredes further told Honasan.

Honasan, now obviously incensed, told Paredes, "Get elected first, even as barangay captain. Then let's talk."

Singer and activist Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro), who also sang "Handog" together with Paredes, the Apo Hiking Society and several other artists back in 1986, also, joined the fray tweeting, "I still can't get around the idea that we protected RAM in 1986 and suffered several coup attempts later."

"Good to be candid"

Honasan did not stay in the conversation long after that, only responding to one more question from Newsbreak Executive Director Glenda Gloria who tried to defuse the tension with a question on whether Honasan ever chanced upon Navarro during those days.

He told event organizers that he had to leave for a 12 noon interview in Makati.

Before he signed off, Honasan posted a final tweet, addressed to everyone following the hashtag #TweetConPH, "To all Filipinos, let us not leave our country even if the going gets rough. God bless!"

After he left, Paredes told participants, "It's good to be candid. Let's be clear about who are heroes and villains are." He added, in response to Honasan's quip about the fact that he migrated, "Nothing wrong to leave our country, learn abroad and come back to apply knowledge. Rizal, Ninoy, Luna did just that."

Visit Newsbreak.ph for more details on the story, including highlights of the exchange between Honasan and Paredes.

Unique social media event

Friday's "Round Twitter" discussion was a collaboration between Newsbreak and its new blogger @I_amHolo, created of the hashtag #TweetconPH.

This unique social media event series, dubbed as "Ganito Sila Noon, Paano Tayo Ngayon?" gathered together—in the virtual space–respected journalists and other personalities on Twitter who were involved in or have affinity with what is inarguably a historic juncture in recent Philippine history.

Held on February 24 and 25, the event included key personalities in media, civil society and Congress as "Twitterviewers" and "Twitterviewees."

Those from the media included ABS-CBN News reporters TJ Manotoc (@tjmanotoc) and Atom Araullo (@atomaraullo), ABS-CBN news anchor Ces Drilon (@cesdrilon), GMA News Online Editor in chief Howie Severino (@howieseverino), Kara David (@karadavid) of GMA7's I-Witness and Maria Ressa, former head of ABS-CBN News.

"Twitterviewees" during the 2-day event included Sen. Francis Escudero (@SayChiz), Former Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) leader, now senator Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan (@gringo_honasan), former street parliamentarian, now Bayan Muna Partylist Rep. Teddy Casino (@teddycasino), former Akbayan partylist representative Risa Hontiveros (@risahontiveros).

"Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo" singers Jim Paredes (@jimparedes) and Leah Navarro (@leahnavarro), and Bam-bam Aquino, nephew of the late Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. were also among the "Twitterviewers" for the event.

The conversation was held purely in virtual space, with the audience and participants following the discussion stream using the hashtag #TweetconPH or on Newsbreak.ph/live.

I find it funny that Gringo would say that Jim has to be elected first before he should talk to Gringo. Just shows the arrogant mentality of our elected officials. If one has to be elected first before he can talk to a public official, then it just shows the "elitist" mentality of our public officials.

And it's not just Gringo who thinks like that, this is pretty much the mentality of every elected official. Don't believe me? When was the last time they actually looked to fix the concern of the people without first putting forth their own self interest to be elected or to gain financially?

Their only concern is for themselves and not the people. That's what the country has come to. Is it ever a wonder why we're such a basket case?

Finally, Jim Paredes tweeted this.

@jimparedes #TweetConPH Geography is not the only requirement to be Filipino. 11 million people agree.

Full story here.

Bid for Justin Bieber's Hair Given To Ellen Degeneres

Are you crazy for Justin Bieber? You're in luck, if you have the dough, you can bid for a clip of his hair that he gave Ellen Degeneres.

Here's the item on Ebay, as of this writing, there's 61 bids and it's up to $7,000.

Proceeds go to charity.

The Green Grease Project at MIT

This is what we should do in the Philippines.

HK court asked to impose lesser penalty on Singson

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

HONG KONG – (UPDATE 4) The court should impose a lower sentence on Congressman Ronald Singson who has been charged with possession of illegal drugs and be allowed to go back to the Philippines, his lawyer said Wednesday.

At the resumption of the hearing before Judge Joseph Yau of the Wan Chai District Court No. 4, John Reading, who is pushing for a reduction on the two-year jail term that his client is facing, cited the mitigating factors that should influence the court to impose the lesser penalty for Singson such as:

• pleading guilty to drug trafficking and public expression of remorse;
• Undergoing rehabilitation;
• Prospects of expulsion from the Philippine Congress; and
• Wide media coverage of the case in the Philippines.

Reading said his plea for considerable reduction in sentence was based on evidence of his client’s good character and statement that he has no intention to commit the same crime again here.

Reading also said the aggravating importance of the case should be cancelled out by the mitigating factors.

Reading also pointed out that Singson’s parents – former Ilocos Sur Governor Luis "Chavit" Singson and ex-wife Evelyn – his six siblings and daughter Samantha were in court.

Full story here.

Juan - Sweet Child O' Mine (Guns N' Roses)

This guy is doing a vocal cover of the Guns N' Roses song Sweet Child of Mine and he sounds a lot like Axl Rose.

Home Video Shows JFK in Houston Before Death

Major Earthquake has hit Christchurch, New Zealand

McDonalds Philippines Commercial "First Love" Huling El Bimbo

A heartbreaking commercial of McDonalds in the Philippines.Shown on the year 2009.

Angry Birds Birthday Cake

Best Dad ever!

Hat trick by Alex Magno

From Philstar.

Excuse the football terminology: “hat trick” is the best I can describe Beijing’s edgewise diplomacy which pulls out a mutually satisfying outcome from an impossibly annoying situation.

China, as is known, has a 4,000-year experience in statecraft. The wisdom shows in this recent complication over the execution of three Filipino drug mules originally scheduled for this week.

The complication is entirely the Philippines’ own making. Although we were officially informed in September the executions will happen after due review by China’s supreme court, we still chose to make a grand spectacle about our official pleading for commutation of the sentences. President Aquino then committed two blunders in quick sequence: he admitted to boycotting the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony and then linked this to the effort to save the lives of the drug mules.

Manila was to be sure, playing to the domestic audience, fearful of a repeat of the turbulence that followed Flor Contemplacion’s execution in 1995. But it was doing so at China’s expense. If the plea for commutation was rejected outright, China will appear hard of heart. If it was granted, China will appear like she had dangled lives in exchange for a boycott of the Oslo ceremonies. If a pardon was granted, the credibility of China’s tough anti-drug laws will be shattered.

All the clanging of diplomatic pans from Manila must have annoyed China’s leaders immensely. President Aquino was trying to call Hu Jintao about it. He dispatched Vice-President Binay to Beijing without — again — waiting for Chinese clearance for the visit. He called the whole nation to prayer, as if the drug mules were saints about to face martyrdom.

If the Chinese leaders were annoyed by Manila’s strange behavior, they did not show it. Hu quietly avoided President Aquino II’s phone calls and the public might not have known about the snub had Aquino not talked about it himself. After initially rejecting the Binay delegation, they quickly reversed and accepted the vice-president — most likely after discovering a mutually satisfying solution to the complication.

That mutually satisfying solution lay in postponing the executions.

Full article here.

Maria Aragon talks to Lady Gaga

Fil-Canadian Maria Aragon talks to Lady Gaga and invited her to Toronto to sing a duet.

Here's the story on Winnipeg Free Press.

Fast Lane - The Shopping Carts

This is how you speed up your shopping.

LADY GAGA - Born This Way (Cover) by Maria Aragon

This video was first tweeted by Lady Gaga saying "Can't stop crying watching this. This is why I make music. She is the future." This is 10 year old Filipino-Canadian talent Maria Aragon.

Manny Pacquiao Uses Steroids?

They say Manny Pacquiao uses steroids. Obviously, they didn't know that Datu Puti is more potent than steroids.

The True Story of Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao

Everythings Amazing & Nobodys Happy

Best Boxing Entrance and Exit by Usman "Uzzy" Ahmed

Amazing entrance by boxer Usman "Uzzy" Ahmed. Can't say the same about his exit though.

Is China Trying To Create A New Gold Standard?

James Earl Jones Reading "Baby, Baby, Baby" by Justin Bieber

James Earl Jones can make anything sound amazing!

Filipina Longlisted for Man Asian Literary Prize 2010

Criselda Yabes has published five books, including Sarena’s Story: The Loss of a Kingdom, which won the UP Centennial Literary Prize for Creative Non-Fiction. A journalism graduate of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, she worked as correspondent for the international press in Manila, covering politics and coups as well as other major events overseas. She was born in Quezon City, spent her adolescence in Zamboanga, and lived in Paris. She is currently based in Manila, often traveling to Muslim Mindanao, to complete a book on the military’s approach to the conflict.

Here's the link to know more about Criselda Yabes.

About the Prize

The Man Asian Literary Prize was founded in 2007. It is an annual literary award given to the best novel by an Asian writer, either written in English or translated into English, and published in the previous calendar year. The judges choose a longlist of 10 to 15 titles announced in December, followed by a shortlist of 5 to 6 titles announced in February, and a winner is awarded in March. The winning author is awarded USD 30,000 and the translator (if any) USD 5,000. Submissions are invited through publishers based in any country.

Full details at Man Asian Literary Prize.

About Man Group

Man is a world-leading alternative investment management business. It has expertise in a wide range of liquid investment styles including managed futures, equity, credit, emerging markets, global macro and fund of funds, combined with powerful product structuring, distribution and client service capabilities.

It currently has $68.5 billion fund under management.

Angelo Reyes' Last Interview

This is a short excerpt of the discussion notes that Angelo Reyes did on Feb 6, 2011, two days before he shot himself in the heart from PCIJ.

Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself – Angie Reyes
“Honor, truth, justice. Honor above all else. Pride goes with it, self-respect, sense of legacy. This is very, very important to me. Sometimes, I am accused of being arrogant. I like to have plenty – a healthy sense – of self-esteem. I react to affronts on this.

There are two options available: to stonewall/fight the legal battle, or to come clean and make my own contribution to cleanse the system.

Stonewalling, I am told, would result in a long, protracted legal battle. However, past cases are not being resolved either way, kept in state of limbo. People’s memories are short and all this will eventually fade into public disinterest, and eventually oblivion. So, not to worry.

Coming clean, on the other hand, cannot be done without giving up something. I have decided to come clean, bare my heart and speak the truth. The truth can cut two ways: 1. If you are guiltless, you can embrace the truth and hope that it will protect you; 2. If you are not guiltless, speak the truth and it shall set you free.

I speak the truth not to whistle-blow or to seek neither immunity nor protection nor to escape from any form of liability. As a matter of fact, I speak the truth to accept responsibility for whatever liability I may have.

Honor is above all else. More valuable than freedom or even life itself. Therefore, honor must be guarded/defended with your life.

Living life without honor is a tragedy bigger than death itself.

Read the full story at PCIJ.org.

Nokia workers walk out in protest after Microsoft news

From Geek.com.

After the announcement of the partnership between Nokia and Microsoft this morning workers voiced their concern with the deal by walking out of Nokia facilities. It is believed that as many as a thousand workers marched out today (or took the day off using flex time) so that the company would know that they don’t believe the partnership is in their best interest, even after CEO’ Stephen Elop’s startlingly frank “burning platform” memo earlier this week.

Full story here.

Egypt's Mubarak resigns as leader

From BBC News.

Hosni Mubarak has stepped down as president of Egypt, after weeks of protest in Cairo and other cities.

The news was greeted with a huge outburst of joy and celebration by thousands in Cairo's Tahrir Square - the heart of the demonstrations.

Mr Mubarak ruled for 30 years, suppressing dissent and protest, and jailing opponents.

He held out pretty long didn't he? Full story here.

Here's a video from Aljazeera TV.

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A Tragic Turn In The Quest for Truth and Justice

William M. Esposo has a great article on Philstar on how investigations should done in the Philippine Senate, which currently is all about being in the limelight and is really turning into a circus. He said,

"This sad development should also teach those who are conducting these legislative hearings that whether guilty or not guilty their resource persons deserve humane and decent treatment. Suspicion does not justify depriving any person of human dignity. Legislators should not be passing judgment or behaving like judge, jury and executioner.

If the claim of Robles that Reyes was setup to be a fall guy is neither proved nor debunked, this probe will be haunted by controversy. Reyes is not without genuine admirers. He had a good reputation, especially among his contemporaries in the AFP and the Jaycees, until he shifted allegiance from former president Joseph Estrada, resulting in the ascendancy to presidential power of GMA. The GMA regime became the big blow to the image of Angie Reyes.

Sad as this development is, it cannot be made an excuse to relent on the quest for truth and justice. This tragedy should not even be allowed to lessen the intensity and fervor of the quest for truth and justice. There are good reasons — compassion foremost of these — to feel emotional about this tragedy but the national quest for truth and justice must not waver."

Full article here.

Despondent

From Philstar.

Things took an unexpected and tragic turn Tuesday morning. Angelo Reyes, decorated soldier and controversial public servant, took his own life with a bullet to the heart.

Outwardly tough and battle-scarred, Reyes was among the last persons one would expect to succumb to the temptation of suicide. But the last few weeks have been very severe on the man, the severity magnified by a popular culture entertained by trials by publicity and always ready to believe the worst of the best of men.

The son of schoolteachers, Reyes had only known the life of a public servant. From childhood, he maintained a demonstrated passion to excel. Those who knew him well described him as a perfectionist. He took pride at being impeccably at his best.

The perfectionist, however, worked in an imperfect system. If the accusations leveled against him are true, the perfectionist succumbed to the imperfections of the system. There was simply too much to gain from the imperfections, too little profit to be reaped from warring against the system.

Full article here.

Angelo Reyes Suicide News Reports

Oregon Bureaucrats Shut Down 82-Year-Old Barber

We should stop all these reckless barbers! How dare they cut hair for 30 years without a license!

Old Lady Saves Jewellery Store from Robbers

These robbers were not afraid of the police. You know who they should be afraid of? Old people.

Watch how the other bystanders were just looking around doing nothing while the lady in red came running to stop the robbers. They only came to help out once the old lady came in to stop the robbers.

She's pretty good with her handbag.

Four of the robbers were caught and police are still looking for the other two.

Full story from The Telegraph.

Angelo Reyes Commits Suicide

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

MANILA, Philippines—(UPDATE 4) Former Armed Forces Chief and Defense Secretary Angelo Tomas Reyes on Tuesday morning committed suicide by shooting himself in front of the grave of his mother at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina City.

He was 65.

A close friend of Reyes called the Philippine Daily Inquirer to break the news, while Colonel Boogie De Leon, a former administrative officer of Reyes when he was AFP chief, said Reyes was rushed to the Quirino Hospital at about 7:45 a.m. to revive him. Members of his family could not be reached for comment.

De Leon said that Reyes’s son Jett called him up to inform him of the incident.

Reyes, who earlier suffered a mild stroke before the congressional investigations on the alleged AFP financial irregularities, said he could not take anymore the smear campaign against his name and his family.

“Not my family,” he said.

Reyes, who loved his mother very much when she was still alive, earlier told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in an interview that he would never do anything that would besmirch the name of “my good mother.”

In a press conference aired on radio and television, Health Secretary Enrique Ona confirmed Reyes has died from gunshot wound to the heart. He said Reyes was proclaimed dead on arrival at the Quirino Memorial Medical Center in Quezon City.

Full article here.

Video of the news from GMA.TV.

For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV

Origami Warplane

I love paper airplanes. It always reminds me of the time my friend and I were folding paper airplanes in school and fly them out of a window. The most memorable one was when one of the planes we made kept flying straight slowly until it landed on the roof of another building over 100 feet away. No matter how hard we try, we couldn't make another one fly that far.

This isn't the one we made but it looks pretty cool.

Stanford Students Design Recyclable Laptop

The hardest part about e-recycling a laptop is separating their components. Plastic parts has to be separated with the metals and electronics and each laptop requires a different set of tools to disassemble.

These Stanford students designed a laptop that completely disassembles in less than two minutes without tools.

Boy Falls On Train Tracks While Playing PSP

Do you ever tell your kids pay attention to when they are going and stop playing their PSP or DS while walking? Their attitude is usually that of indignation that nothing could be more important to have their game interrupted.

Well, this ten-year old kid in Italy apparently thought that nothing in the world is more important to have his PSP game interrupted, not even the end of the train platform which promptly led him right off on to the train tracks.

Watch.

Fortunately for him there was a 23-year old off duty cop who jumped down the tracks and dragged the kid back to the platform.

Parents, you can now thank me for giving you a tool to show your kids the dangers of walking without paying attention.

News Footage of Egypt from Al Jazeera

If you've been following the news about Egypt, you've probably heard that Al Jazeera has been shot down by the Egyptian government because of its rather comprehensive coverage of the situation.

The Egyptian government was so annoyed by the coverage that they shut down Al Jazeera's Egyptian office making it hard to get news from Al Jazeera about what's going on in Egypt.

Al Jazeera has embarked on a creative way to get its news out by releasing its reports under a Creative Commons license.

The contents are free to use by anyone with just an attribution. They can use the contents for both commercial and non-commercial use.

They even set up a special CC website for it.

Here's a sample of the video available on the site.

Video courtesy of Al Jazeera.

PETA's Veggie Love

PETA always uses shock value to put out its message, like the lettuce bikini campaign.

Last year, it tried to get something called Veggie Love as a Superbowl ad, but was declined by NBC.

This year, they did a compilation of outtakes from the audition of that ad.

Here's the video.

CNN's Anderson Cooper Attacked In Egypt

CNN reports that Anderson Cooper was attacked by pro-Mubarak crowd. He said that he was punched 10 times in the head as he and his crew was surrounded by the mob.

Here's the link to CNN's Twitter account reporting about the incident.

Worst Analogies Ever Written

The following originally appeared as winners of a "Worst Analogies ever written in a High School Essay Contest" in the Washington Post Style Invitational"

He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
Joseph Romm, Washington

She caught your eye like one of those pointy hook latches that used to dangle from screen doors and would fly up whenever you banged the door open again.
Rich Murphy, Fairfax Station

The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
Russell Beland, Springfield

McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty Bag filled with vegetable soup.
Paul Sabourin, Silver Spring

From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and "Jeopardy" comes on at 7 p.m. instead of 7:30.
Roy Ashley, Washington

Her hair glistened in the rain like nose hair after a sneeze.
Chuck Smith, Woodbridge

Her eyes were like two brown circles with big black dots in the center.
Russell Beland, Springfield

Bob was as perplexed as a hacker who means to access T:flw.quid55328.com\aaakk/ch@ung but gets T:\flw.quidaaakk/ch@ung by mistake
Ken Krattenmaker, Landover Hills

Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
Unknown

He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.
Jack Bross, Chevy Chase

The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot grease.
Gary F. Hevel, Silver Spring

Her date was pleasant enough, but she knew that if her life was a movie this guy would be buried in the credits as something like "Second Tall Man."
Russell Beland, Springfield

Long separated by cruel fate, the star-crossed lovers raced across the grassy field toward each other like two freight trains, one having left Cleveland at 6:36 p.m. traveling at 55 mph, the other from Topeka at 4:19 p.m. at a speed of 35 mph.
Jennifer Hart, Arlington

The politician was gone but unnoticed, like the period after the Dr. on a Dr Pepper can.
Wayne Goode, Madison, Ala.

They lived in a typical suburban neighborhood with picket fences that resembled Nancy Kerrigan's teeth
Paul Kocak, Syracuse, N.Y.

John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
Russell Beland, Springfield

The thunder was ominous-sounding, much like the sound of a thin sheet of metal being shaken backstage during the storm scene in a play.
Barbara Fetherolf, Alexandria

His thoughts tumbled in his head, making and breaking alliances like underpants in a dryer without Cling Free
Chuck Smith, Woodbridge

The red brick wall was the color of a brick-red Crayola crayon.
Unknown