Jessica Zafra's Blog, page 358

Are humans hard-wired to seek beauty?

That would explain so much. And justify some very strange behavior. Watch this video, and then we will discuss. "It is easy. You just chip away the stone that doesn't look like David." Michelangelo on how he sculpted David. Photo and quote from www.michelangelo.com.

Karaoke without the atrocity

It was Jose's belated birthday celebration last night at Attica. I don't know about you, but when I hear "Attica" I think of Al Pacino yelling in front of the bank in Dog Day Afternoon. This Attica is a bar in A Venue. On Wednesdays they have open-mic night and anyone who wants to sing [...]

Finally, a gift registry that doesn't require you marry or to spawn

Note to readers: The notes posted on the items are not meant for you. You are not the target of my emotional blackmail/extortion campaign; that is for those closest to us. But you might consider doing this for yourself. Cheers. I have always wondered why there are no gift registries for all occasions. You have [...]

Finally, a gift registry that doesn't require you to get married or spawn

I have always wondered why there are no gift registries for all occasions. You have to get married or to spawn in order to register at the better stores and have them post a list of the items you need or want. (Or in the absence of a partner, marry yourself or give birth to [...]

Wanted: "Fallen" correspondents

Have you read Fallen, the young adult novel by Lauren Kate? Have you read or are you reading its sequel, Torment? Would you like to meet the author Lauren Kate and ask her your questions? Are you in Manila, and can you be at the Atrium of The Podium on Saturday, 27 November 2010, at [...]

Carving the pumpkin

This is for our readers in the US who are stressed out over Thanksgiving preparations.

Is that Blue Steel, Magnum or both?

It's time for our weekly Jock With A Book. If you are new to this site (and we've been getting a lot of fresh traffic since we launched this weekly post), here is the rationale for this regular feature. We promote reading. We promote rugby. So we cross-promote them by posting photographs of national rugby [...]

Rank amateurs

We did not vote for them. They can't treat government service as some kind of audition. Fix this.

A very bad week for Philippine science

Leonardo Co was the country's premiere field botanist, a real Indiana Jones of the plant world. He inspired and trained legions of Filipino scientists at the University of the Philippines, and is regarded worldwide as the expert on Philippine flora. His students, now PhDs and teachers at universities across the globe, returned to the Philippines [...]

LitWit Challenge 3.12: Conversations in restaurants

We sent Patrice Olivier a link to his Jock With A Book feature. His reply: "That's cool that i have fans, i just can't believe it but it makes me smile." Shall we make him smile some more? Dialogue is tricky, as previous LitWit Challenges have shown us. Dialogue must convey something of the speaker's [...]