Sunday, August 11, 2013

Person of Interest (CBS)

image from Hello, Tailor


Reading the news makes one think that the Orwellian Big Brother is already a reality. Abroad, the all-seeing eye of the National Security Agency is an issue among Americans and allied nations, meanwhile in local news the Philippines, always a copycat for hot items abroad, wants an all-seeing eye of its own.

I didn’t give Person of Interest a second glance when I first saw it.  Jim Caviezel never attracted my attention even when he was Jesus Christ and Michael Emerson was a weird match for him as a partner.  The series had technology and some kind of surveillance going on in the mix but as a magic formula, it didn't pop out. What crime fighting series doesn't have surveillance? Cops do surveillance.

Saturday, August 03, 2013

Can the Avengers survive?

Can all the ego; all the differences in personalities and skills, inherent in a large group of people, a team, be properly addressed in a forced ranking system such as the Performance Based Incentive System?



Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Be Sad, Be Angry

Sa bawat estudyanteng mulat sa mga napapanahong isyu sa lipunan, at sa halip na magreklamo lang sa Facebook ay nagmumungkahi ng solusyon: SONA mo ito.” – President Benigno S. Aquino III, SONA 2013

Be sad to see that a President of a country is so bothered by students that he recited a small paragraph in the 2013 State of the Nation Address just for them.  

Sunday, July 28, 2013

World War Z (2013)


Movie gross notwithstanding Z trumped S. S of course refers to Man of Steel which came a week before World War Z

In writing this I had second thoughts about comparing a superhero story and a zombie apocalypse story.  Should I?   I couldn't help it in the end after feeling pleasantly surprised at how World War Z turned up.  The story didn't leave an empty feeling in the mouth, walking corpse or whatever notwithstanding.

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Magic 76


According to survey there is a magic 76 percent who have found their calling. 

These employees as the Ateneo Center for Organization Research and Development (CORD) defines it see, “work as an endeavor one engages in for the satisfaction of doing it, a lofty, nonmaterial goal or a sense of self, and feels highly energizing and fulfilling.”  

Where's the Water Gonna Go?

Echage St. Manila


Sunday, July 07, 2013

Saved by Jobless Growth

Since 2010 the Department of Budget and Management has lost: An Assistant Secretary to resignation. An operations director to the Office of the President.

Another Two operations director to resignation.  They are now consultants somewhere else. Another operations director to, I am not sure, optional retirement or resignation.  

Is there a really difference, either way they are no longer with the Department.

Saturday, July 06, 2013

Tagging makes Clark Kent obsolete

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.” Marianne Williamson


The most famous underwear in comics is that of Superman.  There are two reasons. One, because it is red and two, for some reason he does not wear it under the blue tights.

When I saw the publicity shots of Man of Steel I thought finally the franchise found people with good taste.  Then I finally learned where the underwear came from.  In a featurette Man of Steel director Zack Snyder states the inspiration for the famous red underwear were those of Victorian era strongmen.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Olympus Has Fallen (2013)


If there is any doubt in your mind that the White House can be taken, then that doubt is all you need to avoid the film Olympus Has Fallen.

I had my doubts and it made the first few scenes hard to swallow and predictable.  In real life the White House would be hard to capture, to consider it possible still limits you to a few possibilities.  And to watch in unfold on film makes those choices even fewer and apparent snuffing out the excitement. 

Inspire, Motivate, what?

Money can motivate.  Exemplary employees will stand out and get rewarded for the fruits of their hard labor, sure that’s possible. Nurture team spirit?  Sure, everything is always possible.

However it is wishful thinking or maybe delusional is the word to think that money alone especially money with extra added baggage an inverted pyramid would be the magic bullet in solving employee motivation. 

After 7 Months...

217 days or 31 weeks or 7 months and 5 days since Deputy Presidential Spokesman Abegaile Valte announced a story about 3 bonuses for government employees coming December 2012: the 13th month pay, the Productivity Enhancement Incentive, and the Performance Based Bonus.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

How much can Employees see?


Employees can always see each other and judge the Performance Based Incentive System from there.  Are their co-employees as productive as the money and rating implies or are they just better at kissing ass?


It still begs the question how much of the other bureau’s performance can they see and accept.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

Statistically the Slogan is false

Kung walang corrupt, walang mahirap.

The line puts in simplistic terms the state of the nation.  Gloria was evil.  There was poverty all around.  If she via her anointed will lose control of the Presidency in that 2010 election then candidate Aquino will clean up government.  Once the government is clean and is following the straight path (daang matuwid) prosperity should follow.

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Man of Steel (2013)


Man of Steel the movie has resurrected that perfect man from the planet Krypton.

Actually reborn is more apt description instead of resurrection as the franchise is trying to be reborn into something other than a continuation of a saga.  It went to such great lengths that what the older generation has referred to as the red briefs over pants is gone.  Gone also is the iconic John Williams intro that made movie goers feel they were flying up to the sky.

Man of Steel will make it on its own for this generation or it does not, and the first few days in the box office are looking good.

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

It's a Calling

76 percent say it’s a Calling.

The outlook on work serves no purpose especially if lumped together.  How we see work is a personal choice; to each his own as they say.

The trend shows the young are not buying and the old in this Department if that is their honest feeling are figuratively dying out anyway.

The statement serves no purpose, except to convince the people to shut up.   Who dares go against the 76 percent of co-employees they do not see. 


Do you see the 76 percent anywhere around you?  Look to your left, right, in front; how many do you see?