deepdiverboy

Coming from a family with a great love of buffets, I should say the strip of buffet places along the SM Mall of Asia seawall--Buffet 101, Four Seasons, Banzai, and even Yakimix further down the road along Macapagal Ave., are the most value-for-money. Don't mistake that description for "inexpensive." Vikings would cost you slightly over 1k, Banzai around +/-P750/head, when other charges are tacked on. Pero for me, sulit pa rin. If you dine out at a decent place like, Bubba Gump, Friday's, the per-head is going to cost you above P500/head if you order 3 entreés and drinks ala carte. Consider mo yung variety na available kung mag-buffet ka na lang. Pati yung beer, iced tea, ice cream, unlimited.

Yung Triple-V group (Kamayan+Saisaki+Dad's) for me, has gone downhill, way downhill from its heydays in the 1990s. Walang innovation sa food lineup, halos pareho pa rin ang sine-serve. And if you've been there a decade ago, you'll remember that drinks weren't bottomless. They were trying to make money on drinks while having P500+/head buffet prices. Fairly recently lang sila nag-bottomless drinks. This resto group has been upstaged by the newcomers I mentioned above. I don't know why they haven't introduced newer dishes. Pati yung dessert tables nila, ganun pa rin—usual shortcakes, halo-halo, mais con yelo. Yun, wala na.

Sa hotels, I feel yung Marriott sa Resorts World and the Remington Hotel nearby are good value too. Sa Marriott, don't forget to go for the laksa soup at the very end of the buffet line. Many people miss this, kasi mejo tago siya, being at the end of the dimsum lineup. Authentic yung laksa niya, unlike many other Singapore-themed restos in Manila. Yung buffet sa Red Lantern in Solaire is highly touted, but I beg to disagree. The buffet is "ala carte order" style. So you fill up an order sheet, hand it to the waiter, and they bring back whatever you listed, unlimited quantities (buffet nga). But this style of serving wastes a lot of time. It's more for the "formal buffet" theme, rather than to save money. But it's a very inefficient way of holding a buffet. Taste-wise, I wouldn't really sing its high praises since many other Chinese restos, particularly Gloria Maris (Greenhills branch) can match their innovativeness. And mahal siya, if I'm not mistaken it's P1600++/head.

Parang nagkahalu-halo na ang supplements for daily health maintenance and bodybuilding dito sa thread. Pero okay lang, I'm going to comment on bodybuilding supps, since 4 years nako may experience with them, and I read a lot and learn from a relative who's a sports nutrition expert.

Whey protein: Good, but not absolutely necessary. If you can maintain a proper 0.8 : 1 ratio (grams of protein : body weight in pounds), and still keep within the 2500-calorie intake a day, you're in fine shape. Why isn't it absolutely necessary? There are vegan bodybuilders who don't consume meat or even dairy products like Greek yoghurt. They rely on soy and other plant sources, like seaweeds and chia seeds. Google "Derek Tresize" and see how you can build an impressive sculpted physique even when going vegan. Even the humble malunggay plant is chock-full of protein, and has a pretty complete amino acid profile.

*warning to those intent on taking soy: some men are more sensitive to the estrogen-inducing isoflavones in soy milk, and develop man-boobs. Some studies claim there is no direct link, but the anecdotal fact that some men who were formerly flat-chested grew man boobs after ingesting soy milk in big quantities should keep you aware of the danger (here is an example). Regardless of whether soy can really cause man boobs to grow, take note that soy milk is very calorific. Comparing gram-for-gram whey protein powder and soy powder, there is about 4-5x more protein in whey than in soy. What makes up for the rest of the calories in soy then? Sugar. Most soy drinks, powdered or liquid, are prepared with large amounts of sugar to give them flavor. You know what happens to excess sugar, right? It gets stored around your waist and thighs as fat.

*disclaimer: that 0.8 : 1 ratio is just a rule of thumb. The more specific computation is to get the target weight you want (ex., 160 lbs), multiply 160 x 0.8. Why? Not all of your body weight is lean muscle. If you're overweight, your body is mostly fats and water. Do not overindulge in protein when bodybuilding. Doing so won't make your muscles bigger. You will only overwork your liver, which can at most digest 10grams of protein per hour. The rest of the excess protein is excreted in your urine, which manifests as an acetone-like smell.

Vit B: necessary. B-vitamins help keep up our immune system. Since our immune systems dip a bit after exercise (regardless of whether it's cardio or weightlifting), it's helpful to take Vit B regularly, esp if you're on a restricted calorie diet designed to build muscle and shed fat at the same time (yes, it's possible. Don't listen to the "broscience" being preached by knuckleheads that you have to "bulk up" first then "cut" afterwards)

BCAA: not necessary. BCAAs are supplement company additives. Look at the tubs of whey protein you buy: they already contain between 15-20 kinds of BCAAs. And only 3 kinds of BCAAs are related to muscle hypertrophy anyway: leucine, isoleucine and valine. The rest are mostly non-essential BCAAs that you can get from natural food sources like lean meat.

Creatine: helpful, but not necessary. Creatine is one of the most—if not THE most—well-researched substances out there. It's mainly for forcing water into your muscles, to get them in fuller shape, which is why you're lifting in the first place, right? Try to take a break from creatine every 4-5 months. Lab mice which were given creatine for more than 6 months were found to have liver lesions, which could lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer. We're not mice, of course, but just to be on the safe side...

Pre- and post-workout drinks: Generally, I find these to be nothing but marketing gimmicks, designed to sell you more stuff. Pre-workout drinks are loaded with sugar and taurine, which give you that sensation of a temporary high, making you think you've suddenly gone from Bruce Banner to the Incredible Hulk. That's sugar-induced delusion. You don't suddenly have more strength in your muscles. Just like how Gatorade and Powerade market themselves to be good post-workout drinks. They replenish your depleted energy by sugar infusion (specifically sucrose—the sweetest form of sugar) and also lost electrolytes. But you know a cheaper and more natural source of electrolytes? Table salt. Yes, asin—sodium chloride. What I do is half a teaspoon of salt (that's really all you need) mixed with chopped bananas, one scoop of whey protein, 1.5 scoops of skim milk, crushed ice, and blend them in a blender. Best smoothie I've ever tasted. The tiny bit of saltiness is almost drowned out by the creaminess of the milk and whey protein, while the bananas and crushed ice provide a full body to the drink (not watery)

Ephedrine, clenbuterol and other fat-burning supplements: I would advise you to stay away from them. Fat burners are mostly composed of the same ingredients: caffeine, yohimbine, guarana extract, green coffee beans—in varying quantities, depending on the brand. They're designed to make your resting metabolic rate faster. The problem is many people are sensitive to these ingredients, and suffer things like insomnia, jitters, cold sweats, headaches and anxiety. These are caused by the potent combination of caffeine and the other ingredients that force your heart to pump faster and burn more energy in the process. Ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and clenbuterol do these same things, but worse.

Believe me, I've tried these things I've mentioned, and the effects are nasty. I've also tried the ECA stack (ephedrine-caffeine-aspirin) and it made my heart palpitate when running, to the point that I had to stop because my ears and neck were getting so warm and my chest felt like it was going to burst. I wasn't even overweight when I took them; I was trying to get "shredded" for the Century Tuna SuperBods competition. After a session with ECA left me dizzy and disoriented at the gym, I decided to stop. I Googled "clenbuterol side effects" and found reports of people getting stroke or abnormally enlarged hearts after a time of taking them. So I quit. I decided there were more important things in life than looking like a magazine model. I value long life more than anything. Sorry for the long read, but I hope this helps.

Best attitude is to keep an open mind about UFOs—or anything, actually. Just because you haven't seen one doesn't mean they don't exist (absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, as scientific folk like to say).

I've once seen for myself very fast, jerky movements of lights high up in the night sky when I was a pre-teen. No they definitely weren't aircraft, as the outline wasn't elongated. Neither did they fly like any aircraft, because of the jerky movements. But I've always kept quiet about it because of the fear of being laughed at, especially since I saw that thing at an age when kids are supposed to be "overimaginative".

That Ancient Aliens show on History Channel though, is doing the UFO sightings phenomenon a big disservice. The conspiracy theories of aliens symbols being hidden in the Great Pyramids' dimensions, for example, that has been debunked several times by mathematicians. They only approximated the closeness to "mystical numbers" like pi and phi (ie., the Ancient Astronaut theorists are just extrapolating from known facts into speculation). Because of the unscientific manner of their investigation and theorizing, more people are going to just wave off real testimonies of UFO sightings as hokum.

Anyone interested in playing volleyball on the weekends? I heard of a co-ed group playing in San Lorenzo Makati, but you have to register at the website meetup(.)com.

I haven't decided yet whether to join, as most of my Sundays in upcoming months are occupied; but in case anyone wants to play, you can search for "volleyball" in the search box of Meetup site.

Cambodia: A visit to Angkor Wat in Siem Reap is a must. Lots of modern hotels near this 900 year old ancient city. In Phnom Penh, make sure to visit the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng, also known as S-21 which was a school converted into a prison where Khmer people were tortured and later executed by the Khmer Rouge. And make sure to visit the Russian market. In the Killing Fields, you will be able to actually see bone fragments all around and the temptation to bring home a piece as a souvenir may enter your mind. But remember, these were bones once belonged to human beings so out of respect for the dead, try to resist the urge to bring home a piece of bone. BTW you can drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in about 7 hours. Driving will give you an idea of what the Cambodian countryside looks like.

 

Vietnam: If you plan to visit South Vietnam, make sure to visit the War Museum in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly called Saigon) which will give you the history of the Vietnam war from the Vietnamese point of view. Also visit the Cu Chi tunnels about an hour's drive from Saigon. This is where the Vietcong hid underground to evade detection by American forces. They slept, ate, studied, made weapons, etc. in these underground tunnels. You will also see how the Vietcong made booby traps.

 

In North Vietnam, if you visit Hanoi, you can visit the Hoa Lo Prison, dubbed the "Hanoi Hilton" by Americans who were incarcerated there. Lots of war museums featuring American aircraft shot down by the Vietnamese. Visit the tomb of Ho Chi Minh (Uncle Ho) (no photographs allowed).

 

Whether you're in North Vietnam or South Vietnam, be very careful crossing the street. The main means of transportation there is by motorcycle/scooter and there are millions of them. When crossing, do not hesitate but walk straight. The drivers will go around you. If you hesitate and panic and take a step back, it will result in an accident. So be very careful as there are so many motorcycles which form an endless line. Also be warned that traffic rules virtually do not exist in Vietnam. Since you're 5 best to take an Innova taxi which is more difficult to find than the smaller cabs. Of course having a coaster with a tour guide is the best since the guide can explain things to you from the history of Vietnam, to where to buy your groceries.

Just came back from Saigon, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap last week. Not only are the historical places more well-kept than those in the Philippines, but they also seem to "look up" to Filipinos as people from a richer country. Many Vietnamese shopkeepers, even sidewalk vendors, know a word or two of Tagalog. When haggling, pretend to walk away. They'll say something like "bili na, mura na," or "may tawad pa." Funny because it's a Vietnamese saying it, but also probably because there are so many Filipino tourist dollars to be earned.

The night markets in both countries are worth a traipse through. I actually felt more safe walking the streets of Saigon and Siem Reap at night than I would in any part of Metro Manila outside the Fort or Makati. Heck, I don't even feel that safe walking from Makati Avenue to Glorietta at night. Better not go with the packaged tours, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and other historical sites are just too huge for an hour or two's sightseeing. Fly to Siem Reap, rent a bike from your hotel, follow the tourist trail to Angkor and other sites. Directions to the sites are easy enough to follow.

Re: hospitality, Cambodians are on a par with Filipinos at hospitality. They might not have the English proficiency Pinoys have, but just about everyone I met, even those small shopkeepers, went out of their way to make me feel very welcome, even if I only bought items of very little value. If the Philippines doesn't get its tourism game up, Cambodians might soon overtake us, just as Thailand was behind us in the 1990s but has overtaken us now.

It's very hard to motivate students nowadays. I won't repeat the stuff said above, like dumb TV programs, distractions like video games, gimik culture, as well as early experimentation w/ sex, drugs, etc.

But one thing I've noticed is that there is an environmental factor as well. Life in China, Japan and Korea is harder than what it looks like. Getting a career is very competitive to the point that students who fail to get into topnotch schools like Tokyo University or Peking University would get into a bout of depression, not to mention suicide in extreme cases. It's because early in life, kids are made to realize that there are only so many chances available for them, and that if they don't work hard to catch it, they have lost out on the race called life. If you've heard about Amy Chua, the Tiger Mom who stirred a firestorm of controversy over her extreme parenting methods, well, that's called normal parenting for many mothers in China and Korea.

Yes, life is hard in the Philippines, but remember, this is also a land of bounty. For as far back as anyone can recall, the Philippines has not experienced any single historical incidence of mass starvation. I'm not referring to the ordinary kind of hunger caused by poverty that we see today, but hunger that eventually caused the deaths of millions within a very short period of time. That was the case in China, Korea and Japan at several points in their histories. During the Great Leap Forward in China for example, people were so desperate they began tearing off the bark of trees to boil and eat just so they would have something in their stomachs. Final death toll was estimated at 25 million. In Germany, which was totally bombed out after WWII, around 9 million people starved to death either through abject conditions or deliberate delay of food aid by the Americans in revenge for the destruction wrought by Hitler. Here in the Philippines, even during WWII when large swathes of cropland were destroyed, there was still enough meat and fish to eat. If you had hidden in the mountains, as many did, you would not have starved, even if food was rationed.

We have been spoiled by the circumstances of history and our own tropical location. Here in RP, the sun is shining all year round. We do not have to deal with vicious winters like countries in the northern hemisphere; rice, crops, meat and fish can be harvested all throughout the rainy and summer seasons. Nor have we had a tyrant vicious enough to have deliberately starved us to death like what Kim Jong-iL of North Korea is doing to his people now. And just like a spoiled child, we lose our edge, slowly and steadily. The same is happening in the United States now--sociologists warn of a "dumbing down" of the American populace because of shows like Jersey Shore and American Idol. Pop stars and athletes are gods, while smart kids are uncool. This was brought about by the several decades of prosperity and peace.

This is the point of mentioning all the above factors: We have not encountered the kind of gut-wrenching hardship that would revitalize our consciousness as a nation. The struggles Filipinos face are only on a personal level. Kulang ng pang tuition? Tigil muna si ate para magtrabaho, para may pangtustos sa mga nakababatang kapatid. Kung halos graduate na si kuya, utang muna nang makapag-abroad. Then the rest of the family will soon enjoy the dollar remittances. It is this fairly mediocre existence that has blunted whatever edge the Filipino has in terms of talent. Look at what Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan-Yew said: "I do not understand why Filipinos are underperforming in their own country. In Singapore, they are just as creative or even more creative than our natives." We are wallowing in a big pool of "puwede na" and "bahala na" mentality because whatever happens, we seem to be assured that everything will turn out alright. And sadly, history has proven that to be all too true.

trying requesting changing your line's port sabihin mo ilagay sa di matraffic kasi nalulugi ka sa bandwidth tried it before from 700kbps it became 2mbps

Thanks for the advice dude, but I just switched to Globe Tattoo. Much faster download speeds, and I haven't experienced any downtime with them.

Comparing de Quiros to Teddy Benigno = comparing street food to gourmet.

I like both types of writers: those who use words sparingly and write like how the man on the street talks, and the type like Benigno who write for those who were blessed with higher intellect.

That said, de Quiros belongs to neither. If you think I'm criticizing de Quiros merely because of his penchant for using big words, then you have a lot of reading comprehension to catch up on. The point is de Quiros does NOT know how and when to use which words. If you disagree with that, then it's hopeless to argue with you because you obviously do not have enough English aptitude to see the nuances in the language.

Outside of writing style, de Quiros also reeks of being an armchair intellectual. His conjectures are so out of touch with reality that few people would even bother responding to his columns. (This came from a friend who works at PDI, who said that de Quiros has one of the least replies from readers)

Can anyone tell me how their experience with Wi-Tribe has been so far? I'm a current PLDT DSL subscriber, with a P1,995 plan (Xcite), and although the speed was impressive during the first year, the quality of the connection and the speed has noticeably deteriorated in the 2nd year. I'm sick and tired of calling 172 for DSL repair, only to have the serviceman come and check to discover that nothing's wrong with the connection or my modem.

Repairman says it's just that during peak hours, my area (near SM MOA) handles a very heavy load of internet (presumably because of the couple of call centers nearby). Still, that's no reason for diminished quality. I expected better from the Philippines' largest telephone company, that's why I'm paying for more than the basic package. And I get this sh1t.

stufguy: We have basically the same experience with slot machines, although I quickly learned my lesson after a P5,000 loss in one night. What experience taught me was, after your first couple of hits, walk away. You're not very likely to get lucky again.

GetBack: I have the suspicion that Resorts World Manila tracks its players through their playing cards. Remember, any game that you play in RWM, you have to swipe your card--which contains your identity and picture. Are the cards really just for storing value to play with or to redeem wins? I think all game machines/tables are linked to a computer server with an algorithm that makes sure nobody wins too much. Had this nagging suspicion because after two straight winning weekends at RWM, my luck began to run out on successive visits. I ended up giving back all my winnings. And this was with switching a dozen different slot machines, not just the same machines. If randomness of luck applies, I should've at least broken even in about 4 or 5 of those machines on the losing days. But no, I couldn't find a lucky streak at all in any machine.

So now my personal casino rules are:

1) Bring a budget that I can afford to lose down the drain (ex., 5k).

2) Set a time limit as well (ex. 3 hrs)

3) I walk out of the casino whichever comes first: either the 5k is all used up or 3 hrs is up. Even if at the end of 3hrs, I still have money (say I'm winnning), it's still time to pack up and leave. Take whatever money is remaining and just head for the door.

I can say I'm gambling responsibly, and I'm not putting any dent in personal finances. Never needed to withdraw from ATMs at any time.

Lastly, I knew someone who worked for a software company that supplies PAGCOR's slot machines. There IS such a thing as "house edge." It's a statistical advantage built into the software, even at your neighborhood E-Games outlets, so that the probability of the house winning is much greater than that of the customer.

I believe girls who say it doesn't matter when the guy is shorter are lying. Women have this innate need to feel secure, and also the subconscious assumption that taller men mean bigger wangs. C'mon girls, may nakita na ba kayong malaking burat sa lalakeng pandak?

Wai Ying remains to be one of my fave downtown places. Problem is, they still use plastic pails for transporting big batches of soup stock (sinasalin dun sa may window pots for soups kept warm). I know a bit about plastics, having worked briefly in a plastics factory. Masama ang PVC, PP, PE at iba pang synthetic materials pag nalalagyan ng mainit na liquids. Nagkakaroon ng chemical reactions ang balde mismo. Sinabihan ko na dati ang mga waitress, pero last visit ko ganun pa din, so tigil muna ako sa mga soups nila. I still like their rice toppings and lugaw, dimsum.

Sando + shorts. No brief, even in aircon. Hehe!

Sad to say, the efforts of most OFW's are negated by the dependence on them by their lazy relatives back home. "Walking cash machines" is a very apt adjective. I know of several OFW's relatives who stopped working because a sister/brother/parent was working overseas and sending home money. A UP study in the late 1990's bears this out: the average savings rate of OFW's was below 7% overall.

I can't be sure kung may spycam o wala. I don't worry about spycams because we always turn out the lights before the action starts. Kung may hidden cam man nakalagay, the film would be so grainy and dark it isn't worth watching at all.

Been here twice. Pangit dito. Place feels rundown, and not well-lit like the others near it. Price is not that far from, say, Queensland or Sogo (EDSA Rotonda Taft). Suggest ko mag-motel hunting kayo, since there's a lot of others nearby. Remember Pasay City is the Philippines' Motown = Motel Town.

Anyone up for some chicken?

Brandon Roy. Imagine, Portland logs one of the most number of man-hours lost to injuries, yet this pointguard carries them all the way to the playoffs year after year.

no kidding? are there guys out there with multiple wallets?

Puwede ito! Put each wallet on the left and right hip pocket, para pantay ang laki ng butt nyo!

I noticed that all my colleagues who are of advanced age have very thick wallets bulging out of their back pockets. Hmmm, is age proportionate to the thickness of one's wallet. I hope not since I'm almost nearing the magic 40 mark.

Pansin ko nga ito sa mga uncles ko. Their wallets look like McDonald's Quarter Pounders when viewed sideways. I hate the thick wallet syndrome (well, unless all the thickness is derived from money). Pero indi eh, it's credit card + Shell Fleet card + ATM card + driver's license + Mercury Drug Suki Card & other loyalty cards that I use on a regular basis. Indi ko na nga dinadala yung mga motel discount cards sa wallet, pero kumakapal pa din over time.

The more I see Gayweather mouth off at Pacquiao but refuse to commit to a fight even after Pacman agreed to a urine and stimulants test, the more I'm convinced Floyd's really scared of Manny. Tataya ako kay Manny panigurado pag natuloy ang laban. The odds are going to be in favor of Mayweather, because of his legion fans, and that's a good situation to bet Pacquiao as an underdog. Even if the odds were perfectly even, I'm going Pacman. And I'm an unemotional bettor. I put money where it has a better chance of earning returns, in my view.

Yung Heritage Hotel, no doubt meron diyan. I remember passing that way as a kid, matagal din na-abandon yung building na yan after a fire razed it. Madaming foreigners namatay, so yung mga ungol-ungol, don't worry, indi niyo naman maiintindihan yan kase ibang language

I've been to several of the motels mentioned in this thread, namely Sogo (Alabang, Guadalupe, Avenida and Monumento branches), Winston Lodge in Pasay, Town & Country in Sta Mesa. So far wala naman akong nararamdaman or naririnig/nakikita--and I'm the sensitive type. Baka nga kasi tulad nung sinabi nung isang poster dito, malayo sa isip mo ang moomoo pag pumupunta ka sa mga ganitong places, dahil iba ang priorities mo at the time (hehe!) .

Maynilad kami. Naknamp*ta, wild fluctuations ang amounts ng monthly bills! May P500+, tapus biglang P700+, tapus minsan P1,200+, tapus biglang P500+ ulit. Eh apat na tao lang kami sa bahay, gaano ba kalaking variance ang puwedeng mangyari sa water consumption, lalo't wala kaming mga bisitang nago-overnight? Useless din mag-complain, che-check nila yung meter mo, kapag walang tagas or defect ang meter mo, that's it, you gotta just suck it up and shut up. Frickin' lousy crap.

that is why I get sodas in cans whenever possible. when it comes to fastfood places naman I always tell them not to put ice.

I do the same thing. Although I'm always obliged by fastfood crews, there was this one time in Wendy's Robinson's Place Malate where the order-taker filled my Biggie Iced Tea about 1.5 inches below the rim of the cup. When I complained, she said, "Sir, kasi walang ice, so hanggang diyan lang talaga. Puno yan pag may ice." I just stood there and glared at her like I was gonna wring her neck. Hindi gumagalaw ang pila. When the manager noticed, I stated my case. Ayun, pinuno din. Kasimple-simpleng bagay bibigyan ka pa ng B.S. na palusot eh.

I'm sorry if this is a bit out of the thread topic, pero if you guys are interested in a certain destination, you can check out www.wikitravel.com. It is not connected to Wikipedia in any way, but just like Wikipedia, it's compiled from the experiences of previous travellers in a Wikipedia-like format. From there, you can pick out which places you like to visit, then inquire with your travel agency about them. It can also be a very useful backpacker's guide, since details like public transportation and places to eat are available.