To the pig

Spare a little kindness for the pig. In medical science, pigs are considered our closest anatomical equivalents. Same lungs, same heart, near identical organ placements (at least when the specimen is laid on the table). While we often think of white mice, white rats and monkeys when it comes to animal testing of products, many of the drugs that save our lives were probably also tested on pigs. There's nothing like getting a really accurate picture of a drug's effect than testing it on an animal that happens to weigh as much as the average adult human.

We have the same overall speed and stamina as pigs, although they obviously can run quicker, we can run them down eventually because we expend energy slower, which is why pigs are the perfect animals for the age-old "chasing the greased pig" game. That game is fun because there is that possibility of the animal getting caught.

Pigs are impervious to snake venom. They can smell our B.O., bad breath, the skid marks on our underwear and pretty much everything, and yet it is us who cover our noses in their presence.

We eat them, and they don't retaliate. Well, they do, they eat a hole in our pockets and eventually clog the holes in our hearts.

About the bike

The motorcycle in my profile picture is the Britten V1000, at least one version of it. Created by New Zealand's John Britten, the V1000 was considered revolutionary in the 90's. It had no frame, everything was bolted to the engine; the seat, the swingarm and rear wheel, even the front end. Britten's use of carbon fiber not only meant his bike was light and strong, it also looked cool. Just look at those cam covers!

How good was the Britten? while it never really raced in World Superbike or Grand Prix levels, in small races like Battle of the Twins, it had its share of glory, beating the factory bikes. John Britten especially delighted in beating Ducati. You could say he was as fond of Ducati as the founder of Lamborghini was fond of Ferrari. In one magazine review, it was said the Britten V1000, at about 160HP, was as powerful as a GP bike, a two-stroke, 500 cc. GP bike, that is, before Grand Prix shifted to 990 cc. four-strokes. This is still impressive power, even today.

During its short production run, the Britten's look constantly changed. But it always was a beautiful bike. Sadly, John Britten died of cancer shortly after his bike's debut. With his passing, design on the bike has stopped, which is just as well. The V1000 should always look like this.

Even if you prefer some other color than pink.

Puni

Ngening panaun a ausan ming maleldo, o mal a aldo, miririnan na kami na namang upaya a damdaman mi ya ing kekaming amanung sisuan a mabanggit at mikanta. Ing Iglesia Katolika keni Pampanga, kalupa na naman kareng aliuang lugal, pagamit ne ing katutubung salita da ring tau keng liturhiya ning misa, maging kareng nobena, rosaryo, miyaliwang pangadi.

Bista ma't makalual ya keng opisyal nang liturhiya at literatura ning pisamban, ing "puni' o ausan dang pasyon deng aliwa, metung yang maragul at makabang obra ning literatura keng Kapampangan, a mipaintagun pang makakuang "airplay" balang banua uli na ning tradisyon ning pamamasang puni o pasyon ("pabasa" kareng Tagalug). Napun a Sabado de Gloria, ayalben ke keng Channel 2 y Kim Atienza ketang programa nang "Matang Lawin" a magpalabas tungkul keng pasyon o pamagkakasakit ning Guinung Jesucristo, at minta ya king Baryu Kutud nung nukarin deng magsalibatbat (yang aus mi kareng magpenitensya kening balen mi) magpapaku lang talaga keng krus. Ini palang karelang passion play a gagawan da keng kapalian ning aldo, atin ya pang dialog a papoesia, king Kapampangan mu naman. Mengabit la ping subtitles keng TV screen ban aintindian da naman deng manalbe a ali Kapampangan.

Ngening e na usu ing sarsuela o dramang Kapampangan keng entabladu at e na la usu deng mamoesia, ini nang literatura ning Katolisismo ing ever present a paganaka kareng Kapampangan na atin lang sariling salita.

pera 'sug

pera 'sug, pera kulam

puera asug, puera kulam

Maragul ku pasalamat na ali de pinilit ding Kastila ing karelang salita kekatamung Pilipinu. Uli na nita, etamu meging Spanish speakers, kanya pin anga man ngeni biasa tamung mangapampangan. Den man aliwang lahi balu do pa mu rin deng karelang katutubung salita, antimo deng Tagalug, Ilokanu, Bikolanu, Cebuanu.

Para kareng nationalist historians, in kanung gewa da ring Kastila a e da katamu tirung mangastila ya ing patune na ding Kastila e do buring misanmetung ding Pilipinu bankanita ali la makabulus king pangaalipan o pangakolonya da. Ali ku manwala kanita, uling nung atin lang dapat buriang e mibulus ding Kastila, iti ring Latin Americans, a bukud king mas marakal la, mas marakal la teritoryu, at mas marakal lang palak a kualta kesa keng Pilipinas. Ginto Mexico at Colombia, pilak ning Mexico, Peru at Bolivia, at miyaliwa pang mangadagul a minahan, a angga man ngeni mamie pang ginto't pilak karing taung makatuknang karin, asikan at pastulan ning Argentina, at miyaliwa pang kayamanan. Iti ngan mewala king Espanya anyang memag-rebulusyun la ding Latin Americans. Kumpara kareni, kapatak ya mu ing Pilipinas.