The Carver's House

Here's an interesting blog post: "But let’s say some rich guy, heir to hectares and hectares of sugar cane plantation, or the business mogul of the chain of super malls decides to don a cape and mask to swing from building to building, beating up chumps who mug people for a living. Would that make for a Filipino superhero?" Read the whole piece on Hold the Phone .

With 2009 about to close, I hope 2010 and beyond will see more major Pinoy graphic novels being published. This year had the compiled El Indio (Francisco Coching), the compiled Elmer (Gerry Alanguilan), 12 (Manix Abrera), Underpass (Summit Media), Trese: Mass Murders (Budjette Tan and Ka-Jo Baldisimo), Where Bold Stars Go To Die (Alanguilan and Arlanzandro Esmeña), etc. etc. etc. Compared to previous years, a lot of major comics work. If the publishers of the above are all members of the National Book Development Board, next year's National Book Awards race will prove interesting. It took a bit over ten years for Pinoy graphic novels to get this far, beginning with Arnold Arre's groundbreaking work on The Mythology Class . Now that book publishers are beginning to dip both feet in the graphic novel medium, it's high time for all you aspiring graphic novelists to pick your brains, hunker over those keyboards and drawing pads, and churn out material. My personal definit...

Now this is interesting.

Following are the Olympic sports that the ordinary Filipino can attempt to excel in without the heavy investment (save perhaps time, a training partner, and a trainer). Other sports could have made this list, but these require team training or heavy equipment investments. Most of the following aren't team sports, allowing the athlete to focus on oneself. Badminton - A lot of training facilities. Off-the-rack equipment. Boxing - We already have a strong boxing tradition. Swimming - Akiko Thompson, Eric Buhain, et al. gave us a chance. Table Tennis - Equipment isn't too heavy an investment. Track and Field - Specifically the track events. Triathlon - Swimming, biking, running. As of this writing, fellow ASEAN nations Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia have already won medals-- in weightlifting. Not a very "entertaining" sport, but our local sports commission should take serious note of this.