Thoughts and Non Thoughts

May 2011 bring Quantitative Easing of your worries, and may you pass your Stress Tests with flying colors. May your General Domestic Peace (GDP) continue to grow and Inflation of the ego stay tamed. May you see an appreciation in your Investments in non-wordly assets, and may you have a Bull Run of happiness in the New Year!

My wife's mom gave this to her when she was in grade school. A Seiko Solar from the 60's. The manual wind mechanism still works. The dial and bracelet need some work but it's a beautiful vintage piece. Can't wait to see how this turns out after servicing.

Got this beat up Ogival from my father over Christmas. Here's how it looks after servicing. Not much info about this 100-year old Swiss-made brand, but I like the jumping fish. Those markers are thick!

OK, maybe my game is really good enough for the 90's. To get to score in the 80's I need to go to the next level. For starters a longer drive, and more length overall. More work at the driving range. I need to keep building both my long and short games. In the meantime, the foundation needs to be a consistent iron game (including hybrids). Here are excerpts of really useful tips from David Leadbetter's "100% Golf." Approach Play - 170 yards and in, the strike zone. "Watch most tour players and you will find that they hit these shots with a compact, almost three-quarter action. They swing within themselves." "The irons are direction clubs, not distance clubs." "Keep your feet flat on the ground as much as possible.... That will give you a real sense of stability in the lower body providing the base for a good upper body turn and a controlled arm swing." "Look for the hands to swing to about 11 o'clock on the backswing through...

Ok, 94 isn't bad for my handicap. But I missed too many short putts, including a couple of birdie putts within six feet. And I don't know how I could miss that drive on the 9th hole. That game without those misses was good enough to break 90. More practice?

Aja When all my dime dancin' is through I run to you Up on the hill They think I'm ok Or so they say Chinese music always sets me free Angular banjoes Sound good to me Aja When all my dime dancin' is through I run to you (Steely Dan)

I make movies in my mind, or they write themselves in my sleep. In one of them I see you smiling, coming into the bedroom as I wake up. I ask you about some nonsense and you laugh. You pick up something and glance at me as you step into the bathroom. In another I lie on your lap as you gaze in the distance, not sure if we were on a beach or some park but we were alone in a world of strangers. It's when I open my eyes that the reality of our distance hits me. Not just the distance across the world but the distance of our worlds. It is sweet to imagine living in the movies in my mind, even if reality alway comes to wake me up. In these movies you are as close to me as reality.

I like White Hat, Red Mango, Fru Yo, Lulu Belle - all of them! My favorite toppings are granola and almond. But I sometimes concoct my own version at home. I start with BTIC (Better Than Ice Cream) Frozen Yoghurt, Cookies & Cream flavor -- thaw for about 10 minutes, and get two (or more!) scoops. Add a tablespoon of crushed Kellog's Raisin Bran for texture and body, and a teaspoon of Coco Pops for that crunchy surprise. Sprinkle half a Choc Nut for mouthfeel and nutty flavor. Simple pleasure!

I had the pleasure of meeting a person who is doing something he is passionate about. His passion is helping people be the best that they can be. He has been doing this for more than thirty years and still loves doing it. And he continues to love learning as much as teaching. Isn't it something we all aspire for - to be able to devote our life to something that means the most to us?

Gnarls Barkley's Who's Gonna Save My Soul From their album The Odd Couple.

Tried the Amperex e88cc (Holland 1966 vintage) in my LSA Standard Amp. What a match! My system is singing, and sweet music is flowing. I'm in audio nirvana!

Century. Perfect score. The boiling point of water. The square of ten. All you've got. Certainty. The number of posts I have made this year.

A pause can precede a step back or a leap forward. Or it can be a chance to simply look around before resuming one's gait.

I've been slow in writing on this blog. It's because life has been fast but time has been scarce. Things have been happening. (I scored decently - for me - in my last golf round, so it looks like the slump is not permanent.) Got sick over the weekend. (Feeling better now but still a sore right knee.) Work has been really hectic this week so far. Another meeting later tonight with the village BOD. The world is moving fast but time is flying slow. Met with a couple of former colleagues and spent a couple of hours reminiscing and laughing at our adventures and misadventures. It's nice to see a glimpse of the past while standing on the bridge to the future. Events have a way of making time take a loop. It's my 98th post this year. It's a couple more posts to a hundred, but I feel no need to hurry. Halloween is round the corner and Christmas is not far away. They will get here at their own pace. Slowly but surely, like a leaf floating on a river, winding its way down tow...

Great putt by McDowell on the 16th. Both teams played well, the US making a strong comeback on the last day. But the two-point lead was too much to overcome, and the Europeans held their nerves.

When you are caught between a practical choice and an emotional one, what would you do?

I don't mean this (and I don't mind it either). But not those masquerading as comments.

Going through a bit of a slump lately. Only broke 100 once in the last four outings. This after breaking 90 for the second time. Too many holes that blew in my face. Gotta turn it around. Or maybe just relax and enjoy the game...

Been gaming this wedge for about a month now. Nice balance and weight, the ZZ65 shaft is perfect for me. Has a nice spin that makes it versatile around the green. It looks very durable and can be used with confidence from the rough. Great too for approach shots up to 75 yards. This is definitely a keeper.

In this post about the Mizuno MP 57, my current gamers, I mentioned the soft feel of these irons vs the Taylormade Burners. Just as an experiment, I brought the Burner 6-iron to the course. On a par 3 teeshot, I hit the Mizuno 7-iron; then I hit another ball with the Burner 6-iron. I hit both solidly but I really felt the difference in feel. The Burner was hotter but harsher. I guess when one goes forged there's no going back.

Work by Dr. Jim Suttie et al has focused on the appropriate swing for your body type ("Your Perfect Swing"). Body types have been classified into ectomorphs (tall and thin), endomorph (short and round), and mesomorph (muscular and athletic). The theory is that one's body type dictates one's tendency to adopt a certain way of swinging a golf club. It also provides clues on what to watch out for and how to counter them for more consistency. I believe I am closest to an ectomorph, and the key swing thought is "width." These include (according to "Golf Rx" by Dr. Vijay Vad): - feel as if your arm reaches the top of the backswing at the same time as the body - don't bend your right elbow more than 90 degrees. The feeling I get is that it stops an overswing (on the backswing).

Philippine International Motor Show World Trade Center

Found a simple and effective way to maintain the paint of my new white car. Since it is brand new, the first "treatment" was - a washing with Microtex Car Wash - waxing with Pure Carnauba Wax (Mothers) - topping up with (Mothers) FX Spraywax. Microtex Wash cleans grime without polishing (or removing any previously applied wax). Carnauba Wax provides protection (it lasts longer than synthetic polymers). The Spraywax (I think this is silicone-based) enhances the sheen of the Carnauba wax and adds another protective layer. For subsequent maintenance, this is the routine 1. Weekly car wash with Microtex, then FX Spraywax after each wash 2. Every 4-6 weeks clean and wax with Carnauba Cleaner Wax (Mothers, Meguiars, or Turtle Wax), and FX Spraywax after waxing 3. Every 4-6 months a (Mothers) Clay bar treatment. See the sheen!

Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club. On the rare occasion that the water is still and you can see the mountain and sky reflected on it. Hole no. 14 as viewed from the teebox of hole no. 15. (taken with Nokia N95 8/14/10)

SCTEX. Just after Clark on the way to Subic. Add caption

Something for mid-lifers and not so mid-lifers...

View along the Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX). This looks like the flow path of Mt Pinatubo's lahar.

I have always experienced some hum or static noise with my analog playback. Found a phono cable that minimized RF interference. But some noise remained, I theorized from lack of proper grounding, static crackle when I touched the tonearm, for example. I ignored it and just turned the volume up. Then I changed amp (to an integrated) and the first thing I noticed was how much quieter my system was. But the static crackle and occasional hum was still there. A quick search led me to some previous discussions regarding grounding. So I whipped up some cable and connected my phono stage and amp to the window metal grill with alligator clips. Absolute silence. I think someone wrote somewhere that one could either raise the listening volume or lower the noise floor. I was discovering lower noise floor. And ticks and pops? When I played this LP it was full of ticks and pops. But when Ella sang Someday he'll come along The man I love... And when he ...

Hit the demo 7 iron at the range. Wow, this is one sweet feeling club! Feels just as soft as my Mizuno MP57. Only the Ping TFC graphite shaft (by Tour AD) was available and it felt surprisingly stable. Ping has a winner here. Photo courtesy of golf.com

Jazz Seen . Jazz heard. Jazz felt

Thought-provoking. The Matrix meets Avatar meets Ocean's Eleven. Still a good movie. Fast-paced, though it was slow at the start, picked up when they took on the mission. Great entertainment!

Ugnayan is a great jazz CD. Featuring the best Filipino jazz performers such as saxophonist Tots Tolentino playing inspired compositions by Maestro Angel Pena. Directed and produced by Gerard Salonga, this is a treasure that should be given more exposure. Great to enjoy with a top-notch audio system.

Quick impressions of my system with these interconnects between my CD player and amp. CD Player: Ah! Njoe Tjoeb with Amperex Bugle Boy 6dj8s Amp: LSA Standard Integrated with Electro Harmonix 6922s Speaker: Dynaudio Contour 1.3 mkII Speaker Cable: Van den Hul The Revelation Stock power cords. Ecosse Maestro – Very detailed, a bit of emphasis on upper midrange, great timbre, ideal for vocals and acoustic jazz. When Diana Krall sings Well, you know, A girl, she really got to eat, And a girl, she should eat right from Frim Fram Sauce, she is whispering these words right in your ear. It sounds refined but a bit lean on the upper bass. With orchestral music the emphasized upper mids puts the solo instruments forward. Not to say these interconnects aren't good, in fact they are. One can say they are just letting the character of the CD player and tubes through, as they were great when the CD player had the Siemens CCAs in them. With the Bugle Boys, maybe you can have too much sweetnes...

Put in a pair of Amperex BBs into the Ah! Njoe Tjoeb CD player. (A Stereophile article on this fine CD player.) What a match! It sounds as close to analog as it can get. These are magical tubes. Previous tubes used were Siemens Cca's. Also very good. Goes down really low yet fast and taut bass and extended highs. They just can't beat the midrange magic of the Bugle Boys.

This amplifier just found its way into my system, replacing the Musical Fidelity A3cr pre-power combination. What an upgrade! On the power side of things, it has so much control over the Dynaudio Contour 1.3mkIIs. It doesn't have to reach 9 oclock on the volume knob. On the sound side of things, the tubed pre-amp section gives it the full body, fluidity and smoothness. A review by Stereomojo.com.

This McKinsey article talks about the inevitable dramatic changes that will take place in the global economy. Current imbalances will eventually correct, making the economic stage more level between developed and emerging economies. These changes have major implications on currency exchange rates and commodity prices, as well as the structural shifts that would need to be managed in both the developed and emerging nations. If you are in a developed nation, get ready for devalued currencies and higher commodity prices. If you live in an emerging nation, be ready for higher wages but more expensive cost of living and higher unemployment. The world is getting flat indeed.

When the Father created fathers, He was delegating some of His tasks. It's a tough assignment, but we try despite our shortcomings. To all the fathers out there, give yourselves a little pat on the back.

Approach to Ayala Greenfield's par 5 Hole no. 2. Add caption

Finally broke 90 again! Thanks to Swingyde for the backswing and the dela Torre method for the downswing. Backswing with the wrist cock and body turn and downswing with the arms. No birdies, 5 pars, 10 bogeys and 3 double-bogeys.

Some night shots.

Here's what works for me. 1. It starts with the grip. For the driver, I grip it in my palm and fingers (Hank Haney). I use a Vardon grip. I align the clubface exactly to the target with a slightly strong grip. 2. The rest of the set-up is standard. I stand farther from the ball than with my hybrids, the ball is positioned just inside the left heel, weight favoring the right leg, right shoulder lower than the left (reverse K). 3. Backswing starts with a low and slow takeaway. The sequence is takeaway, then begin cocking of the wrist halfway back then full shoulder turn (Leadbetter). I feel my weight on my right leg as I complete my shoulder turn. 4. Downswing starts with the weight shift, not with the shoulders. Smooth transition, no jerking. Swing the arms from the inside. Tempo is key for maximum clubhead speed at impact. 5. Keep the left wrist firm and left elbow straight (no chicken wing) at impact. 6. Release after impact by turning the right hand over the left, throwing the ar...

Just one stroke to break 90 again. Too bad -- that disaster in the 15th hole and the double bogey on the 18th... So close. Getting closer.

Fairway of hole no. 1. Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club

This report , that a laboratory has created an artificial bacteria that reproduces itself, is going to be remembered as the start of something significant in the history of man. Like the invention of the atom bomb, or the computer. It raises questions about life, ethics, religion, science. It's another watermark, heralding a different, new phase in humanity's journey in this universe.

Four hours to vote. Democracy hanging by the line -- literally. If people didn't respect the queue it would have been total chaos. The tolerance and patience of the Filipino showed through. The bottleneck was not the PCOS machines, it was the handing out of ballots. The good news is that the counting seems to be really quick, 38% counted in 3 hours. We could have full results the next day -- this will be historic!

Good looks, but does it perform as well as it looks? It does not pretend to be a big sedan, but is it a tame passenger car or a sporty urban compact? From the rumbling growl of the engine when one steps on the pedal, it immediately gives the impression it wants to race. The 1.5 L model does deliver that feeling upon acceleration. Though its gear ratio is aimed at fuel economy one does not feel the engine holding back as it chalks up the rpm. There is no doubt that the City can pass other cars as it navigates the city lanes. Steering is responsive and the handling is surefooted. It is perfect for the city, but it can hold its own on the way to the suburbs too. It can cruise at 100 kph on the highway and easily summon another 20 kph for overtaking. Trunk space is generous, too, for those out of town trips. One can directly link an ipod and control it from the stereo system for uninterrupted sonic thrills through the superb sound system. It's ride is typical ...

D5 AWD Good looks. Comfortable, car-like ride. Lots of conveniences, including hands-free sync with your mobile phone and full ipod connectivity. Not to mention City Safety (the car stopping itself when it senses you are about to hit the car in front of you). Handling is excellent and steering is responsive. The 205 hp D5 diesel engine is powerful and quick. Has that true SUV character yet has the comfort of a mid-size sedan. It's a winner from Volvo.

Sunrise on Lake Caliraya from the Lagos del Sol Resort .

Mt Banahaw during sunrise, as seen from Cavinti, Laguna.

This historic town in Laguna has more to offer than the waterfalls. Stone Arch Add caption This Spanish-style house has not been spared from the election campaign. Detail of the Stone Arch

Water from Lake Caliraya is used to run a hydroelectric plant. Although it's a man-made lake on top of the Sierra Madre, sunrise here is naturally inspiring.

No one deserves this US Masters win more than Phil Mickelson. This Masters began being about Tiger Woods. Then it became simply about golf. Then it became about Phil Mickelson. One of the best Masters of all time and the best thing that could happen to golf this year.

Gave my Yes! Nicky a break after I lost the putting touch during 3 days of golf. I bought this putter on a closeout sale (after Mizuno and Bettinardi parted ways) but it has been lying there waiting for its turn in the sun. The putterhead is made of carbon steel and nickel-plated, giving it a durable finish. The face has the characteristic Bettinardi honeycomb milling pattern. A real beauty. It is a face-balanced heel-toe weighted compact Anser style with a double bend shaft. For some reason, it looks good at address to me and the double bend disappears from sight and my eyes focus on the sightline. Perfect weight for a straight-back-straight-through stroke. This Mizuno Bettinardi C06H has great feel, the secret is to grip it loosely in the fingers and use the shoulders. Some putting tips from Dave Stockton (via YouTube) helped get the putting feel back. Tried it on the fairway over the weekend with promising results!

The best public course near Metro Manila, no more than half an hour from the city. Has the feel of a private golf club. Quite challenging too. Here are the greens of hole 13 and 14 (from the tee mound of hole 14). The 14th hole (elevated green on the right of the picture) has no fairway; a 170-yard shot over a ravine.

One of the best golf courses in the Philippines. It also has a very cool microclimate, with a classy retirement community around it. The clubhouse as viewed from the fairway of the 9th hole. If you have a good drive, you will be tempted to go for the green in two over the water. But the green is narrow from this approach -- classic risk-reward. This is a challenging course. The greens are very tricky, the most difficult I've played in. My driving was quite good (for me at least) but my short game was shred to pieces by this course. I still have a long way to go to be able to conquer this course from the blue tees. Definitely worth going back to.

One of the best value for money divers out there. Classic design.

Great rendition of a great song A real artist.

Beautiful! Speedmaster Pro Alaska Project

More than three years on and I'm still enjoying this one. Matches well with the VPI Scout turntable. It's not the most refined cart, but it is not rough either. It borders on the warmish side of Dynavector carts but has that dynamism and a lot of the highest-end Dynavector character at a fraction of the cost. One of the best analog bargains out there.

I've had this pair of speakers for more than four years now. Very versatile, works with all kinds of music. Well-balanced sound, with a rich midrange giving it a slightly warm presentation, yet vivid and detailed. Bass is quite good for bookshelf speakers, specially for smaller rooms. What more can you ask for?

Family Portrait Homeward Bound Add caption

Add caption On the way from Tagaytay Midlands to Batino exit (Calamba). Mt Makiling clearly visible in the distance with the setting sun behind me. Just had to stop the car to take this shot with my cellphone.

The 18th hole as viewed from the Clubhouse. This has got to be the fastest green I have ever come across, and, putting against, the ball actually makes a U-turn if you don't putt it hard enough. Fantastic view though, isn't it?

Hole no. 14, a tricky par 4. Splendido Taal Golf and Country Club .

Don't make it happen, just let it. Swim with the current, not against it. Go with the flow, not of the river, but the earth and the universe.

Island Cove, Cavite taken with Nokia E75

From a Jim Furyk grip to a 10-finger grip. They may seem at opposite extreme ends, but they have their respective advantages and use, specially as drills. The Furyk grip keeps the right hand out of the downswing. It promotes an inside-out downswing, or prevents an over-the-top move, depending on how you see it. The 10-finger grip provides great control. It inhibits a handsy release and encourages a full shoulder turn. The key is to keep the grip light -- and not to chicken wing. This is even worth trying on the fairway!

To see creation everyday...

View of Taal Volcano (and Taal Lake) between Tagaytay and Talisay.