My response to Manolo's implied question on what UP's student councils and political parties have done to fight fraternity violence.
Here's a list of the concrete, effective, efficient, and repeatable actions they've taken thus far:
With apologies to the emperor's tailor.
Email the jester-in-exile via jester_in_exile@yahoo.com or betajester@mysandbox.com.ph
Monday, February 16, 2009
A List of Concrete, Effective, Efficient, and Repeatable Actions by UP's University Student Councils and Political Parties on Fraternity Violence
Thursday, July 31, 2008
2008.09.21.17.00.00 -- I have a date then. So should you.
Send an email to The Jester-in-Exile!
(*clears throat)
Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!
Lords and ladies of the Philippine blogosphere, the Crystal Crescent is come!
On the evening of September 21, 2008 at One Esplanade, the events venue at SM Central Business Park, Seaside corner Bay Boulevard, Pasay City, the best and the brightest of the Filipino bloggers will be recognized in the most prestigious and long-awaited event of the year -- the Tony of techies, the Golden Globe of console jockeys, the Oscars of the Philippine niche of the blogosphere...
Yes, my lords and ladies, the convenors of the Philippine Blog Awards have announced that they, with the kind contributions of the SM Group, have finally come to an agreement in booking the Coral B room of One Esplanade for the event that aims to give recognition to Filipino blogs and bloggers who have contributed to the vibrant and growing phenomenon that is the Philippine online community.
That said, my lords and ladies, there's lots to do still. The convenors will be happy to accept corporate sponsorships -- if you want to be known as part of the Philippine Blog Awards' efforts to recognize Filipino blogs and bloggers, contact the convenors via this form. PBA2008 convenor Gail Villanueva will be accepting volunteers -- she can by reached at kutitots@gmail.com. If you want to be of service in other ways, the convenors will be happy with your efforts to spread the word about the event -- as the jester-in-exile is doing with this post.
Of course, my lords and ladies, if you know of a blogger whom you deem worthy of praise and acclaim, do take the time and nominate; the convenors have announced that the end of the nomination period will be on August 10, 2008.
The Crystal Crescent is come, my lords and ladies. It shall be an unforgettable event!
Hmmm. I do wonder if Ask The Jester-in-Exile has been nominated? Or has his other blog been?
Hmmm. No indications of that. Pity.
Ah, well.
Here's a sneak preview of the place via YouTube.
This is going to be fun.
Later, all. Don't forget to block off your calendars.
Read More...
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Abandon All Hope, All Ye to Enter Malcolm Hall hahaha: The Jester-in-Exile Answers FC, UP Law Freshman-to-Be
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The thing with law school, especially in the evening class, is that the days are long but the semesters are short. Really, that's how I felt.
Now, I'm not going to pretend to be an expert in surviving the boot camp that is the evening program of the University of the Philippines College of Law (heck, I'm not going to even say that I've survived freshman year, not until the second semester's grades are out), but let's see how much information we can give FC, who wrote the email we're featuring in this post. The bloke FC writes:
I'm FC, an incoming freshman UP law student... I am employed on a full time basis and thus will enroll in the evening classes. I'll be supporting myself. I'd like to ask how much money will I prepare for the enrollment and for the books, photocopies, notes, etc? For the first year evening class, how many units will I take? I asked for a course syllabus from the secretary but they've ran out of copies. If you don't mind, which will be a great help, may I ask what the subjects that I will take for the first year are?
And I'd like to ask, if you're a full time working student, what did you do to prepare yourself for the ordeal?
I love reading your blogs, by the way! They're honest, brutal and crispy. It still amazes me how you can blog, work, and study LAW! hehe.
Thanks!
FC
See, FC, flattery with a blogger will get you a looong way haha. All right, let's answer your email as if we were having a conversation.
I work in a full time basis and thus will enroll in the evening classes. I'll be supporting myself.
I'd like to ask how much money will I prepare for the enrollment and for the books, photocopies, notes, etc?Are you really sure? Like, REAALLY SURE about this? It's no picnic, let me tell you, being a member of the evening class. It is an apparent open secret (as I learned from Professor JJ Disini, head of the UP Internet and Society Program of the College of Law) that there are among the members of the evening class who claim to be employed on a full-time or part-time basis but upon closer scrutiny are supported by their folks or working for their families companies.
In other words, in the professor's terms, they are not quite "legitimate" evening students.
My personal experience, however, is that to the best of my knowledge none of my classmates are "parental scholars"; all of us are employed full-time and are pulling our own weight both at work and at school. I'm fairly certain that most, if not all, of the members of the class I belong to are pretty much paying their way through school.
And oh yes, it can get really tough.
First, let's talk about tuition and fees. Bottomline, get PhP16k ready for tuition, fees, and travel expenses, not to mention the income loss if you have to be absent without pay. Of course, if you have friends among the UP faculty, apparently you can go to the Student Loan Board and apply for a student loan, which takes care of apparently 80% of your fees (I'm not sure if this is tuition AND fees or just tuition). However, if you've been employed for quite a while, I'd suggest taking a salary loan out from the Pag-IBIG Fund instead, and then save something around PhP2K every payday starting June. This will ensure that you have tuition and fees for the succeeding semesters.
Second, regular costs. You will spend some amount on notebooks, highlighters, pens, staples, and suchlike... call it an even thousand for the year. However, this is just a floor figure; you see, even if you have the latest CD of Lex Libris (and if you do, get me a copy, won't you?), you cannot get around having to photocopy readings and cases, and that costs a pretty penny. Consider putting aside two hundred bucks each week, just to have a safe margin.
Third, non-regular costs. Being part of the student body, you are somehow expected to support student activities; there will be quite a number as the semesters will pass on. As we know, whether it be a party, a dinner for the profs, some event or other, one is expected to shell out something. This is where your personal pocket money preference comes in.
(Aside to my other readers -- see why I don't go out on dates? I'm dirt-poor. Haha.)
For the first year evening class, how many units will I take? My I ask what are the subjects that I will take for the first year?
Easy enough.
First semester:
Class Code Subject Units Law 99 Legal Bibliography 1 Law 100 Persons and Family Relations 4 Law 109 Criminal Law 1 3 Law 115 Legal History 2 Law 121 Constitutional Law 1 4 Total 14
Second semester:
Class Code Subject Units Law 101 Obligations and Contracts 5 Law 110 Criminal Law 2 4 Law 116 Legal Method 2 Law 120 Legal Profession 2 Total 13 One of the things that people comment on being a part of the evening class is that we often "get lucky" because we get assigned brilliant professors, even former deans of the college. That said, having brilliant professors adds a bit more pressure; nobody -- and I mean NOBODY -- wants to be a deer in headlights in front of the profs.
If you're a full time working student, what did you do to prepare yourself for the ordeal?
I didn't, and I paid the price for it. Heh heh.
Looking back to June last year, this is what I should've done:
- Set an inflexible schedule, which cannot be compromised; otherwise, look for alternative, lighter-load employment, preferably close to campus;
- Set an inflexible budget; otherwise, look for alternative and passive income to supplement your cashflow
- Look for housing and transportation that will enable you to be close to both campus and work
- Learn how to study effectively on the commute
There are no small advantages when entering law school as a full time student. Trust me on this.
I love reading your blogs, by the way! They're honest, brutal and crispy. It still amazes me how you can blog, work, and study LAW! hehe.
Naks. 'Nuff said haha. Just for that, feel free to send a couple more questions.
(Well, see, this wasn't so bad, was it?)
***
So there we go. Best of luck on entering UP Law, FC. Maybe we'll see each other on campus.
(Probably not... I doubt if anyone has seen a floppy hat prowling around Malcolm Hall. Haha.)
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
And the Crystal Crescent Goes To...
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(Cross-posted on The Journal of the Jester-in-Exile.)
Progress.
When heard, the word gives the listener the feeling of things getting better than before, even if its intellectual interpretations is a matter of subjective taste.
That said, I am impressed by the convenors of the Philippine Blog Awards. Although it is barely in its second year of existence, the Crystal Crescent is defining itself to be THE awards for the Philippine niche of cyberspace.
(I called it the Oscars of the Philippine blogosphere last year. What I've read of it today strengthens that impression.)
For starters, let's take a look at the categories, of which there are thirty-six. Divided into three divisions (Best Blog Division, Best Single Post Division, and Special Awards Division), the Crystal Crescent will be given to recognize the best Filipino blogs of as well as the most engaging individual blog posts of 2008. As with last year, special awards will likewise be given to recognize efforts unique to the Filipino blogosphere.
The eligibility requirements and the nomination process has changed quite a bit, and it seems to me that it has, quite pleasingly, been jazzed up and makes the nominations even more relevant to the bloggers. To say that I'm excited to see how this works out is, well, an understatement.
Nominations forms here: Best Blog Division, Best Single Post Division, and Special Awards Division.
Go. Nominate your favorite blogs, blog posts, and bloggers now. Awards night will be sometime in July this year.
Stay tuned. (Oh, and convenors, I hope you don't mind my usage of your nomination gif.)
Oh, and if anyone intends to nominate this blog (heh heh), here are its details:Blog Name: Ask The Jester-in-Exile
Blog URL: http://askthejester.blogspot.com
Blogger's full name: the jester-in-exile
Blogger's email address: jester_in_exile@yahoo.com
Date Blog Was Established: December 29, 2007
Of course, if you don't intend to nominate this blog, I don't mind.
(Actually, I will, but I'm going to shut up about it and just bawl in a corner. Heh. Not. I'd rather be celebrating with the nominees.)
Now who should I be nominating?
Hmm.
Let me think about that for a bit, and I'll post about it in a while.
Off the top of my head, though, I think Nick of Tingog.com, Selvo of Nomadic Thoughts, The Professional Heckler -- see, I don't recall if they were nominated last year, but these bloggers (among many others I should take the time to nominate as well) deserve kudos.
Later all. Gotta start bloghopping now and copy-pasting URLs to Notepad.
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