While issuing a travel ban (a.k.a. “Black Alert”) is HK’s call, it doesn’t mean that the Philippines is in the brink of collapse, that we’re a terrorist-infested territory. I just find it unacceptable that we share the ranks of Somalia and Iraq, we haven’t reach that mark yet. It is true that parts of Mindanao have been war-torn for decades, but most of these are results of clashing ideologies of people wanting change, of rebels with causes. And to date, we now have extremists infiltrating their ranks, government-sanctioned warlords (like the Ampatuans) and a police force that sorely lacks training. But these are issues all functioning governments in the world would like to address and resolve immediately. These are isolated cases that do not paralyze the lives of the rest of us in this sunny part of the world. We still can move freely – businesses in all forms likeForex training seminars, manang’s sari-sari store, and pirated dvd’s thrive, our babies grow, our students graduate, more families and friendships are formed and people can say whatever they want to say without getting shot, skinned or beheaded.

Let me end with this: Lightning could always strike anywhere – from Pentagon to the remotest parts of the world. Nothing in this world is really that secure. Airplanes crash. We get bombed. People die.

I was 18 that time, a newbie and probably one of the four or five female illustrators who broke into the male-dominated world of comics illustration. There I was introduced to Redondo’s works. The artist was so admired and emulated by most people I had worked with. We found ourselves students of his realistic art style and learned so much about the tremendous attention he paid to detail. Such high regard bordered on the fact that his was simply a case of raw talent completely devoid of software manipulations that have defined so much of this generation’s artistry, like a person’s fascination to carb blockers. He was one of the best pencil-and-ink guys.

Thank God for the Internet. Otherwise, I would not have known Redondo to be an Ilocano born in 1928, a would-have-been architect (but the call of comics illustration was so hard to resist so he eventually left Mapua) and the man behind the illustration of Mars Ravelo’s series “Darna” in the 50′s.

Palos, Diwani, Gagamba and Tagisan ng Agimat were some of the works he made in collaboration with his brother, Virgilio. Some of his works were also published various local comics. In 1953, an American film outfit, MGM Pictures, commissioned him to do a comic book preview of the movie “Quo Vadis”.

In the 70′s, a friend helped him establish contacts with the editors of Marvel and DC Comics. Later on that decade, Redondo started doing work for the following titles: House of Mystery, House of Secrets, Rima, The Unexpected, Conan the Barbarian, and Weird War Tales. He also took over Swamp Thing from Berni Wrightson. A Dutch organization hired him to do illustrations of the Bible. In 1977, he was commissioned by Far Eastern Broadcasting Company (FEBC), a Christian radio station, to do a painting for them. In 1979, he received the Inkpot award bestowed annually by Comic-Con International.

Nestor Redondo (1928-1995) and and his agent/friend Ed Noonchester at the 1982 San Diego Comic Con (today called Comic-Con International). Photo courtesy of Alan Light.

Most of Redondo’s works later on in his life were for various Christian comics, having been a born-again Christian in the early 80′s. Redondo passed away in December 1995, just a month before he was to deliver his lecture in the 1st International Christian Comics Training Conference in Tagaytay in January 1996.

Anyway, there are two nice Facebook political pages that are overflowing with positivism. Gordon’s FB page encourages everyone to put their volunteerism into action. And there’s one created for Noynoy called “Dear Noynoy”. The fan page is open to everyone who wants to impart suggestions to Senator Noynoy Aquino once he assumes the presidency a month from now. The public messages vary from curbing corruption, increasing the budget for education, helping the poor to providing healthcare. The thing about this is that it unifies people from opposing camps to work towards a common good instead of spending time putting each other down.

What would be my message to Noynoy? Send GMA and the Marcoses to jail.

How about yours?

If you’re indoors:

- Stay inside
- Duck and take cover under a piece of heavy furniture or stand against an inside wall.
- Wait for the shaking to stop before you exit
- Stay away from doors and windows. It may either slam at you or suffer injuries when glasses break.
- Don’t take the elevator.

If you’re outside the house or building:

- Stay away from buildings, trees and power lines. Go to an open spot.
- Drop to the ground.

If inside the car:

- Drive to the nearest clear space
- Turn on emergency flashers on and slow to a stop. Don’t park over or under the bridge, nor beside any infrastructure that might fall on you.
- Beware of falling debris and loose live wires.
- Turn off the ignition and set the parking brake.
- Stay inside the car until the shaking stops.

In watercolors

No one knows for sure when or where inspiration comes. Today, I just woke up from an hour of sleep, played David Cook CD, looked at his photos and decided to pull out that small watercolor pad from those old boxes. Voila! Here’s  David Cook in watercolors. My gift to all Cookies out there.

I just love things monochromatic. Most of my portraits lately were done that way. Somehow experimenting in one color tone fascinates me. I’ll try to have these drawings framed next year before they all start turning yellow.

One of the best expos we’ve been to this year. It’s worth your gas.

Laptop Phoneshop Exchange is one of the latest emerging concepts in the recent 2008 Philippine Franchise Conference and Expo at SMX Convention Center. It is a financial service business with personal electronic gadgets and laptops as collaterals instead of jewelries, watches and other appliances. It operates like a regular pawnshop.

The business is very young. Laptop Phoneshop Exchange started its operations in 2006 in Barangay Valencia, Quezon City. Since then, the business expanded to eight more branches in Metro Manila and key cities in Visayas and Mindanao.

Here are some helpful information if you want to learn more about the business:

Franchise fee: P450,000
(Inclusive of use of trade name, location approval, training for cashiering and appraisals, procurement program, marketing, opening assistance, operations manual and research & development.)
Initial term: 5 years
Total investment: P1.360 M
Continuation fee: P15,000/month
Required space: minimum of 30sqm

For inquiries, call 411-0288 or 413-3632 or send an email to laptop_exchange@yahoo.com.

This year’s Phlippine Franchise Expo found a new home at SMX

We were at this year’s Philippine International Franchise Conference and Expo yesterday finally as visitors and no longer as participants. It was moved from its yearly venue, World Trade Center, to SMX Convention Center at SM Mall of Asia. The expo will be there until today, July 13. I think the entrance fee is P50. As usual, we got ours free.

This year’s theme is about the “secrets to franchising success”. Conferences were held at New World Renaissance Hotel in Makati last week where the organizers have invited speakers to share their expertise in the franchise business. At the expo, old but power brands were still there as testaments to their successful expansion programs. New players and emerging concepts from steamy siomai carts to company logo shirts printing have joined the bandwagon. The Philippines, according to Philippine Franchise Association, ranks 4th in the world in terms of number of franchise concepts and outlets.

What are basically the secrets to franchsing success? It’s actually multi-faceted. But let me sum it up to you in 4 words based on my actual experience running a franchise program before: money, location, brand and longevity.

If you guys know a lot or a house and lot being sold in Pasig area, drop a note on the comment page or send me an email. By the way, we are not looking for a condominium unit should you think of it as an option in your offer.

Next week, Castro will share the bottom two with Syeisha. My wild calculated guess. Brooke White will save her seat on the top 3. My gut feeling also tells me that the amazing David Cook will take home this year’s Idol crown. But David Archuleta has a very long way to go. He’ll get even better. That baby was born a superstar.