The Rosberg Conspiracy

Nico Rosberg gets soundly beaten by Lewis Hamilton in Monza. What does this mean to me?

A lot.

Okay, so if you haven't already known, Nico Rosberg is leading the Formula 1 Championship this year by 22 points over his teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Throughout the previous races, the two were battling. Hamilton getting beat up because of mechanical and technical glitches and Rosberg being the consistent one.

Monaco was a big turnaround for the battle between the two. It started a fight that wasn't just friendly, but was getting a little dirty.

I didn't know then and ignored numerous conspiracies regarding Nico Rosberg's error during qualifying in Monaco. Lewis Hamilton had all the momentum going into the race and was most certainly going to take pole at Monte Carlo. Well, until Nico had an error in St. Devote chicane. Post analysis say that he really had nothing to lose so they said that Nico pushed hard and that he knew that he only had two options. 1 is that he is going to improve his time or 2, he is going to crash and cause a yellow flag resulting to a compromised lap time for the other drivers including Lewis. I didn't watch replays of the incident but people said that he tried to reverse the car in the corner. Why the hell would you do that? I don't know if the claims are valid but if it were true, then it was a dirty trick that he did.

Rosberg eventually won Monaco and Lewis' momentum was gone out the drain. He continued having reliability issues in the next races to come.

Then bring on Hungary.

Rosberg started from pole and Lewis at the back of the pack due to qualifying issues. The race was incident packed, with rain and safety cars. Because of the mixed order and imo Rosberg's inability to do calculated overtakes, Lewis was running in front of Nico in the last third of the race. Both had different tyre strategies and an order to Lewis was given to let Rosberg through in the pit straight. Lewis did not follow the order and Nico complained to the radio why Lewis wasn't letting him through. Hamilton replied that Nico was too far off of him and that if he is near enough then he will let him through.

Rosberg never came close to Lewis and never really had the pace to go within DRS range. Because of this he had to pit early and challenged Lewis during the last few laps of the race where Lewis defended aggressively.

I think that Nico was pissed of the situation and uncharacteristically brought his frustration at the Spa weekend, which was a month between the last race.

Spa created the climax of what was building up to be an epic teammate rivalry in Formula One. Nico was on pole but had a terrible start and Lewis got the lead. Skip on to lap two and the two Mercedes cars touched leading to one punctured tyre and a broken front wing.

After the race, it was apparent that Nico was at fault with the collision. What surprised me was that he appeared really arrogant after the race. Nico finished second and Lewis had to retire. Nico was carrying a gait of arrogance without any sign of being sorry about compromising the whole team a quite certain 1-2 in Belgium. On the podium, he could have said he wasn't sure what really happened and is sorry for what happened. But he displayed arrogance. Fans weren't reluctant to show disgrace to him and booed him all the way. Which was really fine for me, because I was booing too, in front of my television.

He then apologized for causing contact a week after. But everything has changed. My opinion of him has changed.

Monza then proved that Nico was shaken. All weekend long he was two tenths slower than his teammate. He was just rewarded the lead because of a launch control glitch in Lewis' car. But Lewis stormed through to take first place from Nico.

Now, now, you would think that there is no conspiracy. But still, there is. People are saying that Rosberg deliberately missed the chicane to give Lewis the win. It was a quiet team order at that. Well, I believe that Nico was still playing his conservative but infamous approach to racing. It was a small cheat tactic, what he did. Instead of locking up his tyres, flat spotting them and compromising his race, he chose to avoid the tyre disadvantage. Other drivers would lock up brakes for missing the chicane because it was the right thing to do but he didn't. He is a wise driver, but a cheat imo.

In the end, if Nico wins the championships, it will be a very unpopular one. Not because he is a boring conservative and wise driver, but because of bad decisions he made that could have turned things around.

Well, as for now, bring on Singapore! Nico has previously been really good at this circuit but Lewis has won there too. Let's see what happens in two weeks time!

My Rosberg Thoughts After Spa

31 August

I’ve been holding my thoughts about the Nico Rosberg versus Lewis Hamilton saga for a week now but before the race weekend in Monza starts, here are my ideas. Also, I haven’t written an F1-related blog since like forever so, sorry for a splurge of thoughts right here.

To those of you who don't know, I am a Fernando Alonso fan, so that kind of makes me unbiased with regards to the two Mercedes drivers.

What I thought of Nico Rosberg before as Schumacher's teammate:

I thought that Nico was not really that good because even if MSC was old and kind of rusty, he still beat the younger Mercedes protege.

What I thought of Nico before the start of this 2014 season:

He's not just a son of a former champ but is quite quick as well. He was not far off of Lewis in terms of performance and I am little by little liking him as a driver.

What I thought of Nico before Spa:

A real challenge for Lewis and deserves the world title because of his consistency even if lady luck was always in his side of the garage. He's made less mistakes than Lewis.

What I want to speak of Rosberg now after Spa:

My immediate thoughts after the contact was that he was rude and very aggressive. He did not have the room to overtake and did it anyway and because of that, Lewis and the whole team was compromised.

After the race, and especially the podium interviews, my view of Nico Rosberg had a big turnaround. The very classy guy has become a very unsportsmanlike villain of F1.

First thing I thought was that he should have immediately apologized for causing a preventable collision during the post race interviews. And then after reading all the F1 sites, I also found out that in fact, Nico was still really angry about Lewis' actions during the Hungarian GP.

Remember that  during the race in Budapest, Lewis was given an order to let Rosberg through in the race. Hamilton ignored the order but said that if Nico were to get close enough, he will let him through. Fact is, Nico never really challenged for the position and Lewis slowing down for his teammate would have consequences on his own race programme.

So anyway, a week after all the denial to speak about the incident, Nico finally apologized in Facebook, twitter, et cetera. 

For me, it was a forced apology because I believe that he was shaken by the boos and all the negativity of F1 fans such as me showed towards him.

So anyway, I really did not like what he did. I mean, keeping shut and then apologizing a week after isn't really appealing. He should have said sorry or kept shut. He is trying to win back the F1 community by apologizing but really it doesn't change the fact that he previously lied to us fans.

I don't know what's gonna happen in Monza but I hope to see light whether Rosberg has been forgiven by fans already.

Cottonball Challenge!

Practice Writing

Different stages of our lives give various levels of happiness. While some believe that increased responsibilities do not hinder an adult's happiness, I feel that it gives them a lot of stress unlike teenagers.

Teens are generally happy because they have less responsibilities. They do not need to pay bills like their parents do. Instead, teenagers only need to focus on finishing their homework, or doing some chores.

In addition to this, they are not required to work to get money. Rather, they get their allowance from their parents. They would then spend this for shopping or attending parties without having to think about tuition fees or taxes. Teens are typically care-free and have more fun.

On the other hand, some believe that adult life brings more happiness. It is true that adulthood comes with greater responsibilities but the personal satisfaction from earning your own money is unequivocal. Also, most adults start a family and the love that a family gives always plants a smile on one's face. Some even claim that the happiest moment of their lives was when they first saw their children smile for the first time.

Being adults likewise, releases people from restrictions. They are allowed to vote or travel alone around the world. This results to meeting new faces and discovering new places. You can also enter bars, drink, and have fun with colleagues from time to time.

Yet all this happiness can be eaten out by stress. I think that problems occur more often with adults. Their own families are counting on them, and work commonly gives huge loads of mental stress.

Personally, I think that even though adults have the luxury of earning their own money and traveling around the world, teenage life, even with its limits, is happier because of the decreased amount of responsibilities and stress that goes with it.

Practice Writing

Topic:
Being a celebrity - such as a famous film star or sports personality - brings problems as well as benefits.
Do you think that being a celebrity brings more benefits or more problems?

Answer:
note: not edited

Being overly famous is not all that good. Although celebrities get to earn high amounts of cash, there are several disadvantages from stepping into the limelight.

Famous film stars and sports personalities have very high incomes. The most popular ones can get up to millions of savings, enough to sponsor charities and buy glamorous cars and houses. They could also get sponsors that would pay them extra money for advertising a product.

Another benefit of the famed is the ability to influence a certain population. Without having to get involved in politics, a famous sports icon could become an inspiration to many. Roger Federer and Michael Jordan have excelled in their own fields of sport and encouraged the future generations to be like them, if not, better.

However, being known by many has its negatives. For one, a celebrity's privacy is limited. The media has made money out of capturing candid photos of stars. For example, Kristen Stewart, a very famous American star, could not go to a small shop without getting her photo taken on paper. ALso their personal lives have been a focus of several gossip shows and sites.

In connection with this, while the whole world is watching a star's every move, the famed is expected not to make any mistake. Yes, they become an inspiration to many but they are immediately criticized for making a small mistake. A famous musician in the US was once bashed for not smiling to a fan which became a huge issue to many. People do not usually smile or greet strangers but apparently, celebrities are exempted from that.

In conclusion, a lack of privacy and being expected to not make many mistakes, are drawbacks of being a celebrity. But several people still choose to be famous because of high salaries and having the capability to influence many.

Ave Snapshots: "Carousel Waits"

Ave Snapshots: "Carousel Waits": January 2, 3:08 PM Kyle, Zoe, and Chesca happily await their turn on the mini-carousel of SM.

Practice Writing

People attend college or university for many different reasons (for example, new experiences, career preparation, increased knowledge). Why do you think people attend college or university? Use specific reasons and examples to support you answer.

The general public enroll in college or universities because of various reasons. The major reasons regarding this are better career opportunities, deeper comprehension on specific topics, and skill enhancement, which will now be discussed.

One of the elements as to why people attend college might be because of better career opportunities. College graduates have more job choices than those who did not attend universities after high school. In my country, more jobs are offered for people with a degree. Last Sunday's classified ads in the newspaper provided at least 70 percent of jobs to college grads. Although there are some work given to high school graduates, their jobs tend to earn lower salaries. Furthermore, people who finish college become professionals who are highly needed in the society today.

Another primary reason people go to college is their desire to get more knowledge. More extensive topics and discussions are learned in College. In my experience on the subject of Chemistry, the college classes provided more information and topics were more detailed than when I was in high school. Rather than just talking about elements, my college taught me about organic and inorganic chemistry, molecular bonds, and many more. The same goes to Microbiology and Physics. Topics were more detailed thus giving me more information.

One other cause of people's desire to attend universities is skill enhancement. Nursing colleges provide students with 'on-job-trainings' as part of their course. During my third and fourth years in college, the nursing department allowed us students to train in the hospitals like administering medications to patients with the assistance of nurses. Students in the Hotels and Restaurant Management courses have subjects that allow them to be a manager-for-a day in small diners and hotels. Skills with regards to prospected careers are thus better enhanced in college.

In conclusion, concerning my first point, there are more jobs offered to those who finish a degree in college. As for my second, further knowledge is deepened in college subjects. And finally, with regards to my last position, a person's skills improves during college.

Conclusions from the 2014 F1 Australian Grand Prix

1. The distinct noise is gone. And I don't like it.
     The sound of this  year's six-cylinder engine can be likened to that of a vacuum cleaner. I read once that Formula isn't just about the speed, it's about the noise. The rule changes robbed us fans from that. I hope they do something about it because I felt sleepy because of the sound.

2. Mercedes are way, way ahead.
     The silver arrows are at least a full second ahead of any team. During the race, Nico ran away quietly ahead of the pack. If Lewis did not retire, we might at least had a battle for the lead. In any case, the Merc was really fast.

3. Felipe has something to smile about.
     Even if he was put out of the race by Kamui's Caterham on the first corner of the race, the other Williams Martini car of Valteri Bottas showed tremendous pace finishing 6th even if he had an accident that caused the appearance of the safety car. That should be a positive for Massa knowing that he has a car underneath him that can put him on top of the podium.

4. Ferrari is still a slow car.
     Much to the dismay of Ferrari and fellow Alonso fans, Ferrari is still pretty much like a turtle. They had some electronic issue during the race. Plus the two world champions were fighting with midfield cars! Which may imply that Ferrari's pace is of midfielders. Kimi tousling with Vergne? And Alonso wtih Hulkenburg? They could be only the fifth fastest car. Mercedes are the fastest followed by Williams, Mclaren, and possibly Redbull.

5. Mclaren are back.
     People forgot quickly how dreadful Ron Dennis' team was last year. They hadn't had a single podium in 2013. And quickly they already have 2 podiums plus they lead the constructor's championship. Incredible!

6. Magnussen who?
     Magnussen. I predict we are going to hear that name for a long time getting on the podiums, probably winning a race or two. What a fantastic drive for the rookie! With Daniel's Redbull disqualified from the race, Kevin inherits second place bettering Lewis Hamilton's race debut result in 2007.

7. Tyres not much of a factor.
     Reliability and engine power dictated the season opener. Mercedes powered cars clearly dominating the field. Tyre degradation didn't quite have a massive effect unlike what we used to last season.

8. Redbull caught cheating.
     Dream debut for the Redbull of Daniel Ricciardo became a nightmare. Much to the delight of the Aussies during the race, Ricciardo drove impressively well through the field only to find out five hours after that he had been disqualified because his team did something illegal with the fuel flow system of his car.

9. Quiet race unlike any other.
     Sorry I had to repeat this. I really don't like the sound of the engines. It is too quiet. What makes Formula 1 distinct from other racing sports and cars is that lovely high-pitched sound of the V8's or V10's. It is gone now. Yes, yes, the engines are now more environment-friendly, but THE SOUND!!! It is gone!

10. Malaysia next.
     I predict a Lewis resurgence and a Williams accompanying the two Mercs on the podium.


-Ave Cortes, 17 March 2014

Who were you thinking of while reading this?

"Sometimes you meet someone, and it’s so clear that the two of you, on some level belong together. As lovers, or as friends, or as family, or as something entirely different. You just work, whether you understand one another or you’re in love or you’re partners in crime. You meet these people throughout your life, out of nowhere, under the strangest circumstances, and they help you feel alive. I don’t know if that makes me believe in coincidence, or fate, or sheer blind luck, but it definitely makes me believe in something."

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Jasmine is 18. 'Kiss Me' by Sixpence-non-the-richer playing in the backgound.

One of the few photos I took during Jas' debut.

Gleeful and light
A lot tend to perceive me as such
But I am human and pain does strike
Sadness overwhelms, lot of emotions to catch

So many faces, but no one to turn
Feelings inside are starting to burn
I do not open up, I tend to hide
Sought for you, but can't open up
No matter how hard I tried
Words didn't emanate
Talked with silence
But the feelings radiate

Took a pen, wrote it down
My heart is now leaking
One by one
Now here I am.

I Don't Want To Miss You

(Originally written on the 24th of July 2013, composed for my friends I made 3 years ago, before we had to part ways)

I don't want to miss you
For It only means goodbye
I know I will be feeling blue
I will smile, but it's hard to try

Everyday you've been my comfort
When I'm down you were my support
And OMG we've been crazy
Joking, fooling, just being happy.

But the days are ticking
And the goodbye's are nearing
My defenses are rising
But my heart is breaking.

I know I'll see you soon
But in an all new different tune
I want to suppress it, don't want to claim 
But I have to admit, things will never be the same 

 Which is why I don't wanna miss you, 
   Don't really do. 
For it only means goodbye,
   IT ONLY MEANS GOODBYE.

Quote for the day

Feb. 23, 2014

When people don't express themselves,
They die one piece at a time.

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Catch Me by Demi Cover by ches

Wrecking Ball by Miley cover by Zoe and Ches

Not much practice but these two had fun covering the song.

Been waiting for this song to come out and it is amazing!

Watch "Demi Lovato - Heart Attack (Official Audio)" on YouTube

My quote for the day

http://avegaillecortes.tumblr.com/post/43480199153/work-may-give-stress-but-at-the-end-of-the-day

Can't literally wait fir Demi's new music!!!

http://l0vato-f0rever-unbr0ken.tumblr.com/image/43026054914

aww, she really broke her leg...

Fibula schmibula..

— demetria lovato (@ddlovato) February 1, 2013

Sa Araw Ng Pasko (cover by Unang Palapag)