Memories, Dreams, and the "State of the Nation" song

In 1984, one of the most popular songs was "State of the Nation". That was more than twenty five years ago, and at that time, I was employed in a private agency servicing the Bureau of Internal Revenue of the Republic of the Philippines. This private agency was the Revenue Information Systems Services Incorporated or RISSI. I could remember taking part in a dance number of some ladies of RISSI to the tune of this "State of The Nation", so playing back this song will surely bring back many memories. Along with these memories were the dreams we once had, some fulfilled, some never achieved.

I see them marching off to war
They're looking so heroic
I'm told they won't be gone for long
But that's a lie and they know it
Ten thousand gone they won't return
Never to be seen again
Strategic games is all we learn in the end
But they say:

Don't you worry about the situation
(A message from the telephone)
They out there fighting for the state of the nation
(I'm waiting a chance to come home)
They always have to fight the alienation
(I realize I'm fighting alone)

When nightmares memories fades to dust
We'll get back on our feet again
This war has nothing to do with us
But somehow we're still involved in it

Well...

Don't you worry about the situation
(A message from the telephone)
They out there fighting for the state of the nation
(I'm waiting a chance to come home)
Well, Don't you worry about the situation
(A message from the telephone)
They always have to fight the alienation
(I realize I'm fighting alone)

There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place I don't want to be anywhere else

There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place I don't want to be anywhere else

There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place I don't want to be anywhere else

There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place I don't want to be anywhere

Don't you worry about the situation
They out there fighting for the state of the nation

Don't you worry about the situation
(A message from the telephone)
They always have to fight the alienation
(I realize I'm fighting alone)

They out there fighting for the state of the nation
(I'm waiting a chance to come home)

They always have to fight the alienation
(I realize I'm fighting alone)

There's no place like home
There's no place like home
There's no place like home

2009 World Cup of Pool Champion

The champion of the 2009 World Cup of Pool was Team Philippines, or the tandem of Efren "Bata" Reyes and Django Bustamante.

In the past, whenever there was a local billiard competition where the two were opponents, I didn't know to whom I would side because both of them were my favorites.

If there was one thing in the history of sports that was a dream come true as far as I'm concerned, it was the team-up of these two great billiard champions. Once again they made the Filipinos proud by regaining the championship of the World Cup of Pool.