Yolanda Arrives

As of this writing, Tacloban is dark and cloudy, dreary and wet.

Yolanda has been reported to have made landfall in Samar Island and in a couple of hours will move slowly to Tacloban. Rain has stopped for the moment as people quietly wait for the onslaught of a potentially devastating year end experience.

Electricity was cut off for a few minues about 2 hours ago. As of now, no wind can be noted. A drizzle of rain casts overhead. The calm outside belies the power of Yolanda. Described by CNN as the most powerful storm of 2013.

I sincerely hope residents in low lying, flood prone and mountainside hamlets evacuate now. Meanwhile, we wait.

Panic Day

The news of the approaching supertyphoon Yolanda battering Eastern Visayas has spooked a lot of Taclobanons. Officemates of mine were worried of its potential destructive effects and in preparation for such scenario, we rearranged the furniture in the office, sealed up the windows and disconnected all electrical appliances from their sockets.

The day was however bright and sunny, surreal especially compared with the ferocity of an approaching storm. Indeed, the day was so calm, so sunny, so bright that it reminded me of the calm before a really bad storm, and in fact, Yolanda is one hell of a storm that will probably devastate Eastern Visayas, one of the poorest regions in the Philippines, and possibly displace and even kill hundreds of my regionmates.

Super Typhoon Threatening the Philippines

Recent reports early this afternoon indicated a brewing disaster on the horizon. It is estimated that Supertyphoon Yolanda is on the hots for the Philippines and will be making landfall in the next 48 hours. This is probably going to be the typhoon of the decade. I remember years back a news broadcast stating that the Philippines is hit by a super typhoon once in a decade, and I think this one has come to roost.

As early as now, and coupled with the chronic poor disaster preparedness planning of the government, a cornucopia of suffering and chaos that will inevitably result. Once again, we will see the mismanagement of resources, the inability to distribute relief goods and the general inefficiency of government responsiveness to the situation that is going to eventually unfold.

Good luck to the Filipino nation on this one heck of a typhoon.

TV SHOW REVIEW: The Walking Dead S04E04

This was probably for me the most boring and least stimulating episode of the entire run of the Walking Dead...by far. However, there is a caveat, dare I say a saving event, shown with increasing clarity, Carol's transformation from the fearful, abused wife that she was when Rick first met her to a take-charge, no non-sense group player that she has become.

Many fans of the show have commented in support of Rick's expulsion of Carol from the prison lair that the group is presently holed up in. They say Carol deserves to be let go from the group as she has become nothing more than a cold, calculated person. That she has lost a sense of compassion and the like etcetera etcetera, etcetera.

I'll give my take on this, in support actually of Carol's actions. For all that she has experienced, encountered and endured, Carol has come to look upon life as what it should be, a constant calculation between ideals and the practical demands of existence, actually survival, in a world devoid of any semblance of civilization and decorum. More than what most fans of the show will actually admit, life teaches us many things, and sometimes, hard decisions have to be made, in order for survival to be guaranteed. In many circumstances, even Carol's dectractors will do exactly what she has done, and in cases of extreme peril and natural calamities, it is in fact a common phenomenon to secure for one's group, family or tribe a favorable advantage over and above all others. Indeed, in many instances across history, this has in fact become a common feature. While I do not deny that even in such circumstances, some of us actually will do unselfish acts, think of Oskar Schindler, who saved hundreds of German Jews from the genocidal antics of Nazi Germany or Florence Nightingale, whose unselfish service to wounded English soldiers during the Crimean War actually resulted in the birth of the nursing profession, to say that doing what Carol did is inhumane is to say that man is a static creature.

Carol did what she did in the belief that threats to the group must be neutralized as much as possible, and in the earliest possible instance as practicable as can be, and with good reason, the dearth of resources and the uncertainly of daily living has taught Carol to act with prudence and not with emotions. It's sad that Rick expelled her for protecting the group that she has come to love and come to depend upon. What she did in the murder of two of residents of Block C was, when taken within the context of Carol's role and the circumstances of the group, reasonable and in fact understandable.

When faced with similar circumstances, most of us will actually retreat to our ethnic group, then to our tribe, then to our respective families - exactly what Carol did. For after everything has been said and done, she knows too well that sooner or later, the two sickly persons will become a threat to the life and welfare of the entire group, especially the group she has come to know in Herschel's farm, her new family.

TV SHOW REVIEW: Dangerous Flights S01E01

While rummaging through Youtube's endless repertoire of videos, I came across a TV show called "Dangerous Flights" that chronicles the adventures of a group of pilots whose job it is to deliver airplanes from the U.S. to worldwide customers. It's actually an adrenaline inducing show with a lot of drama and twists. I was hooked from the moment I saw the first episode.

I cannot wait to finish the entire first season and move on to the second, where a director of the show reportedly died while filming the show. It's not called "Dangerous Flights" for nothing, that's for sure!

MOVIE REVIEW: Escape Plan 2013

I was surprised I actually liked the movie. It's a new take on prison movies and is presented in a unique and stimulating manner. The action sequences are not so spectacular I would say, but the story line and dramatic flare it provides more than makes up for its lack of spectacular fight scenes.

Sylvester Stallone plays Ray Breslin, a professional dedicated to testing the reliability of prison security and spent his life being sent to prison to test such security, he is then tricked by his partner into going into a prison whose address they did not know and for whom his partner was paid millions to keep him in prison. Eventually though, Breslin escapes after befriending a prisoner Emil Rottmayer played by Arnold Scharzenegger.

Although the movie was starred by big name actors, it's over-all entertainment value is low moderate, in that the action was lethargic at best and the story did not really develop into something mature.

Remembering the Dead

Today millions of Filipinos flock to cemeteries to remember their beloved dead. This occasion marks not only a time of reminiscing our ancestors, it is also the time were families gather and share time and memories. Ironic in that this day marks a celebration of life as it is about the dead. It is a time families actually recognize the finitude of life, the scarcity of time and the preciousness of the moment.

Some Filipinos are known to sleep overnight on the graves and in the mausoleums of their families. Such commitment to our forebears is a manifestation of the Filipino propensity for family.

A memorable day of remembrance for the dearly departed for all Filipinos!

Happy Halloween!!!

Tonight will be a night of revelry for many people. Halloween parties will be held across the Philippines. I am just piqued by the recent rantings of the Catholic Church discouraging Filipinos from donning scary costumes. Instead, the Church wants Filipinos to wear saintly costumes. For one, it is the church who invented the concept of evil to scare the faithful the hell out of thinking independently and blindly follow its so-called "guidance."

Anyway, Filipinos should celebrate Halloween the way they deem proper and enjoyable, not listen to the controlling 'advice' of a church that once sanctioned the murder of innocent men and women for mere suspicion of being a witch, in other words, for thinking outside the dogma of church accepted beliefs. So yeah people, go ahead and wear the scariest costume you can find and hopefully, scare the clergy out of its centuries old hypocritical slumber, maybe then, they would realize that in today's milieu, thinking is actually valued more than hopeful beliefs based on what Christopher Hitchen's would describe as "plagiarism of a plagiarism, delusion of a delusion based on a few non-events..."

First Day in New Job

Today I started out in my new job as a legal researcher in a law firm. I was immediately drafted to formulate a letter of complaint to the Chairman of the Board of Election Teller in a barangay in Dulag, Leyte for stopping the counting of vote for the sole reason that some voters wrote the middle name of a candidate instead of the full name. The BET's were probably coaxed into suspending the counting after being intimidated by powerful candidates. Obviously, the act was grossly illegal.

In addition, I was also drafted to make decisionary pleadings about a land dispute. It was exciting and difficult at first but somehow I made it through page 6, hoping to finish the document tomorrow.

As far as I can tell as of today, I think I will enjoy the workplace. I just don't know how the entire thing plays out when classes start. Let's see....

Reflections on the 2013 Barangay Elections

For this election, I was volunteering for LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections) and we were deployed in one of the largest provincial jails operated by the Province of Leyte, the Kauswagan Prison. It's a moderately huge facility holding 580 inmates. There were 280 eligible voters although 53 did not cast their votes.

Together with my three companions, we observed how the electoral process was conducted in a prison facility, a first for all of us actually. There were two precincts opened in the prison and because of the delay in the arrival of the poll watchers, voting started at 8:30 A.M. instead of the officially mandated opening hour of 7:00 A.M. The turnover of voters for the entire morning was a little bit slow as only 4 voters for each precinct was allowed in. During the afternoon, the pace was moved faster with 8 voters for each precinct being entertained.

Generally, the voting process was orderly and peaceful as well as organized and uneventful. However, voting inmates had to squat on the benches were the Ballot Secrecy Folders were placed as there were no armchairs available. I observed one PWD (person with disability) doing the same, as he was not provided any special place to vote.

I also observed that there were no ballot boxes for each precinct, ballots were placed only in folders. One of the precinct chairmen pointed out that the absence of ballot boxes is due to the fact that the Prison Precinct were mere clusters of Brgy. Barayong, were the ballot boxes were located. The used ballots would then be transported to said barangay were they will be placed in ballot boxes.

There was some confusion with regards to the sealing of the used and unused ballots as one precinct sealed the same in the provided brown envelopes while the other precinct did not, the chairman of which explained that the sealing will only happen at Brgy. Barayong since, as pointed out earlier, the prison precincts were mere clusters of the former.

Another thing that was not followed was the extension of time for the voting process. Officially, prison precincts were supposed to close at 12 noon while regular ones would close at 3 P.M. However, due to the slow paced voting in the morning, both precincts extended the voting time up to 3 P.M.

Other than the problems pointed out, the voting process in said prison facility was generally conducted successfully.

2013 Barangay Elections is Today

Today will be the 2013 Barangay Elections. Hopefully the Filipino people will vote for candidates who stand for progress, honest governance and prudence. To do otherwise would be to guarantee the perpetuation of poverty, economic stagnation and unemployment.

Vote wisely and vote for the future of the country, for our FUTURE!

2013 Philippine Barangay Elections Tomorrow

The Philippines will be conducting its scheduled Barangay Elections tomorrow and as a volunteer of LENTE (Legal Network for Truthful Elections) I will be deployed to a prison facility and a public school here in Leyte to monitor and observe the conduct of elections.

I call on the Filipino people to vote with their conscience, to think for the future and to safeguard their sacred right of suffrage by refusing to be bribed, intimidated or threatened into voting candidates who use and depend on money, goons and armies to ensure they win positions of power.

Protect YOUR VOTE, protect our FUTURE.

New TV Series: The Blacklist

After seeing good reviews from a classmate, I was hooked for the first five episodes of the Blacklist. It's basically Person of Interest in Reverse, in that unlike the latter, protagonist in The Blacklist is actually a sociopathic killer with a lust for death, gore and everything that needs to be done to get what he wants done.

Anyway, I find the opening episode exciting, dramatic and classically suave. James Spader plays Red Reddington with aplomb, finesse and cold brutality without being crass or crazed. It's a beautifully written show, well acted, excitingly presented and eerily creepy.

Tacloban Freethinkers Society Meets for the Third Time

For three months in a row now, TFS has successfully and continuously maintained the commitment of its new members and officers by meeting for a significant third time. Interesting topics were discussed such as same-sex marriage, end of the world, love, religion, faith, truth among others. It was a fruitful night conducted in two venues no less.

TFS is a non-stock, non-profit organization founded by four law students of DVOREF Tacloban City and is dedicated to the promotion of science, philosophy and reason in solving the most challenging problems of contemporary human life. TFS meets once a month and as of date, everything is open for deliberation, discussion and analysis.

Last Exam for the Semester!

The semester is about to end, and tonight, we ill have our last exam (we'll not really, technically, we still have one exam re-scheduled for Nov. 16) for this semester and I cannot wait for a much needed break. Time indeed passes so swiftly.

Two More

The semester is almost over and I can't wait for the sem break to start rolling. Tomorrow will be our second to the last exam for this semester and I can't wait to relax for a week. Hoping for a relaxing week and ohh, to a successful start of a new job as a legal researcher.

World's Worst Airport to Sleep In

A few days back, I wrote an article about NAIA being one of the most consistently horrendous airport in the world. The place just continues to suck at what it does, and nothing seems to be done by authorities to remedy the matter. Today, another article came out in CNN listing the worlds best and worst places to sleep in, if you're in an airport that is, and no surprise their, the worst airport to sleep in is....don't hold your breath, NAIA!!!

Geez, the place is a masterpiece in horror travel. Filipino authorities have failed to even make it slightly bearable and decent. Really an embarrassment of gargantuan proportions, a clear manifestation of government inefficiency, corruption and poor planning. The place continues its long tradition of pissing passengers the world over, and especially those who have to actually use the place when going to Manila, another city I hate with a vengeance for its disorderliness, chaos, filthiness to name a few, and yes, for its hellish traffic conditions, flood prone streets and perpetually unfinished roads. Talk about third world class.

The "Bling Bishop" of Germany

No surprise for me when I read the recently hot issue of Bishop Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst, a German Catholic bishop in hot waters for spending at least 31 million euros for a sparkling new bishop's palace complete with a conference room, 63-square-meter dining room and a 15,000-euro bathtub.Wow! This is one bishop with a very, very expensive taste at luxuries.

Then again, the church throughout its history has always been an institution that has over the centuries increasingly stuffed itself with the riches of the world. Probably the only thing unusual about this is that the bishop was so brazen enough to openly display his wealth, as to wealth, geez, the Vatican and the Catholic Church is as wealthy as any fortune 500 company, people just refuse to see it for what it is, a money-making, wealth accumulating tax-immune entity.

Sugru: Where Everything Sticks (Almost!)

I have recently discovered a new product after watching it from CNN. It's called Sugru, a silicone based, clay like bonding and sealing agent that is easy to handle, clean and most of all, bonds to almost all things and what is great about it, it can be removed easily.

I recently ordered the product through Sugru's website and I am excited for it to arrive. I'm planning to use it to fix certain parts of our car. Can't wait for my first Sugru to arrive. I really hope it works as advertised.

NAIA: Worst Airport in Asia (And I Agree!)

Again, NAIA, specifically NAIA 1, has maintained its dubious reputation as one of the, and for one blogger, the worst air terminal in the world.

In a previous post, I pointed out that in my last travel to Manila for a seminar, water from the roof of NAIA 3 was dripping right beside passengers who were in a queue so as to enter the said terminal. It's just one horrendous experience flyers have to contend to with NAIA. The entire three-terminal airport is a mess: rude staff, chaotic procedures, messy lines, no internet connectivity to name a few. NAIA 1 is without a doubt the worst of the three, it's basically nothing more than a warehouse for departing passengers! And mind you, it feels like one and a passenger will feel like a cargo.

Travelling through NAIA is the worst part of any trip going into and out of Manila. It has consistently left a bitter aftertaste in many a travellers' palate, and the nightmare of its experience seems to live one well and strong.

PNOY Arrives in South Korea: And Why the Trip Should Not Have Pushed Through!

I think President Aquino should have postponed his trip to South Korea. Considering the devastating earthquake that hit Central Visayas, leaving should have been the last thing on his mind. Most world leaders even return from their outside the country trips when disasters strike their countries. Indeed, most would instantly fly back home.

It's disappointing for the president to cavort, however noble his intentions were, simply because the timing was not right. More has to be done, more should be done, in order to alleviate the plight of the residents of Bohol and Cebu, especially Bohol, who have lost loved ones, friends, neighbors and houses.

The South Korea Trip was really, really a bad idea, a bad decision and frankly, an imprudent call by the president.

U.S. Debt Default is Averted

After six days of partisan brinkmanship, the US Congress finally passes a band-aid bill that will keep the government open until January 2014 and the debt raised until February 2014.

Reports indicate that in the duration of the shutdown, US 24 billion was lost from the U.S. economy. The shutdown was the result of the perpetual political banter between House Republicans and their rabid dislike for everything Obama. This is what happens when extremists are placed in positions of power. They would bring down anything in order to push one, yeah ONE pet idea. And extremists always push their pet ideas down everyone's throat without regard for consequences, consideration or prudence.

The crisis has been temporarily averted, more of the same could come in the days ahead.

Internet Connection in Tacloban City still Weak

A day after the devastating quake that struck under Bohol, I still could not connect to the internet, it seems that underground fiber optic cables were damaged by the quake. In addition, the death toll in the quake has been steadily rising.

Structures that collapsed such as the historic churches and some houses and buildings, were somehow found to be below par in terms of structural strength vis-a-vis it's ability to weather earthquakes. As for the churches, such as the 400-year old Luboc Church, this is not surprising since such monuments were built at a time were modern construction techniques were not even thought of. But as is the problem with public officials, nothing was done to spruce up and provide structural support to these monuments before the quake. Prudence again, was wanting. Again, not surprising being that public officials are more reactive than proactive, always failing to plan for the future, merely reacting to catastrophes after the fact is unacceptable in this day and age.

Central Visayas is Rattled by a Quake!

I was awakened about 8:15 in the morning today by a quake that would turn out to be 7.2 on the scale and devastated the islands of Bohol and Cebu in Central Visayas. Churches in Bohol, some I visited for the first time way back in 2010 such as the Baclayon Church, collapased under the power of the quake. The Sto. Nino Cathedral in Cebu City was also partly destroyed, at least the belltower.

Initial reports indicated that 20 people died. Internet in Tacloban City was shut down, or at least slowed to a snail's pace.

The quake centered under Carmen town in Bohol and virtually destroyed historic landmarks such as the Luboc Church, damaged roads and bridges and destroyed houses, not to mention killed many people.

TV SHOW REVIEW: The Walking Dead S04E01

The opening episode for the next season started out weak and bleary actually. Not much action, not much anticipation was built by the show. Somehow the premiere episode failed, in my opinion, to set the tone for the entire season, except perhaps towards the end, when Luke suddenly collapses in the shower at night. A prelude to the next bout of zombie attacks, one that could threaten the very integrity of the prison community Rick and the gang originally built and have come to call home.

In addition, I was accepting a two-hour opening salvo, unfortunately, that was not the case.

Blurry Night

Blurry was the night
Amidst flickering lights
Rousing sounds
Screeching furnitures
Deafening sounds
Clicking glasses
Swooshing liquirds
Vomiting sight
Me intoxicated

Final Exams Here We Go!!!

Final Exam week next week, the heat is on!

Malala Yousufzai: Deserving of a Nobel Prize

The clock is ticking for this year's Nobel Peace Prize and most educated people around the world are desperately hoping that Malala, the 16-year old Pakistani girl shot in the head by the Taliban for advocating girl's education in her home country, would get the prize.

I agree. If there is any person who should deserve the Nobel Prize in the past year, it would be no other than Malala. For a young girl (she started writing for BBC on the right of girls to an education at the tender age of 11), Malala is ahead of her times, ahead of her peers, and way ahead of Medieval, misogynistic, narrow minded worldview of the Pakistani Taliban.

Malala exudes the wisdom of an old scholar, the prudence of a mother, the strength of a soldier, the eloquence of a poet and the innocence of a child. No other person in the last year deserves therefore the Nobel prize than Malala. I hope she gets the prize, for to do so would really be a boon in the fight for girl's education the world over.

Go Malala, your work is an inspiration to reasoned people all over the world.

To be or not to be

To be one
To be two in one
To be best
To believe
To better onself
To bet for the best
To be all that one can be
To be someone
To be
Not to be no

Saudi Arabia's Unjust Justice System

Once again, a girl is killed, once again it happened in a Muslim country, once again, it occurred in the Middle East, once again, it's Saudi Arabia!

What is shocking, as rightly pointed out by social media users in Saudi Arabia itself, is that the so-called father, al-Ghamdi, who killed the his 5-year old child - by torture! got only 8 years and 600 lashes, the same penalty for a Saudi activist Raif Badawi, sentenced to 7 years in prison and 600 lashes for running an unauthorized web forum. Al-Ghamdi received a lesser fine than four Saudi men who danced naked on top of their car, the latter being sentenced to 2,000 lashes and 10 years in prison.

Saudi Arabia, for all its  material riches, is nothing more than a medieval backwater who happens to exist in the 21st century. It's justice system is known for its unjust, arbitrary, even brutal pronouncements. It's a pity the little girl was born into that country. There is really nothing that can be said about this incident, it's one among countless human rights violations that are institutionalized and indeed, sanctioned by its equally brutal form of Islam, Wahhabism. Pity the girl, pity the women who are always at risked of being lynched in Saudi Arabia.

TV SHOW REVIEW: Defiance S01E12

What an exciting two day run trying to finish episodes 1 to 12 of season 1. Episode 12 delves radically into the existence of a god, Irisa enters into the cave to save his stepfather Joshua Nolan, shot by Earth Republic soldiers in the pitch battle to rescue herself. The cave represents strongly Irizu, the Irathient god.

Meanwhile, Amanda Rosewater loses to Datak Tarr in the bitterly contested mayoral race. Datak kills an Earth Republic major for disrespecting him. The episode ends with Earth Republic soldiers descending upon Defiance.

More or less a very exciting run by far. I can't wait to see more of the future episodes. More than just a sci-fi series, Defiance delves into the perennial human issues of love, commitment, community, friendship, family and the ties that bind humans across races - the need to survive at all costs amidst the uncertainties of life. It eludes into the meaning of life, of heroism, of sacrifice.

Episode 12 showcases in no uncertain terms the "hero persona." A perennial theme in human literary masterpieces. Most of all, it talks about relationships and the need for communication as critical in order to navigate the complexities of social relations and survival.

It left me longing for more, expecting for more. The adrenaline rush has just begun.

The Legacy of Masters and Johnson

Ever since I read about Masters and Johnson's work as a college student, I have always been fascinated and amused by their revolutionary findings. William Masters and Virginia Johnson were to sex education as Margaret Sanger was to Reproductive Rights for Women.

The research of Masters and Johnson certainly had a broad impact on succeeding scholars who dared to go were no academic has gone before that is clearly apparent in Time article on the 12 new discoveries regarding sex. I would say it's not shocking, just new discoveries in our unending search to discover and understand ourselves better.

It made me realize how exciting and unique indeed is man.

TV SHOW REVIEW: Defiance S01E01

Confusing is what I felt upon watching the pilot episode. I felt that the story was not clearly laid out at the beginning. I actually had to read reviews of the story so I could somehow make sense of what the heck was the episode all about, who were involved, how, why and the like.

It's a sci-fi series with an apocalyptic bent involving humans and aliens fighting it out against each other while trying to survive with each other against all odds. It's was interesting enough for me to look forward to episode two. Let's see how the story leads me...to watch it through or to disregard it altogether?

Restaurant Review: Ice Tea (Burgos St., Tacloban City)

Basically a beverage resto with tea as its main theme. The place is cool, cozy and very comfortable. The seats are well cushioned and the place smells really good.

This is actually the first time I entered the place. I ordered Blueberry Cheesecake Frappe. It was just good,  not out of this world I would say. My friend ordered Green Apple. I did not actually get a taste of the stuff but it looked really appetizing and very healthy. What is so unique,at least for Tacloban City, about Ice Tea Restaurant is that you can actually choose to regulate the sugar used, I chose my beverage to be sugarless. Others might prefer theirs to be 25%, 50%, 75% sugared. At least when it comes to sweeteners, this place gives its customers the choice to have a say on the matter.

I think I would need another visit or two to the resto to have a conclusive finding on its over-all quality, both from the service side and the food side. But anyway, good impressions so far.

MOVIE REVIEW: Run 2013

The movie was at first dragging and slow for me but ended up quite exciting. This is basically a story about a father and a son who have dedicated themselves to hiding from a bunch of organized criminals who had control of the NYPD until finally, they stood down and fought. To survive, Shaun (Daniel) stole, using his skills as a Parkour practitioner in the get-away process. Daniel is the son of the mob leader's now deceased daughter Maria who was killed by Luke, her brother.

The movie is about the joy's of finding love, the power of friendships and the bond of a father and son as they tread the challenges of life. If there is one poignant line from the movie, it's Daniel sharing his thoughts at the end of the movie about the three important things one should realize in life: to know your world, to follow your instinct and to trust the one you love. Beautiful parting words indeed from a character who was basically bland throughout the movie.

TECH REVIEW: Cherry Mobile Burst

I recently received a new cellphone from SUN Cellular. This was a complementary unit given by the company for all post paid subscribers every two years. This year, I got Cherry Mobile's Burst. This is a new model patterned after the popular Flare.

At first it was great. The screen was clear. Everything worked well. After three days now, it seems that a lot of things started to get awry. First, the Live Wallpaper I choose from it's memory did not appear anymore. A few hours ago in fact I reloaded the said Live Wallpaper but it immediately disappeared from the Wall after a few minutes! Second, everytime I would press the menu buttom, response time was becoming slower by the day, indeed, the delay could last between 10-20 seconds! And third, which I just discovered after I recorded a 15 minute audio of my teacher's discussion, was that the phone retained only 18 seconds of the entire lecture! I was aghast. Trying to test if there was anything I did wrong, I played a Youtube videos and recorded the audio for 6 minutes. After which I hit the save checkmark. When I looked on the Files folder, I discovered that instead of 6 minues, the DAMN phone only saved 1 minute. So there it goes, there is something wrong with the phone!

I had good expectations with the phone, physically it was sleek and modern. The software was Android 4.0 ICS so it was decent. However, with the aforesaid incidents, I am beginning to regard Cherry Mobile's Burst with derision and hate actually. This brought me to the fact that it is Made in China.

It sucks and its frustrating. Anyway, I'm not recommending the Brand and the Model to any of my friends. It may be cheap, but it does not do its job well compared to other cheap smartphones. Typically what you would expect from a low cost phone made in China.

The U.S. Government Shutdown: When Extremists are in Power

The recent U.S. government shutdown is a clear manifestation that in any society, democratic or otherwise, it is always the extremists that somehow, someway, manage to push their narrow goals, however numerically small they may be, that could incalculably affect the well-being of an entire nation.

Without doubt, the current Republican led-House is run by Tea Party conservatives who have consistently opposed Obama, simply because he is Obama, regardless of the merit or reasonableness of his policy. The current shutdown has been rightfully blamed on the Republican Party, currently the most retrogressive and inane institution in the U.S. It's obstructionist policies, narrow goals, and myopic views have caused the U.S. it's first ratings downgrade a few years ago. Not to mention it's lack of a solid governing ethos, other than opposing Obama at every move, has shown that the Republican Party is indeed a party of old, white men who are out of touch, out of tune, out of reason in its approach to governance.

The Republican Party is Exhibit A to all nations that without a tinge of uncertainty indisputably proves that extremists in power will always push a narrow agenda at the expense of the wider, greater good.

Honesty

Truth hurts
Reality bites
Life could suck
Lies blind us
To dwell on untruths
For a moment it seems
Boon is on our side
Then we forget
That in all things
Good and bad
Consequences abound
And always
Truth brings us bare
Naked and vulnerable
Better endure the pain
Than live in a bubble of fantasy
For always
As always
For every action
Comes reaction.

Ride Like the Wind

Ride like the wind
Fearless and adventurous
Dancing with grace
Flying with strength
Caressing tenderly
To kiss the sky
And hug the land
Ride like the wind
Find thy peace.

It's Good to be Home

After a weekend in Cebu to attend the wedding of a close friend, I am back in Tacloban. It's always good to travel once in a while. It's also good to be back home after a wonderful adventure. There's always some mystical relevance of being back to where your heart and being belongs, it's the peace that you are once again connected with the place you were born into.

Great adventure, short though it may be, and being billeted in a swanky hotel in Cebu City is a plus. Wish I could afford to stay in that hotel everytime I'm in Cebu. Maybe one day....

Was the Best Man in My Friends Wedding

Today is a very exciting day, a good friend and classmate of mine way back in nursing school is getting married. She asked me if I could be the Best Man, as the original Best Man will not be able to make it from Mindanao for the wedding, in as much as I was apprehensive, being that I barely knew her husband, I accepted as I owe her a lot.

Anyway, I had to give a speech, so the wedding coordinator told me. Short may it be, it was to be something meaningful and relevant. Come the big night, I mustered the wits to somehow say the most appropriate things in the least amount of time. I think the crux of what I said was: For the long time I have known the bride, and a short time I have known the groom, one thing is clear, that they both compliment each other both in the similarities they share and in the differences they have.

Glad it was all over, and somehow, I was able to repay back the bride for all I hassled her with. It was a meaningful wedding in that the really important people to the couple were there, except perhaps the bride's uncle, who in a lot of way, served as the bride's father-figure, after losing her own father in a combat fight, her father being a soldier.

Hoping for a blissful and even more successful marriage for the newlyweds!

The Mark Joseph Solis Imbroglio

The recent embarrassing episode between Mark Joseph Solis, a U.P. Student who "won" in a photo contest sponsored by the Chilean embassy, highlights the degree of dishonesty in the Philippines. It seems that a culture of corruption abounds well and high, deep and profound, in Philippine society.

Not only did Mark Joseph Solis tarnish the image of the Filipino people, he more than enough affirmed without a tinge of doubt the rotten society and culture of our country. I hate to admit it, but it is about time the Filipino people re-examine ourselves, our society and our future. What do we really want our country to be?

Mark Joseph Solis also highlighted the need to instill in our youth the value of honesty, in all its myriad manifestations. For an educated person to commit such a dastardly act is to expect less of our politicians who are even more, in some cases, less educated. Think Senator Tito Sotto's plagiarism fiasco and you will get the point.

The University of the Philippines should EXPEL Mark Joseph Solis. He deserves the shame he will endure, but he has to learn that in life, integrity is important over and above the blind pursuit of fame and money, especially if such pursuit tramples upon the dignity, rights and lives of others. Yes, I am talking to you Janet Napoles, Jinggoy Estrada, Juan Enrile and Ramon Revilla Jr. and all those who bleed this country to death by greed and selfishness.

Worlds Honest Cities: Breaking Stereotypes

About a month ago, I met someone through a mutual friend who studied in the Netherlands for three years. He said that after having visited Switzerland, he noticed that people there were really honest. If you leave something behind, no one will touch it for days, or so he says.

In a recent article published by CNN, Reader's Digest is said to have conducted an honesty test in 16 cities around the world. The test involved a wallet with an equivalent USD 50 in it, a phone number and some family pictures. Twelve such wallets were dropped in public parks, malls, and other such places. The results: Helsinki, Finland was the most honest, returning 11 of 12 wallets. The least honest, Lisbon, Portugal, were only 1 of 12 wallets were returned - by a visiting couple from the Netherlands!

But really, really surprised me is that Mumbai, India was the second most honest city, with 9 of 12 wallets returned. Did not really expect that from Mumbai. Even more surprising, Zurich was ranked number 13 (out of 16) returning only 4 of 12 wallets! So much for my friend's "honesty" review of Switzerland. I guess Mumbai was way more honest, and that is coming from a developing country. Kudos to the people of Mumbai!

I guess the study reveals more than just honesty, it also reveals that even the over-all wealth of a country like Switzerland does not necessarily translate to an honest populace. And even in developing countries like India, where money is scarce and the competition for resources is high, honesty can grow and is in fact well and strong.

I have hope that in my country, the Philippines, honesty in governance and public service, and honesty even from the ordinary man on the street, has a chance to grow and to spread. My country needs this at this moment in history, were the spate of high level corruption is so rampant, gross and express that it borders on crimes against humanity.

Dexter Ends

My favorite TV series Dexter recently concluded with its 8th season run. I will miss the show forever. Since being introduced to the show by my bestfriend, I have followed through the entire series. Watching it first in 2010 from season 1, I have come to love the show.

The 12th and final episode of season 8 was full of drama and nostalgia, it only deepened mine towards the show as Dexter drove into the raging storm after dropping the already dead Deborah into the Florida waters. Hannah and Harrison are now safely anonymous in Argentina, with Hannah learning of Dexter's "demise" from an iPad news site. Harrison blissfully still unaware. With tears, Hannah invites Harrison for an ice cream as they move away from the cafe they were relaxing on.

Never really expecting Dexter to kill himself for good, the scene ends with Dexter working in a lumber company, most likely Canada, beginning for himself a new life, a new beginning - so as, in his own words, to protect Hannah and Harrison from himself.

What an exciting 8 year run. Truly great show!

Flooding in Manila: Political Incompetence and Corruption Permeating Politics

If there is one brutal effect that corruption and incompetence brings, it is suffering and death.

Suffering and death is one constant struggle faced by ordinary Filipinos. The chronic inability of politicians to provide adequate infrastructure services to stem the tide of the perpetual floods that have now become a regular feature of Manila during the rainy season is one evidence that corruption is well and alive, as it has always been, in Manila in particular and the Philippines in general.

The inability of good-hearted citizens to stamp out corruption is continuing to drain the potentials of this country and ensures it wallows in an endless cycle of poverty and suffering, violence and wars.

The Philippines needs people who can stem the tide of corruption and incompetence, the Filipino people needs to wake up from slumber and learn to distinguish between reality and farce, between politics and thievery, between sustainable progress and ephemeral development, between what we want as a people and what we want in our future.

We have to want change if change is to come, we have to change ourselves for change to happen, we have to believe we can change if change is to last.

Flooding in Manila - As Usual!

I am truly glad to be back home, amidst the familiar sounds, sights and comforts of my town and home.

Listening to the evening news makes me even glad I am really, really home. Flood and more flood is all over the news - and yes, it's Manila again, chronically inundated by floods, perpetually unable to solve its flooding problems. It's a mess in there. Always have, most likely always will for the forseable future, unless, unless the Filipino people realizes that change is really needed - but that's another topic to handle.

EDSA, ahh, that boulevard of national prominence, from whence the Philippines would wake up from the constricting, suffocating arms of martial law, only to be embraced by the equally suffocating hold of its new ruling elite, really the same old power brokers, only this time, they are dressed in the new robe of democracy and whatever makes it even cooler.

Travelling from my hotel to the airport made me realize that EDSA is probably the worst major city highway in the Philippines, not to mention the ASEAN region. It's an embarrassing city road to be, for all its historical significance, it is badly maintained, poorly managed and even more poorly constructed. Potholes abound with regularity over the damn road! You can't escape it, not even from a new taxicab I flagged down. I don't know, maybe SUV's of politicians are better at masking its pumping inducing powers, making them unable to think that the road is in need of some serious overhaul!

Having had the chance to rant over my as usual uncomfortable sojourns everytime I am in Manila, I feel really, really glad I am home, and really, really glad I don't live in that place.

I'm Going Home

After three days in Manila to attend a seminar on election law sponsored by LENTE, I sure am glad to be going home. As I left our hotel, rain greeted me along EDSA, even though it was just a trickle, I could clearly see the torrent of water flowing through a high graded part of EDSA just in front of my hotel. I knew then that Manila and EDSA in particular will become a warzone! Traffic would be its usual worse, and there is a possibility that I could miss my flight.

Anyway, as my taxi navigated through the potholes of EDSA and get "washed" by the water dripping from an MRT station with the bravado of an F1 racer, I finally reached NAIA 3. Since taxi's are only allowed to park on an adjacent road from the terminal building, we had to cross over to the main building under the increasingly heavy rain. Since that part is not covered by anything, tourists and locals alike had to get wet as they navigated the road separating the taxi stand and the building. Upon reaching the door of NAIA 3, we had to fall in line to enter the building, while waiting, a flush of water coming from the roof above was dripping with ferocity just beside us, again, we had to catch the splashing water, further soaking our already wet clothes!

This is Manila, from the airport to its roads to its overall infrastructure, everything is a mess. Chaos reigns all over the damn place. It is really a trashy, dirty, filthy city - I would say the worst in the Philippines. It does not even compare to the sophistication of Cebu City, the orderliness and cleanliness of Cagayan de Oro City, the historicity and mystique of colonial Laoag, even the quiet peace of my own town, Tacloban City.

Conventions and seminars, even international ones, should never be held in Manila. It's the sublimest example of truly embarrassing your guests, not to mention the organizers. Puerto Princesa City would be good for a relaxed feel, Baguio City would be best for intellectual, urgent ones, Cebu City would be for the business sort, Davao City would do well with governance and peace topics, while Cagayan de Oro City would be perfect for environmental types.

Manila? Nahh! It should be used only as an example of what a city should not be - perpetually flooded, dirty, filthy, chaotic and crime ridden! A city which should indubitably have the distinct dishonor of being a poster boy of third world incompetence, corruption and lack of political will and prudence.

I'm glad I am going home. The last time I was in Manila was in 2008 to attend a family friend's wedding. And I am not looking forward for whence I will go back next.

As usual...Manila's Perpetual Horrendous Traffic Situation

As I arrived from Tacloban City to Manila, I was, as always, thinking of the traffic bottleneck that would inevitably engulf me as I make my way to my hotel. No surprise then that from the steps of NAIA Terminal 3, the image of a snail's paced traffic revealed itself in all its irritating implications right before my eyes.

Fortunately, I found a taxi driver that has a sense of decorum and delivered me to the best of his ability to my hotel, a mere 30 minute drive on a steely wee hour traffic, in an hour and 45 minutes more or less! And by the standards of a rush hour Manila situation, I guess that was in fact fast!

For all the inglorious accolades Manila has deservedly gotten for its inability to solve its traffic mess, not much has been done, or if something has been done, it's effect has been so minute that it might as well seem nothing has been done. Typically the cross of third-world capital cities, Manila's traffic mess is irritatingly perennial, exacerbated by poor urban planning among the different cities that comprise the Greater Manila area, not to mention the endless road works, repairs, constructions and the like that are not only an eye sore, they are in fact road hazards, a sure-fire trip that could be your last.

Manila's hellish traffic situation is one of my most hated aspects of being in Manila. I actually consider the city as the worst in the Philippines, not only based on traffic congestion, but also in such respects as peace and order, ease of mobility, and oh, air quality.

I could never really live in Manila, at least until I have to absolutely do so, such as in two years time to take the BAR exams. It's a city that is gloomy, noisy, chaotic, filthy to say the least. It represents everything the Philippines should do away with, and really, an embarrassment to the country. No wonder Dan Brown's latest book "Inferno" describes Manila as "the gates of hell."

Pentagon Twitter Message Insults Filipinos

Recent reports indicate that the twitter account of a counter-improvised explosive device group of the US Department of Defense posted in its Twitter account the following message after the theater bombings in Davao City: “Were they re-showing Gigli? Bomb explosions at 2 movie theaters in Philippines http://goo.gl/4K9EQC  The IED is a global threat.”

Not only is this insulting to those who were victimized by the bombing, the PENTAGON seems to be insulting the Filipino people as well. Apparently, bombings for them are mere caricatures of jokes! The Pentagon should apologize to the Filipino people in public with regards to this patently insensitive, callous and dumbfounded attitude.

APOLOGIZE AMERICA!!!

Philippines Wins the Berlin 2013 Pyro Show

Congrats to Dragon Fireworks, representing the Philippines for the 2013 Berlin Pyro Show for bringing home the Gold and for a truly spectacular fireworks display. Mabuhay!!!

Wringed Heart

The one that bears
The sight of you afar
Longing heart, begging eyes
Screaming spirit, searching will
Come of so beloved
So there yet so otherwise
Can you be mine
When if not now
Life is but a waste
If everyday void of you
Pain but a wringed heart.

Swing

Swing like a child
In the playground of happiness
Gleeful in the crowd
Welcoming and warm

Swing like a child
Full of joy, free of worries
Amazed by everything around
Happy to play

Swing, swing, swing
To leave all cares and worries
For a moment be free and unafraid
Smiling and at peace.

Needle in the Sky

Spindle thin and long
Lofty, dainty, weird
Pointing up, pointing down
Scaring children, Quizzing others
Moving yet steady
Steely but flexible
Bring me
Needle in the Sky

Speckled Dust

Man is a midget in the grand scheme of things
A tiny creature in a tiny corner of the eternal vastness of the universe
Thrust into existence in a not so distant past
Struggling to find himself in the order of life
Hoping to find questions, seeking to understand answers
Small creature with a great mind
The power to imagine
The courage to dream
The persistence to know
That life is a journey
Humanity has to take
And find in each other
A speckled dust in the brows of time.

The Zamboanga City Trouble: Symptom of Corruption

By now everyone in the Philippines has been inundated with the events spurred by the revelations of Benhur Luy, the whistle-blower in the PHP 10 billion pork-barrel scam. And then we have the Zamboanga City 'rebellion' of sorts.

What is so perpetually chronic about the Philippines is that if you are a thief (yes, Philippine Congress), a rebel (Honason) or a secessionist (see Misuari) you are rewarded with a plum government position. As in the case of MILF chief Nur Misuari, leadership in the ARMM. As in the case with Honasan, those who have no respect for laws of the Philippines will one day rear that ugly head. And so I was not surprised when Misuari led his men into a now week-long rampage of the city.

Corruption is not only manifested by our career political thieves, aka Senators and Congressmen, it is also incubating military personnel. The failure of the Philippine military to once and for all stamp out the Muslim secessionist movement, not to mention the NPA conundrum, speaks of the rotten structure of Philippine society. In this case, the military.

Despite all the money allotted to it, the Philippine Army is nothing more than a paper army, full of generals paid to the head yet manned by ill-fed, ill-supplied, ill-trained troops. Where does all this money goes? After being siphoned by corrupt generals, what is left for the average Filipino soldier is nothing more than a pittance.

It is reasonable to suppose that the Philippine Army, because of its legendary corruption, matched only by its legendary incompetence, incarnated by its legendary retinue of generals whose legendary kleptomanic tendencies are only in turn matched by the rapacity of civilian authorities, is what keeps this trouble in Mindanao, with the NPA, a perpetual caricature of Philippine life.

Philippine society is so rotten, so corrupt, so fragmented that each grabs for himself what he can without regard for national responsibility, much less patriotic feelings. This is the greatest tragedy, when public service is seen as an opportunity to enrich oneself and ones family at the expense of the nation - and shockingly, Filipino's actually tolerate it! That is the even greater tragedy.

Putin's Hypocritical Op-Ed

The fuss around the corner at this time is the recent op-ed published in the NY Times. Many people reacted, albeit in differing tones, to the Russian president's misplaced musings on the Syria imbroglio, at least with respect to a potential American military strike.

Putin talked about how America is not really exceptional, in contrast to Obama's previous Syria plea to the American public, in which Obama reminded Americans of their exceptionalism in the face of global threats to peace. Putin's exact words were: "It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation." Yet in an ironic twist of linguistic play, by pleading with the American people not to strike Syria, he was inadventently implying the very thing he was trying to disregard. What an ASS of a president!

Putin adds: "God created us all equal..." And this one really piqued me. For one, his ruthless disregard of LGBT rights in Russia speaks nothing of his "egalitarian displays of concern." Bullshit Putin! You talk about God and about equality yet repress your own people simply for being who they are. You are no different than the Nazi genocidalists of the past. And as if by bringing a so-called "god" into the picture will make his asinine remarks seem logical - as apparently some people think, then to those who actually reflect on your words, you are no more than a schizophrenic buffoon who somehow managed to hostage the Russian presidency to your lifetime fetish for power.

Geez, a man who talks about exceptionalism, god and equality yet has a poor regard of upholding the fundamental rights of his own citizenry to voice their own opinions, be themselves and live a dignified life without being lynched for thinking differently than him has no right, no moral authority and no credibility to lecture the world about what should be done in such a complex question as Syria.

Suddap Putin!

Obama's Sept. 10 Speech on Syria

President Barack Obama's speech on the need to strike Syria was an example of substance, brevity, appeal and logic par excellence. After all the brouhaha about the Syrian use of ChemWeap on August 21, the world practically made known its aversion to any military adventure in another Arab country. But Obama's speech somehow turned around the opinions of many Americans.

I agree with David Kusnet, writing on CNN, that Obama made a persuasive speech by simply appealing to the experience of each American, their fears and apprehension, justly rooted in the tragic experience in Iraq and Afghanistan, but at the same time lucidly, simply and clearly delineating the difference between Syria and Iraq, between the need to show resolve versus the need to display braggadocio. Obama made the speech relatable to the average Joe by expressing their fears and hopes, and at the same time putting perspective on the current situation. Obama made the cause for action based on its potential to eventually threaten America.

Obama assuaged fears by assuring that the strikes will be limited, that no troops will be placed on the ground in Syria and that the strike will send a message to Assad and other dictators that the use of ChemWeap's will not be tolerated by civilized societies.

I never thought Obama could pull something as good as this speech, especially at the time were moods are low and the potential for another adventurism is coloring people's thoughts on Syria. Nevertheless, Obama has always been good at rhetorics, but this time, he made it work. Reports indicate that after his speech, 6 in 10 Americans now back him.

The Syria Saga: Syria Accepts Russian Plan for International Custody of ChemWea

In the continuing headache as to what to do with Syria, a new development indicates that Syria has accepted a Russian proposal to keep Syrian Chemical Weapons under International Custody. The US has not closed its doors on said proposal.

The challenge however is who will compose the international team, where will they be deployed, for how long will they be deployed, how will they be deployed and who will guarantee their security are some questions that have to be answered. Will the rebels, in a fit of anger over the international refusal to strike Syria, vent its anger and frustration at the UN inspectors monitoring the ChemWea? Will the Syrian government be truthful about its stockpile of ChemWea? More importantly, will the Syrian government provide adequate security to the UN weapons inspectors? Or whatever they will be called.

It is clear that the world is really not in the mood for another potential misadventure in another Middle Eastern blackhole. Even in France, there is an increasing call against Pres. Hollande's plan to attack Syria. In America itself, more and more people are venting their feelings against the plan to strike Syria en masse.

As of date, the plan to put Syrian ChemWea under international supervision will provide a good alternative to a military strike. It will however, signal to some Syrian regime personalities that the world is in fact not going to do anything, regardless of what the regime will do, and potentially bring about more horrific acts later on.

And so the story continues.....

Is there Faith in Atheism?

I recently came across this FB post:

"Atheism brags the efficiency and sufficiency of science to explain reality, philosophy and ethics. Well, scientism is self-contradictory since what is affirmed (that is, the claim that science is the only valid method to know reality) cannot be proven through the use of scientific method. Well, it takes "faith" for an atheist to believe it. "I believe it because I believe it so."

First, science does not claim to explain philosophical discourses and ethical questions, but science helps philosophy and ethics understand some of its concepts better and more accurately. I have not seen scientists even trying to propound Kant's concept of duty as something that can be explained by science. Nevertheless, science research in various fields such as sociology have constantly demonstrated that the creation of human societies has concomitantly resulted in the establishment of social duties and responsibilities. The fulfillment of such duties and responsibilities is a trade-off for the benefits the individual can receive through a society such as security, and a sense of belonging and identity among others. Ethical questions have been better understood in the light of scientific discoveries such as for example the concept that the white race is superior to the black race. Science has taught us that the first human beings came from the Africa, more specifically the eastern side of Africa. In a sense, science helped us understood that we are, after all, Africans. This has greatly fostered a more tolerant and accepting view of other races. Indeed, it has made modern man realize that we are literally brothers and sisters.

Second, science does not exclude other forms of understanding reality. But science has proven itself competent in showing for example that only through testable means can we truly understand reality. In other words, science is the best way of understanding reality. The advances of the past two thousand years clearly show this, from the rudimentary but no less insightful ideas of the Ancient Greeks to the superstitious world-view of Medieval Europe to the science and technology driven milieu of the 21st century, science can undoubtedly be credited with helping more people achieve a better life - we now live healthier, longer and more comfortable. Science has played a role in all of these advancements. But in all these, science has never outlawed or suppressed the practice of other forms of understanding reality, indeed, it has showed man that science has a better, albeit imperfect, grasp of the best means of discovering ourselves and the world we live in. 

There may be faith in science, as when in 1963 Peter Higgs postulated, without then a proof, that a so-called Higgs-Boson can theoretically exist. Such postulate was only proven in 2012 with the experiments conducted at the CERN in Switzerland that indeed, there is such a thing as a Higgs-Boson. But faith in science is not blind, it is in fact an educated guess based on mathematical constructs and principles. If there is faith in science, it is that there is more to know and that our understanding of reality is changing, dynamic and fluid. In a word, there is more than meets the eye. 

Faith in science is not the faith of religion, where blind acceptance of unproven claims even when eventually disproved otherwise, are held in high esteem regardless of evidence to the contrary. Faith in science is faith that knowledge can be changed once evidence to the contrary is incontrovertibly proven. 

What is faith in science is nothing more than educated guess based on the principles that knowledge is never static. Religious faith claims finality, irrevocability and most of all, a suppression of reason to maintain its integrity.

Obama Against the World

By now it is increasingly clear that the world rejects any form of military strike against the almost 3 year old Syrian Civil War. It has also become clear that most Americans are against any strike in Syria. Obama is practically isolated in his desire to attack Syria, albeit on a limited scale.

Obama has a long and lonely road on the matter of striking Syria. A long and lonely road against an American public in particular and the wider world in general weary and traumatized by the spectacular misadventures of George W. Bush in Iraq and Afghanistan. Everyone is really tired of the seemingly endless retinue of wars and conflicts that have disheartened and exhausted the world. It is no surprising that Obama will have an uphill battle in the manner of providing a convincing argument for a support to strike Syria. As a matter of fact, I don't think the American public or even the community of nations is in the mood of getting tangled in Syria, regardless of the reason, and for that matter, regardless of the cost to life heaped by Bashar al-Assad against his own people.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)

"To love is to destroy." Valentine

And the movie is quite hard to love, no surprise then that it showed a poor showing in the box office. Pun aside, the storyline is quite slow and boring, although some action was pumped towards the middle part of the movie that is sustained and thrilling.

The plot is the common formula for teenage love stories cum vampire movies/horror/thriller genre. Not much is exciting in the movie, except perhaps the suppressed love of Simon for Clary, the homosexual attraction of Alec for Jace and the incestuous relationship, albeit unknowingly, between Clary and Jace.

The acting was moderately good, the special effects are ok, and the originality factor would be a 2 out of 10. I had fun watching it, but can't be missed once you're out of the theatre. I was expecting more from the movie, something is missing though, something that should have made the story more gripping.

Choosing the Best Smartphone

With the dizzying proliferation of smartphones nowadays, one would find the task alone of choosing which one best fits one's needs is almost a study in urban planning. This article makes the hussle and bussle of smartphone shopping truly easier.

The winner? Well the article lists the various criteria used in determining the particular strengths of the different smartphone models but presents an overall assessment of the top 10 top of the line products. Samsung's Galaxy S4 gets it big with 97 (out of 100), making it on number one followed by HTC One at 96 together with Apple's iPhone 5, Samsung Galaxy S3 and Motorola Droid Razr Maxx HD.

One thing good about the article is that it presents each models' strengths on 6 major performance aspect and provides the most appropriate handset model suited for one's lifestyle.

TV SHOW REVIEW: Suits S03E08

Probably the best episode of this season, a gripping story of betrayal, cunning, determination, frustrations and yes, love. From Louis' projected anger against former associate Harold Gunderson to Cameron Dennis' perpetual duel with Harvey to Ava Hessington's sense of betrayal against Edward Darby's sending Stephen Huntley to supposedly protect her to Jessica and Harvey's realization to forgive each other for each other's foleys. Drama reaches its zenith, tearful as it is nail-biting, it is one which one expects when watching a slasher flick, without of course the gruesome violence of senseless killings. This season brings the thrill to new heights, the wait to aching levels, and the longing to unbearable lengths.

This episode is about moving on but never forgetting, its about the past shaping the present, its about the present painting the future.

Debating on Friday

For the first time in a long time, I will representing my class in our law days debate. I have never been really a part of any debating team, nor was I ever trained in the rudiments of debate, but this opportunity I cannot pass, as it comes once in a while, and although I have apprehensions as to its outcome, I am willing to face the challenge with an open mind and a determined heart.

Mustering the intellectual stamina as well as the requisite analytical and linguistic skills will be a challenge to behold. And yes, I will do my best, my utmost best to give a decent fight.

Life is like a constant debate, but unlike the traditional debate where the masterful play of words and a scheming mind works to one's advantage, the real "life debate" is the sustained battle of wills, hearts and minds. Come Friday, the art of mustering my long lost debating skills will be tested to the maximum. Bring it on! I dare say. Bring it on!

Chinese Incursions into Philippine Territory Continues

The recent report indicating concrete blocks were found off the waters of Panatag Shoal, just across Zambales as reported by Inquirer.net is clear that a construction plan is underway.

Unfortunately, the Philippines can only watch, and watch, and watch until one day the country will rise to find China in its doorstep. What can a poor, chronically corrupt, socially fragmented society do?

Obama will Not Attack Syria

President Obama's gesture to remanding to Congress the decision to go to war signals his intention not to go to war. And I think it's fine.

Pundits have been calculating that to do nothing in Syria will lead to probably more gassing, and hence, more deaths. To do something, as in to conduct military operations on a limited scale will barely change things either. In other words, there are no good results for any action in Syria - as of today.

I think Obama will get a political kick out of his decision to engage Congress on the matter. The Republican held lower house has consistently blocked, delayed, harassed and simply stalled almost all policy initiatives by Obama simply because it was HIS policy initiatives. Indeed, some members of Congress wrote to Obama in the days after the Aug. 21 attack to urge the president to involve Congress in any decision to attack Syria. Now that they have been given the honor, let's say how the recalcitrant Republicans will deal with the matter. If they do approve of the strike and it goes horribly wrong, they will get the blame for authorizing it, if they don't approve of the same, they will get the blame for allowing the slaughter of innocent civilians.

I am just excited how the US Congress will deal with the matter. They have so far been good at only one thing, opposing everything Obama does because it is Obama's initiative. Mmmmm. Bring it on Republicans!

Why President Aquino handed Janet Napoles to the PNP and not to the NBI?

On August 28, 2013 at about 9PM Janet Napoles surrendered directly to Pres. Aquino. In turn, the president escorted the latter to the PNP. The NBI, who was the lead agency tasked with finding and capturing Janet Napoles was caught flabbergasted by the events. It was clear that the agency not only failed  to find and capture Napoles, it was not even handed the benefit of her surrender. A tacit way of saying, "you suck!"

Of course, the president in an Inquirer report indicated that the task force organized to capture Napoles could not be expected to handle everything, adding further that the agency was stretched thin. I think President Aquino was just being nice. What he was really saying is that the NBI is not only incompetent and corrupt, it was also peopled by people who most likely tipped off Napoles herself. Janet Napoles on the other hand has always maintained that she does not trust the NBI. This is fair considering that the witnesses against Napoles' shenanigans are in the protection and custody of the NBI. However, for an agency whose expertise is supposedly finding people, especially if the people it is trying to find is hiding only in Metro Manila, and that it still could not find the same, speaks of the agency's rotten culture and administration. It is more filthy than any poorly maintained back of the street public restroom!

The NBI's legendary incompetence is only matched by its consistent failure to actually perform the task it was supposedly created to do - finding fugitives! In addition, it is also tasked with gathering intelligence that are a threat to public safety, order and peace not to mention information that presents an existential threat to the Republic of the Philippines. If the NBI cannot even track a known fugitive, IN MANILA no less! Then how the heck can it be credibly counted upon to gather intelligence concerning more critical information, information upon which the very survival of our democracy, however flawed it may be, depends?

President Aquino should purge the agency of charlatans pretending to be conducting public service. It is an agency, like the Bureau of Customs, the DILG and even in fact the PNP, ruled by mafiosi bosses, much like the Congress of the Philippines is.

No wonder the Philippines is reeling from a chronic cycle of poverty and more poverty!

Thoughts to Ponder

Dark Days Ahead for the Middle East

The world is at a doldrum these days, to say the least. The gathering of warships in the Mediterranean Sea is an omen of nasty things to come.

Whatever the outcome, bloodshed will be the name, death will be the game, war will be for all a burden.

Janet Napoles' surrender and the NBI

Barely a week after President Aquino announced a PHP 10 million reward for information that will lead to the arrest of Janet Napoles, the latter found herself surrendering to no less than the president himself.

If there is one thing I observed in the run up to Napoles' surrender, it is the veritable fact that the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) seems to show with finality and clarity that it is INDEED AND IN FACT incompetent of the highest degree. Ever since the arrest warrant was issued for the arrest of the controversial "pork barrel" queen, the NBI has failed to arrest, much less locate her.

The NBI is useless, incompetent and basically inutile. If anything, it is an embarrassment to any government. It is a paper agency. It exists only to issue NBI clearances and other security documents. If the NBI could not even locate Napoles, who the entire time was just hiding in Metro Manila, how could such agency be counted upon to secure evidence and find fugitives who hide all around the country?

The agency is a bunch of moronic, myopic and fickle minded bureaucrats who stuff themselves with tax payers money and splurge it on houses, cars and vacations. In fact, the agency should be awarded, along with the Philippine National Police (PNP) a lifetime achievement award for gross incompetence!

U.S. Strike on Syria Imminent: Implications for Middle East Stability

By now it is undoubtedly clear that chemical weapons were indeed used in the killing of several Syrian men, women and children last August 21. Now the big question on everyone's mind is, what will America do about it?

Before answering such a question, a primary task will be to identify who perpetrated the attack? Some reports indicate that a few days before the chemical attack, Israeli intelligence intercepted chatter from Syrian military commanders about the movement of chemical stocks. Although such actions are circumstantial evidence, we need to wait further results from the U.N. inspection team currently in Syria to determine what chemical was used and another pertinent technical data which could point to the real actor behind the attack. FP reported that US intelligence even overhead a panicked call between a regime official and a commander of a chemical unit about the release of chemical agents that killed 1,000 people. What is not clear is whether the attack was even ordered by Assad or was the work of a rogue general.

Second, the need to act is needed otherwise it will embolden the Assad regime to escalate the brutality of future its actions. As the CNN report indicate, to not act would do more harm than to act.

Now comes the question, what should America do? The Obama administration is loathe to get the US involved in anther Middle Eastern quagmire and so the most likely US response would be a missile or drone attack. Such attack would lessen the risk to US life, indeed avoid it altogether. Regardless, any military response must not be too crushing as to actually collapse the current regime. However unpalatable that may sound, the risk of a militant Islamist regime that has a high likelihood of taking its place is too high and not to mention the ensuing free for all slaughter that will eventually come through as rebels kill each other off as they scramble to consolidate power. Remember Iraq after Saddam's fall?

Without doubt, the fall of the current regime will trigger a graver, more brutal, chaotic and repressive Middle East, much worse, much, much worse than Iraq has ever been as Iran will surely insert itself as it already has through Hezbollah further into the conflict. The proxy war now played out between Saudi Arabia and Qatar on one side and Iran through Hezbollah on the other will become full blown to say the least. Meanwhile, civilians will die as never before since the start of the conflict two years ago. Killing will become a constant, daily, hourly even phenomenon.

The West will never be able to guarantee a friendly and reasonable ally to replace Assad. At the current retinue of rebels, none could possibly be counted upon to respect personal liberties, not to mention the rights of minorities such as the Alawites, Christians and other religious groups. The collapse of the Assad regime will precipitate the genocide of the Alawites as they move into its coastal strongholds.

America should militarily strike Assad after the chemical attack, but only after a thorough UN report has been made, studied and published so as to categorically lay the blame for the attack on the current regime and to ensure that a strong message is sent to Assad to avoid such future tactics.

The mistakes of Iraq must be avoided by America this time. All possible research has to be done to gather all needed information. War is a messy business, and in many cases, is needed to ensure peace, save lives and restore order, but it must be planned well to ensure that it will not create even more problems than it purports to solve.

The Unholy Character of the Philippine Legislature

The scandalous incident surrounding the PDAF imbroglio highlights the mob like nature of Philippine Legislative processes. Where else in the world will you find a Congress that hands out money to anyone they like in the guise of conducting various imagined social activities, plans and programs. Congress is supposed to be that branch of government committed to the crafting of prudent, relevant and essential laws, not giving social work and programs directly to its various constituents.

This frankensteinian concept of congress is ripe, as expected, to essentially breed corruption at its highest order. Instead of focusing on legislation, congress becomes one professionalized criminal enterprise with tentacles that practically covers the whole spectrum of Philippine society. This cancerous order of robbery conducted under the very noses of the people who pretended to elect them pretends in turn to serve and legislate.

Congress in the Philippines is really a playground of the rich and corrupt, almost mafia-like, as it is characterized by relations of kith and kin, immune to the constraints of law itself and insulated from the harsh realities of Filipino life as almost all its members are cocooned in a lifestyle of wanton excess and decadence.

A cursory look at the make-up of the current Philippine legislature will show a club practically for the rich, the highborn and the fabulously moneyed class. They perpetuate themselves by giving themselves and their closed circle of croonies enormous sums of money bled by the work of millions of daily Filipino wage earners.

Tragedy is the Philippine congress itself! The single most structurally oppressive institution in Philippine life. Exasperating is a word that best defines its vision, its mission, enrichment of the moneyed class as it preys on the crawling bodies of millions of Filipino wallowing in a sea of grinding poverty and marginalized, abused and exploited millions more who work in foreign lands.

Tragedy.

The Suffocating Talk on PDAF: The Pork Barrel as Greasy as it could Get

I have been quietly listening to the barrage of unending coverage over the PDAF of lawmakers making a constant buzz over the airwaves over the past four weeks. Indeed, it is bordering on obsession. Everyone talks about it, no one seems really to understand its implications - ever.

While President Aquino has signaled his willingness to revamp the PDAF, unless the Filipino people truly become politically mature, socially proactive and culturally re-educated about our own culture, we will have more of the same, as usual.

The PDAF is a symptom of the damaged, sclerotic cultural climate that the Philippines can't seem to get over. It is the entrenched character of patronage politics, the Filipino sense that politics is really stealing, the belief that corruption is unavoidable, and so therefore everyone must just take advantage of power and connections and get the best for oneself and one's family.

The Filipino lack of national cultural consciousness is at the root of the problem. Unless we educate ourselves about ourselves, about our culture, about our heritage, then government is seen by the people and politicians alike as a treasure chest to be plundered. The Filipino people is as guilty as the rapacious politicians who steal from the national coffers almost as a hobby bordering on kleptomania. In fact, the Filipino people perpetuates corruption, allows corruption and practically advertises the need for corruption when the average Juan demands from politicians money during elections, begs for money instead of better services, and most of all, tolerates corruption by repeatedly electing the same set of rotten cabal of political cadre with nothing to offer to the people except saturate them with money and other superficial material assistance during elections only. It is as if the Filipino people demands mediocrity from its political leaders - nothing else by that chronic slave attitude of perpetual sucking up to those in power.

They say that even in a flawed democracy like ours, it is still the people who elects, who chooses, who tolerates the ingrained culture of thievery in Philippine politics. There is corruption because the average Filipino accepts corruption as a necessary facet of politics.

Hope is nowhere to be found than the Filipino mind realizing its self-induced surrender to the whims of vested interests must go. We have to GROW up as a people politically, culturally and nationally. Otherwise, a year from now, we will have more of the same, this brouhaha about the Napoles Scam will just be another figment of our fickle national memory - until of course the next juicy political scandal rears itself again.

Bayani ng Bayan

Kahapon ay idinaos ng sambayang Filipino ang Araw ng mga Bayani, isang pagkakataon para kilalanin, bigyan pansin at parangalan ang mga aral, buhay at bilin ng ating mga bayani, bayaning nagluwas ng kanilang sariling mga buhay para sa inang bayan, para sa bayang sa larangan ng kasaysayan ay nagdusa, naghirap, at inapi.

Kailangan ng Pilipinas, higit man sa nakaraan, ang pagusbong nga mga bagong bayani. Mga bayaning hindi takot ipaglaban, isulong at ipagtanggol ang interes, kalinangan at buhay ng Pilipinas. Kailangan ng bayang nga mga taong buo ang pusong ibigay ang sarili sa ikabubuti, ikasusulong at ikagagaling ng bayan.

Ang pagkabayani ay hindi lamang isang estado ng pag-iisip, ito ay isang katayuang pagmamalasakit, pagsisikap, pagtulong at paglaban para sa kaluwalhatian ng bayan, ng bawat mamamayan, ng kinabukasan nating lahat.

Ang isang bayani ay isang mamamayang sa isip, sa puso at sa gawa ay panatag ang tiwala na kayang umunlad ang Pilipinas kung kayang ipagpaliban ang mga makasariling, makapamilyang gawaing naghubog sa ating kasaysayan simula ng sakupin tayo ng mga dayuhang mapang-api. Ang bayani ay tayong lahat na naniniwalang kung tulong-tulong, uunlad ang bayan, uunlad tayong lahat.

May pag-asa ang bayan, ang pag-asa ay tayong mga mamamayan.

My Favorite Plane

Burly yet sexy

Big yet suave

Embracing wings

Moving sight

Elegant in the skies

Royal on land

A road  to air adventure

Adventure in the sky

Someday I will ride you

To kiss the skies forever.

Microsoft and Empires: The Hubristic Tendency of Success

A recent article basically chronicled the symptoms that made the Microsoft of today a mere shadow of the Microsoft of the past. This was amidst the backdrop of Steve Ballmer's departure as the head honcho of the software titan.

Without doubt, Microsoft still rules the PC market, cornering more than 80% of worldwide personal computer share. But like empires of the past, it has slowly lost its mojo over the years. Indeed, some people are questioning Microsoft's future with the advent of tablet computers and super smart smartphones. Unlike the empires of the past, Microsoft has impacted lives in unimaginable ways, transformed the personal computing landscape into something more user-directed, giving flexibility and dynamism to many tasks, personal or otherwise.

However, I agree with the author of the aforesaid article that success, and I fairly say too much deserved success, has somehow made Microsoft complacent. This has resulted in spectacularly redundant software releases like Vista or engaged in buying sprees that has not helped the Microsoft brand be seen as the brand of the future, like when it acquired Hotmail in 1997.

So the age old saying does indeed ring true, success sometimes could get into someones head enough to make one myopic, complacent and simply arrogant. Without doubt, success brings power, and more power, it seems, leads to more complacency and arrogance. This is certainly true among individuals, and no less true among companies - Microsoft included.

I do not however, share the author's predilection to believe that Microsoft could go, although it could indeed go to the dustbins of tech history as wonders of the past - think Lotus or Palm among others, as long as the PC market remains viable. Indeed, Microsoft has become so successful in the PC sector that it has become the PC sector. It has defined the market in so profound and comprehensive ways that the two have almost become synonymous, at least to the average computer user.

Microsoft may give the world a surprise in the years to come, in as much as past history reveals the rapid obsolescence of once jeweled tech companies, Microsoft may not go that easily. Let us see what it will bring to the software market, especially the PC market in the years to come...surprise might await us. Let's see.

Documentary Review: History of Jerusalem: Reclaiming Zion

A refreshing documentary about the history, drama, conflict and life of probably the most fought city in world history, Jerusalem. Sacred to the three Abrahamic faiths, it however, was never spared of the most barbarous brutality man has ever committed.

Seen within the neutral lens of historical events, this BBC documentary shows in refreshing light the struggle to bask in Jerusalem's perceived holiness and brings the viewer to the complex realities that have shaped and continues to shape Jerusalem.

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: Buckingham Palace

I have always been fascinated by palaces. And probably one of my favorite palaces is Buckingham Palace. A documentary show produced by BBC clearly showcased the Buckingham Palace's rich history, architecture and drama.

A very insightful look into the birth of one of the greatest continuously used palaces still in existence, the show captures the awe, the grandeur and the mystery behind the historical background that gave the world this wonderful piece of human endeavor, dedication and commitment.

It's a story about more than just the worldly whims of its various residents, it's a story of a bygone era coming to grips with its power and all the trappings that go along with it as well as encapsulating the drama of wars that have shaped the history of Britain and the world. It is, so to speak, a story of a nation's coming to terms with a new reality, a new world order while looking back at its great past.

Very moving, very insightful, very dramatic documentary. It's more than the building, it is so to speak, the story of all of us.

Metro Manila under Seige, under Water

Yesterday's evening news reported that up to 70% of Metro Manila is under water, or more technically, flooded. This is not unusual, indeed, it is a perennial occurrence and a moving testament to incompetence, corruption and a lack of political foresight, leadership and direction. In more ways than one, it is also the failure of the Filipino people in general and of the country's political leaders in particular to plan for the future.

As such, occurrences such as this one is no accident. It is simply stupidity at its most intractable and incorrigible manner. When will we learn?

TV SHOW REVIEW: Dexter S08E08

I was really hoping that Dexter would find in Zack a protege, but as it turns out, Zack was killed by the yet unknown serial killer. Dr. Vogel may be in danger again, and I strongly suspect that the unknown killer is probably one she knows already, and not necessarily a former or even current patient.

Hannah will have to leave, as people are looking for her, not to mention Deb's former boss in the detective agency she worked is hot on her heels.

I loved the scene were Dexter, Hannah, Zack and Dr. Vogel ate dinner at the latter's house. It's like they found in each other a de facto family - of serial killers (except of course Dr. Vogel, probably the only one who thrives on the study of such socially maligned people, as they so rightfully deserve).

My favorite TV show is about to end, and I will miss it forever.

Should the 2014 Sochi Olympics be boycotted?

The recent infamous law signed by President Vladimir Putin in Russia has brought a lot of attention from the world's media lately. Of course, I am talking about the anti-gay law that has been the talk of the world's progressive thinkers. The law could not have come at a worse time, the upcoming 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics will forever be shadowed by the discriminatory law enacted in Russia. This has rattled nerves in the west, with some even encouraging Western liberal democracies to boycott said event, others prefer that the games move on, encouraging athletes however to don  pink ribbons as a show of defiance against the Russian government and as an act of solidarity with the LGBT community of Russia.

The law prohibits members of the LGBT community from publicly expressing their sexual orientation, punishes those who talk about LGBT issues to persons less than 18 years old and demonizes those who are LGBT by painting them as abomination and freaks of nature.

The law has no place in any modern, educated, progressive, rational and scientific milieu. It is an archaic, medieval, short-sighted and frankly, morose law that does not have any place in any modern society. While I agree that sports should transcend political and religious issues, I also believe that sports, as an endeavor of discipline, self-control, camaraderie and human self-expression, should not condone immoral, repressive and inhumane practices such as the anti-LGBT law recently enacted in Russia.

Therefore, progressive nations of the world, especially those nations who have recognized same-sex marriage, should not attend said olympics, for to do so would practically sanction the violence that the law inspires and effectively protects, but would also endanger the very ideals of open-mindedness and humanism that said countries have so enshrined in their acceptance of the right of same-sex couples to marry.

The Sochi Olympics should not be attended by nations who have been shining examples of secular humanist, rational and scientific progressivism. By refusing to attend the Sochi Olympics, they show to the world that they are really, really serious about the equality of all men and women and will  most likely be forever remembered for their principled stand against backward, medieval and insecure legislation that is best exemplified by the anti-LGBT Russian law.

Tacloban Freethinkers Society's First Meet-up

The Tacloban Freethinkers Society had their first meet-up yesterday at Patio Victoria, San Jose, Tacloban City. The first set of officers were elected as well as the first part of the Constitutional Amendments were deliberated.

Although the proposed TFS constitution has yet to be deliberated in its entirety, the Society's founding members have committed themselves to ensuring that the said constitution be completed on their next meet-up on September.

To understand more about the TFS, please visit their FB page at Tacloban Freethinkers Society.

The Face of Ultimate Greed: Janet Napoles and the Filipino Ruling Elite

Philippine Aircarriers' in the Red

Recent reports indicate that Philippine carriers PAL and Cebu Pacific have suffered declines in profits. Such was however related to the fluctuations in the peso value as well as the expansion programs of the two carriers.

In order to compete globally and encourage the local costumer base to fly their respective planes, PAL and Cebu Pacific should streamline their respective organizations, eliminate redundant employees, offer value for money services which include passenger amenities such as free wi-fi, dedicated on-line reservations systems and a 5-kilo free carry-on allowance. In addition, the said carriers should be creative and proactive in their advertising by promoting local tourist destinations, support causes like environmental protection and habitat preservation.

In order to be competitive, locally and globally, PAL and Cebu Pacific should study and learn from the likes of low cost carriers like Ryanair and regular carriers like Singapore Airlines. In an increasingly cut-throat aviation market, strategy in management and in public relations can do wonders in making a company's bottonline liquid and hot.

Bartending is an Art and a Science

Upon being given a cocktail mix by Penny, Leonard in the hit TV series The Big Bang Theory retorts: "... this drink is a wonderful example of how liquids with different specific gravities interact in a cylindrical container."

Leonard is right and by extension, bartending is indeed more than mere mixing of fluids, it is science in itself. And more than just being a science, it is also an art, where the creativity of the bartender is tested as he combines fluids to create a unique tasting experience.

I love bartending and have been doing so since 2009, starting out with friends as we hang out in my house during weekends. It's a great feeling actually to be able to play around with various fluids and consistencies, colors and flavors, aromas and viscosities. Even more than being a science and an art, bartending is a social experience really, a way for a bartender to relate with the world in the magic of the glass he fills with his concoction.

There is for a me a special quality of bartending, that it is creating a new meaning to the world in the delicate flavors created and projecting an experience of fun, excitement and awe to the drinking customers. Truly, a bartender is a philosopher of the glass interpreting what beauty is through the language of the tongue.

Peace in Palestine

I agree with recent reports indicating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may be the biggest stumbling block in achieving peace in the Middle East. For one, Bibi believes that there is a fundamental clash of civilizations between the West and Islam, and for that, Israel will never really be at peace with its neighbors.

I agree - with Bibi. Israel can never and should never retreat to the pre-1967 borders. To do so would be a ticking time bomb that will explode in Israel's face in the foreseeable future. The Arab world has never and will most likely never accept Israel, and given historical precedents, such stance by the Arab world will in all likelihood and for all intents and purposes, will continue.

Israel has to retain the West Bank at its present condition and status. That is the only way for Israel to have a reasonable chance for survival in the future. Israel's neighbors are populated by angry masses and governed by even more angrier fanatical Islamists. Given the chance, the opportunity and the resources, they will in no time and without a doubt hammer to destroy Israel. The instability of Arab politics, not to mention its cadre of either secular corrupt rulers or single-minded, ruthless Islamists will ensure that the Middle East will become a playground for violence and hatred in the next decade or so.

Unless a grassroots renaissance sweeps the Middle East, the ordinary Arab will always see a one-sided view of things biased against Israel, regardless of the outcome of any peace agreement. Israel therefore has no choice but to hedge its security, future and existence not with an Independent Palestinian state, but for continued control to the West Bank.

The ephemeral nature of Arab politics suggests that even if a Palestinian state would exist, it's control by secularists is by no means guaranteed, and without a secular, progressive leaning Palestinian state, Israel's security will always be hostage to the whims and caprices of Islamists who seem to agree in one thing - the destruction of Israel. Therefore, peace will never be at Israel's hand for the long term, it has to always think in terms of contingencies, and contingencies include the retention of the West Bank, the whole of Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. It has no choice because the Arab world has never moved beyond seeing Israel as a thing to be destroyed.

Unfortunately, Bibi is right and peace in the Middle East has as always, been elusive.