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.
Sabado, Agosto 31, 2013
Biyernes, Agosto 30, 2013
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!
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!
Huwebes, Agosto 29, 2013
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.
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.
Miyerkules, Agosto 28, 2013
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.
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.
Martes, Agosto 27, 2013
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.
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.
Lunes, Agosto 26, 2013
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.
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.
Linggo, Agosto 25, 2013
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.
Sabado, Agosto 24, 2013
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.
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.
Biyernes, Agosto 23, 2013
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.
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.
Huwebes, Agosto 22, 2013
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.
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.
Miyerkules, Agosto 21, 2013
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?
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?
Martes, Agosto 20, 2013
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.
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.
Lunes, Agosto 19, 2013
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.
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.
Linggo, Agosto 18, 2013
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.
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.
Sabado, Agosto 17, 2013
Biyernes, Agosto 16, 2013
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.
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.
Huwebes, Agosto 15, 2013
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.
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.
Miyerkules, Agosto 14, 2013
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.
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.
Martes, Agosto 13, 2013
Dexter's Car
This is the car of my favorite TV character, Dexter Morgan. It's a Ford Escape. It's a sexy car and my kind of car. Just watching it makes my day already.
Lunes, Agosto 12, 2013
If
If there was a god
good and kind as he is
If there was a god
caring and loving to man
If there was a god
just or merciful
If there was a god
powerful and omniscient
then suffering would not exist,
evil would not persist,
war and famine would never be known
But alas, there is suffering,
there is pain, there is war, there is powerlessness,
there is ignorance,
there is hardship...
If only man believes in himself
in his power to transform the world
in his inherent greatness to do good,
as well as his capacity to do great evil
Then what matters, what really matters
Is that man creates his own life,
assigns its own meaning,
and thereby create its own solutions
to solving humanity's greatest challenges.
If only man sees that after all
After everything has been said and done
God is man himself externalizing himself
Explaining the world to himself
For himself
For his benefit.
Man is God ossified to impossibility and contradictions,
improbability and ignorance,
insecurity and rigidity.
If man frees himself
From deities high above
Of which he himself has invented
then the greatest potential of man
is man released from fearfulness
to man confident of the world
to explore and discover it
to understand and savor it
If only....
then only....
good and kind as he is
If there was a god
caring and loving to man
If there was a god
just or merciful
If there was a god
powerful and omniscient
then suffering would not exist,
evil would not persist,
war and famine would never be known
But alas, there is suffering,
there is pain, there is war, there is powerlessness,
there is ignorance,
there is hardship...
If only man believes in himself
in his power to transform the world
in his inherent greatness to do good,
as well as his capacity to do great evil
Then what matters, what really matters
Is that man creates his own life,
assigns its own meaning,
and thereby create its own solutions
to solving humanity's greatest challenges.
If only man sees that after all
After everything has been said and done
God is man himself externalizing himself
Explaining the world to himself
For himself
For his benefit.
Man is God ossified to impossibility and contradictions,
improbability and ignorance,
insecurity and rigidity.
If man frees himself
From deities high above
Of which he himself has invented
then the greatest potential of man
is man released from fearfulness
to man confident of the world
to explore and discover it
to understand and savor it
If only....
then only....
Linggo, Agosto 11, 2013
Great Weekend!
What a weekend for me
Relax and meet old friends
Eat in a fine restaurant
Reminisce days bygone
Celebrate others
Joy to behold
Amidst a rainy weekend
Ready now for a new week!
Relax and meet old friends
Eat in a fine restaurant
Reminisce days bygone
Celebrate others
Joy to behold
Amidst a rainy weekend
Ready now for a new week!
Sabado, Agosto 10, 2013
Don't Sue the Coast Guard Personnel
It's a tragedy that those who do their job gets the boot!
This is what happened when a recent report indicated that the Coast Guard personnel who killed Taiwanese fishermen will be sued for homicide in the May 9, 2013 death of said fishermen. Although I am not aware of the details, the incident could not have escalated to what it did if the Taiwanese fishermen stopped their boat and had themselves checked by the Coast Guard men.
The Philippines should not sue these men as they did what they did trying to uphold the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. Indeed, we are lacking in men and women in government who do their job well enough to risk their own lives, these men are doing just that. They did what they did considering the circumstances they were faced with. There is one thing clear, the Taiwanese fishing vessel did not heed the Coast Guard commands. In fact, they attempted to flee.
If the Coast Guard personnel who figured in the May 9 incident gets sued and convicted, then what are we sending the message that this country is not worth fighting for, not worth dying for, simply NOT WORTH!
FREE THE COAST GUARD MEN!
This is what happened when a recent report indicated that the Coast Guard personnel who killed Taiwanese fishermen will be sued for homicide in the May 9, 2013 death of said fishermen. Although I am not aware of the details, the incident could not have escalated to what it did if the Taiwanese fishermen stopped their boat and had themselves checked by the Coast Guard men.
The Philippines should not sue these men as they did what they did trying to uphold the laws of the Republic of the Philippines. Indeed, we are lacking in men and women in government who do their job well enough to risk their own lives, these men are doing just that. They did what they did considering the circumstances they were faced with. There is one thing clear, the Taiwanese fishing vessel did not heed the Coast Guard commands. In fact, they attempted to flee.
If the Coast Guard personnel who figured in the May 9 incident gets sued and convicted, then what are we sending the message that this country is not worth fighting for, not worth dying for, simply NOT WORTH!
FREE THE COAST GUARD MEN!
Biyernes, Agosto 9, 2013
Murder up High: The Janet Lim-Napoles Controversy
And so another saga of theft brews around with the story of Jane Lim-Napoles making the internet rounds in the past days. Reading the Inquirer account about this story of greed and unimaginable greed is just exasperating and insulting to say the least. While millions of Filipino's eke out a meager living and millions more toil to pay their due taxes, a select cabal of glorified psychopaths pour salt, grime and gasoline on the collective consciousness with a lifestyle funded by the sweat and blood of the Filipino masses.
The story of Janet Napoles is a story of how we as a society have failed to reign in the crass materialism and consumerism of our cultural transformation. The relentless pursuit of material wealth up to and including doing anything that will further such ends, has corrupted not only the upper crust of our society, but has in fact lulled the Filipino into a state of national stupor - aware but unwilling, suffering yet seemingly unable to find ways to cut that cycle of poverty, corruption and vested interests of the ruling elite. Nay, corruption is a national past time. The Filipino actually has quietly accepted corruption as a necessity - a tragedy indeed!
There is a creeping possibility that Janet Napoles will soon be forgotten, and remain unpunished - if that is what she deserves, and which she probably deserves. The relentless media coverage will soon wither away, the Filipino will soon move to the next controversy. It seems that we are enjoying our fate - too comfortable actually with the rut of suffocating poverty, the glut of aimless street urchins lurking about in all Philippine cities is a sight we have come to quietly accept.
The Filipino of the 21st century is dead. Dead to the realities of life, yet living in the delusions of organized religion, really organized delusions, while neglecting, forgetting, and simply treading the filth of institutionalized greed.
I am not hopeless about the Filipino condition. I am a Filipino in this condition. I am the Filipino condition. I tell myself that to give up on my country is to give up on my future and the future that can be great for all of us. Hope is overused, stale even, but a word I tell myself is the chance to see myself in a Philippines that is great in all that that word means.
I am hopeful, hopeful for a renewed sense of national consciousness that is patriotic as it is nationalistic, aggressive without being jingoistic, prudent without being reckless, indeed, secular and truly democratic in that it is inclusive without being egoistic.
There is hope in all this mess, shocking though they may be to the most decent of conscience, it is still a product of our cultural sclerosis. There is hope because lest we forget, we are the hope that hope can depend on, we are the hope because we are the Philippines. We can change, we can be better. We have to begin with our individual selves.
The story of Janet Napoles is a story of how we as a society have failed to reign in the crass materialism and consumerism of our cultural transformation. The relentless pursuit of material wealth up to and including doing anything that will further such ends, has corrupted not only the upper crust of our society, but has in fact lulled the Filipino into a state of national stupor - aware but unwilling, suffering yet seemingly unable to find ways to cut that cycle of poverty, corruption and vested interests of the ruling elite. Nay, corruption is a national past time. The Filipino actually has quietly accepted corruption as a necessity - a tragedy indeed!
There is a creeping possibility that Janet Napoles will soon be forgotten, and remain unpunished - if that is what she deserves, and which she probably deserves. The relentless media coverage will soon wither away, the Filipino will soon move to the next controversy. It seems that we are enjoying our fate - too comfortable actually with the rut of suffocating poverty, the glut of aimless street urchins lurking about in all Philippine cities is a sight we have come to quietly accept.
The Filipino of the 21st century is dead. Dead to the realities of life, yet living in the delusions of organized religion, really organized delusions, while neglecting, forgetting, and simply treading the filth of institutionalized greed.
I am not hopeless about the Filipino condition. I am a Filipino in this condition. I am the Filipino condition. I tell myself that to give up on my country is to give up on my future and the future that can be great for all of us. Hope is overused, stale even, but a word I tell myself is the chance to see myself in a Philippines that is great in all that that word means.
I am hopeful, hopeful for a renewed sense of national consciousness that is patriotic as it is nationalistic, aggressive without being jingoistic, prudent without being reckless, indeed, secular and truly democratic in that it is inclusive without being egoistic.
There is hope in all this mess, shocking though they may be to the most decent of conscience, it is still a product of our cultural sclerosis. There is hope because lest we forget, we are the hope that hope can depend on, we are the hope because we are the Philippines. We can change, we can be better. We have to begin with our individual selves.
Huwebes, Agosto 8, 2013
Good News for Filipino Nurses!
The government will finally hire as employees the thousands of RN Heals volunteers. This is a great development for thousands of Filipino nurses like myself who find it difficult to find gainful employment within the healthcare field.
Kudos to the government!
Kudos to the government!
Miyerkules, Agosto 7, 2013
One Down!
A grueling week of exams has just started two days ago and I'm beginning to feel the heat. Force! be with me!
Martes, Agosto 6, 2013
10 Things I like about The Big Bang Theory
1. The actors are funny. I love the intellectual wit of Sheldon, the libidinal confidence of Howard, the borderline geekiness of Leonard, the gynecologic induced aphasia of Raj, of the cuteness of Penny, the steely bitchiness of Bernadette and the academic buffonity of Amy.
2. The lines are witty. Best line: Leonard: "What would you be if you were attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis?" Sheldon: "Screwed!"
3. It's about friendship. Who would not want a story about the joys, ups and downs of friendships, it's the story of all of us.
4. Yes, it's also about science. And you never thought science could be the object of a funny skit?
5. It's about family. And how family shapes all of us, whether we like it or yes.
6. It's finding love. Like we all do.
7. Some people are just born geniuses. Learning to live with them is another story.
8. Some people are just born like the rest of humanity. That's what makes humanity a mystery in progress.
9. It makes TV viewing both fun and educational.
10. We all have something in common with at least one of the main characters - and that's why I really like it.
2. The lines are witty. Best line: Leonard: "What would you be if you were attached to another object by an inclined plane, wrapped helically around an axis?" Sheldon: "Screwed!"
3. It's about friendship. Who would not want a story about the joys, ups and downs of friendships, it's the story of all of us.
4. Yes, it's also about science. And you never thought science could be the object of a funny skit?
5. It's about family. And how family shapes all of us, whether we like it or yes.
6. It's finding love. Like we all do.
7. Some people are just born geniuses. Learning to live with them is another story.
8. Some people are just born like the rest of humanity. That's what makes humanity a mystery in progress.
9. It makes TV viewing both fun and educational.
10. We all have something in common with at least one of the main characters - and that's why I really like it.
Lunes, Agosto 5, 2013
Tips on Being a Good Student
1. Believe you can be a good student.
2. Begin being a good student.
3. Set out an objective.
4. Plan to reach your objective.
5. Eat, sleep, exercise and rest well.
6. Find a comfy place to work on.
7. Think positive thoughts.
8. Believe you can succeed in the things you set out to accomplish.
9. Set a timeframe to achieve goals.
10. Relax, be happy.
2. Begin being a good student.
3. Set out an objective.
4. Plan to reach your objective.
5. Eat, sleep, exercise and rest well.
6. Find a comfy place to work on.
7. Think positive thoughts.
8. Believe you can succeed in the things you set out to accomplish.
9. Set a timeframe to achieve goals.
10. Relax, be happy.
Linggo, Agosto 4, 2013
Jerusalem: The Unholy of Holies
Jerusalem is a paradox. No city in the world is as much fought for, thought of and venerated to than Jerusalem. Indeed, it is sacred to three religions, Judaism, Islam and Christianity. However, it seems god has not spared Jerusalem the most inhumane cruelty, suffering and pain that was ever inflicted on man. No city incites much passion, hatred and single-minded determinism than Jerusalem.
Iran's new president, Hasan Rouhani, recently called Israel "an Old Wound." The occasion was the annual celebration called "Al-Quds Day," Arabic for Jerusalem. Rouhani, like the rest of the Arab world, wants to exterminate Israel for dispossessing the Palestinians of their land. They claim that Palestine (Judea and Samaria) to the Jews, is Muslim land.
If history is any guide, Palestine became a Muslim country because of great Muslim warriors like Saladdin, who conquered and retained Palestine from its Christian possessors, who in turn took it from the Jews when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. In all these historical events, it is clear that possession of Jerusalem changed because of the use of force, nothing else.
The Arab world had a great opportunity in 1947 when the United Nations approved the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab sectors. The Jews approved the plan, but the Arabs rejected it, opting instead to retake the whole land by force. And so came a series of wars designed to unilaterally wrest Palestine solely for Arabs. The 1948, 1963 and 1972 Arab-Israeli Wars were a testament to such plan. However, the Arabs overwhelmingly lost the fight. Since they made bullets the deciding factor, and they lost in that bet, they should be mature enough to accept that Israel has now the right to the land, as it always have. Indeed, the Jews have occupied Palestine before the Roman Empire was even born, before Christianity was ever conceived, and certainly way before Mohammad founded Islam. So if anything, the Jews have a historic right to Palestine, such right was taken away from them by the prevailing powers of various actors that came and went throughout history.
It seems that the Arab world has no capacity for self-reflection. And this shows by their sheer arrogance, even in the face of brutal defeat, no less a war they started, to see that the historic opportunity given them to have a reasonable piece of Palestine in 1947 was the best opportunity lost forever to ever have a piece of Palestine. Yet now they complain so vociferously about their state of being landless, only thinking of themselves as the sole and legitimate owners of Palestine, when history has clearly shown otherwise.
Rouhani's speech is symptomatic of the self-delusion of the Muslim world with regards Palestine. They have lost the the decency of clear and reasoned thinking, dwelling instead on empty, religiously fuelled schizophrenic ramblings that incite nothing but violence and bitterness. Yet yearning for the right to retake their so-called "land," at the expense of and without regard for, those who even have an older right to the land.
Unbelievable! That is why Israel can never truly live in peace, and can never truly give up the West Bank, and should forever retain Jerusalem as an undivided capital of Israel. The interest of freedom, justice and yes, peace, will best be served under an Israeli flag than under an Arab extremist government. Unless the Palestinian's fight for a secular and tolerant government, terror will always define Palestine.
Iran's new president, Hasan Rouhani, recently called Israel "an Old Wound." The occasion was the annual celebration called "Al-Quds Day," Arabic for Jerusalem. Rouhani, like the rest of the Arab world, wants to exterminate Israel for dispossessing the Palestinians of their land. They claim that Palestine (Judea and Samaria) to the Jews, is Muslim land.
If history is any guide, Palestine became a Muslim country because of great Muslim warriors like Saladdin, who conquered and retained Palestine from its Christian possessors, who in turn took it from the Jews when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. In all these historical events, it is clear that possession of Jerusalem changed because of the use of force, nothing else.
The Arab world had a great opportunity in 1947 when the United Nations approved the partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab sectors. The Jews approved the plan, but the Arabs rejected it, opting instead to retake the whole land by force. And so came a series of wars designed to unilaterally wrest Palestine solely for Arabs. The 1948, 1963 and 1972 Arab-Israeli Wars were a testament to such plan. However, the Arabs overwhelmingly lost the fight. Since they made bullets the deciding factor, and they lost in that bet, they should be mature enough to accept that Israel has now the right to the land, as it always have. Indeed, the Jews have occupied Palestine before the Roman Empire was even born, before Christianity was ever conceived, and certainly way before Mohammad founded Islam. So if anything, the Jews have a historic right to Palestine, such right was taken away from them by the prevailing powers of various actors that came and went throughout history.
It seems that the Arab world has no capacity for self-reflection. And this shows by their sheer arrogance, even in the face of brutal defeat, no less a war they started, to see that the historic opportunity given them to have a reasonable piece of Palestine in 1947 was the best opportunity lost forever to ever have a piece of Palestine. Yet now they complain so vociferously about their state of being landless, only thinking of themselves as the sole and legitimate owners of Palestine, when history has clearly shown otherwise.
Rouhani's speech is symptomatic of the self-delusion of the Muslim world with regards Palestine. They have lost the the decency of clear and reasoned thinking, dwelling instead on empty, religiously fuelled schizophrenic ramblings that incite nothing but violence and bitterness. Yet yearning for the right to retake their so-called "land," at the expense of and without regard for, those who even have an older right to the land.
Unbelievable! That is why Israel can never truly live in peace, and can never truly give up the West Bank, and should forever retain Jerusalem as an undivided capital of Israel. The interest of freedom, justice and yes, peace, will best be served under an Israeli flag than under an Arab extremist government. Unless the Palestinian's fight for a secular and tolerant government, terror will always define Palestine.
Sabado, Agosto 3, 2013
China's Creeping Imperialism in the West Philippine Sea
China's slow, calculated encroachment on Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea is alarming and destabilizing to world peace. Any show of brute force by a rising power in complete and total disregard of the sovereign rights of another country shows only that China will not peacefully abide by the conventions of international relations.
While indeed the Philippines is no match, nay a feeble caricature against a towering wall, China, of all nations, should learn from its long history that always there is a point where one rises to the pinnacle and a point where one crawls in the sand. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, "Be kind to the people you meet on your way up because you might meet them again on your way down."
China's actions will reverbate for history to be immortalized, and there will come a time when it's actions in the West Philippine Sea will come to bite it again - and bite it will come. Right now, it can do what it wants and the Philippines can only mutter a whisper of protest, then again, history has always shown that those on top do not remain on the pedestal for all time.
While indeed the Philippines is no match, nay a feeble caricature against a towering wall, China, of all nations, should learn from its long history that always there is a point where one rises to the pinnacle and a point where one crawls in the sand. To paraphrase George Bernard Shaw, "Be kind to the people you meet on your way up because you might meet them again on your way down."
China's actions will reverbate for history to be immortalized, and there will come a time when it's actions in the West Philippine Sea will come to bite it again - and bite it will come. Right now, it can do what it wants and the Philippines can only mutter a whisper of protest, then again, history has always shown that those on top do not remain on the pedestal for all time.
Biyernes, Agosto 2, 2013
Taxing Self-employed Professionals in the Philippines
The airwaves is abuzz with the news that many self-employed Filipino professionals are in fact not paying the correct taxes. Indeed, a physician in Makati paid only a 2012 tax of PHP 13,000, in other words barely earning PHP 5,000 per month. One accountant paid only year's tax of PHP 20!!!
Clearly dishonesty is not only rampant among so-called professionals, civic consciousness and responsibility is also dead. A friend of mine once said, "Why pay the correct tax when it only goes to corrupt politicians?" Well to that I say, if every one of us thinks like that, then our country will have no future to look forward to. While corruption is without a doubt a perennial cancer in Philippine politics and governance, it can never be solved if the Filipino populace do nothing about it! As the old saying goes, if we want to change the world, we have to begin with ourselves. Eliminating corruption begins with each citizen paying the correct tax, that will make each of us invested in ensuring that those in government do their damn job well. And how do we send that message to our politicians? We vote wisely, prudently and responsibly.
Corruption is the scourge, the bane and the curse of any nation. It enriches the few but ensures that the vast majority will wallow in poverty, suffering and chaos as manifested by poor public services. Poor public services results in social strain, dampens confidence and discourages investments. Decreased investments in turn will mean fewer jobs which leads to fewer tax collections - which again strains even more the already inefficient and overburdened public service sector and the cycle continues.
Efficiency in governance will begin when the Filipino people rises to the challenge to consciously and forcefully fight for a better Philippines, and unfortunately at the moment, a long road has yet to be taken with commitment. Even then, we have to remember that our success as a nation depends on none other than our collective dreams weaved into the fabric of national development. That is our hope, which is in fact ourselves.
Clearly dishonesty is not only rampant among so-called professionals, civic consciousness and responsibility is also dead. A friend of mine once said, "Why pay the correct tax when it only goes to corrupt politicians?" Well to that I say, if every one of us thinks like that, then our country will have no future to look forward to. While corruption is without a doubt a perennial cancer in Philippine politics and governance, it can never be solved if the Filipino populace do nothing about it! As the old saying goes, if we want to change the world, we have to begin with ourselves. Eliminating corruption begins with each citizen paying the correct tax, that will make each of us invested in ensuring that those in government do their damn job well. And how do we send that message to our politicians? We vote wisely, prudently and responsibly.
Corruption is the scourge, the bane and the curse of any nation. It enriches the few but ensures that the vast majority will wallow in poverty, suffering and chaos as manifested by poor public services. Poor public services results in social strain, dampens confidence and discourages investments. Decreased investments in turn will mean fewer jobs which leads to fewer tax collections - which again strains even more the already inefficient and overburdened public service sector and the cycle continues.
Efficiency in governance will begin when the Filipino people rises to the challenge to consciously and forcefully fight for a better Philippines, and unfortunately at the moment, a long road has yet to be taken with commitment. Even then, we have to remember that our success as a nation depends on none other than our collective dreams weaved into the fabric of national development. That is our hope, which is in fact ourselves.
Huwebes, Agosto 1, 2013
Reza Aslan: The Interview That Sparked Conversation
Reza Aslan's interview with Fox News drew a lot of fire, mostly against Fox News, but the very off-beat, defensive, and frankly unprofessional answer Aslan gave to a seemingly neutral question got me thinking - he does not know much about what he is really talking.
First, his claims of being a historian is indeed a misrepresentation of his academic credentials. As explained by this blog Aslan is more of a sociology thinker than anything. His insistence on being a historian is again shown in this interview with CNN.
Second, his doctoral dissertation is not based on any work involving the origins of the bible, and so he is not much qualified actually to speak on the matter. At best, he is a mere commentator in the true sense of the word. No has he studied the bible in all its aspects, linguistic, historical, sociological and theological. Indeed, he has not delved into the theological underpinnings of bible and its relations with the growth and development of Christianity.
It would have been better if he instead focused on Islam and the Koran. I have not seen any major scholarly Muslim thinker focus on the fundamentals of Islam in the same way that many Christians have done on the bible. A study of the Koran conducted in a dispassionate way would have helped in opening up the rigidity and inflexibility of the Islamic faith. This would have been a great opportunity to foster internal reflection on the underpinnings of a seemingly intolerant religious text in the same way that the reformation opened up the exclusive monopoly of the Catholic Church in the interpretation of biblical "truths."
Anyway, I don't find any interesting tidbits of wisdom that would come out of his book as better and more qualified authors have done a more thorough and comprehensive analysis of the bible, Christianity and yes, Jesus. Aslan has not conducted any thorough study of the aforesaid topics to warrant any new knowledge can be gained from a reading of his book.
First, his claims of being a historian is indeed a misrepresentation of his academic credentials. As explained by this blog Aslan is more of a sociology thinker than anything. His insistence on being a historian is again shown in this interview with CNN.
Second, his doctoral dissertation is not based on any work involving the origins of the bible, and so he is not much qualified actually to speak on the matter. At best, he is a mere commentator in the true sense of the word. No has he studied the bible in all its aspects, linguistic, historical, sociological and theological. Indeed, he has not delved into the theological underpinnings of bible and its relations with the growth and development of Christianity.
It would have been better if he instead focused on Islam and the Koran. I have not seen any major scholarly Muslim thinker focus on the fundamentals of Islam in the same way that many Christians have done on the bible. A study of the Koran conducted in a dispassionate way would have helped in opening up the rigidity and inflexibility of the Islamic faith. This would have been a great opportunity to foster internal reflection on the underpinnings of a seemingly intolerant religious text in the same way that the reformation opened up the exclusive monopoly of the Catholic Church in the interpretation of biblical "truths."
Anyway, I don't find any interesting tidbits of wisdom that would come out of his book as better and more qualified authors have done a more thorough and comprehensive analysis of the bible, Christianity and yes, Jesus. Aslan has not conducted any thorough study of the aforesaid topics to warrant any new knowledge can be gained from a reading of his book.
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