Beauty and the Beast (2016)

I was never a Disney fan for the simple reason that I find the modified fairy tales to be unappealing. Perhaps it is because I first encountered the fairy tales in the [almost] original version. (There are still a lot of work to be done in determining which is the original but my point is that I read the non-Disney versions first.) As a child I grew up loving the story of the Little Mermaid because of her adventurousness, her courage and compassion which definitely stand out from the other characters that inspired the creation of the Disney princesses. Aside from her, I also like the feisty Jasmine whose frustrations from her situation motivate her to go out and seek knowledge of the outside world. While I like Belle because she's the only booklover in the lot, her story is not as convincingly good given the many Deux-ex-machina-like elements in the story without which Belle is doomed to fail. (An example is having a really smart and very strong horse who can remember the way to the Beast's castle and who can go back and forth without even resting or replenishing itself. Another is the presence of magical items, the magic mirror in particular, that make it convenient for the Beast to act as savior to his soon-to-be lady love.)

Last week, A and I watched Beauty and the Beast, one of the 2016's most awaited films primarily because of two things: 1) Emma Watson plays the role of Belle, 2) it's a live version of the Disney animated movie. I am only interested because of Emma Watson whom everyone loves as the bright and spunky HP heroine Hermione. (But how fast she as grown!!!)

While I know the stories, I must confess that I haven't really found the time to watch the Disney movies so I remain ignorant about the songs (except for the main themes) and other theatrical tidbits. As a child, I loved more to read than to watch anything on TV, unless it's anime. And of course I have read the Disney stories so I know that the movie has done a great job in being faithful to the animated films. And one bonus is that it also explores what happened to Belle's mother which also answers how come a liberal-minded Maurice would end up raising a willful daughter in a sleepy town where girls are not encouraged to pursue education. Kudos also to the production team for making non-living things come out very much alive, in both figurative and literal sense, as they gave a spectacular performance welcoming Belle into the castle while performing "Be Our Guest", easily one of the most anticipated scenes.

Another scene which a lot of people must be looking forward to is Belle and Beast's first dance. I cried the whole time as the main theme plays in the background. "(...) Barely even friends when somebody bends unexpectedly..." got me thinking about the relationship I am in. Beast in all his selfishness and well, beastly looks, enjoyed the love of an intelligent girl who knows the importance of being true to one's heart than minding the opinion of others. I think that is a form of courage that is hardly replicated in real life when people would rather stay in their comfort zones and give up at the slightest difficulty. A strong will, anchored on authenticity, is very rare these days. That's one, and the other is that I loved how they were able to mimic Belle's gown. It's very close to the one in the animated film!!! More tears, this time because of the production team's efforts.

A just laughed when he noticed the tears that silently flowed from my eyes and pulled me close to him. It's not the first time that I cried while watching a movie with him. Last year, I cried [silently] while we watched Snowden  because I could very well relate with Snowden's girlfriend who clearly loved him but who grew anxious and uncertain about the relationship because of her boyfriend's exploits though in the end [at least in the movie] it was revealed that they are still together.

Methinks though that the Beauty and the Beast could have also explored more about the enchantress and maybe put more emphasis on social injustice, that is, the palace seems to regularly hold parties while the people in the towns looked more like peasants. Maybe we can expect a steampunk version next time, like what they did with Van Helsing (2004). You know, insert French Revolution elements into the story without ending up like Les Miserables of course. (But then LM is more about the events that preceeded the FR.) Then agan, I do not know how the film people will work on it without the audience ending up hating the Beast for his extravagance. What the film did was create an explanation for why the Beast became such a narcissistic person. Maybe in another remake they can do a Maleficent kind of thing, shifting perspectives but still staying true to the story outline. Well, almost, anyway.

So there, I am looking forward to watching Aladdin and The Little Mermaid. I wonder if they will feature Uighurs since there are speculations that Aladdin is actually a Chinese Muslim. Sounds very interesting especially today when the Chinese Communist Party is imposing a lot of restrictions on religious practices and expressions on the Muslims in Xinjiang. I hear that TLM will be out soon but then again, I wonder if it will have a sad ending, the first story that made me cry. A also mentioned about possible remake of Mulan and I also look forward to that although I told him there already was a live version made by Chinese producers, the latest of which was in 2009.

Birthday Blues 2016

Four months on hiatus and now I find myself facing two weeks before my birthday. The ultra hectic schedule and an endless list of tasks, add to that the worsening holiday traffic, everything seems to be onthe wrong side.

And yesterday, news of the dictator Marcos' burial in Heroes' Cemetery made me anxious about the future of this country. People are not happy and rallies were organized in different places on short notice. I worry that this might cause a civil war. The AFP, represented by the acting chief of staff Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda, was shown to hand over the Philippine flag to Imelda during the funeral rites. It is not hard to see that AFP will be at the receiving end of the people's criticisms and discontent yet again. The Marcoses, desiring to keep the whole thing solemn and private, were described as "thieves of the night" this time just as they were "thieves in broad daylight" during the height of the Marcos era.

As a social scientist, I find it amazing how today's technology is able to mobilize a huge number of people into action in a moment's notice. Anyone is bound to remember the role social media played in bringing down Middle Eastern regimes perceived to be corrupt. Since last night, people have gathered at the People Power Monument, aming other places, to voice out their discontent. In social media, activists have been flooding the newsfeeds with posts on human rights, corruption, and revisionist history. The trending hashtag: #Marcosnotahero or variations of such.

On the other side, there are people who espouse moving on and forgiveness using religion as a tool to "promote peace", but it backfires. They are quick to be ridiculed as ignoramuses who are told to read more about the Marcos years. This is where our heavily flawed education system is manifested. Supposedly well-educated people, the likes who graduated from UST (thank God I haven't come across a UP graduate who is in favor of the honors bestowed on Marcos) even, are surprisingly lacking in critical thinking. Move on and forget? Yes, there are many more issues that demand our attention, but to bury a dictator in a place reserved for those who contributed positively to the general public? Or has the concept of "hero" changed for these people? The reason why this is a big deal is because it adds insult to injury. Our being Manila-centric is again showing. We know very little about the peripheries. Our understanding of the Muslim South is so pitifully small and full of misconceptions. How many people have heard of the massacres of innocent civilians? How many people have heard of the Jabidah massacre, the Malisbong massacre? Does the average person know that cultural genocide has been taking place here in our very own country?

I do not blame these people. I remember reading only the positive things Marcos did for PH when I was in elementary. I remember being awed that wow, he stayed in power for 20 years! Back then, I did not understand Martial Law. My parents both praise Marcos for it because they said it brought back discipline. It was only in college when I heard about stories of crimes against humanity. I began reading more, listening to more stories, asking more questions. At the end of the day, when these stories surface, the good and the bad, you can't help but be stuck. There were stories that Marcos was being defamed by the Americans because he suddenly shifted foreign policy to include communist/socialist states. And there are the arguments that the post-Marcos years were also rife with human rights injustices but why are we venerating the Aquinos?

Again, we see how people think in black and white. Criticize one and you're surely an ally of the other camp. Can't we be just mature citizens who are just being vigilant, who are just exercising democracy to ensure that the government is not oppressing the people???

And there are many more issues to this. My mind is tired. My heart is tired. Just as I was starting to trust D, this happens. Why are we so good at betraying trust? Why is credibility no longer important?

I go back to asking these same questions, how we have drifted far away from morality, how this world is consumed by materialism we no longer give importance to spirituality. I cannot help but think of the tragedies that occured in my personal life, how I wished so hard to just disappear from this world because I found it inhabitable, too cold, too dark, too cruel. The inner longing to go back to the point of origin is more intense than ever. I just want to dissociate myself from this world.

This year I lost my innocence. This year I lost my optimism. This year I lost the will to effectuate change. I lost it all, I lost my self, I lost my dreams. Last year was the beginning and this year things worsened. I wonder what's in store for me next year? But maybe it's not a bad thing altogether being exposed to the cruel sides of the world. I never knew how strong I was, or maybe it is just innate in me to perform well despite the misfortunes of life? That despite my shattered self, my brain still functions well, though admittedly not as well as before. Sad.

Maybe I am just reaping what I sowed. I wasn't able to fully show my love to the Light of my life. That guilt made me go the extra mile in loving a new person in my life, afraid that I might make the same mistake of losing a person without showing the depth and breadth of my love. Yet it was still a mistake. So I am back to slowly building my own shell, which shattered to a million pieces those times I chose to love fiercely without hesitation, without limits. Maybe I loved the wrong person. Or maybe the time is not right. Who are we to know? I only know that if I believe in something, I will really do everything, that I will take great pains to protect something I hold sacred and dear. Except it might just be grasping for the wind, leaving me frozen in the same exact spot where I was left hanging.

I'm just too old-fashioned. I am not meant to live in today's world marked by a hyperconsumerist culture. I cannot compare. I cannot compete. I cannot thrive. Authenticity is too strong that everyone else is overwhelmed. I must relearn the art of solitude. 

2015 Week 51

The week prior, we have been complaining about the heat. This week, there was too much rainfall because of two typhoons that entered PAR. All this as the COP21 was happening in Paris and the leaders are leaving the indigenous peoples out of the picture in the discussions on global warming mitigation.

In the two weeks of continuous discussions and negotiations, a big flood in the Southern Indian city of Chennai claimed 300 lives and destroyed both residential and commercial structures. This should be an important lesson for humanity and everyone should be extra mindful of how humans are contributing to the gradual destruction of the earth. 

It reminds me of the seminar I attended two weeks before where a presenter passionately argued against geoengineering saying that while it is a brilliant idea in the history of human civilization, we should look more to natural ways because in the long run, it is only nature's own devices which will be for the best. This echoes my firm belief in Mother Nature's self-healing methods so upon hearing those words of hers, I almost cried at the thought that finally, an architect who understands the dynamics between nature and the built environment!

The rainfall in recent days caused many to question why we are experiencing typhoons in December, an occurrence that never happened before. Now if only people were closing in on the climate talks instead of being preoccupied with Aldub and other showbiz nonsense! (*Facepalm) 

On the 15th, just coming from an almost-fever after exhausting myself in Laguna last weekend, I found myself braving the icky floods in Balintawak after attending the first of the series of Simbang Gabi this year. It already sucks going home wet but it sucks even more to see your favorite green pants suddenly turn into yellowish brown because of the floodwaters. Sigh! People in the Philippines are too conscious of their personal hygiene but cannot go beyond their bodies. The environment suffers as a result of wanton garbage disposal. I don't know if I have any right to complain since I do not partake of any actions to educate the stupid masses of the importance of keeping the surroundings clean. On the other hand, shouldn't it be first the government, second the school's responsibility to do that??? And another voice inside my head cynically retorts that since when can we rely on the government to mobilize the masses for a common good? And schools nowadays have become factories of certificates and have stopped being institutions of real learning.

[Allow me to insert one of my favorite paragraphs in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig, a book that I almost dropped off my to-read list until I browsed the latter pages and found interesting takes on real education among other philosophical musings:

 "The real University, he said, has no specific location. It owns no property, pays no salaries and receives no material dues. The real University is a state of mind. It is that great heritage of rational thought that has been brought down to us through the centuries and which does not exist at any specific location. It's a state of mind which is regenerated throughout the centuries by a body of people who traditionally carry the title of professor, but even that title is not part of the real University. The real University is nothing less than the continuing body of reason itself.

"But this second university, the legal corporation, cannot teach, does not generate new knowledge or evaluate ideas. It is not the real University at all. It is just a church building, the setting, the location at which conditions have been made favorable for the real church to exist." ]

And there are so many problems in this world that we need to address. So many intertwined problems, a hypernetwork of problems that we inherited from the previous generations whose lack of foresight made the world what it is today. [And the relationships among these problems are so convoluted I always get a headache thinking about them and how to address them.] So it shall fall on today's generation to undo all these shit, which is next to impossible so the only recourse is to be less of a burden to the world and be more of a good example for others. Except, when you exhibit qualities and possess opinions different from the masses, you will be treated with contempt and ridicule. In moments like this, I am always reminded of the cruel fate my favorite PH hero Antonio Luna suffered, at the hands of fellow [read: STUPID, SELFISH, PRETENTIOUS] Filipinos no less.

So I rant again... Just yesterday we were finally done with the team Christmas party. Thank God for that. And I got what I wrote down in my wishlist: a copy of Ang Diablo sa Filipinas, originally by Isabelo delos Reyes and translated into English and Filipino. One of the translators was Benedict Anderson whose work Under Three Flags was a treasure I found in one of the libraries in UP and which I read for PI 100 class even though it was not part of the required readings. (Because I was so poor I couldn't afford to have photocopies of the required readings...) He died just last December 13, so God bless his soul.

Metro Problems and More

It's November and it's hot. Yesterday it drizzled a bit which lasted for just a few minutes and it was back to being hot again.

There have been news of another El Niño which is expected to last until mid-2016. It's scary how symptoms of climate change are making their presence felt more and more. With water shortage, we can expect fewer harvest which means less food and higher prices of commodities. I wonder how future generations will cope given the ignorance and indifference of the people toward these challenges.

It's the third Ber month already. And Metro Manila is experiencing worse traffic problems. DPWH really has to start construction of the expressway from the south to the north at this time of the year. I am tired of labeling the government as incompetent. Methinks this is its way to maintain the status quo, to ensure that people are too tired to think critically and to dumb down the masses.

And they are doing a pretty good job with the help of the media.

I may be wrong but this is not a far possibility. Majority of "educated" people stop learning and reading after getting their diplomas. Who can blame them when they have other roles to fulfill. It is, however, unpardonable to not even engage in discourses that tackle important issues. It seems that people are already contented with whatever junk the media is feeding them.

For instance, there should be more topics on how to improve the quality of life of each Filipino. We can start off by observing about the current situations and understanding the circumstances we are in. We can narrow this further by looking into different sectors. For instance, we regularly experience the perennial traffic jams in urban areas like Metro Manila. We understand that there are several things which contribute to this: lack of discipline on the part of drivers, too many private vehicles, road conditions, irresponsible commuters, etc. What I would like to see is people drilling down deeper into the problem, not propose interim solutions like road expansion or expressway construction. Let's be realistic. If the number of private vehicles increase, there will come a time that building more roads would only bring more chaos.

How about something like influencing people to walk or to bike or to commute? There will be strong opposition to these since we all know that Metro Manila is one dangerous place where criminals prey on unsuspecting victims. Or how about a propaganda targeted at women that men who own cars are not cool because it shows how insensitive they are to the plight of others. Driving a car contributes to pollution and traffic. Instead of glamorizing car owners, they should be shamed for their vanity.

Because, just why are young men eager to get their own cars? To impress women, that's why. And women, oh women, please do not choose a lover based on what he owns. Stop being materialistic and look at a person for what he is rather than what he has.

And so I guess this is one of the many reasons why boys despise me. Because I would reprimand them when they try to impress me with their flashy cars. I even knew of one "environmentalist" who drives his car even with no other passenger and I often hint at his hypocrisy, telling him to commute instead but he wouldn't. The same goes for his friend who dated me and who retorted that he didn't want me to be drenched in the rain so he'd rather drive for me. @.@ The horrors! I despise such low view of women. I certainly don't need those "comforts". Methinks they are being sissies and making excuses to make it seem like they care for the girls. Ugh!

And yeah I can be a nagger. Because I believe it is the duty of one to speak her mind when she sees something is wrong. But woe to her who lives amongst those who choose to live in lies, imprisoned and chained to worldly desires! Must I lose hope. Don't want to though honestly I am getting all the more disappointed [and cynical].

FPJ Movies

Lately I have been seeing a lot of Fernando Poe Jr.'s movies. I'm no big fan but I might reconsider.

The past two months, FPJ and Robin Padilla movies have been showing inside public buses. I never had the chance to watch the entire films though but then what I've seen is enough to note that these movies hold great importance especially these days.

Just today, while having lunch, my brother was complaining about how unrealistic Filipino action movies are. In real life, you wouldn't expect a single person to enter enemy's territory with many armed men, he comments. True that.

In my view though, of whatever I caught on TV, these old movies are relevant because of the themes they explore. Most deal with issues on indigenous peoples' ancestral domains, building peace with our Muslim brothers, exploitation of the environment, and corrupt politicians. And then I got into thinking, how come nowadays we don't have these kind of socially relevant films and instead focus on those stupid rom-coms. Lately, too, we see a lot of movies on extramarital affairs, a reflection perhaps of what an urban Filipino family is like today.

Or maybe infidelity has always been the unspoken norm. As my other brother correctly observes when I complained about not having decent local movies to watch with all those infidelity-themed flicks, Filipinos are way too emotional and give in to feelings far too easily. @.@ [I wonder if that is based on his own experiences...]

I just hope, and I would like to shout out to the local movie industry not to waste money on tried and tested formulaic romance movies and instead, create movies on social justice. The media giants must make it their responsibility to instill awareness on the people about very complex and very real issues the Philippines and the world still face today: environmental degradation, abuse of power, human rights violation, food shortage, overconsumerism, etc.

We have seen Heneral Luna. We have spread memes on "Bayan o sarili?" But all those are just paying lip service, a mindless participation in a trending bandwagon. How many of us have voiced out our opposition to landgrabbing activities? How many of us have stopped to listen to what the IP's are saying? How many of us are doing our part, even just a small part, to build peace? How many of us are at least in the know about the latest killings in relation to landgrabbing attempts in several parts of the country?

We don't know. Because we've been dumbed down by the media. We all fall prey to the evils of the world because we don't actively pursue the truth. It's saddening, to have people live in absolute ignorance by means of cheap shallow entertainment which do not add value nor increase the quality of life of the general population. It's frustrating, to see those in power and those in position to do nothing but reap benefits for themselves, forgetting why such posts are created in the first place. It's debilitating, to know you could have done more but you can only do so much. :(

Giselle @CCP/ The Octopus 08172013

Last Saturday I woke up to a gloomy day so I continued reading "The Octopus" by Frank Norris. The book is surprisingly a good read. I first had an impression that it would bore me to death when I saw it in Booksale but I bought it anyway. It's about the resistance put up by farmers in California against the monopolistic land-grabbing Railroad and thrown in the narrative are human tendencies for violence, corruption, and oppression.  It's a good read during these times with the issues revolving around the pork barrel.

Just to share a passage from the book, taken from Presley's speech:

"They own us, these task-masters of ours; they own our homes, they own our legislatures. We cannot escape from them. There is no redress. We are told we can defeat them by the allot-box. They own the ballot-box. We are told that we must look to the courts for redress; they own the courts. We know them for what they are, --- ruffians in politics, ruffians in finance, ruffians in law, ruffians in trade, bribers, swindlers, and tricksters. No outrage too great to daunt them, no petty larceny too small to shame them; despoiling a government treasury of a million dollars; yet picking the pockets of a farm hand of the price of a loaf of bread.

"They swindle a nation of a hundred million and call it Financiering; they levy a blackmail and call it Commerce; they corrupt a legislature and call it Politics;they bribe a judge and call it Law; they hire blacklegs to carry out their plans and call it Organisation; they prostitute the honor of a State and call it Competition.

"(...) We talk of liberty--- oh, the farce of it, oh, the folly of it! We tell ourselves and teach our children that we have achieved liberty, that we no longer need to fight for it. Why, the fight is just beginning and so long as our conception of liberty remains as it is to-day, it will continue.

"(...) Liberty is not a crowned goddess, beautiful, in spotless garments, victorious, supreme. Liberty is the Man In the Street, a terrible figure, rushing through powder smoke, fouled with the mud and ordure of the gutter, bloody, rampant, brutal, yelling curses, in one hand a smoking rifle, in the other, a blazing torch.

"Freedom is not given free to any who ask; Liberty is not born of the gods. She is a child of the People, born in the very height and heat of battle, born from death, stained with blood, grimed with powder. And she grows to be not a goddess, but a Fury, a fearful figure, slaying friend and foe alike, raging, insatiable, merciless, the Red Terror." (pp.551-552)

I didn't get to finish the book (and as of writing I'm still a few pages shy from finishing but I'm busy with work, you see). Anyway, I committed one blooper perhaps because I was so engrossed with "The Octopus". I forgot that the ballet performance was at 2pm and not at 3pm. It was already 1:15PM so I ran out of the house and took the LRT. It was raining but who cares? I bought my ticket and I'm not gonna miss it despite the rain. Once I stepped out of the train, I ran down to Vito Cruz and ran all the way to CCP never minding the rain on my face. I was 15 minutes late but I still got to have a seat. Whew!

So I did get to watch the tragic story of Giselle who fell in love with a man who turns out to be a duke already engaged. She dies of too much heartbreak when she learned the truth after a brief period of bliss with her beloved.

But the beautiful choreography was highlighted in Act 2 where, even without words, the duke sought forgiveness and one could see with every step and every dance move the intensity of this scene. Giselle, despite everything, forgives him and even protects him form the harsh punishment due him by the Wilis, jilted lovers who seek vengeance.

One thing that disappoints is that live music was not used. I was expecting to witness again the magnificence of the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra but the audience of the 2pm show was denied this. I wonder if the 7pm performance was treated to PPO's presence?

I was reminded of the ballet musical show Rama Hari last 2012. The Manila Symphonic Orchestra played live then and one member of the orchestra stood out: the one who played the drums.

Pardon my crappy phone pics...

The Body and the Blood: The Middle East's Vanishing Christianity and the Possibility for Peace (Charles M. Sennott)

Having read Statecraft: And How to Restore America's Standing in the World earlier this month, I am all the more interested in the Middle Eastern conflict. These days we often hear news of the Syrian conflict which now resulted to the loss of approximately 100,000 lives (see link to be in the know as to how the civil war erupted in Syria). Living in a third-world country with its own problems and crises to pay attention to, we are not much concerned about the chaos happening in the Middle East. One thing is certain though, sooner or later, we will feel its impact since other countries (US, Iran, Russia, etc) have stepped in and have taken sides.

A few years back, I bought the book The Body and the Blood with the goal of educating myself on what lies in the Middle East. As we all know, world history is mostly centered on Western Europe which undoubtedly produced great advances in both the sciences and the arts. But I wouldn't want to believe that other nations are mere consumers of Western-led culture, I adhere to the belief that all cultures have their own strengths and weaknesses, and that their respective peoples are interesting in their own way. Also, I'd like to see through other people's eyes how Muslims are since more often than not, they are equated to terrorists, a very unfair idea since I hold the belief that there are both evil and good in every culture.

Going back to the book, Sennet, the bureau chief of the Boston Globe in the Middle East, attempts to investigate the dwindling population of Christians in the Middle East, that region in the world where the three great faiths originated and which now are in conflict with each other--- Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The Israel-Palestinian conflict over land territories bore a huge impact on the lives of not only Muslims and Jews, but also of the Christian minority who, as Sennet finds, is caught in the middle and suffers from the hands of the clashing giants.

What started as a pilgrimage to trace the path Jesus followed during his life turned into a mission to record the lives of the already diminishing Christians. In that respect, Sennet vividly describes the build up of tensions between the Israeli military and the Muslims, as well as the gradually growing aggression and persecution against the Christians. The Body and the Blood records cases of injustice and inhumanity and one particular chapter stands out which makes one question how other people see other people's life.

In chapter VII titled "Egypt: The Flight", Sennet describes Egypt as the place "where people, especially the lower classes, love in fear of the police force" (p.175). And they have cause to fear, especially when the police is known to grab any family and torture them for the alleged crimes they know nothing of. Also in the same chapter, the author narrates how a riot resulted in the death of 20 Christians and 1 Muslim and yet half of the arrested were Christians. This grave injustice caused many Christians to flee.

In this book, Sennet does a wonderful research on the current conditions of life in the Middle East and traces  it to history and the current economy. He speculates on the impact of low employment rate and the correlation between financial success and aggression. Ultimately, he sees the ruling elite and religious leaders, their greed for power and wealth, as the factors that play a major role in the destiny of the region. 

Sex Jokes: Vice Ganda vs. Jessica Soho

Vice Ganda's recent sold-out concert at the SMART Araneta Coliseum last May 17 sure did establish this gay comedian as one of the country's top entertainers. But it could very well contribute to his downfall as well, IF AND  ONLY IF his fans will suddenly be enlightened of his vicious tongue and scathing humor. While most people I know look forward to his Sunday late night show "Gandang Gabi Vice", I find the show rather repulsive as it becomes an avenue where people are shamed by Vice Ganda's wild jokes. Seeing his tactic to entertain at the expense of his victims, I cannot find it in my heart to patronize his show though I honestly admire him for his quick wit and frank retorts.

But then his jokes have gone too far. Through my Facebook newsfeed, I became aware of his terrible joke about Jessica Soho's weight and that if she becomes a sexy star, there should be a gang rape. This joke attacks the victim as a female and as an obese person, which if we really do think about it, also attacks all females and all fat people. I wonder how people can still laugh at such a joke.

A few days ago, Jessica Soho voiced out her opinion that rape is not a joke. No, she didn't lash out at Vice Ganda, considering her stature in the media industry as a multi-awarded broadcast journalist, as most celebrities are wont to do. Instead, she just reacted against the joke itself, which perhaps made people think about the underlying meanings, thus gaining the support of netizens who promptly made the issue a hot topic in cyberspace. For that, my respect for Jessica Soho has multiplied ten thousandfold. She knows how to wield her influence in a subtle way, rallying the people on to her side to condemn the jokes made, and subsequently, to think twice about patronizing someone as unfeeling and unsympathetic to rape victims and fat people as Vice Ganda.

On second thought, Filipinos are known to be harsh critics of people's physique. In a conversation with an offiicemate, when I remarked at how Filipinos tend to always find something bad to say about another person in terms of physical appearance, she agrees and cites examples. For instance, she says, Filipinos add adjectives after a person's nickname, like X Kalbo, X Nano, X Panot, etc. Do we really need to take these physical characteristics as something to make fun of? Are we that shallow to find pleasure in finding fault in a person? Perhaps yes, because it makes us feel superior to other people. But then, as a  predominantly Catholic country, let me remind everyone that nobody's born perfect and before you criticize, take a look at the mirror first.

Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. (Matthew 7:5) (from http://biblehub.com/matthew/7-5.htm)

Methinks Vice Ganda is insecure. Methinks he envies Jessica Soho for her achievements and for being a female, something he is denied to have. And this could have compelled him to do just what he did in the arena where he is king, on that stage in SMART Araneta Coliseum where he stood unopposed that night of May 17.

U.S., Israel, and the Muslims

The past few days saw news of protests against an anti-Islam video which depicted Prophet Muhammad in a negative light, thus enraging the Arab and Muslim world. (See here, here, or simply do a quick research on the internet and you will find many related news articles.)

Reading about the violent protests and also about the burning of US and Israeli flags made me have a glimpse of what could have happened and what could happen.

Just what is the purpose of those behind the video?

Maybe it is something to incite the Muslims to do something that will spark a war involving the US and Israel. The US economy has been on the decline and the devil needs to sow discord to keep its position as a major global power. The devil would want the Muslims to react violently to a seemingly non-dangerous thing, and knowing how much the Muslims revere their Prophet and how passionate they are with regards to Islam, the said religion would then be the perfect target to denigrate so as to incite the Muslims into violent actions. All this, for a war to be born.

Still, I have faith in Muslims. Stupid people would readily judge Muslims as terrorists. But we are supposed to be living in an enlightened age where each respects the other's beliefs. I commend Bangkok's Muslims for their peaceful protests (see here).

Have we not learned from history, in particular, from the Crusades and the Inquisition? Have we not learned that intolerance brings nothing but misery? How could the Jewish people team up with the devil (U.S) and now practice intolerance when Jewish history is characterized by too much suffering from Christians who denounced them and regarded them as lower than pigs? How could the Jews, whom I hold in high regard and respect, act foolishly in these times when we are supposed to be working together for peace among nations?

Suicide sa LRT

Kaninang umaga ay lubos na naapektuhan ang libo-libong commuters ng LRT 1 dahil sa suicide ng isang babae sa EDSA station.

Grabe lang. Hindi mo alam kung maaawa ka ba sa babaeng iyon dahil baka may dinadalang mabigat na problema at pinili na lang na iwaksi ang sariling buhay. O kaya naman ay magalit nang lubusan dahil pipili laang siya ng paraan ng pagpapatiwakal ay iyon pang makakaapekto sa maraming tao.

Sana nag-isip siya bago siya bago niya ginawa ang balak. Halos 4 oras na hindi full operation ang LRT dahil sa kanya. Habang nasa loob ng tren ay maririnig ang mga tao na sinasagot ang mga bosing o kaya naman ay mga colleague na may "technical problem ang LRT kaya ang bagal". At siyempre, ang daming nahuli sa trabaho dahil sa pangyayaring ito, at ibig sabihin ay makakaltasan ang sahod nila.

Grabe lang talaga. Hindi mo maiiwasang hindi magalit. Sana nagbigti na lang siya sa loob ng bahay niya o kaya naman ay tumalon sa ilog. (Oo na, wala na akong puso. Pero ganyan naman parati, sinasabihan na "walang puso" ang mga taong nag-iisip talaga, samantalang ang hindi nag-iisip ay siya pang dapat kaawaan. Tsk!)

Nasan ka, Paraiso?

Nitong mga huling araw ay grabe ang init dito sa Metro Manila. Sa umaga ay halos masunog na ang balat ko lalo na sa pagitan ng a las dies at a las cuatro ng hapon. Nakakapaso. At kung anumang hangin ang meron ay mainit din. Kung kaya't hindi maiiwasan ang pagpapawis. Dahil dito ay dalawang bote ng tubig na ang dinadala ko, hindi tulad ng dati na iisa lang ay okay na.

At nitong mga huling araw ay madalas nasa balita ang SM dahil sa plano nitong magpalawak ng kanilang mall empire sa Baguio. Upang mangyari ang plano ay kinakailangan nilang ilipat ang mga puno sa ibang lugar. Mabuti na lamang at tumutol dito ang mga environmentalists kasama na rin ang mga mag-aaral. Dahil sa protestang ito ay iniutos ng korte na huwag ituloy ng SM ang pagrelocate sa mga puno.

Noong Disyembre lang ay nakita ng madla ang epekto ng pagkalbo ng ating mga bundok nang mag-iwan ng katakot-takot na kasawian ang bagyong Sendong sa Cagayan de Oro. Isa itong malaking leksyon para sa lahat na kailanma'y hindi maaaring ipagpalit ang natural na kapaligiran para lang sa sinsabi nilang "progreso" at "kaunlaran". Ang totoong kaunlaran ay hindi isinasakripisyo ang kalikasan bagkus ay pinprotektahan ito. Dahil sa laganap na exploitation ay ang mga taong inosente ang silang nagbabayad ng kanilang buhay habang ang mga may-ari ng mga korporasyong ito na nagsasanhi ng pagkawasak ng kapaligiran ay lalong yumayaman.

At ang lalong nakakainit pa ng ulo ay ang pagiging hipokrito ng SM. Tuwing Miyerkules ay hindi sila nagbibigay ng plastic bag sa mga mamimili sa Hypermarket o Supermarket. Bukod pa rito ay hinihikayat nila ang mamimili na gamitin ang kanilang eco bag o Green bag. At nitong nakalipas na taon lang ay nagpapalabas sila ng pelikula ni Al Gore na "The Inconvenient Truth". Kumbaga, ipinoproject nila ang image na sila ay pro-environment o maka-kalikasan. Pero sa totoo lang ay hindi naman talaga. Isa lang ang insidente sa Baguio sa maraming kasalanan ng SM sa kalikasan. Ang dapat ay maging mahigpit ang gobyerno sa pag-implementa ng mga batas.

Hindi maiiwasang muling tanungin ang sarili, Where is my paradise?. Lahat ng kalsada sa Metro Manila ay sementado. Kakaunti lang ang mga puno. Puro usok pa ng mga jeep at bus na parang kabute na sa dami sa mga daan samantalang karamihan ay bumibyahe nang halos walang pasahero. Nagiging isang malaking impyerno tuloy ang Metro Manila sa init at usok.

Nasaan ka, paraiso? Ang muling tanong ko.

Gadhafi's Death

News recently focused on the death of Moamar Gadhafi in the hands of bloodthirsty rebels in Libya where the first ruled for 42 years.

I watched the videos documenting his death and how he was treated like an animal by his murderers. I cannot help but pity the man who used to be a ruler but who died so much less. I thought to myself, were the Filipinos like this, the politicians who have wronged the country would surely be in hiding now. But we Filipinos are a soft-hearted people who put to jail the rich and the powerful not in ordinary prisonhouses, but in guarded houses where they still enjoy luxuries. And the judiciary process? Very very slow that we tend to forget the evils wrought to us by the corrupt politicians.

I worry about the fate of Libya. I worry about the fate of NATO-aided states in attaining "freedom". The United States of America is not to be trusted. It portrays itself as a superhero, the liberator, the defender of democracy, but in reality, it is just an egocentric hypocrite which interferes in global affairs if only for its self interests.

Surely, in every nation, there are dissidents, there are those who oppose the government. I do not believe that the dictators Gadhafi, and others were 100% evil. For sure, they were also responsible for the economic growth of their states. But because rebels and other entities out to seek political power exist, foreign intrusion was easy. The US, under the pretext of installing democracy, backed the rebels. But the only thing the US is after is of course, the resources--- OIL in particular.

I worry about the fate of Libya. I worry about the fate of the states "liberated" by the US. The US is not to be trusted. Its history is full of deceit and betrayal especially in its relations with other countries.