Theres no stopping Ate Glue

On the way to UP yesterday afternoon, I had a brief conversation with the driver of the cab that I took. The driver whose name I forgot to ask never hesitated to ventilate his grievances towards the present administration throughout our short conversation. He mentioned about gasoline price hikes, electoral cheating, the different controversies that the president was involved in, and the government’s de facto martial law among others. He even mentioned to have witnessed how anti-rally policemen minced the students who protested in Mendiola the other day. Our conversation that sunny afternoon was temporarily brought to a halt when he turned the AM radio on. The topic was GMA’s Executive Order 464. It came to me in a magnitude of a suicidal bomb. I came to a pause and started to ask myself if I am really hearing all the foolishness that our president is trying to add up to the pile of garbage it has dumped on our citizenry. I was in total disgust upon confirming it was true. It is very obvious that GMA is pushed to superlative when it comes to thick-facedness just to preserve her stolen post at Malacañang. She has lied, purloined votes, usurped and exhausted every wicked means she can find just to stay in power. On the other hand, the two military men who were sacked from their positions for testifying in the Senate hearing on the Hello Garci controversy displayed some spark of hope that there is still somehow a trace of integrity residing in some of our commissioned officers. It’s a good sign. I expect Executive Order 464 is not the last that our present administration will chuck against us. The only thing is, how long can we stand this kind of insult to our capacities? Let us not take this sitting down.

Bagong Kasaysayan

Yesterday, I and my colleagues were invited to attend a symposium at UP NISMED in Diliman. The talk entitled "Pantayong Pananaw at Bagong Historiograpiyang Pilipino", whisked the colonial and dismal state of Philippine history and historiography which was very evident because the dialogue was delivered purely on the vernacular. It was organized by the progressive organizations namely, BAKAS ( Bagong Kasaysayan) and UP LIKAS ( Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Lipunang Pangkasaysayan). The talk showcased a series of fortunate and unfortunate events so to speak. Unfortunate for the symposium wasn't spared from the inconvenience that our government continues to offer when during the middle of the talk of Prof. Salazar, electricity bade a sudden but temporary goodbye to us which prompted the gentle speaker to jokingly utter "Baka may CIA dito". The incident just barely unleashed a hell of laugh out of me. The fortunate part was that I met "the man" himself, the one who spearheaded the turning point in Philippine Historiography Prof. Zeus Salazar. Well he is a sensible and soft-spoken intellectual being. I was glad to have met him personally. It was just disappointing that some other Filipino historians branded him as reductionist and nativist. Well I beg to dissent, I just think that what he and BAKAS were trying to commence was an act of splendor for our country's history and historiography. During the symposium, I was able to buy a book of Prof. Salazar. Well for curiosity's sake or whatever, I felt I would want to be involved in a little way. Who knows?

Shoutbox down again!?

Again, my shoutbox is down for the nth time!!! Can Anyone suggest a reliable one? Please...

The tale of the hard times

The morning drizzle accompanied me to work; and after a day of talking about market structures and cartel while simultaneously incorporating the value of economics - especially in these hard and trying times - in the youthful minds of my students, my eye incidentally trodded later this day to find that the mighty mighty Ate Glue, entered yet another confidential-but-anomalous-and-indecorous contract with an american law firm to lobby for her so much anticipated proposal for charter change. Yes, Ate Glue hits the scene anew, providing another staggering blow upon the public interest and a dynamo to further selfish motives. The undersized usurper strikes again by hiring the service of US-based law firm Venable LLP to lobby and represent her (not us) on the US Congress to secure grants that will power her proposed charter change. The firm will receive an astonishing amount of S75,000 per month or S900,000 a year!!! Thats amounting to an estimate of 50.4 million pesos a year! Now I really understand why our government really pushed hard to implement EVAT. That's not all, the worst part is that because the firm will be lobbying in behalf of Arroyo in the US Congress, Americans will obviously know about the contract while our people, who's money is being squandered by the mighty mighty Ate Glue, doesn't know a thing was going on. Thanks to Malou Mangahas of PCIJ now we know. Now our Congress will try to investigate. What next? Think that can make a change? Does a single contract compare to an impeachment complaint? If Arroyo's conspirators in Congress can insolently topple the impeachment complaint against her how much more is this issue about that aberrant contract? I don't think that would make so much of a difference. Let us end the debates. Let us end the Arroyo fraudulence!

Going Gaga Over Pacquiao

Over the past few days, newspapers and television programs showcased how Manny Pacquiao and two other filipino boxers pound their rivals down to the sleeping mode. The country paused for a while, the whole archipelago savor this moment in history - no impeachment, no politics, no EVAT, no Oil Price Hike, No problems. It was a clear and temporary nirvana. Even I, personally rejoiced with the nation. Their victory, especially of Pacquiao "lifts the country's spirit high" said one broadsheet - yes it definitely has. One showstopper though, was when the undersized usurper at Mendiola came to meddle into the phenomenon. Disgusting. She immediately messed things up; stirring a whole bunch of disappointment upon those who are already fed of her debauched undertakings. She came along, ride like an old jockey trying to share a horse's fame. And she's not satisfied with that, she even attributed the win of Pacquiao to herself - that her god has heard her prayers. That only adds insult to injury. As if she was the master of everything and was responsible for the revelry that the country has felt when Pacquiao won the fight. Too much assuming. Too much deceiving. No wonder people apparently conclude that she should be the next one to be knocked out of the Palace. What a better place than here. What a better time than now. Lets oust her.

Ignominous

3:24 pm - the impeachment complaint against Ate Glue was declared clinically dead... I was personally dismayed but not surprised, the last avenue to unveil the truth was trashed and bargained away for personal interests and self aggrandizement.Pathetic. What's next I don't know. Erstwhile, isaw JDV on ANC already preparing to rev up charter change. The administration's plan was to well to swift and easy - winning by numbers, utilizing every drop of technicality, political strategy and even bribery. Ignominious. It echoed.

Of twists and turns...

Hartnett and Kruger had a "lost and found relationship" in Wicker Park Last night I had a chance to watch Wicker Park on Star Movies. The film starred Josh Hartnett opposite Dianne Kruger. It was not the typical romantic-straight forward-hate and reconcile movie but was rather one which showcased twists and annoying truths. The movie focused on the consequences of selfishness and obsession. What i like the movie was that while it had a very simple plot all along it was intricated with twists and mystery making the film interesting and not boring unlike other common love themed movie. Hartnett played good as well as Kruger; but the showstopper was Rose Byrne with her almost infuriating portrayal of the character of Alex the "other Lisa" in the film. The film was mystified and hounded by chain of flashback which, i think seemingly made the same interesting although a little predictable in the end. I found this movie okay on the general note - especially when youre trying to forget for a while and divert from the chaotic political and economic problems in our country which probably rooted on the usurpation and continued clinging of ATE GLUE. (Sorry to say though)

101 minus 8

01.Your name -- Arjel 02. Hobbies -- internet...reading...watching tv.. 03. Gender -- male 04. School -- Uste 05. Height -- 5'5" 06. Horoscope -- Aries 07. Address -- Manila 08. Email add -- liberation_812@yahoo.com 09 ym - liberation_812 10. Hair -- mohawk??!! 11. Eye colour -- brown 12. Hair colour -- black 13. Left handed/ right handed -- right 14. status -- in a relationship 15. Siblings -- Arvee 16. Last 4 digit of your mobile no -- wala akong cel!!! 17. Bday -- April 11 ===================== *Have you...* 18. Tried smoking -- dati 19. Drink alcohol -- dati rin 20. Been hurt emotionally -- oo naman 21. Kept a secret from anyone -- everyone has a secret 22. Been on stage -- during the old skul RATM days ===================== *Favourites* 23. Color -- blue & black 24. Food -- basta edible 25. Number -- 12 & 30 26. Cartoons -- thundercats 27. Song -- marami eh.... 28. Movie --marami rin eh... 29. Subject -- criminal law ================== *Right now* 30. Wearing -- t shirt and shorts 31. Hairstyle -- "barbers cut" 32. Looking at -- malamang monitor @ keyboard!!! 33. Thinking of -- a lot of things 34. Listening to -- Deftones ===================== *Do you believe in...* 35. Love -- Y-E-S 36. Faith -- sobra.. 37. Yourself -- yata 38. Ghosts -- in spirits 39. Angels -- yup..... ===================== *In the last 24hrs...* 40. Worn jeans -- oo 41. Cleaned your room -- nope..wla nman akng rum eh..tambay lng ako sa sala 42. cried -- nope 43. met someone new -- nope 44. Last person I talked to -- wla eh ===================== *Love life* 45. Do you believe in love -- OO NAMAN 46. Have a secret admirer -- wala cguro 47. Do you wanna get married -- uncertained 48. Do you plan on having kids -- next question.. 49. How old you wanna be when you get married -35? 50. How old you wanna be when you have your child--?? 51. How many kids do you want -- cguro 1 lng 52. Would you have kids before marriage -- definitely not 53. Do you have a Crush -- yup 54. What do you want most in a Relationship -- being able to love 55. Pink or Black -- black 56. Kiss or hug -- both 57. Summer or winter -- summer 58. Sunny or rainy --cloudy 59. Chocolate or vanilla -- chocolate 60. Hanging out or chilliing-- hanging out 61. Music or TV -- both 62. Hamburger or Pizza -- pizza 63. Smile or Laughing -- laughing hard 64. Sleeping or eating -- reading 65. Mc Donald's or KFC -- KFC 66. Silver or gold -- silver 67. On phone or in person -- in person 68. Diamonds or Pearls -- diamonds 69. Adidas or puma -- both 70. Band members or models -- band members 71. Local or international Artist -- both 72. sneakers or boots -- sneakers 73. Jack daniels or Chivas Regal -- d ako umiinom e 74. Dunhill or Malboro -- d ako ng yoSI 75. clubbing or live music -- live music 76. Johnny depp or Brad Pitt -- ARJEL 77. Jolie or Kate Hudson -- Jolie 78. colosal/epic or romantic comedy --khit ano 79. sexy/naughty or kind/plain -- all..hehe 80. BMW or Mercedes -- HUMMER 81. incubus or maroon 5 -- incubus nlng cguro 82. Rock or Ballad -- ROCK 83. long haired or bald --1 Cor 11:14 84. pop or rock -- rock nga eh.. 85. beach or mountain -- both 86. Pepsi or Coke -- iced tea 87. DVD or cinema -- DVD 88. nokia or ericsson -- wala eh.. 89. 311 or hoobastank -- both 90. Asia or America -- asia cguro 91. tattoo or piercing -- WALA... 92. american idol or canadian idol -- american idiot 93. asking/answering-- asking