A New Year's message from Dimitry Medvedev

A New Year's message from Dimitry Medvedev

For sure some would think that how come a President like Dimitry Medvedev do this kind of commercial? Kinda contrary to the usual stiff and formal impression looking at that video.

Anyway, it may not like Medvedev of course.

"Boga" (PVC Cannons) Revisited

"Boga" (PVC Cannons) Revisited

It was last last year when everyone sought this hell of a kind toy.

Known for its popular bazooka-looking device, "Boga", or PVC cannon, was made from PVC pipes that uses denatured alcohol and a stove lighter to produce a booming sound. It was at first used by young adults and teenagers who, desperate enough to create an alternative to fireworks, opted to use PVC, some old toys, denatured alcohol and lighter to fire with. But then, most of its users were kids, just like the picture shown above, who were fond of firing this once very popular noisemaker during holiday season especially when fireworks and noise barrage for the new year have always been anticipated in the community.

For sure most remember that during the past people in the provinces were just simply using bamboo and using fire to blow it off, firing cans or stones just like the old cannons used in the civil war movies. This kind of idea somehow was revived by that PVC cannon as it sets off a loud explosion when the user squirts denatured alcohol at the tail end of the pipe and then lights up the mixture with a cigarette lighter or a gas stove igniter that can be activated at the click of a triggering mechanism.

Unfortunately, the Health Department ordered the use of PVC Cannons be banned due to its loudness and like firecrackers, safety problems such as the use of denatured alcohol and fire as its mechanism. Since most of its victims were once peeped through the PVC when it failed to explode. And if backfired, it cause injuries to their eyes like post traumatic conjunctivitis, which, when not treated immediately, may eventually lead to blindness. 

Quite sad, as well as weird so to speak that once there was a new year's toy supposedly made as an alternative to the usual fireworks. Children nowadays perhaps are being obliged to use horns for New Year's day, while others tend to fire smuggled firecrackers, whose the sales of which also killing the local fireworks industry. 

But then despite these, few would still enough adventurous to make and fire PVC Cannons for new year, this time careful enough to prevent injuries.

New Year's Message

New Year's Message

Well, since this person didn't made a formal message last Christmas, this time he ought to make a formal message this coming new year.

In fact, 2011 is a year of mixed emotions. Societies marred by crisis, personalities enraged by scandals and anomalies, simply goes side by side with beautiful engagements and wonderful happenings, and somehow just like any other year became memorable enough despite attempts on forgetting it further, forgetting an eventful and in some ways challenging year; a year that represents another critical milestone along everyone's development both in the individual and to the society.

Weird isn't it as this writer became quite pessimistic in this coming year 2012. For sure most are starting to think about "the end of the world" while others think of "just the same" as personal problems are being emphasised though to deal with, other than social problems such as poverty and corruption as systems rather tend to escape than deal from it; more and more same songs to hear, love stories to see, oh god! Same old brand new shit of escapism so to speak! Except for Asiong Salonga of course (that made everyone having a break from usual movies just to revisit a good old action movie haha.).

Anyway, in this coming year,  it would be better to prepare for another catastrophe. There would be same old problems prevailing as rotten systems maintain their very own "prestige" and treating change as "cosmetic." Not to mention of illusory dreams such as "World peace" or "prosperity" to the country, this writer would say that in this era of challenges, might as well face the challenges of the coming year...and everyone be oblige to prepare for it. 

For now let us enjoy by eating pasta and drink some vodka.

Cheers to everyone and have a pleasant new year to all.

Reflections on "Jose Rizal"

Reflections on "Jose Rizal"

Everyone knew him much as the Philippines' very own "National Hero."

Full of idealism, youth and passion for freedom and justice for Filipinos, Jose Rizal became known as a pop icon, demi-god, even a sublimation of Christ as cultists tend to say so. But to Rizal himself, as worthless titles to be discarded. 

However, despite the icons shown in every sphere,  most people rather think of him as a man standing in the pedestal of a once-field of Bagumbayan. That, aside from the usual perception of him as writer of "Noli me Tangere" and "El Filibusterismo", people doesn't mind further about him thinking that they stopped thinking whether about his life, his works, his aspirations, too bad so to speak-that nowadays thinking about his death on December 30 as his birthday. 

Weird isn't it that everyone praised a man who thinks that he doesn't deserve the praises. Basing on his last deed, he preferred burying in the North Cemetery with a simple cross, name and dates of birth and death; yet everyone made a pedestal out of him in Bagumbayan, now Luneta park in Manila, then followed by celebrating his death anniversary, of making him as icons in tshirts, matchboxes, his name in a bag of cement, this National Hero of ours somehow became sarcastic and even pessimistic upon looking at everyone making a demigod out of him. For sure he would say that "isn't enough remembering me by reading my works?"

Yes, weird indeed about people deifying him without understanding. That Students tend to read Rizal as a requirement for their respective degrees, then putting his ideas away for their individualistic tendencies, this kind of action would say that their intentional aloof in studying his works (while on the other cheek wearing a tshirt bearing his face or buying a bag of cement that bears his name, even putting a bouquet of rose in his grave) is as if reminds of becoming Senor Pastas and Tandang Basio Macunats around us. Sadly to say but true.

The writer also somehow would likely to say that Rizal tried to act gradual, that basing much from his life and works, he's quite both advancing and retreating as he himself, despite wanting major change in the society rather emphasises legal means as its top priority-yet most of his supporters felt the repressive structure were insisting a course different from his, that through his book spark something that would mean also contrary to his ideas as well. Remember how Ibarra of Noli became Simoun in El Fili? For sure in a community full of Tanos, eliases and Cabesang Taleses would think that a man like Simoun would be preferable in a real struggle than a retreatist Ibarra who preferred setting up a grammar school. Sorry to say so, but true.

But then, 

As for Ibarra, the idealist Ibarra somehow didn't paved way to the bombmaker Simoun. For sure to those people who read Amado V. Hernandez's "Ibong Mandaragit" would say that his work made Ibarra reincarnated as Mando Plaridel, who swam in searching for Ibarra's gold and jewels that made him set up a school for the disenfranchised like the farmers, fisherfolk, and workers who willing to counter against the system ruled by the landlords and the bureaucrats. Like Rizal, Hernandez's idealism somehow stresses giving people consciousness and willingness to dismantle rotten, oppressive  systems in pursuit of creating new, progressive ones in the society; and somehow it may include riskier means such as a bloody one. 

Rizal may've toyed with the idea of armed struggle, yet despite having a stance of not insisting it (especially when he opposed the Katipunan), his works somehow meant giving a message of resistance by all means-that the bomb in Simoun's hand and the exploits of Cabesang Tales mirrors the centuries-old resistance movements that, despite its failures also served as basis to create a greater one such as Bonifacio's Katipunan. Rizal may have opposed Bonifacio by simply telling not to advance through, but his work served as its counter-that its followers would think that his work meant resistance and action being the disenfranchised and of oppressed, that his brother, much radical than Pepe would made him join the Katipunan, becoming a general, taking the machete and the revolver against those who made his family, and his people in squalor. 

Anyway, as time goes by, people remained aloof in his ideals and aspirations, noticing how most of them are becoming similar to Tandang Basio Macunat, Senor Pasta or any other figures other than Damaso and Salvi. But then, there will be more Ibarras and Simouns to lead today's Tanos, Cabesang Taleses, Salomes and Eliases to a promising future-that, from the stroke of the pen and of the lamp in the table, lays something what would affect this hell of a kind society, degenerated and humiliated by those who also praise Rizal's name.

On the verge of a Socio-Cultural Aids

On the verge of a Socio-Cultural AIDS

The world, especially the Philippines, has not yet just “Universalized” itself, but rather fell upon to the degeneration of the entire society, especially its culture, all courtesy of its rotten, backward system dominating. We’ve encountered such degenerative effects in our society, such as the lumpenization of life, such as drugs, crime, reckless sex, social profanity, even “bourgeois” extravagance as well as wholesale westernization contributed to it-just to degenerate culture, society, and even life itself as its results.

To the fact that history involves tireless struggles both nations and classes, so is affects the culture as well as the rest as we experienced through. And since the society we lived in is backward, rotten, or in other terms fully described as semifeudal and semicolonial, we may also called it, in medical-related terms as “terminally sick”, that is, in a manner of political, economic, socio-cultural AIDS. And like the past write-ups written, This person may affirm that we have a lack of “immunity”, especially in our culture due to the system’s dictation in regards to socio-cultural affairs, getting “bombarded” with wholesale westernization that affects our own culture and be “museumified”, that is-to be reserved into the “tribes” or into the class cases while we are being patronized much foreign, imported goods what the system wanted so-all under free trade and similar policies that, makes us rather in poverty instead of prosperity, with debts to be paid, and if resisted-sanctions.

And since He tackled about culture, which is affected by a social “illness”, like AIDS, it is vulnerable to every germ and shock that in the body further deteriorates till death-same as the society, especially a IIIrd world one, that the Philippines belonged to. For this, anything would be a series of crisis, contradiction, self-destruction amongst us. Its death is certain, and the “only remaining” uncertainty is that of ther precise moment when it expires.

First, our system, described as “tried and failed” in nature lies a series of attempts that in fact, deemed to fail than what is supposed to according to them. Like the habit of ‘squaring’ the ‘circle’ that in fact, will not work better, or worse, would rather create a tremendous problem out of it. The media somehow tried to put much degenerative properties on us while the Government, bannering, bragging “Freedom”, “Liberty”, “Justice”, “Democracy”, “Progress”, “Patriotism”, and the like unveiled its immaturity as they do the contrary-of “Totalitarianism”, “Oppression”, “Kleptocracy”, “Injustice”, “Backwardness”, as well as “Chauvinism” though its actions. Democracy, being a method of translating popular will to political action becomes a stale joke for us-to the fact that Agrarian Reform has not been implemented much “to the core” all due to the system’s alignment with the elite-like the landlord bureaucrats who dominated much in our society.

Squaring the Circle indeed to all of us, putting different shapes in inappropriate schapes, so are the sizes and the like. And somehow all of these, contributors to the further degeneration o our “Social self” really destroys us very much to the point of becoming a “Living carcass”, with its culture museumified while the rest of us end up addicted to anything illusory, unrealistic, foreign.

To others may call it “Internationalism.” But who’s to benefit of that is “Internationalism?” It can’t be “Internationalism” so to speak. But rather, of “Wholesale Westernization” that cripples the people and its culture? The system imposed to us their hell-of-a-kind-idea as they banner the world as a “global village” or whatsoever, but in fact, they benefited from it, not the people who insisted, tries to resist through complimenting it or making it suitable for theirs like “Making foreign things serve the people not the system.” Indeed, that is Internationalism not degeneration as we looked upon to.

To the fact that anything is “deemed” to a trend as social degeneration goes, these “forces”, destructive in nature, turned us into rags, lumpen, refuse as we’re being experimented too much and getting mutilated all in the name of this society! The system simply do it yet class struggle continues further even it reduces! Cooperation? Their phrase is as good as their shit-for their term conceals the fact that they want anything theirs and not for the peoples.

And thus,

It contributes to a Socio-Cultural AIDS- an illness in the society that it further exerts the struggle much as it means go further-through a social revolution, of striking the tumor that degenerates the society and of man itself. Speaking of struggle, only the creators of the society do as they ought to resist that social illness spreading, to the fact that anything is a part of class struggles as Marx stated.

And if we seriously grapple within the “Chaos” of the system nowadays and the ones who controls it, as well as to set forth the revolution to a new degree, basing much on the experiences and of our concepts of the future. The PROLETKULT of Bogdanov, the Revolutionary Theatre of Jiang Qing tried much to create a new culture based on the working class than of the ruling gentry-that somehow inculcates an idea willing to counter a “Degenerated culture of the ruling class” Through a dynamic culture of the working class, all alongside the struggle for Socialism, genuine participative Democracy and Social Liberation.

Revolution, as what we all know, meant“Destruction,” yet we didn’t know that it is also a “Recreation” of a new order, that, through popular will lays real popular political action that the Elitist Democracy hath failed. Revolution, all from political, economic, socio-cultural even a spiritual one are also mean rebuilding a real social community based on Voluntarism, Cooperation, Respect, Genuine Freedom, Justice and the like. Somehow it signals the breakthrough of man from the old rotten social order into the Progressive path, of having humanity imbued with heroism not through the battlefield but also of the value of labour, that attributes real maturity, advancement toward the future, basing much on social reality as the system does not.

“Individualism”, as what the rotten system ought to, guising it much as “Democracy”, does not even inculcate progress or greatness, heroism totally. The efforts of Efren Penaflorida, despite his achievements rather carried an example similar to those from the countryside conducting numeracy-literacy programs. If he’s branded a “Hero” by CNN, is the rebel, who also conducts numeracy-literacy programs for children and of illiterate peasants also a hero? These programs based much on social reality than of individualist motivation-like supporting the Agrarian Revolution after sensing the plight of the peasants and farmworkers under profit-oriented individuals than of personalities involved. Or of taking up education, primarily to teach children than to go to America and thinking that cause as income-generating to be. Individualism must be differentiated from Civil Liberties of man, or even the aspirations of the Individual itself, to the fact that Individualism, save the sanctity of an Individual, undermines Social solidarity or in other words, unity. Individualism does not even avert much the Social volcano nor destroy the vestiges of the rotten order, stopping the Socio-cultural AIDS, and it is even supported much by the system, the one behind that “Order” to prevent collective unity and growing threat of Social opposition.

In addition to that,

As this writer had spoke of “Individualism”, in the system’s point of view, it really spoke of its excesses and not of Civil Liberties as they supposed to say, or even equate with. It simply speaks of “Self interest above others” and not of it’s vice versa; and the system advocates it-especially wanting the people in two kinds: to be Apathetic, or to “Save the Country” by “Thinking its own Self.” If that’s the case, is that a key to their “Heroism?” Well, true to their statement that “You are the Initiator,” the “Upbringer of Change” or whatsoever they stated, it does not mean that it may inculcate successes for the rest, but rather on its “Own self.” The media may hath praised Efren Penaflorida for his work as an “Individual who Initiate a contributive work”, but as we dig deeper, they forgot that “It was out of social reality not of an Individualist initiation in creating this kind of work”-similar to the ones in the countryside conducting Numeracy-Literacy skills for the children and of the illiterate peasant. Both of them may consider as heroes yet the system focus on the former and not on the latter, whom “Using education as a tool to resist the social order of the rotten system and in creating a new one.”

Today,

As we sum all the ideas being saidth, all our of experiences in life both past and present, of everything under the system, from politics to culture, being affected much of its AIDS, we really think that despite the “Supposed” good life lies the stink coming from its back, and now, as we feel the voices of the oppressed, and of past generations, calling us to continue the unfinished Revolution. The system somehow ought to negate it much, yet they didn’t notice that as we continue, we will make the cure, which is Revolutionary action “Social” and not solely “National” in aspect. To the fact that many of us suffering from the society’s degeneration, of a Socio-cultural and political AIDS compels us to “Rebel” and “Bombard the Headquarters” may times as we could.

We have felt the blood of the martyrs stained ourselves, and noticing that their blood, coming from them, fighting meant not Independence, but also for bread and labor be equitably given, of freedom to protect, and of culture to create after oppression and resistance-that urges us to be worthy of their sacrifice, their struggle, and their example, as well as to resist the system’s urge to destroy ourselves, fighting theirs, all to live in splendor as well, according to our aspirations as we do so.

Is Democracy still "Democratic" in nature?

 Is Democracy still "Democratic" in nature?

or

Is Democracy a Myth? Fiction? Misunderstanding? Illusion?

by Katleah Ulrike

Everyone knows the word democracy. Parroting Lincoln's statement that is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, this idea-concept being put into practise by every societies seemingly got a positive appeal from the people-especially due to the word "freedom", "equality", and of "justice" that is, a part of its well-given trait that emanates from the people.

But then,

Despite its appeal, is Democracy really Democratic in nature? Does it really spoke of Demos Kratia, or people power when it comes to anything around the society?

The recent writeups I have made, and the books, critiques about this Democracy seemingly wanting to conclude that Democracy is a myth. If that's the case, why is Democracy a myth, is it really a myth clothed as an idea?

Well... According to a book review about Wallace R. Wirths's "Democracy, the myth, the reality" it stated that:

"Taking up Rousseau's claim that "a true democracy  has never existed and never will exist; for it is against the natural order of things that the majority should govern the minority," he contends that, with the possible exception of ancient Athens, the cantons of Switzerland, and the early New England villages, "men have never experienced anything near genuine political democracy. What we have had are republics, and they have usually disintegrated into some form of benign, elective monarchy or oligarchy.

The distinction between a democracy and a republic is a crucial one, Wirths says, yet one which "very few of our politicians today seem to understand and which hardly any of our citizens comprehend." The framers of the Constitution went to great lengths to establish the United States as a republic, not as a democracy -- as a government of laws, not of people. It is very significant, Wirths notes, that not only is the term "democracy" not mentioned anywhere in the U.S. Constitution, but the word does not appear in the constitutions of any of the fifty states."

If that's the case, how come most of the people lean towards the American or any kind of bourgeois dream-myth of "Democracy" if those behind the cloth of "Democratic processes" are the exploitative classes? They may have preached "freedom", "equality", "justice", yet the ones behind it are acting too contrary to the ideals of it. Washington favored "law, order and religion" while Jefferson insists "secularity, liberty, and justice" in an American society. God forbid, but are most of the Americans, and even the rest of the world really think what Democracy is? And how come despite advocating Democracy most of the rulers belong to a privileged gentry?

We have experienced the rulership of the nobility in an Athenian Democratic city-state, a Maharlika-Datu partnership in a Pilipino Barangay, as well as a town meeting consists of people that required worshiping in the same faith as theirs during the colonization of the Americas by these puritans. And most of the traces still left intact, not as a heritage but as a tradition in handling the nation. But then, they tried to water down its content in order to make it allegedly be accessible to the people, yet still the ruling gentry who carried the legacy of the nobles, the maharlika, the fundamentalists controls in it. So where is Democracy then if the privileged, motivated by wealth and fame than in labour kept on controlling the economy, the culture, same as the politics from the executive to the judiciary? 

And speaking of the privileged, how about the less fortunate, the majority who usually toils and deserving to earn more than those who are enjoying in cocktail parties and other festive orgies of nowadays? The wealthy would then speak of "Individual rights" just to oppose democratization of wealth, worse as they forced them into modern-day serfdom and slave labor to the fact that they defended factories in which workers voluntarily accept jobs with longer hours, more primitive conditions, and lower wages with a cause that these people who agree to work in these factories live in countries plagued by abject poverty! If that's the case, then these so-called "Libertarians" of the Ayn Rand type, exploiting Democracy for their interests, such as their oppressive measures towards the less fortunate. Or worse, the privileged are speaking of Elitism whilst bannering Democracy!

After all, as Ayn Rand's desciple, Leonard Peikoff,  said of Democracy:

"The American system is not a democracy. It is a constitutional republic. A democracy, if you attach meaning to terms, is a system of unlimited majority rule; the classic example is ancient Athens. And the symbol of it is the fate of Socrates, who was put to death legally, because the majority didn’t like what he was saying, although he had initiated no force and had violated no one’s rights. 

 Democracy, in short, is a form of collectivism, which denies individual rights: the majority can do whatever it wants with no restrictions. In principle, the democratic government is all-powerful. Democracy is a totalitarian manifestation; it is not a form of freedom . . . . 

 The American system is a constitutionally limited republic, restricted to the protection of individual rights. In such a system, majority rule is applicable only to lesser details, such as the selection of certain personnel. But the majority has no say over the basic principles governing the government. It has no power to ask for or gain the infringement of individual rights."

Yet most of them tend to speak "Freedom" and "Democracy" for goddamn sake and justifying feudal-era privileges such as slavery and negligence of the mass!

Somehow, it even reminds of watching a Japanese anime about Voltes V, whose creator, named Dr. Ned Armstrong (or Kentaro Gou in original Japanese) was once a noble named Baron Hrothgar, who end up joining the ranks of the oppressed just because of having no horns (that signifies the nobility while a hornless being signifies that person as a slave) as well as wating a revolutionary change in a progressive yet backward realm of Boazania. That cartoon, created by Saburo Yatsude (a pseudonym referring to a committee within Toei) and directed by Tadao Nagahama, was influenced much by the French and Russian Revolution, that most revolutionaries are fighting for the struggle of the oppressed peoples, for genuine Democracy with leaders like Babeuf, Robespierre, or Lenin, who assailed the "Democracy of the bourgeoisie, and its liberty as for the slave owners."

How about one of the ideas spoke of Democracy like “free market of ideas?"  We've believed in that kind of illusion gave to us by the books, yet how come ideas remained in the hands of the privileged few? Like property, it becomes profit oriented than of a contribution to the society otherwise it became a sin and its advocators ought to be punished. Civil rights for example, one society even opposed Civil Rights for it destroys the fabric of the society they called as "Democratic." they even said that:

“For the civil rights movement in the United States with all of its growing agitation and riots and bitterness, and insidious steps toward the appearance of civil war, has not been infiltrated by the Communists, as you now frequently hear. It has been deliberately and almost wholly created by the Communists patiently building up to this present stage for more than thirty years.”

Left-wingers indeed spoke of Civil Rights and for the realization of the free market of ideas the law being said so while the Right, especially those who are inclined with militaristic, security-first tendencies and staunch advocators of uber-paternalistic traditionalism opposed this measure, or the idea just because it is simply "Left." The Philippines for instance, those who fought for Civil Rights, for free market of ideas are being condemned as "Communists" and thus liable for "Terrorism." If these people within the system do so yet bannering "Liberty" through the Constitution, how come they do so? Silencing those who are against them? It even reminds of Lee Kwan Yew or even General Shwe of Burma who even opposed Democracy but enjoying Parliamentarism and to the extent of forgoing of personal freedoms in favor of "economics" and "security". Those from the system really wanted that idea, especially in Asia wherein they present themselves as "Democratic" but inside they implement "Values" that seemed detrimental to Democratic processes since they "fought" for the triumph of security and stability over Civil Liberties and Human Rights. 

Back to the topic,

Noticing much that our beloved Democracy is more of a "myth" propagated by the elite, and exploited it very much towards the masses, it really shows how these people used this kind of idea in order to enslave and fool in it, while assailing the left-wingers who, wanting a real "Democracy" wanting to destroy the rotten legacy of these parasites trying to protect their wealth and privileged in a form of "defending their liberties,"  of their "Democratic ideals" that in fact Polyarchic.

And again, according to the book review of Wirths's:

"Social and political realities today further confirm that democracy  is at best an elusive ideal, according to Wirths. Politics has become the domain of a professional elite, carried out in Washington, in corporate committees, in state legislatures, and city halls, often without the consent -- sometimes without the knowledge -- of the governed. The family and workplace are dominated by strict hierarchies, free enterprise is dominated by stifling bureaucracies, and legislation is dominated by lobbyists and special interests. In short, while the liberties we do enjoy in our democratic republic are probably greater than anywhere else in the world, there is no shortage of threats to true democracy in our lives as social and political beings. "The `people' have very little power and certainly in nearly all cases they don't rule.""

Will the people accept this kind of fact? That despite venting words like Democracy, freedom and whatsoever seeing this hell-of-a-kind fact? The elite somehow really speak those words through their body language-that Democracy, being a myth, and after all a myth for them, is "a form of government which has never actually existed anywhere in the world, doesn't today, and, undoubtedly, never will!"  and if that's the case then the masses, the exploited, wretched of the earth will fulfill what Democracy really is, what People power, Demos Kratia really is-all through revolutionary struggle and its fulfillment through Socialism, democratization of the society and genuine popular participation of the communities in making Democracy, under the people really "got" is Democratic character than the elitists who exploited in it.

After all, as what Babeuf said:

“Society must be made to operate in such a way that it eradicates once and for all the desire of a man to become richer, or wiser, or more powerful than others.”

"The hunt for the Butcher"

"The hunt for the Butcher"

By Katleah Ulrike

Lately, we've heard the news about the "escape" of a man known for his stint in the armed forces. That, in response to the warrant of arrest given by the Malolos City trial Court as well as from the Justice Department, made him impossible to get out of the country (such as going to Singapore as news reports stated.)

Known as the "Butcher" and "Dead man walking", Jovito Palparan was infamous for his actions involving extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances and exections. TO his supporters he was known for defending individual interests, that his procedures meant putting things in order despite its illegality such as the above stated.

But then most rather focus on the former as its victims are starting to surface upon this matter-including companies that felt being threatened in the name of "peace and order", as he said:

“This is the essence of the coercive power of the state. Under this, we have the authority to terrorize the bad elements of society,” 

But then, the use of power from a certain position, especially that is high ranking may also include using it to protect vested interests such those of Mining companies. As according to Patricio Mangubat:

"After his retirement, the fugitive formed his own army–1,600 at best, and provided security blanket to erring mining companies in Bulacan and other Central Luzon towns."

This somehow meant trying to create a balliwick defending himself in midst of his escape from the authorities. Remembering the standoff at Masinloc, Zambales, one of the soldiers even said that he've been fooled by a retired major general who used the breakdown in the police and military chain of command as a means take over the port owned by Consolidated Mining Inc. Mangubat may also somehow think that this 1,600 men may involve soldiers loyal to the retired general, as well as CAFGUs willing to become like them.

But then, this matter rather be considered secondary, as the most issue to be tackled upon involving him is the abduction last 2006 of college students suspected of being members of the communist New People’s Army, this may also include 500 cases of torture, harassment, abduction, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings in Samar, same as in Mindoro, all as part of the counterinsurgency program issued by no other than former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, the general usually denying its allegiations or putting the blame on the rebels as part of the infamous anti-infiltration campaigns made decades ago-that made the latter epicted as a scapegoat, or alibi for further action as others may think of.

However, according to Raymond Manalo, one of the victims of military atrocities last 2006, the abducted UP students were under Palparan's men, tortured and sexually harassed by the abductors.

The events related to the atrocities, as well as the escape somehow meant ridicule and scorn while his supporters continued to justify the atrocities as part of the procedure. One of them even commented that: 

"it's ok to kidnap, torture, rape and kill a communist including those who are suspected or alleged." 

Only to think such actions used "in the name of peace and order" and "national security" includes barbarism as stated by the victims. 

Secondly, the writer also thinking that joining the military isn't entirely an easy procedure to call one's self idealistic and worthy of praise from others (since it is not just requiring appropriate height, weight and yearness to do combat action in the guise of willingness to defend the country to become an army man) although there are those stubbornly wanting to join as if thinking that "to kill is fun" and "the more to kill he possible to have a high rank" disregarding Human Rights so to speak, that some took college just to join ROTC disregaring the course they took; while others opted to be a part of a coronel's household while volunteering as a CAFGU or CVO-just to become a soldier using the usual public suggestions to uplift one's self and gain prominence.

That in the end, only to think that laws are to be circumvented to justify illegal action such as barabarism amd substituting efficiency for justice. Two wrongs don't make a right as one writer said. And as People still continue to hear the news about the escape, and perhaps his whereabouts, also meant a chance of justice for the victims of military atrocities.

"Future" from the "Past"

"Future" from the "Past"

Assessing the Utopian "Tomorrow" from the Unrealized "Yesterday" 

For sure most people tend to look at these pictures as scenes from movies or from Comic books. "Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow", "League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", "Captain America" are basic examples to feature these.

However, behind all the comics and movies are mainly ideas of a "Future" that is, idealistic yet unrealized. As most industrialized nations and its colonies rather focused on the war during those times, especially in creating weapons of destruction, these edifices aren't been realized, or if there is, end up destroyed as planes bombed them over. So sad as this writer would say, and if there were ones being rebuilt, some are being rehabilitated as most rather left it rotting and end up demolished away, kinda strange as most tend to think "come what may."

But then, in this writeup assessing the promising future from an unrealized past, it also tend to recall how the past tries to interpret the future, yet how come the future forgets its past. Well, the advancing path of progress lies different outcomes such those of forgetting, an amnesia as this writer would say in regards to heritage, be it may about the past...or about the future such as these pictures shown below:

Quite cute and stylistic to see these vehicles made in pursuit of a promising future driven by diesel, but as time progresses, for sure these are end up sold for scrap and deemed to be forgotten. If there are remnants of such vehicles similar to these they are rather placed in the museum calling it a remnant of once was as most tend to think of it. Lucky that there are Volkswagen beetles roaming in some cities around the world despite being phased out and replaced with another new one; but these vehicles? 

Same as the buildings once ought to be built but it end up unrealized:

These proposals are likely to be realized yet these end up whether scrapped off or unlikely to be set up especially due to the Second World War. The first picture above was ought to be built before the Nazi takeover, but then it was never been built same as the model drawn for a theatre to be built in Moscow in 1924. These strange edifices somehow considered as a showcase of the future despite left entirely as blueprints or drawings made by prominent architects of long ago.

So was this:

To others, these drawings, proposals were made in response to the idea of making edifices "to invoke fear" as it feature high rise concrete blocks and sculptures featuring strong-willed, valiant people. But despite unlikely to be unrealized, these features of the "Future" made from the "Past" are rather served as inspiration to others trying to create a future that is, promising and satisfying. In fact, it all reminds of the buildings in Manila end up demolished in the name of progress long ago, especially those of standalone theatres that end up left away and rotting. So sad as this writer would see and remember every edifices, same as the proposed city north of Manila that end up commercialized rather than idealized as shopping centres and commercial establishments being built in a land supposedly more of gardens and streamline mass-housing.

The writer somehow personally thinks that since people back then, whether they are Steampunk, Teslapunk, Dieselpunk, Nukepunk or what, they are trying to replicate the future based on their understanding. The world is in fact changing although every systems tried to stop the cycle of social progress as we see-that poverty, as one basic example, are its very own by product of it.

After all, the world, like man, tries to create perfection. As we carried the torch of knowledge, everyone has the obligation to advance and steer the wheel of progress as evidenced by every edifice and innovation resulted from thine work for total salvation. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Светлого Рождества и счастливого нового года!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 

This writer have nothing to say except to greet merry Christmas and Happy New Year to everyone. Although this writer is countercultural in this kind of post, especially Santa Claus, Snow Maiden and Frosty the Snowman giving deadly gifts and the Red Army Choir singing "Jingle Bells", at least he wanted to convey a message celebrating the Yuletide season-as he sip cold coffee and eating pizza at the moment. 

Again, no matter what it is,
 have a pleasant holiday, peace be reign on earth, goodwill to all peoples of the world.

By yours truly,

The Writer

"The sound of machines is the sound of money."

"The sound of machines is the sound of money."

It was yesterday when this writer listened to this kind of strange music different from the common ones from the radio and MTV. And most would rather say that these sounds are unpleasant to hear with, yet that is the sound of reality.

 But to others, these sounds of forging, hammering, fire and brimstone is the sound of money. How come? 

During the industrial revolution lies these strange sounds. Ranging from the sound of machineries powered by steam, of molten steel and looms making cloth, to the vast mass of people entering the factories, these created sounds of progress that also meant the sound of money running into the coffers.

Kinda weird as this writer would say, but these sounds of continuous labor, of progress creates the impression of creating wealth as every  by-products of it all coming from the machine in every factory meant money at the end. Will every people deny these sounds for they are plain and simple noise? Yet riding in a jeepney, bus, and hearing the whirring of the engines and the (not much) silent whirring of the air conditioners? 

The sound of progress is the sound of money. 

As Russolo, the creator of the Intonarumori, said that:

"At first the art of music sought purity, limpidity and sweetness of sound. Then different sounds were amalgamated, care being taken, however, to caress the ear with gentle harmonies. Today music, as it becomes continually more complicated, strives to amalgamate the most dissonant, strange and harsh sounds. In this way we come ever closer to noise-sound."

True to say so, everyone tend to listen to the gentle sound based on what commonly listens to. Punks listening to punk rock, Hiphoppers listening to Rap and Hiphop, their ears being caressed with every beat and harmony based on what they've used to, but then as societies became complicated, with the rapid advance of progress as this writer would say, includes the dissonant, strange, harsh sounds being played all over in every man's life-yes, the sound of reality all based from the outside-the sound of car engines, the air conditioner, beating of metals, shriek of pigs being slaughtered, shouts of investors in the stock market and crumpling of papers, all these end up as flow of coins and bills being counted, given, stored and locked.

But still,
Few admire despite most usually listen to it.
If one person admire the scent of a newly milled paper money, why not hear the sound that generates money? 

Reflections on the tragedy at Cagayan de Oro

Reflections on the tragedy at Cagayan de Oro this coming Christmas

It was last week when we are deeply saddened by the events before Christmas eve.

That as everyone felt being safe and sound in midst of cold winds and rain, the people of Cagayan de Oro and Northern Mindanao itself felt the wrath of nature as hundreds living near the banks of the Cagayan de Oro River were killed, with hundreds still missing. 

It is obviously kinda sad that in this coming Christmas everyone is ought to be happy yet in this tragic day is everyone remained happy as hundreds were killed by floods or missing? 

For sure we are also annoyed that President Noynoy Aquino acted like Nero as he enjoyed a company of his clique during a Christmas party in his palace, fiddling while a nearby town suffered in floods and mudslides, that obviously a product of mining operations in a mineral-filled land of promise. It is somehow another blow of mistrust over mining and logging companies that, aside from getting destroyed by Rebels last last month, this time likely to have someone else's wrath as they themselves mining, logging in every mountain resulting to these tragedies made by nature. 

Well, for sure mining companies, loggers are now washing their dirty hands in the bloody river as the tragedy made everybody but a blame on them. Yes, that most mountains in Mindanao are being mined for minerals only to be exported and hence be called the place prosperous, that Cagayan de Oro is known to be a "Goldmine Capital of the Philippines" but despite these statements, how come the people remained under poverty as everyone sees of it?

We've also even heard that the system even blamed rather on idleness and people living in the city as shanties despite these people really work hard tilling rice into every rich fertile land turned barren. And in dire poverty, be compelled to move in cities such as Cagayan de Oro, build shanties in it, that in the end whose majority end up killed because of flood and mudslides over the city. One person even dared to call it a culling, as it said:

"According to the news, almost all the victims are poor families, so it's better that they all die this early...what's the point of living a life which is full of hunger? At least they are now resting with peace... they are worthless..."

To others, they would agree unto it as they are against the "spoiled brat", the "idiot" as they say. But how about those who had parties around, fiddling while everyone suffered from the flood and mudslide, or in general, suffered from hunger and dire poverty despite working 24 hours 7 days for sake of having a wage and a bonus? They are much "Idiots" and "Spoiled Brats" as everyone sees of them-enjoying the pleasure as everyone tills for it, especially in a poverty stricken land like the Philippines.

That one of them even justified it by saying:

"She didn't mean to offend you, she was actually concerned that they had to suffer, you, do you think that it would be better to live in pain? isn't it better to be with God instead? To end the suffering?

Look at the good side of this post, if you will...she wants them to die. For them to rest in peace."

If so, ARE YOU NIETZSCHE TO SAY THESE WORDS?

By the way, these people who commented same as that people also end up donating-one of them even had "HELP CDO" as its profile picture. What a bipolar attitude as this writer would say to-calling them idiots (and perhaps supporting the message of leaving them dying) yet donating out of "spirit of Christmas"? For sure they are being compelled to donate while reading Ayn Rand, and the virtue of selfishness so to say. It even rather made this writer think of it weird as they speak "they shouldn't be cared by the state", "leave it to charity" or "it's better that they all die this early" yet having a profile picture saying "HELP CDO" or "HELP ILIGAN." If they are really committed to their ideals, why not justify Acut's message of leaving them dead than living them suffering?

This made Bhadra Engkantador thinks of that Christmas had lost its message, as it reduced to a sentiment and appeal by the entity that brought gold-foiled shit to the world. Good Lord, are they really doing good work or acting good in this tragic days surrounding your birthday?

Reflections on CBCP's urging people not to buy Angry Birds

Reflections on CBCP's urging people not to buy Angry Birds

"Giving of “angry toys” to children as Christmas presents is inconsistent with the season’s message of love and peace, a prominent Roman Catholic bishop said, apparently referring to the popular “angry birds” computer game that has inspired toy makers."

These are the words being said in a report telling the laity not to buy Angry Birds franchise in The Philippine Star made last December 22, 2011. And it somehow made others annoying as the church, through the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) made themselves acting as if affected as people buying toys based from that computer game.

But, as we look further unto it, isn't it weird enough as we think of it that they are just plain and simple toys while those wearing soutanes are acting like angry birds in the pulpit? Yes, they may have shown "violence" such as putting the pigs down out of the latter grabbing bird's eggs; but then it mirrors love of their kind by pursuing those who grab their precious ones in it-and the eggs? Somehow represents children as we know. And remember: Chickens=Chicks, Birds=Birdlings (sorry for the term) all hatched from eggs the pigs tend to grab it.

On the other hand, it is good that CBCP's Baylon suggested giving children books and other educational gifts this coming Christmas, yes, the event expressed a day of giving and sharing but why to exclude toys such as Angry Birds? For sure as of these days few wanted toy guns and swords as they favor plush-form birds such as a red one, or even a T-shirt featuring that same angry bird sacrificing its own against the pigs for their precious ones such as their eggs.

Once even think that in this matter that should be minor rather and never to think of seriously, why not for the church urging people to donate instead for the victims of Typhoon Sendong? That's the real spirit of Christmas as CBCP intended, but at first, why not prioritize the very essence of Christmas such as going to mass and atone for our sins and bring us to everlasting life as the scriptures intended? 

Seems that the writer had gone religious in this writeup for now, but personally, Christmas aren't about gifts and charity as the media constantly speaks of all the time. 

And as for the victims of Typhoon Sendong, help each other rebuild lives and communities the way most people are encouraged to give their belongings to theirs-and that is, somehow what Christmas would be.

Recalling Russolo

Recalling Russolo

Seems that few people dare to listen to a vibrating music such as from a weird musician such as Russolo.

As most tend to listen to pop and dance, and others from classical ones played by an orchestra, a handful tend to experiment themselves in listening to a different kind of music-that instead of overtly melodious tunes, vibrations and noises similar to steel and woodworks made others tend to call them weird and crazy.

Weird indeed to listen to those music full of vibrations similar to motor vehicles, steel and woodworks, but Luigi Russolo, the man behind these vibrating music, and his Intonarumori, stated that the industrial revolution  during the 19th century had given modern men a greater capacity to appreciate more complex sounds such as those from the factory.

Well, obviously, complex sounds produced mirror the illusion of progress developed from modern-day machinery and its by-products. For sure some would say that "I prefer listening to the sound of machines for there lies money" especially to a workaholic Capitalist spending time supervising steelworkers making steel or machine-powered looms making fabric out of threads; yes, those sounds of progress also includes sounds of coins and paper money flowing after yearly profits-and Russolo somehow tend to replicate those sounds into his Intonarumori.

But then, not all listeners gave approval unto it. Once, a performance of his Gran Concerto Futuristico (1917), all full of Intonarumori was met with strong disapproval and even violence from the audience, as Russolo himself had predicted. But then despite these somehow lay some foundation stones, along with others in creating music "Modern." However, as expected purists and mainstream music listeners rather tend to call it entirely as noise, as vibrations are being played instead of melodies; but not noticing that Russolo as also one of the first theorists of electronic music that accompanies every sound nowadays, that his Intonarumori paved way to the synthesizer and of the drum machine Rappers tend to use for their music.

Russolo even said this:

"At first the art of music sought purity, limpidity and sweetness of sound. Then different sounds were amalgamated, care being taken, however, to caress the ear with gentle harmonies. Today music, as it becomes continually more complicated, strives to amalgamate the most dissonant, strange and harsh sounds. In this way we come ever closer to noise-sound."

Obviously, Russolo said showed the reality. Yes, people tried to caress their ears with gentle harmonies such as those from the Piano and from the Violin, and this time from the Electric Guitar, Drum Set, Synthesizer and of the Drum Machine, but how about the realities such as the sound of steel, coins, car and motorcycle engines? Yes, they are noises, dissonant, strange, harsh sounds that also putting humanity in the path of near-superficial progress personified such as money and machinery.

...that perhaps made Micki Minaj having "Bum-burum-bum-bum" again and again.

Insurrection of Souls

Insurrection of Souls

In this era where the revolt of the poor remains protracted, more and more people are kept on seeking ideas in changing a rotten society. Some tend to be too individualistic, as what commercials depicting people wearing dog tags and saying "AKO MISMO" with their self statements, speaking of their "bourgeois" individualism and calling people to join for that commercialized cause; while others resorted in calling for a collective unity and one of which is to "smash" the rotten society what the majority originally speaks of, like the past we encounter then.

What is surprising is that in this generation, more and more people are also end up in the "contrary", of joining into the "flows" full of "flaws" that has no definite ends, and instead end up either as slaves or being drowned in that so-called "flow". Well, "Join in the flow" as what people says, especially in socio-cultural affairs.

Somehow everybody are experiencing in this so-called "social volcano." Young and old may likely to share its nausea and anger, and thus likely to turn into an anarchy, in contrast to what Leon Degrelle (a fascist leader) said that "...and so many older men who think like it, who share its nausea and anger have not turned into an anarchy."

However, those who ones who joined the flow with indefinite ends are the same people who also engaging in blind rage, the worst? Of smashing anything to pieces without any reason at all. Just because they joined the flow perhaps, not knowing the ideas being vested.

But in general, this modern day era and the intransigence of the new generation will eventually turn into rebels, arsonists and crusaders willing to destroy the old rotten system with all their strength, and never to tolerate much of the concessions that will benefit the ruling class and not of the majority. Unlike those who banner "acts" tuned "laws" that benefit the ruling class instead of the majority despite its popular themes (like CARPER for example). All of their actions carries the ultimate goal: A new society with a classless, egalitarian social order, a seamless system of people's justice, a genuine real fraternity amongst the peoples of the world, specifically the working class. And so is a society no longer based on physical degradation, of hatred and inhumanity, but of frankness, sincerity, of human dignity, profound values and lastly of peace which stems from the mindset of man.

Our century today will be in two basic paths: Be a century of the "soul" or doomed to be turn into ashes after getting burned by eternal oppression and infamy around us. Somehow we will choose the former one and therefore we will try to do it, all of us are engineers of the human spirit, and so we need to do it totally. But in actual, we're in a century doomed to the flames that we need to save ourselves leaving the entire rotten society in the funeral pyre! In short: This is a revolution!

Out of what being seen, being heard, being taught, anything is going mad. This world is going mad, and so is the country; mad with scandals, mad with intrigues, mad with scams, mad with attempts, mad in total criticism, mad in their conditions, anything mad that to the point of getting mad against the heavens where the reaction stays and doused in booze? That's true! In this century where anything is totally based on the backwardness of the society, which is corrupt in its morality, debased in its faith towards the people, puffed up with individualism and commercialism (as what AKO MISMO advocated a "dog tag patriotism"), blind fanaticism and of course, blind pride (through wearing three stars and a sun, praising artists and not of living patriotism)! Somehow these events and actions we see are trying to corrode the entire nation and its people, despite of its so-called modernity, waiting for the final blow to its untimely "death".

However, as more and more people are realizing about the plight of the society, of being semi-feudal and semi-colonial; of being enslaved by the imperialists and feudo-capitalist oligarchs, the hour is nearly approaching when all accounts will be virtually settled by the masses, same as more and more of them will rise up to become heroes and saints, and fighting to "save the world" by taking up arms and carrying out the total conquest against the tyranny of the few.

It was made last 2010. 

Expecting this as the Crisis worsens...

Expecting this as the Crisis worsens...

The world nowadays

Despite media's messages remained in a state of crisis

As people marched to every way and street

Chanting rage against the vested few.

All despite the truncheons and swagger sticks,

Tear gas and police trucks

Prison cells and perhaps graveyards

Everyone willing to join

Despite working for few coins

Yet feeling hunger and pain

The few somehow simply respond with apathy

Aside from stated from above

Or perhaps responded with counter-rallies

Calling it freedom to accumulate what comes from many

The shit spoken in every media outlet

From newspaper to the internet

Urging people to Escape

Escape from the rage...face the Utopian stage

Whose behind is open pit-graves.

For sure most would misunderstood these verses

And some dare to oppose

The apathy that drives their veins

Made their minds narrow without gain

Of blaming direct action and favoring contentment

And willing themselves to escape than to face

Yes, escape from the rage

To the extent of firing revolvers into their barren heads

To the few, it is best described as "Democracy" and "Freedom"

In the form of modern goods and fastfood chains

Of modern day slave labour and skyscrapers

Towering over the illegal settlers

Whose labor is benefited the few and its coffers

Treating the latter's contributions as charity

Giving them what others think as corporate social responsibility

Or rather say a Public Relations policy

That is, not coming from the heart

That responds from the call of needy.

Yes, making the world entirely weird and crazy

Since more and more people feeling the pain

Urging themselves to march and occupy Wall Street

London, or perhaps to the square at Mendiola 

Wherein the swagger-stick and truncheon carrying men

Whose justification calling Mendiola as "Seat of Government"

Instead of the almighty Malacanang.

And this time around 

after the feud between the golden thread and of the judicial crown

A flood struck over the south

With few living abound

The head of state enjoying its parties

While disagreeing on funds out of austerities

As if the damned Nero fiddles as his Rome burns

Blaming then on the Christians 

As this time the golden thread blames the shanties of Isla de Oro.

Badly this time around as we see

Crisis, tragedy, infamy rising over the rotten stench

Created by the wretched few and its minions trying to dominate every sphere

Including the internet as they spoke rage and intrigue

Of "Blaming the Oligarchs" while lying prostrate to the greater ones

Living in the palaces in New York or in D.C.

Kinda weird as others see

To the extent of the blond-haired kid speak:

"Countrymen now? What happened to Monkey?"

Yes, they speak "Countrymen" this time 

All after calling them as "Idiots" 

And accommodating a greater shit "Idiots" afford to despise. 

-Fuck the system indeed! Fuck their crap!

Well, as the crisis worsens around the world,

Expect despite attempts to ease the anger and hate,

As more and more people felt

The hunger pangs

And endless pain;

For sure the few hath recognize this catastrophe,

And respond further with charity

That is far from the goal of making everyone happy

Yes, as what Marie Antoinette said:

"Let them eat Cake"

Only to end up her head

Put into a stake.

Transformation? Or Perversion?

Transformation? Or Perversion?

By Katleah Ulrike

Value Added Taxes, Budget Cuts, Austerity Measures, Commercialization, Privatization and Foreign control of interests, these are the policies imposed nowadays in the Philippines. These policies are at first would say that it may keep the economy afloat as investors are continuously entering the country all providing employment and perhaps financial security; but to others, it is a manifestation that would say keeping the country chained to Foreign interest and that includes keeping the country less industrialized and agriculturally backward as provinces are chained to its feudal "tradition."

But then, despite all the transformations and changes the Philippines ever experienced, it is a matter of growth rather than innovation that benefited much of the few than of the many. Yes, that those so-called "Reforms" like being stated, despite keeping the economy afloat rather keeping the rest difficult to uplift way of life regardless of measures that would say lessen the burden, acting like "charity" per se to the many as expected. 

Obviously, most of the reforms given and passed  made all in pursuit of solving economic and financial crisis in the Philippines, are rather based on the recommendations made by the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and perhaps developed countries in need of raw materials and keeping labor cheap in the country. To those from Makati, it is considered much a solution to end up the crisis despite having sacrificing domestic interests in favor of foreign control and investment, or rather say never to be intervened for the sake of economic opportunities as they vent such sugar-coated words in it. Since it was based on the illusion that it is an economic problem to be solved economically. That it is solved to those who only understand economics, or even just not understanding the economy. The crisis, actually is not out of a mismanaged economy, but rather of ethics and humanity. And contrary to those who  ought to separate Economic and Political matters, Both are closely related to politics. So the first lesson in basic Marxism is to understand that the economy is not part of mathematics and statistics, but also in Politics. As much of Marx's work is dedicated to dismantling the political economy of capital. But then as expected such procedures approved by banking institutions are rather making poverty worse despite minimal improvement, well, You can not use the poison that created the crisis as a remedy to cure it.

As expected, the national government, hath to deal to those people who belong to the high bank. Banks and stock markets have been those who have caused this crisis that almost plunged the entire economic system. These guys are like fundamentalist Taliban: they believe in good faith in the tenets of free market and the stock game. Where in the universe is proclaimed the ideal of greed is good , greed is good? How to make a habit (and we say also a sin) a virtue? They are sitting on Wall Street in New York or in the Stock exchange in Makati. There are foxes guarding the chickens, but only to eat them. With fortunes coming from the masses simply transferred to a few hands-as banks are being "doled out", aided by billions of dollars taken from workers and retirees. Well, as most expected, U.S. President Barack Obama is a weakling, rather leaning more to bankers than civil society same as the Landlord Aquino who lean rather to his kind rather than to the people who voted for him despite using rhetoric. With the money received continued the spree, and promised that the regulation of financial markets all remained a dead letter. That millions of people are unemployed and precarious, especially young people, newly graduated who are filling the streets, outraged against greed, social inequality and cruelty of capital; and the peasants, whose call for agrarian reform continues to resound aloud while the system thinking food problems a matter not to be think seriously upon.

Well, what did people who have their mindsets formed by the neoliberal catechism think about the crisis both in the Philippines and in abroad? Does the recommendations such as foreign control of domestic assets and properties alleviate crisis the way the current economy relies on OFW remittances? Only to be found out that they are under the hands of corrupt officials and oligarchs, landlords and murderers supported by institutions from Washington and Wall Street|? What is happening nowadays is the sacrifice of a whole society on the altar of banks and financial system in pursuit of saving the rotten features of a society the elite hath enjoyed upon.

Since most of the pro-establishment do not think (not need), let's try to understand the crisis in the light of two thinkers who in the year 1944 in the United States, got a key illuminating. The first was the philosopher and economist Karl Polanyi with his classic work "The Great Transformation." What is? It consists of the dictatorship of the economy. After the Second World War, which helped overcome the Great Depression of the 1930s, gave capitalism a masterstroke: the policy canceled, ethics being scrapped off and imposed the dictatorship of the economy. Since then there has been as always before a market society, but a market society. The economic structure everything and does everything a commodity governed by a cruel competition and win outright. This transformation ripped social ties and deepened the gap between rich and poor in every country, in every society trying hard to achieve equal opportunity and prosperity.

The other is a philosopher of the Frankfurt School in exile in the United States, Max Horkheimer, who wrote The Eclipse of Reason (1947). There are given the reasons for The Great Transformation's Polanyi, consisting mainly of this: the reason is no longer guided by the search for truth and the sense of things, but is kidnapped by the production process and reduced to mere instrumental role, "transformed into a simple mechanism to register tedious facts." Laments that "justice, equality, happiness, tolerance, reason inherent judged for centuries have lost their intellectual roots." When society outshines the reason becomes blind, loses the sense of being together and is stuck in the quagmire of individual or corporate interests. This is what we have seen in the current crisis. Well, in assessment, Paul Krugman and Joseph Stiglitz have written repeatedly that the players on Wall Street should be in jail for thieves and robbers.

Now, both in the Philippines and in the world, the Great Transformation has acquired another name: that is, the GREAT PERVERSION.

IS UP's KULE AND ATENEO's GUIDON PROHIBITED IN UE?

IS UP's KULE AND ATENEO's GUIDON PROHIBITED IN UE?

Regarding the events surrounding the distribution of other campus papers 

...and responses from Security Guards

Sorry for some blurry images since  this writer hurriedly took some pictures of that event. And as noticed, it seems that the University of the East prevails its repressive policies especially to those who dare to oppose their very own moves.

For earlier, in response to the administration-controlled university student council’s attempt to shut down the university paper, due to a lampoon that made a satire towards the UE administration, and only to be respond by a repressive action,  members of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines went to the University in Recto to distribute newspapers of other CEGP schools to UE students.

The newspapers being distributed are consists of the University of the Philippines’s Philippine Collegian, Ateneo de Manila University’s Guidon, San Beda College’s the Bedan, Polytechnic University of the Philippines’s Catalyst and Eulogio Amang Rodriguez Institute of Science and Technology’s Technozette.

however, in response to the distribution of campus papers, the Guards unveiled its narrow mindedness by not entering students carrying campus papers, worse, these were confiscated upon entering the premises and inspection of bags and the students themselves. 

And according to one student writer, one guard said that the papers are not allowed since it came from other schools, as well as an order from the administration prohibiting such materials "inimical to the University."

Quite weird so to speak to prohibit such entering publications from other schools the way they ought to close a campus paper due to a lampoon. They didn't even order to issue an apology from the writers as well,  and somehow it makes this writer think that how come other student publications in that University are allowable-some are even stayed in the University Library, being archieved or what; also even think that how come Ateneo's the Guidon is not even allowed to be read inside? For sure the late Francisco Dalupan would roll in his grave thinking that he's an Atenean, a PUPian, before he co-founded FEU (with UP's Nicanor Reyes) and finally UE, same as Santiago de la Cruz for he's from UP.

Well, this writer personally took pictures of those events,  But he ought to walk briskly as one of the guards sought me taking pictures of their actions; as well as going back to my work. And by the way, what’s wrong in reading other publications such as UP’s Kule and Ateneo’s Guidon? Or rather say is Academic freedom, especially those of freedom of criticism and press prevail in Private Schools?

Anyway, better to listen to Romeo Lee's "Wild Thing" for today.