Hitler as a cheating vegetarian
Slate has a review essay on Hitler's vegetarian diet and his occasional cheating on it:
The generally accepted idea about Hitler's nutritional regime seems to be that he at least tried to be a vegetarian. Sometime in the early 1930s, after the mysterious death of his niece and confidant, Geli, Hitler swore off meat. Some say seeing her corpse turned his stomach away from flesh. Others say his doctors put the despot on a vegetable-only diet to relieve excessive flatulence and sweating.
Berry asserts that propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels furthered the notion of Hitler as a strict vegetarian to make the ruthless dictator seem like an ascetic without vices who neither drank, nor smoked, nor ate meat, and was devoted above all to his people. Most lies told by the Third Reich were exposed in the postwar years, but not this one, according to Berry. "It's too good a story for [historians] to spoil it with the truth," he says. "They relish the paradox that a genocidal tyrant might have observed a Gandhian diet."
Sunday, February 29, 2004
Is a college degree necessary for a president?
Debate with Pareng Oca and Mareng Winnie was talking about the above topic two nights ago. One person from the FPJ camp defending the dispensability of a bachelor's degree pointed out that Bill Gates and Nelson Mandela were college dropouts.
I was shocked by the claim. Nobody in the other panel corrected the inaccuracy. Bill Gates was a dropout, but Mandela definitely was not ! He was practicing as a lawyer before he was sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to the notorious maximum-security Robben Island Prison.
In his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela was a little defensive about his academic achievements, pointing out in numerous instances that there were too many classmates who were far brighter than he was.
Mandela may have had some academic rough-sailing in his time, but he never dropped out of college. True, he was kicked out in one university, but it was for his political activities. He persevered in his education, even enrolling in a correspondence course.
A college degree is not necessary to be meaningfully qualified to be president. I just wish people defending this position would not go around blaspheming Nelson Mandela all for the sake of propping up FPJ's candidacy.
Debate with Pareng Oca and Mareng Winnie was talking about the above topic two nights ago. One person from the FPJ camp defending the dispensability of a bachelor's degree pointed out that Bill Gates and Nelson Mandela were college dropouts.
I was shocked by the claim. Nobody in the other panel corrected the inaccuracy. Bill Gates was a dropout, but Mandela definitely was not ! He was practicing as a lawyer before he was sentenced to life imprisonment and sent to the notorious maximum-security Robben Island Prison.
In his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom, Mandela was a little defensive about his academic achievements, pointing out in numerous instances that there were too many classmates who were far brighter than he was.
Mandela may have had some academic rough-sailing in his time, but he never dropped out of college. True, he was kicked out in one university, but it was for his political activities. He persevered in his education, even enrolling in a correspondence course.
A college degree is not necessary to be meaningfully qualified to be president. I just wish people defending this position would not go around blaspheming Nelson Mandela all for the sake of propping up FPJ's candidacy.
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Invitation to a lecture
Reconstituting Americans in the Philippines "Within the Revenue Clause" and Valmonte v. INS (1998)
by Dr. Allan Isaac
on March 5, 2004 Friday
430-600 pm
Dean's Conference Room
H. Dela Costa Bldg G/F
Ateneo de Manila University
Throughout the first decades of the twentieth century, debates around the "Philippine Question" and the status of the U.S. colonies in relation to the (American) Constitution were crucial to the definition of American citizenship and American-ness. The possibility of a "citizen" outside the U.S. terrestrial compass prompted the Supreme Court to define the political relationship between the United States proper and U.S. property. The nature of these territories and their relationship to the U.S. polity came under debate in the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress from 1898 through the 1930s, in a series of court cases collectively known as the Insular Cases. The court arguments and congressional debates held that the "Constitution did not follow the flag" in the territories. That is, constitutional rights and citizenship did not automatically extend to the territories upon their acquisition. Much like the 1896 ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, the problem before Congress and the Supreme Court was how to legalize and constitute "separate" (but not equal) national entities in relation to the American polity. Economic, juridical and political interests worked together to create the "doctrine of territorial incorporation" as a legal reality. Debates about tariff and territory shaped this doctrine to shore up American boundaries.
Subsequently, the controversy over commerce and citizenship constituted two types of Americans subjects for the new century: the imperial citizen and its uncanny "unincorporated" double, the colonial national.
This paper will explore the issues and implications of the Valmonte v INS case for Filipinos and American "nationals" past and present. Decided by the Second Circuit in 1998, Valmonte v INS involves a Filipino plaintiff, born during the Philippine Commonwealth era, who claimed automatic U.S. citizenship based on the equal protection and citizenship clauses of the 14th amendment extending to the territory. The Constitutional tensions inherent in the creation of the "unincorporated territory" at the turn of the century are revisited domestically in this immigration case. In this and other immigration cases involving native Filipinos born during the territorial period, the Courts have always deferred to Congressional plenary powers on questions of immigration and citizenship. The Philippines and other US territories may be found right in the beginning of the Constitution in Article I, Section 4, after a semicolon "within the revenue clause": "but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States." In truth, the Philippines exists in the erasure and disappearance of this clause in decisions involving Filipinos born during the US Territorial period claiming their right to citizenship. Court decisions have relied on this clause and its displacement to effectively suspend and cast the Filipino's citizenship status at bay-- outside the American family. Recent legal scholarship on citizenship and U.S. resident subject's rights has begun to explore limits the Constitution places on these powers and definitions of alien, citizenship and national. The courts have tended to appeal to Downes v Bidwell, one of the Insular Cases, involving a revenue clause to interpret the 14th Amendment citizenship clause. The judicial branch has not performed its duty to review Congressional action on citizenship for nationals, and neither has it addressed the meaning of the citizenship clause of the Amendment "in these United States" to include "the United States of America, Philippine Islands" during the colonial period.
Allan Isaac is Assistant Professor of English at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He teaches courses in American Studies, Law, Race and Literature, Asian American and Postcolonial Studies. He is currently a Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Manila and a Visiting Professor at De La Salle University. His forthcoming book is entitled American Tropics: U.S. Imperial Grammar and the American Postcolonial Imagination (University of Minnesota Press).
Reconstituting Americans in the Philippines "Within the Revenue Clause" and Valmonte v. INS (1998)
by Dr. Allan Isaac
on March 5, 2004 Friday
430-600 pm
Dean's Conference Room
H. Dela Costa Bldg G/F
Ateneo de Manila University
Throughout the first decades of the twentieth century, debates around the "Philippine Question" and the status of the U.S. colonies in relation to the (American) Constitution were crucial to the definition of American citizenship and American-ness. The possibility of a "citizen" outside the U.S. terrestrial compass prompted the Supreme Court to define the political relationship between the United States proper and U.S. property. The nature of these territories and their relationship to the U.S. polity came under debate in the U.S. Supreme Court and Congress from 1898 through the 1930s, in a series of court cases collectively known as the Insular Cases. The court arguments and congressional debates held that the "Constitution did not follow the flag" in the territories. That is, constitutional rights and citizenship did not automatically extend to the territories upon their acquisition. Much like the 1896 ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, the problem before Congress and the Supreme Court was how to legalize and constitute "separate" (but not equal) national entities in relation to the American polity. Economic, juridical and political interests worked together to create the "doctrine of territorial incorporation" as a legal reality. Debates about tariff and territory shaped this doctrine to shore up American boundaries.
Subsequently, the controversy over commerce and citizenship constituted two types of Americans subjects for the new century: the imperial citizen and its uncanny "unincorporated" double, the colonial national.
This paper will explore the issues and implications of the Valmonte v INS case for Filipinos and American "nationals" past and present. Decided by the Second Circuit in 1998, Valmonte v INS involves a Filipino plaintiff, born during the Philippine Commonwealth era, who claimed automatic U.S. citizenship based on the equal protection and citizenship clauses of the 14th amendment extending to the territory. The Constitutional tensions inherent in the creation of the "unincorporated territory" at the turn of the century are revisited domestically in this immigration case. In this and other immigration cases involving native Filipinos born during the territorial period, the Courts have always deferred to Congressional plenary powers on questions of immigration and citizenship. The Philippines and other US territories may be found right in the beginning of the Constitution in Article I, Section 4, after a semicolon "within the revenue clause": "but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States." In truth, the Philippines exists in the erasure and disappearance of this clause in decisions involving Filipinos born during the US Territorial period claiming their right to citizenship. Court decisions have relied on this clause and its displacement to effectively suspend and cast the Filipino's citizenship status at bay-- outside the American family. Recent legal scholarship on citizenship and U.S. resident subject's rights has begun to explore limits the Constitution places on these powers and definitions of alien, citizenship and national. The courts have tended to appeal to Downes v Bidwell, one of the Insular Cases, involving a revenue clause to interpret the 14th Amendment citizenship clause. The judicial branch has not performed its duty to review Congressional action on citizenship for nationals, and neither has it addressed the meaning of the citizenship clause of the Amendment "in these United States" to include "the United States of America, Philippine Islands" during the colonial period.
Allan Isaac is Assistant Professor of English at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. He teaches courses in American Studies, Law, Race and Literature, Asian American and Postcolonial Studies. He is currently a Fulbright U.S. Scholar in Manila and a Visiting Professor at De La Salle University. His forthcoming book is entitled American Tropics: U.S. Imperial Grammar and the American Postcolonial Imagination (University of Minnesota Press).
Friday, February 27, 2004
President's Hour with National Artist for Dance Leonor Goquingco
Everyone is invited to attend the President's Hour with National Artist for Dance Leonor Goquingco on March 2, 2004 at the Elevated Courtyard, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman. The program will start at 4:30 PM. The affair is sponsored by the University of the Philiipines Office of the President and the President's Committee on Culture and the Arts.
Everyone is invited to attend the President's Hour with National Artist for Dance Leonor Goquingco on March 2, 2004 at the Elevated Courtyard, Quezon Hall, UP Diliman. The program will start at 4:30 PM. The affair is sponsored by the University of the Philiipines Office of the President and the President's Committee on Culture and the Arts.
When an academic loses the faculty of judgment
Benjamin Espiritu, chairman of the Business and Governance Department at the De La Salle University, wrote to the Inquirer:
There is no question that effective governance cannot be crammed into a few brief lessons. Precisely, Poe's expertise in corporate governance has spanned several decades. From his experience, he has developed very clear and sound views on prudent fiscal management, cost efficiency, product competitiveness and a level playing field, among other things.
The business community will be very comfortable in having a president who has actual business experience, knows what a favorable business environment is, and (from the point of view of a businessman) what government should do to create it.
From which parallel universe Prof. Espiritu is coming from ? Exactly what corporate governance he is referring to? Did FPJ manage corporations ? I thought his film outfit was single proprietorship.
Prof. Espiritu is correct in saying FPJ has business experience, but I seriously doubt the business community's coziness with FPJ. Besides, was FPJ really an outstanding businessman ? And on FPJ's supposed business experience which purportedly qualifies him for the presidency, why, my own father "has developed very clear and sound views on prudent fiscal management, cost efficiency, product competitiveness and a level playing field." Should my father ipso facto run for the presidency ?
Benjamin Espiritu, chairman of the Business and Governance Department at the De La Salle University, wrote to the Inquirer:
There is no question that effective governance cannot be crammed into a few brief lessons. Precisely, Poe's expertise in corporate governance has spanned several decades. From his experience, he has developed very clear and sound views on prudent fiscal management, cost efficiency, product competitiveness and a level playing field, among other things.
The business community will be very comfortable in having a president who has actual business experience, knows what a favorable business environment is, and (from the point of view of a businessman) what government should do to create it.
From which parallel universe Prof. Espiritu is coming from ? Exactly what corporate governance he is referring to? Did FPJ manage corporations ? I thought his film outfit was single proprietorship.
Prof. Espiritu is correct in saying FPJ has business experience, but I seriously doubt the business community's coziness with FPJ. Besides, was FPJ really an outstanding businessman ? And on FPJ's supposed business experience which purportedly qualifies him for the presidency, why, my own father "has developed very clear and sound views on prudent fiscal management, cost efficiency, product competitiveness and a level playing field." Should my father ipso facto run for the presidency ?
The war of the pollsters
Pulse Asia's latest survey says FPJ's star is fading, but the SWS latest survey says FPJ is consistently in the lead. Sen. Lacson has denounced the Pulse Asia result as kataka-taka while other sectors have even raised hints of corruption in the polling firm of Felipe Miranda. Some people are also doubting SWS Director Mahar Mangahas's impartiality since Mangahas is cousin to FPJ.
The question in everybody's mind is: Which polling firm is more credible?
The question is inappropriate and premature. A fact commonly overlooked in the news reports is that that the two surveys of seemingly contradicting results are actually compatible with each other. SWS's survey, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6, was done on Jan. 28 to Feb. 6; Pulse Asia's, with a margin of error plus or minus 2 percent, covered the period February 16-20.
The two surveys covered two different periods; their contradicting results therefore are but to be expected. The survey closer to reality though is Pulse Asia's, simply by virtue of its being the more recent of the two.
The viable conclusion therefore is that yes, indeed, FPJ's star is starting to fade. The citizenship controversy and FPJ's failure to sound coherent have taken their quick toll on the actor's popularity.
Pulse Asia's latest survey says FPJ's star is fading, but the SWS latest survey says FPJ is consistently in the lead. Sen. Lacson has denounced the Pulse Asia result as kataka-taka while other sectors have even raised hints of corruption in the polling firm of Felipe Miranda. Some people are also doubting SWS Director Mahar Mangahas's impartiality since Mangahas is cousin to FPJ.
The question in everybody's mind is: Which polling firm is more credible?
The question is inappropriate and premature. A fact commonly overlooked in the news reports is that that the two surveys of seemingly contradicting results are actually compatible with each other. SWS's survey, with a margin of error of plus or minus 1.6, was done on Jan. 28 to Feb. 6; Pulse Asia's, with a margin of error plus or minus 2 percent, covered the period February 16-20.
The two surveys covered two different periods; their contradicting results therefore are but to be expected. The survey closer to reality though is Pulse Asia's, simply by virtue of its being the more recent of the two.
The viable conclusion therefore is that yes, indeed, FPJ's star is starting to fade. The citizenship controversy and FPJ's failure to sound coherent have taken their quick toll on the actor's popularity.
Thursday, February 26, 2004
The anxiety of a canonical harassment
Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth and feminist, has accused Harold Bloom, the most eminent literary critic of our time, of sexually harassing her during her undergraduate days at Yale two decades ago. According to Wolf (see her accusatory essay which appeared in the gossipy New York Metro), Bloom put his hand on her thigh when she was consulting him with her poetry manuscript.
Bloom is mum about the matter (he probably has more books waiting to be read in his private reading list of Western canon), but Camille Paglia has taken up the cudgels for him and attacked Wolf:
"It really grates on me that Naomi Wolf for her entire life has been batting her eyes and bobbing her boobs in the face of men and made a profession out of courting male attention."
I never knew literary criticism could be this, er, exciting.
Naomi Wolf, author of The Beauty Myth and feminist, has accused Harold Bloom, the most eminent literary critic of our time, of sexually harassing her during her undergraduate days at Yale two decades ago. According to Wolf (see her accusatory essay which appeared in the gossipy New York Metro), Bloom put his hand on her thigh when she was consulting him with her poetry manuscript.
Bloom is mum about the matter (he probably has more books waiting to be read in his private reading list of Western canon), but Camille Paglia has taken up the cudgels for him and attacked Wolf:
"It really grates on me that Naomi Wolf for her entire life has been batting her eyes and bobbing her boobs in the face of men and made a profession out of courting male attention."
I never knew literary criticism could be this, er, exciting.
Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Teach English in a Burmese Refugee Camp in Thailand!
2 Positions: English Teacher
Length of contract: 11 months
School: English Immersion Program (EIP)
Location: Umphium Mai Refugee Camp, Tak Province, Thailand (4 days a week), Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand (1 day a week)
Responsibilities:
Teach intermediate-advanced English to 20 adult Burmese refugees 18-24 hours per week.
Actively involve students in the learning process
Update and improve the curriculum provided
Attend monthly education meetings with Karen refugee camp leaders
Give final exams and write report cards each trimester
Live in the student dorm (inside the refugee camp) 3 nights a week.
Help manage after school activities at school such as activity nights, cleaning duty, coking duty etc.
Help recruit a new English Teacher for the following school year
EIP is looking for 2 native English speakers who: Have a university degree and at least 1-year teaching experience, have good essay writing skills, are culturally sensitive and discreet, are motivated, flexible and have international experience
Stipend and Benefits:
8,000 bhat per month (about $200 US)
Free accommodation in Mae Sot (w/air con.) and bicycle
Free visa renewals and weekly transportation to and from the refugee camp.
Breakfast and dinner provided at school.
Valuable on-site international development experience
Gain experience living and working with refugee communities from Burma
Opportunity to learn Burmese and Karen culture and language
If you are interested in teaching at EIP please send a cover letter and resume to brooke@attglobal.net
Brooke Treadwell, EIP Coordinator
2 Positions: English Teacher
Length of contract: 11 months
School: English Immersion Program (EIP)
Location: Umphium Mai Refugee Camp, Tak Province, Thailand (4 days a week), Mae Sot, Tak Province, Thailand (1 day a week)
Responsibilities:
Teach intermediate-advanced English to 20 adult Burmese refugees 18-24 hours per week.
Actively involve students in the learning process
Update and improve the curriculum provided
Attend monthly education meetings with Karen refugee camp leaders
Give final exams and write report cards each trimester
Live in the student dorm (inside the refugee camp) 3 nights a week.
Help manage after school activities at school such as activity nights, cleaning duty, coking duty etc.
Help recruit a new English Teacher for the following school year
EIP is looking for 2 native English speakers who: Have a university degree and at least 1-year teaching experience, have good essay writing skills, are culturally sensitive and discreet, are motivated, flexible and have international experience
Stipend and Benefits:
8,000 bhat per month (about $200 US)
Free accommodation in Mae Sot (w/air con.) and bicycle
Free visa renewals and weekly transportation to and from the refugee camp.
Breakfast and dinner provided at school.
Valuable on-site international development experience
Gain experience living and working with refugee communities from Burma
Opportunity to learn Burmese and Karen culture and language
If you are interested in teaching at EIP please send a cover letter and resume to brooke@attglobal.net
Brooke Treadwell, EIP Coordinator
Monday, February 23, 2004
The sins of the intellectualy gifted
Manuel Quezon III in his column today writes:
And the disappointments since Edsa are as much the fault of a public willing to leave things in the hands of the politicians....
The people have grown so cynical about the country's government that no one, except dynastic heirs and showbiz stars, wants to have anything to do with it. Many people are appalled at the gall of FPJ in thinking he is remotely qualified to be president, but those who are supposed to be intellectually qualified are all too ready to give way to Da King.
Faced with FPJ's seeming command of the polls, Sen Angara, for example, has swallowed his own pride and ambition, and has conveniently given way to someone he decidedly knows is his inferior. Heroic self-sacrifice ? No, far from it. Nothing but malodorous pusillanimity.
FPJ has also began announcing in public the names of his stellar advisers from the academe. Some of those names mentioned deny any concrete formal association with FPJ, but some have announced they are not only advising but are ACTUALLY voting for FPJ.
These academics are committing all over again the same mistake they did when a good number of them campaigned for Estrada. They are being taken in for a ride for a second time, and they are either too politically naive to notice it or are too timid to stand in the way of the FPJ juggernaut. Well, one cannot really blame them. I guess some people's brains have simply become too well developed that they sucked up all the blood that should have gone to the balls.
People from the academe and some people from the political left who are attracted to the pro-poor rhetoric of the Estrada and the FPJ campaigns invariably justify their positions as one of wanting to correct the historical elite bias against the poor.
FPJ though is certainly no poor. Nobody, I think, will be voting against FPJ on the grounds that he is poor or that his supporters are. The only elite bias I see is an elite bias for intellectual excellence. And what is wrong with that? What is so anti-poor about intellectual excellence? When professors graduate their students from an outstanding 1 to a failing 5, they are exhibiting an elite bias for academic excellence. If that bias is desired in the classroom, why should it discarded in the polis?
Paraphrasing Manuel Quezon, the disappointments since Edsa are as much the fault of the Philippine intellectual class willing to leave things in the hands of the politicians.
Our intellectuals, save from Joma of the Netherlands, have all ignored Plato's exhortation to power. They have all chosen to live semi-bourgeois lives in the private sector, observing from the balcony as it were the corruption and demise of our republic. It is a sad political reality, but the practice of politics and government in this country has been left to dynastic heirs, pulchritudinous celebrities and enterprising frat men. It could not be any other way. No one now is simply interested in going through the humiliation of offering oneself to public service.
Manuel Quezon III in his column today writes:
And the disappointments since Edsa are as much the fault of a public willing to leave things in the hands of the politicians....
The people have grown so cynical about the country's government that no one, except dynastic heirs and showbiz stars, wants to have anything to do with it. Many people are appalled at the gall of FPJ in thinking he is remotely qualified to be president, but those who are supposed to be intellectually qualified are all too ready to give way to Da King.
Faced with FPJ's seeming command of the polls, Sen Angara, for example, has swallowed his own pride and ambition, and has conveniently given way to someone he decidedly knows is his inferior. Heroic self-sacrifice ? No, far from it. Nothing but malodorous pusillanimity.
FPJ has also began announcing in public the names of his stellar advisers from the academe. Some of those names mentioned deny any concrete formal association with FPJ, but some have announced they are not only advising but are ACTUALLY voting for FPJ.
These academics are committing all over again the same mistake they did when a good number of them campaigned for Estrada. They are being taken in for a ride for a second time, and they are either too politically naive to notice it or are too timid to stand in the way of the FPJ juggernaut. Well, one cannot really blame them. I guess some people's brains have simply become too well developed that they sucked up all the blood that should have gone to the balls.
People from the academe and some people from the political left who are attracted to the pro-poor rhetoric of the Estrada and the FPJ campaigns invariably justify their positions as one of wanting to correct the historical elite bias against the poor.
FPJ though is certainly no poor. Nobody, I think, will be voting against FPJ on the grounds that he is poor or that his supporters are. The only elite bias I see is an elite bias for intellectual excellence. And what is wrong with that? What is so anti-poor about intellectual excellence? When professors graduate their students from an outstanding 1 to a failing 5, they are exhibiting an elite bias for academic excellence. If that bias is desired in the classroom, why should it discarded in the polis?
Paraphrasing Manuel Quezon, the disappointments since Edsa are as much the fault of the Philippine intellectual class willing to leave things in the hands of the politicians.
Our intellectuals, save from Joma of the Netherlands, have all ignored Plato's exhortation to power. They have all chosen to live semi-bourgeois lives in the private sector, observing from the balcony as it were the corruption and demise of our republic. It is a sad political reality, but the practice of politics and government in this country has been left to dynastic heirs, pulchritudinous celebrities and enterprising frat men. It could not be any other way. No one now is simply interested in going through the humiliation of offering oneself to public service.
Friday, February 20, 2004
Here is the transcript of a conversation between the political scientist Samuel Huntington and the sociologist Anthony Giddens on the transatlantic divide.
The saga continues...
Limpbwizit's continuing coverage of the SC arguments:
after a recess, the oral arguments on the disqualification case against fernando poe jr. resumed.
counsel for petitioners, known in the legal profeesion as mega-lawyer atty. sharon cuneta, presents her argument...
Chief Justice: Counsel, you cannot argue before this court in that red and black gown, you should wear your robe.
Atty. Cuneta-Pangilinan: With all due respect your honor, this gown was made by rajo laurel especially for this occasion (waves at the video camera and smiles)...HI RAJO!
Chief Justice: This court is not a ramp, robe yourself or you will be cited for contempt!
Atty. Cuneta-Pangilinan: With all due respect Honorable Chief justice, if you insist that i robe myself, i will transfer to the other court!
Chief Justice: Which court?
Atty. Cuneta-Pangilinan: The Cuneta Astrodome!
Justice Artemio Panganiban (whispers to the Chief Justcie): let her argue in that off-shoulder gown, or else we will be mobbed by sharonians.
Chief Justice: the Court allows the counsel to speak before this court wearing a rajo laurel gown, but let it be on record that this should not take precedence.
Atty. Cuneta: Thank you very much honorable justices. The third contention of the petitioners is that, according to my husband kiko, Tito Ron is not a natural-born filipino citizen...i'm sorry talaga tita susan,tito ron,tita helen at tito sen i just have to do this because kiko is with the administration kasi e...i'm sorry your honors but i can not proceed in arguing this case.
Chief Justice: This court understands why you cannot. We take judicial notice of the fact of the megastar's close association with the king and queen of philippine movies and also with the campaign manager of the respondent. you may take your seat. who will present the third argument of the petitioners?
Atty. Jolina Magdangal : I will your honor.
Chief Justice: But not in that orange blouse and purple pants and all those dangling accessories.
Atty. Magdangal: Your Honors, with all due respect, it would be travesty of justice to allow my colleague atty. cuneta to argue in a rajo laurel and not allowing me to argue in my own creation, these items being original filipino creations that are on display in my burloloy shops.
Chief Justice (whispers to Justice Panganiban): how many fans does this lady have?
Justice Panganiban: she used to have many but her career is on a free fall.
Chief Justice: Counsel, this court allowed atty. cuneta to speak in a rajo laurel because what she was wearing was a gown.
Atty. Magdangal: But your honors, these are the same clothes that i wear when i host the TV program The Working President, and in that program, i am face-to-face with the president of the philippines.
Chief Justice: Ok, to preserve the sanctity of the principle of co-equality between the three branches of government, we will allow to descend to the level of the executive and let counsel argue in clothes that she usually wears when facing the president. proceed with your arguments.
Atty. Magdangal: Thank you your honors. it is just timely that we are discussing about clothing and fashion here because the third contention of the petitioners is that respondent fernando poe jr. is naturally an american citizen because he wears a jacket over long-sleeved shirts all the time, as in grabe, all the time talaga, even on summer. with all the chuva-chu-choo about jus sanguinis and jus soli and res ipsa chu-chu-bels, the answer to the question on whether respondent fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino is borne by fernando poe jr. himself.
Justice Antonio Carpio: Counsel, do you mean to say that because counsel for the respondent atty. german moreno wears colorful coats all the time, and in your own words, as in all the time talaga, he is not a filipino?
Atty. Magdangal: Thank you for bringing that up mister justice, the case of counsel german moreno is different because he could not, in any case, be a filipino because he is a filipina
Mme. Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales: Corny! I've already heard that having been said about ernie maceda!
Atty. Magdangal: your honors, the philippines is a tropical country and it's so unnatural for a filipino, and someone of respondent fernando poe's stature, to be donning jackets, leather or otherwise, over a long-sleeved shirt all the time even in his fight scenes in the movie panday, which was supposed to be in a desert and also when he has fight scenes in rivers or other bodies of water, like his movie with counsel sharon cuneta. these, your honors, clearly show that the respondent is not a filipino but an american.
it is to be noted that the masculine national costume of the philippines is the barong tagalog and if you are truly proud of your cultural heritage, you are not supposed to wear a leather jacket on top of your barong.
Justice Renato Corona: I have seen this movie where he was a police officer, but i can't exactly remember if he wore short-sleeved poilce uniform in that movie. Can u enlighten us on that counsel?
Atty. Magdangal: you are talking about batas ko ang hahatol your honor but even in that movie, he wore a black leather jacket over of his police uniform. he, the respondent, is making a huge insult to the filipino culture and the integrity of the colors of our police by either not wearing the filipino costume or covering it with a jacket. if this honorable court could recall, in fernando poe's san miguel ad six years ago, he was supposed to be katipunero in that ad, but instead of wearing red pants with one of the manggas rolled up and white camisa and salakot and was supposed to be carrying a spear made of bamboo, he wore an elegantly-designed long-sleeved silk uniform with some insignias that i couldn't understand and carried a silver sword just like the spaniards. and it was supposed to be an ad made specially for the centennial, but he looked like a spaniard. it was the centennial celebrati8on of philippine independence and he was like, hello? wearing a spanish general's costume? hello?
take these facts together, your honors, and you will realize that we wasted so much time in arguing whether respondent fernando poe jr. is filipino or not.
Chief Justice: Are you the final speaker for the petitioner?
Atty. Magdangal: Secret!
counsel for respondent, atty. anabel rama-gutierrez, is so furious but at the same time nervous because of the brilliance of the argument of counsel jolina magdangal. she approached the stand and saw a crying atty. sharon cuneta secretly waving at her from the other side. amicus curiae kris aquino was also making a secret wave under her robe. atty. rama-gutierrez snobbed both of them.
Atty. Rama-Gutierrez: Maayong buntag dong! (referring to the cebuano Chief Justice)
Before i proceed with the respondent's third contention, i would like to manifest to this honorable court that counsel for petitioners, atty. magdangal, is malandi. why i say that she's malandi, because she wants to see the body of fernando poe jr., that's why she's complaining that fernando poe jr. is always wearing long-sleeves. naku day! halata naman masyado na sobrang landi mo. tingnan mo naman 'yan, pati si ronnie na ang tanda-tanda na ay pinapantsaya mo pa. tama nga siguro ang narinig ko na balita na may syota ka na DOM na pulitiko.
Chief Justice: proceed with your arguments!
Atty. Rama-Gutierrez: Mr. Chief Justice, i'm just getting warmed up. Ronnie is a natural-born filipino citizen because i know!
filipino gyud sya, i will not say how i knew about it because my husband eddie might kill me. pero hibaw-an ko gyud kung pinoy o dili kay katilaw man ko ug foreigner pero iba lagi sila sa pinoy. Guisulti man sa ako ni ruffa, kay daghan man sya natilawan, pareho lagi among hi-baw-an parte sa mga pinoy.
Mme. Justice Ynares-Santiago: what do you mean?
Chief Justice: The counsel is saying that she's sure fernando poe jr. is a filipino because she has tried foreigners and she knows the distinctions. Her daughter ruffa also shared to her everything and they both agree on the distinctiveness of the filipino.
Amicus Curiae Kris Aquino: Tita Annabel, i know that, you're so naughty talaga! don't tell me pati si Yilmaz...
Atty. Rama-Gutierrez: ang landi mo talaga kris, pati ba naman si Yilmaz. hindi naman ako gaga no, hindi ako pumapatol sa may asawa!!! at lalong di sa asawa ng anak ko! That's all your honors!
Limpbwizit's continuing coverage of the SC arguments:
after a recess, the oral arguments on the disqualification case against fernando poe jr. resumed.
counsel for petitioners, known in the legal profeesion as mega-lawyer atty. sharon cuneta, presents her argument...
Chief Justice: Counsel, you cannot argue before this court in that red and black gown, you should wear your robe.
Atty. Cuneta-Pangilinan: With all due respect your honor, this gown was made by rajo laurel especially for this occasion (waves at the video camera and smiles)...HI RAJO!
Chief Justice: This court is not a ramp, robe yourself or you will be cited for contempt!
Atty. Cuneta-Pangilinan: With all due respect Honorable Chief justice, if you insist that i robe myself, i will transfer to the other court!
Chief Justice: Which court?
Atty. Cuneta-Pangilinan: The Cuneta Astrodome!
Justice Artemio Panganiban (whispers to the Chief Justcie): let her argue in that off-shoulder gown, or else we will be mobbed by sharonians.
Chief Justice: the Court allows the counsel to speak before this court wearing a rajo laurel gown, but let it be on record that this should not take precedence.
Atty. Cuneta: Thank you very much honorable justices. The third contention of the petitioners is that, according to my husband kiko, Tito Ron is not a natural-born filipino citizen...i'm sorry talaga tita susan,tito ron,tita helen at tito sen i just have to do this because kiko is with the administration kasi e...i'm sorry your honors but i can not proceed in arguing this case.
Chief Justice: This court understands why you cannot. We take judicial notice of the fact of the megastar's close association with the king and queen of philippine movies and also with the campaign manager of the respondent. you may take your seat. who will present the third argument of the petitioners?
Atty. Jolina Magdangal : I will your honor.
Chief Justice: But not in that orange blouse and purple pants and all those dangling accessories.
Atty. Magdangal: Your Honors, with all due respect, it would be travesty of justice to allow my colleague atty. cuneta to argue in a rajo laurel and not allowing me to argue in my own creation, these items being original filipino creations that are on display in my burloloy shops.
Chief Justice (whispers to Justice Panganiban): how many fans does this lady have?
Justice Panganiban: she used to have many but her career is on a free fall.
Chief Justice: Counsel, this court allowed atty. cuneta to speak in a rajo laurel because what she was wearing was a gown.
Atty. Magdangal: But your honors, these are the same clothes that i wear when i host the TV program The Working President, and in that program, i am face-to-face with the president of the philippines.
Chief Justice: Ok, to preserve the sanctity of the principle of co-equality between the three branches of government, we will allow to descend to the level of the executive and let counsel argue in clothes that she usually wears when facing the president. proceed with your arguments.
Atty. Magdangal: Thank you your honors. it is just timely that we are discussing about clothing and fashion here because the third contention of the petitioners is that respondent fernando poe jr. is naturally an american citizen because he wears a jacket over long-sleeved shirts all the time, as in grabe, all the time talaga, even on summer. with all the chuva-chu-choo about jus sanguinis and jus soli and res ipsa chu-chu-bels, the answer to the question on whether respondent fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino is borne by fernando poe jr. himself.
Justice Antonio Carpio: Counsel, do you mean to say that because counsel for the respondent atty. german moreno wears colorful coats all the time, and in your own words, as in all the time talaga, he is not a filipino?
Atty. Magdangal: Thank you for bringing that up mister justice, the case of counsel german moreno is different because he could not, in any case, be a filipino because he is a filipina
Mme. Justice Conchita Carpio-Morales: Corny! I've already heard that having been said about ernie maceda!
Atty. Magdangal: your honors, the philippines is a tropical country and it's so unnatural for a filipino, and someone of respondent fernando poe's stature, to be donning jackets, leather or otherwise, over a long-sleeved shirt all the time even in his fight scenes in the movie panday, which was supposed to be in a desert and also when he has fight scenes in rivers or other bodies of water, like his movie with counsel sharon cuneta. these, your honors, clearly show that the respondent is not a filipino but an american.
it is to be noted that the masculine national costume of the philippines is the barong tagalog and if you are truly proud of your cultural heritage, you are not supposed to wear a leather jacket on top of your barong.
Justice Renato Corona: I have seen this movie where he was a police officer, but i can't exactly remember if he wore short-sleeved poilce uniform in that movie. Can u enlighten us on that counsel?
Atty. Magdangal: you are talking about batas ko ang hahatol your honor but even in that movie, he wore a black leather jacket over of his police uniform. he, the respondent, is making a huge insult to the filipino culture and the integrity of the colors of our police by either not wearing the filipino costume or covering it with a jacket. if this honorable court could recall, in fernando poe's san miguel ad six years ago, he was supposed to be katipunero in that ad, but instead of wearing red pants with one of the manggas rolled up and white camisa and salakot and was supposed to be carrying a spear made of bamboo, he wore an elegantly-designed long-sleeved silk uniform with some insignias that i couldn't understand and carried a silver sword just like the spaniards. and it was supposed to be an ad made specially for the centennial, but he looked like a spaniard. it was the centennial celebrati8on of philippine independence and he was like, hello? wearing a spanish general's costume? hello?
take these facts together, your honors, and you will realize that we wasted so much time in arguing whether respondent fernando poe jr. is filipino or not.
Chief Justice: Are you the final speaker for the petitioner?
Atty. Magdangal: Secret!
counsel for respondent, atty. anabel rama-gutierrez, is so furious but at the same time nervous because of the brilliance of the argument of counsel jolina magdangal. she approached the stand and saw a crying atty. sharon cuneta secretly waving at her from the other side. amicus curiae kris aquino was also making a secret wave under her robe. atty. rama-gutierrez snobbed both of them.
Atty. Rama-Gutierrez: Maayong buntag dong! (referring to the cebuano Chief Justice)
Before i proceed with the respondent's third contention, i would like to manifest to this honorable court that counsel for petitioners, atty. magdangal, is malandi. why i say that she's malandi, because she wants to see the body of fernando poe jr., that's why she's complaining that fernando poe jr. is always wearing long-sleeves. naku day! halata naman masyado na sobrang landi mo. tingnan mo naman 'yan, pati si ronnie na ang tanda-tanda na ay pinapantsaya mo pa. tama nga siguro ang narinig ko na balita na may syota ka na DOM na pulitiko.
Chief Justice: proceed with your arguments!
Atty. Rama-Gutierrez: Mr. Chief Justice, i'm just getting warmed up. Ronnie is a natural-born filipino citizen because i know!
filipino gyud sya, i will not say how i knew about it because my husband eddie might kill me. pero hibaw-an ko gyud kung pinoy o dili kay katilaw man ko ug foreigner pero iba lagi sila sa pinoy. Guisulti man sa ako ni ruffa, kay daghan man sya natilawan, pareho lagi among hi-baw-an parte sa mga pinoy.
Mme. Justice Ynares-Santiago: what do you mean?
Chief Justice: The counsel is saying that she's sure fernando poe jr. is a filipino because she has tried foreigners and she knows the distinctions. Her daughter ruffa also shared to her everything and they both agree on the distinctiveness of the filipino.
Amicus Curiae Kris Aquino: Tita Annabel, i know that, you're so naughty talaga! don't tell me pati si Yilmaz...
Atty. Rama-Gutierrez: ang landi mo talaga kris, pati ba naman si Yilmaz. hindi naman ako gaga no, hindi ako pumapatol sa may asawa!!! at lalong di sa asawa ng anak ko! That's all your honors!
Job openings
A cutting-edge interactive TV program is looking for young, talented individuals for the following positions:
Video Editors
*Graduate of Communication Arts, Film or related courses
*Familiar with linear/nonlinear editing systems particularly Adobe Premiere & Adobe After Effects
*Knowledge of time code systems/EDL management
*Above average communication skills both oral and written
*Above average interpersonal skills
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Segment Writers
*Graduate of Communication Arts or related courses
*Excellent interpersonal skills
*At least 1 year experience in writing, preferably for a lifestyle TV production
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Send your resume to joan@gmanmi.tv.
A cutting-edge interactive TV program is looking for young, talented individuals for the following positions:
Video Editors
*Graduate of Communication Arts, Film or related courses
*Familiar with linear/nonlinear editing systems particularly Adobe Premiere & Adobe After Effects
*Knowledge of time code systems/EDL management
*Above average communication skills both oral and written
*Above average interpersonal skills
*Willing to go on shifts
Segment Writers
*Graduate of Communication Arts or related courses
*Excellent interpersonal skills
*At least 1 year experience in writing, preferably for a lifestyle TV production
*Can work very well with a team
*Good leadership skills
Send your resume to joan@gmanmi.tv.
FPJ's crash course on economics
Despite his earlier antiglobalization postures, FPJ would, it turns out, be having neoliberal economics for his presidency. This was announced by the economist Bernardo Villegas, who advised FPJ and provided him with reading materials on economics. The report says:
Asked to assess if Poe were able to absorb the lectures well, Villegas merely quipped that it’s hard to judge a person’s capability but noted that “Poe is intelligent, talkative and humane.” This is contrary, Villegas said, to Poe’s “laconic image” in public.
“Besides, the brain’s capacity to absorb knowledge is infinite,” he said, stressing that people “should just have to be patient with his education.”
Not true. The brain's capacity to absorb knowledge is not infinite. Perhaps a toddler's brain has infinite capacity to learn, but FPJ is no spring chicken. FPJ, like normal people who deteriorate through time, has fewer brain cells now than when he was younger. (This deterioration must have been further aggravated by FPJ's beer drinking.) An older person's memory is simply not as retentive as a younger person's. It is seriously doubtful if Villegas's Economics 101 really made an impact on FPJ. Two hours of advising and lectures are not enough; the academics are simply too overwhelmed by the sight of potential political power that they lose their proper judgment on this matter.
FPJ is getting too many briefings these days from academics who, for all their bright and shining Ph.D's, are not especially known--we must admit--for their communicative skills with high school dropouts. The academics advising FPJ are actually overestimating two things: 1) their own pedagogic skills and 2) FPJ's capacity to learn on the fly.
Everybody though is happy with this arrangement. FPJ's campaign gets a semblance of coherence, the academics' egos get a boost, and the reporters get stories to write.
Despite his earlier antiglobalization postures, FPJ would, it turns out, be having neoliberal economics for his presidency. This was announced by the economist Bernardo Villegas, who advised FPJ and provided him with reading materials on economics. The report says:
Asked to assess if Poe were able to absorb the lectures well, Villegas merely quipped that it’s hard to judge a person’s capability but noted that “Poe is intelligent, talkative and humane.” This is contrary, Villegas said, to Poe’s “laconic image” in public.
“Besides, the brain’s capacity to absorb knowledge is infinite,” he said, stressing that people “should just have to be patient with his education.”
Not true. The brain's capacity to absorb knowledge is not infinite. Perhaps a toddler's brain has infinite capacity to learn, but FPJ is no spring chicken. FPJ, like normal people who deteriorate through time, has fewer brain cells now than when he was younger. (This deterioration must have been further aggravated by FPJ's beer drinking.) An older person's memory is simply not as retentive as a younger person's. It is seriously doubtful if Villegas's Economics 101 really made an impact on FPJ. Two hours of advising and lectures are not enough; the academics are simply too overwhelmed by the sight of potential political power that they lose their proper judgment on this matter.
FPJ is getting too many briefings these days from academics who, for all their bright and shining Ph.D's, are not especially known--we must admit--for their communicative skills with high school dropouts. The academics advising FPJ are actually overestimating two things: 1) their own pedagogic skills and 2) FPJ's capacity to learn on the fly.
Everybody though is happy with this arrangement. FPJ's campaign gets a semblance of coherence, the academics' egos get a boost, and the reporters get stories to write.
Wednesday, February 18, 2004
Oral arguments at the Supreme Court on FPJ's citizenship
Limpbwizit blogs on the SC arguments:
Atty. Moreno: Thank you for raising that Madame Justice, it is of public knowledge your honors that fernando poe jr. is dubbed as the king of philippine movies. he would not be called such if he is not a natural-born filipino actor because making around 500 movies in 50 years would not be easy if you are not a natural-born, hence, under the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, the career of fernando poe jr. speaks for itself - that he is a natural-born filipino actor. and in my experience with that's entertainment, your honors, i can spot whether an aspiring actor is a natural-born or not and with all honesty, your honors, and i think the whole country would agree, that fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino actor. furthermore, the father of fernando poe jr. is fernando poe sr., as suggested by his name, and his father was a known filipino actor of his time, thus, following the well-settled doctrine that the fruit of the poisonous tree is also poisonous, there is an overwhelming evidence that fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino actor. it is thus submitted your honors that by the facts of public knowledge that was just presented, mr. fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino. before i end my argument your honros, i would like to distribute to you these newly-released CDs from vicor records, these are the albums of my former babies in that's entertainment, and some gift packs from the sponsors of my show. sha-la-la will distribute them to you your honors.
XXX
Amicus Curiae Kris Aquino: How about the argument under the doctrine of poisonous tree? Kasi, like my Josh, he's so like his daddy Ipe, and my brother noynoy, he's a carbon-copy talaga of my dad, that's why i'm super kumbinsi that because tito ron's dad was a great filipino actor, tito ron is a natural-born filipino actor.
Solicitor General: Thank you raising that, madame amicus curiae. It is disputable whether the father necessarily sires a son of equal or greater character than he is. It is also of public knowledge that the respondent's best friend erap was a handsome man during his youth, but questions arose - how about jinggoy? Furthermore, erap estrada is known to have so many women in his life so it is also proper to ask - how about jude?How about Dolphy Quizon and Eric Quizon? it is thus submitted, your honors, that the poisonous tree doctrine finds no application in this case.
Atty. Armida Siguion-Reyna: Your Honors, I shall be direct-to-the-point with our second argument. It is our contention that fernando poe jr. is, aside from being a natural-born filipino actor, also a natural-born filipino boxer, as earlier raised by the counsel for the petitioner. it is of public knowledge your honors that filipinos are natural boxers as demonstrated by great filipino boxing champions like flash elorde, luisito espinosa jr., manny pacquiao, onyok velasco, and bong navarette, not to mention the obvious popularity of the sport in the country.
Mme. Justice Chico-Nazario : did the respondent win any boxing championship?
Atty. Armida Siguion-Reyna: none that i know of Madame Justice but noteworthy is his fist-fighting ability that he knocks down all of his opponents with his trademark rapid punches punctuated by his another trademark "cymballing" of the bad guy through the latter's ears. these, on top of being natural abilities that could not be acquired by training by those who were not natural-born boxers, your honors, are uniquely filipino boxing routines born and existing only in the philippine scene. being a unique filipino boxing routine, it follows that it's creator is a natural-born filipino for we can not, by any means, claim as uniquely ours something not created by a natural-born filipino.
Justice Reynato Puno: counsel, it was already said earlier that one single occurrence should not be taken to prove a general fact.
Atty. Siguion-Reyna: I took note of that your honors and as a matter of fact, i have other examples to cite to prove my point. Mr. Poe is also a filipino legend as proven by his movie alamat ng lawin. by simple translation, the legend of the hawk. according to bouvier's law dictionary, a legend is a story of how things came into being and mr. poe could not be a legend if he is not a natural-born because legends are born and not made. thus, he is not just a natural-born filipino actor and boxer, he is also a natural-born filipino legend. your honors, the facts pointing to fernado poe's being a natural-born is overwhelming, it is therefore submitted that he should not be disqualified from running as president of this country.
Limpbwizit blogs on the SC arguments:
Atty. Moreno: Thank you for raising that Madame Justice, it is of public knowledge your honors that fernando poe jr. is dubbed as the king of philippine movies. he would not be called such if he is not a natural-born filipino actor because making around 500 movies in 50 years would not be easy if you are not a natural-born, hence, under the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, the career of fernando poe jr. speaks for itself - that he is a natural-born filipino actor. and in my experience with that's entertainment, your honors, i can spot whether an aspiring actor is a natural-born or not and with all honesty, your honors, and i think the whole country would agree, that fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino actor. furthermore, the father of fernando poe jr. is fernando poe sr., as suggested by his name, and his father was a known filipino actor of his time, thus, following the well-settled doctrine that the fruit of the poisonous tree is also poisonous, there is an overwhelming evidence that fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino actor. it is thus submitted your honors that by the facts of public knowledge that was just presented, mr. fernando poe jr. is a natural-born filipino. before i end my argument your honros, i would like to distribute to you these newly-released CDs from vicor records, these are the albums of my former babies in that's entertainment, and some gift packs from the sponsors of my show. sha-la-la will distribute them to you your honors.
XXX
Amicus Curiae Kris Aquino: How about the argument under the doctrine of poisonous tree? Kasi, like my Josh, he's so like his daddy Ipe, and my brother noynoy, he's a carbon-copy talaga of my dad, that's why i'm super kumbinsi that because tito ron's dad was a great filipino actor, tito ron is a natural-born filipino actor.
Solicitor General: Thank you raising that, madame amicus curiae. It is disputable whether the father necessarily sires a son of equal or greater character than he is. It is also of public knowledge that the respondent's best friend erap was a handsome man during his youth, but questions arose - how about jinggoy? Furthermore, erap estrada is known to have so many women in his life so it is also proper to ask - how about jude?How about Dolphy Quizon and Eric Quizon? it is thus submitted, your honors, that the poisonous tree doctrine finds no application in this case.
Atty. Armida Siguion-Reyna: Your Honors, I shall be direct-to-the-point with our second argument. It is our contention that fernando poe jr. is, aside from being a natural-born filipino actor, also a natural-born filipino boxer, as earlier raised by the counsel for the petitioner. it is of public knowledge your honors that filipinos are natural boxers as demonstrated by great filipino boxing champions like flash elorde, luisito espinosa jr., manny pacquiao, onyok velasco, and bong navarette, not to mention the obvious popularity of the sport in the country.
Mme. Justice Chico-Nazario : did the respondent win any boxing championship?
Atty. Armida Siguion-Reyna: none that i know of Madame Justice but noteworthy is his fist-fighting ability that he knocks down all of his opponents with his trademark rapid punches punctuated by his another trademark "cymballing" of the bad guy through the latter's ears. these, on top of being natural abilities that could not be acquired by training by those who were not natural-born boxers, your honors, are uniquely filipino boxing routines born and existing only in the philippine scene. being a unique filipino boxing routine, it follows that it's creator is a natural-born filipino for we can not, by any means, claim as uniquely ours something not created by a natural-born filipino.
Justice Reynato Puno: counsel, it was already said earlier that one single occurrence should not be taken to prove a general fact.
Atty. Siguion-Reyna: I took note of that your honors and as a matter of fact, i have other examples to cite to prove my point. Mr. Poe is also a filipino legend as proven by his movie alamat ng lawin. by simple translation, the legend of the hawk. according to bouvier's law dictionary, a legend is a story of how things came into being and mr. poe could not be a legend if he is not a natural-born because legends are born and not made. thus, he is not just a natural-born filipino actor and boxer, he is also a natural-born filipino legend. your honors, the facts pointing to fernado poe's being a natural-born is overwhelming, it is therefore submitted that he should not be disqualified from running as president of this country.
Tuesday, February 17, 2004
Nelson Mandela is coming to town on March 23!
Teddy Benigno in his column today quotes Luis Taruc announcing this. No mention of the occasion and other details though.
Teddy Benigno in his column today quotes Luis Taruc announcing this. No mention of the occasion and other details though.
Booty capitalist
Raul Rodrigo writes today about the happy life of Danding Cojuangco as a rentseeker:
By dint of astute, sharp-elbowed maneuvering, Danding built one monopoly after another: coconuts, soft drinks, beer, and so on. When Marcos fell, he was on the verge of building a new sugar monopoly. The Boss’s modus operandi remained the same, whether in Marcos’s time or Erap’s: use other people’s money to create monopolies, leverage these monopolies into wangling even more power and influence, and all the while keep enough resources flowing to the powers-that-be to keep them looking the other way.
Raul Rodrigo writes today about the happy life of Danding Cojuangco as a rentseeker:
By dint of astute, sharp-elbowed maneuvering, Danding built one monopoly after another: coconuts, soft drinks, beer, and so on. When Marcos fell, he was on the verge of building a new sugar monopoly. The Boss’s modus operandi remained the same, whether in Marcos’s time or Erap’s: use other people’s money to create monopolies, leverage these monopolies into wangling even more power and influence, and all the while keep enough resources flowing to the powers-that-be to keep them looking the other way.
Monday, February 16, 2004
The president is reading komiks
Because of her embarrassing gaffes in speaking the national language, President GMA is reading komiks to hone her Filipino linguistic skills. The Inquirer reports that the president is in the habit of directly translating English phrases into Filipino: drawing the line turns into paggguhit ng linya and turning around the economy, the President disastrously translated as pagpapaikot-ikot ng ekonomiya.
I wonder what komiks GMA reads. And where does she get them? I see some on display at the National Bookstore, but I don't see some of the titles I enjoyed in the past (must be defunct now): Pinoy Klasiks, Pinoy Komiks, Kwento, Funny Komiks.
While the president is at it, she should also try listening to AM radio soaps on air luchtime. And one more thing: stay away from Randy David. The Filipino language as used in the academe can be just as off-putting to the masa as pagpapaikot-ikot ng ekonomiya.
Because of her embarrassing gaffes in speaking the national language, President GMA is reading komiks to hone her Filipino linguistic skills. The Inquirer reports that the president is in the habit of directly translating English phrases into Filipino: drawing the line turns into paggguhit ng linya and turning around the economy, the President disastrously translated as pagpapaikot-ikot ng ekonomiya.
I wonder what komiks GMA reads. And where does she get them? I see some on display at the National Bookstore, but I don't see some of the titles I enjoyed in the past (must be defunct now): Pinoy Klasiks, Pinoy Komiks, Kwento, Funny Komiks.
While the president is at it, she should also try listening to AM radio soaps on air luchtime. And one more thing: stay away from Randy David. The Filipino language as used in the academe can be just as off-putting to the masa as pagpapaikot-ikot ng ekonomiya.
Rumors of a disqualification
With vicious rumors circulating left and right about the alleged Malacanang predetermination of FPJ's citizenship, the Supreme Court should be hurling contempt of court charges to just about everybody--starting with Atty. Estelito Mendoza, who warned on primetime TV that an adverse decision would unleash chaos. (Atty. Leonard de Vera did exactly the same thing when he said that an SC decision declaring the Anti-Plunder Law unconstitutional would unleash chaos and People Power, and he was cited for indirect contempt by the Supreme Court and fined P20,000.)
What is especially galling is that these rumors currently circulating are being given credence by people who are presumed to be in the know. Their credence betrays their distrust and low opinion of the Supreme Court. Is our Supreme Court really this week and pliable that lawyers who have invested their lifetimes in the practice of law are all to ready to believe that our Supreme Court takes orders?
If the Supreme Court were a totally honorable institution, rumors of this type would have been nipped in the bud. That these rumors bubble up to become the stuff of front-page headlines only shows that despite our paeans to the rule of law we as a people do not really buy that justice-for-all claptrap.
Exactly what are the indications that the SC will decide against FPJ's citizenship? None but alleged insider rumors. The choice of amici curiae though can be more revealing. At least one of them, Dean Joaquin Bernas of the Ateneo, would be sharing the opinion that FPJ is qualified. And there seems to be no clear indications that the other three friends of the court--Justice Mendoza, Prof Balane, Dean Magallona--would be tendering diametrically opposite opinions. The purpose of all these rumors seems to be nothing more than to put on hold the money contributions flooding FPJ's coffers.
What happens though if, in any event, the SC disqualifies FPJ? Rumors of chaos and People Power scenarios are highly exaggerated. The combined FPJ and Erap crowds are simply not enough to overturn the present political dispensation--the unpopularity of GMA considered (read Conrado de Quiros's column which raises some doubts on this). As UP Prof Alex Magno is wont to point out, in People Power, it is not only the quantity but the quality of the crowd that counts. It is sad but the FPJ crowd of politically dispossessed may have the numbers but it doesn't have the quality to stage a successful People Power.
Incidentally, Raul Roco seems to be buoyed up by the prospect of FPJ's disqualification. He is confident that the electorate would choose him over the president in a mano a mano fight.
With vicious rumors circulating left and right about the alleged Malacanang predetermination of FPJ's citizenship, the Supreme Court should be hurling contempt of court charges to just about everybody--starting with Atty. Estelito Mendoza, who warned on primetime TV that an adverse decision would unleash chaos. (Atty. Leonard de Vera did exactly the same thing when he said that an SC decision declaring the Anti-Plunder Law unconstitutional would unleash chaos and People Power, and he was cited for indirect contempt by the Supreme Court and fined P20,000.)
What is especially galling is that these rumors currently circulating are being given credence by people who are presumed to be in the know. Their credence betrays their distrust and low opinion of the Supreme Court. Is our Supreme Court really this week and pliable that lawyers who have invested their lifetimes in the practice of law are all to ready to believe that our Supreme Court takes orders?
If the Supreme Court were a totally honorable institution, rumors of this type would have been nipped in the bud. That these rumors bubble up to become the stuff of front-page headlines only shows that despite our paeans to the rule of law we as a people do not really buy that justice-for-all claptrap.
Exactly what are the indications that the SC will decide against FPJ's citizenship? None but alleged insider rumors. The choice of amici curiae though can be more revealing. At least one of them, Dean Joaquin Bernas of the Ateneo, would be sharing the opinion that FPJ is qualified. And there seems to be no clear indications that the other three friends of the court--Justice Mendoza, Prof Balane, Dean Magallona--would be tendering diametrically opposite opinions. The purpose of all these rumors seems to be nothing more than to put on hold the money contributions flooding FPJ's coffers.
What happens though if, in any event, the SC disqualifies FPJ? Rumors of chaos and People Power scenarios are highly exaggerated. The combined FPJ and Erap crowds are simply not enough to overturn the present political dispensation--the unpopularity of GMA considered (read Conrado de Quiros's column which raises some doubts on this). As UP Prof Alex Magno is wont to point out, in People Power, it is not only the quantity but the quality of the crowd that counts. It is sad but the FPJ crowd of politically dispossessed may have the numbers but it doesn't have the quality to stage a successful People Power.
Incidentally, Raul Roco seems to be buoyed up by the prospect of FPJ's disqualification. He is confident that the electorate would choose him over the president in a mano a mano fight.
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