Recently I had an unpleasant — but thankfully brief — exchange of clashing opinions regarding a tenet I’ve always held high: Content is King. For more than a decade (ever since I started developing websites, in fact), I’ve been espousing this belief, which I’d previously thought everybody else subscribed to as well. Apparently not.
This blogger (!) caught my attention when he remarked that content wasn’t supreme, because it was links that ruled. I couldn’t help but be irked by this careless remark.
I don’t want to write a dissertation here, so I’ll just briefly state my case. Read on»
I do not disbelieve that God answers prayers. But it’s been said often enough that He does so in His own time and through His own mysterious ways. To me this implies that, though we pray for something, it still depends on ourselves whether or not we deserve what we’re asking for. In other words, prayer serves but to strengthen our own resolve. God our Father, in His infinite wisdom, shows us the way to attain our goals by our own means. Read on»
After the much-publicized presence of a U.N. rapporteur here to investigate the spate of killings of journalists, and after the horrific number of those killings itself, unbelievably, here comes another incident.
Last 18 April, Radyo ng Bayan’s Carmelo Palacios was beaten and shot to death at his home in Nueva Ecija. I hate to say it but, after so many unresolved assassinations, people seem to have become apathetic, unaffected. Instead of outrage, around me I hear “Tsk tsk! another one?” And from our government, apart from platitudinous commiseration, …what?
Read on»
I rarely attempt to endorse political candidates — partly because of my jaded attitude towards Philippine politics, and partly because politicians rarely fail to disappoint. However, I’m going out on a limb here to campaign for Ang Kapatiran Party’s Mr. Jess Paredes for senator of the Republic. Aside from my father’s willing support of this candidate, Mr. Paredes’ platform has convinced me to vote for him.
Read on»
I spoke too soon. In a previous post, I expressed relief that Manny Pacquiao had bowed out of the political rat race. But a few days ago, he has finally declared his intention to run. What a shame! What a total loss!
This goes to show how much Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo respects the Filipino people. The world’s #1 boxer pound-for-pound is part of the administration’s ticket. Other than his shining boxing career, the Pacman has no other qualifications to run for office. But the administration is banking on his popularity to boost their ticket. Trapo-style in its ugliest and most blatant.
Read on»
It was a relief to read the news about Manny Pacquiao’s withdrawal from the congressional elections. I was already planning to write something rather inflammatory about his political ambitions (or rather, the ambitions of those people behind Manny’s political bid). It’s good that he came to his senses before it was too late.
And his decision to withdraw was a brave one, too, I might add. He apparently is more concerned of his fans’ sentiments than his losing face. As a Filipino, I am proud of Manny Pacquiao, for his accomplishments.
Read on»
After a long interval, I was able to go out of town again (Samal’s a different city, but that doesn’t count as going out of town for a Davaoeño). And I was pretty excited about it too, because I’d never been there. Compostela Valley. But it was such a big disappointment. Nothing, absolutely nothing to see but same old stuff — nothing you won’t see anywhere else. Worse, we went to the really rural parts of Compostela, where there was just banana trees everywhere.
Read on»
Of course I knew that any comparison to LOTR would be quite unfair to any new entrant into the genre. So, I prepared not to be too judgemental towards Eragon when I set out to watch this movie. Read on»
"There is no such thing as a bad student, only a bad teacher."
This is one of the few adages that has deeply impressed me. It came back to me today after hearing of the head of a voluntary organization’s laments amid the alleged apathy of his constituents. A leader who has to complain about how his followers aren’t exactly following… this kind has no capacity to lead at all. Read on»
