Barack Obama said-

Conspiracy theories on Obama's fight against terror and loss of his popularity

We're not gonna have a war, we're gonna have the appearance of a war. ~Conrad Brean, Wag the Dog

One night, while in Catbalogan, I met this British guy who has a diplomat of a wife. He was a sunny type of chap even if it was raining hard on that side of the globe.

Our discussions arrived at the news of packages as part of a terror plot against America. I liked the way he said DUH! I was never an Obama fan. I liked Hillary Clinton better because I would like to believe America is the land of the brave and the free and never in their history had they voted for a woman. It was supposed to be my kind of test for the Americans. But I disappointedly sighed. So much for gender equality. I am now convinced they are the most traditional just like any other countries around the world.

The intercepted package was in a cargo plane with a minute of a crew. Has it reached American soil? The Brit and I agreed more on the the funny side of our opinions. Was it to enhance Obama's losing battle for popularity in the US? Was it part of a drama to tell the world that they have more intelligence power therefore they are superior? Or was it again part of arm dealing business of America so they still can supply arms to other nations some of them are poor all in the guise of fighting terror? Go to war!

I was reminded of the film Wag the Dog starring Dustin Hoffman and Robert de Niro that tells about a spin-doctor and a film producer trying to fabricate a war in Albania to cover up the sex scandal committed by the president of America. Although Obama has not been into a sex scandal (Clinton, the president, has) but the plot seems likely familiar. Knowing the powers of America. Sometimes we can only sigh even if it's not a sigh of relief.

Well, we all have conspiracy theories. But always remember: When there is smoke, there is fire.

And note that the Philippine President seems to follow Obama's strategy albeit sans strategic directions towards Change.

We are all part of this comedy.

More readings:
Tony Bergonia: Aquino may follow Obama path, warns think tank 

Well, I have, too. Would you do it again...? Isn't that why you're here? I guess so. And if you go to war again, who is it going to be against? Your "ability to fight a Two-ocean War" against who? Sweden and Togo? Who you sitting here to Go To War Against? That time has passed. It's passed. It's over. The war of the future is nuclear terrorism. It is and it will be against a small group of dissidents who, unbeknownst, perhaps, to their own governments, have blah blah blah. And to go to that war, you've got to be prepared. You have to be alert, and the public has to be alert. Cause that is the war of the future, and if you're not gearing up, to fight that war, eventually the axe will fall. And you're gonna be out in the street. And you can call this a "drill," or you can call it "job security," or you can call it anything you like. But I got one for you: you said, "Go to war to protect your Way of Life," well, Chuck, this is your way of life. Isn't it? And if there ain't no war, then you, my friend, can go home and prematurely take up golf. Because there ain't no war but ours. ~Conrad Brean, Wag the Dog


Obama's picture from strangepolitics.com

"Change has come to America"

Congratulations President Barack Obama, the first African-American President of the US!

Photo from gemzies.com

They Have Great Time in the US while Filipinos Suffer from Frank

This is copied without permission from www.inquirer.net. Emphasis is mine.

The government spent $1.5 million for President Gloria and her friends in Congress in her recent visit to the United States.

They stayed in the best hotels. They rented 30 cars. They paid $207++ per plate for their dinners.

For their visit, 250 Philippine consulate officials in the US had to be mobilized to serve their every need.

All of these perks they enjoyed while the country was suffering from the devastation wrought by Typhoon “Frank.”

For the information of the public, the following are the legislators who accompanied the President on that trip: Narciso Santiago III, Alliance for Rural Concerns party list; Monico Puentevella, Bacolod; Albert Garcia, Bataan; Mark Llandro L. Mendoza, Batangas; Hermilando Mandanas, Batangas;

William Irwin Tieng, Buhay party list; Jose Zubiri III, Bukidnon; Lorna Silverio, Bulacan; Mitzi Cajayon, Caloocan; Diosdado “Dato” Macapagal-Arroyo, Camarines Sur;

Joseph Santiago, Catanduanes; Elpidio Barzaga Jr., Cavite; Antonio Cuenco, Cebu; Eduardo Gullas, Cebu; Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar, Cebu City; Rommel Amatong, Compostela Valley;

Speaker Prospero Nograles, Davao City; Antonio Lagdameo, Davao del Norte; Marc Cagas, Davao del Sur; Nelson Dayanghirang, Davao Oriental; Teodoro Coquilla, Eastern Samar;

Andres Salvacion, Leyte; Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Leyte; Trinidad Apostol, Leyte; Ma. Zenaida Angping, Manila; Amado S. Bagatsing, Manila; Bienvenido Abante Jr., Manila; Rizalina Seachon-Lanete, Masbate; Herminia Ramiro, Misamis Occidental; Yevgeny Emano, Misamis Oriental; Rozzano Rufino Biazon, Muntinlupa; Joseph Gilbert Violago, Nueva Ecija; Deputy Speaker Ma. Amelita C. Villarosa, Occidental Mindoro; cut short their US trip in sympathy for the victims of Typhoon Frank.

Anna York Bondoc, Pampanga; Aurelio Gonzales Jr., Pampanga; Juan Miguel Macapagal Arroyo, Pampanga; Conrado Estrella III, Pangasinan; Ma. Rachel Arenas, Pangasinan; Eduardo Zialcita, Paranaque; Roman Romulo, Pasig City;

Mary Ann Susano, Quezon City; Nanette Castelo-Daza, Quezon City; Danilo Suarez, Quezon province; Junie Cua, Quirino; Arturo B. Robes, San Jose del Monte; Roger Mercado, Southern Leyte; Munir Arbeson, Sulu; Rex Gatchalian, Valenzuela City; and Antonio Diaz, Zambales and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

It’s all up to you if you will vote for those legislators again in 2010.

MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS!

Dying for A Cause? For Chrissakes!

I am not religious. I do not wish to fight zealously over some issues with religions and other sects. I even hate those all-pious Catholics, Bible-toting Protestants and Born Again Christians who have nothing to say but make you feel you are the dirtiest scumbag on earth.

But what about killing people for your religion?

When I woke up this morning and read the news online, it hurts me to know that suicide bombers have already killed 10,000 people in Iraq and these bombers "usually are alienated young men from large families who are desperate to stand out from the crowd and make their mark," a study profiling these bombers said.

The study further states that most of these young men came from impoverished or middle class families and have been recruited by Al Qaeda from outside of Iraq.

What a waste of life! Trained to kill people, some of which are innocent to their blind cause.

The news further said- The social and economic situation in the region "will keep this generation, and the next generations to come, impoverished," the summary says. That will give fertile ground for al-Qaida to give such men "a purpose, a direction, and a reason to live and die."

I know you will say these are imperialistic US-generated public stunts so people will support their cause. But reason still prevails. Who would do a massive destruction like that? Well- not much of us have, err reason, that is still intact.

So I will just sing my favorite Beatle song- Imagine.

Imagine there's no Heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world

You may say that I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one.

The Problem with Lupang Hinirang

I saw this article by Lorenzo P. Niñal (Insoymada) of the Sun*Star Cebu dated October 9, 2007. I was truly amused at his wit and candor on the way our singers render their version of the Philippine National Anthem, which is of course almost always an embarrassment (either the singer is off-tune or makes a shorter version of the anthem). As he said, our national anthem is composed and supposed to be sang while marching and with a bolo in hand. Which got me to thinking: are our lawmakers creating the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines for real? Do they know what law are they making?

I decided to copy the whole article for your amusement.

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Promise this won't be another Pacquiao-Barrera piece. A Pacquiao victory was so boring. In fact, the excitement in that match began and ended with the singing of the three national anthems, Mexico's, the US' and ours. And that's the reason I waited for the fight. I wanted to verify reports that our pop singers are lobbying for a shorter version of Lupang Hinirang, one that goes straight to "ang mamatay nang dahil sa 'yo" after the opening line.

But I was frustrated because RnB princess Kyla failed to do a Christian Bautista Part 2. It was a boxing match. I was in a mean mood. I wanted to see people drop dead at the ring, if not from killer punches, at least from embarrassment. I hear Pacquiao had orders from Malacañang to hit Kyla with a left if she missed a line.

Lupang Hinirang is one scary song to sing in front of a crowd. It's double the scare if some dork before you messed it up big time and an entire country is expecting you to correct the error. It's a difficult song to sing to begin with. You have to be in short pants to sing it well. Remember how we never missed a line of it during flag ceremonies in grade school? The song seems harder to sing as life gets more complicated.

But then maybe national anthems are really written to make life difficult for a nation's people. The Star-Spangled Banner is one difficult song to sing too, even more difficult than ours. The Star-Spangled has a range of one and a half octaves. That's hell for us, lovers of Lito Camo songs.

What songwriter in his right mind would want to write a song in that range and expect an entire nation to hit the high notes right, from the lowest "say" to the highest "free"? I read somewhere that the Star-Spangled was a poem set to the tune of a popular British drinking song. A drinking song! That probably explains it. But why would we want to sing Star-Spangled, anyway?

And the Himno Nacional Mexicano, well, Marco Antonio Barrera lost. The lyrics, which allude to Mexican victories in battle and cries of defending the homeland, failed to give Barrera a glorious career exit. Let's leave it at that.

What about our national anthem? It's a marching hymn. Julian Felipe's composition was called "Marcha Nacional Filipina." He composed it for the bolo-wielding revolutionaries and gallant generals marching in victory. That's the reason it was set to the original 2/2 time signature, which is ideal for marching. For marching, not for singing, because the lyrics came only after more than a year.

Now our singers, whenever they perform the song solo, are expected to sing it the pop way using the friendly 4/4 time signature. It's where the problem lies. How do you sing a song whose music was actually for marching?

And there's our Constitution to consider. Republic Act 8491, or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, specifies that Lupang Hinirang "shall be in accordance with the musical arrangement and composition of Julian Felipe."

Literally, this means our national anthem should only be performed by a pianist or by a brass band, as these were the only versions that were produced by Felipe. Maybe it's the only way to do it right.

Which got me to thinking: If Christian Bautista was marching in military fashion, with bolo in hand, when he sang Lupang Hinirang, he wouldn't have probably missed it.
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