I Hate Big Brother

Dear Kids, just like you, your Ninong Noey used to watch soap operas when we were kids. He loved the Bidas (Heroes) and could only wish he could use supernatural powers to strike back at the Kontra Bidas (anti-heroes). I remember he hated one particular kontrabida so much that when he accidentally bumped into her (Obviously a very good character actress), he told your GrandMommy Helen that he couldn't believe he was able to stop himself from hitting her.

I laugh everytime I hear your GrandMom say this when we were kids. I'm older than your Ninong. I am his BIG BROTHER. That's why even though back then I still had to hear the term, EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL, I had a suspicion what it meant just by looking at how the TV network was able to manipulate the emotions of an 8 year old boy with higher than normal intelligence.

Right now, you guys are held captive by one particular TV network- Yung network na pinagtatrabahuhan o Pinagtrabahuhan ng ibang mga makukulit na bumibisita dito sa blog nyo.

IN fact, Sadie Ann, if you hear anyone within earshot say the word "Kapitaaaaan..." you finish off the sentence with a thunderous reply: "BOOOOM!"

Because of THAT network I couldn't watch Al Jazeera and CNN at will.

Pinoy Big Brother reinforces what's wrong with the Filipino's perception of what leadership is and manipulates their emotions to accept a fascistic world view that We need an ALL KNOWING, ALL SEEING, INFALLIBLE DICTATOR to fix what's wrong with the Philippines.

Sa ika uunlad ng bayan,
disiplina ang kailangan.
Hwag ka nang mag isip,
Sumunod ka na lang.
Dahil mabait si Big Brother.
Mahal ka ni Big Brother.
Sa bahay ni PBB walang civil liberties. pati CR may CCTV. You do not have privacy. You do not have the right to privately speak with anyone you want.

A few years from now, SageSabeSade, we will have the technology to wire everything into the internet. Any government in the world can monitor what you say and do in your own house if you permit them. If you will hold PBB with high esteem when you are an impressionable child, you may just let him (the government) into your own home and into your thoughts someday.

The bedrock of civil liberties, is the Freedom to THINK FOR YOURSELF without government interference.

The crooked politicians know that the Filipino misconception of real leadership (dictatorship) unwittingly being promoted by PBB is their ticket to absolute power. Filipino viewers do not realize that those inside the PBB gameshow house are like kidnapped victims. PBB has absolute power over them and are subjects of his whims and caprice. PBB can define the public's perception of the characters of those contestants. He could make anyone in his domain look like a villain or a virtuous saint in front of a TV audience. By the magic of video editing, he can take anything out of context and he can make an innocent remark by a housemate sound sinister... or HONEST. By controlling how the public perceive his contestants/housemates (mabait, plastic, nagpapakatotoo, nagkukunwari, etc.) PBB controls who gets the public's sympathy and VOTE.

This is the source of the power of PBB. The power that mass media wields over its audience. The power that Media Moguls have, from CITIZEN KANE to Rupert Murdoch to the local small time media warlords.

THE POWER OF THE FOURTH ESTATE (THE PRESS)... Such is the power that Politicians would kill for to control. Especially those angling for absolute power.

The term "Big Brother" itself refers to the omnipotent leader in the classic novel "1984" by George Orwell. He was a totalitarian bastard who used the power of the media to brainwash his subjects to submission. Everytime I hear somebody say the words "I love Big Brother" I instinctively cringe. Why? Mga Anakis, basahin nyo na lang yung Novel.

Kahit yung last page lang...

Sage On Stage

Dear Dad, you have a giant big big big big big big big big big big tummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Case FOR Colin

Dear Barak, Forget Hillary, Pre. If you really want a ticket that will make a difference (not to mention HISTORY) Go for Colin Powell. He is A Republican who made Clinton look good. A moderate who had the guts to face the Security Council with hardline views of the American Talibans in the Bush Administration. A Decorated Soldier who knows how to take a punch in the chin or gut when he was given the booth by his last, stupid boss to serve as the fall guy. A man outside the Beltway who served under 3 Administrations.

When Republican attack dogs predictably go after Obama's inexperience in Foreign Policy, DNC spinmeisters only have to mention two words to chill them out: "Powell Doctrine."

Don't worry about the women. Do you think they'd vote for McCain now that he is being endorsed by the American Talibans?

McCain's has indeed earned his hero status as a POW. Ofcourse it all started when he intercepted a Surface to Air Missle with his Fighter Jet. But It was Powell who redeemed the American psyche, wounded by Vietnam, by being one of the engineers who launched Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The successful liberation of Kuwait erased the shame of Vietnam forever (Until W. Bush came in and gave US its second Vietnam: IRAQ)

And last but not the least, Pre,

...voters actually forget that he is Black.

Poseidon on Ice

Dear Sage, A couple weeks back, we went skating. You've been teasing me bec. I always stay away from the ice when you skate. I even let somebody else teach you (and Sabine) how to skate. My knees were buckling when I first stepped on the rink. The first few minutes were spent just beside the railings to break my fall-- just in case I did.

Then you skated by my side and started calling me BIG TUMMY in front of all those people. You also added that Sabine skates better than me. Then you told me to lose the railings and to go to the middle of the rink... I had no choice so I let myself be goaded away from my "life line", the railings, and skate with you to the middle of the rink.

You taught me how to balance while I'm on Ice skates.

When I was a boy, hot-tempered (nung araw) I tried roller skating one summer morning. I landed on my butt so many times I ended up throwing those damn skates away and picking up a fight with the guy who rented me those pair of rollers.

That's why I have always feared skating. Thank God you were there that afternoon to give me the inspiration to conquer my fear, Sage.

The Skating rink looked like a Frozen lake (okay, it's not that big But from my point of view, it is a sizeable part of Poseidon's domain). It's a place meant for graceful swans who glide with grace. When you and I finally decided to call it a day, I realized I didn't fall while learning to skate. Not even ONCE. That's why when we were finally off the Ice I looked back and said to myself, paraphrasing that costner movie where he pitched the perfect game against the Yankees in their stadium: "... and the cathedral for graceful swans belongs to a clueless dodo".

Thank YOU SAGE! I've been to the Rockefeller Institute twice in my life. On my third trip to that city, whenever that will be only God knows, I'll finally be able to suck in enough gut to skate on that rink beneath the gaze of Prometheus.

Poseidon Adventure

Poseidon's Keep

MOTHER'S DAY 2008... MOTHER-IN-LAW'S BIRTHDAY 2008












At the end of the Day, wala na kong cash. Kaya isang maliit na Birthday Cake na lamang ang naibigay ko sa Byenan. AT ang candle ay ang dalawang lollipops.

Greatest Love Of All

Dear Sage, This is the first song you chose to sing at the Center for Pop Academy. It's a beautiful song. From that academy, you finally started to learn the art of BIRIT.

Although I've always wrestled with the idea that learning to love one's self is the greatest love of all, I agree with the song's theme of independence. The most ridiculous interpretation of the theme was what I read in a school organ that said that the greatest love of all was the act of revolution (teka, ako ba sumulat noon?) Anyway, I also agree with the song that the passionate struggle to preserve one's integrity should be taught while we are babes.

Quest for the True North

Dear Sage, As blog titles go, this one really takes the cake. It's the title of an old comrade's blog dating back to the subic wars. She used to call herself "Scout". (You guys should've noticed by now that I'm partial to bloggers who got their nom d' plume from a particular Novel.)

I really, really loved the way she raged against the status quo. and I've been trying to find her. As fate would have it, a few days ago I noticed that she left a comment in bingskee.com , hence I was finally able to get hold of her.

When I clicked on her name I was greeted by the header (the title of this blog entry). TRUE NORTH. It was oddly familiar. Last weekend I found out why. While waiting for you to dress up for your voice lessons I watched a movie on HBO. It was "Message in a Bottle" a Costner movie.

I heard the movie has become a cult classic. Well it was a nice enough movie. I mean, it's not like Junger's Perfect Storm but I stayed until he finally sailed that beautiful boat deep into Poseidon's domain right into the heart of a raging storm.

I'm not really sure but I think there are atleast Two "Norths" as far as navigators are concerned. One refers to where the compass of the needle points to and the other one is the geographic north in the approximate direction of the North star (Polaris). TRUE NORTH refers to the latter. They say if you base your bearings just on where the needle of the compass points to, you might still lose your way. But if you fix your site on the North Star, your reading of the navigational charts will be more accurate.

Wherever you want to go, you need the moral compass within you. Your Mom instilled it in you. I helped a little too. That moral compass points to God. I always say that too much religion is like cholesterol, it's bad for the human heart because it gives one too much prejudice and pride. But GOD's LOVE is above any religion or religious practice. When things get rough and Fair Winds are few and doubt abounds, Never doubt GOD's LOVE. That's the only compass that will guide you out of the storm.

First Picture

McCain's Megiddo

I read in the news that Obama had to sever his ties with his Personal Pastor (Wright) over the latter's bad habit of shooting at his own foot (while standing on Barak's head). I have to agree with Barak, his pastor is a certified loony. I'm just wondering why John McCain hasn't followed suit. NO, his pastor is not Wright but he is no less of a loony and deserves to be called Pastor Wrong. Pastor John Hagee has endorsed John McCain and is actively seeking to curry his favor. McCain should be discriminating of his religious advisers. Pastor Hagee holds views different from Obama's Pastor Wright but both are revolting and their opinions deserve to be marginalized instead of being taken as gospel truth. These 3 are his worst beliefs:

First, Hagee believes that the ancient church of Christ, the Catholic Church, is the whore mentioned in the book of Revelations. McCain must renounce Hagee even for this alone or he will alienate those self-respecting Americans with the religious conviction of that Irish-Catholic American President (Jack Kennedy).

Second, He believes that to question the political decisions of Israel's secular leaders is a violation of the scriptures (i.e., even if Israel kills innocent palestinian women and children as collateral damages, the world must look the other way). Again, McCain must sever his ties with Hagee because of this. I'm NO preacher, but if I remember right, God NEVER tolerated the sins of ancient Israel (JUDAH). In fact, FALSE PROPHETS in Jeramiah's time kept on playing the part of the pied piper by assuring Judah that it will not get any retribution from Jehovah despite of its grievous sins. THEY WERE WRONG. Jeramiah was right. Those preachers, like pastor hagee, who believe that we shouldn't condemn Israel's treatment of the Palestinians are just like the False Prophets that condemn Jeremiah's bitter message of repentance.

Third, He believes that the Palestinians should just walk away from WEST BANK and GAZAstrip because the "HOLY LAND" belongs to the Israeli's-- Not Palestinians.


This is where the title of this blog entry came from. THE POLITICS OF ARMAGEDDON


Why does he believe these things? Simple. He is willing to support Israeli policy of eye for an eye to agitate the Palestinians to do the unspeakable because in his twisted mind this will hasten the second coming of Christ.

He believes that American Foreign Policy should be centered on fulfilling their flawed interpretation of biblical prophecy: that the state of Israel should be given the land promised to Abraham even at the cost of Palestinian and Israeli BLOOD. I'm not sure if they still want the literal real estate mentioned in Genesis 15:18 (From the west of euphrates to the East of the Nile). I really don't know if they care that there are 5 or 6 Arab countries that call that vast tract of land HOME.

If John McCain does not condemn Hagee, if he does not emulate what Barak Obama did with Pastor Wright, then we cannot be faulted if we assume that he tolerates the beliefs of this False Prophet and that he will bring to the Oval Office (should the American electorate see fit to send him there come November) the flawed POLITICS OF ARMAGEDDON. The only purpose of which is to bring about...

THE END OF THE WORLD.