Haaay Court

At least, that’s what the oh-so Supreme Court claims about the changing the constitution via people’s initiative.

I do agree that the methodology used to obtain the signatures is quite questionable. I know people who sign left and right without really reading the fine print and understanding the full ramifications of the issue at hand. Although this may sound conceited, I don’t think most of the people can really fully digest the issue of charter change. I know I can’t mainly because I don’t have the time nor the capacity to learn everything I need to know to place my signature on that piece of paper.

But like most people I think, I simply compress the whole topic into this: change is needed. And a change in our government’s core is needed. Badly.

How dare they say that the people have been deceived! People will believe what they choose to believe, regardless of full knowledge or understanding. Are they implying that those who didn’t sign have not been deceived? Or that these people see through those lies? Oh come on.

Who is deceiving who really?

At least it’s clearer now that it’s not only the legislative branch who wants to hold on to its power. “Defend and protect the Constitution” ha? Yeah right.

Goodbye Binay

UPDATE: And so, there’s the TRO issued by the Court of Appeals. Oh well.

At least, for 60 days.

I think he should get lost. The way I see it, he’s simply defying Malacañang for the sake of defying the administration. It’s one thing to uphold one’s convictions and views (which are self-serving anyway, in my opinion), and it’s another to the run the financial capital of our country in complete disregard for authorities higher than him.

Enlighten Me

I don’t get it. For some reason, my post “Maikling Kuwento” has been getting quite a number of hits lately. I can’t be sure if people read it or they just happen to click on it. I don’t even know if it can even be considered a maikling kuwento (short story in english.)

I tried to google it and surprisingly, it’s even on the first page of the results. It’s like being on the honor roll of “maikling kuwento” category. But I’m pretty sure that entry doesn’t deserved to be recognized one way or another as much as getting more than a hit or two.

But there are things – in this case, words – that do not need a lot of explanation. The best – not necessarily the happiest nor the most amazing – stories are not measured in its number of chapters nor in its number plot twists. The best stories are those that mean the most to the writer. It’s not in his/her characters, not in the storyline, not the twists, but in the resolution phase – what happens in the end.

Things happen. Not because they have a “reason” or a “purpose” or towards a fulfillment of some sort. Things happen because they do.

Or sometimes, they just don’t.

N. Korea

“N” as in Nuclear.

After testing missles a couple of months back, they’re now into nuclear weapons. Despite strong warnings by the international community against its planning of nuclear testing, North Korea still went through with it. Or so they say.

See, there are doubts as to whether the underground test was a success – whatever success meant for the Koreans – or that it was a dud because the seismic readings seemed to be too small to be considered a nuclear explosion according to some experts.

The bottomline is, North Korea got the world’s attention. It’s like saying “Hey, Iran, and before Pakistan, are not the only ones who have nuclear capabilities.”

The international community, lead by the US of course, wants to sanction North Korea. How worse can it get for them, being practically separated from the rest of the world already? Pakistan was also sanctioned for its nuclear testing before, but after a while, almost everything returned to normal. You can’t really contain a whole country now can you?

Sanctions are pretty much like spanking a kid’s behind with slippers. It stings but eventually it will go away. Perhaps, just like a kid, North Korea just wants the public attention and to prove (or try to prove) that they aren’t as weak and underdeveloped as the rest of the world perceive them to be.

Technorati: north korea, nuclear test, underground test, kim jong il

6 out of 10

I saw this TV Patrol report wherein an MMDA person claims that 6 out of 10 drivers are reckless drivers. Personally, I think that’s a very, very conservative estimate. It’s more like 9 out of 10 if you ask me.

And the person added that “overspeeded is somewhat reckless already.” Somewhat??? I think Filipino drivers have very, very little regard for speed limits. MMDA (or local government untis or DPWH?) should place (more) speed limit signs. And we should have a general rules for, say, highways or avenues versus residential or community areas.

I know that being stuck in traffic most of times makes us want to step on the gas pedal when the opportunity presents itself. Again, it’s not about not knowing rules. It’s a simple safety sense – not just for the driver but for the pedestrians and commuters as well.

It always boils down to an attitude problem (which is more like a cultural problem when I think about it) towards rules and law, and those who make and implement them.

At matigas lang talaga ulo natin.

Technorati: philippines, mmda, speeding, reckless drivers

Billboard Blues

This ABS-CBN article reports:

President Arroyo ordered Wednesday an ocular inspection of all the country’s billboards to check if these comply with local building regulations. [ABS-CBN]

Of course they comply with local building regulations because some idiotic engineer gave his/her approval! The billboards wouldn’t be there unless they get some sort of permit from the local government. What needs to be check are the standards of those regulations. How exactly do they check the integrity of those gigantic billboards? Do contractors have statistical data that their billboards can withstand the thrashing of strong winds?

I’m guessing that they’re purely based on engineering/mathematical calculations submitted by the contractors of those bilboards. Theoretically, they’re supposed to withstand strong winds up to a certain extent. But why build the structure just to meet the standards? Sheesh.

Everybody knows that our country is on the war path of typhoons. And yet looking at EDSA alone, do we really need an engineering degree to see how dangerous those billboards are given their locations along a highly-traversed road?

Lastly, it’s just irritating to see how every single damn space is being turned into an advertising/marketing opportunity – from walls to floors, from pedicabs to buses. The fact that these are intended to attract attention clearly suggests that they also distract people , particularly drivers. Thus, billboards – regardless of size – are road hazzards from a collective perspective.

It’s visual pollution.

Technorati:philippines, typhoon, milenyo, billboards, advertising

Israel Withdraws Troops

According to their news outfits, Israel was in the process of withdrawing its troops at the southern region of Lebanon. International troops, thanks to the UN, will take its place in assisting and making sure that the Lebanese troops maintain control over the mentioned region, and not the Hezbollah.

The question now is: who will take charge of rebuilding efforts in that region? Is it always the UN’s responsibility to clean up the mess of those countries?

Technorati: israel, lebanon, beirut, war, hezbollah