2009/12/15-21: Father, Sad, YHWH, LOTR, Titanic, Solstice, Iceland, Pretty, Heliogenna, Church, Stunning, Sacredness, Beautiful, Omaticaya, Avatar, Cats, Thalassophobia, Serendra, Voters, Mayon

1. Photo: I feel a lot better now that my father’s condition has improved. I can now smile sincerely. The tree’s... http://tumblr.com/xit4tp5r8
2. Photo: I am sad today for several reasons. My father is not yet well. Still in hospital. Doctors still don’t... http://tumblr.com/xit4svozs
3. Photo: Sumerians Look On In Confusion As God Creates World - The Onion LMAO! Silly but funny. I bet he was... http://tumblr.com/xit4sbpgf
4. Photo: 6 Lord of the Rings Characters Who Totally Dropped the Ball - Cracked.com What truth! LMAO! http://tumblr.com/xit4sayrm
5. Photo: Titanic iceberg headed for Australia Another pretty sight but not so pretty event. Go’ fuckin’ blimey. http://tumblr.com/xit4sa87h
6. Photo: Sacred Idleness: Celebrating the Winter Solstice This will certainly be a time of rest and... http://tumblr.com/xit4s9i3e
7. Photo: Iceland. She is a beauty undoubted. http://tumblr.com/xit4s8srn
8. Photo: A very pretty sight. Not so much a pretty event. http://tumblr.com/xit4s861f
9. Photo: Today is the second day of Heliogenna. Today we honour and remember the Sun, Moon, and Dawn. Without a... http://tumblr.com/xit4s7jd5
10. Photo: LOL! It’s true, though, that a lot of church-goers think this way of their children (or their... http://tumblr.com/xit4s6y9d
11. Photo: I’d like to live somewhere near here, wherever this place is. Stunning. http://tumblr.com/xit4s6b78
12. Photo: I’ve partaken in this ‘sacredness’ many times this year. http://tumblr.com/xit4s5ppq 
13. Photo: Just beautiful. http://tumblr.com/xit4s5569
14. Photo: I would like to be a part of the Omaticaya clan and the Na’vi people. To worship Eywa in all things;... http://tumblr.com/xit4s4jww
15. Photo: The saddest part in this film was when the credits rolled and more than half of the audience left... http://tumblr.com/xit4s3x3n
16. Photo: We’ve seen cats and dogs play like they were brother and sister. I’d like to see a cat and a bird this... http://tumblr.com/xit4s3b4v
17. Photo: Cats are one of the most arrogant cuties in the kingdom. http://tumblr.com/xit4s2qca
18. Photo: I think I may have mild thalassophobia. Just looking at this photo sends me a fright. To think my... http://tumblr.com/xit4s243q
19. Link: Flickr slideshow of the Honda Civic that blew up in Serendra - (via @mlq3) http://tumblr.com/xit4pg4zn
20. Link: Supreme Court extends voters' registration to January 9 - Dear Unregistered: There is still time. We... http://tumblr.com/xit4pfs9h
21. Photo: Uh, oh. She doesn’t look too happy. Be safe, neighbours. http://tumblr.com/xit4pfobq  
    

All links direct to my Tumblr where these links are best viewed from: http://aldrin-ft.tumblr.com 

2009/12/08-14: Vicky Pollard, Sue Sylvester, Glee, UN, Uganda, Anger, Bizarre, Heteronormative, Anus, Scrooge, Discrimination, Willy, Nature

1. Photo: “What you doin’ on our patch, you total bunch of mingin’ dog bitches!” — Vicky Pollard http://tumblr.com/xit4o9y2o
2. Photo: Gods, I love Sue Sylvester. http://tumblr.com/xit4mxol9
3. Photo: Posted in celebration of my Glee graduation. I honestly enjoyed it. In real life, however, I think I... http://tumblr.com/xit4mx2sv
4. Photo: Happy Anniversary to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly on... http://tumblr.com/xit4lax2h
5. Link: Ugandan Gay Death Penalty Bill: Sweden Threatens to Withdraw Aid, Should the USA? - Yes, yes, yes! And... http://tumblr.com/xit4laak0
6. My knuckles are bruised but the colour has gone back to normal. - It still hurts, though. I’ve been punching... http://tumblr.com/xit4l3qrn
7. Link: Awesomely bizarre light show freaks out Norway - Discover Magazine - I quote: “What the FRAK is THAT??” http://tumblr.com/xit4l1gtl
8. Folks are freakin' out on a cross-dressing openly bisexual gym instructor on Eat Bulaga. - One... http://tumblr.com/xit4kzq1p
9. Link: Sexual preferences may affect health keeping - So said a wanker today. I was peacefully watching telly... http://tumblr.com/xit4kgk5u
10. Photo: Do you really need me to point out that the chap in the far right is a nutter? Entertaining, yes, but... http://tumblr.com/xit4jkirk
11. Link: Pride March: The Haters - Facebook | Iona Jalijali's Photos - If these people would rather die than see... http://tumblr.com/xit4jk6ee
12. Link: Anti-Discrimination Bill Hearing - Now is not the time for me to argue semantics, cultural labels, and... http://tumblr.com/xit4jjtpr
13. Link: Bill seeks penalties for same-sex marriages - Yahoo! Philippines News - What a nutter. He and his ilk... http://tumblr.com/xit4jjn21
    
14. The hilarity of Harry Potter quotes when changing "wand" to "willy" - everythingharrypotter: ROTFLMAO! http://tumblr.com/xit4jirty
15. Photo: Ultimately, nothing is truly artificial. As all things come from nature, nothing is unnatural. (via... http://tumblr.com/xit4jiork 

All links direct to my Tumblr where these links are best viewed from: http://aldrin-ft.tumblr.com

2009/12/01-07: Samalamig, Homophobia, FarmVille, Zeus, Hogwarts, Family, Ninjas, Jologs, Humans, Heathens, Skarsgard, GLambert, Queen Elizabeth, Gay, Marriage, Maguindanao, Gods, RH Bill, Twilight, Shame, Animals, Baybayin, Kitty, Artemis, Weirdo, Idiocy, Music, Pale Man, AIDS

1. Photo: I was never allowed to drink any of these but those times when I sneaked out to buy a cupful were... http://tumblr.com/xit4iou42
2. Photo: We love. They hate. Who’s side are you on? http://tumblr.com/xit4iolqx
3. Photo: Wars. Brothers separated. We’ve had plenty of those in my family. It never stops hurting. You never... http://tumblr.com/xit4ioirl
4. Photo: I wish real farming could be as easy as FarmVille. http://tumblr.com/xit4iofzy
5. Photo: Now, this is my idea of communion with Zeus. (Not me in the picture, obviously.) http://tumblr.com/xit4io911
6. Photo: I dreamt of this place once, and have ever since hoped to see it again. Every single night since that... http://tumblr.com/xit4io0xl
7. Photo: Family. Truly, our first love. Truly, our true love. http://tumblr.com/xit4inxzh
8. Photo: 3 Ninjas Kick Back was the best installment for me. I used to watch it several times a day. http://tumblr.com/xit4inkeg
9. Link: The Jologs Translator - If your ‘normal’ phrase turns out the same as your ‘jologs’ translation, be... http://tumblr.com/xit4inetb
10. Link: What Makes Us Special - Filipino Freethinkers - There is no chosen people; no chosen species. We are... http://tumblr.com/xit4ht473
11. Link: Heathens and the Environment - A Heathen's Day - Let’s be honest, this is mostly Christianity’s fault.... http://tumblr.com/xit4hsu13
12. Link: Alexander Skarsgard kisses True Blood co-star - I wasn’t such a Skarsgård fan until today. That’s one... http://tumblr.com/xit4hsiww
13. Link: ABC's Punishing of Adam Lambert - Corporate Homophobia? - Those homophobes were probably secretly... http://tumblr.com/xit4hsgel
14. Link: Spain apologises for jailing gay man in 1970s - BBC News - I am very proud of Spain. May Filipinas and... http://tumblr.com/xit4hsf3w
15. Link: 11 US Presidents But Only 1 Queen! - Daily Acid - Absolute monarchy, no. Monarchy, okay. Read the... http://tumblr.com/xit4hscck
16. Link: Young, gay Asian becomes mayor of Campbell - San Francisco Chronicle - Young. Openly gay. Asian. I hate... http://tumblr.com/xit4ffpls
17. Video: “We have nothing to fear from love and commitment.” Senator Savino, you made my day. We, who strive... http://tumblr.com/xit4ffa1b
18. "Foreign forensic experts leave Maguindanao because armed men snooping on them. Gonzales and Puno’s..." http://tumblr.com/xit4ff6b1
19. Link: Still the most entertaining fighting game on the Internet - They should have more gods. I love this... http://tumblr.com/xit4ff4ns
20. Link: Vidal mandates anti-RH prayer - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos - Amen, Cardinal. That we... http://tumblr.com/xit4ekiq4
21. Link: Gay-bashing woman humiliated for wearing hideous skirt - Boing Boing - Generally, I don’t care what you... http://tumblr.com/xit4ejd2c
22. Photo: What is going on here? Speak, woman! http://tumblr.com/xit4ehtfb
23. Link: Where is the shame? - Ye Olde Watcher - In many ancient cultures, it was an honourable way to settle... http://tumblr.com/xit4ehf6h
24. Photo: And we are. Many times, much worse than non-humans. In the words of Anton Szandor LaVey: Man is just... http://tumblr.com/xit4eh1y1
25. Photo: Kudos to Banyuhay! Their site is in baybayin! (via Brian Rodrigo Llagas) http://tumblr.com/xit4egpmk
26. Video: This made my day. I want that kitty! http://tumblr.com/xit4egju5
27. Link: Undercover as a Twilight Fan At 'New Moon' Opening Night - Cracked.com - Sannion says it best: “Kudos... http://tumblr.com/xit4egj1d
28. Photo: I see so much of Artemis in this photo. As her brother Apollon is mankind staring back at the rest of... http://tumblr.com/xit4drwm8
29. Photo: I bet they’re cute. I love cute weirdos. http://tumblr.com/xit4drrju
30. Photo: Unfortunately, a large number of humans are also afflicted with the same intellectual deficiency as... http://tumblr.com/xit4drqs7
31. "Music should go right through you, leave some of itself inside you, and take some of you with it when it..." http://tumblr.com/xit4drfij
32. Photo: Sure, it looks cute on her but it wasn’t so cute when the Pale Man did it. *cries* http://tumblr.com/xit4drfal
33. Photo: I bid you all a productive World AIDS Day. Please help out in any way you can. This affects us all,... http://tumblr.com/xit4dp6de

All links direct to my Tumblr where these links are best viewed from: http://aldrin-ft.tumblr.com

2009/11/24-30: Equality, Redheads, Efron, Biel, Prop8, LGBT, Climate, Pilipino, Jew, Zulu, Twilight, Prayer, Maguindanao, Fanboy, Abunda, Enrolment, Abs, Narration, Awareness, Immigration

1. Link: Equal Rights for All Families - The Petition Site - Help us call for equality. Everybody deserves a... http://tumblr.com/xit4cinpl
   
2. Photo: Lovely picture. I love red on women (but not on men). Strong red. Celtic red. http://tumblr.com/xit4c2akx
   
3. Photo: Unlike Jessica Biel (the lady from the previous photo), I never really liked Zac Efron from the... http://tumblr.com/xit4c21rr
   
4. Photo: I have loved this woman the day I first saw her. It’s no secret I like strong women. Rawr! http://tumblr.com/xit4c1zj2
   
5. Link: Portland ME Catholic Diocese Donated $550K To Defeat Same-Sex Marriage Campaign. - Crooks and Liars -... http://tumblr.com/xit4c1x05
   
6. Link: Reality checks - INQUIRER.net - Quote Michael Tan: There is also the issue of indirect discrimination... http://tumblr.com/xit4c1uf2
   
7. Link: The Most Terrifying Effect of Global Warming in Pictures - Environmental Graffiti - I read this before... http://tumblr.com/xit4c1ibg
8. Pilipino with a P. - pinoytumblr: Pino means refined. PILI-PINO: Chosen and refined. Pilipino means ‘of... http://tumblr.com/xit4c13wg
   
9. Link: Polish woman's Jewish "shock" - BBC News - Quote: Somehow, I know how Bogomila feels, only in a... http://tumblr.com/xit4c0wai
   
10. Link: Talks to be held over 'cruel' Zulu bull-killing ritual - BBC News - Quote: I’m all for cultural... http://tumblr.com/xit4c0mf4
    
11. Photo: As much as I hated the script of the last two Twilight Saga films, I’m still going to watch the next... http://tumblr.com/xit49r3wb
    
12. Photo: The last line I leave for each person to interpret for himself, but the first one I fully endorse. http://tumblr.com/xit49qhhx
    
13. Photo: As of today, the death toll has risen to 57. We demand justice. http://tumblr.com/xit49owwr
    
14. Link: 7 Threatened Fanboy Responses to New Moon - Movieline - Quote tristantrakand: And again: Hate Twilight... http://tumblr.com/xit48xt0t
    
15. Link: Comelec is ‘stupid,’ says Boy Abunda - Yahoo! Philippines News - Quote: I hate the Taglish, and I hate... http://tumblr.com/xit48xn2f
    
16. Photo: jeffreybower: Likewise. More pressure to hit the gym for me. Damn youse pretty boys, Taylor and Joe! http://tumblr.com/xit48x69l
    
17. Photo: Both are correct. If you’re American: double L. If you’re British, Irish, Canadian, Australian, Kiwi,... http://tumblr.com/xit48x4bx
    
18. "Hate Twilight because it’s badly written — and it is — and not because you can’t admit you salivate over..." http://tumblr.com/xit48wzpq
    
19. Photo: Guilty as charged. Except I do mine in a Californian accent (since I’m already too English in real... http://tumblr.com/xit48wv6k
    
20. Photo: Seriously, someone needs to ship zillions of this to so many parts of the world right now. (via... http://tumblr.com/xit485ad7
    
21. "I remember seeing a political cartoon in the Tulsa paper once that showed some guy ranting about how all..." http://tumblr.com/xit48574u
    
22. Link: Maguindanao massacre claims at least 36 lives - GMANews.TV - Quote GMANews: A sad and painful day for... http://tumblr.com/xit48073d

All links direct to my Tumblr where these links are best viewed from: http://aldrin-ft.tumblr.com

2009/11/17-23: Ares, CNN Hero, Tulfo, Equal Rights, Hermes, Taylor Lautner, Werewolves, Religious Right, Creationism, Global Wear, H, Hobbit Sapiens, Sasha, Hestia, US Immigration, Bullies, Biblical Morality, Cat DNA, Barbarism, Bad Hades

1. Photo: “Ares, exceeding in strength, chariot-rider, golden-helmed, doughty in heart, shield-bearer, Saviour... http://tumblr.com/xit47fm8t
2. Link: Efren Peñaflorida Jr is CNN's Hero of the Year for 2009 - CNN.com - Let’s give it up for our very own... http://tumblr.com/xit47f9xt
3. Link: Gays should not abuse society’s tolerance - INQUIRER.net - I say: Friend says: I say: Friend says: http://tumblr.com/xit47d2gl
4. Link: Ten-year-old from Arkansas refuses to take Pledge of Allegiance until gays have equal rights. Baffled... http://tumblr.com/xit47cjcp
5. Photoset: Today, we celebrated Hermeia Eriounia, a modern festival dedicated to Hermes Eriounios (Hermes the... http://tumblr.com/xit460n8h
6. Photo: Pardon the profanity but… ANAK NG PUTA, 17 LANG ‘YAN?? (Son of a bitch, he’s only 17??) I’ve really... http://tumblr.com/xit45ukb7
7. Hail, Our Noble Wolves - No offence to the fans, but if it weren’t for the wolves, I wouldn’t have enjoyed... http://tumblr.com/xit45ssai
8. Link: Religious Right, Catholic Bishops Seek To Impose Religion On All Americans Through Law, AU Charges -... http://tumblr.com/xit45proa
9. "I would defend the liberty of consenting adult creationists to practice whatever intellectual..." http://tumblr.com/xit45pe56
10. Photo: Not too many people realise this, but when they wear Oxford shirts, suits or ties, they’re not being... http://tumblr.com/xit45o5jb
11. "Nabulunan ako. Joey De Leon sa dalawang contestant na Bhim at Bhev ang pangalan: “Bakit may H pangalan..." http://tumblr.com/xit455kfx
12. Link: 'Hobbits' are a new human species, according to statistical analysis of fossils - ScienceDaily - Quote... http://tumblr.com/xit4519pz
13. Photo: This is Estonian actor Johann Urb. Without Googling, from what very recent movie did he appear in? http://tumblr.com/xit44mhow
14. Photoset: “Rome was never Rome until virgins tended a communal fire. A home is not a home until a hearth is... http://tumblr.com/xit44lsml
15. Link: Teabaggers punk'd by anti-racists who get them to cheer rant against European-American immigrants -... http://tumblr.com/xit44gvm9
16. Link: Girl bullies guilty of fall death - BBC News - These kids are unbelievable. Although I don’t remember... http://tumblr.com/xit44g6br
17. Photo: Kailangan pa bang i-memorise ‘yan? (That’s popular Filipino for “duh”.) http://tumblr.com/xit43urcg
18. Photo: “Ask a question, get an answer.” Damn right! http://tumblr.com/xit43unpw
19. Link: Gay Puerto Rican Teen Decapitated, Dismembered, and Burned - Towleroad - This is sick. Pure barbarism. http://tumblr.com/xit43rce8
20. Hades as the Bad Guy? - He was in Disney’s Hercules and looks like he will be again in Clash of the Titans, a... http://tumblr.com/xit43q20l

All links direct to my Tumblr where these links are best viewed from: http://aldrin-ft.tumblr.com

2009/11/10-16: Comelec, 2012, Cornish Prank, Bitch Scouts

1. COMELEC: Our Fucktards of the Week - As you can see from my links, our fucktards of the week (or of the year,... http://tumblr.com/xit42gog0
2. Link: Ye Olde Sensualiste - Die in a fire, Comelec - “Comelec rejects Ang Ladlad party list on grounds of... http://tumblr.com/xit42g6u7
3. Link: The Newfound Church of Comelec - Filipino Freethinkers - “Religious homophobes and bigots alike [seem]... http://tumblr.com/xit42g6gn
4. Link: Oppose COMELEC, Support the Ang Ladlad Movement - Filipino Voices - “The COMELEC are homophobic,... http://tumblr.com/xit42g4qm
5. Link: 2012: Beginning of the End or Why the World Won't End? - NASA - Every time someone dies, it’s the end... http://tumblr.com/xit3zjfe9
6. Link: Trio face 'firework death' charge - BBC NEWS - This is so sad I had to share it. This happened in... http://tumblr.com/xit3zg301
7. Video: If you’re going to study runes, it’s best that you learn them from their inventors. Llewellyn books?... http://tumblr.com/xit3yzs6m
8. Link: WorldShift 2012: Co-creating the foundations of a peaceful, just and sustainable world by the end of... http://tumblr.com/xit3yzd4i
9. Photo: icodeforlove: LMAO! Pure evil. http://tumblr.com/xit3yxscl

All links direct to my Tumblr where these links are best viewed from: http://aldrin-ft.tumblr.com

2009/11/03-09: Transgenders, Can't Take It In, Minoan Broads, Tough Love, Old Wicca, Astroboy 2009, the Greek Pantheon, Glenn Beck, FarmVille Craze, New Joe Jonas, Bald Bears, Taglish, To-Do List, Decapitated Aristocrats, Demonic Halloween Candy, Lebanese Nat'l Costume, Islamic Creationism

I told you Tumblr would cure my lazy bone. I've had all this in 7 days. Shorter than the usual but, hey, an entry is an entry.

---

1. Transgenders are hilarious! - I love seeing transgendered men play basketball. I love seeing them box. I love... http://tumblr.com/xit3xpeml
   
2. Video: I can never tire of this song. It sounds a bit morbid but I imagine this as my ‘Now Entering the... http://tumblr.com/xit3xly1m
3. Photo: I love Minoan women for several reasons other than breast exposure. http://tumblr.com/xit3xjev9
4. Link: Tough love 'is good for children' - BBC NEWS - I knew it! http://tumblr.com/xit3xinao
5. Wicca is the Old Religion...NOT! - The Blessed Mad Sannion once said: “If they claim that Wicca is the Old... http://tumblr.com/xit3wyckc
6. Photo: I love Astroboy 2009. Since I never had the chance to watch the old one, I am not in the position to... http://tumblr.com/xit3wtr5g
7. Link: The Greek Pantheon by marcoso86 - I absolutely love this guy’s drawings of the Greek Gods. The goddess... http://tumblr.com/xit3wstpy
8. Video: Hilarious is all I can say. Illogical seems to come natural. Let’s all hear it from Glenn Beck (via... http://tumblr.com/xit3vw7fv
9. Link: FarmVille Facebook Application Attracts Millions - ABC News - Sometimes, it battles stress. At other... http://tumblr.com/xit3vt9yg
10. Photo: jeffreybower: He’s like… strangely emulating Davey Havok’s new style a little bit, with the dress... http://tumblr.com/xit3vslgh
11. Link: Bald bears baffle vets with mystery condition at German zoo - Mail Online - They look like depressed... http://tumblr.com/xit3v4x30
12. Link: Experts discourage use of ‘Taglish’ - INQUIRER.net - This is well overdue, really. Can every one please... http://tumblr.com/xit3uotp3
13. Loads to Do - My virtual conscience dictates that I finish these tasks by tonight or tomorrow: Organise... http://tumblr.com/xit3uo9ut
14. Photoset: The decapitated French aristocrats (first photo) are the doing of my anti-royalist kittens (second... http://tumblr.com/xit3unli5
15. Video: Remember when Pat Robertson warned America of ‘demonic’ Halloween candy? Well, here’s a follow-up with... http://tumblr.com/xit3ujxd2
16. Photoset: I have never liked Chef Aileen’s kindergarten way of speaking reciting English Taglish but, hell,... http://tumblr.com/xit3ufq6e
17. Photo: Being part Lebanese, but not having physically been to Loubnan yet, I seriously do not know what our... http://tumblr.com/xit3ud3s0
18. "Let’s keep creation stories for religion and teach science in school, thank you:..." http://tumblr.com/xit3u1sde

All links direct to my Tumblr where these links are best viewed from: http://aldrin-ft.tumblr.com

Anal

Hear ye all who give a shit (no pun intended re: title).

In an attempt to standardise all my accounts cyberwide, I have changed this blog's URL. It is now aldrin-ft.blogspot.com and no longer ahaldrin.blogspot.com. This is to parallel aldrin-ft.tumblr.com. If you follow this blog through Google, it should update itself automatically. If not, although it should, please change it to aldrin-ft.

Likewise, my Twitter ID is now aldrin_ft and my Facebook aldrin.ft. However, Multiply does not allow this sort of change so my Multiply site remains whitewatcher.multiply.com.

REMEMBER: if whitewatcher doesn't work, it should be ahaldrin. If it isn't ahaldrin anymore, it should either be aldrin-ft, aldrin.ft, or aldrin_ft.

Thank you for reading.

I am now on Tumblr.

And I am, at this very moment, liking how it works. It allows me to synchronise my Facebook and Twitter accounts so I don't have to manually update each one and it also allows me to conveniently share the little things that I would usually spend hours on trying to turn into a decent blog entry.

I shall be blogging there from now on, so you can bookmark or link my new homepage if you are the type to do so. Do not, however, replace your links just yet as I still have to find out how to export my older entries into my Tumblr to make everything seem seamless. If you know how, please let me know. You can add my Tumblr as an additional site or whatever, it is up to you.

This time I hope to update you more regularly. I have a feeling that... this will finally cure my lazy bone. And that tonight is going to be a good night!

I shall see you there, my good fellows.

Aldrin: Today's Halloween is what I prefer to call Hallmark Halloween.

Since it's a Saturday and also Halloween, this week's Share-a-Quote is about this highly commercialised holiday. The quote, however, is a long one and something I wrote 2 years ago (shameless re-post, I know).

"I love Halloween. Fires, dancing, soul-singing, tricks, treats, apple pie. Unfortunately, the Halloween I love depreciated over the years thank you very much American-spawned commercialism. Today's Halloween is what I prefer to call Hallmark Halloween, along with Hallmark Easter and Hallmark Christmas. Today's Hallmark and Hershey's holiday is about spooks (and marketing money out of it). Scaring people with images of gore, darkness, and death. Fearing otherworldy beings and mocking their existence (or non-existence). No, All Hallows is not about fear and scare. While fear is natural, it is not for this day. The whole point of this yearly feast is to grow appreciation and respect for that necessary fact of darkness. It's about death, our mortality, the fragility of life, and the inevitable end. This day marks remembrance. Of old things and of dead things; of roots, ancestors, the hidden and lost, the inevitable coming of winter (with our without snow, it's still winter), silence, darkness, last harvests, shadows, mysteries, and so on.

That is the All Hallows I know. Much like the Irish Samhain and Korean Chusok. Much like the local Undras. (Yeah, before it got bastardised, and yes with an R.)"


Originally posted here (and here).

Why A Heritage Of Smallness Isn't Necessarily A Heritage Of Backwardness

By Aldrin F.T. (me) and Jonathan S.

In "A Heritage of Smallness", Filipino writer and journalist Nick Joaquin makes a brave, outspoken commentary on Filipino society, past and present. It's feisty; it stings and, most of all, it's true. But do his words, however true, speak in absolute terms? All throughout the article, Joaquin elaborates on how the Filipino's inability to think [and do] big denies him entrance into a world that thrives on progress. And as if that wasn't enough, that inability happens to be part of his heritage, he says.

According to Joaquin, this heritage of "smallness" can be found in every aspect of society: retail not wholesale buying, little chieftains not kings, small nipa huts not long houses, jeep(ney)s not cars, clay not marble or bronze pottery, small artefacts not towering temples, and so on. This is undeniably true. We don't have the big things: no Eiffel Tower or Parthenon. But is that something necessarily lesser?

•   In the first few paragraphs, Joaquin makes it seem as if buying in tingi (cf. retail) was a bad thing while buying in wholesale (as exemplified by most Westerners) was a better thing to do. Buying only what one needs is not a bad thing compared to buying more than what one even wants. And since when has consumerism been a champion of progress? It's not how much we buy but how. Perhaps Joaquin forgot to remember how much food the Americans throw everyday because they buy more than what they can handle. Many Filipinos buy tingi because they can't afford beyond that. Many Filipinos are not poor because they buy small; they buy small because they're poor. Poverty is certainly a problem to deal with, but so is wastefulness.
•   Industry is not the champion of progress but culture. An industry unguided by ethics will rape the world, murder it, and leave us all for dead; a mindless machine bent on making more money and less art. Joaquin should have properly worded his article to clarify that, more than industrialisation, it is culture that we need most to progress.
•   So what if our ancestors never wrote any lengthy mythology (though they certainly could've if not for the anti-pagan Spaniards)? So what if we like short stories and short proverbs? Better that, than to create a book that gets published in almost all known languages, becomes the most widely read book in the world and yet inspire the worst of atrocities (witch-hunts, the Inquisition, oppression of women, etc). Yes, I'm talking about the bible. Aren't you proud the story of Malakas and Maganda doesn't inspire intolerance of any sort?
•   The santero's (maker of religious images) fixation on wood can certainly be about the demands of his target market and not necessarily because he doesn't want to think big and use marble or bronze. This still limits the evolution of his craft but who says wood can't be as pretty as marble or bronze?
•   The first revolutionaries had to fight in small groups or else they would have been easily discovered and wiped out in a matter of months. Quality over quantity: a big army doesn't always accomplish big things.
•   Somewhere in the middle, Joaquin commits an error in mentioning that: "[the Malayan] migrations were thus self-limited, never moved far from their point of origin, and clung to the heart of a small known world; the islands clustered round the Malay Peninsula." From what we know from contemporary archaeology, this is not true. The proto-Malays came from Formosa and migrated southwards to the Philippines first before moving into what we know today as Malaysia and Indonesia. Secondly, to say that the Filipino's heritage of thinking small derives from these proto-Malays is a rash and misinformed assumption. For one, the proto-Malays or, more appropriately, the Austronesians are one of the most widely travelled ethnic groups and one of the most diverse - stretching from Taiwan to the Malay archipelago to Madagascar to New Zealand to the Easter Islands. If that's not thinking big, I don't know what it is.
•   More than thinking small, I think it's showing off that is the Filipino's biggest problem. There's nothing wrong or right with either clay pottery or porcelain pottery. It's why we make them. Do we make them so we can taste the food better or do we make them just so we can show off to the world that we can?
  
•   What is progress? How do we define advancements? Would we really want to work our arses off 24/7 just so we can turn a forest or meadow into a fastfood chain, a mall, or a subdivision? If that's the progress Joaquin wants then I don't want any part of it.

Nick Joaquin's words must not be forgot. But we shouldn't hold on to his truths as if they were applicable at all times. Before we even dream of conquering the world, let us first ask ourselves who we are and why do we even need to prove our worth to any other nation but our own?

Image location here.

Lazy Blogger Tweets

At this very moment, I have 323 unfinished, unpublished entries for this blog: each one needing a specific combination of emotions to finalise. Obviously, I haven't been getting the right combinations these days. Being glued to Facebook and YouTube makes you wonder if you're actually accomplishing anything? 

Anyway, as a lame attempt to blog again, below is a list of tweets that I could have blogged about but couldn't due to an embarrassing level of laziness. (But if you think that's lazy, I'm actually eating pumpkin seeds right now... with their shells on!)

   1. We are the children of the Phoenicians and the Greeks, the Roman generals and Arab emirs, and Frankish Crusaders, too. B'habak ya Loubnan!
         
   2. I would rather live in the country side, smelling horse shit and jasmine than sewage and smog in your ugly, ugly city.
         
   3. Where in the world did you get the stupid idea that only girl friends can hold hands?! Damn you homophobia!

   4. Wafa Sultan: "You can believe in stones as long as you don't throw them at me."
         
   5. The anti-Islamic Christians should not rejoice too much in this. Wafa's arguments work against them just the same. http://bit.ly/3L9mM
         
   6. Can anyone confirm if this is true? If so, my wrath will be felt across nations. http://bit.ly/p6PNU
         
   7. You'd think the new upgrades in FarmVille should be enough to cheer me up from the sadness of an emigrating cousin. All unsuccessful. Ack!
         
  8. Kung hindi ka handang maupakan o lumaban man lang, huwag mo nang subuking mang-asar. Baka makita ka pa sa TV, nakakatawa lang. #Wynne Arboleda #Alain Katigbak
         
  9. Aren't you glad your parents let you watch The Simpsons as a kid? I am! It's funnier and far more sensible than Flying House.
         
  10. It's probably because I'm a busy newbie but this piece is too hard for me! http://bit.ly/ALFqD
         
  11. One day, one day... my whistle, fiddle, and bodhran will be worthy. http://bit.ly/PhIP1
         
  12. I want my fickin' garden back. I can't live in a house without earth and green growing things!
         
  13. Ken Wilber, 1981: "At this point in history, the most radical, pervasive, and earth-shaking transformation would occur simply if everybody truly evolved to a mature, rational, and responsible ego capable of freely participating in the open exchange of mutual self-esteem."
         
  14. I am both sad and angry at this. Why do we let these things happen? http://bit.ly/1JWQz
         
  15. Ako ay nananawagan sa kung sinumang may pananagutan sa mga "urban" Bajau/Badjao. Hihingan ka na nga ng pera, mumurahin ka pa. Pakisundo po sila.
         
  16. Dan Brown's mum: "If we spent half the intellect and money we spend on killing each other on solving problems, wouldn’t that be great?"
         
  17. I love this Jew: Sarah Silverman on "How to end world hunger? Sell the Vatican. Feed the world." http://bit.ly/4nOl6U
         
  18. I dreamt, in my siesta time, that I was shouting at a bunch of bishops: "Abajos coños obispos, libertad". Probably because of the RH Bill?
         
  19. Mia Yrreverre Abendan: Some people are alive only because it is illegal to kill them.
         
  20. I first saw this episode a year ago on DVD (eherm). Loved it! I still do. http://bit.ly/VyzTf
         
  21. I will flay these anti-Agora dullards. Get your own fickin' movie. http://bit.ly/qoKrQ
         
  22. I am sick of meddling priests and pastors. There is no room for sectarian dominance in a pluralistic society. http://bit.ly/1OyYHu
         
  23. I dedicate this to Stephen Gately. Ta tu go hiontach! http://bit.ly/fo6QM
         
  24. I am loving this Rachel Weisz (as Hypatia of Alexandria) quote: "You don't question what you believe... [but] I must."
         
  25. I can't wait to see this film. Let us not forget Hypatia, what she did, and what was done unto her. http://bit.ly/r9FHs
         
  26. I think the concept of race is obsolete. In this world, who isn't genetically mixed anyway? Differences are cultural. Let's celebrate that!
         
  27. I wonder if finding this video hilarious makes me a sadist? These blokes are bloody mad! http://bit.ly/9JuBs
         
  28. I am not a traditional Christian but I enjoy these things because they ARE perfectly enjoyable. Besides, it looks pagan to me. http://bit.ly/4DWsJX
         
  29. I love this little guy. He's my favourite dancer for this year's karakol. http://bit.ly/jG6tm
         
  30. I like the old timers at 2 min 00 sec. The steps haven't changed in centuries. Srsly. http://bit.ly/4BSYTa         
 

  31. I believe in the power of Karakol. The beats are apostatic [sic]. Smash your borders and dance! HAPPY FIESTA, IMUS!

         
  32. I am shocked and sad. Stephen Gately, dead at 33. http://bit.ly/Jsq9n         
 
  33. I am tired of cleaning cat poo. They keep on defecating on my neighbour's parking space. Three kittens and a mum for adoption, anyone?

  34. I fall into ecstasy whenever I hear howling wolves. Awoooooooooooooooooo!
         
  35. I think Western-oriented women shouldn't give up their family names for their husbands'. It is so hard to locate female kinsmen!                 
 

  36. I'm not a misanthropist. I just despise certain types of human. For a supposedly intellectual species, we are a little too vile. 


If anyone is interested, my Twitter is aldrin_ft.

PS: I am so craving for Turkish Delight (shown in photo above) right now. I think I'll go and tweet that.

What We Still Need

After a month-long hiatus, we still need the following:

More volunteers and goods to help the victims of Ondoy/Ketsana and Pepeng/Parma. I have found that this site can be very helpful: http://ondoyrelief.multiply.com. And please do not tire of tweeting about it. It helps.

More support for the RH Bill. Don't you want to have your own say when it comes to your health and not have a group of celibate single males decide for you? Sign the petition here; blog about it, tweet it, do anything to get this known.

More intelligent people in public office. This has been long overdue. Arguably, it is the root of all suffering in this country. That or the lack of will to self-govern and self-discipline.

And lastly, we still need meds to cure people from virtual farming and virtual restaurant management. I am still infected. It has been eating most of my waking time. Shall we wait until I can no longer even blog about it? Please be my neighbour at FarmVille, Café World, Island Paradise, Restaurant City, Pet Society, and Country Story. Don't forget the gifts, too!

This blog will soon update itself in a matter of minutes. We swears on the preciousss, we swears.

This blog will soon update itself in a matter of minutes. We swears on the preciousss, we swears.

Ondoy Updates and Aid Needed for Victims

I want to take this chance to thank every one of you who helped out, whether in the form of donations, volunteering, or communicating aid to others. Now is not the time for divisions but a time for bayanihan. Magtulungan po tayo.

---
Helplines and hotlines for Typhoon Ondoy victims (Constantly updated) « Random Salt

Source: randomsalt.wordpress.com

World pours aid into the Philippines

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines - Responding to the appeal of the Philippines for help, several countries and groups have donated or pledged food, money and technical assistance to avert a humanitarian crisis following the onslaught of Tropical Storm “Ondoy” (international codename: Ketsana).

Philippine Floods: Why Wasn't Manila Prepared? - TIME

Source: www.time.com

Torrential rains over the weekend triggered the worst flooding the Philippines' capital has seen in over four decades, submerging more than 80% of the city and leaving at least 246 people dead. What could authorities have done differently?

Donating to Manila from abroad « moongirl

Source: moongirl.wordpress.com

Update: A million thanks to every single person who has forwarded me info. Many of them are in the Comments below, or on Facebook. This list is being updated constantly – please keep ‘em coming.

EU gives €2M for Ondoy victims - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos
Source: globalnation.inquirer.net
MANILA, Philippines — The European Commission, the executive arm of the European Union, has given 2 million euros (about P140 million), so far the biggest amount of disaster relief assistance for the victims of typhoon Ondoy.

OFW 'abused' after mistaken Facebook post on Ondoy | ABS-CBN News Online Beta
Source: www.abs-cbnnews.com
A controversial statement allegedly made by a Filipina overseas worker in Dubai that mocked Filipino victims of tropical storm Ondoy sparked negative reactions among many Pinoys here and abroad.

Facebook, Twitter to the rescue in Philippine flood disaster
Source: www.canada.com
MANILA - Amid the chaos of the Philippine flood disaster, Twitter, Facebook and mobile phones have proved to be life-savers.

THE PHILIPPINES IN A STATE OF CALAMITY

The rainfall brought by typhoon ONDOY to Metro Manila and nearby areas in a span of six hours on Saturday was the most in recorded history, surpassing the previous record for the metropolis in 1967. Hurricane Katrina dumped over an inch of rainfall in Louisiana for 3 hours and another 0.5 inches per hour over the next 5 hours on August 29, 2005. Ondoy dumped an average of 2.24 inches per hour for six hours and is still going.

Philippine man loses own life after saving dozens from floods

Source: www.theage.com.au

An 18-year-old construction worker braved rampaging floods in the Philippines to save more than 30 people, but ended up sacrificing his life in a last trip to rescue a baby girl and her mother who were being swept away on a styrofoam box.

Philippine National Red Cross - Ways To Donate

Source: www.redcross.org.ph

How to help ‘Ondoy’ victims - INQUIRER.net, Philippine News for Filipinos

Source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

FLOODED MANILA 9.26.2009

by: Jeremiah Reyes

Ondoy

I want to know if everyone is safe? I'm thankful that my town was spared but it's heartbreaking to see how so many others were gravely affected by the unexpected floods. No one saw it coming. A day's worth of rain did all that? Unbelievable but true. Neither the rich nor the poor were given mercy. Cars and two-storey houses underwater, families separated, people trapped in malls or on their roofs distraught from hunger and fear, and so on. My father grew up in Quezon City and he says this never happened to them before.


I'm attaching a Facebook album with a few pictures from yesterday. Truly, pictures speak louder than words.

I hope all of this humbles the country and the rest of the world. Admit it, we did this to ourselves. The clouds and the rivers merely reacted to our folly.


Facebook album: here.
Want to help or need help? See here and here.

HOW TO DONATE FROM AMERICA:
Generous souls in the U.S. who wish to help in the rescue and relief operations, you may donate through the American Red Cross. Call 1-800-435-7669.