Emma Chastain in The New Republic writes about how the ballet known as The Nutcracker fails to live up to the essence of the novella from which it was based. It’s all the usual “you don’t know it until you read it” stuff, until you come to this paragraph: But if Hoffmann seems a bit… Continue reading this entry

When I first posted about Iran’s tragedy I snidely let the idea out that the Mad Mullahs would use it as another reason to cause us trouble. Kathy agreed in the comments: “I hope they do something that stupid. Their people are under no illusions about them. They just haven’t become angry enough yet. Faster… Continue reading this entry

Baldilocks on the Iran quake: With all of the so-called humanitarian movements originating here in the most technologically advanced society in the world — your PETA, your ELF, your ACLU, etc. — one wonders where the ‘Architects to Save Human Life’ are; going into the Third World earthquake zones and teaching the good people of… Continue reading this entry

I just couldn’t compete with Shackbar on that. Wish him a happy Fourth Anniversary of blogging. (A quick aside to Shack: your next blog will not be having mt-test as part of the URI, no? Seems like you tried it and fell in love immediately.)

Conclusion: A Capitalist Solution, Albeit Overly Simplistic Salient quote: Finally, check the background and policies of every man and woman who had occupied, and occupies, Malacañang–his/her family, relations and associations. That’s a backgrounder on the history of political corruption. An oligarchy still rules. An oligarchy that includes the people who hold the highest positions in… Continue reading this entry

In All Fairness: The Seductive Lure of Christian Socialism In fairness to Sassy Lawyer, I do not wish to paint her essay as naive or greatly evasive of responsibility. In fact it bleeds idealism that may even be the first step in helping the Philippines start its recovery. Unfortunately I will have to launch what… Continue reading this entry

Responsibility Salient quote: The history of economic poverty is a history of subjugation, corruption, theft and the marriage between the colonizers and a willing local oligarchy. Each set of colonizer took what was ours in the guise of reciprocal benefits. Each connived with Filipinos who were willing to sell their country and fellowmen for material… Continue reading this entry

The Islamic Philippines: A Question Of “What If?” From Sassy Lawyer, a quote salient to this particular point: Once upon a time, long before these 7,102 islands came to be known as the Philippines, the ancient people–a race that developed from a mixture of the native aetas, Indonesians and Malays–enjoyed its own social structure, form… Continue reading this entry

A short preface I am a Filipino by all means — by law, by culture, and by ethnic, familial lineage. I was born there; I grew up there. As much as I would like to think of myself as an American, which I do — since all it takes is to be a freedom-loving person… Continue reading this entry

Michael Demmons, Doc J, and Professor T have concurring opinions about the earthquake in Iran that has killed at least fifteen thousand people. It is more than understood that modernization holds the key to ensuring that a region that regularly has earthquakes would be a relatively safe place to live. What I would like to… Continue reading this entry