December 2010
99 posts
1 tag
1 tag
On Rizal and revolutions...and a new year
ellobofilipino:
I think what Rizal would have wanted to happen in the Philippines was what Gandhi later did in India through active non-violence, and what Martin Luther King did for Civil Rights. These two struggles as well as the ideas espoused by Rizal would also eventually be adopted and illustrated by Mandela, Walesa, Havel, Ninoy Aquino and several other leaders who choose national...
1 tag
5 tags
2 tags
On Rizal...
ellobofilipino:
I think Rizal, though declared the national hero of the Philippines, has been the most misunderstood, maligned, and criticized historical figure in country’s history. And more often than not, the thoughts and actions against him are the result of the failure to grasp his vision for the country and what he fought for. This is also largely due to the inadequacy of our educational...
panchodelaluna asked: your historical writings will simply shame my past history teachers... ;) keep on writing, more health for the coming year!
5 tags
The Subversion of Rizal (Part II)
One thing I have always heard about Rizal is that he is the thinking man’s hero. Because he is our national hero, it demonstrates without doubt that we value the pen before the sword. We don’t. We don’t know Rizal. And in truth, we don’t honor the depth of his contributions or the quality of his philosophy. Instead we lift snippets of his writings, in the process twisting...
5 tags
The Subversion of Rizal (Part II)
One thing I have always heard about Rizal is that he is the thinking man’s hero. Because he is our national hero, it demonstrates without doubt that we value the pen before the sword. We don’t. We don’t know Rizal. And in truth, we don’t honor the depth of his contributions or the quality of his philosophy. Instead we lift snippets of his writings, in the process twisting...
panchodelaluna asked: your historical writings will simply shame my past history teachers... ;) keep on writing, more health for the coming year!
3 tags
The First Celebration (Part 1)
The celebration of Rizal Day was our first ‘national’ patriotic holiday. It antedates by decades other remembrances for heroes (and our nation) past. The men who knew him, who fought with him for a rising Filipino nationalism, believed more strongly in what he stood for then, than we do today. If anything, time has not embedded Rizal, his beliefs and values, in our collective public...
3 tags
The First Celebration (Part 1)
The celebration of Rizal Day was our first ‘national’ patriotic holiday. It antedates by decades other remembrances for heroes (and our nation) past. The men who knew him, who fought with him for a rising Filipino nationalism, believed more strongly in what he stood for then, than we do today. If anything, time has not embedded Rizal, his beliefs and values, in our collective public...
2 tags
Rizal's death was no trigger →
margoism:
i don’t really agree with everything - actually, i don’t agree with armed struggle. maybe i’m just sleepy and feel uncomfortable with the repetition of the word “arms” towards the last few paragraphs…just sharing other people’s point of view on the significance of jose rizal in the present.
As an historiographer, let me correct the popular perception that Rizal’s execution on the...
Why Ambeth? Why?
ellobofilipino:
Ironically though, I saw some post floating around Tumblr about Ambeth Ocampo objecting to Rizal Day being celebrated on another day. Weird that that someone who objects to changing the date of the holiday is allegedly responsible for painting the hero’s home green.
It’s an oddity, I agree. I remember his defense behind his decision was basically that he wanted to...
2 tags
5 tags
If I met me, or me met I...
One of the great things with Doctor Who, at least the recent season, is how it hearkens to the best of science fiction. The show and each episode become vehicles for ideas, amidst the bumbling, jumping, fun and dizzyingly madcap escapades. The recent Doctor Who Christmas special (A Christmas Carol) is no different.
I will say that this is probably one of my favorites if not the favorite of the...
2 tags
Random historical thoughts
Over the long holiday there were three historical ideas that I was working through (as in randomly staring off into the distance during get togethers), really unrelated to anything else I’ve been working on lately. Yeah.
In some sense you can separate the Spanish period into two broad categories, with the invasion of the Philippines by Britain and the subsequent governing periods of Anda...
brownmonkeytheory:
iwriteasiwrite:
Jose Rizal was executed on December 30. Today is not December 30. Thus, today is not Rizal Day. Unless, through some magic time machine technology that has been hitherto unknown, ‘holiday economics’ in action shifts the date when events occurred in the past.
Blargh, I really hate holiday economics.
Rizal’s house is green, your argument is invalid.
...
2 tags
Jose Rizal was executed on December 30. Today is not December 30. Thus, today is not Rizal Day. Unless, through some magic time machine technology that has been hitherto unknown, ‘holiday economics’ in action shifts the date when events occurred in the past.
Blargh, I really hate holiday economics.
4 tags
Books I just picked up...
I really should be prevented from ever stepping foot in a bookstore. Not by the bookstores of course. I’m sure when they see me coming they start licking their chops. Ah well, I love books.
Anyway, for those interested, I just picked up the following today (on a whim…of course):
“Rage!” by Alfredo Roces: For a couple of reasons I’ve pretty much avoided exploring the...
2 tags
For @brownmonkeytheory: The Caganer
I must confess my understanding of the caganer is fairly limited. But, I will explain what little I know.
For those who may be wondering what the heck we are talking about, the caganer is a mischievous little fellow that shows up famously in the belens of areas of Catalonian culture (Catalan, Andorra etc). Basically, he’s a figure, hidden among the various statues, of a small...
1 tag
On Re-birth...
ellobofilipino:
iwriteasiwrite replied to your post: Re-birth…
It fits I do say. For the Japanese and Romans the wolf was seen as a protector and guardian spirit. Some Native Americans viewed the wolf as a guide and spirit protector. For a journalist and advocate I can’t think of a more fitting totem.
I really appreciate this sir! I was actually merely thinking of the name as also a symbolism...
2 tags
3 tags
2 tags
3 tags
3 tags
3 tags
2 tags
1 tag
5 tags
The Christmas Song from A Charlie Brown Christmas
...
3 tags
2 tags
Holiday miracle: Public teachers get full bonus -... →
Public school teachers received a holiday miracle just before Christmas Eve as they finally got hold of their P10,000 bonus in full—a first after a tradition of partial releases in the past years.
The Teachers’ Dignity Coalition (TDC) Thursday said teachers from most of the regions around the country reported full receipt of their yearend gift from the Department of Education (DepEd) as of...
juanrepublic asked: I just watched Red last night Sir and it forced me to dig into more CIA-themed movies. Haha! Thanks for the suggestion though Sir.
juanrepublic asked: I just watched Red last night Sir and it forced me to dig into more CIA-themed movies. Haha! Thanks for the suggestion though Sir.
5 tags
3 tags
Art in the Age of Digital Reproduction →
theatlantic:
In a conversation with David Hockney, Alex Hoyt ponders the aesthetic changes for artists wrought by the iPad:
Like most of us, these paintings were conceived in bed. Two years ago, watching the dawn tread across the North Sea and toward his Bridlington home, Hockney realized he could quickly catch the moment on his iPod (he has since then upgraded to the iPad). As he tells...
ellobofilipino asked: Before the day passes by my friend and while things aren't chaotic yet, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas! I also wish you a Happy New Year, and may this new one bring you more projects and inspirations in your further study of our people and past. Of course, as always, do share them with us. Thank you for all the kind words. You have always been very kind.
ellobofilipino asked: Before the day passes by my friend and while things aren't chaotic yet, I would like to wish you a Merry Christmas! I also wish you a Happy New Year, and may this new one bring you more projects and inspirations in your further study of our people and past. Of course, as always, do share them with us. Thank you for all the kind words. You have always been very kind.
3 tags
6 tags
The primacy of the freedom of speech...
ellobofilipino:
arsenicofmarikina:
creativityncourage:
Members of the European Parliament applauded an empty chair draped with a Cuban flag and the Sakharov human-rights prize in Strasbourg, France, Wednesday. Cuba did not allow dissident Guillermo Farinas to travel to the ceremony to receive his prize. (Vincent Kessler/Reuters)
A la China?
And here’s the weird thing: he’s not even...
3 tags
5 tags
Christmas in the Philippines: The Mexican...
Of all of our fiestas, rites and rituals arguably the one that ties us most closely to Mexico is Christmas. Amid all the celebrations and food (oh the food) we find those connections.
For the first couple of centuries the Philippines was pretty much ruled out of Mexico; in fact it was not until the implementation of the tobacco monopoly by Basco y Vargas in the 18th century that the Philippines...
3 tags
