Does this makes sense?

It is not unusual in the Philippines to see traffic signs that are overly placed in street posts... Like this direction sign, "Buendia" which are placed side by side with only about 10 meters in between them.

The cost of putting a sign, I assume, may have been priced higher than is customary, in a country where corruption is the way of life in the government. It is really odd why two similar direction signs were placed near each other. I suppose the reason is obvious... Which I will no longer detail what it is.

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Has the world gone mad over a color of a dress?

The world has gone mad... Arguing and debating on what the color of a dress is. I read from somewhere that the world is now also divided by "the white and gold" and the "blue and black" groups, aside from being divided by religion, race, color, and politics.

The most surprising thing about this, mainstream media jumped on the bandwagon and the news and internet were all awashed with a "nonsense" material for a day. And I was evenly surprised that people were lured into it... Flooding the net with opinions, their take on the color, and even scientific studies on why the color of a dress is "like this" and "like that"!

My take on this? I don't care what color it was... I have totally no interest about it.

However, I really find it amusing to see so many people swallowed by such a very trivial, unimportant, insignificant item.

I want to know the psychological aspect of this phenomenon why people often ride on the "bandwagon" and why they take the hook, line, and sinker of any thing that is "trending"... Our term in Tagalog is " nakiki-uso". I did remember an article that it's all about "fitting in" or being part of a group or community. Humans, like most animals, are social creatures, not "lone rangers". If a group of people starts doing things, others follow to fit in with the group, regardless of what that "thing" they were doing was all about.

And this, my friends, is what I find most interesting...!

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The Bangsa Moro Basic Law: An Alliance in the Making

Even with the death tolls from the government troops as a result of the Mamasapano incident, why is Aquino's administration still pursuing the Bangsa Moro Basic Law (BBL) and the peace process with MILF?

Let's look back in the past, the ARMM, the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, which was formerly governed by the Ampatuans.

During the Arroyo administration, ARMM served as an "informal" bailiwick for her party with the Ampatuans as her political guards who had lorded the region. First time in the history of the Philippines or anywhere else in the world, for that matter, those districts under ARMM voted for Arroyo's candidates with an improbable Guiness-worthy statistics... 100% of the voters!

Fast forward to the present... If Aquino's administration manages to pass the BBL and have the MILF commanders politically lead the Muslim region, to whom will these MILF commanders loyalty be? To whom will their full-geared-to-the-tooth army be in allegiance with? Not to the Filipino people but to those who made it possible for them to sit at the helm of power.

The BBL enactment is in a good timing for the upcoming 2016 elections... And also a good timing for an alliance to form! To wit, I leave it up to you to speculate...!

(Photo Courtesy of Delon Porcalla of The Philippine Star)

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Senate Investigations in Aid of Legislation... Are They Just a Waste of People's Money?

If I remember it right, there have been hundreds of investigations already made by the Philippine Senate in aid of legislation. Most of these investigations are usually related to graft and corruption as well as other events that had invoked the emotions of the Filipino people.  The investigation is conducted by the Committee on the Accountability of Public Officers and Investigations, more know as the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee whose mandate is to investigate any alleged unlawful acts committed by the government, its public officials, and agencies, which also include the government owned and controlled corporations... in aid of legislation.

"In aid of legislation" is defined as a means of designing new laws or the amendment of any existing laws resulting from the Blue Ribbon Committee's investigation.  To put it straight, the Committee has no authority to make a judgment nor to put any body they are investigating in prison! In short, regardless of the outcome of their investigation, the person or government body under investigation cannot be incarcerated... except in cases of contempt of the Senate. So far, there is no law yet that has been appropriately designed to curb corruption after all the investigations made by the Blue Ribbon Committee.

Senate investigations have become a channel for senators to "grand stand" and often than not, these investigations looked like circuses with the senators acting like clowns. And in several cases, those subject to the investigation were harrased, humiliated, and were treated like "trash"... Why not? Since some senators also do " trash talks".

Are the senate investigations relevant and still beneficial to the Filipino people? Are the taxpayers' money spent on these investigations worth it? Or are these investigations just serve the senators who are mostly publicity- hungry?

I will leave it up to you to decide whether the Senate investigations are just a waste of people's money...

(Photo Courtesy of www.senate.gov.ph)

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A Call for PNoy to Resign... The Wolves' Howl!

Recently, several parties, with political leanings, are calling for PNoy to resign as a result of the Mamasapano massacre leading to the death of 44 SAF members and about 18 MILF combatants.

One of these parties is his uncle, Peping Cojuangco, who is known as an ally of VP Binay (who is currently under raps from various scandals involving alleged ill-gotten wealths). Peping may have been also the person who masterminded the PNoy-Binay tandem in Tarlac and in the nearby provinces during the last presidential election. What will he gain if Pnoy resigns? Many to mention, I believe, which I will no longer enumerate.

Some bishops of the Catholic Bishops Conference in the Philippines are also calling for PNoy to step down. Majority of the Filipinos knew of the scandalous relationship between these bishops and the former president, Gloria Arroyo. The Pajero Scandal and the PCSO Scandal, to name a few, are just two of those "benefits" accorded by the former president to some members of CBCP. What will they gain if PNoy resigns? Gloria may be freed and will in turn, will have "utang na loob" to CBCP. I bet that Gloria will donate "millions" to CBCP as a thanksgiving to the god of this world. Well, you know what I mean...

Some parties involved in the call for PNoy to resign were heard to be funded by those people who are currently under trial related to PFAF scandal. Simply put, with the oust of PNoy, the newly installed administration will probably give them "amnesties"...

To sum it up, these parties want PNoy to resign... But not to save the nation! They are wolves dressed in a sheep's clothing pretending to have a good intention for the country!

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Fifty Shades of Grey is Not a Porn Book

Fifty Shades of Grey is not a book of porn. By definition, Pornography (often abbreviated as "porn" or "porno" in informal usage) is the portrayal of sexual subject matter for the purpose of sexual arousal.

The book's purpose is not to arouse you... But to tell a tale of a submissive love, portrayed by Ana, dominated by a sadistic romantic named Christian Grey. If you get aroused by the narrative, then it's you... And it is not the book's intention.

Let me put it this way: If you read the bible and you get aroused by two women having sex with their drunken father, or by a mob raping a slave woman, then it is you who took it as a porn. The bible book, like the Fifty Shades of Grey, was not meant to arouse but was just intended to tell a story.

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Fifty Shades of Grey: The Hidden Allegory

The book "Fifty Shades of Grey" is about the life of a couple where the man, named Christian, is only turned on through violent sex. Many people call it as a psychological behavior with a wanton need for "bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism" or most popularly known as BDSM.

Did you ever wondered why the man's name is "Christian"?

My analysis:

What is the "sacred self-inflicted pain" through mortification of the flesh?

"Mortification of the flesh is the practice of abusing one's self, (self-flagellation), as penance for atonement of sins and path to sanctity. The term is primarily used in religious and spiritual contexts. The practice is found in many cultures, most notably the Roman Catholic Church and their penitential saints. The more common forms of mortification today include fasting, walking barefoot, motion by pious kneeling or laying face down on the floor. Also common amongst religious orders in the past were the wearing of sack garments, and flagellation in imitation of Jesus of Nazareth's suffering and death by crucifixion." (Courtesy of Wikipedia)

Did you know that the late Pope John Paul II whipped himself with a belt and sometimes lay prostrate all night on the floor? Did you know that Mother Teresa wore a cilice, a strap secured around her thigh that inflicts pain with inward-pointing spikes?

BDSM does not only refer to violent and painful sex. BDSM is also practiced as part of religous rituals and devotion where self-infliction of pain or self-mutilation will guarantee sanctification and a place in a god's abode.

The book "Fifty Shades of Grey" has a narrative that tells a story more than what you can read...!

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Valentine's Day: Why I don't need it!

I am not fond of having a day dedicated to celebrate something for a simple reason: Every day is a day of celebration with the loved ones and friends!

I can bring my wife and/or family anytime to dine out, watch movies, go somewhere on a trip, give them flowers or gifts, or just stroll around and enjoy being together. I don't need a Valentine's day simply because I am already doing it all year round...!

Enterprises make profits during "dedicated days" and so many people are "willingly trapping" themselves into thinking that such a day is a special day. As a result, chaos! Prices go up, restaurants get fully reserved, traffic gets heavy, and majority are pressured to post something in their social network to show the world that they spent their Valentines day with "love".

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Oplan Wolverine... My Speculation and opinion!

Marwan is highly wanted by the US government and a bounty of about US$5M was offered for any information leading to his capture. Please take note that there are other high profile domestic terrorists in the Philippines with the government taking no action at all.

The Americans can send their own team to execute Marwan like what they did in Pakistan (sans the VFA restrictions) but the Philippine government chose to do it themselves. Why?

It was secretly led and directed by Gen. Purisima, together with the American FBI agents. If the mission succeeds, Purisima will be praised... It's a "pogi" point for him. If it fails, the SAF chief will be the scape-goat. This is why no coordination was made with the other armed forces of the Philippines. Purisima wanted to take all the credits for himself as a means of saving his face from the multitude of corruption cases against him.

Conclusion: The Americans got what they wanted and Aquino/Purisima tandem was exonerated with the SAF chief taking "full" command responsibility.

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