Balangiga 101 (courtesy of The Radioactive Sago Project)

Sabi nga nila, ang kasaysayang nasusulat sa aklat ay kasaysayan ng dominanteng uri (wala pa kasi si Constantino at Guerrero nang sinabi ito). Kaya naman masasabing di matatawaran ang ambag ng mga medya tulad ng internet, pati na rin ng mga alternatibong grupo tulad ng Ibon at PW.

Kaya eto, para sa ika-107 taon ng sinasabing "balangiga massacre," isang alternatibong pagtingin.

Ballad of Balangiga
Radioactive Sago Project
Lourd De Veyra / Francis De Veyra

Noong September 27, 1901
Dahil sa treaty of paris
Kung saan binenta tayo
ng mga shet conio de puta
Sa mga kano,
At mula noon ay naging kakambal
Na natin ang malas dahil palagi na lang
Tayong damay sa mga away ni Amboy,
Lumusob ang mga anak ni Ankol Sam
At nanunog, nang-rape, namaril,
Nang-torture, nagnakaw sa buong bayan.


Lalong lalo na sa isla ng Samar,
Dumating ang mga ‘kano sa bayan ng Balangiga.
So isang gabi, ang mga magigiting na mamayan
Ng Balangiga ay nagplano:
Ihawin na natin ang Amerikano!
Nagsuot sila ng mga damit pambabae
Lumusob ng gabi
At pinagtataga ang mga humihilik na Amerikanong sundalo

CHORUS

Ito na nga ang naging Balangiga massacre—
Pero massacre para kanino?
Massacre daw ayon sa kasaysayan ng Amerikano.
E putanganang leche yan—
Paano magiging massacre eh nagtatanggol lang naman tayo?
Pag may pumasok bang magnanakaw
Sa bahay mo at pinatay mo ang magnanakaw
E kasalanan mo pa rin ba yun?
I mean, I hope you don’t mind, and won’t take offense,
But read my lips: we all did it in self-defense

Bumawi ang mga kano—
Nag-utos si Gen. Jakob Smith na sunugin ang Samar
“I want you : I want you to kill and burn, the more you kill
and burn, the better you will please me!” sabi niya.
And that meant anybody nine years or older,
Marunong magsalita, wasto ang katawan
Lahat kailangang madamay sa madugong katayan.

At iyan po ang ibig sabihin ng benevolent assimilation:
Pang-aabuso, pagnanakaw, assassination
Panloloko, pang-gagago, pang-iinsulto
Kung tratuhin tayo parang kuto

America—you’re no longer a country
But a registered trademark
Like the red, white, and blue packets
Just like a hotdog in the park

And after New York and World Trade Center
We say: “We are all Americans. We are all Americans.”
Fuck that shit.
Ikaw na lang.

Chorus:
Wag nang maulit
Pero naulit
ang kasaysayang lagi na lang
Napipilipit


Gusto mo ba ng CD?

"Kill every one over ten."

- Gen. Jacob H. Smith

Ang sipi ay tugon ni Smith sa sinasabing Balanggiga Massacre na naganap 107 taon na ang nakakalipas.

P.S. Hindi pa rin sinasauli ang mga kampana ng Balangiga.

imahe mula sa http://www.bibingka.com/phg/balangiga/default.htm

What Have We Learned So Far: Love

is more powerful than Chuck N. and Mr. T combined.

image taken from: ____

September 21 is Peace Day

[click image to enlarge]

Ironically, it's also in this very same day that martial law was declared. Not that we were free before martial law.

There's no such thing as "more free."

note: check out the other posters here. If only we could adopt the same level of creativity in our visual propas. Watcha think, Teo?

image taken from http://www.powertotheposter.org/index.php

September 21

Nitong nakaraang linggo pa ako kinukulit ni D sa kung anung regalo ang gusto ko para sa kaarawan ko. Wala talaga akong maisip.
Gusto ko sana libro, pero anung libro? andami kong gustong libro, di ko alam kung alin sa mga yun ang gusto kong ipabili. Atsaka marami pang nakabinbing pinangako ko sa sarili kong dapat kong basahin.

Di naman ako mahilig sa gadgets. May gameboy ako pero nagsawa nako. Di na kasi ako boy. Gusto ko rin naman ng psp pero parang wala ring silbi at baka pagsawaan ko pa. (sinailalim kasi ako ni D, gamit ang ilang kwestunable pamamaraan, sa isang BMP. Nawala tuloy ang hilig ko sa paglalaro ng video games.
Di rin ako mahilig sa damit o sapatos o kahit anung burloloy. Kaya naman naaawa ako kay D, ilang beses na nya akong tinanong. Hindi sa nagpapaka-budista ako na tumatalikod sa materyal na bagay. Di ko rin lang talaga alam ang sagot. Hay.
Dahil dyan, ito na lang --
ilang signipikanteng pangyayari nuong Setyembre a-biente-uno.

Tuesday 21, 2004:
Punk rock band Green Day releases its critically acclaimed album American Idiot.
Sunday 21, 2003:
Galileo mission terminated by sending the probe into Jupiter's atmosphere, where it is crushed by the pressure at the lower altitudes.
Saturday 21, 2002:
International Day of Peace recognized by the United Nations as a full day of ceasefire and nonviolence.
Friday 21, 2001:
Deep Space 1 flies within 2,200 km of Comet Borrelly.
Tuesday 21, 1999:
Chi-Chi earthquake occurs in central Taiwan, leaving about 2,400 people dead.
Tuesday 21, 1993:
Grunge rock band Nirvana releases its album In Utero.
Saturday 21, 1991:
Armenia is granted independence from Soviet Union.
Sabado 21, 1985
Ipinanganak si E.P. Dahil sa sobrang iri ng kanyang ina, may napasamang tae sa paglabas nya. Hindi pa rin sya naniniwalang kambal nya ito.
Monday 21, 1981:
Belize is granted full independence from the United Kingdom.
Thursday 21, 1972:
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos issues Proclamation No. 1081 placing the entire country under martial law.
Monday 21, 1970:
Monday Night Football premieres.
Monday 21, 1964:
Malta becomes independent from the United Kingdom.
Thursday 21, 1950:
George Marshall sworn in as the 3rd Secretary of Defense of United States.
Monday 21, 1942:
The B-29 Superfortress makes its debut.
Thursday 21, 1939:
Romanian Prime Minister Armand Calinescu is assassinated by pro-Nazi members of the Iron Guard.
Tuesday 21, 1937:
J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit is published.
Wednesday 21, 1921:
Ammonium nitrate explosion at chemical storage facility in Oppau, Germany, 561 killed.
Wednesday 21, 1898:
Empress Dowager Cixi seizes power and ends the Hundred Days' Reform in China.
Tuesday 21, 1897:
The Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus letter is published in the New York Sun.
Monday 21, 1896:
British force under Horatio Kitchener takes Dongola in the Sudan.
Friday 21, 1860:
In the Second Opium War, an Anglo-French force defeats Chinese troops at the Battle of Baliqiao.
Friday 21, 1827:
Joseph Smith, Jr., claims that the angel Moroni gave him a record of gold plates, one-third of which is translated into The Book of Mormon.
Friday 21, 1792:
The French National Convention votes to abolish the monarchy.
Thursday 21, 1780:
American Revolutionary War: Benedict Arnold gives the British the plans to West Point.
Saturday 21, 1765:
Antoine de Beauterne announced he had killed the Beast of Gévaudan.
Tuesday 21, 1745:
Battle of Prestonpans: A Hanoverian army under the command of John Cope is defeated, in ten minutes, by the Jacobite forces of Prince Charles Edward Stuart
Monday 21, 454:
Roman Emperor Valentinian III assassinates Aëtius in his own throne room.

datos mula sa http://www.spiritus-temporis.com/21-september/on-this-day.html
imahe kuha sa http://www.howtoadvice.com/Image/Diagram/HowItWorks.jpg

Ang Ating Bagong Panatang Makabayan*

Iniibig ko ang Filipinas,

Aking lupang sinilangan,

Bayang matagal nang nililinlang

Ng makasariling mga opisyal,

Kinukupkop ako at iminumulat ngayon

Na mahalin ang totoo

At itakwil ang pinunong sinungaling.

Dahil mahal ko ang Filipinas,

Susuriin ko ang mga panukala

Ng mapagsamantalang politiko,

Tutuparin ko ang mga tungkulin

Ng mamamayang makabayan,

Nagsusuri, nagdarasal at kumikilos

Upang magtagumpay ang katotohanan.

Iaalay ko ang aking buhay, pangarap, pagsisikap

Sa malayang Filipinas.

* Mula sa site ni Prop. Bienvenido Lumbera. Sabay-sabay itong binigkas sa Truthfest, Baywalk, Roxas Blvd. noong nakaraang Augusto 22.

Masasabing ang dating Panatang Makabayan ay tulad ng "4 legs good, 2 legs bad" mantra sa nobela ni G. Orwell na Animal Farm. Sa gawa, naisabuhay at internalized na ng karamihan sa mga hayop ang mga salita. At kung gayu'y tumagos na sa kanilang kilos at kamalayan. 

Kaya mainam na nagkaroon ng ganitong alternatibo ng dominanteng interpelasyong pinagdadaanan natin mula pre-school hanggang high school. Sa gayu'y napapatanung tayo, may saysay pa ba't laman ang Panatang Makabayan? Wala. Dati nang wala. Ang lumang panatang makabayan ay paglalatag lamang ng retorika at panuntunang kinakailangan ng Estado para magpatuloy ("tutuparin ... at masunurin sa batas"). At bagama't may salitang makabayan, ito'y nananatiling retorika lamang, ayun na rin sa pangangailangan ng gahum.

imahe mula sa http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04ZX0jceaM7NM/610x.jpg

Q&A

Nitong huli ay nahihilig ako sa psychoanalysis, dahil na rin sa labi ng mga naaalala ko mula sa sulatin ni I. Cruz hinggil sa bomba films at ng pelikula tungkol sa kalaguyo ng ni C. Jung (nakalimutan ko ang titulo). Basa-basa-basa ng mga batayang konspeto. Ego, id, super ego. Repression, projection, fixation. Pleasure, punishment. Hanggang sa matuntun ko si Lacan. 

Naawa ako kay Lacan sa una kong pagbasa ng maikling tala ng kanyang karera. Tatlong beses napatalsik/umalis sa organisasyon. Dalawa pa sa tatlong organisasyung ito, sya ang nagtayo. Basa-basa-nosebleed-basa-tulog. At natuntun ko nga si Slavoj Zizek. Pamilyar ang pangalan. Nabanggit at ginamit na ni T. Marasigan, at R. Tolentino ang ilan sa konsepto ni Zizek. Mukhang interesante. Kaya naman natuwa ako ng makita ko ang isang post tungkol kay Zizek na Q&A ang porma. 

Naisipan kong sagutin rin ang mga tanung kay Zizek.

(Bakit nga ba gusto kong sagutin ang tanung? Isa ba itong primal instinct na nabubuhay tuwing nakakakita ako ng listahan ng mga tanung? Ito ba ang manipestasyun ng aking id na nakawala mula sa super ego? Epekto ba ito ng mahabang exposure sa friendster? O di kaya’y fixatation o frustration sa slumbook nuong early 90s? 

Kung anu man, kasalanan ito ni Zizek!)

When were you happiest?

Ayun kay M. Bhaktin, ang proseso ng pagtae ang nagkokonekta sa atin sa kamatayan. Ang tae bilang produkto patay na na lumalabas sa isang buhay na katawan. Kumbaga, ilang parte ng sarili ang namamatay tuwing tumatae. Bukod dito, importante ang pagtae para mabuhay. Inangat pa ni Bhaktin ang diskurso ng pagtae sa pulitika ng katawan. Na ang pagtae ay kabilang ang iba pang aktibidad ng ibabang bahagi, tulad ng pag-ihi, at pakikipagtalik (penetrasyon), ay hindi kaaya-aya o di katanggap-tangap ilantad (sa kaso ng pagtatalik). Kaya ito itinuturing madumi at imoral. Sa kabila ng ganitong pagtrato, hindi pa rin maitatangging esensyal sila sa pagmintina ng buhay. 

Kung di tayo tatae, malalason ang ating katawan na ikamamatay natin. Kaya masaya ako pagkatapos kong tumae.

What is your greatest fear?

Ang makalimutan ang lahat ng aking alam, gaanu man kawalang kwenta. Mahina kasi ang aking memorya, katumbas lamang ng singkwentang goldfish ang kapasidad nito. Kaya nga ako nag-blog, contingency kung sakaling magtuloy-tuloy nga ang pagkasira ng aking alaala.

What is your earliest memory?

Pinakanatatandaan ko nung namantal ang itlog ko matapos sumakay sa kabayo. Wala kasing sapin, balat sa balat, kumbaga. At di pa ako pinag-bri-brip nun.

Which living person do you most admire, and why?

Marami. Isa si Palparan. Bihira kasi ang (halatang) baliw na sumisikat at nagkakaroon ng posisyun sa gubyerno. Bukod dun, hangang-hanga ako sa internalisasyun pinagdaan nya. Na sa palagay ko ay sobrang bangis kaya naman humantong sya sa puntong nakabuo siya ng awtoridad na moral para pumatay. Kumbaga'y nakalikha sya ng sariling katotohanan.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Nitong nakaraan, nagusap kami ni H. Kinumpirma nya (naming) ang sabi ng aking guidance councilor nung kolehiyo. Underachieving daw ako. Masyado akong kampante. 

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Masyado silang kampante.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

Ang mabigyang parangal para sa isang bagay na bagama't ginawa ko nga ay hindi ko ipinagmamalaki. Mas gugustuhin ko na lang hindi ma-credit.

Aside from a property, what's the most expensive thing you've bought?

Cross trainers ng New Balance. Nagdesisyun kasi akong maging physically fit kaya napabili akong ganun. Ayun, mukhang bago pa rin.

What is your most treasured possession?

Mga libro naming ni H. Pinakapaborito ko sa mga iyun yun nalagyan na namin ng tala.

What makes you depressed?

Ayokong ginagamit ang salitang depressed dahil na rin sa sinusuway ako ni H tuwing ginagamit ko ito. Hindi lang daw basta basta ang diagnosis ng depression. Tuwing ganun nade-depress ako.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

Mukha ko sana kaso wala na magagawa dun. Kaya pangit ang posture ko na lang. Na alam kong magkakaroon ng manipestasyon pagtanda ko. 

What is your most unappealing habit?

Tuwing nakakaranas ako ng matinding emosyon, di ko mapigilang kumurap-kurap-kurap-kurap-kurap.

What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?

Di ko alam.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Natutuwa ako tuwing nabubuksan na ang brief case na naglalaman ng 2 million. 

What do you owe your parents?

Palagay ko di naman sila naglilista. Pero kung sakali, isang masarap na hapunan siguro, oks na.

To whom would you most like to say sorry, and why?

Sa aking mga naging guro (yung matitino lang sa kanila). Dapat, nakinig ako ng mabuti kahit na hindi ako sumasangayun madalas.

What does love feel like?

Parang meryenda ng mainit na kape't pandesal na may kesong puti.

What or who is the love of your life?

Memorya.

What is your favourite smell?

Gusto ko ang amoy ng pakwan at ng deodorant ni H.

Have you ever said 'I love you' and not meant it?

Hindi, isa lang kasi sinasabihan ko nun.

Which living person do you most despise, and why?

Mga pa-artist na masyadong pa-weird. Di naman siguro rekisito ang ka-weirduhan para maging artist. Si B. Cab ba weird? Si B. Lumbera  ba weird? Palagay ko hindi. Ang ka-weirduhan ng mga katulad ni K. Tahimik at J.C.Reyes ay bunga ng kanilang kakaibang pananaw daigdig at hindi pa talaga dahil gusto nilang maging weirdo. Feeling ko lang talaga.

What is the worst job you've done?

=concatenate(Excel. Tipa. Ctrl + V, Ctrl + C) (repeat until necessary)

What has been your biggest disappointment?

Ang pagkaitan ng rekomendasyun sa simpleng rason na tamad ang magbibigay. 

If you could edit your past, what would you change?

Hindi ako mag-e-enroll sa Com Sci. At mag-aaral akong mabuti.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

Di ko alam.

How do you relax?

Basa ng kung anu liban sa teoretikal eklachuchu.

How often do you have sex?

Pareho kami ng sagot ni pareng Zizek.

What is the closest you've come to death?

Tingnan ang unang tanung.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

Memorya.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Wala pa. Work in progress, sabi nga nila.

What is the most important lesson life has taught you?

Na laging may pagpipilian, hindi nga lang laging ka-aya-aya ang mga ito.

Tell us a secret.

Bakit?

I Heart To Write

when (i think) nobody's looking.

 

Inspired by Loe Babauta's 7 Writing Habits Of Amazing Writers.) 

image taken from http://realestatetomato.typepad.com/the_real_estate_tomato/Shhh_small.jpg

Eerie ad, this is, yes

(click to enlarge)

image taken from http://slightlywarped.com/crapfactory/actualads/PROPHETIC.htm

Imelda Fishing

The massive rain yesterday brought some good after all as residents living around the infamous Pasig River got a fair catch of imelda fish. Heavy torrents of rain turned the river water murky (it could get murkier?!) causing the said fishes to swim closer to the surface, making them easier to catch.

The imelda fish is said to be the favorite of our most beloved former first lady, thus the moniker. And the taste? True to its etymology, the batch caught from the Pasig River was “mataba at matabang.”

image taken from http://www.british-filipino.com/img/mrsmarcos.jpg

Rain And Order

I.

After much observation and analysis i've come to conclude that there is an inverse proportional relation between the qcpd and precipitation. To put it simpler, no rain, cops; rain, no cops. 

Yes, the police is the meteorological gauge PAGASA should look after. At least for the philcoa-diliman area.

Consequentially, it is the exploited and often harassed street vendors of philcoa that welcome the rain.

II. 

And there's this line from a poem by the other Lacaba: 

"Mabuti ang ulan sa palay sa patag pero hindi sa mais sa 

      kabundukan.

Ngunit tinatamad umakyat ang kaaway sa ating kanlungan kung

malakas ang ulan.

Tinitiis naman natin ang madulas na bato sa sapa; tulay na 

     tiniban;"

For the full work, click.

image from

http://batas1991.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html

http://www.camillaengman.com/misc/blog/march/cloudjoj.jpg

On Journalism and Advocacy, D. Arao*

Ito na siguro ang pinaka-matino at may saysay kong magagawa bilang non-practicing journalism major graduate. Naalala ko pa, graduating class na ang binibigyang talakay nito, pero di pa rin nila mapag-iba ang odjecticity sa fairness. malaking diin sa grammatical at technical eklachuchu, pero pagdating sa pilosopikal, etikal at pragmatik na aspeto ng peryodismo, kulang na kulang. Di ba, Barros? Anu ulit yung sabi mo tungkol sa commercialization? Magandang gumaganda ang buildings at facilities natin?
If a journalist decides to be an active participant in the fight against media repression, can he or she still be considered a “disinterested” or “impartial” observer? Can he or she still claim that his or her “fairness” and “balance” are not compromised by being an active participant? Why or why not?

In peculiar cases where the journalist becomes a major player, he or she unwittingly becomes part of the news. He or she is not anymore a disinterested party. Fairness and balance, however, can still be observed by providing adequate space in his or her coverage to all possible sides of an issue, highlighting the major arguments of all protagonists. It would also help to disclose the nature of the participation of the journalist or the media organization he or she belongs to with regard to the issue being reported.

When journalists take certain advocacies, can they still be considered “neutral”? Why or why not?

They are obviously not neutral, and this is expected of them. Journalists are also “social animals” who have beliefs and convictions. The challenge for them is not to be subjective in their analysis of issues and concerns.

It must be kept in mind that neutrality is not synonymous with objectivity. The first is a myth and the second is a necessity in the practice of the journalism profession. Neutrality works on the assumption that journalistic outputs are value-free, but it is clear that they are not. Even mere factual presentation in straight news articles have slants, intended or not, based on the selection of the facts that are highlighted and the order in which they were presented.

Journalists are only advised to use neutral words in reporting (e.g., “said” instead of “claimed”) to avoid any misinterpretation in the presentation of the “literal truth.” In content analysis of journalistic outputs, the so-called “neutral” articles are actually objective since they are mainly assessed in terms of how exhaustive the report is in getting all possible sides and angles.

Do you think that the Philippine press, in the context of its response to press freedom attacks and threats, has become especially antagonistic towards the government, at the expense of public interest? Why or why not?

The Macapagal-Arroyo administration has proven to be hostile to press freedom, based on its policies and programs, not to mention its inability to bring to justice those responsible for the murder of journalists. The concerned journalists’ antagonism is expected. They take legal and extra-legal actions against the government to assuage the “chilling effect” created by the repression that is happening.

For the record, such actions are not being done at the expense of public interest. Public opinion is actually shaped by making them aware of the situation of basic freedoms of which press freedom is a vital part.

For the full interview, click.

*Danny Arao is an assistant professor of Journalism and director of the Office of Research and Publication in UP Diliman. He edits for Bulatlat and Philippine Journalism Review. You could find his column, Konteksto in PW (which sadly, is now “limited” to the online edition). For more solar power, click.

image taken from http://www.geocities.com/dannyarao/it5h.gif

Binasa ko 'to ng dalawang beses.

Shit.
Anu salin ng club sa filipino?

Ukol sa Gutom at Buryong, Vaneigem*

"Down with a world in which the guarantee that we will not die of starvation has been purchased with the guarantee that we will die of boredom."

"Itatwa ang isang mundo na, kapalit ng katiyakang 'di tayo mamamatay sa gutom ang katiyakang mamamatay tayo sa buryong"

~ Sipi mula sa The Revolution Of Everyday Life ni Raoul Vaneigem

* para kay stray, na palagay ko'y tulad kong buryong na buryong na rin. tayo kaya tayong fight club, kapatid
** nagkamali ako sa imaheng nailapat. ito ang asa link. binago ko rin pala ang salin


imahe mula sa http://thenonist.com/index.php/thenonist/permalink/perverse_subversive_and_absurd/