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Why the Philippines Failed? A Developmental Perspective

April 18, 2013April 18, 2013 Richard Javad Heydarian 38 Comments

In his seminal book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905), Max Weber, widely known as the father of modern sociology, provided (arguably among the first and most compelling) arguments on the relationship (or correlation) between â€˜cultureâ€™ and â€˜economic productivityâ€™. As an established economic analyst, Weber was interested in understanding why protestant nations…

Culture, Development, Society

SC upholds candidates’ freedom to air as much TV and radio political ads as they want!

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013 benign0 21 Comments

Perhaps if our “activists” focused more on creating buzzes around real issues rather than on presuming to police the campaign tactics of our politicians and auditing their token fly-by-night “platforms” we’d gain more traction around creating a more issues-based political discourse. Indeed, unless you are as brilliant as Lee Kuan Yew, there is little point…

Media, Politics

Kris Aquino pays top tax dollar in the spirit of Daang Matuwid!

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013 benign0 11 Comments

Funny the way presidential sister and Queen of All Philippine Media Kris Aquino comes into the fore whenever Filipino pep for the “right” people needs to be pump primed. Most recently the buzz is her emerging as “top Filipino taxpayer” paying a whopping (by Philippine standards) 49.87 million pesos (USD1.2 million) to the Philippine government….

Media, Money Talks, Politics

Love Exciting and New

April 17, 2013April 17, 2013 Gogs 6 Comments

” Love Exciting and New/ Come Aboard / We’re Expecting you and Love’ Life’s Sweetest Reward, we’re a friendly smile on a friendly shore.” Theme from the Love Boat sung by Jack Jones. No,Â I am not doing a Kate Natividad style story. The title is in reference to a 70s hit…

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Civics, Culture, Lifestyle, Society

Boston Marathon bombings – the questions that start with the word ‘Why’

April 16, 2013 benign0 33 Comments

When one gets over the initial shock upon hearing of a far away disaster like the most recent one that hit the illustrious Boston Marathon yesterday, the next mental step taken by most of us helpless bystanders is to search for meaning in what is very likely to be regarded as a senseless tragedy. First…

Crime, Culture, Society

Why Filipino tourists are most likely to get bad reputations abroad

April 16, 2013July 25, 2013 FallenAngel 34 Comments

We often harp on and on about Filipinos and the things they do and do not do in their own country. We also contrast this to Filipinos abroad, and how strikingly meek, compliant, and law-abiding most of them suddenly become when they live or work in foreign lands. Somewhere in between these two groups, is…

Culture, Lifestyle, Society

Animal fetish: Frozen pangolin in Chinese fishing boat seized in Philippine waters off Palawan

April 15, 2013April 15, 2013 benign0 4 Comments

On top of the damage a Chinese fishing vessel had caused on World Heritage-listed Tubbataha Reef off Palawan in early April, Philippine authorities have reportedly made a striking discovery in the ship’s cargo hold — hundreds of frozen anteaters or pangolins. All eight species of the pangolin are considered to be in danger of extinction…

Crime, Culture, Environment, Lifestyle

Wikileaks exposé: Philippine military generals allegedly in drag during Marcos ‘secret’ party!

April 15, 2013June 6, 2013 benign0 24 Comments

More leaked “secret cables” are coming out revealing more about the underbelly of Philippine society in the 1970s under the rule of then President Ferdinand Marcos. Even as the camp of former Defense Minister, now Senate President, Juan Ponce Enrile battle the re-emergence of anecdotal evidence surrounding the allegedly homicidal past of scion and Senatorial…

Culture, Politics, Society