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Social media activism: lots of noise for no real substance

November 1, 2011June 13, 2013 benign0 2 Comments

Filipinos need to apply a healthy dose of skepticism when regarding what their Media present to them. They rail against politicians yet eat up the bullshit dished out on oligarch-owned Philippine television, radio, and print. As if traditional media weren’t enough, we now have an army of hollowheads fielding 140 character out-of-context and substance-starved one-liners…

Media, Tech Talk

To those calling for war or peace in Mindanao: You’re not asking the right questions

November 1, 2011November 1, 2011 benign0 43 Comments

Despite having been to Mindanao more times than the average Manila resident when I was younger, I can’t really say I know the place as well as some of those who are quick to offer “solutions” to the “situation” over there. To begin with, it was mainly its major cities that I’ve been to —…

Development, Politics, Religion, The South

PNoy and the Philippine Armed Forces both stunned by the MILF

October 28, 2011October 31, 2011 Ilda 41 Comments

Someone from a public forum was disappointed that I did not have an opinion readily available for him about the situation in Mindanao. He wrote to me: Hi Ilda. It’s rather odd that you did not have the time for this issue that’s been in the news for over a week, and in fact, this…

Government, Media, The South

Five Reasons to be Optimistic About the Philippines

October 22, 2011October 22, 2011 Carlos C Tapang 91 Comments

The most successful investors are those that invest when everybody else is bailing out. I have heard so many bad things about Pinas, and after having lived there for two years I can now understand how bad things really are. Nevertheless, I continue to invest not only money but time and effort as well to…

Development, Economy

Philippines Scores Another First: NAIA Now Officially the Worst Airport in the World

October 20, 2011October 20, 2011 BenK 134 Comments

Hard on the heels of a thoroughly uncomplimentary review of Manila (interesting fact: itâ€™s a dump) by regular visitor Geoffrey James on Travelblog.org, Filipinos have a new reason to feel persecuted with the announcement that NAIA was rated the Worst Airport in the World by the Guide to Sleeping in Airports website. The rating is…

Development, Media

The Quezon City Squatter Tax can be offset by a tax on pagpag

October 19, 2011July 8, 2013 benign0 15 Comments

I read recently that the city government of Quezon City is set to levy an additional tax on property located within its administrative jurisdiction on top of whatever taxes are already being paid by their owners. So aside from the property taxes being collected from the landed gentry of this fine city, the Quezon City…

Civics, Economy, Society

Steve Jobs: the movie!

October 18, 2011 benign0 1 Comment

Here is my bet at the cast of the inevitable movie version of the late Steve Jobs’s life. The main characters will of course be Jobs and the two other guys who figured the most in making Apple what it is today — Steve Wozniak and John Sculley… Steve Jobs to be played by Keanu…

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Glitz and Glamour, Technology

The Folly of Brown Pride

October 17, 2011July 14, 2015 ChinoF 40 Comments

It already irks me to keep hearing Filipinos complain about other Filipinos using skin whitening products or liking foreign shows and products, saying it’s a sign that Filipinos are ashamed of themselves. I disagree with that view. I think loving white skin has nothing to do with shame. It’s just common sense. When something is…

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Culture, Lifestyle