PARADOXICAL

April 2025 Recap

It's only the middle of April and yet the news is already too much for my little brain to handle. There are way too many earth-shaking things going on at a fast clip to make sense of, especially in this unusually cruel weather.

So Sad: Kris Aquino Says She Has 9 Autoimmune Diseases

In a deeply personal update on Instagram, Kris Aquino revealed her ongoing battle with multiple autoimmune conditions, including 1. autoimmune thyroiditis, 2. lupus, 3. systemic sclerosis/scleroderma, 4. rheumatoid arthritis, 5. chronic spontaneous urticaria, 6. EGPA (eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis), 7. fibromyalgia, 8. polymyositis, and 9. mixed connective tissue disease. Poor thing! Having just one of those is tremendous suffering enough -- how much more nine? The public of course responded with an outpouring of prayers and support for her continued strength and healing, but with one advising her to seek the help of an albularyo.

Hilarious: Mistaken Identity: ICC Lawyer Mix-Up

In a bizarre twist on social media, American author Nicholas Kaufmann became an unintended target of political confusion. Supporters of former President Rodrigo Duterte bombarded Kaufmann’s accounts, mistaking him for Nicholas Kaufman—the Israeli-British lawyer defending Duterte in the ICC case. Despite Kaufmann’s repeated clarifications, the flood of messages continued, some even coming from apparent bots, according to his later posts.

Ridiculous: “Grocery Gang”: Strange Names on Government Fund Records

Ma. Ceres Doyo wrote a column article that is hilarious, a great departure from her usual serious, profound tone, but only because the incident is simply ridiculous. To paraphrase, she noted that a recent audit of confidential funds used by Vice President Sara Duterte and the Department of Education revealed highly suspicious signatories—names like Mary Grace Piattos, Jay Kamote, and Mathew Keso—sparking laughter and concern across the country. Lacking any official documentation in national databases, these names appear to be fictitious, and lawmakers are now demanding answers: who created them, and where did the money actually go? Rep. Paolo Ortega dubbed them the “team grocery” due to their food-themed aliases, while House hearings revealed that many supposed recipients had no traceable records. The fallout includes impeachment articles against Duterte and legal challenges filed with the Supreme Court.

"Comic relief or criminal deception?" she asked, and continued that, while some find humor in the audacity of the fake names, the gravity of the situation remains. Was it a sloppy cover-up or a deliberate whistleblow in disguise? The answer remains unclear, but the implications are serious. Calls for accountability are growing louder, Doyo noted.

Worrisome: A Sudden Tariff War

U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs—10% across all imports, with steeper rates for select nations and an especially over-the-top tariff for China. I had to review what tariff means and had to read several columnists and economists (Balicasan, Habito, et al.) to try to make heads and tails of it, but I am not sure if I was properly schooled in it, especially since there are widely divergent opinions on the matter. In the end, I was reduced to asking myself, "What's going on?"

Similarly, the more I read about various lawyers' take on the ICC arrest of Duterte, the more I got confused on which side to listen to.

Scary: Will China Invade Taiwan Soon?

Meanwhile, tensions rise over a possible Chinese invasion of Taiwan. This cliffhanger awaits our estimated 250,000 OFWs in that island-state that courageously chose democracy over communism, yet the United Nations chose NOT to officially recognize its independence and sovereignty, or at least honor its heroism.

Looks like we need to get busier praying harder than before.

Interesting: Resurrection from the Dead

In science news, Colossal Biosciences claimed the first "de-extinction" case, that of the dire wolf—though some experts argue it's closer to a genetically modified grey wolf.

I wish that, someday, they would be able to bring back the dodo, Tasmanian wolf, and other interesting creatures that we humans have, in our collective stupidity, decimated.

On a Happy Note: A Historic Moment for Filipino Artists on Broadway

Now this is something I can understand.

Great news for long-time theater fans like myself! This month marked a groundbreaking achievement for the Filipino community in the performing arts. For the first time ever, reports Lea Salonga on FB, seven Filipino actors are starring simultaneously in four different Broadway productions—a moment of immense pride for Filipino-Americans and, of course, Filipinos. They are Nicole Scherzinger ("Sunset Boulevard”), Darren Criss ("Maybe Happy Ending”), Lea Salonga herself (in Stephen Sondheim’s “Old Friends”), Tatianna Cordoba ("Real Women Have Curves"), Eva Noblezada (“Cabaret”), Marie-Claire Hall (“Operation Mincemeat"), and Kay Sibal (“Six the Musical”). According to the Broadway legend, the milestone highlights the growing influence and exceptional talent of Filipino artists in global theater.

***

Over at YouTube, several restored Filipino film classics have been uploaded for free viewing. I am reminded of my old quest to watch all the films listed to be among the best. The long vacation ahead is perfect timing.

Food for Thought: Side Hustle Culture

How do people survive nowadays when inflation rates reach sky-high?

What I notice around me is the phenomenon of side hustles. In the halcyon days of yore, this was called "sideline" or "moonlighting."

Just looking around, I can see people moonlighting or working on the side during off hours or weekends as event host, event organizer, online seller and reseller or pasa-buy delivery person, sari-sari store operator, long-haul van driver, artist, masseur, teacher/tutor, hair and makeup artist, dancer/choreographer, vlogger, singer, writer, videographer, small resto operator...

I wonder if people in the upper echelons ever wonder how ordinary Filipinos actually make do and get by, what kind of meals they have from day to day, etc.

Under the Radar: New Pinoy Parlor Games

Last year (2024) saw a sudden spurt in the number of creative party games or parlor games. In our home last Christmas, my siblings, nephews, and nieces tried almost all of those games, to cacophonous results. Among my favorites is the one where several singers line up in front of the videoke to take turns singing lines of a usually high-register song. The game is a great opportunity for those gifted with the voice but a laughable disaster for those who are not as gifted, and that's where the fun of the game partly lies. Another favorite is the very physical yet cerebral game "Eh Ikaw?" currently made popular by the comedy group SPIT. Look it up, in case you don't know what I'm talking about.

These novel games have ushered in a, er, golden age in Philippine party games.

Cause for Dismay: Gutter-Level Campaign Utterances

Apparently, kabastusan (coarseness and vulgarity) is now the new normal. Look at these lines that the public accepted by laughing at the jokes delivered by election candidates, not by a stand-up comedian in a comedy bar:

“Minsan sa isang taon ang mga solo parent na babae na rineregla pa — Nay, malinaw na rineregla pa — at nalulungkot, minsan sa isang taon pwedeng sumiping ho sa akin (Once a year, female single parents who still have their monthly period and feel lonely, once a year you can have sex with me).” - Pasig congressional candidate (and lawyer too!) Christian Sia

“The nursing scholarship is only for women, not for men. And only for beautiful women. It is a no-no for the unattractive, because if a male patient who is already weak is attended to by an ugly nurse, what would happen to him? Their illness could get worse.” - Misamis Oriental Governor Peter Unabia

"Kung ang aking kalaban ay isang Vilma Santos lang na laos na, hindi ako takot." - Mataas na Kahoy, Batangas Vice Mayor Jay Ilagan (And I was, like, huh? I can't forget the last movie I watched with Vilma Santos in it titled "Extra".)

***

Scatter became a popular gambling game after e-sabong somewhat waned It's quite hard to believe that these big, big names in local showbiz died within weeks of each other Pilita Corrales, Nora Aunor, and Hajji Alejandro. Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa died. After spending 38 days in hospital for double pneumonia, Pope Francis suddenly died at age 88 just a day after greeting well-wishers on Easter at the Vatican grounds on his popemobile and after meeting with US Vice President JD Vance. Tributes poured in from all over the world from all walks, hailing him as a "pope for all." After the great Myanmar quake came a series of earthquakes here in the Philippines and around the world, and this tells us that these tectonic movements are interrelated. I remember a time when this relationship had been denied and laughed at by expert volcanologists. But they seem to have changed their tune in recent years. Aba, bongga! Lav Diaz had a new film, 'Magellan,' starring Gael Garcia Bernal, and to be shown in Cannes, no less. But who will watch a 10-hour film? Or even its whittled down (3-hour) version? On April 27, scores of revelers of Filipino-descent died in Vancouver, Canada after an SUV driven by a man of Chinese descent rammed through the crowd while they were celebrating Lapu-Lapu Day. In contrast, a piece of sad news for fellow cinephiles: After rescuing 240 films from permanent erasure from our collective memory, ABS-CBN shut down restoration unit, with project head Leo Katigbak reportedly describing it as “a casualty of the efforts to close down the company in 2020.”

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:25 PM 0 Comments

Why I Take Pics of Food

posted by Resty Odon  # 10:06 PM 0 Comments

 “Minsan kailangan masugatan ang ating mga mata, para mahugasan ng luha, at makita natin ang hindi natin nakikita.”

So beautiful because so true and also very spiritual.

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:54 AM 0 Comments

Another Mentally Disordered Month (December 2025 Recap)

Whew, December appears to be another mentally disordered month. In other words, crazy. But the saving grace lies in what is not in the news, in the little under-the-radar stories quietly appearing in my feeds, assuring me that it's not the end of the world yet.

***

New record: The Philippines is the world's number one plastic polluter of the ocean. Congrats, mga dugyot!

***

Ethiopian volcano erupted for the first time after 12,000 years.

***

Math/science professor and newspaper columnist Queena Lee suddenly died. I must have read maybe dozens and dozens of her insightful articles.

***

"Frank Gehry, who designed some of the most imaginative buildings ever constructed and achieved a level of worldwide acclaim seldom afforded any architect," died at age 96. I remember how his design of the Bilbao museum shocked-and-awed the world at the time.

***

The month's craziest story is one made viral by these unbelievable lines from a super-hypertensive former COMELEC commissioner, Atty. Rowena Guanzon -- "HINDI KA NAKA-ROLEX, HINDI KA NAKA-GUCCI, AKO PA PINILI MO?!" -- after an alleged Chinese couple told her to get out of a Makati mall (in posh Rockwell, it turns out) if she was sick after she coughed because the noodles or something that she was snorting was too hot and spicy for her. She even went further by filing a complaint with the Makati police even after the man's partner apologized on his behalf.

The story was one-sided because it didn't carry the alleged foul-mouthed man's side, so it was hard for me to react, but a foreigner telling me to get out of a mall in my own country would indeed shoot my BP to dangerous levels. (Turns out they are just regular Chinese-looking Filipinos.)

But to go beast mode full-on? Excessive. And to equate a person's worth in terms of Rolex and Gucci, very revealing. Her response to Ronald Llamas' response of a joke online -- heaping contempt at a widely well-regarded political analyst as "walang trabaho," "walang PhD," "pangit," and "kalbo" -- and to Atty. Jesus Falcis -- "maligo ka muna ng tatlong beses" -- further added insult to the injury. The tirades were a long series of insults as ad hominems -- funny in a way, but offensive if you are jobless, you don't believe in doctorate degrees as a measure of your educational attainment at a time when masterals and doctorates can be faked or bought, you are not as physically attractive as most people, you have thinning hair, and you don't always look fresh-from-the-onsen like, say, Joshua Garcia.

I checked her FB page and found out that that is the very brand she has been peddling: Queen of Bardagulan. No wonder. She was merely living up to it.

But wait, why does everything feel oddly familiar? Who normalized low language at the highest levels of government again? I don't know about you, but I don't think the answer is Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

***

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, "Mortal Kombat" star, died at 75. Haven't watched this movie, but I know that a lot of young people have.

***

"A study found that the Ayta Magbukon people of the Philippines carry the highest known levels of Denisovan DNA in the world, suggesting that multiple Denisovan groups once lived here in Southeast Asia and interbred with the early humans, thus reshaping current understanding of early human migration in the region."

***

"Singing can increase an immune antibody (SIGA) in the body by up to 20% in less than an hour." Tra-la-la... Do-mi-mi, Mi-sol-sol, Re-fa-fa, La-ti-tiiiii! Aherm, aherm. No wonder professional singers like me seldom get sick.

***

"Poland is one of the wonders of this world - a rising global power, an economy reaching a trillion dollars, the strongest army in Europe, the fastest-developing country in the region, and a guardian of NATO's eastern flank."

Philippines be like, "How to be you Po-land?" RP, be like Poland.

***

People are dancing a new dance craze to the tune of Taylor Swift's "Opalite." The dance looks an easy choreo to follow, and the pop tune unremarkable.

***

Wow: "Film history enthusiast and film historian Nick Deocampo uncovered a copy of "Diwata ng Karagatan" (1936), believed to be the oldest existing Filipino film, tucked away in an archive in Brussels, Belgium."

***

The internet went wild with this new 'obsession': trying to dangle from street signs and traffic lights while singing or lip-syncing to the song "Maui Wowie" by American rapper Kid Cudi, including a version by local singer Darren Espanto.

The curious line, "Goin' back to Honolulu just to get that/That Maui Wowie, that Maui Wowie," allegedly means "chasing enjoyment or a sense of escape."

Okay , but it's amazing how people could easily reveal their wiry-haired kilikili (armpits) for the whole wide world to see.

***

"The practice of making asin tibuok, the artisanal sea salt of Bohol, made it to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding." I wonder if this development will help preserve the practice.

***

"Cold water immersion can profoundly affect your body: increase insulin sensitivity, helping you effectively turn glucose into energy; lower cortisol, the stress hormone; and increase the amount of brown fat in your body."

***

"New 'remarkably tame' tinamou species discovered in Amazon mountains may already be at risk of extinction" because it is "a mostly flightless bird with a unique dark slate-colored facial mask and cinnamon-colored underparts that was surprisingly unafraid of humans."

***

"In Japan, where isolation and emotional distance can quietly affect many lives, one man has created a gentle and unusual service—'rent-a-dad.' Through this heartfelt offering, he’s hired by people of all ages to step in as a father figure, offering warmth, support, or simply quiet presence. His clients don’t seek formal counseling—they come for hugs, someone to clap during a graduation photo, or a calm voice to talk to over lunch."

How awful that the epidemic of fatherless-ness has come to this.

***

Speaking of fatherhood... "Many people assume fathers bond through gentle moments and quiet cuddles. However, neuroscience shows the strongest connections form during active, playful chaos. Wrestling, chasing, roughhousing, and tumbling provide children with high-energy experiences that shape the brain in meaningful ways."

I have read something like this decades ago. Specifically, that fathers bond best particularly with their sons through activities that they share together like engaging in sports.

***

78-year-old Hollywood actor and director Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele, were murdered in cold blood by their own flesh-and-blood, i.e., their own son Nick Reiner, who appears to be a drug-addled nutcase, according to reports. Rob Reiner is a most successful director of truly enjoyable films, such as "When Harry Met Sally...," "The Princess Bride," "A Few Good Men," etc., stuff generally referred to as "good vibes" these days, that is why there were so popular back in the day. So it is quite strange that he'd have such a progeny. Watching the son being interviewed, I get a somewhat creepy vibe, with those wide, expressionless eyes and all.

Now I need to watch a movie the father-and-son tandem co-created, "Being Charlie," because it is said to be quite autobiographical.

***

There was a shooting in Brown University, Providence, Rhode Is., USA.

***

Two Middle Eastern men -- a father-and-son -- also went on a shooting rampage in Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, apparently targeting Jews enjoying Hanukkah, a Jewish celebration. The carnage, unusual for Australia, was made even more unusual when a man, ironically a Muslim, grabbed one shooter singlehandedly and unarmed and successfully extricated the rifle from the mass murderer. Sadly, the duo is said to have undergone training somewhere in Mindanao, implicating the entire country where nothing of the sort happens, someone wise pointed out.

***

“Film historian and filmmaker Nicolas Francisco ‘Nick’ A. Deocampo has recently discovered what is now considered the oldest surviving Filipino film—the 1936 production ‘Diwata ng Karagatan’ (Diwata)—in Brussels, Belgium.”

***

A new party game trended: Blowing candles using paper plates. I don't know why, but my inner killjoy says I hate it.

***

A new exchange gift trended in office yearend/Christmas parties this year. Mechanics: Players each bring a brown bag of assorted gift items based on a pre-chosen theme (e.g., something green). The number of items should be exactly the same as the number of members. One by one, each member throws out the contents, and members scramble to get the items they prefer, each one fearing to be left with the most unwanted items (the ones that end up as useless items, except as all-year-round dust gatherer and 100% sure toe injurer). The group erupts in tumultuous shouts and laughter as a result, and the room and building develop cracks due to the volcanic explosion.

***

Never heard of this, but it's great to know: Sen. Migz Zubiri noted that it's 16 years RA 9850 was passed, a law declaring arnis as the Philippine national martial art and sport.

***

Another wait-what-happened moment: Zsa Zsa Padilla returned her Lifetime Achievement Award to Aliw Awards organizers after she wasn't given the honor or courtesy of making a speech. What a terrible gaffe. Honoring me with such an insult, even when unintended, would've deeply offended me as well.

***

The pulpit of the 300-year-old church of Maragondon, Cavite, crashed to the church floor due to "internal structural failure." The church is listed as a National Cultural Treasure.

***

"The Philippines has the lowest tourism return in Southeast Asia." Heard this already before that it has become a tired refrain. When are we going to shape up?

***

"New brain-imaging research shows that depression is not simply the result of a chemical imbalance but is linked to structural and functional changes in brain circuits responsible for mood, decision-making, and emotional processing. This finding challenges long-held beliefs and explains why medication alone has not worked for many patients. By recognizing depression as a disorder of complex brain networks, the study opens the way for more personalized treatments such as brain stimulation, cognitive training, and lifestyle-based interventions."

As a low-key mental health sufferer, I knew this by instinct: Depression is generally not caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain, but a result of toxic thoughts, ungrieved grief, unprocessed traumas, and I think that, among the world's psychologists, it is Gabor Mate who gets these things -- depression, anxiety and panic attacks, drug addiction -- right the most.

***

"Japanese biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi was awarded the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking discovery of how the body uses a process called autophagy to eat its own damaged cells when it doesn't receive food. This process is vital for maintaining cellular health and is a key factor in how we fight aging and disease."

***

A powerful DPWH technocrat named Catalina Cabral, a planning chief, was suddenly found dead along a river in Benguet. A very interesting development in these high-tension-wire days of Marcos Jr.'s reign.

***
Actor and Leyte Rep. Richard Gomez was accused by a Philippine Fencing Association of “physical attack” during the fencing competitions of the 33rd Southeast Asian Games, after the latter allegedly replaced an athlete without Gomez's knowledge.

***

I must have missed a number of other equally important developments, because I was preoccupied with Christmas stuff (mainly, attending parties for the first time after how many years of disability). I would appreciate your rejoinders.

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:55 AM 0 Comments

Red Flags to Watch Out for in Human Character

Some say we were all born good and kind-hearted. I don’t think so.

We didn’t start out as blank slates or tabula rasa either — we all inherited certain traits, both good and bad, from those who came before us.

Our character is ultimately shaped by a mix of things: our genes, our environment, how we were raised, and the most decisive factor of all — the personal choices we make along the way.

In my experience, people who choose to do good stand worlds apart from those who deliberately walk down a darker path.

No one wants to live in the orbit of evil, so it helps to recognize the warning signs early on — the behaviors that tell you to run for the hills.

Here are some forms of toxic or malicious behavior I’ve witnessed — or worse, personally endured:

• Borrows money and never pays it back, then ghosts you without a hint of remorse.

• Takes all the credit at work and leaves none for the team.

• Dumps their trash in the neighbor’s yard.

• Lets their dog poop in front of your house while keeping their own front yard spotless.

• Complains every single time they open their mouth.

• Sees nothing good in anyone — only faults and flaws.

• Never congratulates you on any achievement; can’t be happy for anyone else’s success earned honestly.

• Steals your belongings the moment your back is turned.

• A chronic, pathological liar.

• Believes that killing someone can be justified outside the context of true self-defense.

• Lacks humility; can’t laugh at themselves or see humor in their own imperfections.

• Rarely engages in self-reflection; refuses to acknowledge their weaknesses.

• Never apologizes for their mistakes — ever.

• Stingy in sharing knowledge that could genuinely help others (except when it involves state secrets, trade secrets, or protected proprietary information).

• Has a habit of violating personal boundaries.

What other red flags have you noticed, both in yourself and in others? 

posted by Resty Odon  # 12:11 AM 0 Comments