If the finding is true, then the study should examine all the elderly monks, priests, and bishops who actually practice what they preach if indeed all of them are now suffering from prostate cancer. Or a longitudinal and follow-up study of all the no-fap guys actively posting their experience on YouTube. And another study investigating whether all of those who had prostate cancer had a habit of religiously avoiding masturbation or sex in general. Let's see whether they have eventually developed abnormal growth in their prostrate after years of virtue. 

posted by Resty Odon  # 6:02 PM 0 Comments

 Kung mahilig ka maga-read ng signs of the times, iisipin mo talagang end of the world na. Eh bakit hanggang ngayon, biyaheng impiyerno pa rin ugali ng iba?

posted by Resty Odon  # 5:02 PM 0 Comments

 Wake Up. We are not Americans.

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:57 PM 0 Comments

 A newly discovered ant species has placed the Philippines once again on the global scientific map. The National Museum of the Philippines announced the identification of Strumigenys silangan, a species found in the eastern regions of the country, specifically in Mt. Isarog Natural Park, Camarines Sur. Its discovery adds to the Philippines’ growing list of unique and endemic wildlife, highlighting how much biodiversity still remains hidden within its forests and ecosystems. Researchers noted that the species name “silangan,” meaning “east,” reflects the origin of all collected specimens.

A Japanese scientist earned a Nobel Prize after discovering one of the body’s most powerful self-healing mechanisms: during periods of fasting, the human body begins to consume its own damaged cells, triggering a deep cellular reset known as autophagy. This natural process acts like an internal cleanup system, breaking down old proteins, malfunctioning components, and toxic buildup that contribute to aging and disease. The discovery revealed that fasting doesn’t just change metabolism — it activates a fundamental survival program hard-wired into our biology.

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:00 PM 0 Comments

My Catholic charismatic community with its various activities: worship, small group meetings, evangelization, recollections and recollections, talks...

Free church-based counseling and therapy services that a lot of people don't know about

A random eatery or resto offering a taste of authentic foreign cuisine

Bumping into a random celebrity walking casually in Glorietta, Greenbelt, or elsewhere in Makati

The great variety of goods on sale at SM Hypermart, Landmark, or any of the major supermarkets

Those little de-wart shops offering cheap locally produced 'cashew cream' dermatological therapy

Pan de Manila

posted by Resty Odon  # 3:20 AM 0 Comments

All Riled Up

I have a slightly different take on Enrile, compared with those I have read so far -- that is, the anti- or con side.

'JPE', as he lay dying at 101 years old, ceased to be young people's butt of jokes, or in today's parlance, an Internet meme for "old," as in ancient, dinosaur-age old. Even Enrile proved to be no immortal, after all. His demise a day after the announcement of his ICU confinement was immediately greeted with a flood of posts from people with sharp memory detailing his great misdeeds from a distant past: chiefly as the architect of martial law, with human rights violations galore, and the massive plundering of the country's rainforests together with Pres. Marcos Sr., not to mention direct involvement in the coco levy funds scam and the PDAF scam -- his heroism at EDSA I all but forgotten. There were even allegations of his involvement with coup d'etats against Cory Aquino -- a precarious time I lived through as a young person which failed to make me develop good feelings for and good memories of him. These recollections of great unrepented -- and very public -- sins ran laughably contrapuntal to the high hosannas issued by those at the top echelons in government and elsewhere.

Statements of condemnation from the persecuted left are only to be expected. Which make you think: If Marcos Sr. and Enrile didn't do what they did (clamp down on communist forces), would RP have become a communist state? I shudder at the thought, as the horrors of the Russian, Chinese, Vietnamese experience come to mind: the pogroms, the gulags, the bloodiness of it all, all doomed for failure.

But what do we make of roughly the same statements coming from centrist forces? Which also makes you think: How much exactly was the abuse of power committed? Where exactly did he cross the line? How many innocent people, how many brave youthful protesters of that generation who were not necessarily espousing communist belief were dragged into the 'witch hunt' needlessly?

No one seems to be discussing this when it is the biggest bone of contention and partly the reason why there are Marcos loyalists across different socioeconomic classes up to this day, even among the ruling classes, even among respected academics. In their view, dictatorship and martial rule are justified if the target are communists. I am not saying I agree 100% but if you were the president at the time, how would you have handled it? Indeed, if you see the Marcos regime as having saved the country from communism (with US's backing, of course), no negative commentary will ever convince you to reconsider your view. You would even stick to the notion that they were 'heroes' in that regard.)

(The same is true with diehard supporters of the Dutertes. In their view, Duterte introduced a style of leadership they prefer in the light of the drug menace and -- let's face it -- a set of accomplishments that had been unheard of and impossible within the limited (i.e., elitist) viewpoints of past leaders. Indeed, if you see 'Dutertismo' as a logical reaction to Pres. Noynoy's failings and his essentially Manila-centric, rich-kid view of life and governance, nothing will ever convince you to change your mind.)

What I am NOT happy about, however, is when people make blanket condemnation, with the certainty that Enrile is 100% evil and going to hell. (Enrile being a religious man suddenly comes to mind, with him seeking God's counsel in a prayer room with a gigantic Virgin Mary statue and all. This tells me that he did not exactly worship the devil but in fact believed in his heart that what he was doing was the right one.) I'd like to remind people that only God has the right to say that (assign souls to their proper placement), because only He has full knowledge of a man's heart. Besides, as others have pointed out, last-minute repentance is always possible. (That's how counter-intuitive the Christian concept of 'grace' is.)

But in a culture where it is taboo to say bad things about the recently departed, making that rare exception (from both sides of the sociopolitical fence too) says a lot about the kind of public figure he was.

I'd be happy to be rebutted, proven wrong, disproved, challenged, and refuted with this second and separate opinion.

posted by Resty Odon  # 11:35 PM 0 Comments

Emerging Weather Terminologies

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:25 PM 0 Comments

Speechless in the Aftermath

posted by Resty Odon  # 12:30 PM 0 Comments

"Secret Heart"?

Don't worry, fellow Pinoys, if you think like "bobo" kayo sa English, mali-mali rin naman mag-English ang mga pangkaraniwang Kano, which is worse kasi native language nila ito. Madalas ay pinagtatawanan namin ito ng mga katrabaho ko dati as KPO workers working as a paralegal of sorts (coding legal corporate documents, creating titles for untitled documents, and receiving communication from our offshore clients).

Ilan sa mga pinakamadalas nilang gawin:

I would of, I could of - instead of I would have... etc.

grammer - grammar

They get easily confused when it comes to using:

- there vs their vs they're
- its vs it's
- you're vs your
- his vs he's
- who's vs whose
- accept vs except
- here vs hear
- hole vs whole
- lead vs led
- lose vs loose
- peace vs piece
- principal vs principle

Parang Waterloo nila iyon: homonyms or homophones -- napansin ko lang. Siguro dahil iyon sa dami ng foreign influences ng American English kaya nakakahilo talaga.

Ilang beses ko ngang nakita yung mga ganitong nakakatawang kaso for me as Pinoy:

Secret Heart of Jesus Hospital - they mean Sacred Heart

Minsan may mga mahilig din mag-imbento kahit wala sa Webster. Ganun kataas ang kanyang level of confidence:

"Like I telephonically told you yesterday..."

***

By the way, the Europeans are the worst sa mga puti na naencounter ko over exchanges through emails:

Example:

"If you have any questions, contact to us." (Mag-imbento talaga ng sariling verb + preposition combination, 'teh?)

Naalala ko ang sabi minsan ni kuwan: "They may be bigger and taller. Doesn't mean they are better."

Cheerio!

Kayong mga nakarelate sa BPO industry, ano'ng mga napansin niyong errors nila? Di ba natawa rin kayo?

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:41 PM 0 Comments

Quezon on Our Mind

Manuel Luis Quezon is on everyone's mind these days. Unfortunately for me, I haven't read much about former Philippine president Manuel Luis Quezon, so my knowledge about him is limited to his being "Ama ng Wikang Pambansa" and that "run-like-hell" statement of his that is often quoted out of context and assumed as a national curse whose ill effects are allegedly felt by one and all up to this day. And the man who saved a lot of Jews, not to mention the man after which a capital city and an entire province was named. And a host of Quezon Blvds. around the country. And an institute for TB patients.

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:00 AM 0 Comments

November 2025 Recap: Aftershocks, Aftermaths, and Anathemas

As in happened, November 2025 became a month of aftershocks, aftermaths, and breaking of taboos, not to mention of equally disturbing suicide stories. But on a positive note, also of groundbreaking events and discoveries.

In the Netherlands, a train -- speeding like a bullet -- rammed into a huge delivery truck, crushing the behemoth instantly and sending its content flying in all directions.

***

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) officially opened November 4, to become "the world's largest museum dedicated to an ancient civilization"... "showcasing a vast collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt."

***

"Neuroscience reveals that it’s not the passing years that make your brain slower — it’s repetition. When you live each day the same way, your brain activates the same neural circuits over and over, reinforcing familiarity but reducing flexibility. ... But the good news? Your brain can rewire itself at any age through neuroplasticity — the ability to form new neural connections. New experiences, challenges, and even learning something uncomfortable stimulate dopamine and growth factors that keep your brain active and sharp."

Wait. This basically means we should keep on scrolling on our phones for that constant dopamine boost? Guess not.

***

A giant bacterium visible to naked eye was found in New Zealand -- "challenging everything about microbiology." It is called Thiomargarita magnifica, "5,000 times bigger than typical bacteria and visible as white filaments up to 2cm long." A bacterium that big ceases to be a "microbe," technically speaking, for normal bacteria reportedly lie within 1-5 micrometers in size.

***

Someone noticed that one of Manny Pacquiao sons (the one whose surname is Bacosa) looks like Piolo Pascual, and immediately dubbed the boy as "Piolo Pacquiao," and netizens went wild, alternately laughing and gushing.

***

Former president Manuel L. Quezon's grandson Ricky Avancena caused quite a stir when he reacted strongly against the movie "Quezon." The online commentariat took opposing sides, and I found myself on the side that was unhappy with the movie, even though I had yet to see it. I blame it for the same reason why I was unhappy with how Aguinaldo, in former movie depictions, was painted as pure evil. (He was not -- certainly not 100% ha-ha.)

***

Lav Diaz's film, "Magellan," starring Gael Garcia Bernal, won as Best Picture at the Villadolid Film Festival in Spain. Makes me wanna go see the movie.

***

The last kakapo bird died? That's what one report said. Maybe it is just in one island?

The reason I am wary of extinctions is because I have studied ecology -- an eye-opening interdisciplinary course I am very grateful for, that it has become my favorite subject actually. There, under the kinda annoying prof, Gene Abedania, I learned that each species has an impact on the environment and is inter-related with other species in the same habitat. This means one little loss could result in an ecological catastrophe, so I am hoping that view is wrong. Besides, the kakapo bird (the world's largest parrot and it's flightless -- imagine that) is quite a beauty and a character.

***

"Intelligence peaks at 55 to 60 years old," a report said. This can only be good news to the likes of me. You see, youth is not always a plus point.

***

There was a report of a terrible massacre and rape of women and children in Darfur, Sudan once again. Which made me think of how we don't hear much about the horrible things happening to the people of Sudan, Nigeria, Mozambique, and other countries where there are atrocities, genocide, and persecution otherwise unimaginable to the rest of the world. But they are happening as we speak, and the rest of the outside world doesn't seem to care. Perhaps because they are... black?

***

Surprise! "Young leftist Trump foe" Zohran Mamdani was elected New York mayor." Socialism and NYC are like total opposites. New York City, as we all know, is the world capital of capitalism -- capitalism with a capital C. Will it work? Let's see.

***

Juan Ponce Enrile, as he lay dying at 101 years old, ceased to be an Internet meme for "old," as in ancient, dinosaur-age old. You might want to read about my thoughts on him in this post titled, "All Riled Up."

***

A trending post captured the tenor of November 2025 in the Philippines, as though in a nutshell: "Nakakalito na ang mga letra. May warrant daw galing sa ICC (sina Bato at Go). May rally ang INC. May imbestigasyon ang ICI. Si Enrile nasa ICU."

***

Speechless in Tino's Aftermath

Typhoon Tino inundated parts of Talisay City in Cebu and other areas, and it's like Ondoy all over again, just worse. The images coming out of not just Talisay City, but also Canlaon City, Bago City, etc. are staggering they make even the inured speechless.

Nature is so swift; human life, slow. Nature can be so cruel, indiscriminate, unforgiving; humanity, so puny, helpless, dazed and confused. I can't blame folk who ask, "Where is God?"

Apart from questions I have no answer for, what can we glean so far from the widespread destruction? Well, it looks like flood control is useless when deforestation is a problem. Plus we need to know whether the volume of precipitation is way above normal. For this reason, the technical term 'hydrology' was thrown around with frequency.

But it is clear this early how deforestation is the bigger, if not biggest, culprit.

I'd say protect and restore our mountain forests now. There is a good reason why they are sometimes called watershed. They act like our sponge.

Supposing climate change isn't the real culprit yet, blaming rampant deforestation looks like common sense, right? It's not like we've stumbled into something new and complicated, as though it's rocket science.

***

Because of Tino, actor-turned-businessman Slater Young's Monterazza mountainside luxury villa project, inspired by the Ifugao rice terraces, was under fire, judging by, uhm, online knee-jerk commentators. I am not sure about this, since the 'verdict' is not yet in.

***

For the first time in a very long time, our place got a direct hit from a super-furious typhoon, and it was named 'Uwan'/'Fung-Wong.' We residents suffered through a sleepless night, anxious over the prospect of waking up with our roofs gone and trees falling over our domicile. We distinctly remember the unusual calm -- and humidity -- before the storm. There must be a technical term for that unusual calm before the storm, but I couldn't find any, despite our ultra-rich local vocabulary.

Anyway, like everybody else, my fervent prayer was for 'Uwan' to stay away or change its course, or at least weaken a bit. It did not, on all three counts. But still we were thankful, for things could have gotten a lot worse. The aftermath was merely a day of sweeping of fallen leaves, branches, and other debris and hacking away at wayward branches in the midst of a power blackout with no internet connection. ...Plus the dilemma of how to cook all the raw food we have stored in the ref so they wouldn't go stale or turn bad. In the end, we were happy to have survived another delubyo.

***

On a personal note: I got sick November 5. I think I caught the flu virus. But I couldn't complain. A lot of people were in worse shape after losing loved ones and everything they had to flash flood. And happily, for the first time, I was able to fend off an oncoming full-on flu which I get without fail each year except when I had a flu shot (cold, cough, body malaise, physical weakness). What I did was take time off work just to be able to directly expose my skin to sunshine for hours on end. No Bioflu, no antibiotics, no artificial vitamin supplements, no appointment with the doctor. It works! Why haven't I done the same in previous years? Then again, maybe that barley supplement I had been taking worked wonders, plus I was into guava leaf tea lately as an experiment. (I eventually stopped after I noticed some side effects.) I suffered from earache and an irritable throat instead, which slowly went away, thank God.

***

I read with interest the current word war between the Baguio City government and other 'stakeholders' over the proposed renovation of the 'iconic' City Public Market. I don't know whom to side with, honestly. I love Baguio's old public market because it was so charming in that rustic mountain way and I had lots of good memories of it, especially since it was so spic-'n-span. There are some things in a city that you wish would never change, and one of that is Baguio City's unique blend of American Hill Station-Igorot architecture. But I am also for embracing modernization if it can't be helped, but hopefully never at the expense of historical and cultural heritage. How to balance these two? I have yet to figure out, but people like Palafox surely have a long time ago. What I noticed is that Baguio has through the years continuously defaced what made it attractive in the first place; it would be a cultural, aesthetic, and economic suicide to deface or erase your own selling point. Baguio would no longer be Baguio if it looked like another city in Metro Manila or anywhere else in the world.

***

The low-intensity conflict over Michelin ratings between the pros- and the antis- I found very interesting. But here's something about Filipino food that I wish I wrote because I am 100% in agreement with it: "The Michelin Guide and authentic Filipino food" by Stephen Acabado. Look it up!

***

A newly constructed 2,500 ft bridge partially collapsed into a river in China after a massive landslide occurred near the area. I somehow felt relieved that it's not only in the Philippines that this...er... engineering marvel happens.

Another horror, also in China: an ancient 8-story wooden pagoda burned down like flint or kindling, though commenters said it was a rebuild or reconstruction. Nonetheless, seeing an ancient heritage structure fall down like that is just so sad and tragic.

***

The infamous Zaldy Co issued a bombshell of a video: that BBM and Romualdez ordered him to stay put abroad and masterminded the you-know-what yada-yada. But people were not inclined to believe any of it because they had a problem with the tainted messenger and his motive.

***

Meanwhile, Kiko Barzaga compared himself to Jose Rizal. The public reaction was of course "The nerve!" and "Wait, what?" Like, have you written two authority-defying literary novels on top of a number of lyrical poetry pieces and made yourself a most wanted man because of it? Are you fluent in more than a dozen languages? Traveled around the world? Had a string of girlfriends of diverse ethnicities? Idolized by the country's revolutionary leaders of your time? Studied ophthalmology on the side? Built a little self-sustaining community on the side? Killed by firing squad after being accused of rebellion? If no, then forget about it and find someone on the lower rungs.

***

Former presidents/vice-presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph Estrada were seen together with VP Sara Duterte as they attended the Office of the Vice-President's 90th anniversary. It would have been interesting to observe the respective body language of the two former political arch-nemeses.

***

Rosa Rosal, glamorous actress of yesteryears and Red Cross board member, died at 97 years old. Her real name, it turns out, is Florence Lansang Danon-Gayda. Thanks to YouTube, I had been able to watch two acclaimed films she starred in: "Biyaya ng Lupa" and "Anak Dalita." So I hunted down another acclaimed title associated with her, "Badjao," which a film critic (Noel Vera) said is fortunately available on YouTube as well. What luck! I watched it and learned that it is about the evils of discrimination, and "its probably the best Filipino movie ever made."

***

At a huge Iglesia ni Kristo rally, Imee Marcos did something unthinkable, like it's straight out of a Koreanovela: rat on her brother's and sister-in-law's (and nephew's too?) supposed drug use -- a private matter of personal weakness, and in front of 650,000 people too. What an unbelievable breaking of a cultural taboo. And technically speaking, because of the private nature of the alleged transgression, it constitutes slander, whether the charge is true or not.

***

Kiko Barzaga made a fearless prediction, a cliffhanger: "Martin Romualdez will escape the country before President Marcos resigns next week." Now, the guy's playing Nostradamus.

***

Lea Salonga's daughter Nic Chien had her breast excised. And these days, commenting on it other than applause, or even using the word 'daughter,' might spell trouble.

***

On November 19, minimum wage in Pangasinan was increased from P468 to P505.

***

Wow: "A storied Gustav Klimt painting sold for $236.4 million at Sotheby’s in New York, [thus becoming] the most expensive work ever sold at Sotheby’s and the most expensive Modern artwork ever sold at block." I love Klimt's paintings! They are just so different, so original.

***

Another awful story of suicide, most likely due to depression: A young man named Ivan Cezar Ronquillo reportedly committed what is suspected to be suicide after he was wrongfully accused of killing his girlfriend, an actress and model named Gina Lima. What a waste of life, no thanks to online defamation or slander.

***

"In one of the world’s most fast-paced cultures, South Korea introduced something almost unbelievable — a real contest dedicated to sitting still, breathing slowly, and letting your mind go quiet. It’s called the Space-Out Competition, created in 2014 by artist Woopsyang as a protest against burnout. A reminder that rest isn’t laziness — it’s survival." Hmm... sloth and rest are two completely different things: one is vice, the other virtue.

***

"An 18-year-old Filipino male teenager wrote a children’s book as a gift to his longtime Filipino nanny. The money he earns from selling the book will be used to help overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Hong Kong who wish to finish their studies."

Hiyang-hiya ako sa batang ito ha. Ikaw, ako, tayo, ano na ang ambag mo, natin? Imagine if all of us are as selfless.

***

On November 19, minimum wage in Pangasinan was increased from P468 to P505.

***

Jesus Falcis: "Alice Guo was arrested and now convicted. Anti-POGO Law was passed. Li Duang Wang’s citizenship law was vetoed by BBM upon Sen. Risa Hontiveros’ plea." I am not exactly a fan of Hontiveros' politics, but these achievements are impressive.

***

Chocolate Lover Inc. closed shop after 36 years of selling chocolates, buttercream, walnuts, and other baking essentials. Owned by Annie Carmona-Lim, dubbed the “Chocolate Queen,” the shop is housed in a castle-like building which has long been an eye-catcher in Cubao for its atypical structure.

The only ones similar to such an architectural style in the country, crenellations and all (with the exception of resort structures), are the Christ the King church in E. Rodriquez and a private residence somewhere in the southern Tagalog region.

Anyway, sad business closure stories like this makes me think of how small and big businesses are a cultural treasure of a community that oftentimes make brand names synonymous to a given town or city. And if the business is not passed on to the next generation for any number of reasons, to say nothing of enrichment or expansion, it just dies a natural death and quickly forgotten (except by historians and history buffs like me).

***

Miss Mexico won the Ms. Universe but Filipinos were sore about it because they believed our bet or another one, a Ms. Côte d'Ivoire (isn't this country Ivory Cost?), deserved the title better for reasons I am not sure about. But here's a quotable quote and food for thought: "Iwan ko ba anong esperitu ang sumasanib sa mga Penoy. Kung pageant, grabi maka kelatis ng kandidata. Piru sa election, basta lang maka tanggap ng ayoda at sayawan ng budots, okay na."

***

Central Vietnam and southern Thailand experienced Ondoy-like devastation from flood! Looks like unprecedented flash-flooding is becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Hope I am utterly wrong in my perception.

***

Solidaridad Bookshop sold to Rep. Leandro Leviste

***
"A newly discovered ant species has placed the Philippines once again on the global scientific map. The National Museum of the Philippines announced the identification of Strumigenys silangan, a species found in the eastern regions of the country, specifically in Mt. Isarog Natural Park, Camarines Sur. Its discovery adds to the Philippines’ growing list of unique and endemic wildlife, highlighting how much biodiversity still remains hidden within its forests and ecosystems. Researchers noted that the species name 'silangan,' meaning 'east,' reflects the origin of all collected specimens."

***

"A Japanese scientist earned a Nobel Prize after discovering one of the body’s most powerful self-healing mechanisms: during periods of fasting, the human body begins to consume its own damaged cells, triggering a deep cellular reset known as autophagy. This natural process acts like an internal cleanup system, breaking down old proteins, malfunctioning components, and toxic buildup that contribute to aging and disease. The discovery revealed that fasting doesn’t just change metabolism — it activates a fundamental survival program hard-wired into our biology." Must. go. hungry. often. soon.

***

Unusual this! "An outdoor electronic music event was held in front of 14th-century cathedral in Košice, Slovakia, organized by the archdiocese to celebrate the Jubilee of Young People and the 75th birthday of the local archbishop, Nov. 8. Fr. Guilherme Peixoto, a Portuguese priest who happens to be an electronic music DJ who performed at World Youth Day 2023, guided the crowd with a blend of electronic and spiritual music, sharing his belief that 'electronic music is a privileged way to build a better world.'"

Before this apparent rave party, with laser beams piercing the air in all directions, a prerecorded video of the Pope sent message to the youth, and the pope was mistaken for being part of the organizers. If I were a lot younger and I was there, I would have had the time of my life.

**

Highrise infernos

Several 32-floor highrises in an apartment complex in Hong Kong were engulfed by flames from a small fire that started from below outside the buildings. It looks like the bamboo scaffolding with green nylon netting served as the perfect kindling material that aided the quick spreading of the fire, as though to grill the poor occupants alive starting from the first floor. I remember something similar happening before somewhere in the Middle East (Dubai?). The horror. I can't imagine how the survivors, especially the elderly, PWD, and infants escaped by the skin of their teeth in the middle of such a smoldering and smoked-out scene. At least three people connected with the construction firm were arrested for "gross negligence."

***

I learned that many Indonesians have only one name. Just like pre-colonial Filipinos! I wonder how their local civil registrars deal with this practice.

***

"Gumuho ang dormitory building ng isang eskuwelahan sa Sumatra Island sa Indonesia. Nasaksihan mismo ng mga estudyante ang pagguho ng gusali sa probinsya ng Aceh dahil sa landslide at umapaw na ilog sa likod ng paaralan."

***

The DTI said a Filipino family can have noche buena for P500. This was met with massive sarcasm, with post ridiculing the claim by someone who must be living in some geological age.

***

A new font face became popular locally, called the Queen Yasmin font. The font style features a lady with a wreath of flowers on her head contorting her body and body doubles to produce different letters of the alphabet. Funny font and hard to read.

***

Trump suspended ‘Third World’ migration to US after an Afghan man killed a National Guard.

***

"Pope Leo XIV commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the First Council of Nicaea on Friday, November 28, in Iznik, the Turkish city historically known as the birthplace of the Nicene Creed (Nicaea), calling Christians to overcome 'the scandal of divisions' and to renew their commitment to unity. This is the main reason that brought the pope to Türkiye (Turkey) on his first apostolic trip abroad. The pope spoke during an ecumenical prayer service held at the archaeological site of the ancient Basilica of Saint Neophytos, on the shore of Lake Iznik, southeast of Istanbul. There, Pope Leo, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, and other Christian leaders prayed together the Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed in this historic setting."

***

Unbelievable and appalling piece of statistic: A scientific study claims men should masturbate at least 21 days a month to avoid prostate cancer.

***

Whew, I want to end this crazy month's recap with a laugh: "The ability to speak several languages is an asset, but the ability to keep your mouth shut in any language is priceless."

posted by Resty Odon  # 4:13 PM 0 Comments

How Evil Could You Get?

(Notes to self; I hope I am being coherent here.)

The question (posed by C.A.P.) which has been bugging me all week is this: How evil could you be to get there, to that point of no return?

To paraphrase, what would it take for someone, anyone, to cheat willfully, knowingly, in the magnitude of billions in public funds through irregularly won contracts (think rigged biddings and graft money), and the worst part, substandard large-scale public infrastructure that put at risk the very lives of hundreds, thousands, millions of innocent people -- in a country that is prone to earthquakes, typhoons, flooding?

I am asking the question, not to cast aspersion on individuals who have been already judged on social media even without due process (including completion of litigation based on incontrovertible proof), or to pass myself off as holier-than-thou and more popish than the pope. Let's face it: We are all capable of crime, even heinous crime. What interests me at this point is the inner workings or dynamics of evil in all of us (without exception) that enable us to do such deeds.

Now that I have cleared my vision-mission-objectives out of the way...

We can only speculate, but it's good to look into our own hearts, the innate darkness or evil that lurks within. Or let us consciously put on a criminal's mind to begin to understand.

1. The opportunity is present.

A police officer, in a lecture, once said that, "For someone to be tempted to commit a crime, one important factor is opportunity." This one factor -- window of opportunity -- is indeed a most tempting one, a great 'enabler,' what with the culture of graft and corruption long-entrenched and normalized that it would not be too hard for someone to commit the crime.

In acts of such magnitude committed repeatedly (or so it is reported), there seems to be an element of -- I don't know -- guiltlessness? lack of conscience? Why the seeming lack of guilt in people who commit the crime? There must be some other factors or motives that drive the person from within. Let's move on with the investigation.

2. The desire to get ahead in life

Another no-brainer explanation for the conundrum is, of course, plain old poverty, and the desire to win over it. Indeed, if you started out in life as underprivileged, this is a very strong factor.

But what is not as easy to understand is why anyone would desire to get rich so bad that they would be willing to get it done desperately, by hook or by crook? I have no answer at this point. There has to be something with the way the person grew up.

3. Character formation/Personal values

3.1 Popular culture

Maybe the person has watched too many shows like "The Lives of the Rich and Famous" growing up? Or documentaries on the charmed, perfumed life of Hollywood show biz celebrities and old-world royals, and has long fancied himself/herself to be one?

3.1.2 Envy

Maybe it is just plain envy at work. Maybe it comes, not just from this common view that life is one big contest or competition, so the name of the game is one-upmanship, but also out of...insecurity? That one is not happy with one's lot that one is driven to "covet thy neighbor's goods"?

3.2 Family values/dynamics

Or could it be that one was formed with such mentality as a child by her parents, that top-of-the-line luxuries are what to aim for in life? That these are 'the life'? That you are what you own? That the value of a human person depends upon his or her socioeconomic status?

3.2.1 Darwinism

Maybe you were trained too much in Darwinian thought: Life is a competition, where only the fittest survive. In this view, everyone is a competitor that must be eased out of the race, pageant, tilt...

3.2.2 Weak conscience

If one grew up in a religious or God-fearing family, or was educated in a university proudly steeped in Christian ideals, one expects some restraint and a guilt-ridden conscience.

What would it take for someone who grew up knowing his left hand from right hand turn out bad in the end anyway? To be honest, I am not sure. There must be some other factors at play.

Maybe it is, after all, about weak catechism resulting in poor formation of conscience or ideation of sin?

4. Traditional ethnocentrism and status-consciousness

Through the sociological lens, it could be that everything is merely an expression of the innate desire to be of a social status superior to most. Status-consciousness, or maybe ethnocentrism in another guise, is after all but second nature in a culture and society steeped in a traditional caste system of sorts. I mean, isn't our pre-colonial history all about barangays inhabited by the royal blood (maharlika, datus), freemen (timawa), and slaves (alipin, oripon)?

In this view of the universe, getting ahead for those in the upper echelons is a pressing need, not a mere choice, for it is a matter of inter-generational identity, a tool of one's sense of achievement and self-worth as well as a tool of keeping those beneath one's stature to stay put at their place, where they are supposed to be. Appalling, but isn't this what today's Philippine society is all about, to a certain extent?

4.1 Culture of patronage

Another possible explanation emanating from the above is the need to fulfill a social obligation (noblesse oblige) to one's inferiors, and for inferiors to expect it like it's the most natural thing, even though such a payoff needs an unlimited funding source.

(Another aside, if it makes sense: Note our society's double standards: how we despise petty criminals, shoplifters caught in the little mom-and-pop grocer who are battling extreme hunger but not those in designer clothes and business suits or the perfumed set caught stealing huge sums. We see the former as cheap and shameful or shameless, the latter "madiskarte," "maabilidad" in gaming a long-accepted system where everyone is complicit in some way. And this despite the disastrous consequences of bridges suddenly falling down, housing projects crumbling because they are made of sawdust (personally seen this in Pasay City), inner city roads turning into moon craters in a matter of days or weeks, and new high-rises toppling like dominoes while century-old public edifices stood unperturbed (e.g. 1990 Baguio City earthquake). Our society has long been conditioned to accept the status quo, that some people are "of the manor born," "with a silver spoon in their mouth" at the moment of birth, and some people are poor by birth and must stay so to keep things going. This way, we rarely question whether one's incredible wealth is (a) indeed a blessing from God and something one worked hard for or (b) ill-gotten.)

5. Obsession

If someone wants it so bad, by hook or by crook, or by whatever means possible, there must be something else at work. The problem lies not in wanting to get ahead in life or wanting to get out of poverty, but in having an unmoderated greed, an irrational level of it.

I think it takes some kind of obsession, if not addiction, to want more and more and more of a good thing, whether worldly wealth and adulation ad libitum, ad infinitum.

Could it also be that extreme deprivation was a source of traumatic wounding in one's childhood that one is driven to compensate for it throughout life, to an exaggerated extent? Could the person be merely, er, healing their inner child? But note that an element of trauma is that the sufferer is unconscious of how the trauma controls him and his day-to-day thoughts and behavior. This is how obsession works.

People like me who have a tendency to hoard and collect stuff for whatever reason can totally get this. "I have to have that rare stamp from this obscure country." "I ought to have this particular variety of plant -- I don't care how ugly it looks, I must have it or my collection won't be complete." "I need to taste this type of obscure dish because I have never tried it before." "I must acquire that painting by so-and-so, or I would be dissatisfied with my lot."

These must-haves and should-haves become toxic when they serve no clear meaning or deep purpose, except that there is a compulsion that must be expressed or satisfied, an itch that must be scratched, or else...

This level of compulsion, coupled with other factors, I figure, is probably what makes insatiable greed possible in anyone of us. You must be someone who is unjustifiably "matindi ang pangangailangan" to want to be in that place.

5.1 Megalomania, Self-delusion

The sense of entitlement drawn from such obsession must be another instigating force. Maybe the person believes he or she is a king or queen in a previous life (as believers in reincarnation put it), thus the irresistible urge to be one, to act like one?

5.2 'Yabang' (Something to boast about)

Maybe it's all about yabang, that very Filipino desire to show off or boast about something, whether justified or not, perhaps because one has something to urgently prove, e.g., to prove that one's socioeconomic stature is high.

5.3 Kleptomania

An extreme reason would be because someone is battling the disease of kleptomania, a phenomenon -- a senseless itch -- I have yet to research on. (I mean, why would you feel compelled to steal a random item like a nail cutter in the store when you don't even need one because you already have a dozen at home?)

5.2 Possession

Another extreme reason is demonic possession, as can be gleaned from an interview with the exorcist Fr. Jocis Syquia, i.e., when someone, he says, is possessed by the devil because he/she refuses to admit large-scale embezzlement of funds he/she doesn't own.

***

Before this homily of mine turn into a Criminology 101 lecture, let me ask, by way of ending, as a premature point of Lenten reflection: So, which evil are you guilty of? Which evil are we coming from?

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:15 AM 0 Comments

Lessons from a Town Quiz Bee

I was recently tasked with making questions for a municipal-level quiz bee in time for National Tourism Month 2025. Since it was 'right up my alley' and definitely my idea of fun, I gladly took on the task because it was instant research work for me. For sure, it would answer a question that has been intriguing me: How much do today's schoolchildren know about their own town?

I've heard that history has been scrapped as a subject in secondary school and college, and I wonder whether the move was misguided or what. But I've known all along that local history and traditional culture are never taught at all in schools in any level, and it strikes me as odd. This ensures that residents, especially children, will never get to know about their own place except through daily contact with townmates and the kind of local media they consume in their own respective bubbles.

So, while formulating the line-up of questions for the easy, average, difficult, clincher, and tie-breaker rounds, I asked myself: "If you are a Bayambangueño/Bayambangueña, what are the things you ought to know about Bayambang?"

Basic things first, of course: Do you know anything about its history? Then when was it founded? Who founded it? What was the town originally called? Wasn't it part of a bigger town -- which town? Wasn't it a town that used to be this big -- which several towns now used to be a part of?

Do you know any of its earliest freedom-fighters? Who are the historical figures who set foot in this town and did something historical?

Now, on to basic geography. Do you know how many barangays comprise this town? Are you aware that it is further divided into a number of districts -- how many? Let's check your random knowledge: What is its northernmost barangay? Its southernmost? Did you know that you need to cross two other towns to get to this far-flung barangay? Crazy but true! What is this barangay called?

Let's take a look at some of the oddities. Did you know that there is a chapel in this barangay dedicated to, not saints, but to Adam and Eve and features an underground altar?

Let's move on to things that are quite unique to the town: What dance has been invented in this town? The town is considered to be the best maker of this fermented fish dish -- what is it? What other local delicacies do you know? How about the little, often-ignored arts and crafts and traditions that you should take pride in or at least be curious about?

What is the town's patron saint? When was its parish church founded by which religious order?

Which schools are the town's oldest? What years were these educational institutions established? What were they called back in the day?

Who are the some of the top educators who grew up in, or trace their lineage to, this town, and what were their contributions? Have you heard about this lady recognized as a national scientist who hailed from this town? Have you heard of this famous brand of local shoes made by someone from this town? Who is considered "the father of Philippine cycling"?

Are you updated on local current events? Do you know anything about the town's current leaders and their remarkable accomplishments? Have you heard about this farmer's app? Have you even heard about this old bridge named after this famous personage? Bayambang is known for what two Guinness world records? Did you know that the town now has a central terminal? An unlikely development: Did you know that it has a dairy farm? Where? A tertiary hospital? Where? A "prayer park"? Where is it located?

What is the name of the highest accolade the town bestows on its resident-achievers?

I was saddened to know that our participants know only a few of the things I thought they should know, but I was not surprised.

However, I am glad that, although most of the brightest kids in our town are unaware of the things they should be aware of, there are some kids who do. Maybe they truly know these things, or could it be that their teacher-coaches did their homework and were good at coaching? I am not sure.

Without proper knowledge, healthy pride in one's own roots is not possible, sources of inspiration are utterly lacking, and treating one's own town and people like dirt is normalized.

Main lesson from the quiz bee: Local history, local public libraries, local museums, local media, local publications, local-level preservation and promotion of history, culture, and arts... These are all essential to the life of a town and nation. Don't minimize, shrug off, and spit on these things, for that would be sociocultural suicide. That is why, like they say, invaders are essentially iconoclasts: they always attack and systematically destroy one's native culture first if they wish to eliminate an entire group of people or at least their sense of self.

Drat, how did I get there? It was, after all, just a frigging quiz bee!

posted by Resty Odon  # 2:06 PM 0 Comments

Shaky Month

October has become such a shaky month this early. My usual droll, even facetious, self would have said the Philippines is like Shakey's pizza and we are back to the late '80s dancing to "Shake, Body Dancer," but no, earthquakes are no laughing matter. It leaves us shaken, both literally and figuratively, and a strong one can be deadly.

While areas of Luzon were reeling from massive flood from the quick succession of typhoons ('Mirasol,' 'Nando,' 'Opong') together with the usual habagat (monsoon rains) that makes everything sopping-wet, a 6.9 earthquake shook up parts of Cebu Is. and another, far weaker one in the Taal Volcano area. The ancient church of Daanbantayan was in ruins, and the McDonald's Bogo City branch ended up like a crushed tomato. More than 70 people died including athletes practicing inside a gym or dome of sorts with one man pinned down, meeting misfortune in the twinkling of an eye.

The quake in Bogo was reportedly caused by a previously unidentified fault offshore connected to the Philippine trench.

The morning a day before that, our roosters at home crowed one after another nonstop for about four hours straight. It was unprecedented, something that struck me as abnormal, unusual, unprecedented (can't decide which word is better). What a curious coincidence, together with the sudden appearance of earthworms and centipedes here and there in our yard. Other residents' accounts echoed the same experience with their dogs, cats, cattle...

The next few days would prove the roosters and other creatures right, because an intensity 4.8 earthquake shook Baguio City and La Union and the next day an intensity 7.4 temblor would indeed shake the shore off Davao Oriental, then another one with an intensity of 6.7 or something struck exactly the same area. (I learned that earthquake intensities can be downgraded afterwards upon review.)

These earthquakes, of course, caused widespread anxiety, panic attacks, and trauma. (Being a constant sufferer of these maladies, even for a laughable intensity 1, mainly due to the ensuing reaction from equally panicky people, I feel that I am not too abnormal, after all.) Then there's, of course, the appalling destruction of public infrastructure, especially the sudden discovery of those built with subpar quality, and the sudden obliteration of private properties, especially those otherwise charming homes built out of decades of sacrifice of Filipino overseas workers -- all erased, or in journalese, "gone in a jiffy."

The omnipresence of CCTVs has magnified the documentation of these tremors and ensuing chaos and destruction.

I suddenly recall that, on October 2, a massive fire engulfed a district in Davao City and another fire broke out in CDO. Then I saw someone's post showing three rows of photos showing massive flooding in Luzon on top, earthquake destruction in the Visayas in the middle, and large-scale conflagration in Mindanao. How... inspiring.

Life is indeed such a frail, fragile, and fleeting thing: here today, gone tomorrow. Through these shaky shockers, may we all find some meaning, something profound, from deep within us.

And may everyone and everything that fell down from these puzzling tragedies get back up and rise up quickly, or soon, in every possible way.

As for those who sadly perished... Requiem æternam dona eis, Domine. Et lux perpetua luceat eis. Requiescant in pace. Amen.

posted by Resty Odon  # 3:42 PM 0 Comments