after discussing world war II and russian revolution with some friends weeks ago (technically last year), i promised myself that i will watch video-documentaries and movies about these greatest events in our history.

here’s my watching (err buying?) list for the rest of the year.  (thanks to madam ey for the references!)

1. arsenal by alexander douzhenko

2. strike by sergei eisenstein

3. earth by alexander douzhenko

4. a ballad of a soldier by grigori chukhrai

5. a generation by andrzej wajda

6. swept from the sea

7. potemkin revolt by sergei eisenstein

8. dr.  zhivago

9. enemy at the gates

10. mother (based on maxim gorky’s novel)

11. fiddler in the roof

12. all quiet in the western front

well, that makes one movie per month.  not bad.

you may read this, this and this…

In 2001, I was one of the millions of Filipinos who called for the ouster of former Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada. I should be happy with the Sandiganbayan’s verdict at his plunder  case. But, not quite.

Why? Because of them:

I will only be satisfied, if and only if, Mrs. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and his underlings like (ret) Gen. Jovito Palparan will be convicted for their crimes against the people. If I have to choose, they deserve more to be put behind bars for the close to a thousand victims of political killings excluding abductions and other forms of harassment.

Erap took only money. Arroyo and Palparan took lives.

it’s official! i finally decided to start collecting the pugad baboy (pb) series, yesterday.  wo hoh!
for lack of budget, i bought only one, which means, i have to save money for the remaining 18 pb series.  aargh!

the available copies left in the bookstore are books 15 to 17 out of the total 19 series.  i chose kinse ( i dunno why).

pb, is one of the reasons why i read inquirer (others are de quiros’ there’s the rub, young blood and inq editorial, in no particular order).  why i love it?  Pol Medina’s comic strips show the political, cultural and economic conditions of our country — with wit and humor; they are not pretentious and more importantly, they don’t show cowardice from the powers-that-be.

—–

ATTENTION:  kung kinsa man ang naay PB copies dinha ug labi na kadtong walay plano mangolekta, dili gyud ko maulaw nga mangayo sa inyo, hehehe…andam kaayo kong mudawat…

photo inset: PB’s 10th aniv special.  wala koy nakitang kinse, mao kani na lang usa.

 

 need I say more?

one of the reasons why I frequent The Professional Heckler’s site:

“Everyone who is concerned about peace and freedom has to be greatly distressed over the arrest of Joma Sison. (He) is a great spirit that the world needs to know about, a great voice that the world needs to hear. The demonization [of him] will destroy us if we permit it to continue.”

 - Ramsey Clark, Former United States attorney general 

“Sison’s arrest will not stop the NDFP nor theNPA from the protracted complex struggle for national democracy and genuine sovereignty. Neither a picnic nor a dinner party, as the old adage goes, the progress of the revolution does not depend on individual leaders or heroes, however important their contribution might be. The torture of Sison will not lead to the capitulation of the CPP or NPA, as Arroyo’s advisers expect; nor will it diminish its powerful appeal or influence. It will certainly dampen if not halt the peace negotiations. It surely will not postpone Arroyo’s downfall.” -          E. SAN JUAN, JR. 

“It is clear that the Arroyo regime really has no intention of talking peace. It is only interested in waging all-out war. This is not just about Joma now. This is an attack on the Filipino people and their aspirations for a just and lasting peace.”  - DR. CAROL ARAULLO

Corruption

is grabbing the food from the mouth of the hungry

It is stealing coins from a beggar 

- Conrado de Quiros

I went to Compostela Valley Province yesterday for a very important event. During the three-hour ride, I was thinking about a Hollywood actor and envisaged our meeting in a most unexpected circumstance. I was daydreaming this the whole time, and hoped that some kind of magic would happen when I arrive at the place.

But, instead of bumping into this guy, this is what I found:

This is the exact spot where the dead body of Grecil Buya was found hours after she was killed by the military on March 31, this year. One of her slippers was still there — a piece of message that says, here lies an innocent child who was killed in her very own yard, by the supposed protectors of the citizens.

Just imagine, a nine-year old girl, killed using a high-powered rifle. She was accused as a member of the New People’s Army…