Just a short note:
Yes, I checked my blog archives, and YES, I did mention I wasn't able to train at the time because Brad Turvey was in the mix on a Tuesday.
Lest I be misunderstood again, I merely meant that I didn't know that I couldn't train on a Tuesday. I certainly didn't mean anything bad by saying it, because:
- I tried to train with Chico for Radio 1 last Tuesday, but he wasn’t the one manning the board. To make matters worse, with Brad Turvey in the mix, there really isn’t room for me to train and all. I suppose this Saturday will have to do. All those on-air antics were really fun, and I got to meet Ate Lea again after the longest time. She was really nice… unfortunately for me, the tickets I have for the anniversary party tonight might go to waste. Most of the people I invited couldn’t avail of it…
There. Those were my exact words, taken right from my August archives. I think that should clear it up. Hey, Paolo! I hope this clarification is good enough for you! :)
Tuesday, September 30, 2003
.:Simply The Best:.
Marcelle’s birthday celebration was a relatively quiet one. Actually, there were more guests who came along this year than there ever really were in parties that Marcelle himself planned... heh.
People who mattered were there. A few notable exceptions, such as madame Sky and ichi, Mich, Sacha, and Abby weren’t around. Kaoko and John, Vash and Tomiko, Groundzero and Lewstherin weren’t there, either. Neither Daf nor Diane were there as well. In fact, not one Chinese Prospect® was around (You can be sure most of them were invited. Heh.), but that was of little consequence to Marcelle, really. He was more overjoyed by the fact that there were around twelve people who came to celebrate his birthday with him, and these people certainly knew what to do to make Marcelle simply be happy. Also, the people who mattered who didn’t make it really had valid reasons not to be there: Madame Sky and ichi, for instance, had a wedding to attend. Abby was on a trip to Batangas with her mom. Sacha was cramming. Being a teacher and an M.A. student at the same time certainly does chew up a lot of one’s time, so it seems. Nonetheless, the mere presence of the people who did come was certainly more than enough.
For one, Shunichi was the early bird in the whole equation. He showed up there, and as a testament to his memory, he recalled an old conversation he and Marcelle had over the boards that Marcelle was a huge Santana fan, and would certainly have appreciated being able to listen to the whole of his most recent album, Shaman. In fact, Marcelle’s giving the album a spin right now. Lots of props go out to Shunichi for that. It’s been a common deal in this day and age for people to just give presents for the sake of giving presents, and while Marcelle doesn’t necessarily expect any, when he actually gets a few, all well thought-of, he can’t help but appreciate having very thoughtful friends for whom he would gladly return the favor to when the opportunity arises.
A short while after Shunichi shows up, Ato comes in with JB (The guy JB...), Cyril, Yaiba, and Carlou. Haven’t seen the latter guy in the list for ages. Nonetheless, they got down to business and demonstrated to Marcelle, by virtue of an X-Box, exactly how detailed Dead Or Alive: Extreme Volleyball Challenge can be. All that bouncing action... and the volleyball, too. They prolly all noticed the repeat of the menu from the past two years: lasagna in conjunction with the stuffed chicken. Who’s complaining, neh? They all loved it back then, they still love it to this day. Too bad Elvin wasn’t there, but that’s perfectly fine. More lasagna for Marcelle, then.
It didn’t take long before Grace finally showed up with even more OB people in tow: there was MarkPoa, Tsumenki, Charlie, and *jaded* (Now you know why Marcelle doesn’t call her JB: there’s another JB in the previous group, remember?). MarkPoa had a couple of Asimov books that suddenly got Marcelle hooked on the guy. Those mysteries are very interesting, and made him miss Encyclopedia Brown and other similar solve-it-yourself mysteries... Charles and Christelle had a deck box, which will certainly not go unused as soon as Marcelle builds his Team Angle deck. Grace then gave that Christian shirt with the words “Saved by Grace” on the front, which elicited a chuckle from his stepdad upon having it shown to him.
Funny thing is, Marcelle just came from his cousin’s birthday party. Maikee just turned one last Wednesday, so it was pretty fun to see her all happy and bubbly, which is uncharacteristic of kids her age in huge crowds such as the one that was there for the occasion in Albergus. Ah, well.
Nonetheless, the party was a success. Ato and company had to leave shortly thereafter because JB’s sister, Carina, had lupus, and they had to visit her at the hospital. The videoke then started without them, and the playlist, while limited, was certainly adequate to satiate the remaining people. Marcelle noticed how much they enjoyed singing duets, such as “Cruisin’” and “Just My Imagination”. He would’ve wanted to speak to *jaded* when only she and Grace were left at the house, but considering the fun the two were having while they were dancing, that’s not a problem, really.
So now, Marcelle’s twenty years old, but there really is no big deal here. It’s just another ordinary day for him, but he’s sure glad that he’s alive... it’s a day to be grateful for, and it’s a day to laugh in the face of adversity...
It’s true! It’s true!
.:And So It Happens:.
Came from RX today, before heading off to class. You might say I had a good time hanging around the booth a while ago, though I didn’t really go on the air or help out with the console, since Brad Turvey was on board. No problem, really. I’m more interested in listening, really.
Is it just me or did Brad’s manager stumble upon my blog and misread one of my entries? It seems to be the case, because as I check the archives, I did point out that I made the mistake of going for training on a Tuesday once, only to find out that training with three people on the air at the same time was still out of my league… heh. Nonetheless, that’s fine. In case that’s the case, it’d be easy to point this fact out to them, anyway. After Pia Guanio, you think I’d have a single derogatory thing to say about Brad? ::chuckles::
The Hot 10 topic was pretty interesting: the Hot 10 things that used to make you happy but no longer do. It was amusing, how some of the answers were, and Brad and I were laughing it up when Chico was telling him to stop spoiling to the kids that there is no Santa Claus. So fine, they can talk about scrambled and salty eggs, solo hands, and other similar risque topics, but can’t talk about Santa Claus not existing?
Paolo Bustamante, Brad’s manager, was telling me that the LS deal is not too different from RX, anyway. I still have to work my way up, and there’re even more people to contend with in LS than there are in RX. If that be the case, I’d rather do my working up the ladder in RX than in LS. That sure set things in clear perspective to me…
It was really fun, actually. Haven’t been able to go to an RX on a Tuesday in quite a while, and I ran into ma’am Lea again today… still looking as fine as ever, so to speak.
What is up with the world in general? Bah Gawd, it seems people have forgotten all about the baseless expose from Sen. Panfilo Lacson against Mike Arroyo, and turned all their attention to an overrated, overblown lover’s quarrel. On the former, I’m not saying Mike Arroyo’s clean. I’m merely saying if he wanted to rip everyone off, he wouldn’t use EXACTLY THE SAME tactics Estrada used during his tenure. That’s plain stupid. Arroyo could very well steal money through less conspicuous means, and it seems to me that Ping Lacson is using his apparent certainty as a mask to lead a good deal of people into believing that Arroyo is indeed guilty on this count.
On the latter, the Kris Aquino- Joey Marquez issue is just out of hand. I, for one, do not condone domestic violence whatsover, but it’s pretty clear that a level-headed person like Joey Marquez must’ve been severly provoked by Kris Aquino. Conventional thinking would tell me that “She asked for it”, but at the same time, that doesn’t mean the guy was innocent altogether. That’s not justification, and if this version of the account be true, he will still be accountable, regardless if it was she who provoked him. It’s the irony of feminism: equal rights, but you shouldn’t hit a girl. I’m not disagreeing, but there are two conflicting perspectives here, and you don’t have to believe me on this count. It’s just that if men and women are equal, then a man can easily hit a woman as he does a man. At the same time, women’s liberation wants to end this violence against women, because it DOES happen. Ah, well. I’m overthinking this issue. Bottomline? In the unlikely event Joey Marquez turns out to be innocent (The more he talks, the more he shows that he isn’t. He’s beginning to admit to parts of the story.), he is ruined. Completely. It doesn’t matter whether or not he’s innocent now: he has been royally pwned.
You’d be surprised, but I’m shelling out 7,000 within this week to get my new phone: a 3650. My mom’s supposed to pay the remaining balance. Nonetheless, I’m glad I’m getting a new phone, because this old one is in dire need of an overhaul. I just hope I can raise the money quickly enough. I suppose dinner with Sach tonight is off if she’s not treating (And I think it’s high time I’M doing the treating in the first place.). But at least, I finally got her a nice belated birthday present, and I’m sure she’s going to like it… regardless of the condition of the acquisition, I suppose. I want more of these… time to frequent special stores for stuff like this, as I really enjoyed it.
So what else is up with me? Well, I’m hoping to meet up with Tsumenki next Wednesday, in the event she’s free. If not, I double up on practicing for my thesis, OR I double up on finishing my film project. After that, exam week, and after exam week, I can breathe. The thesis would’ve been over and done with, hopefully with an A, desperately with a B+, I come off with a hopeful 4.0 QPI, or a 3.9 if ever, and then my Cum Laude run is almost a dead lock to come true.
By next semester, what can you expect from me? Well, for one, I suppose you can expect me to be doing my Top Fives on a weekly basis again, plus, I suppose you can likewise expect me to be starting work on my novel, or writing for the OB Model Men RPG, or writing more Matrix Essays. My next semester will see me with only 15 units, and I’m trying to make all my classes on a T-Th, or at the very least, leave my Tuesdays completely free. I don’t know. We’ll see how that pans out. I’ve been trying my hand at different writing styles I used to constantly do, such as the wrestling transcripts (I’ll refer to it as a promo or vignette from now on.), or rapping, or plain movie reviews and commentary (Reminds me… I’ve yet to review 1st Time. What’m I saying? ::laughs::). I want to do a bit more of that, and devote more time to Philosophy. A glossary of wrestling terms AND odd words I frequently use (Do “ruddy” and “cripes on Friday” ring a bell?) is also in order…
Ultimately, I write for myself. I’m not writing here for the benefit of the readers I have. That’s a nice thing, but if I have to start catering to my readers just so I’d be a hit, then forget it. I’m just glad people can actually appreciate how I write, and that’s enough for me. I don’t have to deliberately meet anyone’s expectations of how I should write, how I should think, how I should generally speak. That’s not for me. That’d never be for me, in fact. As long as I’m not stepping on any people’s toes (Unless they initiate it…), I don’t see any reason for me to change anything, really… even if it’s not worthy of being plagiarized, so I’ve noticed.
.:Political Commentary:.
Watched Batas Militar yesterday, by the way. I just ended up recalling exactly why I never really felt any amount of sympathy for the Marcoses with all the crud they’re going through right now. People have been speaking up left and right that these people had the best intentions, but it’s pretty clear that wasn’t the case. People have been saying that Martial Law was great because it made the people more disciplined, but if your concept of discipline is having people live in fear of being arrested for no tangible reason whatsoever only to be “salvaged”, then leave me out of it. I will not want to take any part in a society of twisted priorities, wherein civil liberties will be made to be superceded by discipline, more so when innocent lives suddenly become part and parcel of this vicious equation. Clearly, there is no amount of justification on the part of the Marcoses for what they have done. They have used tyrannic means to keep the people in check, and while Martial Law in itself is not intrinsically evil, the fact that it was a mere excuse to keep the Marcoses in power and enrich themselves.
Clearly, this tells us that neither the ends nor the means can justify one or the other.
So let’s turn back the clock.to the time the late Ferdinand Marcos announced Presidential Decree 1081, and what its implications were. At first, people felt secure at the prospect of their country being more disciplined and safer with Martial Law in place. On the surface, this is what seemed to be the case. At the same time, Imelda Marcos was ushering in a golden age of art and culture in the country through her lavish emphasis on infrastructures for such a purpose. The International Rice Research Institute was even in place, which further led to an economic boom for the country due to export goods. There was even a year where the country, instead of facing a deficit, actually faced a surplus. There is no question that this was a welcome surprise.
But all is not well in paradise.
Amidst all this so-called progress, it was becoming clear that Martial Law was not really in place in order to make this so-called new society a great one. It was in place in order to allow the Marcoses to maintain their iron grip on the country, and thereby, its coffers. Marcos used Martial Law as an excuse to stay in power, to arrest any person inane enough to dare to stand against him, and to ensure that the only people in power would be the people who supported Marcos. Marcos’ cronies were very well-rewarded for their loyalty to him.
It was disappointing to see how a few names we currently hear regularly nowadays were once under Marcos’ wing. More so, it’s disappointing to realize how a good deal of these people, who have certainly all but turned their backs on Marcos, are given high regard in the community at this point as though their transgressions were completely stricken from the records of history. We talk about former president Ramos, who, while indeed reformed, still has a dubious history. But Ramos is nothing more than the tip of the iceberg. We can give him the benefit of the doubt, but can we do the same for a Danding Cojuangco, for instance?
It’s pretty ironic how quickly people forget. It’s reminiscent of how Atty. Rene Saguisag seems to have forgotten what he stood for when he took to former president Estrada’s defense. It’s reminiscent of how everyone seems to forget that Kris Aquino’s lawyers, in addition to Atty. Saguisag, are the Fortun brothers themselves: the infamous perpetrators of the Delia Rahas caper, which was designed PURELY to mislead the courts with a false witness who shares her name with a real witness. It’s as though nobody studied history: it’s not like only the people who didn’t finish college are the ones who’ve forgotten the transgressions of the Marcoses and their cronies. A good deal of people actually have forgotten it.
That’s the disturbing problem. In the face of chilling and stark revelations about the way things were in Martial Law, it’s hard to imagine people being ignorant to the fact that these people are still not done ruining all of us. It’s hard to imagine someone like Imelda Marcos, completely deluding herself, genuinely believing her own account that no human rights were violated during Martial Law. The gall of this woman! Are all of us going to be just blind puppets who will turn around and ignore blatant lies? Jabronis, shame on them if they fool us once. Shame on us if they fool us twice.
Forgive? Yes. But never, ever forget.
It’s true, it’s true!
Marcelle’s birthday celebration was a relatively quiet one. Actually, there were more guests who came along this year than there ever really were in parties that Marcelle himself planned... heh.
People who mattered were there. A few notable exceptions, such as madame Sky and ichi, Mich, Sacha, and Abby weren’t around. Kaoko and John, Vash and Tomiko, Groundzero and Lewstherin weren’t there, either. Neither Daf nor Diane were there as well. In fact, not one Chinese Prospect® was around (You can be sure most of them were invited. Heh.), but that was of little consequence to Marcelle, really. He was more overjoyed by the fact that there were around twelve people who came to celebrate his birthday with him, and these people certainly knew what to do to make Marcelle simply be happy. Also, the people who mattered who didn’t make it really had valid reasons not to be there: Madame Sky and ichi, for instance, had a wedding to attend. Abby was on a trip to Batangas with her mom. Sacha was cramming. Being a teacher and an M.A. student at the same time certainly does chew up a lot of one’s time, so it seems. Nonetheless, the mere presence of the people who did come was certainly more than enough.
For one, Shunichi was the early bird in the whole equation. He showed up there, and as a testament to his memory, he recalled an old conversation he and Marcelle had over the boards that Marcelle was a huge Santana fan, and would certainly have appreciated being able to listen to the whole of his most recent album, Shaman. In fact, Marcelle’s giving the album a spin right now. Lots of props go out to Shunichi for that. It’s been a common deal in this day and age for people to just give presents for the sake of giving presents, and while Marcelle doesn’t necessarily expect any, when he actually gets a few, all well thought-of, he can’t help but appreciate having very thoughtful friends for whom he would gladly return the favor to when the opportunity arises.
A short while after Shunichi shows up, Ato comes in with JB (The guy JB...), Cyril, Yaiba, and Carlou. Haven’t seen the latter guy in the list for ages. Nonetheless, they got down to business and demonstrated to Marcelle, by virtue of an X-Box, exactly how detailed Dead Or Alive: Extreme Volleyball Challenge can be. All that bouncing action... and the volleyball, too. They prolly all noticed the repeat of the menu from the past two years: lasagna in conjunction with the stuffed chicken. Who’s complaining, neh? They all loved it back then, they still love it to this day. Too bad Elvin wasn’t there, but that’s perfectly fine. More lasagna for Marcelle, then.
It didn’t take long before Grace finally showed up with even more OB people in tow: there was MarkPoa, Tsumenki, Charlie, and *jaded* (Now you know why Marcelle doesn’t call her JB: there’s another JB in the previous group, remember?). MarkPoa had a couple of Asimov books that suddenly got Marcelle hooked on the guy. Those mysteries are very interesting, and made him miss Encyclopedia Brown and other similar solve-it-yourself mysteries... Charles and Christelle had a deck box, which will certainly not go unused as soon as Marcelle builds his Team Angle deck. Grace then gave that Christian shirt with the words “Saved by Grace” on the front, which elicited a chuckle from his stepdad upon having it shown to him.
Funny thing is, Marcelle just came from his cousin’s birthday party. Maikee just turned one last Wednesday, so it was pretty fun to see her all happy and bubbly, which is uncharacteristic of kids her age in huge crowds such as the one that was there for the occasion in Albergus. Ah, well.
Nonetheless, the party was a success. Ato and company had to leave shortly thereafter because JB’s sister, Carina, had lupus, and they had to visit her at the hospital. The videoke then started without them, and the playlist, while limited, was certainly adequate to satiate the remaining people. Marcelle noticed how much they enjoyed singing duets, such as “Cruisin’” and “Just My Imagination”. He would’ve wanted to speak to *jaded* when only she and Grace were left at the house, but considering the fun the two were having while they were dancing, that’s not a problem, really.
So now, Marcelle’s twenty years old, but there really is no big deal here. It’s just another ordinary day for him, but he’s sure glad that he’s alive... it’s a day to be grateful for, and it’s a day to laugh in the face of adversity...
It’s true! It’s true!
.:And So It Happens:.
Came from RX today, before heading off to class. You might say I had a good time hanging around the booth a while ago, though I didn’t really go on the air or help out with the console, since Brad Turvey was on board. No problem, really. I’m more interested in listening, really.
Is it just me or did Brad’s manager stumble upon my blog and misread one of my entries? It seems to be the case, because as I check the archives, I did point out that I made the mistake of going for training on a Tuesday once, only to find out that training with three people on the air at the same time was still out of my league… heh. Nonetheless, that’s fine. In case that’s the case, it’d be easy to point this fact out to them, anyway. After Pia Guanio, you think I’d have a single derogatory thing to say about Brad? ::chuckles::
The Hot 10 topic was pretty interesting: the Hot 10 things that used to make you happy but no longer do. It was amusing, how some of the answers were, and Brad and I were laughing it up when Chico was telling him to stop spoiling to the kids that there is no Santa Claus. So fine, they can talk about scrambled and salty eggs, solo hands, and other similar risque topics, but can’t talk about Santa Claus not existing?
Paolo Bustamante, Brad’s manager, was telling me that the LS deal is not too different from RX, anyway. I still have to work my way up, and there’re even more people to contend with in LS than there are in RX. If that be the case, I’d rather do my working up the ladder in RX than in LS. That sure set things in clear perspective to me…
It was really fun, actually. Haven’t been able to go to an RX on a Tuesday in quite a while, and I ran into ma’am Lea again today… still looking as fine as ever, so to speak.
What is up with the world in general? Bah Gawd, it seems people have forgotten all about the baseless expose from Sen. Panfilo Lacson against Mike Arroyo, and turned all their attention to an overrated, overblown lover’s quarrel. On the former, I’m not saying Mike Arroyo’s clean. I’m merely saying if he wanted to rip everyone off, he wouldn’t use EXACTLY THE SAME tactics Estrada used during his tenure. That’s plain stupid. Arroyo could very well steal money through less conspicuous means, and it seems to me that Ping Lacson is using his apparent certainty as a mask to lead a good deal of people into believing that Arroyo is indeed guilty on this count.
On the latter, the Kris Aquino- Joey Marquez issue is just out of hand. I, for one, do not condone domestic violence whatsover, but it’s pretty clear that a level-headed person like Joey Marquez must’ve been severly provoked by Kris Aquino. Conventional thinking would tell me that “She asked for it”, but at the same time, that doesn’t mean the guy was innocent altogether. That’s not justification, and if this version of the account be true, he will still be accountable, regardless if it was she who provoked him. It’s the irony of feminism: equal rights, but you shouldn’t hit a girl. I’m not disagreeing, but there are two conflicting perspectives here, and you don’t have to believe me on this count. It’s just that if men and women are equal, then a man can easily hit a woman as he does a man. At the same time, women’s liberation wants to end this violence against women, because it DOES happen. Ah, well. I’m overthinking this issue. Bottomline? In the unlikely event Joey Marquez turns out to be innocent (The more he talks, the more he shows that he isn’t. He’s beginning to admit to parts of the story.), he is ruined. Completely. It doesn’t matter whether or not he’s innocent now: he has been royally pwned.
You’d be surprised, but I’m shelling out 7,000 within this week to get my new phone: a 3650. My mom’s supposed to pay the remaining balance. Nonetheless, I’m glad I’m getting a new phone, because this old one is in dire need of an overhaul. I just hope I can raise the money quickly enough. I suppose dinner with Sach tonight is off if she’s not treating (And I think it’s high time I’M doing the treating in the first place.). But at least, I finally got her a nice belated birthday present, and I’m sure she’s going to like it… regardless of the condition of the acquisition, I suppose. I want more of these… time to frequent special stores for stuff like this, as I really enjoyed it.
So what else is up with me? Well, I’m hoping to meet up with Tsumenki next Wednesday, in the event she’s free. If not, I double up on practicing for my thesis, OR I double up on finishing my film project. After that, exam week, and after exam week, I can breathe. The thesis would’ve been over and done with, hopefully with an A, desperately with a B+, I come off with a hopeful 4.0 QPI, or a 3.9 if ever, and then my Cum Laude run is almost a dead lock to come true.
By next semester, what can you expect from me? Well, for one, I suppose you can expect me to be doing my Top Fives on a weekly basis again, plus, I suppose you can likewise expect me to be starting work on my novel, or writing for the OB Model Men RPG, or writing more Matrix Essays. My next semester will see me with only 15 units, and I’m trying to make all my classes on a T-Th, or at the very least, leave my Tuesdays completely free. I don’t know. We’ll see how that pans out. I’ve been trying my hand at different writing styles I used to constantly do, such as the wrestling transcripts (I’ll refer to it as a promo or vignette from now on.), or rapping, or plain movie reviews and commentary (Reminds me… I’ve yet to review 1st Time. What’m I saying? ::laughs::). I want to do a bit more of that, and devote more time to Philosophy. A glossary of wrestling terms AND odd words I frequently use (Do “ruddy” and “cripes on Friday” ring a bell?) is also in order…
Ultimately, I write for myself. I’m not writing here for the benefit of the readers I have. That’s a nice thing, but if I have to start catering to my readers just so I’d be a hit, then forget it. I’m just glad people can actually appreciate how I write, and that’s enough for me. I don’t have to deliberately meet anyone’s expectations of how I should write, how I should think, how I should generally speak. That’s not for me. That’d never be for me, in fact. As long as I’m not stepping on any people’s toes (Unless they initiate it…), I don’t see any reason for me to change anything, really… even if it’s not worthy of being plagiarized, so I’ve noticed.
.:Political Commentary:.
Watched Batas Militar yesterday, by the way. I just ended up recalling exactly why I never really felt any amount of sympathy for the Marcoses with all the crud they’re going through right now. People have been speaking up left and right that these people had the best intentions, but it’s pretty clear that wasn’t the case. People have been saying that Martial Law was great because it made the people more disciplined, but if your concept of discipline is having people live in fear of being arrested for no tangible reason whatsoever only to be “salvaged”, then leave me out of it. I will not want to take any part in a society of twisted priorities, wherein civil liberties will be made to be superceded by discipline, more so when innocent lives suddenly become part and parcel of this vicious equation. Clearly, there is no amount of justification on the part of the Marcoses for what they have done. They have used tyrannic means to keep the people in check, and while Martial Law in itself is not intrinsically evil, the fact that it was a mere excuse to keep the Marcoses in power and enrich themselves.
Clearly, this tells us that neither the ends nor the means can justify one or the other.
So let’s turn back the clock.to the time the late Ferdinand Marcos announced Presidential Decree 1081, and what its implications were. At first, people felt secure at the prospect of their country being more disciplined and safer with Martial Law in place. On the surface, this is what seemed to be the case. At the same time, Imelda Marcos was ushering in a golden age of art and culture in the country through her lavish emphasis on infrastructures for such a purpose. The International Rice Research Institute was even in place, which further led to an economic boom for the country due to export goods. There was even a year where the country, instead of facing a deficit, actually faced a surplus. There is no question that this was a welcome surprise.
But all is not well in paradise.
Amidst all this so-called progress, it was becoming clear that Martial Law was not really in place in order to make this so-called new society a great one. It was in place in order to allow the Marcoses to maintain their iron grip on the country, and thereby, its coffers. Marcos used Martial Law as an excuse to stay in power, to arrest any person inane enough to dare to stand against him, and to ensure that the only people in power would be the people who supported Marcos. Marcos’ cronies were very well-rewarded for their loyalty to him.
It was disappointing to see how a few names we currently hear regularly nowadays were once under Marcos’ wing. More so, it’s disappointing to realize how a good deal of these people, who have certainly all but turned their backs on Marcos, are given high regard in the community at this point as though their transgressions were completely stricken from the records of history. We talk about former president Ramos, who, while indeed reformed, still has a dubious history. But Ramos is nothing more than the tip of the iceberg. We can give him the benefit of the doubt, but can we do the same for a Danding Cojuangco, for instance?
It’s pretty ironic how quickly people forget. It’s reminiscent of how Atty. Rene Saguisag seems to have forgotten what he stood for when he took to former president Estrada’s defense. It’s reminiscent of how everyone seems to forget that Kris Aquino’s lawyers, in addition to Atty. Saguisag, are the Fortun brothers themselves: the infamous perpetrators of the Delia Rahas caper, which was designed PURELY to mislead the courts with a false witness who shares her name with a real witness. It’s as though nobody studied history: it’s not like only the people who didn’t finish college are the ones who’ve forgotten the transgressions of the Marcoses and their cronies. A good deal of people actually have forgotten it.
That’s the disturbing problem. In the face of chilling and stark revelations about the way things were in Martial Law, it’s hard to imagine people being ignorant to the fact that these people are still not done ruining all of us. It’s hard to imagine someone like Imelda Marcos, completely deluding herself, genuinely believing her own account that no human rights were violated during Martial Law. The gall of this woman! Are all of us going to be just blind puppets who will turn around and ignore blatant lies? Jabronis, shame on them if they fool us once. Shame on us if they fool us twice.
Forgive? Yes. But never, ever forget.
It’s true, it’s true!
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Everything's all set...
I was actually given a chance to try and join LS and become a contracted student DJ, i.e. a paying job. I'm going to have to ask the RX people about it, because I don't want to seem like an ingrate for just learning a bit from Radio 1 and then taking that knowledge to DWLS. Ah, well. Let's just see how that pans out...
Nonetheless, things are going fine. I've been very busy with classes, and debating has been taking its chunk of time with me. I'll be fine next sem, when I have only 15 units and not 18 to deal with...
Reporting for Theology was good, and so was my Philo paper and long test. I think my Theo class noticed I was doing an impression of our prof... all that andar tayo and okays... heh. Fun, really, and I even did a bit of Brod Pete because of the theological stuff.
Ron was hilarious in his Kris Aquino parody over his report in History.
That's about all the personal life updates I have.
I was actually given a chance to try and join LS and become a contracted student DJ, i.e. a paying job. I'm going to have to ask the RX people about it, because I don't want to seem like an ingrate for just learning a bit from Radio 1 and then taking that knowledge to DWLS. Ah, well. Let's just see how that pans out...
Nonetheless, things are going fine. I've been very busy with classes, and debating has been taking its chunk of time with me. I'll be fine next sem, when I have only 15 units and not 18 to deal with...
Reporting for Theology was good, and so was my Philo paper and long test. I think my Theo class noticed I was doing an impression of our prof... all that andar tayo and okays... heh. Fun, really, and I even did a bit of Brod Pete because of the theological stuff.
Ron was hilarious in his Kris Aquino parody over his report in History.
That's about all the personal life updates I have.
Friday, September 26, 2003
I didn't even have any of you jabronis in mind when I did the rap. Please, don't think I'd blow this out of proportion any more than I stupidly did by reacting. I'm not that huge a sap. There's no point in doing so, and if you people want to have your fun by hanging me without a trial, be my guest.
Finally, the segment has been added: "I understand. Sanay na ako, eh."
Why wouldn't I understand? Bottomline is: I am respecting YOUR wish. I don't care if that wasn't word-for-word YOUR wish, but as leaving you be for now aids in fulfilling it, why not? Is that so wrong? The only mistake I conceivably made here is that I actually bothered reacting and letting you people have more to say against me, more to bring me down with.
Is it JUST about the birthday? Hades, no. I'm cool with that if you can't go. I'm cool with you wanting to be around your brother. Did I take offense? No.
So yeah, I'm wrong in thinking you had problems with me. Bottomline? I respect that. It's your deal to harbor anything against me. Anything at all. 'Sides, I think it's better for me to watch my step in the first place.
So... who's wrong who's right? As I can see, it doesn't matter in the thick of the fight.
Whoah... do I even want to tear your group? I had nothing but the best of intentions for all you jabronis. Don't go thinking I'm this little sap who's silly enough to go against city hall. I don't have any motives in dividing any of you whatsoever. Let's not blow things out of proportion by painting me as the ultimate villain here: not only does it not match me, there's no point to my exerting that much effort...
Issues on *jaded* and Abby, etc. Oh, they've been resolved. I forgive, but I never forget. Shame on you if you fool me once. Shame on me if you fool me twice.
Dani? You? Listen to me half-heartedly? That's a laugh. Why don't you read my previous blog entry, for all to see: "guess I owe her big time". I was nothing but grateful to you for listening last time. And don't worry. I won't ask you a favor like that again. Why would I back talk you? What will it gain me, neh? Nothing! So if I've nothing to gain, I've no motive to do so.
Ergo, I've nothing to gain by "tearing down" your barkada. I've nothing to gain by asking Maia to leave her bonding session with her brother. I have nothing to gain by picking a fight with any of you, because you jabronis will easily turn me into the monster I refuse to be once again. What do I have to gain by giving ANY of you threats? Those "threats" were for certain people whose names have already been mentioned elsewhere. I don't see ANY of your names there.
Let's face it: if I've nothing to gain by doing it, why would I do it? Why would I backstab any of you? Why would I try to make myself the all-important link in your group? Would it get me ahead? Seeing as it wouldn't, I see no reason for it. Seeing how you seem to have forgotten that I made it clear enough that whatever was up with Maia at the time, I understood. Maybe I should point that out one more time. Yes. I'm pointing THAT out one more time.
Ergo, as I have nothing to gain by arguing my case while all of you prepare the tar and feathers without hearing me out, I see no reason to entertain this needless argument. What's my problem? What's MY problem? I dunno, but I really was under the assumption that prior to any of this, whatever my problem was, it wasn't about any of you. Nor should it be.
So... if you refuse to listen to a voice of reasoning, if you refuse to realize that the statements you're quoting are more of concern than of spite, if you refuse to put my words in context, Marcelle is declaring a unilateral ceasefire from his side now. You can all have your fun, in whatever form you may see it fit. I give you the right, but you will not bring back the Hades in me no matter what. You want to malign me? You want to insult me, and my mom, maybe? You want to laugh me off as just another dolt who wasted your time? You want to forget about me? That's your deal, and I respect that. But I'm not speaking out in public about this again, because I've nothing to gain by doing it, and my words will fall on deaf ears, anyway.
I'm never talking about this again.
Starting... now.
Finally, the segment has been added: "I understand. Sanay na ako, eh."
Why wouldn't I understand? Bottomline is: I am respecting YOUR wish. I don't care if that wasn't word-for-word YOUR wish, but as leaving you be for now aids in fulfilling it, why not? Is that so wrong? The only mistake I conceivably made here is that I actually bothered reacting and letting you people have more to say against me, more to bring me down with.
Is it JUST about the birthday? Hades, no. I'm cool with that if you can't go. I'm cool with you wanting to be around your brother. Did I take offense? No.
So yeah, I'm wrong in thinking you had problems with me. Bottomline? I respect that. It's your deal to harbor anything against me. Anything at all. 'Sides, I think it's better for me to watch my step in the first place.
So... who's wrong who's right? As I can see, it doesn't matter in the thick of the fight.
Whoah... do I even want to tear your group? I had nothing but the best of intentions for all you jabronis. Don't go thinking I'm this little sap who's silly enough to go against city hall. I don't have any motives in dividing any of you whatsoever. Let's not blow things out of proportion by painting me as the ultimate villain here: not only does it not match me, there's no point to my exerting that much effort...
Issues on *jaded* and Abby, etc. Oh, they've been resolved. I forgive, but I never forget. Shame on you if you fool me once. Shame on me if you fool me twice.
Dani? You? Listen to me half-heartedly? That's a laugh. Why don't you read my previous blog entry, for all to see: "guess I owe her big time". I was nothing but grateful to you for listening last time. And don't worry. I won't ask you a favor like that again. Why would I back talk you? What will it gain me, neh? Nothing! So if I've nothing to gain, I've no motive to do so.
Ergo, I've nothing to gain by "tearing down" your barkada. I've nothing to gain by asking Maia to leave her bonding session with her brother. I have nothing to gain by picking a fight with any of you, because you jabronis will easily turn me into the monster I refuse to be once again. What do I have to gain by giving ANY of you threats? Those "threats" were for certain people whose names have already been mentioned elsewhere. I don't see ANY of your names there.
Let's face it: if I've nothing to gain by doing it, why would I do it? Why would I backstab any of you? Why would I try to make myself the all-important link in your group? Would it get me ahead? Seeing as it wouldn't, I see no reason for it. Seeing how you seem to have forgotten that I made it clear enough that whatever was up with Maia at the time, I understood. Maybe I should point that out one more time. Yes. I'm pointing THAT out one more time.
Ergo, as I have nothing to gain by arguing my case while all of you prepare the tar and feathers without hearing me out, I see no reason to entertain this needless argument. What's my problem? What's MY problem? I dunno, but I really was under the assumption that prior to any of this, whatever my problem was, it wasn't about any of you. Nor should it be.
So... if you refuse to listen to a voice of reasoning, if you refuse to realize that the statements you're quoting are more of concern than of spite, if you refuse to put my words in context, Marcelle is declaring a unilateral ceasefire from his side now. You can all have your fun, in whatever form you may see it fit. I give you the right, but you will not bring back the Hades in me no matter what. You want to malign me? You want to insult me, and my mom, maybe? You want to laugh me off as just another dolt who wasted your time? You want to forget about me? That's your deal, and I respect that. But I'm not speaking out in public about this again, because I've nothing to gain by doing it, and my words will fall on deaf ears, anyway.
I'm never talking about this again.
Starting... now.
Thursday, September 25, 2003
Free-Stylin', Profilin', Limousine-Ridin', Lear Jet Flyin' Son of a Gun...
Hey, jabroni! It’s your birthday!
We’re gonna act up now ‘cause it’s your birthday!
We’re gonna rip you apart on your birthday
But hey, we don’t give a hoot if it’s your birthday
So you wanna go and rob Mister Vader of his glory? You wanna ask Vader “What can you do for me”? Well, go to Hades, you little jabroni! Open up your eyes a bit, can’t you see? It’s over, punk, pay your dues! Mister Vader’s giving you an offer you can’t refuse. But Hades, you won’t listen, so what’s the use? Maybe you think you’re such a big shot, Mr. Short Fuse? You bastich, you don’t know what you’re getting into! Mister Vader’s come to collect and rip you in two! Don’t push your luck, ‘cause if you ever do; when Vader’s done, you’re prolly gonna sue. But so what? You think you’re such a blast? In Vader’s eyes, you’re even worse than last! Well, this verse sure is going nowhere fast. So punk, do what you’re supposed to, or Vader will kick your... ::points microphone to audience::
And what about you? You think Vader’s been annoying? Behind his back, you wanna do all your dissing? Well suit yourself, punk, ‘cause Vader’s just rhyming. He’ll turn around, commence the stabbing! If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Geez, why does Vader even bother? Can’t defend himself, everyone thinks he’s cannon fodder. Right, and now, Mister Vader’s out? No room for the ruddy benefit of the doubt? Don’t test Vader’s patience, for your own sake. Mister Vader’s taken more than he can take. You got a problem, take it to his face. Otherwise, you can stay in your place. You won’t get a thing by going subterfuge. You’d be better off ripping on Vader in Moulin Rouge. Well, it’s D.T.A., isn’t that a shame? Don’t hate the playa, hate the game! So what do you wanna do about it now? You sure picked a fine time to have a cow. No man is Vader’s friend if he believes his good intentions only when it shows. No man is Vader’s friend if his acceptance to contrary evidence never slows. That’s what C.S. Lewis said, the man sure knows. You got no faith in the Tolarian Equalizer, none at all? How sad of you to build up this wall. And then you rip on me, oh, the gall! Vader’s sure you’re having a ball. Well, accuse him some more, oh, that’s so rich. But if you refuse to hear him out, that makes you one slimy... ::points microphone to audience::
That goes for you as well. You wanna run your mouth off, and raise some hell? Hades, that’s pitiful, but that’s just swell. It’s not for Vader, the sound of that tolling bell. Do it some more, and have your fun! Mister Vader’s loading his gun. You want to tell everyone you’re the best thing since ages? Mister Vader’ll beat you so hard, you’ll regress your growing stages! What a waste of time, you were, Vader sees. You prolly have your brains around your knees! You can’t think of a thing to say? Well that’s just so ruddy gay. You don’t listen to any amount of reason. You’ve done nothing short of outright treason. It’s not like you, jabroni, can hope to be Vader’s match. You’re not the jabroni everyone came to watch. So you want to run your mouth off some more? Mister Vader’s showing you the door. Walk out while you got time, or hit the floor. Mister Vader might do something you will abhor. You’re a worthless piece of decomposing trash. Oh, wait: even that has some more class. You deserve every word of this bash. So in the end, you fail to pass. Because Freddie and Jason was just plain crass. And now, you can tell you’re out of luck. You’re walking around like some wounded duck. That’s just fine, ‘cause Vader doesn’t give a... ::points microphone to audience::
So to all of you punks who’ve been hating on Vader. You’re all backing down, you’re all gonna stay there. Because you know all too well that Vader’s right. But you jabronis all refuse to see the light. Don’t wait for the dog in this yard to bite. You might not be able to sleep well at night. Shaking in fear, over unleashing the Phenom’s Fury®. Mister Vader is judge, executioner, and jury. So while you still got time, back down while you can. ‘Cause when the wrath comes, you can’t face it like a man. You got until Saturday to save your soul. Beyond that, Vader’ll be chowing it down on an enchilada bowl. You have a shot at not starting this war. You don’t have to take it this far. Because if Vader acts it’s all too late. And he cannot be held accountable for your fate. That’s ‘cause you brought it upon yourself, you know. So Vader’s going to turn around and go. And one last thing before Vader walks away: DON’T CROSS THE PHENOM WHEN HE’S HAD A BAD DAY. That’s about all Vader has to say.
Word Life, yo.
Hey, jabroni! It’s your birthday!
We’re gonna act up now ‘cause it’s your birthday!
We’re gonna rip you apart on your birthday
But hey, we don’t give a hoot if it’s your birthday
So you wanna go and rob Mister Vader of his glory? You wanna ask Vader “What can you do for me”? Well, go to Hades, you little jabroni! Open up your eyes a bit, can’t you see? It’s over, punk, pay your dues! Mister Vader’s giving you an offer you can’t refuse. But Hades, you won’t listen, so what’s the use? Maybe you think you’re such a big shot, Mr. Short Fuse? You bastich, you don’t know what you’re getting into! Mister Vader’s come to collect and rip you in two! Don’t push your luck, ‘cause if you ever do; when Vader’s done, you’re prolly gonna sue. But so what? You think you’re such a blast? In Vader’s eyes, you’re even worse than last! Well, this verse sure is going nowhere fast. So punk, do what you’re supposed to, or Vader will kick your... ::points microphone to audience::
And what about you? You think Vader’s been annoying? Behind his back, you wanna do all your dissing? Well suit yourself, punk, ‘cause Vader’s just rhyming. He’ll turn around, commence the stabbing! If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Geez, why does Vader even bother? Can’t defend himself, everyone thinks he’s cannon fodder. Right, and now, Mister Vader’s out? No room for the ruddy benefit of the doubt? Don’t test Vader’s patience, for your own sake. Mister Vader’s taken more than he can take. You got a problem, take it to his face. Otherwise, you can stay in your place. You won’t get a thing by going subterfuge. You’d be better off ripping on Vader in Moulin Rouge. Well, it’s D.T.A., isn’t that a shame? Don’t hate the playa, hate the game! So what do you wanna do about it now? You sure picked a fine time to have a cow. No man is Vader’s friend if he believes his good intentions only when it shows. No man is Vader’s friend if his acceptance to contrary evidence never slows. That’s what C.S. Lewis said, the man sure knows. You got no faith in the Tolarian Equalizer, none at all? How sad of you to build up this wall. And then you rip on me, oh, the gall! Vader’s sure you’re having a ball. Well, accuse him some more, oh, that’s so rich. But if you refuse to hear him out, that makes you one slimy... ::points microphone to audience::
That goes for you as well. You wanna run your mouth off, and raise some hell? Hades, that’s pitiful, but that’s just swell. It’s not for Vader, the sound of that tolling bell. Do it some more, and have your fun! Mister Vader’s loading his gun. You want to tell everyone you’re the best thing since ages? Mister Vader’ll beat you so hard, you’ll regress your growing stages! What a waste of time, you were, Vader sees. You prolly have your brains around your knees! You can’t think of a thing to say? Well that’s just so ruddy gay. You don’t listen to any amount of reason. You’ve done nothing short of outright treason. It’s not like you, jabroni, can hope to be Vader’s match. You’re not the jabroni everyone came to watch. So you want to run your mouth off some more? Mister Vader’s showing you the door. Walk out while you got time, or hit the floor. Mister Vader might do something you will abhor. You’re a worthless piece of decomposing trash. Oh, wait: even that has some more class. You deserve every word of this bash. So in the end, you fail to pass. Because Freddie and Jason was just plain crass. And now, you can tell you’re out of luck. You’re walking around like some wounded duck. That’s just fine, ‘cause Vader doesn’t give a... ::points microphone to audience::
So to all of you punks who’ve been hating on Vader. You’re all backing down, you’re all gonna stay there. Because you know all too well that Vader’s right. But you jabronis all refuse to see the light. Don’t wait for the dog in this yard to bite. You might not be able to sleep well at night. Shaking in fear, over unleashing the Phenom’s Fury®. Mister Vader is judge, executioner, and jury. So while you still got time, back down while you can. ‘Cause when the wrath comes, you can’t face it like a man. You got until Saturday to save your soul. Beyond that, Vader’ll be chowing it down on an enchilada bowl. You have a shot at not starting this war. You don’t have to take it this far. Because if Vader acts it’s all too late. And he cannot be held accountable for your fate. That’s ‘cause you brought it upon yourself, you know. So Vader’s going to turn around and go. And one last thing before Vader walks away: DON’T CROSS THE PHENOM WHEN HE’S HAD A BAD DAY. That’s about all Vader has to say.
Word Life, yo.
Monday, September 22, 2003
Considering this whole article is a joke, I figured there's no reason for me to not humor it and actually argue against the points raised here... Anything in Italics is from me.
Let's face it: if you want to hate the Matrix Franchise, why don't you hate it for the right reasons?
THE MATRIX: REJECTED
A film franchise so sloppy, so irresponsible, so lowbrow that it's almost criminal.
Here's 50 Reasons to stay away.
by Dr. Albert Oxford, PhD
Wonderful way for the doctor to start off. “Here’s 50 reasons”? Try “HERE'RE 50 reasons”.
Note, 5.16.03: First, the box office results are in from opening day and The Matrix: Reloaded made a dismal $4.2 million, which I understand is a record for futility for such a highly-promoted film. I'm sad to say, however, that tampering from Warner Bros. employees has sabotaged our online petition (see link below) and suppressed turnout far below where we all know it should be. Otherwise, thank you all for your kind support in this effort.
1. The Matrix Murders
The first film killed 13 students at Columbine High School, the disturbed trench-coated teens imitating the pipe-bombing, shotgunning film's finale. How many troubled teens are out there Reloading with the release of the sequel?
In fact, the only reason the U.S. Attorney General did not press murder charges against the filmmakers is because the movie was shot in Australia, giving it diplomatic immunity.
What a lovely assertion. Just because they imitated something they saw in a film, we are willing to let this ISOLATED CASE completely supercede artistic expression? So how many troubled teens are out there reloading with the release of the sequel? You tell me. They’re so few to count, I can see a lot more kids getting really hurt because they’re trying to keep each other hidden in Poke-Balls.
2. The aborted American dream
Warner Bros. devoted $300 million to the production of the two Matrix sequels.
In the time the films have been in production, over one thousand American children will have died of starvation. For the cost of these films, each of those children could have been given one million dollars.
Uhh... yeah. Let’s not watch any single movie, then. How many billions of dollars go into the movie industry again? This argument is so sweeping it’s funny.
3. I'm dreaming of a white... cast?
Two actors were abruptly cut from the sequel cast before production ended, both female minorities. Coincidence?
Aaliyah and Gloria Foster were unceremonially dropped after shooting some scenes for the sequel. What's wrong, guys? They didn't test well with the predominantly white Matrix audiences?
Neither actress could be reached for comment.
I’m assuming the writer was really joking about this whole piece, but yeah, let’s humor him. I think that for someone with a so-called Ph. D, he’s glossing over the fact that Aaliyah and Gloria Foster are both dead already. And even if the audience is “predominantly white”, the cast isn’t. If Morpheus isn’t a black man, then Dr. Dre must be an albino.
4. The Neverending Story
A spectacular car chase. The loss of a crucial figure in the human resistance named "the Keymaster." A withering assault on the refuge city of Zion by a boiling swarm of sentinel droids. Neo screaming, holding Trinity's burned corpse. And then, cut to black.
That's how The Matrix: Reloaded ends.
This isn't really one of the 50 reasons, but if I can drive just one person away from seeing this rubbish by giving out this information, I have done my job.
Enjoy your bloody film, yanks. To quote Neo, that's one spicy tamale.
Update: In response to this list, Warner Bros. re-cut the finale, placing parts of it at what is now the opening of the film. The plot makes absolutely no sense now! Take that.
Oh, wait. The plot doesn’t make any sense? Maybe because your brain is incapable of understanding simple juxtaposition of the dream and the dream actually happening in the Matrix? Don’t blame anyone but yourself for YOUR OWN incompetence of understanding something as simple as that, Mr. Ph. D.
5. The Neverending Story, 2
This aforementioned abrupt "cliffhanger" ending (aka, cheap sequel-selling stunt) seemed like a good idea... until parents groups filed an injunction blocking the release of part 3. Kind of eliminates any reason to see part 2, does it not?
The point is? That’s the movie maker’s fault? And is part 3 really NOT going to be released? Substantiate, please!
6. Reloaded Ridiculousness
Think you're missing something special by staying home? Think again. Several times in the sequel Neo is seen flying at almost supersonic speeds. NASA experiments prove that such a velocity would tear a man's genitals off.
Oh, wait! This is a movie! IT’S NOT REAL! In fact, THE FREAKING MATRIX IS NOT REAL! So should we have any worries about someone who can do Kung-Fu and DODGE BULLETS FROM SIDE TO SIDE regarding the risks of flying around at near-supersonic speeds? Besides, you have a radar gun to measure how fast he went or something?
7. Bruce Willis was a ghost the whole time!
Can we please have just one major studio movie without a trick ending? I won't reveal it because some of you have requested that I not, but Reloaded has a shocking surprise near the end that the studio has bent over backwards (probably in slow-motion, while dodging bullets) to conceal. All I'll say is that it has to do with the surprise return of a certain treacherous character who we all thought was dead in the first film. Can any of you decipher what I'm saying here?
Update: Some fans are interpreting the ending in such a way that does not bring this character back. Actually, you can only really grasp this plot point with a second viewing. Do not pay to see this film a second time.
And ladies and gentlemen, that is making an argument on the basis of a mistaken perception. How many ruddy times do we have to repeat: that’s BANE, not CYPHER!
8. Reloaded Ridiculousness, 2
I'm not joking; you'll literally feel your I.Q. drop watching this rubbish. For instance, the evil Matrix creates two new enemies for Neo, called the Twins. Their first priority is to blend discreetly into the simulated world of the Matrix, to walk among the people unnoticed. So of course the Matrix made them huge albino men with bleach-white dreadlocks who occasionally transform into shrieking wraiths.
"What's that, honey?"
"Oh, nothing. It just looks like a simple Kung-Fu Swedish Rastafarian Helldemon. I'm sure there's no need to question our fragile, sheltered grasp of 'reality' as we know it."
Wait a minute. Did you say WALK UNNOTICED? Umm... well... the Merovingian was in his own citadel, jabroni. What does that mean? He was being protected by the Ghosts ON HIS OWN TURF. They’re not around to be unnoticed. They’re there with the Merovingian, who is keeping himself away from the rest of the Matrix to avoid being deleted from it.
9. The Matrix: Reconsidered
But the first film was great art, you say?
In the spoon-bending scene, watch closely. First we see Neo bend the spoon almost into a "U" shape... now watch carefully (freeze-frame it, for you DVD owners). A second later it's back to its normal shape again. Ironic that a film meant for no-attention-span kids also had a no-attention-span editor.
Not only is this nitpicking, but there is no spoon. So it doesn’t matter if it magically snaps back into place, or it slowly does that. It just happens however they want it to happen because since this is the Matrix, THERE IS NO SPOON.
10. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 2
After they sucked the "bug" out of Neo's abdomen, where was the gaping bloody hole the thing should have left? Even if Trinity had the medical training to re-tie the knot in his navel, we certainly didn't see her do it.
So. Have you tried that machine Trinity used yet? Did it also leave a gaping hole in your stomach for you to vituperate about this? Oh, yeah. It’s Science FICTION. If you wanted to watch something real, why don’t you watch some pro wrestling instead?
11. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 3
In the same scene, the "bug" is casually discarded in the street. Better hope no one comes along and steps on the squirming, burrowing thing with their bare feet.
And your point is? The concern was Neo at the time. Where do you want to keep the bug? In their back pocket? The glove compartment?
12. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 4
You've worked as a policeman your whole life, protecting the innocent, enforcing the law. You retire with honors, then take a job as a security guard, working the metal detector on the ground floor of a skyscraper in order to help pay for your wife's arthritis medication. You're sitting there, on a slow day, reading your newspaper, when a girl walks in wearing a trenchcoat. She issues no demands, no warnings, no "freeze" or "drop your gun." She just tears you in half with a spray of machine-gun fire, then does cartwheels along the walls while killing all your friends.
Somewhere, faintly, you can hear a theater audience cheering.
You spend your life as an average teenage boy all your life, completely oblivious to anything in the world. Suddenly, one day, a huge half-man half-robot with a silly accent comes to kill you, then save you, then kill you again. It makes no sense why, but you know if you put this on film, it’ll make money. Oh, yeah. You try to kill a lot of people in the process, and even meet up with a hot chick who turns out to be a robot.
Somewhere, faintly, you can hear a theater audience groaning.
How many times do we have to talk about this? That’s like being scandalized over a singing Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar. If you don’t want to watch violence, then go back to watching Blues Clues, will you?
13. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 5
Neo can move faster than sound, yet can't move blindingly through bullet time and simply disarm the security guards rather than slaughtering them? It looks like Neo learned his disarming techniques from George W. Bush.
Uh... didn’t bullet time come AFTER the metal detector scene? Who’s got a short attention span now?
14. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 6
Neo and his crew can generate an infinite number of guns in the construct, but can't come up with non-lethal weapons such as long-range tasers and sleeping gas?
Would not the "exciting" skyscraper shootout have been just as exciting if the two had been armed with the Vomit Sticks from Minority Report? Or are these lives not worth saving?
That’s right. And as soon as they have to get out of the place with Morpheus in tow, they have to deal with the ruddy guards AGAIN?
15. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 7
You are a hard-working single mother, making ends meet by doing time as a secretary in an office building during the day, a drug-store clerk in the evenings. You are on the office phone with the babysitter one quiet Wednesday afternoon, telling her how to calm little Dakota down, to get her to stop crying her eyes out asking why Mommy is never home, telling her that you'll be there soon, honey.
A split-second later your head is severed by a shattered helicopter rotor blade, the skull bouncing off a nearby wall, leaving a spray of arterial blood on a motivational poster. Your eyes bulge wide, your brain inside remaining alive just long enough to recognize the horror of your fate. Aviation fuel splashes in through the shattered windows and ignites, incinerating mothers, husbands, fathers, best friends.
And somewhere, a theater full of young, chubby males cheers because Trinity made it out before the crash.
So someone dies in the film. And? Why is it an R film in the first place? Innocent people die all the time. I’m not saying it’s right, but for crying out loud, GET OVER IT.
16. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 8
"If you wanna give me that juris-my-DICK-tion crap, you can kiss my ass."
Quoting lines that may or may not be bad doesn’t really explain clearly what’s wrong with the film, you know.
17. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 9
You infiltrate a building to rescue a hostage who you can't afford to lose. Either his death, or your own death, would have unimaginable consequences for the entire living world. So, once you're inside and riding up the lift, it's a good idea to go ahead and set the building on fire by dropping a bomb on the first floor.
Uhh... maybe it’s because you don’t want anyone following you up? Could be possible, right? What does your Ph. D brain tell you?
18. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 10
It's the film's climactic battle between Agent Smith and Neo. It begins with Agent Smith walking down the subway platform toward Neo. Neo's friends tell him to run. But no; he stands and fights.
They fight for what seems like an hour, back and forth, an epic battle of good and evil. Neo takes a beating, comes back, finds his courage, becomes The One. He goes toe-to-toe with the baddest of the bad. After this long, choreographed, pivotal moment of the film, Agent Smith is left...
...walking down the subway platform toward Neo. Neo's friends tell him to run.
He runs.
Excuse me, ticket lady? I'd like a refund of the last fifteen minutes of my life. It would be like if at the end of Rocky, after sitting through the whole film, the main character just lost the fight anyway.
Ever heard of trying before giving up? That’s like asking why Neo flew away after trying to take on the Smiths in Reloaded. Well of course he should try, right? I’m not even beginning to delve into Philosophy on this!
19. Excuse me?
"I hate this place, this... zoo. It's the smelt."
Are you reading Engrish subtitles or something?
20. By their fruits ye shall know them
I had attended a showing of The Matrix in May of 1999 with a lady friend, because we are both big Morgan Freeman fans. An hour into the film, as I observed what dreck we were wading in, I walked up and stood before the screen and tried to explain to the audience that this vomitus was below their dignity.
I was greeted by some of the most vulgar insults imaginable, until some began throwing objects and one man even knocked my pipe from my hand. Do you wish to be associated with a group of such character?
Umm... maybe because you were being asinine enough to NOT RESPECT EVERYONE ELSE’S RIGHTS? I mean, would I want to be associated with YOUR group of people who want to sound cool by bashing the Matrix and not actually managing to bash it at all because you didn’t know what you were talking about? Or would I want to be associated with your group of such character that they will disrespect everyone’s right to free speech except their own?
21. By their fruits ye shall know the staff, too
After the above incident, I was the one asked to leave.
If you didn’t do that, you think they’d do that? Oh, that’s right. YOU STARTED IT.
22. The Matrix: Reconsidered further
If you need to get in touch with a person, you can simply call them at their office. You do not need to actually mail the phone to them.
Not when the Matrix is tapped into EVERY PHONE IN THE SYSTEM. That mobile phone, Mr. Ph. D, is a phone independent from the Matrix. Besides, I don’t think a rank and file employee like Mr. Anderson would have his own direct line. So the operator of the office would have to call his attention to the call and tell Mr. Anderson, “Oh, Mr. Anderson, there’s a Morpheus guy on the other line who wants to free your mind.”
23. Two words:
Keanu Reeves.
Two words: your point?
24. Two more words:
See above.
Two more words: Who cares?
25. The Matrix: Reconsidered further, 2
The film states that the humans attached to the matrix were kept alive by liquifying the dead and feeding it to the living, apparently pouring the mixture into their containers in the form of strawberry Jello. Such a diet would not be sufficient to support an adult human.
Not when your whole physiological system has been EVOLVED to adjust to the Matrix. Or do you think the machines are too dumb to take that into consideration?
26. The Matrix: Reconsidered further still
Bullets travel at over 900 feet per second. I don't care how fast Agent Smith and his friends pulled their triggers in that hallway, their bullets would not travel in a tight pack like that. It takes a tenth of a second for an automatic to recycle itself, meaning that by the time the second round left the barrel, the first bullet would be 90 feet away.
You should have heard my gales of laughter upon seeing this scene during my second viewing of the film. I fully expected the audience around me join in the derision, and when they did not I walked up and down each row, leaning over each seat and howling my gales of mockery right in their faces.
Once more, the staff removed me from the theater, rather than doing the proper thing and removing the film from the theater. Ridiculous.
Uhh... maybe because these guys who can dodge bullets at a whim are also probably equipped with guns that bend your conventional rules. Hello, Mr. Ph. D? Science FICTION!!!
27. The Gaytrix
Hollywood's homophobia never fails to astound me. First, I applauded the romance between the two male characters, Neo and Trinity. Then I found later that, because of demands by Keanu Reeves, Trinity was actually played by a woman in shorthair.
(If you look closely in certain scenes of the film, you can make out breasts.) Where were the protests?
Yes. I know this is a joke essay, but I’m humoring it anyway. And yeah, this argument wasn’t an argument either, neh?
28. By their fruits ye shall know them, 2
Average weight of the common Matrix fan: 276 lbs.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2001
And so? Isn’t that being politically incorrect to demean overweight people? It’s bad enough your arguments haven’t made sense for the past 27 attempts you’ve had, but for you to downright insult a group of people to get your “point” across...
29. By their fruits ye shall know them: Reloaded
Average I.Q. of the common Matrix fan: 91. That's fifteen points below average, folks.
U.S. Dept. of Education Statistics, 2002
Average I.Q. of the common Matrix Essays contributor: 145. Hmm... maybe you’d want to read some of these essays, Mr. Ph. D, before you lump everyone into your narrow point of view?
30. By their fruits ye shall know them: Revolutions
We all know that, by financially supporting the Matrix franchise that killed those kids at Columbine, each and every Matrix ticket-buyer is literally an accomplice to murder. Are you one of them? The ten million-plus buyers of the DVD is without a doubt the most sickening conspiracy of murder since the Holocaust.
Wow. From saying that the Matrix Franchise “caused” Columbine, you are now saying they actually did it themselves. Gee. I wonder what movie Ted Kazinsky loved to watch? The Wizard of Oz? Let’s ban that, too.
31. The death of choice
The humans of the future are attached to the Matrix, in embryo-like pods. They receive nourishment from the Matrix, they cannot survive independent of it. They share a blood stream, their consciousness is provided completely by the mother system.
Thus, the humans are part of the mother's body and the matrix can terminate them if it so chooses. The film's suggestion that this is evil is a direct assault on female choice and the fundamental functions of motherhood. Can female slavery be far behind?
Just because you’re such an advocate of infanticide and abortion does not mean everyone has to be. And maybe you’re losing sight of the fact that the mother system is deceptive. This is a faulty analogy and you know it.
32. Keanu Bin Ladin
The filmmakers have admitted that the computerized "Matrix" in the first film symbolizes American technological dominance over the Islamic oppressed peoples of the world (did you notice that the name of Saddam Hussein's three divisions of Republican Guard, the Nebuchadnezzar, Medina and Hammurabi, are also the three names of the hovercrafts in The Matrix? This is also why almost half of the human protagonists in the film are of Arabic descent).
Has Warner Bros. chosen Saddam as their hero? Is this why Neo was to be sporting a thick, dark mustache in the third film?
I’d like to see where this confession came from. Regardless, why would Neo have to sport a thick dark mustache? That wouldn’t look cool at all.
33. Keanu Bin Ladin, 2
Don't misunderstand the above item; like all of you, I wholeheartedly agree that America has been the most evil force of imperialism in world history. But should the third world be stirred to such violence as commanded by the Matrix films? Why could the film not portray Neo and Captain Morpheus peacefully demanding fairer trade policies and access to low-cost prescription drugs and vaccinations via the United Nations?
Uhh... because it wouldn’t make money? And uhh... there’s no room to philosophize on that?
34. Keanu Bin Ladin, 3
Speaking of terrorism, could not a film as toxic to the minds of its audience such as this be labelled a Weapon of Mass Destruction? The number of Kurds Saddam Hussein poisoned with his nerve gas is miniscule when compared to the number of brains that have been poisoned by The Matrix. Where is the U.S. military in this situation?
Poisoned the mind? That’s what I like about you, jabroni: you are so assertive it hurts.
35. Still not convinced the first film was rubbish?
The cybernetic army that took over the Earth, says the film, was solar powered. The human resistance responded by blotting out the sky.
A desperate measure, but surely the only choice they had. It was that, or, I don't know, postpone their counterattack until evening.
Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because the SURPLUS ENERGY TIDES THEM OVER UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. They tried to make sure there wasn’t a next day.
36. Huh? 2?
Jamming a huge needle in the back of someone's skull will kill them
Not if your body was evolved to adjust to the Matrix.
37. This is your brain...
Speaking of which, does no one else have the problem with the blatant pro-drug message in these films? The idea that you can be transported to a magical wonderland where you have supernatural powers simply by inserting a needle into your skull?
Is it any coincidence that "jacking" (injecting heroin directly into the brain using a nine-inch long skull needle) became all the rage with our teenagers after this film?
Yes. It IS a coincidence. Maybe because the point of getting into the Matrix was in order to actually get people OUT of it.
38. Hope you haven't just eaten...
And what was that white goo they were eating in the cafeteria? Would you eat something like that, having just seen it spill out of an apparent robot penis?
Probably, if there’s nothing else for you to eat in a world where the sun is blotted out of the sky... you tell me, jabroni.
39. Grow up
The policeman in the opening scene of the first film? Look on the credits and you'll see he's billed as Lt. Geyser Shitdick.
Infantile.
So? And are we even supposed to take your word on this? And all your arguments so far? Aren’t they also...
... Infantile?
40. Do try this at home
Interesting that the stunts on Jackass must carry a "do not attempt at home warning," but in Reloaded Trinity is shown smashing through a skyscraper plate glass window and shooting pistols into the sky as she plummets to the pavement below. Is this something you want your eight year-old doing? Where is the disclaimer?
Oh. Maybe because it’s an R-RATED film? And maybe because Jackass is shown ON TELEVISION? If your 8-year old son is watching this film, is that the maker’s fault?
41. And while we're on the subject...
With children everywhere attempting the first film's stunts, has Warner Bros. reimbursed the families for the Jello stains, torn trousers and bent flatware that resulted?
Prolly not, because it’s an R-RATED film? Man, do we have to keep on repeating this fact, or are you showing this film to all the kids in the world every chance you get?
42. Excuse me? 2
"I'm only good for two things. Degreasing engines and killing brain cells."
And your point is? Is one or two bad lines actually going to really ruin a whole movie? It worked for Titanic, you know. Or did you let go of Jack? (DISCLAIMER: I never said Titanic was a great movie. I just meant it made money regardless of the plague of bad lines...)
43. There's a bug in the logic program!
Cypher, prior to his surprise return at the end of the second film, sells his friends out for a steak dinner. This makes sense, because, as he points out, aboard the ship all they have to eat is the "cold goop" grown in the ship's vats.
Of course, he could always get a steak in the ship's construct. He wouldn't be nourished by it, but it's the experience he wants. Or, they could all stop at an Outback Steakhouse during one of their many trips inside The Matrix.
Eh, betraying all of humanity to eternal enslavement was probably easier.
Uhh... no. He didn’t sell them out for a steak dinner. He sold them out for a chance to go back into the Matrix and forget about ever being unplugged, and then given a prominent life in there. I dunno. Maybe you’re still plugged into the Matrix as a 50-year old retard.
44. There's a bug in the logic program! 2
If they're so hungry for meat, why not just cannabalize some of the humans attached to the Matrix? Their lives mean nothing, anyway.
Maybe because they’re NOT cannibals?
45. PVC problems
If you're going into physical combat, do not wear skin-tight black plastic clothes. The chafing will literally draw blood, as we saw when such uniforms were tried by the French Army.
Wow. I agree with you for the first time. But... skin-tight black leather/plastic just looks way too cool!
46. Moooooooo
Am I wrong to say that, despite the criticism of myself and other members of the intellectual elite, that this film will still make obscene amounts of money in ticket sales? Hollywood knows how to push buttons, and it knows Matrix fans inside and out. These lowing cattle will lap up the multimillion dollar flash and fire just as beasts stand in the pasture and lap up their evening bowls of cow pudding.
Oh, yes, I think it is safe to say that once all you Matrix fanboys out there get a load of the blinding, hyperkinetic Reloaded climax, you'll walk out of the theater still very pale, fat and lonely.
Am I wrong in saying that this “intellectual elite” you are inventing in your own Matrix is not only non-existent, it is undermining every other smart viewer who may or may not like the Matrix for the RIGHT reasons?
47. Also consider...
Keanu Reeves.
Also consider: how being biased against Keanu Reeves does not prove anything.
48. Hacker heroes?
"He's been going for ten hours straight. He's a machine."
That's right. The first indication that Neo was The One was his ability to spend ten hours sitting in a chair. There's your hero, computer dorks! "Hey, check out the neuralkinetics between the chair and his arse!"
Uhh... maybe because the training in the computer is so realistic in the Matrix that it’s just as real as actually training in real life. Ergo, that’s ten hours of martial arts training signified to your brain that your body has already taken. Tell me that’s not difficult, or didn’t you feel the least bit of anguish when your last girlfriend left you for being such an asinine jabroni?
49. Hacker heroes? 2
Computer nerds are heroes? The good ones are listed among an elite, chosen few?
That's odd, because I mastered the complex code it took to format this web page in half an hour. I guess that means I'm The One!
Uhh... can you free other people’s minds? Or is your idea of freeing your mind is taking it out of your head and never using it at all?
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-Dr. Albert Oxford, PhD
Chairman, London Film Institute
And your point is?
Let's face it: if you want to hate the Matrix Franchise, why don't you hate it for the right reasons?
THE MATRIX: REJECTED
A film franchise so sloppy, so irresponsible, so lowbrow that it's almost criminal.
Here's 50 Reasons to stay away.
by Dr. Albert Oxford, PhD
Wonderful way for the doctor to start off. “Here’s 50 reasons”? Try “HERE'RE 50 reasons”.
Note, 5.16.03: First, the box office results are in from opening day and The Matrix: Reloaded made a dismal $4.2 million, which I understand is a record for futility for such a highly-promoted film. I'm sad to say, however, that tampering from Warner Bros. employees has sabotaged our online petition (see link below) and suppressed turnout far below where we all know it should be. Otherwise, thank you all for your kind support in this effort.
1. The Matrix Murders
The first film killed 13 students at Columbine High School, the disturbed trench-coated teens imitating the pipe-bombing, shotgunning film's finale. How many troubled teens are out there Reloading with the release of the sequel?
In fact, the only reason the U.S. Attorney General did not press murder charges against the filmmakers is because the movie was shot in Australia, giving it diplomatic immunity.
What a lovely assertion. Just because they imitated something they saw in a film, we are willing to let this ISOLATED CASE completely supercede artistic expression? So how many troubled teens are out there reloading with the release of the sequel? You tell me. They’re so few to count, I can see a lot more kids getting really hurt because they’re trying to keep each other hidden in Poke-Balls.
2. The aborted American dream
Warner Bros. devoted $300 million to the production of the two Matrix sequels.
In the time the films have been in production, over one thousand American children will have died of starvation. For the cost of these films, each of those children could have been given one million dollars.
Uhh... yeah. Let’s not watch any single movie, then. How many billions of dollars go into the movie industry again? This argument is so sweeping it’s funny.
3. I'm dreaming of a white... cast?
Two actors were abruptly cut from the sequel cast before production ended, both female minorities. Coincidence?
Aaliyah and Gloria Foster were unceremonially dropped after shooting some scenes for the sequel. What's wrong, guys? They didn't test well with the predominantly white Matrix audiences?
Neither actress could be reached for comment.
I’m assuming the writer was really joking about this whole piece, but yeah, let’s humor him. I think that for someone with a so-called Ph. D, he’s glossing over the fact that Aaliyah and Gloria Foster are both dead already. And even if the audience is “predominantly white”, the cast isn’t. If Morpheus isn’t a black man, then Dr. Dre must be an albino.
4. The Neverending Story
A spectacular car chase. The loss of a crucial figure in the human resistance named "the Keymaster." A withering assault on the refuge city of Zion by a boiling swarm of sentinel droids. Neo screaming, holding Trinity's burned corpse. And then, cut to black.
That's how The Matrix: Reloaded ends.
This isn't really one of the 50 reasons, but if I can drive just one person away from seeing this rubbish by giving out this information, I have done my job.
Enjoy your bloody film, yanks. To quote Neo, that's one spicy tamale.
Update: In response to this list, Warner Bros. re-cut the finale, placing parts of it at what is now the opening of the film. The plot makes absolutely no sense now! Take that.
Oh, wait. The plot doesn’t make any sense? Maybe because your brain is incapable of understanding simple juxtaposition of the dream and the dream actually happening in the Matrix? Don’t blame anyone but yourself for YOUR OWN incompetence of understanding something as simple as that, Mr. Ph. D.
5. The Neverending Story, 2
This aforementioned abrupt "cliffhanger" ending (aka, cheap sequel-selling stunt) seemed like a good idea... until parents groups filed an injunction blocking the release of part 3. Kind of eliminates any reason to see part 2, does it not?
The point is? That’s the movie maker’s fault? And is part 3 really NOT going to be released? Substantiate, please!
6. Reloaded Ridiculousness
Think you're missing something special by staying home? Think again. Several times in the sequel Neo is seen flying at almost supersonic speeds. NASA experiments prove that such a velocity would tear a man's genitals off.
Oh, wait! This is a movie! IT’S NOT REAL! In fact, THE FREAKING MATRIX IS NOT REAL! So should we have any worries about someone who can do Kung-Fu and DODGE BULLETS FROM SIDE TO SIDE regarding the risks of flying around at near-supersonic speeds? Besides, you have a radar gun to measure how fast he went or something?
7. Bruce Willis was a ghost the whole time!
Can we please have just one major studio movie without a trick ending? I won't reveal it because some of you have requested that I not, but Reloaded has a shocking surprise near the end that the studio has bent over backwards (probably in slow-motion, while dodging bullets) to conceal. All I'll say is that it has to do with the surprise return of a certain treacherous character who we all thought was dead in the first film. Can any of you decipher what I'm saying here?
Update: Some fans are interpreting the ending in such a way that does not bring this character back. Actually, you can only really grasp this plot point with a second viewing. Do not pay to see this film a second time.
And ladies and gentlemen, that is making an argument on the basis of a mistaken perception. How many ruddy times do we have to repeat: that’s BANE, not CYPHER!
8. Reloaded Ridiculousness, 2
I'm not joking; you'll literally feel your I.Q. drop watching this rubbish. For instance, the evil Matrix creates two new enemies for Neo, called the Twins. Their first priority is to blend discreetly into the simulated world of the Matrix, to walk among the people unnoticed. So of course the Matrix made them huge albino men with bleach-white dreadlocks who occasionally transform into shrieking wraiths.
"What's that, honey?"
"Oh, nothing. It just looks like a simple Kung-Fu Swedish Rastafarian Helldemon. I'm sure there's no need to question our fragile, sheltered grasp of 'reality' as we know it."
Wait a minute. Did you say WALK UNNOTICED? Umm... well... the Merovingian was in his own citadel, jabroni. What does that mean? He was being protected by the Ghosts ON HIS OWN TURF. They’re not around to be unnoticed. They’re there with the Merovingian, who is keeping himself away from the rest of the Matrix to avoid being deleted from it.
9. The Matrix: Reconsidered
But the first film was great art, you say?
In the spoon-bending scene, watch closely. First we see Neo bend the spoon almost into a "U" shape... now watch carefully (freeze-frame it, for you DVD owners). A second later it's back to its normal shape again. Ironic that a film meant for no-attention-span kids also had a no-attention-span editor.
Not only is this nitpicking, but there is no spoon. So it doesn’t matter if it magically snaps back into place, or it slowly does that. It just happens however they want it to happen because since this is the Matrix, THERE IS NO SPOON.
10. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 2
After they sucked the "bug" out of Neo's abdomen, where was the gaping bloody hole the thing should have left? Even if Trinity had the medical training to re-tie the knot in his navel, we certainly didn't see her do it.
So. Have you tried that machine Trinity used yet? Did it also leave a gaping hole in your stomach for you to vituperate about this? Oh, yeah. It’s Science FICTION. If you wanted to watch something real, why don’t you watch some pro wrestling instead?
11. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 3
In the same scene, the "bug" is casually discarded in the street. Better hope no one comes along and steps on the squirming, burrowing thing with their bare feet.
And your point is? The concern was Neo at the time. Where do you want to keep the bug? In their back pocket? The glove compartment?
12. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 4
You've worked as a policeman your whole life, protecting the innocent, enforcing the law. You retire with honors, then take a job as a security guard, working the metal detector on the ground floor of a skyscraper in order to help pay for your wife's arthritis medication. You're sitting there, on a slow day, reading your newspaper, when a girl walks in wearing a trenchcoat. She issues no demands, no warnings, no "freeze" or "drop your gun." She just tears you in half with a spray of machine-gun fire, then does cartwheels along the walls while killing all your friends.
Somewhere, faintly, you can hear a theater audience cheering.
You spend your life as an average teenage boy all your life, completely oblivious to anything in the world. Suddenly, one day, a huge half-man half-robot with a silly accent comes to kill you, then save you, then kill you again. It makes no sense why, but you know if you put this on film, it’ll make money. Oh, yeah. You try to kill a lot of people in the process, and even meet up with a hot chick who turns out to be a robot.
Somewhere, faintly, you can hear a theater audience groaning.
How many times do we have to talk about this? That’s like being scandalized over a singing Jesus Christ in Jesus Christ Superstar. If you don’t want to watch violence, then go back to watching Blues Clues, will you?
13. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 5
Neo can move faster than sound, yet can't move blindingly through bullet time and simply disarm the security guards rather than slaughtering them? It looks like Neo learned his disarming techniques from George W. Bush.
Uh... didn’t bullet time come AFTER the metal detector scene? Who’s got a short attention span now?
14. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 6
Neo and his crew can generate an infinite number of guns in the construct, but can't come up with non-lethal weapons such as long-range tasers and sleeping gas?
Would not the "exciting" skyscraper shootout have been just as exciting if the two had been armed with the Vomit Sticks from Minority Report? Or are these lives not worth saving?
That’s right. And as soon as they have to get out of the place with Morpheus in tow, they have to deal with the ruddy guards AGAIN?
15. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 7
You are a hard-working single mother, making ends meet by doing time as a secretary in an office building during the day, a drug-store clerk in the evenings. You are on the office phone with the babysitter one quiet Wednesday afternoon, telling her how to calm little Dakota down, to get her to stop crying her eyes out asking why Mommy is never home, telling her that you'll be there soon, honey.
A split-second later your head is severed by a shattered helicopter rotor blade, the skull bouncing off a nearby wall, leaving a spray of arterial blood on a motivational poster. Your eyes bulge wide, your brain inside remaining alive just long enough to recognize the horror of your fate. Aviation fuel splashes in through the shattered windows and ignites, incinerating mothers, husbands, fathers, best friends.
And somewhere, a theater full of young, chubby males cheers because Trinity made it out before the crash.
So someone dies in the film. And? Why is it an R film in the first place? Innocent people die all the time. I’m not saying it’s right, but for crying out loud, GET OVER IT.
16. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 8
"If you wanna give me that juris-my-DICK-tion crap, you can kiss my ass."
Quoting lines that may or may not be bad doesn’t really explain clearly what’s wrong with the film, you know.
17. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 9
You infiltrate a building to rescue a hostage who you can't afford to lose. Either his death, or your own death, would have unimaginable consequences for the entire living world. So, once you're inside and riding up the lift, it's a good idea to go ahead and set the building on fire by dropping a bomb on the first floor.
Uhh... maybe it’s because you don’t want anyone following you up? Could be possible, right? What does your Ph. D brain tell you?
18. The Matrix: Reconsidered, 10
It's the film's climactic battle between Agent Smith and Neo. It begins with Agent Smith walking down the subway platform toward Neo. Neo's friends tell him to run. But no; he stands and fights.
They fight for what seems like an hour, back and forth, an epic battle of good and evil. Neo takes a beating, comes back, finds his courage, becomes The One. He goes toe-to-toe with the baddest of the bad. After this long, choreographed, pivotal moment of the film, Agent Smith is left...
...walking down the subway platform toward Neo. Neo's friends tell him to run.
He runs.
Excuse me, ticket lady? I'd like a refund of the last fifteen minutes of my life. It would be like if at the end of Rocky, after sitting through the whole film, the main character just lost the fight anyway.
Ever heard of trying before giving up? That’s like asking why Neo flew away after trying to take on the Smiths in Reloaded. Well of course he should try, right? I’m not even beginning to delve into Philosophy on this!
19. Excuse me?
"I hate this place, this... zoo. It's the smelt."
Are you reading Engrish subtitles or something?
20. By their fruits ye shall know them
I had attended a showing of The Matrix in May of 1999 with a lady friend, because we are both big Morgan Freeman fans. An hour into the film, as I observed what dreck we were wading in, I walked up and stood before the screen and tried to explain to the audience that this vomitus was below their dignity.
I was greeted by some of the most vulgar insults imaginable, until some began throwing objects and one man even knocked my pipe from my hand. Do you wish to be associated with a group of such character?
Umm... maybe because you were being asinine enough to NOT RESPECT EVERYONE ELSE’S RIGHTS? I mean, would I want to be associated with YOUR group of people who want to sound cool by bashing the Matrix and not actually managing to bash it at all because you didn’t know what you were talking about? Or would I want to be associated with your group of such character that they will disrespect everyone’s right to free speech except their own?
21. By their fruits ye shall know the staff, too
After the above incident, I was the one asked to leave.
If you didn’t do that, you think they’d do that? Oh, that’s right. YOU STARTED IT.
22. The Matrix: Reconsidered further
If you need to get in touch with a person, you can simply call them at their office. You do not need to actually mail the phone to them.
Not when the Matrix is tapped into EVERY PHONE IN THE SYSTEM. That mobile phone, Mr. Ph. D, is a phone independent from the Matrix. Besides, I don’t think a rank and file employee like Mr. Anderson would have his own direct line. So the operator of the office would have to call his attention to the call and tell Mr. Anderson, “Oh, Mr. Anderson, there’s a Morpheus guy on the other line who wants to free your mind.”
23. Two words:
Keanu Reeves.
Two words: your point?
24. Two more words:
See above.
Two more words: Who cares?
25. The Matrix: Reconsidered further, 2
The film states that the humans attached to the matrix were kept alive by liquifying the dead and feeding it to the living, apparently pouring the mixture into their containers in the form of strawberry Jello. Such a diet would not be sufficient to support an adult human.
Not when your whole physiological system has been EVOLVED to adjust to the Matrix. Or do you think the machines are too dumb to take that into consideration?
26. The Matrix: Reconsidered further still
Bullets travel at over 900 feet per second. I don't care how fast Agent Smith and his friends pulled their triggers in that hallway, their bullets would not travel in a tight pack like that. It takes a tenth of a second for an automatic to recycle itself, meaning that by the time the second round left the barrel, the first bullet would be 90 feet away.
You should have heard my gales of laughter upon seeing this scene during my second viewing of the film. I fully expected the audience around me join in the derision, and when they did not I walked up and down each row, leaning over each seat and howling my gales of mockery right in their faces.
Once more, the staff removed me from the theater, rather than doing the proper thing and removing the film from the theater. Ridiculous.
Uhh... maybe because these guys who can dodge bullets at a whim are also probably equipped with guns that bend your conventional rules. Hello, Mr. Ph. D? Science FICTION!!!
27. The Gaytrix
Hollywood's homophobia never fails to astound me. First, I applauded the romance between the two male characters, Neo and Trinity. Then I found later that, because of demands by Keanu Reeves, Trinity was actually played by a woman in shorthair.
(If you look closely in certain scenes of the film, you can make out breasts.) Where were the protests?
Yes. I know this is a joke essay, but I’m humoring it anyway. And yeah, this argument wasn’t an argument either, neh?
28. By their fruits ye shall know them, 2
Average weight of the common Matrix fan: 276 lbs.
U.S. Census Bureau, 2001
And so? Isn’t that being politically incorrect to demean overweight people? It’s bad enough your arguments haven’t made sense for the past 27 attempts you’ve had, but for you to downright insult a group of people to get your “point” across...
29. By their fruits ye shall know them: Reloaded
Average I.Q. of the common Matrix fan: 91. That's fifteen points below average, folks.
U.S. Dept. of Education Statistics, 2002
Average I.Q. of the common Matrix Essays contributor: 145. Hmm... maybe you’d want to read some of these essays, Mr. Ph. D, before you lump everyone into your narrow point of view?
30. By their fruits ye shall know them: Revolutions
We all know that, by financially supporting the Matrix franchise that killed those kids at Columbine, each and every Matrix ticket-buyer is literally an accomplice to murder. Are you one of them? The ten million-plus buyers of the DVD is without a doubt the most sickening conspiracy of murder since the Holocaust.
Wow. From saying that the Matrix Franchise “caused” Columbine, you are now saying they actually did it themselves. Gee. I wonder what movie Ted Kazinsky loved to watch? The Wizard of Oz? Let’s ban that, too.
31. The death of choice
The humans of the future are attached to the Matrix, in embryo-like pods. They receive nourishment from the Matrix, they cannot survive independent of it. They share a blood stream, their consciousness is provided completely by the mother system.
Thus, the humans are part of the mother's body and the matrix can terminate them if it so chooses. The film's suggestion that this is evil is a direct assault on female choice and the fundamental functions of motherhood. Can female slavery be far behind?
Just because you’re such an advocate of infanticide and abortion does not mean everyone has to be. And maybe you’re losing sight of the fact that the mother system is deceptive. This is a faulty analogy and you know it.
32. Keanu Bin Ladin
The filmmakers have admitted that the computerized "Matrix" in the first film symbolizes American technological dominance over the Islamic oppressed peoples of the world (did you notice that the name of Saddam Hussein's three divisions of Republican Guard, the Nebuchadnezzar, Medina and Hammurabi, are also the three names of the hovercrafts in The Matrix? This is also why almost half of the human protagonists in the film are of Arabic descent).
Has Warner Bros. chosen Saddam as their hero? Is this why Neo was to be sporting a thick, dark mustache in the third film?
I’d like to see where this confession came from. Regardless, why would Neo have to sport a thick dark mustache? That wouldn’t look cool at all.
33. Keanu Bin Ladin, 2
Don't misunderstand the above item; like all of you, I wholeheartedly agree that America has been the most evil force of imperialism in world history. But should the third world be stirred to such violence as commanded by the Matrix films? Why could the film not portray Neo and Captain Morpheus peacefully demanding fairer trade policies and access to low-cost prescription drugs and vaccinations via the United Nations?
Uhh... because it wouldn’t make money? And uhh... there’s no room to philosophize on that?
34. Keanu Bin Ladin, 3
Speaking of terrorism, could not a film as toxic to the minds of its audience such as this be labelled a Weapon of Mass Destruction? The number of Kurds Saddam Hussein poisoned with his nerve gas is miniscule when compared to the number of brains that have been poisoned by The Matrix. Where is the U.S. military in this situation?
Poisoned the mind? That’s what I like about you, jabroni: you are so assertive it hurts.
35. Still not convinced the first film was rubbish?
The cybernetic army that took over the Earth, says the film, was solar powered. The human resistance responded by blotting out the sky.
A desperate measure, but surely the only choice they had. It was that, or, I don't know, postpone their counterattack until evening.
Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because the SURPLUS ENERGY TIDES THEM OVER UNTIL THE NEXT DAY. They tried to make sure there wasn’t a next day.
36. Huh? 2?
Jamming a huge needle in the back of someone's skull will kill them
Not if your body was evolved to adjust to the Matrix.
37. This is your brain...
Speaking of which, does no one else have the problem with the blatant pro-drug message in these films? The idea that you can be transported to a magical wonderland where you have supernatural powers simply by inserting a needle into your skull?
Is it any coincidence that "jacking" (injecting heroin directly into the brain using a nine-inch long skull needle) became all the rage with our teenagers after this film?
Yes. It IS a coincidence. Maybe because the point of getting into the Matrix was in order to actually get people OUT of it.
38. Hope you haven't just eaten...
And what was that white goo they were eating in the cafeteria? Would you eat something like that, having just seen it spill out of an apparent robot penis?
Probably, if there’s nothing else for you to eat in a world where the sun is blotted out of the sky... you tell me, jabroni.
39. Grow up
The policeman in the opening scene of the first film? Look on the credits and you'll see he's billed as Lt. Geyser Shitdick.
Infantile.
So? And are we even supposed to take your word on this? And all your arguments so far? Aren’t they also...
... Infantile?
40. Do try this at home
Interesting that the stunts on Jackass must carry a "do not attempt at home warning," but in Reloaded Trinity is shown smashing through a skyscraper plate glass window and shooting pistols into the sky as she plummets to the pavement below. Is this something you want your eight year-old doing? Where is the disclaimer?
Oh. Maybe because it’s an R-RATED film? And maybe because Jackass is shown ON TELEVISION? If your 8-year old son is watching this film, is that the maker’s fault?
41. And while we're on the subject...
With children everywhere attempting the first film's stunts, has Warner Bros. reimbursed the families for the Jello stains, torn trousers and bent flatware that resulted?
Prolly not, because it’s an R-RATED film? Man, do we have to keep on repeating this fact, or are you showing this film to all the kids in the world every chance you get?
42. Excuse me? 2
"I'm only good for two things. Degreasing engines and killing brain cells."
And your point is? Is one or two bad lines actually going to really ruin a whole movie? It worked for Titanic, you know. Or did you let go of Jack? (DISCLAIMER: I never said Titanic was a great movie. I just meant it made money regardless of the plague of bad lines...)
43. There's a bug in the logic program!
Cypher, prior to his surprise return at the end of the second film, sells his friends out for a steak dinner. This makes sense, because, as he points out, aboard the ship all they have to eat is the "cold goop" grown in the ship's vats.
Of course, he could always get a steak in the ship's construct. He wouldn't be nourished by it, but it's the experience he wants. Or, they could all stop at an Outback Steakhouse during one of their many trips inside The Matrix.
Eh, betraying all of humanity to eternal enslavement was probably easier.
Uhh... no. He didn’t sell them out for a steak dinner. He sold them out for a chance to go back into the Matrix and forget about ever being unplugged, and then given a prominent life in there. I dunno. Maybe you’re still plugged into the Matrix as a 50-year old retard.
44. There's a bug in the logic program! 2
If they're so hungry for meat, why not just cannabalize some of the humans attached to the Matrix? Their lives mean nothing, anyway.
Maybe because they’re NOT cannibals?
45. PVC problems
If you're going into physical combat, do not wear skin-tight black plastic clothes. The chafing will literally draw blood, as we saw when such uniforms were tried by the French Army.
Wow. I agree with you for the first time. But... skin-tight black leather/plastic just looks way too cool!
46. Moooooooo
Am I wrong to say that, despite the criticism of myself and other members of the intellectual elite, that this film will still make obscene amounts of money in ticket sales? Hollywood knows how to push buttons, and it knows Matrix fans inside and out. These lowing cattle will lap up the multimillion dollar flash and fire just as beasts stand in the pasture and lap up their evening bowls of cow pudding.
Oh, yes, I think it is safe to say that once all you Matrix fanboys out there get a load of the blinding, hyperkinetic Reloaded climax, you'll walk out of the theater still very pale, fat and lonely.
Am I wrong in saying that this “intellectual elite” you are inventing in your own Matrix is not only non-existent, it is undermining every other smart viewer who may or may not like the Matrix for the RIGHT reasons?
47. Also consider...
Keanu Reeves.
Also consider: how being biased against Keanu Reeves does not prove anything.
48. Hacker heroes?
"He's been going for ten hours straight. He's a machine."
That's right. The first indication that Neo was The One was his ability to spend ten hours sitting in a chair. There's your hero, computer dorks! "Hey, check out the neuralkinetics between the chair and his arse!"
Uhh... maybe because the training in the computer is so realistic in the Matrix that it’s just as real as actually training in real life. Ergo, that’s ten hours of martial arts training signified to your brain that your body has already taken. Tell me that’s not difficult, or didn’t you feel the least bit of anguish when your last girlfriend left you for being such an asinine jabroni?
49. Hacker heroes? 2
Computer nerds are heroes? The good ones are listed among an elite, chosen few?
That's odd, because I mastered the complex code it took to format this web page in half an hour. I guess that means I'm The One!
Uhh... can you free other people’s minds? Or is your idea of freeing your mind is taking it out of your head and never using it at all?
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-Dr. Albert Oxford, PhD
Chairman, London Film Institute
And your point is?
Hi! This is Marcelle, and he’s absobloodylutely drained right now.
This has been a very interesting weekend...
Last Saturday, Marcelle was at his brother’s and mother’s joint birthday party. What can he say? The food is simply great, as ever. Well, beyond that, Grace and Marcelle were together again, and they left in a while. Marcelle had a debate tournament to worry about on the following day, but he’ll get into that in a little while. Suffice it to say for now that he just had a lot of things to work out with his academics. Ah, well.
Nonetheless, Marcelle then went off the next day for the debate tournament: Powermatch, to be exact. Now, throughout Marcelle’s debating career, he has run into three kinds of partners:
1. The partner who is better than Marcelle. Obviously, Marcelle listens and learns from the so-called master. Classic example? Any time Marcelle debates alongside the varsity people.
2. The partner who is on par with Marcelle. Usually, this is the kind of partner who is on the same wavelength with him. Ergo, they jive really well. Classic example? Carlo Marquez, Marcelle’s partner on two different occasions, both breaking past the elims, once breaking into the finals. Another one is Rach Syfargo, who broke into the semis with Marcelle as well.
3. The partner who is not as good as Marcelle. What’s great about this kind of debater? They listen to Marcelle.
Here’s the problem in Marcelle’s Powermatch run this year: he got a type 3 debater who DOESN’T freaking listen to him. How annoying is that? It’s simply frustrating to see how your carefully-laid plans completely fall apart because your ruddy partner did not know how to put two and two together. It’s simply annoying to have someone who’s so asinine about maybe being a hotshot in high school debating, assuming it’d take him places in college. Oh, never mind that Marcelle’s been doing this for FOUR years IN COLLEGE, and NEVER FAILING TO BREAK INTO THE SEMIS AT THE VERY LEAST. Dammit, you bastich! You have the gall to assert yourself and think you’re God’s gift to debating? Marcelle wishes he never picked you to be a partner because your folly cost the both of you. Worse, it’s Marcelle’s last chance to win that ruddy thing. Fact is, you can always try to screw things up next year. But no, you decided to do it during Marcelle’s swan song. How thoughtful.
Debating was never Marcelle’s life. Unfortunately, there are things Marcelle still has to prove to the debaters in the ADS, because he knows few of them have ever really given his capabilities much of a thought. He wanted to prove his naysayers wrong and show them that he had what it takes, but all it took was the worst partner ever to ruin everything. Marcelle gets no respect. No respect at all.
Needless to say, this is the first time Marcelle didn’t break past the eliminations.
It was frustrating, really. The first debate was good because Marcelle defined the motion quite adequately, and it netted them second place. The motion on Intellectual Property Rights defined in terms of only the medical industry was a great debate to work with, and of course, if two varsity members were in the equation, then it’s fairly obvious that they had the edge that Marcelle didn’t. But still, that was fine. Second place wasn’t so bad.
And then the next rounds happened.
The second round on giving minors the death penalty was miserable. Marcelle decided to let his partner go first, and not only did he make a total fool of himself, Marcelle’s partner even ignored every single idea he was given on the debate, AND even completely neglected to extend the ruddy debate! How moronic can that be? He was acting like a silly parrot, repeating everything the previous speakers already discussed! It’s amazing how people like this get into the Ateneo, just like someone Marcelle knows who’d sooner buy a game than pay up the money he owes someone he likes to call his ruddy “best friend”. Bastiches, these two are, hrrmm?
The third round was the nail in the coffin. Marcelle made an EXCELLENT speech on why Japan should not have a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, only to have his partner completely ruin it by not only listening to nobody but his asinine self again, but to actually DIRECTLY INSULT one of their opponents by calling him “Wimpy-brained”. It would’ve been fine if it were one bit witty, but nope. Wit is too much of a challenge for Marcelle’s idiotic partner. Do you realize Marcelle has never spoken like this about ANY of his past partners, no matter how bad it was? Yes: it was that annoying.
All throughout, Marcelle’s only glimpses of consolation were the other nice people he had to speak to, especially the former champion of Powermatch who has a shot at this again, as well as the numerous nice people who looked like they came from ICA (But most actually didn’t.)...
It was also good to hear from Carlo Marquez again, Marcelle’s former partner. In a fit of indignance, he texted the guy, who’s already in Law School. Good times all around. There’s a guy who believes Marcelle should’ve been in varsity. Ergo, if he doesn’t even get to be allowed to try out, what a ruddy travesty!
*Going back out of character...*
Dani has been such a boon to me after that debating nightmare. You might say that I was so ticked off that even the other debaters sensed it right away. Some of them were genuinely surprised I didn’t break, but then took it back when they realized who the Hades my ruddy partner was. I’m glad she was around to listen to me vituperate, and then we even ran into Amby from Radio 1 there. I owe Dani big time, I suppose.
I spoke to Abby today. She’s doing fine, so it seems. All the stress over the thesis is pretty annoying, though. Nonetheless, I’m glad she’s been nice to speak to me, and I hope she’d be there as well this Saturday, along with Bro. I had to tell her that if she became Cum Laude and I didn’t, that’d be really depressing. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t want to think about that anymore...
*jaded* has been really nice to me lately. I suppose I can’t help but be grateful she’s starting to reach out to me again, and I really appreciated it when she gave me an SMS, no matter how seemingly insignificant it was, it does help a bit. I’m way over being angry at her for past issues, but the pain is still there. It still makes me feel bad every time I recall that I missed her 18th birthday, and I’m sorry to say this, but the pain is still there. I don’t hold it against her, nor do I hate her, but I’m still hurting. Because I know she will never turn 18 again. And I miss the times we just hung around Berch’s and talking from four until seven in the evening. I miss the person I once called my best friend. But for me to have to be the one to reach out is not a matter of pride on my part: it’s a matter that brings me much pain.
I hate being like this. I know we’re going to work this out, because I don’t think either of us can possibly say that the friendship meant nothing, even if I was not part of her special night, or if I was assumed to be “just like the rest”. There were words let out on both sides that could’ve been better off unsaid. I know where I went wrong, and I give her enough credit to know where she did. It’s not impossible to repair, but the fact remains that in the here and now, I am hurt. Because the pain was just too much for me to deal with. I hate being this sentimental. I hate having to miss a person like her, because the power to work this out lies in her hands, and no amount of missing her on my part will ever allow me to wield that chance to fix things myself, lest I bleed myself to death emotionally in the process.
I am such a sucker for punishment. I seem to love letting myself get hurt like this, and it just completely makes me feel like a wretch.
This has been a very interesting weekend...
Last Saturday, Marcelle was at his brother’s and mother’s joint birthday party. What can he say? The food is simply great, as ever. Well, beyond that, Grace and Marcelle were together again, and they left in a while. Marcelle had a debate tournament to worry about on the following day, but he’ll get into that in a little while. Suffice it to say for now that he just had a lot of things to work out with his academics. Ah, well.
Nonetheless, Marcelle then went off the next day for the debate tournament: Powermatch, to be exact. Now, throughout Marcelle’s debating career, he has run into three kinds of partners:
1. The partner who is better than Marcelle. Obviously, Marcelle listens and learns from the so-called master. Classic example? Any time Marcelle debates alongside the varsity people.
2. The partner who is on par with Marcelle. Usually, this is the kind of partner who is on the same wavelength with him. Ergo, they jive really well. Classic example? Carlo Marquez, Marcelle’s partner on two different occasions, both breaking past the elims, once breaking into the finals. Another one is Rach Syfargo, who broke into the semis with Marcelle as well.
3. The partner who is not as good as Marcelle. What’s great about this kind of debater? They listen to Marcelle.
Here’s the problem in Marcelle’s Powermatch run this year: he got a type 3 debater who DOESN’T freaking listen to him. How annoying is that? It’s simply frustrating to see how your carefully-laid plans completely fall apart because your ruddy partner did not know how to put two and two together. It’s simply annoying to have someone who’s so asinine about maybe being a hotshot in high school debating, assuming it’d take him places in college. Oh, never mind that Marcelle’s been doing this for FOUR years IN COLLEGE, and NEVER FAILING TO BREAK INTO THE SEMIS AT THE VERY LEAST. Dammit, you bastich! You have the gall to assert yourself and think you’re God’s gift to debating? Marcelle wishes he never picked you to be a partner because your folly cost the both of you. Worse, it’s Marcelle’s last chance to win that ruddy thing. Fact is, you can always try to screw things up next year. But no, you decided to do it during Marcelle’s swan song. How thoughtful.
Debating was never Marcelle’s life. Unfortunately, there are things Marcelle still has to prove to the debaters in the ADS, because he knows few of them have ever really given his capabilities much of a thought. He wanted to prove his naysayers wrong and show them that he had what it takes, but all it took was the worst partner ever to ruin everything. Marcelle gets no respect. No respect at all.
Needless to say, this is the first time Marcelle didn’t break past the eliminations.
It was frustrating, really. The first debate was good because Marcelle defined the motion quite adequately, and it netted them second place. The motion on Intellectual Property Rights defined in terms of only the medical industry was a great debate to work with, and of course, if two varsity members were in the equation, then it’s fairly obvious that they had the edge that Marcelle didn’t. But still, that was fine. Second place wasn’t so bad.
And then the next rounds happened.
The second round on giving minors the death penalty was miserable. Marcelle decided to let his partner go first, and not only did he make a total fool of himself, Marcelle’s partner even ignored every single idea he was given on the debate, AND even completely neglected to extend the ruddy debate! How moronic can that be? He was acting like a silly parrot, repeating everything the previous speakers already discussed! It’s amazing how people like this get into the Ateneo, just like someone Marcelle knows who’d sooner buy a game than pay up the money he owes someone he likes to call his ruddy “best friend”. Bastiches, these two are, hrrmm?
The third round was the nail in the coffin. Marcelle made an EXCELLENT speech on why Japan should not have a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, only to have his partner completely ruin it by not only listening to nobody but his asinine self again, but to actually DIRECTLY INSULT one of their opponents by calling him “Wimpy-brained”. It would’ve been fine if it were one bit witty, but nope. Wit is too much of a challenge for Marcelle’s idiotic partner. Do you realize Marcelle has never spoken like this about ANY of his past partners, no matter how bad it was? Yes: it was that annoying.
All throughout, Marcelle’s only glimpses of consolation were the other nice people he had to speak to, especially the former champion of Powermatch who has a shot at this again, as well as the numerous nice people who looked like they came from ICA (But most actually didn’t.)...
It was also good to hear from Carlo Marquez again, Marcelle’s former partner. In a fit of indignance, he texted the guy, who’s already in Law School. Good times all around. There’s a guy who believes Marcelle should’ve been in varsity. Ergo, if he doesn’t even get to be allowed to try out, what a ruddy travesty!
*Going back out of character...*
Dani has been such a boon to me after that debating nightmare. You might say that I was so ticked off that even the other debaters sensed it right away. Some of them were genuinely surprised I didn’t break, but then took it back when they realized who the Hades my ruddy partner was. I’m glad she was around to listen to me vituperate, and then we even ran into Amby from Radio 1 there. I owe Dani big time, I suppose.
I spoke to Abby today. She’s doing fine, so it seems. All the stress over the thesis is pretty annoying, though. Nonetheless, I’m glad she’s been nice to speak to me, and I hope she’d be there as well this Saturday, along with Bro. I had to tell her that if she became Cum Laude and I didn’t, that’d be really depressing. Nonetheless, I wouldn’t want to think about that anymore...
*jaded* has been really nice to me lately. I suppose I can’t help but be grateful she’s starting to reach out to me again, and I really appreciated it when she gave me an SMS, no matter how seemingly insignificant it was, it does help a bit. I’m way over being angry at her for past issues, but the pain is still there. It still makes me feel bad every time I recall that I missed her 18th birthday, and I’m sorry to say this, but the pain is still there. I don’t hold it against her, nor do I hate her, but I’m still hurting. Because I know she will never turn 18 again. And I miss the times we just hung around Berch’s and talking from four until seven in the evening. I miss the person I once called my best friend. But for me to have to be the one to reach out is not a matter of pride on my part: it’s a matter that brings me much pain.
I hate being like this. I know we’re going to work this out, because I don’t think either of us can possibly say that the friendship meant nothing, even if I was not part of her special night, or if I was assumed to be “just like the rest”. There were words let out on both sides that could’ve been better off unsaid. I know where I went wrong, and I give her enough credit to know where she did. It’s not impossible to repair, but the fact remains that in the here and now, I am hurt. Because the pain was just too much for me to deal with. I hate being this sentimental. I hate having to miss a person like her, because the power to work this out lies in her hands, and no amount of missing her on my part will ever allow me to wield that chance to fix things myself, lest I bleed myself to death emotionally in the process.
I am such a sucker for punishment. I seem to love letting myself get hurt like this, and it just completely makes me feel like a wretch.
Saturday, September 20, 2003
I'm too lazy to translate right now. Feel free to tell me if my grammar/spelling is off. I typed this out as fast as I can, and I could've gone longer, but our quota is five pages. I was willing to hit ten... :)
Notice that my fourth argument, the argument from causality, was completely stricken. I can't use it without going beyond five pages, that's why.
**************************************************
Tanong: Sa pagpapalagay na mayroong perpektong Diyos na lubos ang kapangyarihan at karanungan, maaari bang magkaroon ng malayang kalooban ang tao?
Sa larangan ng Pilosopiya, ang usapin ukol sa pagkakaroon o di-pagkakaroon ng malayang kalooban ng tao ay isa sa pinakamadalas pagtalunan. May mga nagsasabing talagang malaya tayo, katulad nina Sartre. Ang mga katulad naman ni Holbach ay naniniwalang hindi tayo malaya, at tumatalima lamang tayo sa kausalidad. Para kina Ayer naman, may kalayaan tayo, subalit hindi ito absoluto dahil sa mga batas ng kalikasan na naglilimita pa rin sa ating mga kakayahan. Sa debate ng malayang kalooban ng tao, lalong nagiging interesante ang talakayan kung ipagpapalagay ang eksistensya ng Diyos. Higit pang lumalalim ang talakayan sapagkat nagkakaroon na ng isang sangkap ang usapin na labas sa kalikasan at sa kalikasan mismo ng tao.
Si San Agustin, sa kanyang artikulong pinamagatang “Banal na Kaalaman-Bago-Pa-Mangyari at ang Malayang Pagloloob ng Tao”, ay sinubukang tugunan ito. Naniniwala siya na malaya pa rin ang tao sapagkat kahit nilikha siya ng Diyos, ang pagloloob ng tao ay kanyang-kanya lamang, at hindi hawak ng Diyos. Kahit alam ng Diyos kung ano ang loloobin natin, hindi ito nangangahulugang Siya ang nagtutulak sa ating gawin ito. Hindi ito nagiging isang nesesidad kahit alam Niyang ito ang mangyayari, o kahit na sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang kaalaman, hindi maaaring mangyari ang taliwas sa Kanyang alam na mangyayari. Tinalakay niya kung tao pa rin ang gagawa ng bagay na alam ng Diyos na gagawin niya, malaya pa rin ang ginagawa ng tao dahil walang-hanggan ang Panginoon at hindi namamalagi sa daloy ng panahon.
Kung nais nating talakayin kung tama nga ang sinasabi ni San Agustin ukol sa kalayaan natin, nararapat na akuhin natin sa ating argumentasyon ang mga ilan niyang ipinagpapalagay. Sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng parehong pinagbabatayang mga palagay, mas mainam nating masusuri ang mga pangangatwiran ni San Agustin. Una: ipagpapalagay nating mayroon talagang Diyos. Ikalawa: ipagpapalagay natin na ang Diyos na ito ay lubos ang kapangyarihan. Ikatlo: ipagpapalagay natin na ang Diyos na ito ay lubos ang kaalaman. At ikaapat: dahil sa ang Diyos ay lubos ang kapangyarihan at kaalaman, ipagpapalagay natin na ang Diyos ay perpekto.
Ngayon, para sa atin, hindi ang banal na kaalaman-bago-pa-man-mangyari ang ating pagtutuunan ng pansin, kundi ang mismong kalayaan ng loob ng tao. Para kay San Agustin, malaya talaga ito. Subalit nararapat nating pag-usapan ngayon ang mga problema sa naging pangangatwiran ni San Agustin sa loob ng tatlong puntong tumataliwas sa kanya.
Unang-una, sa larangan ng henetika, nakikita natin na sa bawat nagdadaan na taon, mas lumalapit ang mga henetiko sa pagpapatunay na ang lahat ng ginagawa ng mga tao ay mga kilos na dinudulot lamang ng mga prosesong kemikal sa kanilang utak. Sa pagkakataong mapatunayan ito, tapos na ang diskusyon: hindi tayo malaya dahil lahat ng ating ginagawa ay pawang mga kemikal na prosesong hindi naman natin talaga kontrolado. Sa ating ipinagpapalagay na mayroong Diyos kung magkakatotoo ito, nangangahulugan lamang na Siya ang nagsaayos ng mga kemikal na prosesong ito. Alam nating problematiko ang argumentong ito dahil hindi pa maaaring patunayan, kaya’t mas mainam na magbigay ng iba pa.
Ikalawa, alam nating atomistiko ang argumento ni San Agustin ukol sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos. Tinangka niyang ihiwalay ang kalooban ng tao, samantalang ang Diyos na naglikha sa atin ay lubos ang kapangyarihan. Kung lubos ang Kanyang kapangyarihan, hindi ba mas kapani-paniwala na sa Kanyang paglikha sa atin, lubos din ang Kanyang paggawa nito? Sa madaling salita, kung maging ang ating kalooban ay lubos na nilikha ng Diyos, sa kanya pa rin nanggagaling ang ating mga iniloloob, at kung gayon, hindi malaya ang ating pagloloob. Ang ating pagloloob, sa ganitong punto, ay nakasalalay sa Diyos, na laban sa paniniwala ni San Agustin na kaiba at hindi sumasalalay sa Diyos ang ating kalooban. Ang tanong natin ay: paano masasabi ni San Agustin na nilikha tayo ng isang Diyos, at bibigyan ng kakayahang magloob na hindi Niya lilikhain ng buo upang maiwan na lamang sa pagkakataon ang ating mga gagawin? Hindi ba ito tumataliwas sa pagpapalagay niya na lubos ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos kung walang kinalaman ang Diyos sa mga bagay na ating niloloob?
Malaki ang problema ni San Agustin sa kanyang paninindigan na walang kinalaman ang Diyos sa ating pagloloob dahil nararapat pa ring isipin na ang Diyos mismo ang naglikha ng tao at ang kanyang kakayahang magloob. Kung gayon, ang ating pagkabuhay sa lupa ay nakasalalay pa rin sa Kanya, at maging ang ating mga niloob, niloloob, at loloobin ay nagmula rin sa Kanya.
Kung ipagpaparaya natin ang pagiging atomistiko ni Agustin at sasabihin na talagang nilikha lang tayo ng Panginoon at matapos noon ay nag-eksistensya na tayo, masasabi ba nating malaya talaga tayo? Hindi pa rin, sapagkat ang pangatlong punto ay ang katotohanan na sa harap ng pagkakaroon ng isang Diyos, nauuna ang ating esensya sa ating eksistensya. Kung anuman ang ating magiging esensya, iyon mismo ang magiging patnubay natin sa lahat ng gagawin natin sa ating eksistensya. Pagbigyan natin si San Agustin at esensya lang ang nililikha ng Diyos, at tayo ang lumilikha sa ating pagkatao sa ating eksistensya. Malaya ba tayo kung gayon? Hindi pa rin! Hindi ba’t ang Diyos ang lumikha sa ating esensya? Kung gayon, hindi ba’t dahil ang batayan ng ating mga gagawin sa ating eksistensya ay ang ating esensya, maituturo pa rin na hawak pa rin ng Panginoon ang ating eksistensya?
Ngayong nailahad natin ang ating mga pagtutol kay San Agustin, tiyak ba nating masasabi ngayon na hindi tayo malaya? Ah, mabuti sana kung ganito kadali ang pamimilosopiya. Nararapat nating isipin na mayroong mga kahirapan ang pag-amin sa kawalan natin ng kalayaan, at sa harap nito, kinakailangan nating hindi lang tuligsain si San Agustin, kundi ipagtanggol din ang magiging sitwasyon kung wala talaga tayong kalayaan.
Unang-una, sa kawalan ng kalayaan ng taong magloob, masasabi natin na “kasalanan” ng Diyos ang lahat ng kasamaan sa mundo. Dahil pagtalima lamang sa ating pagkakalikha ang lahat ng ating ginagawa, Siya ang may pananagutan sa lahat nangyayari sa mundo.
Malaking suliranin ito ng moralidad, subalit kinakaligtaan ng argumentong ito na ang pananaw ng tao ay limitado kung ihahambing sa pananaw ng Panginoon. Ang isang buong bansa para sa langgam ay hamak na hardin lamang para sa tao. Kung ang pagpatay ng ipis ay karahasan para sa mga ipis, ito ay kabutihan para sa tao. Sa harap ng Diyos, mas maliit pa tayo sa mga langgam, at kung gayon, ang ating pananaw ay hindi maaaring maging tiyak na tumutugma sa Kanyang pananaw. Bilang Diyos na umaakay sa sanlibutan, ang Kanyang perspektiba ay isang malawak na pagtingin. Ang Kanyang Plano ay isang Plano na hindi marahil maunawaan ng limitadong tao. Kung gayon, hindi natin masasabing masama ang Diyos, dahil ang batayan natin kung ano ang masama at mabuti ay masyadong limitado upang ihambing sa Kanya.
Ang isa pang suliranin ay ang paniniwala ng mga ibang manunulat katulad ni Santo Tomas de Aquino na ang Diyos ay mapagmahal. Kung mapagmahal ang Diyos, hindi Niya ipagkakait sa atin ang kalayaan dahil nilikha Niya tayong kawangis Niya. Higit pa nito, kung perpekto Siya at kontrolado Niya ang lahat, bakit hindi perpekto ang mundo?
May kahirapan ang ganitong puna dahil nagbibigay ito ng katangian sa Diyos na hindi pangkalahatan. Ang ganitong katangian ay mula sa lente ng mga Kristiyano at Hudyo, at hindi maaaring ipagpalagay sa ating pagtalakay. May mga ibang katangian ang Diyos na ipinagpapalagay ng ibang mga relihiyon na hindi natin sinasang-ayunan, at sa diwa ng makatarungang pakikipagbuno, hindi natin maipagpapalagay ito. Kung gayon, hindi tayo makakatiyak na mapagmahal nga ang Diyos. Sa isang banda rin, dahil Siya lang ang Diyos, kahit na perpekto pa ang Kanyang pagkakalikha sa lahat, ang Kanyang nililikha ay hindi perpekto, dahil ang pagiging perpekto ay isang katangiang maiuukol sa Diyos lamang.
Sa bandang huli, nararapat itanong ng may-akda sa kaniyang sarili: naniniwala ba siya na hindi siya malaya? Marahil, mainam maniwala sa isang Diyos na lubos ang kapangyarihan at may isang banal na Planong lumalampas sa ating maaaring mabatid. Sa likod nito, hindi pa rin masasabi ng may-akda na komportable siya dito. Iniisip niya na siya ang pumili na isulat ang sanaysay na ito, at hindi ito idinikta lamang sa kanya ng Diyos. Iniisip niya na iniakda niya ito hindi dahil ito ay nesesidad kundi dahil kanyang pinagnilayan ito ng maigi. Nakakagambala sa kanya ang pag-iisip na hindi siya malaya. Ilang linggo siyang nakipagtalastasan sa mga iba’t-ibang mga guro at kaibigan ukol sa paksang ito, at kung lahat ng ito ay pawang programa lamang na tumatakbo sa kanyang pagkatao, namumuhi lamang siya sa akdang ito.
May patibay man laban sa ating kalayaan, hindi pa rin maikakaila na ang paraan ng ating pamumuhay ay isang pagpapalagay ng ating kalayaan. Walang makakapagsabing nabubuhay siya na umuukol sa kaalamang hindi siya malaya dahil alam niyang pinag-isipan niya ang paninindigan na ito, at kaduda-duda ang kawalan ng kalayaan sa proseso ng kanyang pagtuklas.
Ayon kay William James, sa iyong pagloloob na maniwala, malalampasan mo ang mga obhetibong tanong na gumagambala sa iyo. Sa harap ng posibilidad na ang mismong pagloloob ay kontrolado ng iba, tila nawawala ang halaga ng pananampalataya. Bakit pa mananampalataya si Marcelle kung ganoon pala? O maging ang pagdududang ito ay bahagi rin ba ng Plano Niya?
Notice that my fourth argument, the argument from causality, was completely stricken. I can't use it without going beyond five pages, that's why.
**************************************************
Tanong: Sa pagpapalagay na mayroong perpektong Diyos na lubos ang kapangyarihan at karanungan, maaari bang magkaroon ng malayang kalooban ang tao?
Sa larangan ng Pilosopiya, ang usapin ukol sa pagkakaroon o di-pagkakaroon ng malayang kalooban ng tao ay isa sa pinakamadalas pagtalunan. May mga nagsasabing talagang malaya tayo, katulad nina Sartre. Ang mga katulad naman ni Holbach ay naniniwalang hindi tayo malaya, at tumatalima lamang tayo sa kausalidad. Para kina Ayer naman, may kalayaan tayo, subalit hindi ito absoluto dahil sa mga batas ng kalikasan na naglilimita pa rin sa ating mga kakayahan. Sa debate ng malayang kalooban ng tao, lalong nagiging interesante ang talakayan kung ipagpapalagay ang eksistensya ng Diyos. Higit pang lumalalim ang talakayan sapagkat nagkakaroon na ng isang sangkap ang usapin na labas sa kalikasan at sa kalikasan mismo ng tao.
Si San Agustin, sa kanyang artikulong pinamagatang “Banal na Kaalaman-Bago-Pa-Mangyari at ang Malayang Pagloloob ng Tao”, ay sinubukang tugunan ito. Naniniwala siya na malaya pa rin ang tao sapagkat kahit nilikha siya ng Diyos, ang pagloloob ng tao ay kanyang-kanya lamang, at hindi hawak ng Diyos. Kahit alam ng Diyos kung ano ang loloobin natin, hindi ito nangangahulugang Siya ang nagtutulak sa ating gawin ito. Hindi ito nagiging isang nesesidad kahit alam Niyang ito ang mangyayari, o kahit na sa pamamagitan ng Kanyang kaalaman, hindi maaaring mangyari ang taliwas sa Kanyang alam na mangyayari. Tinalakay niya kung tao pa rin ang gagawa ng bagay na alam ng Diyos na gagawin niya, malaya pa rin ang ginagawa ng tao dahil walang-hanggan ang Panginoon at hindi namamalagi sa daloy ng panahon.
Kung nais nating talakayin kung tama nga ang sinasabi ni San Agustin ukol sa kalayaan natin, nararapat na akuhin natin sa ating argumentasyon ang mga ilan niyang ipinagpapalagay. Sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng parehong pinagbabatayang mga palagay, mas mainam nating masusuri ang mga pangangatwiran ni San Agustin. Una: ipagpapalagay nating mayroon talagang Diyos. Ikalawa: ipagpapalagay natin na ang Diyos na ito ay lubos ang kapangyarihan. Ikatlo: ipagpapalagay natin na ang Diyos na ito ay lubos ang kaalaman. At ikaapat: dahil sa ang Diyos ay lubos ang kapangyarihan at kaalaman, ipagpapalagay natin na ang Diyos ay perpekto.
Ngayon, para sa atin, hindi ang banal na kaalaman-bago-pa-man-mangyari ang ating pagtutuunan ng pansin, kundi ang mismong kalayaan ng loob ng tao. Para kay San Agustin, malaya talaga ito. Subalit nararapat nating pag-usapan ngayon ang mga problema sa naging pangangatwiran ni San Agustin sa loob ng tatlong puntong tumataliwas sa kanya.
Unang-una, sa larangan ng henetika, nakikita natin na sa bawat nagdadaan na taon, mas lumalapit ang mga henetiko sa pagpapatunay na ang lahat ng ginagawa ng mga tao ay mga kilos na dinudulot lamang ng mga prosesong kemikal sa kanilang utak. Sa pagkakataong mapatunayan ito, tapos na ang diskusyon: hindi tayo malaya dahil lahat ng ating ginagawa ay pawang mga kemikal na prosesong hindi naman natin talaga kontrolado. Sa ating ipinagpapalagay na mayroong Diyos kung magkakatotoo ito, nangangahulugan lamang na Siya ang nagsaayos ng mga kemikal na prosesong ito. Alam nating problematiko ang argumentong ito dahil hindi pa maaaring patunayan, kaya’t mas mainam na magbigay ng iba pa.
Ikalawa, alam nating atomistiko ang argumento ni San Agustin ukol sa kapangyarihan ng Diyos. Tinangka niyang ihiwalay ang kalooban ng tao, samantalang ang Diyos na naglikha sa atin ay lubos ang kapangyarihan. Kung lubos ang Kanyang kapangyarihan, hindi ba mas kapani-paniwala na sa Kanyang paglikha sa atin, lubos din ang Kanyang paggawa nito? Sa madaling salita, kung maging ang ating kalooban ay lubos na nilikha ng Diyos, sa kanya pa rin nanggagaling ang ating mga iniloloob, at kung gayon, hindi malaya ang ating pagloloob. Ang ating pagloloob, sa ganitong punto, ay nakasalalay sa Diyos, na laban sa paniniwala ni San Agustin na kaiba at hindi sumasalalay sa Diyos ang ating kalooban. Ang tanong natin ay: paano masasabi ni San Agustin na nilikha tayo ng isang Diyos, at bibigyan ng kakayahang magloob na hindi Niya lilikhain ng buo upang maiwan na lamang sa pagkakataon ang ating mga gagawin? Hindi ba ito tumataliwas sa pagpapalagay niya na lubos ang kapangyarihan ng Diyos kung walang kinalaman ang Diyos sa mga bagay na ating niloloob?
Malaki ang problema ni San Agustin sa kanyang paninindigan na walang kinalaman ang Diyos sa ating pagloloob dahil nararapat pa ring isipin na ang Diyos mismo ang naglikha ng tao at ang kanyang kakayahang magloob. Kung gayon, ang ating pagkabuhay sa lupa ay nakasalalay pa rin sa Kanya, at maging ang ating mga niloob, niloloob, at loloobin ay nagmula rin sa Kanya.
Kung ipagpaparaya natin ang pagiging atomistiko ni Agustin at sasabihin na talagang nilikha lang tayo ng Panginoon at matapos noon ay nag-eksistensya na tayo, masasabi ba nating malaya talaga tayo? Hindi pa rin, sapagkat ang pangatlong punto ay ang katotohanan na sa harap ng pagkakaroon ng isang Diyos, nauuna ang ating esensya sa ating eksistensya. Kung anuman ang ating magiging esensya, iyon mismo ang magiging patnubay natin sa lahat ng gagawin natin sa ating eksistensya. Pagbigyan natin si San Agustin at esensya lang ang nililikha ng Diyos, at tayo ang lumilikha sa ating pagkatao sa ating eksistensya. Malaya ba tayo kung gayon? Hindi pa rin! Hindi ba’t ang Diyos ang lumikha sa ating esensya? Kung gayon, hindi ba’t dahil ang batayan ng ating mga gagawin sa ating eksistensya ay ang ating esensya, maituturo pa rin na hawak pa rin ng Panginoon ang ating eksistensya?
Ngayong nailahad natin ang ating mga pagtutol kay San Agustin, tiyak ba nating masasabi ngayon na hindi tayo malaya? Ah, mabuti sana kung ganito kadali ang pamimilosopiya. Nararapat nating isipin na mayroong mga kahirapan ang pag-amin sa kawalan natin ng kalayaan, at sa harap nito, kinakailangan nating hindi lang tuligsain si San Agustin, kundi ipagtanggol din ang magiging sitwasyon kung wala talaga tayong kalayaan.
Unang-una, sa kawalan ng kalayaan ng taong magloob, masasabi natin na “kasalanan” ng Diyos ang lahat ng kasamaan sa mundo. Dahil pagtalima lamang sa ating pagkakalikha ang lahat ng ating ginagawa, Siya ang may pananagutan sa lahat nangyayari sa mundo.
Malaking suliranin ito ng moralidad, subalit kinakaligtaan ng argumentong ito na ang pananaw ng tao ay limitado kung ihahambing sa pananaw ng Panginoon. Ang isang buong bansa para sa langgam ay hamak na hardin lamang para sa tao. Kung ang pagpatay ng ipis ay karahasan para sa mga ipis, ito ay kabutihan para sa tao. Sa harap ng Diyos, mas maliit pa tayo sa mga langgam, at kung gayon, ang ating pananaw ay hindi maaaring maging tiyak na tumutugma sa Kanyang pananaw. Bilang Diyos na umaakay sa sanlibutan, ang Kanyang perspektiba ay isang malawak na pagtingin. Ang Kanyang Plano ay isang Plano na hindi marahil maunawaan ng limitadong tao. Kung gayon, hindi natin masasabing masama ang Diyos, dahil ang batayan natin kung ano ang masama at mabuti ay masyadong limitado upang ihambing sa Kanya.
Ang isa pang suliranin ay ang paniniwala ng mga ibang manunulat katulad ni Santo Tomas de Aquino na ang Diyos ay mapagmahal. Kung mapagmahal ang Diyos, hindi Niya ipagkakait sa atin ang kalayaan dahil nilikha Niya tayong kawangis Niya. Higit pa nito, kung perpekto Siya at kontrolado Niya ang lahat, bakit hindi perpekto ang mundo?
May kahirapan ang ganitong puna dahil nagbibigay ito ng katangian sa Diyos na hindi pangkalahatan. Ang ganitong katangian ay mula sa lente ng mga Kristiyano at Hudyo, at hindi maaaring ipagpalagay sa ating pagtalakay. May mga ibang katangian ang Diyos na ipinagpapalagay ng ibang mga relihiyon na hindi natin sinasang-ayunan, at sa diwa ng makatarungang pakikipagbuno, hindi natin maipagpapalagay ito. Kung gayon, hindi tayo makakatiyak na mapagmahal nga ang Diyos. Sa isang banda rin, dahil Siya lang ang Diyos, kahit na perpekto pa ang Kanyang pagkakalikha sa lahat, ang Kanyang nililikha ay hindi perpekto, dahil ang pagiging perpekto ay isang katangiang maiuukol sa Diyos lamang.
Sa bandang huli, nararapat itanong ng may-akda sa kaniyang sarili: naniniwala ba siya na hindi siya malaya? Marahil, mainam maniwala sa isang Diyos na lubos ang kapangyarihan at may isang banal na Planong lumalampas sa ating maaaring mabatid. Sa likod nito, hindi pa rin masasabi ng may-akda na komportable siya dito. Iniisip niya na siya ang pumili na isulat ang sanaysay na ito, at hindi ito idinikta lamang sa kanya ng Diyos. Iniisip niya na iniakda niya ito hindi dahil ito ay nesesidad kundi dahil kanyang pinagnilayan ito ng maigi. Nakakagambala sa kanya ang pag-iisip na hindi siya malaya. Ilang linggo siyang nakipagtalastasan sa mga iba’t-ibang mga guro at kaibigan ukol sa paksang ito, at kung lahat ng ito ay pawang programa lamang na tumatakbo sa kanyang pagkatao, namumuhi lamang siya sa akdang ito.
May patibay man laban sa ating kalayaan, hindi pa rin maikakaila na ang paraan ng ating pamumuhay ay isang pagpapalagay ng ating kalayaan. Walang makakapagsabing nabubuhay siya na umuukol sa kaalamang hindi siya malaya dahil alam niyang pinag-isipan niya ang paninindigan na ito, at kaduda-duda ang kawalan ng kalayaan sa proseso ng kanyang pagtuklas.
Ayon kay William James, sa iyong pagloloob na maniwala, malalampasan mo ang mga obhetibong tanong na gumagambala sa iyo. Sa harap ng posibilidad na ang mismong pagloloob ay kontrolado ng iba, tila nawawala ang halaga ng pananampalataya. Bakit pa mananampalataya si Marcelle kung ganoon pala? O maging ang pagdududang ito ay bahagi rin ba ng Plano Niya?
Friday, September 19, 2003
Currently stressed out over pulling an all-nighter. I'll try writing next time...
But yeah, the stuff that happened were pretty okay...
.:Addendum:.
Spoke to *jaded* some time ago. Is it just me or do I relize how I miss the old times? I didn't want to have to say this out loud, but there goes a person who really is special to me. I guess we ended up wounding each other over recent events, and I'm assuming she wants some more time away from the friendship to think this over, and I respect that. I guess I'm looking like the fool here again, rambling on about how much I miss her friendship. I didn't really take it for granted, but I was still too blind... and now, I'm still paying the price. So here I am, still waiting for her to tell me it's okay and it's time to start rebuilding. I left that power in her hands. I'm not wresting it back from her.
Well, actually, it was a long night. Good Gawd, Elbert and I were slaving over the Theology paper, and I have to say: sans any substances, a person who can hold his own in an intelligent conversation is indeed the perfect way to keep me awake. Most of the time, if I wasn't typing or eating, I was trying to keep Elbert awake, as my main focus was to do the theological part of the paper, as well as a few recommendations. In spite of that, I suppose what made it really good was the fact that fortuitous help from one of our groupmates came at the exact moment we needed it. You might say that thanx to Gar's input, our work suddenly became leaps and bounds easier AND more productive. Ah, well. That's all good, really, but I must've had only two or three hours of sleep, an all-time low for me. To this very moment, I'm still pretty ruddy sleepy, and then it's not like any of my other academic concerns are going away any time soon... Errgghhh. It's annoying, really. I'm so stressed out. There's still debating on Sunday, for pete's sake!
Lately, I noticed how really bad the quality of my posts has gotten. It's really something I couldn't help, as I rarely have time to process my thoughts lately. I can't even write in my (Hard copy.) journal, anymore. It's gotten to a point where all this archiving I've been doing has been making me so tired and stressed out that it's almost a chore. Only at this very moment do I feel I'm having fun writing, and there's no guarantee that this second wind will last me through the next few posts. I think just this one would be enough already, as I really don't want to be all too demanding, really. Heh. Nonetheless, I'm pretty much fine at this point, especially since I finally got myself a Phoenix!!! How long have I been vituperating about being stuck at this point in the game? Around half a year already, at least. Thank goodness I have a Phoenix now...
Tsumenki: Get well soon, jabroni...
Maia: Doing fine?
The usual suspects: I'll be seeing you jabronis soon...
So anyways, this post will not be my most coherent post ever. Why not? Let's talk about what happened at Elbert's last night again...
Actually, that niece Elbert's been talking about on his weblog all the time really lived up to the hype. She's really cute and adorable, and thank goodness, she's not the "Baaaattttaaa!!!" material that a certain person I know obviously craves for with a passion. Nonetheless, the night there was pretty eventful, as a shortage of a Filipino Bible led Elbert to call his girlfriend, who has a copy, and then took dictation from her. According to Elbert, she's not to keen on her Filipino, so major props to her for the effort... it was splendid.
I think that's all I can recall for the moment... see you soon, jabronis!
But yeah, the stuff that happened were pretty okay...
.:Addendum:.
Spoke to *jaded* some time ago. Is it just me or do I relize how I miss the old times? I didn't want to have to say this out loud, but there goes a person who really is special to me. I guess we ended up wounding each other over recent events, and I'm assuming she wants some more time away from the friendship to think this over, and I respect that. I guess I'm looking like the fool here again, rambling on about how much I miss her friendship. I didn't really take it for granted, but I was still too blind... and now, I'm still paying the price. So here I am, still waiting for her to tell me it's okay and it's time to start rebuilding. I left that power in her hands. I'm not wresting it back from her.
Well, actually, it was a long night. Good Gawd, Elbert and I were slaving over the Theology paper, and I have to say: sans any substances, a person who can hold his own in an intelligent conversation is indeed the perfect way to keep me awake. Most of the time, if I wasn't typing or eating, I was trying to keep Elbert awake, as my main focus was to do the theological part of the paper, as well as a few recommendations. In spite of that, I suppose what made it really good was the fact that fortuitous help from one of our groupmates came at the exact moment we needed it. You might say that thanx to Gar's input, our work suddenly became leaps and bounds easier AND more productive. Ah, well. That's all good, really, but I must've had only two or three hours of sleep, an all-time low for me. To this very moment, I'm still pretty ruddy sleepy, and then it's not like any of my other academic concerns are going away any time soon... Errgghhh. It's annoying, really. I'm so stressed out. There's still debating on Sunday, for pete's sake!
Lately, I noticed how really bad the quality of my posts has gotten. It's really something I couldn't help, as I rarely have time to process my thoughts lately. I can't even write in my (Hard copy.) journal, anymore. It's gotten to a point where all this archiving I've been doing has been making me so tired and stressed out that it's almost a chore. Only at this very moment do I feel I'm having fun writing, and there's no guarantee that this second wind will last me through the next few posts. I think just this one would be enough already, as I really don't want to be all too demanding, really. Heh. Nonetheless, I'm pretty much fine at this point, especially since I finally got myself a Phoenix!!! How long have I been vituperating about being stuck at this point in the game? Around half a year already, at least. Thank goodness I have a Phoenix now...
Tsumenki: Get well soon, jabroni...
Maia: Doing fine?
The usual suspects: I'll be seeing you jabronis soon...
So anyways, this post will not be my most coherent post ever. Why not? Let's talk about what happened at Elbert's last night again...
Actually, that niece Elbert's been talking about on his weblog all the time really lived up to the hype. She's really cute and adorable, and thank goodness, she's not the "Baaaattttaaa!!!" material that a certain person I know obviously craves for with a passion. Nonetheless, the night there was pretty eventful, as a shortage of a Filipino Bible led Elbert to call his girlfriend, who has a copy, and then took dictation from her. According to Elbert, she's not to keen on her Filipino, so major props to her for the effort... it was splendid.
I think that's all I can recall for the moment... see you soon, jabronis!
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Okay... let's see what I've been up to the past few days...
For one, when this week started, I was really having a lot of problems trying to review for this, making a paper for that, ESPECIALLY since I had to pull a miracle just to get my first thesis draft with Imo out of the way... it was really annoying, because we were pressed for time AND everything was piling up on us. I swear: Imo and I work as hard as anybody else, but it's sheer adrenaline that manages to make us beat deadlines...
On Tuesday, we were given a boon of an extension by Dr. Barbazza, as our paper and long test will now be both next week... still, I'm stuck on my paper. Too many things I want to write about...
Wednesday? Well, silly me. My oral exams turned out to be decent. Elbert was a competent partner, albeit I really thought we had a few moments where I really wanted to disagree with him. Nonetheless, we worked together well enough, a B+ or so effort (Hades, I need an A! Not a B+!)...
And yeah, Elbert was ribbing me all the time when I talked to Sacha today, who had a cute lecture on lecturing... she's prolly going to be there on 27, and all the time after that, Elbert was doing a Mickey Mouse voice, trying to pass himself off as Sacha, and then telling me that she'd prolly sound very nice in certain situations. No offense to Jobert, but "hot" and "Sacha" simply don't go in the same sentence for me...
I then spoke to Elbert. Apparently, we have to beat ANOTHER deadline tomorrow for our Theology paper... ergghh... I have to pull an all-nighter, something I know I haven't ever done in my life before. Well, there's always a first time, I suppose. I then went straight to DLSU to meet up with Maia and company. Is it just me or was that the shortest meeting EVER?
Of course, Maia had her problems, and I can't fault her for brushing me aside. I know the feeling of wanting to be alone sometimes. No harm done, jabroni...
Finally met Ekai for the second time. I don't think I can forget her face now... ah, well.
I then headed back to school for the senior's pictorial... yeah, yeah. Clear reminder of how much of a loner I really am... ah, well. I guess I brought it upon myself, in spite of Elbert's warnings... what a sucker for punishment I really am.
I'm hooked on my GBA again... especially now that I know how to get that ruddy Phoenix...
For one, when this week started, I was really having a lot of problems trying to review for this, making a paper for that, ESPECIALLY since I had to pull a miracle just to get my first thesis draft with Imo out of the way... it was really annoying, because we were pressed for time AND everything was piling up on us. I swear: Imo and I work as hard as anybody else, but it's sheer adrenaline that manages to make us beat deadlines...
On Tuesday, we were given a boon of an extension by Dr. Barbazza, as our paper and long test will now be both next week... still, I'm stuck on my paper. Too many things I want to write about...
Wednesday? Well, silly me. My oral exams turned out to be decent. Elbert was a competent partner, albeit I really thought we had a few moments where I really wanted to disagree with him. Nonetheless, we worked together well enough, a B+ or so effort (Hades, I need an A! Not a B+!)...
And yeah, Elbert was ribbing me all the time when I talked to Sacha today, who had a cute lecture on lecturing... she's prolly going to be there on 27, and all the time after that, Elbert was doing a Mickey Mouse voice, trying to pass himself off as Sacha, and then telling me that she'd prolly sound very nice in certain situations. No offense to Jobert, but "hot" and "Sacha" simply don't go in the same sentence for me...
I then spoke to Elbert. Apparently, we have to beat ANOTHER deadline tomorrow for our Theology paper... ergghh... I have to pull an all-nighter, something I know I haven't ever done in my life before. Well, there's always a first time, I suppose. I then went straight to DLSU to meet up with Maia and company. Is it just me or was that the shortest meeting EVER?
Of course, Maia had her problems, and I can't fault her for brushing me aside. I know the feeling of wanting to be alone sometimes. No harm done, jabroni...
Finally met Ekai for the second time. I don't think I can forget her face now... ah, well.
I then headed back to school for the senior's pictorial... yeah, yeah. Clear reminder of how much of a loner I really am... ah, well. I guess I brought it upon myself, in spite of Elbert's warnings... what a sucker for punishment I really am.
I'm hooked on my GBA again... especially now that I know how to get that ruddy Phoenix...
Monday, September 15, 2003
I had a fun weekend. Grace and I were actually together all throughout. That thesis really took the wind out of my sails, but I at least managed to get the first draft over and done with...
I seem to be at a loss for trying to make any biographical entries at all... I suppose it's because I'm drained in so many ways...
Sans the romantic undertones, I think this really, really hits the spot right now...
OFFICIALLY MISSING YOU
by: Tamia
All I hear is raindrops falling on the rooftop
Oh baby, tell me why’d you have to go
‘Cause this pain I feel it won’t go away
And today I’m officially missin’ you
Abducted from this heartache, I could escape
But I’ve heard it long enough to know
There ain’t no way
And today I’m officially missing you
Ooh...can’t nobody do it like you
Said every little thing you do, hey, baby
Sid it stays on my mind
And I-I’m officially
All I do is lay around, 2 years full of tears
From looking at your face all over
Just a week ago you were my baby
Now I don’t even know you at all, I don’t know you at
all
Well, I wish that you would call me right now
So that I could get through to you somehow
But I guess it’s safe to say, baby
Safe to say that I-I’m officially missin’ you
Ooh...can’t nobody do it like you
Said every little thing you do, hey, baby
Said it stays on my mind
And I-I’m officially
Well, I thought I could just get over you, baby
But I see there’s something I just can’t do
From the way you would hold me
To the sweet things you told me
I just can’t find a way to let no one through
Ooh...can’t nobody do it like you
Said every little thing you do, hey, baby
Said it stays on my mind
And I-I’m officially
It’s official
Hoo, you know that I’m missin’ you, yeah, yes
All I hear is raindrops, oh, yeah
And I’m officially missin’ you
Damned right I'm officially missing YOU. It's been a nightmare for me to have to realize that I had something great, and I messed it all up by letting it all go...
But no, jabroni. For the sake of my humanity, I shan't be the one to come close and say "Let's work it out". As I said before, it's YOUR job. That's because the ball is in YOUR court. Apparently, it seems that I'm not high up there in the list of people you need to work things out with.
Am I wrong? Well, jabroni: Prove me wrong.
I seem to be at a loss for trying to make any biographical entries at all... I suppose it's because I'm drained in so many ways...
Sans the romantic undertones, I think this really, really hits the spot right now...
OFFICIALLY MISSING YOU
by: Tamia
All I hear is raindrops falling on the rooftop
Oh baby, tell me why’d you have to go
‘Cause this pain I feel it won’t go away
And today I’m officially missin’ you
Abducted from this heartache, I could escape
But I’ve heard it long enough to know
There ain’t no way
And today I’m officially missing you
Ooh...can’t nobody do it like you
Said every little thing you do, hey, baby
Sid it stays on my mind
And I-I’m officially
All I do is lay around, 2 years full of tears
From looking at your face all over
Just a week ago you were my baby
Now I don’t even know you at all, I don’t know you at
all
Well, I wish that you would call me right now
So that I could get through to you somehow
But I guess it’s safe to say, baby
Safe to say that I-I’m officially missin’ you
Ooh...can’t nobody do it like you
Said every little thing you do, hey, baby
Said it stays on my mind
And I-I’m officially
Well, I thought I could just get over you, baby
But I see there’s something I just can’t do
From the way you would hold me
To the sweet things you told me
I just can’t find a way to let no one through
Ooh...can’t nobody do it like you
Said every little thing you do, hey, baby
Said it stays on my mind
And I-I’m officially
It’s official
Hoo, you know that I’m missin’ you, yeah, yes
All I hear is raindrops, oh, yeah
And I’m officially missin’ you
Damned right I'm officially missing YOU. It's been a nightmare for me to have to realize that I had something great, and I messed it all up by letting it all go...
But no, jabroni. For the sake of my humanity, I shan't be the one to come close and say "Let's work it out". As I said before, it's YOUR job. That's because the ball is in YOUR court. Apparently, it seems that I'm not high up there in the list of people you need to work things out with.
Am I wrong? Well, jabroni: Prove me wrong.
Sunday, September 14, 2003
Hmmm...
Amazing couple of days, I must say...
Thursday, 11 September, 2003:
Aside from getting a not-so-favorable 3.37 for my Philosophy (That's a B+. I need an A, remember?), I had a short chat with Mr. Bulaong regarding the paper I've been trying to write regarding Philosophy. A new complication has come up...
Not only is attributing the evil in the world to God a problem, a bigger one, the fact that God is assumed to be a LOVING God, precludes the need for us to be free to accept the love and to love Him back. Mr. Bulaong was quick to point out that problem, and now I'm stumped. If I still believe in God but believe I'm not free, how can I say that I can love Him, or that He loves me? The lack of freedom is a GLARING problem if we are to assume a loving God, which, by all means, cannot be ignored, especially since I've been borrowing a lot of theories from Aquinas. Ergo, Mr. Bulaong wasn't too confident about my chances with the paper, and I couldn't blame him.
Afterwards, I tried to catch a bit of sleep (fat chance) then headed off to Maia's pageant...
Grace was with me, and yes, Maia was looking exceptionally fine that night. Grace agreed with me. She was splendid in her evening gown, she gave the best answer in the Q & A portion (Proving to the "prettiest" girl in the pageant that her "prettiness" came at the steep price of stupidity.), and she... ::gets nosebleed over trying to recall:: Bah Gawd, Maia, and you wonder why you're in demand? Anyways, while she didn't make it to the F4, I have to say that aside from the fact that they needed to have a token rep from EACH corridor (Hence, if Macy, Mai's corridor mate was in, Maia can't be in.), there was no reason for Mai to not have made it in there...
Anyways, Grace and I went home rather late already, but it was fine...
Friday, 12 September, 2003:
Ergghh...
I decided to try out FF Tactics Advance, which I saw lying around my aunt's house, only to find out that my cousin (My aunt's son.) wanted to play it. Hell was raised, and I gave it back after the debate varsity accreditations, amidst all the insinuations that I'm a thief, blah, yak, yadda. R-ight.
Oh. You want to know if I got into varsity?
I DIDN'T.
All I had to show for our debate on Iraq (What the Hades were the Baath anyways?) was an ending line that went "If you smell what IRAQ is cooking." Beyond that, I simply did not stand a chance. That makes three times I've been shut out of varsity. Arghh... I'm annoyed, I really am. To think seven people got into varsity, and one of them did not seem the least bit capable of getting in. Or so I thought.
It's annoying. I really thought this was my chance to just get this hang-up out of the way once and for all. There I was, looking at all the fine Chinese girls in the ADS (Daymn. Tell me I didn't just say that.), and I'm shut out... I worked so hard for this... what a waste...
Saturday, 13 September, 2003:
I had another RAW Deal tournament, and yes, it was an interesting day...
Grace and I were together. We got FF Tactics Advance already, then had a meal at Mang Jimmy's. Not bad, really... ah, well...
Training that morning with Chico and Delle was a bit harrassing for me. I had problems with the CD player, and there were bad moments of dead air that I ended up getting hit with. I still need to work on my stuff. Ma'am Lea was there. She was so nice...
I would've wanted to go on air for Radio 1 this Saturday, but... obviously I can't. It's a string of parties for me in this approaching week, seeing how my mom and brother are celebrating for their birthdays on that day...
Gotta work on my thesis, but fast!
When that's done with, maybe I can have longer posts...
Thursday, 11 September, 2003:
Aside from getting a not-so-favorable 3.37 for my Philosophy (That's a B+. I need an A, remember?), I had a short chat with Mr. Bulaong regarding the paper I've been trying to write regarding Philosophy. A new complication has come up...
Not only is attributing the evil in the world to God a problem, a bigger one, the fact that God is assumed to be a LOVING God, precludes the need for us to be free to accept the love and to love Him back. Mr. Bulaong was quick to point out that problem, and now I'm stumped. If I still believe in God but believe I'm not free, how can I say that I can love Him, or that He loves me? The lack of freedom is a GLARING problem if we are to assume a loving God, which, by all means, cannot be ignored, especially since I've been borrowing a lot of theories from Aquinas. Ergo, Mr. Bulaong wasn't too confident about my chances with the paper, and I couldn't blame him.
Afterwards, I tried to catch a bit of sleep (fat chance) then headed off to Maia's pageant...
Grace was with me, and yes, Maia was looking exceptionally fine that night. Grace agreed with me. She was splendid in her evening gown, she gave the best answer in the Q & A portion (Proving to the "prettiest" girl in the pageant that her "prettiness" came at the steep price of stupidity.), and she... ::gets nosebleed over trying to recall:: Bah Gawd, Maia, and you wonder why you're in demand? Anyways, while she didn't make it to the F4, I have to say that aside from the fact that they needed to have a token rep from EACH corridor (Hence, if Macy, Mai's corridor mate was in, Maia can't be in.), there was no reason for Mai to not have made it in there...
Anyways, Grace and I went home rather late already, but it was fine...
Friday, 12 September, 2003:
Ergghh...
I decided to try out FF Tactics Advance, which I saw lying around my aunt's house, only to find out that my cousin (My aunt's son.) wanted to play it. Hell was raised, and I gave it back after the debate varsity accreditations, amidst all the insinuations that I'm a thief, blah, yak, yadda. R-ight.
Oh. You want to know if I got into varsity?
I DIDN'T.
All I had to show for our debate on Iraq (What the Hades were the Baath anyways?) was an ending line that went "If you smell what IRAQ is cooking." Beyond that, I simply did not stand a chance. That makes three times I've been shut out of varsity. Arghh... I'm annoyed, I really am. To think seven people got into varsity, and one of them did not seem the least bit capable of getting in. Or so I thought.
It's annoying. I really thought this was my chance to just get this hang-up out of the way once and for all. There I was, looking at all the fine Chinese girls in the ADS (Daymn. Tell me I didn't just say that.), and I'm shut out... I worked so hard for this... what a waste...
Saturday, 13 September, 2003:
I had another RAW Deal tournament, and yes, it was an interesting day...
Grace and I were together. We got FF Tactics Advance already, then had a meal at Mang Jimmy's. Not bad, really... ah, well...
Training that morning with Chico and Delle was a bit harrassing for me. I had problems with the CD player, and there were bad moments of dead air that I ended up getting hit with. I still need to work on my stuff. Ma'am Lea was there. She was so nice...
I would've wanted to go on air for Radio 1 this Saturday, but... obviously I can't. It's a string of parties for me in this approaching week, seeing how my mom and brother are celebrating for their birthdays on that day...
Gotta work on my thesis, but fast!
When that's done with, maybe I can have longer posts...
Thursday, September 11, 2003
I still got into the third round of the ADS varsity accreditations. The first debate on having the U.S. leave the Israel-Palestine conflict alone and turn it over to the U.N. instead was a very shaky debate because the Prime Minister clearly did not know how to debate. He not only couldn't project his voice, he actually just talked to a wall for two to four minutes. Pretty ruddy short speech, really, and that was his downfall.
Second round was better for me. I think I did really well there, because it was about banning homosexuals from joining the military infantry, which I went against. It was easy to defend my side, really. How could they ban a category (homsoexuals) that they couldn't even properly define, much less identify? They assume that homosexuality will manifest itself eventually, but that in itself is dubious, and even if we were to assume that, what do straight people have that homosexuals don't? There's nothing in them that can actually tell any of us that they're not fit for combat, if they pass the physical and psychological tests that the military will naturally subject them to.
Ah, well...
Let's hope I do get in. Finally.
Second round was better for me. I think I did really well there, because it was about banning homosexuals from joining the military infantry, which I went against. It was easy to defend my side, really. How could they ban a category (homsoexuals) that they couldn't even properly define, much less identify? They assume that homosexuality will manifest itself eventually, but that in itself is dubious, and even if we were to assume that, what do straight people have that homosexuals don't? There's nothing in them that can actually tell any of us that they're not fit for combat, if they pass the physical and psychological tests that the military will naturally subject them to.
Ah, well...
Let's hope I do get in. Finally.
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
My eyes hurt... they're so red, but I don't have sore eyes yet...
So pardon me for the next few days if I refuse to take my glasses off even when it's already dark. I have no choice, really.
I'm too exhausted to think at this point. All the requirements I have to work on are taking their toll on me. Nonetheless, I'm giving it a hundred and ten percent just to make sure that I'm still in the running for my ruddy cum laude.
Short post for now. I have to knock some cobwebs out of my head for a while.
So pardon me for the next few days if I refuse to take my glasses off even when it's already dark. I have no choice, really.
I'm too exhausted to think at this point. All the requirements I have to work on are taking their toll on me. Nonetheless, I'm giving it a hundred and ten percent just to make sure that I'm still in the running for my ruddy cum laude.
Short post for now. I have to knock some cobwebs out of my head for a while.
Tuesday, September 09, 2003
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