“The words are not good for the secret meaning, everything always becomes a bit different, as soon as it is put into words, gets distorted a bit, a bit silly—yes, and this is also very good, and I like it a lot, I also very much agree with this, that this what is one man’s treasure and wisdom always sounds like foolishness to another person.” ― Hermann Hesse, Siddhartha
Not everybody can READ a film. That takes tons of reading materials, thousands of hours watching films of all kinds, understanding Film theories, Communication theories, Cultural Studies theories, and Media Literacy theories. Knowledge of world history, world mythologies, symbolisms, semiotics, and philosophy will come in handy, too. And of course, the skills to "read" media… Continue reading Films, Media Representation and Reality: Inclusion or Misrepresentation?
OCTA Research, "a polling, research and consulting firm", as described in its website, is under attack from some quarters for telling people that there is another surge in Covid cases and what is needed is another lockdown. I am glad that there is criticism, but the attack is against OCTA and not against the government.… Continue reading The OCTA Case: Should lockdowns be the only weapon against rising Covid19 cases?
The so-called Moro Conflict in the Philippines, which arguably does not end with the creation of the Bangsa Moro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), can be traced back to the United States of America. The various Moro Sultanates did not have a shared history with the conquered peoples of Luzon and Visayas. The Moro… Continue reading America and the Bangsa Moro through the years
Republic Act 8485 or the Animal Welfare Act was the culmination of Nita Hontiveros-Lichauco's long years of active campaigning and lobbying for the protection of animals in the Philippines. Ms. Hontiveros-Lichauco is the President and guiding light of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). President Fidel V. Ramos signed that law on February 11, 1998… Continue reading Animal rights or animal welfare?
On February 12, 2000, my article on harems and polygamy in Islam was published at The Philippine Post. I wrote it for the Valentine season. The year after, I was informed that two of my articles Of Sheikhs and Harems: Polygamy in Islam and Once Upon A Time: Sarangany Island were two of the 7… Continue reading Of Sheikhs and Harems: Polygamy in Islam
For the past few weeks, the Filipino public has been bombarded with a barrage of propaganda on the side of the President's men about the alleged violations of ABS-CBN radio-TV network. On the other hand, ABS-CBN's cable channels have been bombarding the viewers with interviews and testimonials of people claiming that their lives would not… Continue reading PRESS FREEDOM: The crux of the ABS-CBN franchise denial
Postprandial Musings, 2.0 