lol philosopher: August 2013

Friday, August 30, 2013

Philippine Normal University at 112

Source: Facebook page

As a graduate of a wonderful and interesting school I had good memories there and have learned a lot of things.

This year the theme is: One PNU, One Philippines, One ASEAN

Why? Don't ask me why I have no idea why such is such. I am not sure on how celebrations are done now but I know it would be the same.

Here is the program:

Activities for the 112th foundation day of PNU

Here is the PNU website: www.pnu.edu.ph/‎

Weekend activities for August 31st and September 1st

It's the end of the month and things can be exciting. I know there is laundry to do and cleaning at home but there are things that needs to be experienced and to be had every weekend. Whatever it is you want, just do it. No questions and be brave join something and learn.

Here are some activities that I will be joining:

Source: Facebook

Special Guided Tour 67th Mid-Year Orchid and Garden Show

Where: Hardin ng mga Bulaklak, Quezon Memorial Circle
When: August 30,2013; 7:00 AM to 11 AM

Details (from Facebook):

This will be the 67th Mid-Year orchid and Garden show to be held at the Quezon Memorial Circle -Hardin ng mga Bulaklak . Special Opening will be held on August 29, 2013 Thursday for members, invited guest , media and vips . The event will be officially opened to the public starting August 30 to September 9, 2013 .

For special guided tour : Mr. Lawrence Chan (0919-3901671) SMART on August 31, 2013 saturday.
Assembly Place: Max's Restaurant -Quezon Memorial Circle ( outside)
Assembly Time: 7:30am to 8:00am

Highlights of the Show:

1.) Individual Orchid plant competition
2.) Individual Ornamental plant competition
3.) Best in Orchid flowers in landscape competition
4.) Best in Ornamental plant in landscape competition
5.) Flower arrangement competition
6.) Trade Exhibits and Commercial booths where plants, orchids , gardening tools and fertilizers are for sale.
7.) Daily Lectures

Note : For writers, photo journalists , students , nature lovers, and bloggers - There will be a special tour to be conducted by Mr. Lawrence Chan ( life time member) on August 31, 2013 saturday from 7:30am to past 12noon. Please PM for details.
7:30 to 8:00am - Assembly Place ( Max's restaurant ) sa labas lang po . RSVP

Entrance fees : For Students and Senior Citizens with valid ID's -Php 20.00 for General Public -Php 30.00 based on the previous entrance fees last February 2013.

Contact the POS Secretariat :
Ms. Jenny Rivera or Mr. Jiffy Alegre for more information : 929-44-25

RSVP: The event is a special tour by a friend but here are the details. And yeah its kinda closed.

Filipino Freethinkers Meetup

Where: Holy Trinity Church, 48 Mckinley Road, Forbes Park, Makati
When: Sunday, September 1, 2013; 2:30pm – 5:30pm

Google Map: http://goo.gl/wCMAl

Topics
1) Introvert vs Extrovert: Sense and nonsense
2) Miley Cyrus' VMA performance: art or crap
3) Smart people vs. dating
[www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-ali-binazir/why-the-smartest-people-h_b_169939.html]
4) Scrap pork: Updates and next actions
5) 8 Million Peso Flagpoles, why bother?
6) Raunchy topic of the week

After the meetup we usually go for dinner and drinks somewhere nearby. If you’re not a meetup regular and can’t make it for the meetup but would like to go for the post meetup, please indicate on a post in the wall or comment so we can contact you.

Got questions about the meetup? Contact us at 0927 323 3532

* Newbies are welcome.
* Look for the FF sign (or the group of smart, sexy people).
* There is no required age, religion, philosophy, or IQ level.
* Discussions are informal yet intelligent (most of the time).
* You don’t have to talk; you can just sit in and listen

RSVP: Filipino Freethinkers Meetup, September 1, 2013

Then at night I have a meet-up with some atheists in Manila but I am still undecided if I should go or not. lolz

Prayer beads: The Anglican Prayer Beads

As a born Catholic the rosary has been a standard item, sometimes people even use it as an accessory. Even after being an atheist for so long I still have a some rosaries with me. I even have a big rosary in my bag and if asked I can still recite the rosary.

Prayer beads have been a part of many religions like Islam, Hinduism and much more. But with the rise of other Christian sects who have much hate and disgust for anything Catholic, like Mary, the Saints, Images and the rosary.

I just recently found out that there is such a thing called as an Anglican Prayer Beads. It's mainly used by Anglicans and Episcopalians as an aid in prayer. Most people have this bias against such acts of prayer as they find it somewhat against what they think is what the Bible disallows or what they think is prohibited by the Bible. For me I am fine with prayer for it can be meditative in itself.

Unlike the rosary the Anglican Prayer Bead is shorter and is less repetitive. You can give it a try if you want.

Here are interesting links for more reads: Prayer Beads and Deuteronomy 6.5 + Leviticus 19.18 + Matthew 5.44

Just follow these simple steps.

Philosophizing in the Philippines

Being a traditionalist Catholic country Philosophizing is discouraged and is evident in the words of most people: "Huwag kang pilosopo! (Don't be such a philosopher!)" Often times children are told not to reason with their elders that is their older siblings, uncles, aunts and parents or anyone that is older. Children must not ask questions and just needs to obey. This is the context on which I grew up.

Pilosopong Tasyo

But we as human even as kids have this urge to ask questions and to rationalize and this simply cannot go on. I am not sure if this practice has diminished since the younger ones I know can do so but within the context of the freethinking group.

In culture when a philosopher is contextualized as a character the first person people think about is Pilosopong Tasyo (Tasyo the Philosopher). He is a character in the novel called Noli me Tangere.

People cannot handle hard questions that challenge what they have been taught and most people who do so are treated as either crazy or just plainly ignored. Pilosopong Tasyo is also called Tacio el Loco (Insane Tasyo). The same was also applied to people like Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Before I had a hard time understanding her but as time grew I learned to appreciate her dark humour.

People in the Philippines need to think deeper and ask relevant questions in life rather asking about the latest gossip on TV.

Thursday, August 29, 2013

What is it about Miles Cyrus?

Source: http://mileycyrustwerkingonreality.tumblr.com/

People will follow whatever shit celebrities do be it smoking, sexing or even twerking. Twerking is a kind of weird dance, some find it sexy, I don't. Some find it cool and a skill, I think any regular slut can do the same and with more character.

So Miley twerked on a sexy outfit at the VMA. Maybe this is the reason I don't watch music awards anymore. They are more for the in betweens than the actual fact of showing how talent must be. There is also the fact of awards being just like any show, something of the so called reality shit people throw around like its really true.

Here in fantard Philippines where we are so conservative and women should behave in a certain way. People are again shocked and as if they have never twerked or anything forgetting that we have many problems that needs to be handles and faced first.

People are indeed stupid in here.

Interesting insight on the Miley Cyrus stunt: 'Miley Twerking On Things We Should Talk About," a tumblog of greatness

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

#MillionPeopleMarch to #ScrapPork

I was there at Rizal Park earlier than expected to meet my friend at 7 AM at the chess plaza. I arrived a bit early and I wandered around the park to look for something or anything. That is the problem when you arrive way earlier than expected.

The Rizal Park is another major face lift with part of the park being blocked by galvanized iron sheets, which include the Open Park as well as some parts of the area near the Rizal monument.

Even at around early 7 AM there were already a significant number of people but the media numbers the most as well as the police and first aid. The event was said to be non-partisan and will highlight no one. There were tons of Catholics here and there but I was glad that they kept to themselves when they had Rosary and the mass.

There was no program whatsoever and people came in and out and there was just this projected screen where some celebrities are given a chance to speak. I find that weird, despite this even being a same for all even. People gather around celebrities like flies on a cow dung, taking pictures and drooling.

The Filipino Freethinkers has a space for people to share their mind and ideas about the Pork Barrel (or the Priority Development Assistance Fund) and the current government. thought it was the practice that was encouraged, to have a dialogue about the issue and to also listen to what most people have in mind.

Every hour there was a chant people were asked to do. It's the same old boring chant but it makes a special place in today's event. People shouted, "Makibaka! Huwag magbaboy! (Fight! And don't be piglike!) The word baka can mean cow as opposed to baboy which is pig. It's a pun on the idea of the pork barrel and of animals. Kinda hard to explain though... lolz

There was this instance where the Cardinal Tagle made a speech and one person shouted, "Kasabwat (Participant!)" as he was giving his word about the event. I liked to speak to but somehow the Cardinal of Manila was not talking anything that was awful and yet somehow in my mind I still think he should not be here since they are also part of the money the politicians steal from the people.

I went home at around past 12. I was glad I never was there anymore when most of the celebrity fame whores came.