slade to donna

slade
donna

"excuse me, senorita
got a feeling that
you're being neglected
do you mind if we join you

i'm expecting someone

instantly

any minute now

well,
some people live
a lifetime
in a minute..."

i guess
if i am
to follow that
logic

i already
had an eternity

beb

thoughts on mathematics

shifting gears now = )

an equation is an expression
a mathematical expression

like acting

of a truth
of a relation
in nature

but why math?

well, it was the easiest way
... back then = )

to express
with the littlest effort
a truth

it was convenient = )

mathematics is a language
it is a means to an end

the way nature communicate
with us

or is it our way
to decipher nature?

hmmm...

mathematics is a language
not the truth in itself

an equation is (a derivative of) truth
expressed in mathematics

truth is beyond mathematics = )

it could not be encapsulated
in the language of mathematics

we can try but...

all will be an inspired effort
but would still be limited

here's a thought
if mathematics is a language
then this could be true

that we could had
a mathematics teacher

in one point in our lives

a teacher that we can not grasp
because at that point of time
she/he was doing an
impersonation of our dear
Senator
Miriam Santiago
in all her glory
in all her wrath
in all he passion

showcasing
the ease of use of english
her depth
her vocabulary

but what is the point of
language in the first place?
to showcase?

or to be understood?

mathematics as a language
must also be beautiful
like, a neruda poem = )

naive philippines

pakikisama
a filipino trait


a trait that the westerners
would have to put an effort
to understand
to embrace


for one, western civilization
and its thought
has "use of force"
as one of a core tenet


maybe because,
the documented
and much studied
western empires and civilizations
have
WARS
in it


maybe they have to
maybe they have
little resources
to begin with


or maybe
oh, well...


fast forward
the Philippine experience


this is true -
this is fact -
we are rich

no joke
serious

we just happen to "think"
or were taught to think
that we are poor = )

change thought

the west had to structure
for once they started with little
law is a means to an end
- order, fairness and equality
war is a means to an end, too

the east, we have our own share of that
china's thousand years of war = )

but somehow in the East's essence
it was about balance
acceptance
an intimate dance with nature

and during the time of the
conquistadors
"the east values" and "the west values"
met and blood flowed

the story of the La Islas de Filipinas

change thought

When our Filipino ancestors
saw beauty
they let it be

thus, our lush forest
at the turn of the century

When the West
saw beauty
they invested in it = )

thus, the logging industry
was born = )

are we moving forward embracing fear?
are we moving forward embracing an acquisition mantra?

on the current generation's responsibility

"If I don't do anything,
the next generation will
blame us..."

Father Loloy of Valencia, Bukidnon
On Illegal Logging
from The Green Tiger
The Costs of Ecological Decline
in the Philippines
by Barbara Goldoftas

this truth is not limited
on greed-induced logging

this truth transcends
when we do not embrace
what needs to get done

if we don't put into
the equation
our obligation to
the next generation

have we prepared them
for the battle that lies ahead?

more so, have we done
our responsibility?

to set what's right
to set what's wrong

Are we the lions of Judah?

college ball ode

the next two lines is
alphabetically arranged = )

got nothing against the archers
got nothing against the eagles

but the warriors
(so far)
this year
is something else

how could the boys
from the much maligned recto
lead the pack that includes
the boys from loyola

interesting = )

no, i'm not about to bash
I am reflecting

it's warriors time
it could be argued
statistics could explain that

you can't win them all
you have to lose "sometimes"

in the warriors' eyes
last night's game
can be considered a "lost"
the bulldogs had the chance
while the tigers did not

warriors played poorly
as the bulldogs played
the game of their season

change thought

but you know what
"bilog nga ang bola"

the "universe"
gives
everybody
an equal
chance
but to step up
is a choice... a decision

it's those that knows this fact
that always prepares
that even if they have
the slimmest of chance
they step up

and that always beat
those who were given the chance
but did not prepare
... did not step up

maybe
this is the beauty
of the archers
of the eagles

maybe that's why
they are always
in the mix of things

they prepare

but sometimes
chance and a prepared soul
meets

and a "warrior" is born = )

Kabayan, isa ka bang mabalasik na mandirigma?
Are you the Lion of Judah?

the alarm - absolute reality

september 74
Omnipotent One
said - "take off!"

toddler years was
hearing bee gees
seeing travolta john
take disco

once i entered school
and reaching
the acceleration grade 6
I already was heady
on the social issues
Ninoy was big
and discussed
Magkaisa at
Ang Handog ng Pilipino sa Mundo
I knew by heart

the tune was lorded by
tears for fears, the smiths
the cure, U2
and then there was
the alarm

for those who came to this world
the same time as i
hearing and listening
to absolute reality in acoustic
is something else

it's like with or without you
in headphones
at 2:03 am
savoring and embracing
bonovox's wail
a heart's lament and confusion

"You may have love
You may have hate
You may be the president of the United States
But even you, you can't sit and hide
While the world's resources die..."

please,
mr gore
invite
alarm
to
sing
just
one
song

Oh, well
on to read
the green tiger = )

Lord, bring us to our knees
that we may see the pride that blinds us
the vanity that envelopes our thougths
the apathy that has resided in our hearts...

truth and love

just
read this

"you do not
love
a woman
because
she is beautiful

she is
beautiful
because
you love
her..."

macro economic thoughts in the rain

James Brown in the background
belting, "Shake your moneymaker!"

movements in prices
are signals
a heartbeat
a baby's cry
a system's song

the key
is to know
if the tune
is one of heartaches
or of gladness

price movements in economic terms
is called inflation and deflation
price increases and decreases, respectively

here's the thing
most modern day economists
both the armchair type and the central bank type
"kill" to manage this one variable

for one, prices is the one variable
almost everyone understand
from the citizens in guarded villages
to the posh condominium
to the middle class citizens in Bukid and in Tondo
to the person leaving under the bridges

if food price goes up
one need more money
in order to eat

and for a country whose most of its citizens
is along, if not below the poverty line
this logic is not only moot and academic
it's strong and very real
period

the reason for this "killing"
i think
is that the economic dance is not
moot and academic

there are many unknown variables
that can affect the whole system
and make it behave violently for everyone
and this many unknown variable lies within
the heart and minds of people called - expectations

expectations that are
intertwined
in freedom to choose
... to respond to
........................ fear
........................ hope

expectations that will be triggered in expected
but it could also be unknown and creative ways
if the Dance of Price moves
from a smooth waltz to techno beats
in an instant...

for prices is the one macroeconomic variable
that's is very close to the masses'
hearts and stomach = )

and no one wants to spook the masses
the hungry masses
for it may behave in creative ways...

that's why monetary policymakers
kill to manage this number
this indicator
this signal

i just hope they understand
that managing inflation
is just a means to an end
and not the end itself = )

but you know what -
the Philippines is an exhibit
that showcases the many variables that affect
a country's economy

I wonder when will the inspired and impassioned
economic researchers write about us?

can they understand what's happening
that they can write about it
more so - teach it,
thus making the Philippine economy evolve
to something else...
something better...

better in a sense that
we can all agree
and do something about our lot in life

"Everything he does is magic..."
Sting

ceteris paribus

... with all other things constant

... things can be expected
... forecasts are real
... logic as we know it - prevails

... but this is only limited truth
... not the whole truth

... we are emotional beings who thinks
... rather than the other way around
... expected and unexpected
... form part of a whole
... of the same page

... chaos is the way to order
... and order,
... after its welcome becomes stale,
... leads to chaos
... that leads to a new order

... for chaos and order
... form Nature's dance
... to move forward
... to make way for the new

... the Present
... and the Past can only hope
... it's for the better

... but Better can be redefined
... by the majority

... vox populi
... vox Dei

... let's hope
... love

Philippines 21st Economic Depression is purely mental

just went thru a book about macroeconomics...
yes, i got moments wherein people who loves me
even consider me a geek = )

but here's the thing...
no, an insight on GDP

the output
the ultimate metric
the holiest of the grail
in macroeconomics

like a 62 in golf...

if this GDP goes down
for a quarter it's called a recession
successively, they call it depression

in the world view...
a breaking news in CNN and BBC

bad... cyclically, though.

but enough of the "animal spirits"

let's talk how to increase it
first, increases in labor
second, increases in capital
third, increases in the delicate dance of the two

here's the thing

back in 1930s
USA went thru the GREAT DEPRESSION
bad...
good, too - think Cinderella Man

British Keynes in all his wisdom and smarts
explained why it happened
For Hoover and FDR were confused because
all labor and investment is primed for a leap
but nothing happened

Keynes said, "...we could not expect
to find the means to prosperity except in
hardwork, abstinence, and invention.
In fact, our predicament is notoriously of
another kind. It comes from some failure
in the immaterial devices of the mind."

Cut to - the Philippine setting...

Kapwa,
if the majority think there's no hope in La Islas de Filipinas
then, GDP is doomed.

Maybe, this is the reason why GMA
is both flourishing and floundering

the GDP numbers are good,
few are better numbers in the past decade
mind you, the numbers are true.
she is flourishing...

it just that she's not a JFK or a Clinton
no, she's a Clinton - a Hilary = )

she is having to learn how to move the nation
the mind and the hearts of the whole nation

maybe that's why we are in this funk.

but can we, as a nation out-funk our own funk?

maybe,
maybe , we are also learning how to be a nation...

so, my point -
let's help one another
turn this funk into a groove
believe...

the news are the news... it is the same since the time immemorial
its only that the actors that are different...
its only that the news writers are more creative...
but it's the same... = )

but here's where it can be new - our response = )

what's the use?

what the use of knowing
... of being relentlessly impassioned
... of being breathlessly striving

when there's is no place to express

A suggestion, dear lad...

Change our thougths
for we are thinking
"like mere men..."

there's a place!
there's a plan!

there's a story!

it so happen it's a suspense
... an adventure
... a glorious ending.

...at last

when i don't care about myself anymore
i am myself

...in His eyes

when i don't care about how the world sees me
i am my myself

...as He planned

in the end

when we are nothing
we are something

when we are dead
we are alive

confused?
could be...

alive?
definitely!

the fans of panther pink

what is more important?

technical excellence?
academic excellence?
or honesty?


what is more important?

popularity?
like-ability?
or integrity?


what is more important?

to be accepted?
to be with the in-crowd?
or to stand on what's right?


what is more important?

...

when one assumes that
she is entitled to
a positioned of leadership
because that's
the trend then
- the cradle will fall

leadership is not entitlement
... it is responsibility
... it is integrity
... it is setting an example
... it is about standing on what's right
... even if you become unpopular

think...
if a supposed leader can sell her own soul and self-respect in an instant
what do you think would she do
when she's in power and is responsible
for all our lives?
when the pressure builds up?

what do you think will she do?

think...

I'd rather go with the unpopular
but who puts his own life on the line


... Pink Panther was cute in the cinema
... real life is another story = )

in the end

in the end

i am,

... just a guy
... just a man
... fumbling
... confused
... humbled

i am,

... a story
... still being written