The Top 10 Blogs of the Society of Honor
Coron at sunset [Photo credit: Nandor Studio]
Why I Respect President Aquino The title explains what the blog is about. This is by far Joe’s most popular article. [Tagalog version: Bakit may respeto ako kay Pangulon Aquino]
Why Mayor Estrada Is Wrong on Hong Kong This article set a Society record of over 65,000 reads in one day. It makes clear that it is wrong for the Philippines to “move to the back of the bus” because China says to.
Mindanao . . . An Opinion This article was written by guest author Taga Bundok who lived Mindanao. He did not just “live in” Mindanao, he lived Mindanao. If you want to get a special feel for the truth of Mindanao, start here.
The Philippines: The Most Dangerous Land on the Planet Written just 2 weeks before Yolanda struck, this article was way too prophetic.
It’s all about Escudero: the future of the Philippines This recent commentary is still ripping along. It may have contributed to the recent “split” or emphasis on “independence” by Senators Poe and Escudero.
The real Mar Roxas: a kind, intelligent, earnest man We ought not be misled by the tabloid writers and talking heads, eh? We ought to know the real story. As with all articles, be sure to read the discussion thread.
Vice President Binay and the rage of the Middle Class The Vice President is embarked on a class-warfare campaign, pitting the poor against the middle class. His attack method has made a lot of enemies.
The Binays and the shame of the Philippines Where o’ where is the ethical foundation of the nation? Who will step up for good values?
A dislike of Grace Poe rolls across social media Another recent article that suggests Senator Poe may be listening to the wrong people and missing a key point: service to nation.
The odds are that Mar Roxas will be the next president In this article, we meet JoeAm’s bookie, Sal, a guy with swagger and a very calculating mind. It’s a good thing President Aquino did not cite Sal instead of JoeAm. Let’s just say his confidence needs no further boosting.
Another good way to prowl the blog is to go to the home page and use the “Search” box. Type in a person or subject and see what pops up. JoeAm wrote a lot about Mamasapano, swimming against popular opinion all the way. He has written about Kris Aquino and Korina Sanchez and possibly even Jessica Sanchez (frankly, I forgot), but he has not yet established an “Entertainment Section”. Plug in a senator’s name, and he or she will likely have a few, or a lot, of words attached. Try China or Defense. Or mining. Or whatever.
Remember that a blog is the starting point. It is SUPPOSED to be a tad provocative, so don’t wear your feelings on your shirt sleeve. Reflect first, argue later. Read the discussion threads where the balance and moderation and smart thinking is done.
Enjoy the writings.
Welcome to the Society of Honor.
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The Society of Honor by Joe America 
What’s better than a JoeAm column? Ten JoeAm columns!
Congratulations on the SONA mention and the much-deserved upswing on readership!
Ha, thanks michael. You make it tough to retain my last shred of humility. 🙂
Congratz on the SONA nod, Joe!
Well deserved. joseph‘s article on New Philippine Philosophers, the last article I participated in, should definitely be among those up top.
The leadership and sis Kris should be looking for those new philosophers. Just got done reading Kawasaki’s “Art of the Start”, looking back at that discussion/thread, these new philosophers will not be in academia, they’re the new entrepreneurs.
I was mistaken here, https://joeam.com/2015/05/21/a-filipino-aclu-and-lawyering-in-the-philippines/ . The law isn’t the next priesthood, it’s social media, this thing you’re doing, the same thing every 20-something Filipino(a), with some business idea trying to collaborate with everyone around the world.
I don’t think Pres. Obama’s ever mentioned a blogger by name in any of his speeches, so again congratz! This is big and I hope it continues. This blog’s a “roller coaster that only goes up”.
Ah, how great to see you here again, LCpl_X! I’ve missed your wise and pithy take on things. I appreciate the congrats, and, indeed, with a marketing guy like Noynoy Aquino on the team, it helps with the upward direction. The selection of the top 10 was strictly on readership. If it were on caliber of thinking, I agree, joseph’s belongs there.
Take good care. Pop in if it strikes your fancy, or your intellect. You, too, have definitely helped with the “up”.
Thanks, Joe. Will do.
I learned just tonight about your SONA mention from a buddy of mine back there–I shared the ACLU article awhile back with him.
Around the same time, I was finishing up “Art of the Start 2.0”, and reflecting on ‘the Art of Being a Mensch’: The best index to a person’s character is a). how he treats people who can’t do him any good, and b). how he treats people who can’t fight back.
Serendipity being what it is, as I was taking stock of the things I’ve done (it’s been that kinda day, with all the lightning & thunder, and rain here), I thought of joseph‘s article and the thread which followed, then I opened and read my buddy’s email of your blog’s mention.
So I had to pop in and say hi to you and everyone.
Hello, good to have you back..we missed you as we are missing karl who’s taking a break nowadays…
good to hear from you again
I haven’t forgotten either, LCpl_X. 🙂
Great to hear from you again LCpl_X! Hope to hear from you more often.
@Mary, asan na si Karl?
@Uncle Joe, este Gramps! Again thank you for your blog, and for giving us inspirations to fight against the DARK FORCES of the Universe.
Non este Gramps! Este ancient one.
His last post here indicated that he’s taking a break…I think he’s just around lurking…here’s hoping that break wont take too long…karl, we are missing you here.
According to St Benedict, humility and truth do not trump each other. 🙂
Thanks guys! After my hiatus from the blog, I did realize that I may be going at this all the wrong. I want the Philippines to rise and have confidence she will rise, but realized the whole institutions-approach may not be the best, hence the disagreements.
There was a past blog of Joe’s about the coming American bases. I think my background there is better served addressing these type of issues, ie. how to keep these bases contained and isolated,
like Gitmo or bases in Afghanistan/Iraq or bases in the Gulf, but at the same time balance it out with the Marine Corps’ expertise on small wars, drawing most lessons-learned from Gen. Butler’s “War is a Racket”,
and the Marines’ long association with our State Dept. I truly believe this generation of Marines can assume the roles of diplomat-warriors if given the opportunity, and the mistakes of Subic (and Clark) can and should be averted.
There should be specific plans in place to avert the problems that stemmed from those big bases.
Another issue also was Joe’s mention of getting into “survival economy” (I forgot how he phrased it exactly), but to paraphrase… stop with all the whitening products and start buying items for disaster preparedness.
Most of the bases, 8 named so far, are to the west. Sure that’s where the China threat is, but the typhoons, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc. are to the east. The Philippine Sea, Joe blogged about the Benham Rise (the blog that first brought me here), is in the east.
The next space race should be in the Philippine Sea, already began by film director James Cameron. The possibilities of the US Navy/Marines and AFP collaborating in a technology and ideas advancing endeavor like this will pay tons of dividends,
not to mention furthering of disaster preparedness, in small scale like typhoons and earthquakes and the bigger issue like climate change. The opportunities in having the US military return to the Philippines is tremendous.
Just don’t repeat the same mistakes of Subic and Clark. The planning of all this should be more democratic, yet there seems to be no info put out.
Those two subjects (bases and disaster preparedness) I think I can tackle much better– the institutions articles will have to wait, put on ice, until I can get a better handle on this slippery thing called Filipino culture–the hiatus taught me that I’m but a novice here.
You for sure have been reading along, or have a memory like a trap. For sure, I think the future is looking east as much as it is looking north. The James Cameron reference led me to this excerpt from his Wiki profile:
On March 7, 2012, Cameron took the Deepsea Challenger submersible to the bottom of the New Britain Trench in a five-mile-deep solo dive.[83] On March 26, 2012, Cameron reached the Challenger Deep, the deepest part of the Mariana Trench.[7] He spent more than three hours exploring the ocean floor before returning to the surface.[84] Cameron is the first person to accomplish the trip solo.[7] He was preceded by unmanned dives in 1995 and 2009 and by Jacques Piccard and Don Walsh, who were the first men to reach the bottom of the Mariana Trench aboard the Bathyscaphe Trieste in 1960.[85] Cameron has made a three-dimensional film of his dive.[86] During his dive to the Challenger Deep, the data he collected resulted in interesting new finds in the field of marine biology, including new species of sea cucumber, squid worm, and giant single-celled amoeba, which are exciting finds due to the harshness of the environment.[87] Cameron is also one of the two men in history to stand on Challenger Deep.[citation needed]
I also think there should be a base on Tawi-Tawi or one of the islands there about, to off-set the seeming win of the Mindanao mainlanders. Plus there’s already a clear rapport between Tausugs and the American military. If they’re gonna be given a bronze medal for these games, a closer, more direct, interaction with the US is as good a consolation prize as any.
On Cameron, it’s definitely high time we break the monopoly of deep-sea exploration from the oil guys, US gov’t entities like DARPA and NASA and DoD should lead the way, fund more Camerons & schools and posture the military to undertake such studies. Focus similar energy to the Sulu Sea.
Joe, since you’ve left California, the oil rigs off the coast have increased, I remember seeing only 3-5 out there, now I can easily count up to 15-20. Ventura and Kern counties have been fracking like crazy and there’s been more mini-earthquakes of late. I don’t know how the oil companies are doing it, but there’s been 2 big oil spills (in Santa Barbara county) so far, that’s effectively been kept on the down low, by local media.
So when I say Philippine and Sulu sea, I do not mean oil exploration.
I do remember the mini thread we had re fracking and the environmental concerns from that type of oil exploration…that blog article when Joe left us on our own that generated some 1,000 comments…that was some free wheeling discussion.
That was quite a test for the blog, any blog. The author was gone for a little spell. Yet, the comments kept coming, not the commando (hit & run) type even.
I’m still working on the reading list edgar posted from that thread!
@ LCplX
There are three true entrepots in the PH, Manila, Cebu & Jolo. I submit that yes, as you alluded to, these three must get appropriate socio-econo-political-religious attention & ferment from PH leaders.
Exactly, sonny.
Manila’s got all the infrastructure it already needs (comparatively). Under the publicized plan, Cebu’s opening its air base and naval base on Mactan Island, but no troops should be stationed there, 1). there’s no room and 2). focus on averting the Subic/Clark mistake. It should be a logistic/transit hub only.
Troops can be kept in the central Luzon and Palawan bases already mentioned among the 8. But Tawi-Tawi, Jolo or Siasi (other candidate islands in that area) are another possibility. After 13 yrs of GWOT (Global War on Terrorism), the US military has learned how to run bases in the middle of Muslim countries. Plus the US military is already vested in that area. Let them continue.
With MILF proposing a vice/virtue and business police as part of their proposal, the prostitution/pollution issue can be closely monitored and control (I don’t think the working girls in Cebu, Manila, Olongapo and Angeles will migrate en masse to Sulu to set up shop there).
Though the Palawan and central Luzon bases have the potential to get out of hand, internal US military programs properly implemented can keep all that at bay, ie. troop size, location of troops, and DoS dictating rules.
As for “ferment from PH leaders” re Sulu, I think northerners are best kept at a distance, and give proper deference to the local leadership, ie. the whole carpetbagger movement should be kept at bay, that’s where the “ferment” should be focused. Let the locals establish themselves and rise on their own.
I was wondering if the older blogs, when you were in another format are still available. Looking back, it’s amazing how this has become a rallying point for like minded people. I remember there were only a handful of commenters before like Edgar, cha, etc.
Digital People Power!
The old blogs are here, and can be accessed by skimming back through the calendar in the right column. Unfortunately, the translation from Blogger to Word Press lost some line spacing. But the content is there. Yes, we’ve come a long ways from the old days. I’m so happy to have you and the other old timers still contributing.
*******
Use this link:
http://thesocietyofhonor.blogspot.com.au/
*****
Reblogged this on "HOME".
Thanks for the reblog, lilian.
Internet connection restored a minute ago… lost the connection since Monday afternoon for the whole of Bonifacio Global City and parts of Taguig…….good to be connected again, I missed so much the exchange of opinions… got a lot of reading to do…
Tagalog translation of Joe’s Jan 20 blog by Dee. https://joeam.com/2014/02/02/bakit-may-respeto-ako-kay-pangulong-aquino/#comment-17906
Thanks, WBAR. I’ll add that link to the blog proper.
Possible memes I am parking here for use later:
1. Paano Gaganda ang Buhay kung corrupt ang mga Binay?
2. The Rematch: Make the Good Guy Win This Time.
3. Kung Kaya niya makipag-alyansa kay Enrile at Estrada, hindi ka ba magdududa sa inaasal ng UNA?
4. If Binay wins the presidency, Enrile and Estrada will go scot-free.
Well, Andrew, I have to park the political commentary soon, so I will leave it to you and other citizens here to carry on. There’s nothing that says you can’t agitate for good sense over really really stinko sense. Citizens’ right.
Joeam
Since dual citizenship is allowed in the Philippines, pare you willing to become a Filipino citizen. Maybe PNoy can sign an executive order to naturalize you.
Then you can write political commentaries.
I thought it’s a law and not an executive order? Unless you’re referring to honorary citizenships (like what Peter Wallace received).
Anyway, since Joe has been here for 10 years, I guess he can now apply for naturalization. A link for further information is here:
http://philpad.com/philippine-citizenship-how-to-become-a-filipino-citizen-if-foreigner/
Thanks for the link, MKL. I’ve been a permanent resident for only 8 years.
http://www.lawphil.net/statutes/comacts/ca_473_1939.html
Just so you know, Joe. If you are married to a Filipino citizen, its only 5 years of permanent residency and not ten. Other thing is you have to to take an oath renouncing your US citizenship so you might want tochange your handle from JoeAm to JosePi, hehehe….
Ah, I greatly appreciate the clarification, caliphman. I would have to change the name, wouldn’t I? That’s funny. Maybe I’ll let my bookie Sal take over the blog. He seems to have more appeal to the audience, especially the ladies. I’ll just do guest articles. Jose Archipelago.
Glad to be of help, Joe. Now that JoeAm is an established brand it would be a shame to let it go. It somehow doesnt seem fair that your wife and kids can be dual citizens but you can’t. Though Uncle Sam may not care if you did the renunciation oath locally but kept your US citizenship and continued to pay US taxes. You aren’t planning to run as Mars’VP next year or for president in ’22, are you? Hehehe….
BTW did you receive the AOL email I sent you with the link to that NICA report on the massive corruption scam at the Bureau of Customs? It might have been snagged by your spam catcher.
I didn’t get the e-mail. I’ll check the spam. Thanks for the heads up.
Nothing there, although I did find a message from a certain “ana” who said she was lusting for me. I’m sure that’s got nothing to do with you. It could be that I inadvertently dumped it into delete in the swarm of mails I’ve been getting since President Aquino launched me into infamy. Maybe you could re-send, or paste an except here so we get the picture. Sorry for the trouble.
The excerpt with the link address refuses to post here so I just forwarded the mail to the AOL and society of honor addresses. Weird.
I got it, caliphman, thanks. Will read later today.
caliphman. can i trouble you to email me the nica report?
Giancarlo, the link url will not post here for some unknown reason. Instead, a very simple alternative is open a google search box using your browser. Inside the search box, type ” antonio ebangelista bureau of customs”. Click on any of the first three search results and on the pages that open, the 8 pages of the NICA report have been photocopied and attached as images near the botyom area. For a quick summary of whats in the report, refer to my comment at the end of the INC blog comment, hopefully this helps. This report estimates that a fourth to as much as a half of the shipment values escape customs duties due the ongoing scams. If this is true, that amounts to almost a quarter to half a trillion in lost goverment collections stolen yearly. This would make Binay and Napoles appear like shoplifters at a dollar store here in the US. Regardless of who continues after Pinoy to pursue and Daang Matuwid, cleaning up this mess should be near the top of the list, I would think.
found it. thanks.
This is what I wrote as a comment to an earlier blog in order to summarize what is contained in the 8 page NICA report which whistleblower Antonio Ebangelista a fugutive INC ex-minister shared with the public last April. No one including the media took notice then but perhaps its time to take notice now and appreciate how so much work remains undone in continuing Ang Daang Matuwid.
caliphman says:
July 29, 2015 at 12:56 pm
In keeping with the the topic of this piece on the INC crisis and the recently concluded SONA, I am calling attention to one of the truly explosive exposes by Antonio R. Ebangelista, the INC whistleblower whose online BLOG on corruption at the pinnacles of power in his church is rocking its foundation. The tentacles of corruption involves not only misuse of church funds and donations by the top administration to enrich themselves but also because of the leverage the INC has over key cabinet officials, it long arms reach into the Bureau of Customs where its operatives are in key positions with the blessings if not in collaboration with officials in the administration perpetuating the protection rackets aka the tara system and outright smuggling schemes within the Bureau of Customs itself. Just to get an idea of the order of magnitude how this corruption affects the economy, it is estimated that 20% to as much as 50% of potential government revenues are being siphoned off due to systemic corruption at the BOC. The BOC currently collects around half a trillion pesos yearly so this is a mind boggling sum being lost to corruption. In fact, the reason why Aquino only got middling SONA ratings on his management of the economy was partly because 2014 was a soso year and government revenues underperformed compared to 2013 and BOC did not increase inspite of a 6% increase in imports.
The heart of Ebangelista’s expose on Customs is a top secret NICA 8 page report that apparently was shared with INC top officials since the church itself was implicated. The links to this report including to a facebook page and the April 2015 entry are no longer available courtesy of the INC officials trying to suppress Ebangelista’s whistleblowing activities. Fortunately, the entirety of the report including details on the names of the BOC officials involved including descriptions of the protection and smuggling operations are available as images in the linked article.
Interestingly, the report names Senator Escudero as being linlked with key operatives in these rings among which is Ted Raval who was recently promoted after much external pressure to become head the BOC security and law enforcement function. It describes in detail the tara protection racket in which importers who pay into it have their shipments expedited and waived from the usual inspection procedures. The system is so sophisticated that the ring set up a completely computerized and real time capability to track prospective imports and shipments in advance of the antiquated one actually being used in legal operations, just so the importers can be contacted or levied protection money ahead of time, since frequently tara is assesses based on number of containers.
So just what is NICA and why has this report not been acted upon? NICA stands for National Intelligence Coordinating Agency which is a small elite investigative agency reporting directly to the Office of the President. At the end of the 8 page report, it concludes that there is not enough hard evidence to indict anyone and that the agency should coordinate with the NBI and the Department of Justice. It seems like that the only things that have happened since is the removal of Sevilla as customs head who was hired to root out corruption, the questionable appointment of Secretary Lina and the very disturbing appointment of Raval to head the Custom’s police force. Seems to me this report raises questions that only President Aquino can respond to and prove that he is not willing to be a lame duck president during the remainder of his term.”
Thank you for the very clear presentation on this. I believe Sevilla, considered a straight shooter and good man, actually resigned because of subordinate appointments orchestrated by ?Sec Ochoa?. I wonder if it might be fruitful to send a link to this comment to the PCIJ, or even Rappler, both of whom are inclined to do investigative style reporting. Should they not follow up, it would be nice to know why.
Sevilla was an excellent choice for cleaning up corruption at Customs but higher ups at Malacanang with the urgings of the INC wanted their own choices named for crucial slots at BOC who Sevilla thought were unfit given his mission so he resigned. Rappler did some stories on this and the BOC mess but they barely scratched the surface except to quote Sevilla stating the protection fee included 60k per container. It will be a sad day when the focus of the news is on how the INC heads use dirty money to buy an Airbus for transport and a billion peso home in Forbes Park and not how hundreds of billions of pesos of customs duties are being stolen every year! All anyone has to do if they are at all concerned is to google and read the NICA report and decide if its authenticity with all its details is worth further investigation and news coverage.
Yes, I think that whole thing stinks, actually, power politics within the straight path. Don’t like it.
Joe, if you do contact the folks over at Rappler or PCIJ and they’re interested, I can share with them what else I know. Where there is smoke, theres fire. Where it stinks, theres rot! Ahahaha….
I’d leave it to you or others to do the contacting. As I mentioned in my e-mail, I don’t engage in actual events here in the Philippines, but merely observe and opine. On Facebook, people subscribe me to all kinds of groups, and I follow along right behind and withdraw. It preserves my neutrality and makes me a non-meddling foreigner.
That’s a thought. It would mean my cloak of invisibility would come off. I’ve had the impression it took an act of Congress, like for the basketball players. Hmmmmmmmmmmm . . .
Joe, now you have made numbers have more sense!! Will read them 10 attentiively.
Even Popoy’s. 🙂
🙂
@Sonny, 10 more reading assignments and I have not digested the last one. When will I catch up?:)
I know the feeling, jmBau. I too came in the middle of the JoeAm’s blog. Fortuitous, happy chance.
Been a long journey. I remember when barely 20 responses were in reply column, half of which were Joeam , a third were Edgar. Then came along MRP verbose anti UP and mestizo supremacy barrage, Kris endorsement, Andrew Lim’s guest columns, followed by the curious, critics, trolls and believers of Joeam. Rest is history for this Folgers from Midwest USA.
Though I miss Maude and Kickapoo juice, looks like Sal is an eye opener.
Recently returned to the fold knowing that SONA draft would mention Joeam (he he he)
More power to you Joeam
Pour one jigger of Kickapoo, oh, a barrel for all of us.
Cheers!
Ahahaha, and I greatly enjoy your wisdoms, Johnny. Cheers! Down the hatch with a jigger (that this time of day looks strangely like mango juice).
Your top ten, 2 were about Roxas and 2 for Binay.
Gloves are off, let us start talking seriously and sensitively about Binay.
Qualifications from character, experience, integrity, honesty, dynasty, corruption scandals Binay would not outperform Roxas. Lately, Binay’s turns up to be an ingrate to the Aquinos when he found out he would not be endorsed by Noynoy while Roxas remained silent despite being humiliated by PNoy in Mamasapano. Character and upbringing of a person is seen thru a magnifying glass in these kinds of conditions. Binay is only looking for himself and Erap is starting to see the light.
No reason to choose Binay over Roxas but others will still do for reasons they believe while denying the obvious facts or allegations hounding Binay. a defendant in any legal situation will present evidence to prove innocence or refute the charges. Binay refused and will never present documents or witnesses exonerating himself.
Only one question for Binay to prove he is not corrupt. Present bank statements, documents, source of income records and tax returns to prove that he and his children became multimillionaires thru honest income. Very simple, no need to show Makati govt documents.
If he can’t do this simple which every honest working Filipino is not ashamed to do, the only logical conclusion is his guilt on corruption as public official.
Does anybody really want to be associated with a corrupt presidential candidate?
Answer is obvious. Nobody wants to run with him as his running mate. No senatorial aspirant with impeccable honesty and integrity wants to be identified with him. He has changed spokesmen a zillion times because their peddled lies defending him destroyed their personal characters.
If you really want the Philippines and its people to improve, rise or be competitive, Do you really want to vote for Binay? Unless you are also guilty of greed, corrupt in your business to feed your families then you prefer Binay. Otherwise, You must be nuts!
Since Roxas is the the anointed, the best thing each and every one who believes that he/she can help the Philippines continue its progress to rid the culture of corruption in government, is to campaign, spread the news that Roxas is PNoy II to a straight path. This applies specially to Grace too if she is true to her words that she is working hard to a better Philippines. If she decides to run, do so as VP, not for president.
Ako ay Pilipino
Sa Isip at sa Gawa
Ikaw ano ka?
GREAT TAGLINE you have there Johnny Lin.
May I add to it:
AKO AY PILIPINO
SA ISIP AT SA GAWA
KAYA KAY MAR ROXAS AKO
SA PAGTULOY NG TUWID NA KALSADA…
(kalsada for rhyme)…
Great to see you here JL…and contributing profusely again!
You do it straight from the horse’s mouth and say it like it is..
I hope MRP won’t come in and convolute issues with his satires (?)
..
Mar has just been “annppointed” by Benigno. Chit, I never watch political monkeying but this time I did. I wanted to make sure if Korina Sanchez-Roxas was there. Obviously, she is invisibly absent.
The campaign managers insure Korina is not spotted so as not to leave a bad taste in the mouth of the viewers.
I asked ABS-CBN. The spokesman said, Korina is STUDYING.
“Annointing” is to Philippines, “Nomination” is to Americans.
When Baracck Obama was nominated, on the stage was Malia and Sasha and Michelle
When Mar was ANNOINTED to SUCCEED, there was only Mar. No Korina Sanchez.
Korina has a heavy baggage. A picture of her with Mar brings Mar’s rating down. So, Mar’s handlers made sure Korina is not there. They do not want Filipinos to see Korina covering her nose inundated by cheap perfume .
Elenita Binay is a heavy baggage. Teodoro Llamanzares is an American.
You are either blind as a bat or you were too busy eating cake in Nancy’s living room if you missed Korina during that event.
Aha! ha! ha! ha! I had someone point her out because I only see a glimpse of her in TV. So she was there? If so, she never walked up to the podium and had her picture taken with Mar. Very unlike American Presidents, they gather their family all the way up to the stage.
For sure, they did not want Korina front and center between Mar and Benigno. Absolutely.
I also struggled listening to Benigno’s introduction of Mar. My talagog is not goot. Something Benigno caught my ears, something to this effect, “Nandito na ang kasunod n’yo na BOSS !!!!”
Then I saw a glimmer of what is purported to be Korina, she was smirking and muttered in silence, “Ha! I am the boss my wish is my command!”
Absolutely the only reason to vote for Binay is to get something tangible from it. Because he has demonstrated so clearly the type of character he has, that of greed, deceit, dishonesty, back-stabbing, vindictiveness (toward good people) . . . and that is clearly not good for the nation. The way I figure it, I’m not sure anybody who would associate with him or vote for him is anything but greedy. But that’s just me. It never ceases to amaze me that the Moral Custodian of the land would so avidly oppose RH, and so demurely accept a gross sinner in the highest office of the land.
The least blog of Joe was KILLER BOOKS. Follow this link: https://joeam.com/2012/08/05/killer-books/#comments
It garnered a measly 42 comments. Well, Filipinos love to read but they don’t and cannot. Books are expensive. It takes time to finish. Like me, I prefer the movie version, like, Oliver starred by Mark Lester! Mark, who? Lester that is who! He is Also from the movie Melody that created the top hits Melody Fair by Bee Gees.
You think I was borned at that time? No! I just love classics like Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, the movie. Not Leslie Howard and Shearer, that Leonardo di Caprio remake. Sure, I am a closet romantic I read Boris Pasternak’s Doctor Zhivago under the blanket else they call me sissy reading romantic novel.
FILIPINOS READ BOOKS, how else Jose Rizal would have a monument in the center of Torre de Manila turmoil if Filipinos did not read El Feli and Noli Me. Well, could be 19th century Filipinos read more books than the current breed of Filipinos. Books then were luxury liek it is now. It was in foreign language, SPANISH. They understood it thru their heart IN THE ABSENCE OF GUIDANCE BY UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES PhD professors.
Today’s adult male Filipino faled Josi Rizal Course. Despite guidance by UP PhD professors to interpret the book for them. No, Sireee, The current textbook Jose Rizal: El Feli and Noli Mi is in English. The UP PhD professors are there to interpret what the allegory means !!! Dios mio !!!
Well, I took it twice. I passed it the second time. How? I took the UP PhD professor to dinner !!! How else? UP is a cesspool of crooks !!! They are worth a dinner !
The leastest blog of Joe was about CHARLES DICKENS !!! A record 20 comments !!! Here is the link: https://joeam.com/2012/10/20/a-page-from-charles-dickens/
I did not know at that time Joe has his own blog. That is why you do not see me comment there.
Joe has a blog with 15 comments. It is not a review of authors or books. It got a picture of my God.
… I thank The Binays, The Filipinos are reading again. Drop The Binays in any headline they gobble it up like pancakes. They disect it, scrutinize and autopsy every word. Yet, they are still at a loss of the meaning of “SUCCEED” from “THE NEXT PRESIDENT”.
They learned from UP PhD professors the literal meaning of “SUCCEED”
Suc- meaning sip
Ceed- meaning surrender
Sip sip and surrender to Binay
He he he
Benigno should stop using “SUCCEED”. Benigno is listening. He is now using “ANNOINT” instead of SUCCEED. Benigno is unconsciously thinking he is The Pope, he is not. I suggest to Benigno to use “Next President”. Benigno should stop reading Inquirer and start reading American News. Obama is not ANNOINTING or APPOINTING.
Benigno is still not naming BINAY. He is beating around the bush. Benigno should know better that Filipinos cannot know if he was alluding to Binay in his SONA.
Why can’t Benigno mention his name for once. Or say this, “BINAY RESIGN! TAMA NA PAGNANAKAW!”
Behind the scene true story
During the lull prior to anointing Mar, PNoy misplaced his glass of diet coke. He asked, “sino kumuha ng soda ko”. May sumagot, si Jojo(Ochoa)
May Nagtanong sa reporter, “nandito ba si Binay?
Ahahahahahaha, that is about the funniest ad lib of the year. Classic. Whew, tears to my eyes . . .
Ahahaha, yeah, that’s why I stopped doing book reports. I also did a sermon or two as I recollect. Those drew a little better than the book reports. But the blog about Kris Aquino was hot for a while.
@MRP
“The leastest blog of Joe was about CHARLES DICKENS !!!”
——-
Methinks, it should be one of the best – if seen in a perspective that one can gather from the results of this search:
https://www.google.com/search?q=%22Charles+Dickens%22+bible+%22King+James%22
Joe himself had said this at that article’s conclusion:
x-
But more than anything, the book is good for the mind and soul.
An easy read? No way. British language of 150 years ago was wretchedly twisted; strained through the imagination of the verbose Charles Dickens, it assumes entirely new shapes of grand contortion.
Is the climbing of a mountain easy? Afterwards, yes.
Is Dickens fun?
The best.
-x
“… good for the mind and soul.”
“… good for the mind and soul.”
“… good for the mind and soul.”
Interesting!
If Dickens is as good as JoeAm says he is, this blog should be a must-visit:
http://dickensblog.typepad.com/dickensblog/
Yes, there is a “Charles Dickens Devotional”:
http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13021021-a-charles-dickens-devotional
I don’t know how good it (the devotional) is.
I learned about it only now – a minute or two ago.
i7sharp
Maraming salamat Joeam sa mahusay mong pagsusulat na nagmumulat, nanghahamon sa isang mangbabasang katulad ko na maging malaya at huwag mag-atubiling makilahok at ipaalam ang kanyang salooobin sa mga talakaying iyong ibinibigay at ibinabahagi. Para kang guro na gumagabay sa kanyang mga mag-aaral. Bagama’t banyaga kang maituturing, mas
Pilipino ka pa sa karaniwang Pilipino. Mapalad ang iyong maybahay at ang Pilipinas na pinili mong ariin at pagmalasakitan.
Thank you for your thoughtful and touching comment, Carmen. I tend to get inflated with self importance from time to time, but my wife succeeds in keeping me humble. 🙂
BUGTONG
Hinog sa pilit
Kailangan pa ng security blankit
Lagi na lang
“Sabi ni Chiz, sabi ni Chiz”
Di pa talaga kaya
Kaya dapat mag-bigay muna
Sino siya?
Roxas: To walk the straight and narrow path.
Binay: The crooked man who walks the crooked mile.
Poe: “Do you know where you’re going to, do you like the things that Chiz is showing you …”
Nobody has sole ownership of “integrity in public service”. True.
But Binay does not want anything to do with it. 🙂
Ahhhh, sweet!
I was so grateful to came across with your blog when i was doing my assignment. I really enjoyed reading your point view and the others as well with repect to philippine politics… I seldom attracted to reading articles unless it is informative, interesting, fair, with sense and straight from the heart.
Excellent, Bgie. I’m glad you found the blog, too.
haha Andrew, thanks for reviving my memory. I’m thinking of the Binay song by the Serendipity Singers 1964.
Those who don’t know this cutie tune, check this out. You can sing to Binay.
Ongpin is smiling.
He got himself a MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE …
Philippines is going Chinese …
Good advice for our politicians
“Politicians who preside over economic booms often develop delusions of incompetence.”
Paul Krugman
CORRECTION: QUOTATION SHOULD READ “POLITICIANS WHO PRESIDE OVER ECONOMIC BOOMS OFTEN DEVELOP DELUSIONS OF COMPETENCE”
APOLOGIES….
” Better to be Deluded than a Failure”
Anonymous
I am confident that quote is not meant to characterize the present occupant In the Palace by the Pasig. It would be most unfair…..
At the height of the great depression, FDR Jr. was said to have remarked that doing nothing was not an option. They had to try programs that were not ever tired before.
Better fail than do nothing….
Front page Quotes for the day
1. Jejomar Binay: si Roxas, tinalo ko na yun nung 2010( Roxas, I already beat him in 2010)
Lesson in Humility:
Lebron James lost to well rounded Golden State Warriors team this past NBA finals despite consecutive 2013- 2014 NBA champion
2. Grace Poe: yung frutas na hindi pa hinog, nagtatagal (A young fruit lasts longer)
Lesson from the Elders:
Doc Zac: sa aming agrikulturista, naranasan na namin yung Frutas na maagang pinitas, madalas bulok ang loob at matigas ang labas sa katagalan.
Daang matuwid vs. daang kurakot.
Nakalimutan mo ang link?
http://opinion.inquirer.net/87221/daang-matuwid-or-daang-kurakot
Country First vs Family First.
The opinion writer got it wrong,
Family First
That is why the wife of the President is always called “First Lady”.
Lady First
Filipinos second
Benigno has Filipinos first
Because
He ain’t got a Lady to be first.
very nice MRP
The Anti-Binays are split between Ongpin’s Manchurian Candidate and Benigno’s Succeesor.
1/4 vote for Ongpin’s and 1/4 for Benigno’s
What scares me if the Pro-Binays carry Jojo to Malacanang.
1/2 goes to Pro-Binays.
Benigno better start visiting COMELEC offices and make his speeches there.
Fortunately, Smartmatec is a goner.
The Filipinos will be counting by their fingers.
That is scary.
Thank goodness, we have Condoned Coup-de-t’at Veteran Captain Senator Trillanes will save the day.
El Nino saves the living daylight.
No rain. No hydropower. No electricity.
No coal. Harsh for environment. No reserve power.
It is an opportune time for brownouts and blackouts.
And it always happens during election when they are counting.
Mark my word !
Switch and bait !
Got this without permission from a post by Aika Robredo in FB:
Aika Robredo with Tricia Robredo and 2 others
Mama used to jokingly refer to Mar as Papa’s second wife. He was a regular breakfast date, whose name would often come up during dinner conversations along with the many stories of what it was like to be a part of PNoy’s cabinet.
Papa was all set to help Mar in 2009. When he gave way to Pnoy for the presidency, he asked Papa to focus on PNoy instead because he seemed to need it more at that time.
Papa had given me the impression that Mar was someone he could and would go to battle with, having known each other way back when Papa was still City Mayor and Mar was DTI Secretary. He was a Mar Roxas believer through and through. And Mar returned the favor by sticking to Papa until the very end.
He was the very first cabinet secretary who gave Mama a call when Papa’s plane was missing, who kept updating us on a regular basis during the search, and was also the first to let us know when it was found.
Today, it felt like things have finally come full circle. And the guy on the right in the photo would probably be pleased now that the time has finally come for this. #RoxasNa
Ahh, right to the heart, that one . . .
No contest
Any which way.
Lady backing Mar- Leni Robredo
Woman backing Binay- Alma Moreno
Mukhang Marangal Vs Kapal Muks
He he he
Wow! I hope this could get a sizable number of youth votes in favor of Mar.
Aug 1- Frontpage quote of the day.
On the 6th death anniversary of Cory, Jojo Binay released this message:
“Cory continues to inspire us to be better FILIPINOS”
Is JunJun Binay a better Filipino? – if he is the video of Dasmarinas guard incident was made up by Cory.
Jojo must be hallucinating and Cory is trembling down under every time he extends his gratitude to the Aquinos.
Another quote of Binay to Roxas
“Katana san hindi palaka”
Tama si Binay, tawag dun
PERFECT STEAL
Another quote of Binay to Roxas
“Karanasan hindi palpak”
Tama si Binay, tawag dun
PERFECT STEAL
What I learned about Mar, that I didn’t know until yesterday (through P-Noy’s story-telling), is that Mar forbade his family from going into the BPO (business process outsourcing) enterprise so that they could not be said to have taken advantage of a program that he had designed. That was an example of Mar’s integrity. Compare that with a cake-giving program for constituents’ birthdays, with the cakes bought from a member of the family. Or a 13-percent cut from every approved infrastructure project undertaken under your administration. No contest.
Read more: http://opinion.inquirer.net/87221/daang-matuwid-or-daang-kurakot#ixzz3hai9L9yB
Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook
Joeam
Now it’s the media who has put you on a throne. PDI has special article on you.
Beware, you might be called the “big man” not “small lady”
He he he
Political fight of the Millenium: ROXAS VS BINAY
banners of the biggest thrilla in Pilipinas
Daan Matuwid vs Daan Kurakot
Mukhang Marangal vs Kapal Muks
Country First vs Family First
White House vs White Cakes
Araneta Coliseum vs Hacienda Binay
Maldita Korina vs Korupt Elenita
Classic according to Binay himself:
Matapobre vs Magnanakaw
Ang mahirap galit pareho sa matapobre at magnanakaw
Pero mas galit sa magnanakaw kasi yung para sa kanila ang ninanakaw
Yes, Gadzooks. What’s next, an appearance on Vice Ganda?
B—– favorite letter of Binay posted all over Makati
13— favotite number of Binay highlighted by 13 % commission in Makati corruption. It is al so an unlucky number, presumed like a thief stealing luck from a person
In BINGO, B13 is announced
Letter Biiiiiiiiii———— MAGNANAKAW
Bingo sigaw ni JJM
He he he!
Good morning, Joe. This should jolt you more than the coffee:
http://technology.inquirer.net/43447/whos-joe-america-why-did-he-make-it-to-aquinos-sona
When the commenter becomes the news itself, it feels surreal, doesn’t it?
But the Society ain’t gonna let this go to its head. It’s the opportunity to nudge this country forward, (even if by millimeter by millimeter), that thrills us, not becoming the news ourselves.
Digital People Power!
*******
To end all speculation of who JoeAm is, I repost my comment in CharlesEnglund’s blog:
“As an insider to the Society, I have the goods on Joe. Whoeee! You wouldn’t believe who (s)he is and from what planet and solar system (s)he originated.
(S)he says (s)he is from German stock. Pshaw! I tell you (s)he is a royal prince(ess) from the planet M’dabi in the Mintaka solar system of the Orion Belt.
Have you noticed his Americanisms? Hah! The Mintakans have developed the technology to eavesdrop on other planets. For Earth, their tele-eavesdropper could only focus on a certain area near the Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri. This explains Joe’s predilection for such words as “foxhole” and “Gadzooks!”; and for his folksy writing style that is inspired by Mark Twain. There was a University of Missouri study that debunked the saying that “there are no atheists in foxholes.”
What I could tell you about JoeAm could fill a thick book. But apart from his origins and some of his inclinations, my lips are sealed. After all, they do call it ‘The Society of Honor.’”
*****
How I wish Robin Williams was still around to do the voice-over for this. 🙂
@Edgar
This explains Joe’s predilection for such words as “foxhole” and “Gadzooks!”; and for his folksy writing style that is inspired by Mark Twain. There was a University of Missouri study that debunked the saying that “there are no atheists in foxholes.”
What I could tell you about JoeAm could fill a thick book. But apart from his origins and some of his inclinations, my lips are sealed. After all, they do call it ‘The Society of Honor.’”
——-
Edgar,
1.
What do you think of this?:
https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Ajoeam.com+hertzenberger
x-
… my real name is Ronald Hertzenberger and I live in Cebu.
-x
2.
Are you implying or perhaps even asserting that JoeAm is an atheist?
Salamat.
i7sharp
*******
I think what I said, and I said what I think: concentrate on the messages and not on the messenger.
*****
Edgar,
Your response speaks volumes
– especially in view of what you had just said earlier:
“What I could tell you about JoeAm could fill a thick book.”
Edgar, perhaps you can try writing at least a couple of paragraphs about what JoeAm
had said about God -yes, about God – in front, so to speak, of people from “the only Christian nation in Asia”:
——————-
“He is busy bringing the calamities and doesn’t have time to build seawalls.”
——————-
See:
http://j.mp/ja-insolence
i7sharp
*******
i7sharp,
You are quoting out of context.
The preceding and succeeding sentences are: “My point is not of faith, but of personal commitment to the state, without relying upon God to protect us from calamities, or ourselves. He is busy bringing the calamities and doesn’t have time to build seawalls. We should be doing that instead of sitting under the Mango trea sucking tuba. Personal opinion.
JoeAm’s point is very simple. We should NOT rely on God, we should rely on ourselves. He is holding up the virtue of self-reliance. And, as you know, Filipinos do not possess this virtue in great abundance. Not in our culture of patronage and mendicancy, of depending on politicians, or rich relatives, or on a member of the family going overseas so we can purchase and enjoy the latest gadgets of materialism.
Insolence is rude and disrespectful behavior. But JoeAm is being very respectful of human beings. He believes that we have the capacity and the capability to solve our own problems, to build seawalls against Nature’s calamities. Moreover, he thinks we should use these talents and not just sit under the mango tree.
Now these talents are the gifts of God. We are made in the image of God, and these strengths are reflective of, and derived from, His omnipotence. So we are endowed with a portion of divinity and, yes, this is part of our nature and resides in us.
JoeAm is beseeching us to make use of our divine allotment. And therefore he is anything but… insolent.
*****
@Edgar,
Thanks for your rejoinder which I came upon only now.
x-
Insolence is rude and disrespectful behavior. But JoeAm is being very respectful of human beings. He believes that we have the capacity and the capability to solve our own problems, to build seawalls against Nature’s calamities. Moreover, he thinks we should use these talents and not just sit under the mango tree.
Now these talents are the gifts of God. We are made in the image of God, and these strengths are reflective of, and derived from, His omnipotence. So we are endowed with a portion of divinity and, yes, this is part of our nature and resides in us.
JoeAm is beseeching us to make use of our divine allotment. And therefore he is anything but… insolent.
-x
Edgar, how did you know about this “God”?
I did not know you believe in God.
What do you think of this?:
Jesus said, “Search the scriptures … they are they which testify of me.”
i7sharp
*******
i7sharp,
I have answered your request to write a couple of paragraphs about JoeAm’s cited quote.
Now, you answer my answer with questions that do not pertain to my interpretation (that is within the context of Christianity and the Philippines, which as you say is “the only Christian nation in Asia.)”
Either you accept or refute my interpretation, or explain what you think is the proper interpretation, but do not digress… and begin to question my beliefs or ask me to give my view on another matter.
As it is, we are already off-topic… and my beliefs are neither here nor there in this matter.
*****
LOL!
I’ve not noticed Englund’s comments here, but that was a funny blog!
Like they say in interrogation books, it’s not what’s being said but what isn’t that’s important, so with that I am 110% positive that Joe is an Arab, possibly Saudi-born, definitely royal family connected, and educated in a fancy private American high school somewhere in New England (tell tale idioms and aphorisms that only come from a certain region and certain class of individuals in New England).
I’m still trying to determine if he stayed in America for undergrad, but he definitely did his post grad work in the UK. So if he is in fact in the Philippines look for a huge mansion, with gold trimmings here and there, a huge garage and painted marble Greek statues in the front and back lawns. He’ll have his own helicopter, I’m sure. Although he is pious, he isn’t particularly religious, though he prays 5 times a day and then some–
but more for meditative benefits, similar to inversion therapy, but not as severe. Any increase in blood flow towards the head is always good for one’s health, and keeps the mind sharp.
I may be wrong about the painted marble statues, but on everything else I am confident that I am well within the bull’s eye.
Add another medal to your merit badge scarf, Sherlock. Good clue recognition.
Hanep, ang kaibigan at mahal nating si Joe ay headline sa Inquirer!. Hanep talaga, sobra.
Mas masarap pa ito sa Energen ko sa umaga, “).
🙂 .
*******
Bert,
Does Energen cause one to talk with one’s self?
P.S. Sensei, I am learning from you.
*****
Ha, Edgar, no, that was the dam keyboard made in China talking, heheh.
The PDI in my opinion is for the most part accurate and fair in its description of JoeAm and this blog. I am as an anti-Binay as they come and will defend Poe against unsupported or over-the-top accusations but in the short-time I have been coming here, I have encountered little of the meanness and outright hostility expressed against her honesty and personal integrity I have found in other online sites. This has so much to do with Joe and the civility he fosters among posters with differing views and positions. In here there is a balance between an online Hyde Park-type environment where a mob and unmedicated asylum ex-inmates rein supreme in a Babel of insults and accusations, and a place where educated and moderated exchanges can take place. It takes effort and talent to achieve this balance so inspite of the biases mentioned in the PDI article some of which I view as unfortunate and misguided, Joe and this blogsite fully deserve the unusual mention and recognition accorded by the president and the largest newspaper in the country.
It did give me a jolt. Two in one week. The writer portrayed me as complaining, and said I disliked Grace Poe. Other than those two mistakes, it was a good article. (I don’t dislike Senator Poe; I think she has made some bad choices of late). (An astute critical observation, delivered with a subtle satirical grin, is not a complaint.)
Scary all this attention and scrutiny. Is there still space for those of us who only speak pidgin English?
Scary the need to identify the messenger, more than to discuss the message.
Scary this new tsunami of replies. Where are the good old day we where discussing an issue with 4/5 commenters and a occasional guest… When it was easy to identify who you where talking to, the new audience seems more diverse, requiring a more “neutral” approach?
Joe, don’t forget to put on your sunglasses, all these spotlights might blind you clear vision 🙂
My wife is responsible for my humility and she is expert at keeping humble in my pie. 🙂
…but you didn’t correct my “where discussing” into “were discussing) anymore… It was only Mariano who did it on purpose.;-)
Before, it was almost all about the messages of a certain Joe America, now it’s about the messenger:
INQUIRER — Who’s Joe America? Why did he make it to Aquino’s Sona? (04:30 AM August 2nd, 2015)
http://technology.inquirer.net/43447/whos-joe-america-why-did-he-make-it-to-aquinos-sona
MY COMMENT
JoeAm, I don’t know how you will take that piece. But I have a good feeling about this. The mystery, I believe, will have a way of drawing droves to the blogsite, and thus, help in the cause of having a 2016 Election with a satisfactory result we aspire for.
So, please JoeAm, don’t reveal yourself and become a celebrity yet, even if you can sing and play that old banjo well. We need you as the Mystery Man till after the election.
When the narrative of the 2016 Election is written by historians, I may not be surprised if that Mystery Man figures in the story.
😉
I thought Abigail Valte and MLQ# were most gracious, and even fair about it. However, the writer got a couple of points wrong. I was not complaining in that one description and I don’t dislike Senator Poe, I dislike some of her recent decisions. I think the hullabaloo will settle down soon and we can get anonymously and . . . thoughtfully . . . back to business.
Yes, and if I may attest for the benefit of new readers: Joe America has written quite a few blogs on Grace Poe — some with generous praises, in the early ones. The critical words on Grace were always written with reasons which readers can agree or not.
The writer, Cathy Cañares Yamsuanis, was probably beating a deadline. If she read through the blogs concerning Grace, she may not have used the word “dislike.”
I so like Joe’s avatar, or is it gravatar?… I imagine that I’m adressing my late grandfather who was so politically aware like my mother was, many a times we spent discussing, analysing and agreeing with each other with me as the makulet one with my unending stream of questions which they patiently and kindly explained and elucidated. Terms like ehekutibo, ligislatura are quite strange words to a five year old. I grew up and developed the same kind of patriotic sense and curiuosity which they patiently nurtured.
My grandfather kinda looked like Joe’s gravatar.
It was your suggestion a few comments up to contact and send a link to Rapplet and PCIJ who belong to your bloggers network, and whom I nor most visitors do not. If asking other investigative blogs is too risky on your part to consider looking into potential massive corruption scandals its best that everyone know now than expect more than you feel comfotable eith. Thank you anyway.
thanks to Pnoy’s SONA, now I am an avid reader of your blogs
Welcome, Cecil. Good to have you join the Society.