The Bee Fleet

Posted by JoeAm on August 31, 2013 · 29 Comments 

I scrapped a blog by the same title. Sometimes warmongering gets a little old, a little tired. So let’s look at this as an economic initiative instead, eh? Why should the Philippines spend hundreds of millions of United States dollars buying a few huge ships that can, after all, only patrol a few places among … Continue reading →

Category Economy, Foreign Affairs and Defense

Snowden. Is the Issue Privacy or Trust?

Posted by JoeAm on August 8, 2013 · 50 Comments 

The Snowden affair seems to have little to do with the Philippines, other than give critics of the United States an issue to rally around. But it may be useful to reflect on the underlying issues because they may shade how we look at FOI or other acts of the Philippine government. The battleground in … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Technology/Internet

A Troublesome Photo

Posted by JoeAm on July 15, 2013 · 75 Comments 

The above photograph raised a point of debate in a recent blog. It makes for a good cross-cultural discussion. So please make note of your initial reaction to the photo. Maybe jot your thoughts down, rather like it were a Rorschach Test, an ink blot with elegant pixelation. I would welcome knowing your initial reaction. … Continue reading →

Category Foreign Affairs and Defense, USA/Americans

Defending Defense

Posted by JoeAm on July 3, 2013 · 66 Comments 

We have two interesting cases tracking together. One is in the United States, the other in the Philippines. Both fall under the category of “Foreign Affairs and Defense”. The United States is pursuing a hero or a traitor who revealed top secret NSA (National Security Agency) anti-terrorist programs. He is a hero to privacy advocates … Continue reading →

Category Foreign Affairs and Defense, USA/Americans

Why China Can’t Be Trusted

Posted by JoeAm on June 26, 2013 · 49 Comments 

I’ve mentioned in several blogs that we create our own intellectual reality based on what we personally experience, feel and believe. Different people can look at the same facts, same truths, but get very different read-outs based on the half-baked knowledge they hold to be 100% true. Well, I want to disabuse you of any … Continue reading →

Category China, Foreign Affairs and Defense