Slip sliding away: the Duterte Administration as a naked banana

Posted by JoeAm on July 15, 2019 · 116 Comments 

By JoeAm “You know the nearer your destination The more you’re slip slidin’ away…” Slip slidin’ away. Paul Simon wrote this classic. It’s about giving up, about seeing your passions erode when faced with the hard realities of life. He gives three examples within the lyrics. The song might be a right proper anthem to … Continue reading →

Category Citizenship/Patriotism, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government, Philippine Politics

Of Chinese, racism, and smiling

Posted by JoeAm on July 3, 2019 · 171 Comments 

By JoeAm I was sitting in the restaurant. Four Chinese women in their early thirties, I would guess, came in and asked the Filipina waitress for guidance on the menu. These were not the loud, overbearing Chinese who sat next to us at the Waterfront Casino buffet the last time we were in Cebu. “Those … Continue reading →

Category China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

The Philippines in 2039, a vibrant neutral state in harmony with China

Posted by JoeAm on June 10, 2019 · 72 Comments 

By JoeAm We have some life’s decisions to make. We’d be wise to consider the future so we choose well. Right now, the Philippines is heading down the path of authoritarian leadership. That’s very different than democracy. Let’s project the Philippines forward as best we can. We are not statisticians and most of us have … Continue reading →

Category Crime/Corruption, Ecology/Global Warming, Economy, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

The need for an anti-discrimination law in the Philippines

Posted by JoeAm on June 7, 2019 · 46 Comments 

By JoeAm Filipinos generally treat other races with polite consideration. They are courteous to whites, Chinese, Japanese, and everyone else except perhaps blacks, as far as I can judge. Dark-skinned Filipinos are often ridiculed or otherwise treated badly. Women are not discriminated against in the job market, but everyday language is often discriminatory (the President’s … Continue reading →

Category China, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government

Trash wars and other Philippine nonsense

Posted by JoeAm on June 3, 2019 · 74 Comments 

By JoeAm The Philippines almost went to war over trash from Canada, imported by Filipinos, and blamed on Canada. The 69 containers of nasty trash evidently sat in Customs stinking up the docks for six years and no one did anything about it. There was no reason, no money to be made in doing something, … Continue reading →

Category China, Citizenship/Patriotism, Crime/Corruption, Foreign Affairs and Defense, Humor/Satire, Laws and Ethics, Philippine Government