Activists in Right Wing Territory (The NDC in PMA)

The quiet in this blog last week is attributed to my attendance in the 9th National Debating Championships hosted by the Philippine Military Academy at its sprawling campus inside Fort Del Pilar in Baguio City. The tournament was my 5th NDC, my 10th major national tournament (that’s 5 NDCs + 4 IIDCs + 1 PIDC), my 15th major debating tournament (10 national + 5 international: 1 All-Asians, 2 Asian Univs, 2 Worlds), and roughly my 25th time to participate in a collegiate debating event (includes all major and minor tournaments here and abroad); hence, it was an anniversary of sorts for me. At the same time, it was my 1st time to join as a competitive adjudicator (I’ve been judging debates for a whole year now… that’s what old debaters – dinosaurs as we call them — do when they retire from debating… but last year I was part of the Adj Core of the NDC and PIDC so I wasn’t actually representing our debate varsity in UP Manila), my first time to take an adj exam for a national tournament (which was weird and funny since in the previous year, I was checking papers and rating judges) and my first time to be subjected to the competitive adj rating scheme. All in all therefore, it was both a tournament of repeats and of firsts; definitely one for the books.

Diagnose the Former Polish President

Thanks to Wake T-Rex for the heads up re this news item/chance to play House. To all interested: read first the news item below (history-taking via news report!!!) then enter your differentials as a comment!

From Monsters and Critics:
Poland’s ex-president probed over mystery “tipsy” disease (Oct 12, 2007)

Warsaw – Poland’s ex-president Aleksander Kwasniewski was examined by Polish state hygiene officials this week after he claimed drugs treating a tropical disease were responsible for his tipsy behaviour on the campaign trail ahead of Poland’s October 21 parliamentary election.

Kwasniewski, 52, is currently the poster boy for Poland’s third spot left-wing party ahead of the country’s October 21 snap parliamentary elections.

But despite a history of appearing tipsy in public, the two-term ex-president has flatly denied alcohol was the cause of his slurred speech and droopy eyes at a recent campaign rally.

Kwasniewski pinned his joviality on drugs prescribed to treat a mysterious tropical disease caught this July during a to the Philippines.

America’s Most Smartest Model

Check out the pilot episode of the newest series in the reality modelling show genre; this one features… a spelling bee! I’ve always wanted to be a model; I didn’t know models wanted to be geeky like me!!!

Torture Can Protect Human Rights

Former US President Jimmy Carter last week accused President Bush’s administration of condoning torture, and of creating its own definition of human rights to escape violating international convention regarding the treatment of prisoners or those accused. In an interview with CNN, Carter said “I don’t think it. I know it, certainly” when asked if he thinks the US is commiting acts constituting torture. These comments come after the New York Times exposed an opinion from the Justice Deparment recently that allegedly provided explicit authorization for the use of harsh interrogation techniques, including head-slapping, simulated drowning, and frigid temperatures (according to the report) to barrage terror suspects. While the White House has confirmed the existence of such documents, Mr Bush has categorically denied the use of torture techniques in the war against terrorism.

The popular argument against the use of torture as a valid tool in intelligence efforts is that the method debases subjects and thus tramples on human rights. Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that no one shall be subjected to torture, or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war explicitly warns against the use of torture by governments. The link is clear and obvious: when prisoners or accused persons are tortured, their inalienable human rights are violated. The next question is, can torture be used to protect the human rights of others?

Journalists’ Privilege Gone Wrong

First, a recap of events (many thanks to Philippine Commentary for keeping me up-to-date). Just before the Senate Blue Ribbon investigations into the NBN/ZTE deal were adjourned last week, a certain piece of information was prevented from reaching the public with the former NEDA Chair Romulo Neri’s invocation of the Executive Privilege. In this sanctuary provided by EO 464, cabinet officials are allowed to decline answering questions that when answered would otherwise reveal confidential/classified information to the public (as these would presumably damage the Executive Branch or its critical functions). The EO was issued by GMA previously after “inquiries in aid of legislation” and the summoning of cabinet members holding critical positions became the norm in the Senate.

And so Romulo Neri was summoned last week to a closed-door meeting between himself and the investigating Senators (plus other officials), where he could reveal whatever information he is holding without the scrutiny of the public eye, or the danger of him being targeted by those who will be affected by his revelation. Neri allegedly told someone previously that the information he knew could lead to the downfall of the President; and, the point when Neri invoked the Executive Privilege during the televised inquiry was when questions were already leading into the knowledge of the President of the bribery deals between Neri and former COMELEC Chair Abalos.

In the middle of the session, however, his much-awaited revelation was foiled allegedly with a motion from administration stalwart Joker Arroyo to allow the entry of Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya into the meeting, an action which was seen by many to have stopped Neri who was already on the verge of doing a tell-all.

500 Happy Kids

Woohoo!!! 500 hits!!!

Jon Stewart vs Desperate Housewives

Just as the Desperate Housewives racial slur issue dies down with an apology from the show’s producers (well, at least for rational, open-minded people, the story has already lived its worth), Pinoys meanwhile get hold of an episode of Comedy Central’s political satire The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, in which former President of Corazon Aquino is labeled a “slut.” The episode aired last September 18 in the States (note that the Desperate Housewives episode aired on September 30 in the US), and the discussion was about whether the US was ready for a female President (Hillary Clinton is currently leading among Democratic Party “presidentiables”). Former President Aquino’s picture was shown with doodles and the word “slut” in what appears to be a parody of an infamous gossip blog where pics of Paris Hilton and other celebs are scribbled over with expletives and other offensive words/drawings. Pictures of former Israeli and British PMs Golda Meir and Margaret Thatcher were also ridiculed. See the whole clip on Wake T-Rex’s blog.

Miriam Defensor-Santiago Quotes

My favorite Inday quote goes like this: Amo to Inday: Inday, anong ginagamit mong sabon? Inday: “only Belo touches my skin… who touches yours?” My favorite Melanie Marquez quote, meanwhile, is: (said to another celebrity) “you’re good, you should go to the States… you will sell hotcakes.” When it comes to quotes, however, there is no beating ever-fiery Senator (once presidentiable) Miriam Defensor-Santiago. Her most recent tirade was during the Senate NBN inquiry, where she accuses the Chinese of inventing corruption “for all of human civilization”:

Give a Little Love

This newest Coke commercial is my favorite so far. It starts off dirty and downright nasty a la GTA, then leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside… in just 60 seconds. I can’t stop watching: 

Free Burma!