Berg Loves Pizza is 2007 Entertainment Blog of the Year. Moving on…

Yoshke.com’s first Socio-Political Blog of the Year is Philippines Without Borders by David Llorito.

I owe this blog big time. It has become my Bible for my Foreign Service Exams. It’s become my most frequented site for the past months. It is very insightful, informative, enlightening and persuasive.

The Blogger: David Llorito. According to Asia Times Online “David Llorito is a researcher at The BusinessMirror, a Manila-based daily newspaper.He has more than a decade of experience in socio-economic research, policy analysis and business-economy journalism in the Philippines and recently won the Jaime V Ongpin Award for Excellence in Journalism (Explanatory Category) as well as the Australian Ambassador’s Choice Award 2006.” Wow.

How I Found This Blog: I stumbled upon this blog while looking for materials to read for my Foreign Service Written Exams. Although I have NEVER commented on his blog, I have been visiting it almost every day since then.

What’s so great: I’m a little biased here. The reason I uberlove his blog is that we always have the same stand on issues. As in, on every issue. We share the same political and socio-economic views.

What is not-so-great: Hmm, layout maybe. But for a blog with content this great, who cares about the frakkin’ layout?

That you have it. Yoshke.com’s first Socio-Political Blog of the Year for 2007. Philippines Without Borders by David Llorito.

Status: Amused
Music: Fly By - Blue

I know this issue is so not new especially here in the Philippines and also in the US, but I would just like to talk about it now that Europe is finally noticing what we’ve been laughing about (/ at). Anyway, are you aware that the Polish government tries to ban the hit television programme for kids Teletubbies? Why, you ask? Because they say that this show promotes homosexuality. Poland’s government has always been conservative when it comes to gender issues (to the point that it’s been dubbed homophobic) so this did not come as a surprise to me when I first heard about this on CNN about a month ago. But I really find this issue so interesting and somewhat amusing. They have a point, though. I mean, just look at Tinky Winky (see pic, left). Tinky Winky, the largest of all the teletubbies, is a male character, yet he always carries that red woman’s handbag. Not to mention he’s sooo purple. Ehehe. You think I’m kidding? No. I’m so damn serious. Poland’s Children’s Ombudsman Ewa Sowinska said that Tinky Winky’s purse could be a latent sign of homosexuality, and that the show may have some kind of hidden sexual subtext. No wonder some gay communities use Tinky Winky as an icon. Years ago, the late Jerry Falwell, an American fundamentalist pastor and televangelist, had criticised this show long before this issue sparked in Europe. Thank God Jerry Falwell is dead, that avaricious chauvinistic feminist-hater, homophobe, hatemonger, son-of-a-bitch. (Sorry, I got carried away.) And oh, can somebody tell me what Po’s gender really is? You know, the red tomboyish-acting one. Hehehe.

Anyway, I was also able to watch a Democratic Presidential Debate (I love watching and hearing the liberal Democrats argue. I also watch the damn conservative Republicans but all I could do everytime is either cringe or puke.) When the issue on the lifting of the ban on gay men and lesbians in the US military was brought up, I liked what former First Lady Hillary Clinton said:

“You don’t have to be straight to shoot straight.”

Very well said, Senator. Were I an American, I’d vote vote for you. Too bad I’m not American. (Damn, what have I said? I’m soo happy I’m not, actually.) Hehehe.
*Photo courtesy of bbc.co.uk

Status: Still Traumatised
Music: A Song for You – Elliott Yamin

Thinking of the most dignified way to kill yourself? Try volunteering for PPCRV as a Poll Watcher.

But surprisingly, I’m still alive. (But I didn’t intend to kill myself, I just wanted to help.) Yep, believe it or not, the ever arrogant Yoshke made a humble and noble choice of volunteering this election season. And after almost 30 hours of no sleep and sagging eyebags and new sets of pimples, I was completely a different person. My mum asked me when I got home, “How was it?” And all I could reply was, “Traumatic.”

I knew it was gonna be tough and rough but I never expected it to be that chaotic, dramatic, and violent. The last sound that a diplomat wannabe wants to hear is the sound of a gunshot. And hell, in that volunteering stint, I got the last thing I wanted. Though it was just a warning shot, for a peace-loving creature like me, it was just too much.

May 14, 6:30am, my first stop was the church to meet the priests who would give me specific instructions. As a PPCRV volunteer, the most important duties were to fill in the Certificates of Votes (COVs) they handed me, and to pick up the 6th copy (Namfrel copy) of election returns from the precincts and drop them off at the parish hall. Other tasks include looking out for cheating incidents and other irregularities.

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Status: Mortified
Music: Dancing Queen – Abba

Have you seen Tessie Aquino-Oreta’s latest political ad on TV? The one where she explains why she did that infamous cheerleading number after the majority in the Senate voted not to open the second envelope in former President Joseph Estrada’s impeachment trial? Gee. I’ve never seen so much hipocrisy compressed into a 30-second plug…. This one’s a really desperate move. But I must say the acting is pretty impressive. With the teary eyes, shaky voice, and all — if only FAMAS had a Best Performance in a Political Ad Award, then without any doubt, she’d be our Helen Mirren (minus the dancing part, of course).

This move by the Senate’s original dancing queen reminds me of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s first public acting stint when she apologised for the Hello Garci scandal some years ago. But GMA is a poor actress — well, at least in that I’m sorry video crap. I wonder how much politicians spend on hiring film directors or acting coaches. But whoever taught Oreta acting for this ad, GOOD JOB! Sounds like a new career for me, hahaha.

Now, can we blame our actors for continuously conquering the political scene when there’s so much drama going on in our dear nation’s political stage. Cool, huh?

*Photo courtesy of lawphil.net

Status: Hmmm…
Music: Home – Daughtry

For the past three months, Batangas has been one of the hottest political spots in the country. Batangas has been all over the news. From former Governor Tony Leviste’s homicide case, to the Armand Sanchez and Ricky Recto verbal war, to the internal conflict within the Recto clan. Wow, Batangas is one hell of a star province!

This morning, Lipa City Mayor Vilma Santos-Recto announced that she had not completely shrugged off the idea of joining the gubernatorial race in Batangas. The announcement was made in front of her constituents in a sort of rally in Lipa City. Also present in that event were various municipal mayors in Batangas, some of which are allies of incumbent governor Armand Sanchez. Vilma asked her supporters to give her a week to make up her mind considering the infamous skirmish between her and husband Senatorial hopeful Ralph Recto, and her brother-in-law Ricky Recto, who had earlier announced his intentions of running for governor. The one week ultimatum was later reduced to 2-3 days, so as not to prolong our agony.

As a Batangueno, I personally want Vilma Santos to run. This is not because she’s a movie star, but because, unlike her peers in the showbiz industry who chose to run for public office, she has already proven herself to be one of the most reliable and responsible leaders here in our dear province. She is different. She has led Lipa City to progress and order. Batanguenos, whether from Lipa or not, love her. She will win even without campaigning, hehe.

And of course, we cannot think of any better governor for Christopher De Leon (who I heard is running for vice-governor). Talk about big stars. Hihi.

*Picture courtesy of filipinoexpress.com