TRAVEL LIGHT

Women hold up half the sky

Today is International Women’s Day, a day commemorating the important role of women in the struggle for a just and humane society and to make the world a better place.

A Happy Women’s day to my wife Bambit, my baby Maia and her Ate Anne and Ate Bebing, my mom, my sister, my aunts, my cousins, my women colleagues and comrades, my sisters of our Order, my women fellow bloggers; Ayeeza, Babypink, Bing, Val, Teacher Sol, Delish and Renee, to the wives, sisters, mom, women colleagues and girl friends of; Major Tom, Denver, Manolo, Jove, Jeff, Punzi and Rene, and to all women holding up half the sky.

Happy International Women’s Day!

Mabuhay ang Kababaihan! Mabuhi ang Kababayen-an!

There’s always a bigger fish

One very important rule to remember in maintaining a saltwater aquarium is the proper selection of fish. Although one can easily find joy in having a motley of species of various size swimming together in the tank. But such delight can easily disappear as fast as the rate of disapperances of the small fishes cohabiting the tank with the bigger ones. Yes, there’s always a bigger fish, and in the case of a saltwater aquarium, size really matters. One cardinal rule in selecting fish for a saltwater aquarium is that a fish that fits into a bigger fish’s mouth usually ends up there.

We just have learned this lesson. After having completed cycling our new saltwater quarantine tank, new livestock were placed to inhabit it. Our friend Jimmy gave us the first batch of occupants composed of, three small Strawberry/Purple Pseudochromis or the Dottyback, two small Formosa Wrasse, two Golden Coris Wrasse, a Lamarck Angel and one big Harlequin Tusk Wrasse. After a week, Jimmy added more, a Black Longnosed Tang, two (big and small) Regal Angels, a Flagfin Angel, a Half-black angel and a Racoon Butterfly.

Besides experiencing the usual temporary stress due the transfer, all livestock were healthy and manifested vitality. No signs of Ich or any common fish disease were detected. Our new qurantine tank inhabitants is a picture of a happy company, a peaceful co-existence of various species of different sizes. So we thought.

After a while we noticed that some of the smaller fishes have mysteriously vanished without trace. We thought that they may have just dugged and hidden under the live rocks or the substrate. But just this afternoon the mystery of the lost fishes was uncovered as we witnessed how the big bad Harlequin Wrasse gobbled alive in whole the last of the small helpless dottyback.

Like in real life, some lessons are learned at some smaller fish’s expense.

The Conspiracy Theory continues

The PP 1017 is lifted but GMA’s government still continues to probe on the conspiracy theory that has become the very basis of its proclamation. They have already lifted the proclamation but the basis for such proclamation is yet to be established. Such weird logic.

According to Malacanan’s resident Goebbels, “We want people to be enlightened about what’s happening in the country, …. and the continued conspiracy between the left and the right,” But that they still have to prove.

It is because of this alleged conspiracy that people are now being arrested. It is because of this alleged conspiracy that media outfits now face a dreaded possibility of being closed down or taken over. It is because of this alleged conspiracy that the PNP and the AFP are given powers to suppress “lawless violence” - a term which is left to be defined according to the police’s and military’s own judgement and understanding.

Perhaps the conspiracy was too well planned because a good conspiracy is unprovable. The complete lack of evidence is the surest sign that the conspiracy is working. Or maybe, GMA and her minions are simply stupid not to realize that once you got the whole spectrum of society (left, right and center) up against them, then practically it no longer becomes a conspiracy but an open call to change an illegitimate government.

This conspiracy theory is like a cock-and-bull story that is being forcibly told to us during bedtime. And as this conspiracy theory continues, let’s sing all together; “I have two hands the ‘left’ and the ‘right’,” hold them up high so clean and bright clap them softly one, two, three clean little hands are good to see.”

Coup de Talk

“I will not run as President”- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

“I am sorry”- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

“I will lift the state of national emergency at the earliest possible time”- Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” - Joseph Goebbels, German Nazi Minister of Propaganda, 1933-1945

Figures.