Bayang magiliw
Perlas ng Silanganan,
Alab ng puso
Sa dibdib mo’y buhay.

Lupang hinirang,
Duyan ka ng magiting,
Sa manlulupig,
‘Di ka pasisiil.

Sa dagat at bundok,
Sa simoy at sa langit mong bughaw,
May dilag ang tula at awit
Sa paglayang minamahal.

Ang kislap ng watawat mo’y
Tagumpay na nagniningning,
Ang bituin at araw niya
Kailan pa ma’y ‘di magdidilim.

Lupa ng araw, ng luwalhati’t pagsinta,
Buhay ay langit sa piling mo;
Aming ligaya, na ‘pag may mang-aapi
Ang mamatay nang dahil sa ‘yo.

–

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas, aking lupang sinilangan
Tahanan ng aking lahi, kinukupkop ako at tinutulungang
Maging malakas, masipag at marangal
Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas,
Diringgin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang,
Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng paaralan,
Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng mamamayang makabayan,
Naglilingkod, nag-aaral at nagdarasal nang buong katapatan.
Iaalay ko ang aking buhay, pangarap, pagsisikap
Sa bansang Pilipinas.

–

Ako ay Pilipino
Buong katapatang nanunumpa
Sa watawat ng Pilipinas
At sa republikang kanyang sinasagisag
Na may dangal, katarungan at kalayaan
Na ipinakikilos ng sambayanang
Maka-Diyos, makatao,
Makakalikasan at
Makabansa

The voice at the back of my head tells me, “You’re going insane,” and I tell her, “No I’m not. I’m happy.” Then it asked me, “Why? How can you possibly be happy?”

For some apparent reason, the world IS round. It rotates and revolves as well. That’s my only justification of being in this state of happiness.

Cut the crap. Who am I kidding? These sites can kick your ***.

Fantastic Contraption

Tricks

Budapest Defenders

Perhaps the Mayans were right about 2012. We may not get hit by some asteroid or get sucked into a blackhole, but surely we’re going there soon enough. We were once amazed by the glamorous promises of capitalism, so we jumped in the big green bottomless pit. But of course, we tied our feet onto Mother Nature so we would find a way back up. I guess the big green bottomless pit made us fat and Mother Nature cannot bear the weight of us all. Now she’s jumping in capitalism’s trap as we did before. What happens now when we try to climb back up?

I hope you go to heaven. Now.

Because you stand by a dying breed

And you make life miserable for everybody

Maybe if you leave them alone, you’ll do more good

And you get to accomplish your goal

But seriously, I really hope you go to heaven

So you’ll forever be happy

After all, that’s what you want in life, right?

Let’s see how far this could go.

Two little ants are strolling on a huge lawn. The bigger one called Momo was famous for aqcuiring a huge ant kingdom. Not even humans dare to destroy the enormous pimple on the ground because they know that Momo would take revenge on them someday.

The smaller one was named Kiyo. Kiyo was born with a very hyper stomach. It digests quicker than the normal ant’s stomach.  Momo knew that Kiyo would have a hard time relating to other ants because of this. Momo knew that Kiyo needed someone to take care of him so he survives. Kiyo needed food more than any ant. He had to bring food with him anywhere he goes because he would die if his stomach became empty for more than three minutes. Momo became a good friend and parent to Kiyo. When Kiyo was still small, Momo promised him the whole kingdom knowing that this would inspire Kiyo to work harder for the whole colony. The only condition was that Kiyo should follow what Momo wants.

Most of the time, Momo simply asked Kiyo to run a couple of errands and to go to the boring Queen Ant’s state of the colony speeches everyday. Nevertheless, Kiyo grew up to be a good leader of the ants. One day, he led them all to gather the largest stash of food that the whole colony has ever witnessed. The colony was becoming prosperous, and Momo knew he did a good job in taking good care of Kiyo.

On the day that Momo and Kiyo were walking down the lawn, Kiyo asked Momo if he could lead the entire colony, just as Momo had promised when he was a baby. Momo asked him in return, “How is the economy of the kingdom?”. and Kiyo said, “It is very prosperous and we have food stored to last us five generations!” Momo thought about it. He knew that if he himself led the colony, it would be easy for him. He could use the spare food for himself as well. Momo’s promise to Kiyo is now six feet below the ground. “No, I will keep the colony, and you lead your assigned troop of ants if need be,” said Momo. Kiyo stopped walking for he was completely shocked. He did not expect Momo to break his promise.

Momo ran back after him and explained, “That is mine to begin with. I only let you use it when you needed it. Kiyo, you have been eating too much and I’m afraid you will become a threat to the colony. I cannot let you eat all of the food, and I take the blame. I am responsible for it, and now I forbid you to eat more than the normal share of food. It is mine, Kiyo, not yours.”

“This is unfair. I worked hard for it. He knows I need extra food to live, but he would not give it to me. What am I supposed to do now? Hunt for my own while I am dying?” Kiyo thought. He did not know what to do yet he followed Momo down to the colony.

Summer is being a pain right now. The heat, the rising cost of transportation, and of course, the inevitable temptation to go back to bed and stay there throughout the day all account to what might make this a long period of hibernation. I really hope things get better for you, for me, and for the rest of the non-working, dependent residents of the Earth.

We made a list of all the fun and not-so-fun things to do this summer. They’ll be up once we decide whether we would really do them or not. To all the possible entries in the list, may you be crossed out by the end of the summer. Taking too many issues at once is going to choke me sometime in the future. So, I try to practice holding my breath from now on. This morning, I prayed with all my waking energy that our prayers may be answered, but I found myself daydreaming after three minutes. That might take a while to get my message through.

I hope you remember what you said two years ago. I hope you meant what you said.

Certain provisions are made for certain things. Altering the norm would result in awkward contradictions nevertheless these are permanently etched in time. It’s pretty hard to believe far Right ancestral beliefs could still be passed on for generations. It may be a dying breed but it still has its control over many surprising people. The hippies did not spit on Uncle Sam’s face. They let go of every single grudge they had inside, and embraced a new lifestyle. Every bit of restraint cast upon them by their beloved Liberty led them to throw their hands up and walk away. If that is morally acceptable in this time, then many would have done it a long time ago. The difference between then and now is the huge economical gap between the unlimited ceiling and the rock solid bottom. Those at the bottom cannot easily convert from their once efficient, now wasteful technology, to the all-green Let-Us-Save-Mother-Earth paraphernalia. Meanwhile, the big cheese can easily reach for the sky and grab all the sun it could get. It is unfair. Is there anything we can do about it?

I am writing, after a few million years, for I cannot think of any other way to make this point. A hundred-dollar wage cannot sustain a person if it takes a hundred on gas alone. Promises of cuts and better solutions are plain drawings. Nothing is happening, except for more aggravation. If I could get a smart car, I would but it is a fast-pass to a one-hit KO. But who knows? Isn’t that going to be a fad in the next few rounds?

…How about wearing jeans in the pool?