i hate it when a so-called leader...

do you know what i hate?

i hate it when a so-called leader says a lot of things, but can't actually do it...
i hate it when a so-called leader always tells me that he/she is too busy...
i hate it when a so-called leader bosses around and does nothing...
i hate it when a so-called leader becomes arrogant and can't get their feet back on solid ground...
i hate it when a so-called leader does not even know his/her mistake...

i dislike so-called leaders...

toxicity

vote wisely

compare
study
vote wisely

inventing a hero: the posthumous re-creation of Andres Bonifacio

Historiography finals essay (edited)

the book Inventing a Hero: the Posthumous Re-Creation of Andres Bonifacio by Glenn Anthony May has been subject to a lot of criticisms and praises...this article aims to decipher May's book and his claims in the most professional way as an undergraduate student...

the book, even if it was subject to a lot of criticisms, tried to improve the craft of the Filipino historian in such that it tried to "fix" something, but then again we can never forget the damage that has been done... historians expect their work to be superseded again and again, which meant that this book really really tried to develop Philippine history...in this book, Glenn May criticized the works of Manuel Artigas, Epifanio de los Santos, Artemio Ricarte, Teodoro Agoncillo, and Reynaldo Ileto...

in writing history, one must consider the authenticity of the sources...we can do this by doing a background check about the author and his credibility...we can also read the sources to know whether that the source is credible by itself...May questioned the credibility of the sources of information about Bonifacio because he claims that some historians misinterpreted and had a difficulty with the Filipino language...the strengths of his claim lies in the fact that he compared materials; however it is also a weak conclusion since it was only a comparison, and not an individual study...

we can never assume in history because history aims and needs to tell the truth because a historian can shape the future...we can avoid assuming by having enough sources and proofs in order to derive to our conclusions...May said that some authors on Bonifacio assumed several ideas because of the absence of proofs and sources...the strength of his argument is that these books really didn't have enough references and footnotes, but his argument was also weak in such that he himself committed the same fallacy by not doing an extensive research (e.g. he criticized Bonifacio's letters without even getting the real document and see for himself his criticism of "the fake" Bonifacio's handwriting)

we need to ask the help of auxillary disciplines in history...May criticized several Filipinos historians' interpretations of the Filipino language, but is is really the ignorance of the Filipino historians or is he just not credible enough? a certain UP scholar contested Glenn May's accusations of misinterpretation... who will we believe, a Filipino scholar or an American who tries to interpret the Filipino language as a secondary language?

Plutarch's theory is "the very character of great men changes history..." May tried to prove that Bonifacio was just a myth due to several reasons including strengthening nationalism, the feeling of a need for heroes, etc...

his claims may or may not be true...

right now, we can never really say if what he claims is right or wrong since Glenn May challenged dead people during the time the book was published...

(the photo was taken from http://www.bibingka.com/phg/books/bonifacio.htm)

Burmese elections

i just reread the article pertaining to the upcoming Burmese elections...

the Burmese are now preparing for an upcoming election, but why is the military junta banning the political party of Aung Sann Suu Kyi? i really don't get the military junta, but i can understand the thought of the military generals as to "why would they follow other nations" since Burma is for Burma...another is that we all know that external forces cannot act upon or interfere with internal issues, but why does the United States, or any country for that matter want to try to democratize Burma? the answer is real simple...because we live in a capitalist world, we try to exploit and develop each other unevenly...if you ask me, it really is unfair and there is no other way but socialism...

they say that they try to understand Burma or any other nation that has a different ideology, but do they really want to understand them or do they just try to change them?

beats me...

of art and night

insanity is art
sanity is not
being who you truly are
declares that you will go that far

...i will get some sleep for awhile because the night is that deep

certain uncertainties

i, Wayne Winter J. Uyseco, the newly elected chairman of the Students' Democratic Party, wanted to resign when i found out that i won the position...

i have several reasons that could go on forever, but i realized that if i gathered all my thoughts and the thoughts of others (even those who are wiser than me), and considered them carefully, we will be practicing liberalism and democracy... i am not alone... i used to think that i am on my own, but now i know that SDP is not about me because it is about everyone...

today i choose to be the chairman of the Students' Democratic Party...for now

audit

di ko lubos na maintindihan kung bakit hindi maintindihan ng ibang tao ang sitwasyon ng isang student leader...

hindi por que ikaw ay isang student leader ay dapat maging perpekto ka na... sa mga litrato na nasama sa baha, oo alam ko na may pagkakamali doon pero hindi naman pupuwedeng palitan ang lahat ng nasira kasi hindi lang naman kayo ang naperwisyo at ang naagrabyado...hindi naman pupuwedeng papalitan ang mga litrato niyo tapos yung ibang section ay hindi papalitan, ano kayo Diyos?! we want to promote fairness and equality as much as possible...kaya nga po kami andito para tulungan kayo gumawa ng tamang desisyon eh... sa pag liquidate naman, may mga officer na hindi pa nagpapasa ng kanilang mga resibo...paano yun naging kasalanan ko?

di ko lubos na maintindihan kung bakit hindi maintindihan ng ibang tao ang sitwasyon ng isang student leader...

Vanilla Twilight - Owl City

the stars lean down to kiss you
and i lie awake and miss you
pour me a heavy dose of atmosphere
cause i'll dose off safe and soundly
but i'll miss your arms around me
i'd send a postcard to you, dear
cause i wish you were here

i'll watch the night turn light blue
but it's not the same without you
because it takes two to whisper quietly
the silence isn't so bad
til i look at my hands and feel sad
cause the spaces between my fingers
are right where yours fit perfectly

i'll find a pose in new ways
though i haven't slept in two days
cause cold nostalgia chills me to the bone
but drenched in vanilla twilight
i'll sit on the front porch all night
waist deep in thought because when
i think of you i don't feel so alone

i don't feel so alone
i don't feel so alone

as many times as i blink
i'll think of you tonight
i'll think of you tonight

when violet eyes get brighter
and heavy wings grow lighter
i'll taste the sky and feel alive again
and i'll forget the world that i knew
but i swear i won't forget you
oh if my voice could reach back through the past
i'd whisper in your ear,
"oh darling i wish you were here"

travel wish list

1. China
2. Japan
3. South Korea
4. Russia
5. Singapore
6. Israel
7. Brunei
8. Burma
9. Cambodia
10. Saudi Arabia
11. India
12. Kazakhstan
13. Jordan
14. Taiwan
15. Australia

the notional world

taKILLya is weird
teKILLya is normal

what's the difference?
both of which kills...
the notional world dictates things into the minds of the people...
we live in the notional world...
we are trapped unless we fight back...

why is killing so weird and not of the norm?
why is drinking cool?

flammable

spark
kindle
burn
blast
ashes
dust

a process of growing and learning;
like gasoline,
people must be in control or else burning down is the only option
we must avoid falling into the shadows of committing mistakes...

listen

a historian's winter

Gwanjitsu
-Basho

Gwanjitsu ya
Omoeba sabishi
Aki no kure

in English...

New Year's Day
-Basho

Ah, the New Year's Day reminds me
Of a lonely autumn evening

in this Haiku by the great Haijin Basho, the Kigo or seasonal reference is winter... winter, as in any literary piece, portrays death and sorrow while autumn refers to dying; but for the Japanese, the New Year is something special because it means new beginnings that one can and might encounter... in this haiku, one remembers a lonely thought (modern day emo) in the midst of happiness... it is a mixture of happiness and sorrow... "to be happy, one must have encountered loneliness..."

i call myself "the historian", and "Winter" is my second name; but this blog is entitled "a historian's winter" because i feel great sorrow, and with reference to the Haiku, i also feel a great deal of happiness... i am a modern day clown...happy to show others, but lonely behind their back...i often remember things that aren't worth remembering...