Trading Blows

Finally, we go past the fluffy cupcakes and get to the meat.  Still the girl here, we have the requisite allusions; maybe a word that rhymes with ‘bitch’ – well, that’s what ’the crucible’ always makes me think of! – and Mary Poppins.  At least they’re now literary.  And oh, all that book stamping and page-ripping with the lipstick!  Bad, BAD girl!  Here’s more… the other posts are equally interesting.  

In other news, we have Heckle and Jeckle.  And the dollar still struggles.

Nevertheless, Hillary should stay out of trouble and run again in 2012… unless she does an American equivalent of the Miriam. 

Meanwhile, the remaining Big Heads take the time — my time, that is– to breathe into one of their brilliant ideas.  I really need to get more sleep now.

Bones To Pick

Ha ha ha.  And from this we get that apparently the pit bull mom with lipstick really has a natural affinity with animals.  

I stand by what I said: election season’s not only taking those who dare take center stage seriously, it’s hella entertaining.

All About The Mary And The Rodham

I don’t believe Hillary Rodham Clinton wanted to be Barack Obama’s running mate, regardless of what Bill really intended after Hillary trailed behind in the primaries. First, I think the vice president post is too passive to suit Clinton.  She wanted to be in the action and getting the credit for wrinkles from doing heroic labors such as getting the dollar in top form again after Bush, bringing better education to people who freaked out about Atlanta because they heard Russia attacked Georgia, shaking hands with and talking to nicer heads of state and the barking at meaner ones all in the name of equality, fairness and world peace, on top of inevitable boo-boos. That’s the president’s job.  The vice president is at best on support mode, the one in the backseat, the understudy who mostly poses for pictures with a spade in hand, bringing awareness to and saving the environment, smiling at and waving to the crowd and making bake sales to raise money for a good cause like saving Iraq for the course of four years unless something special happens before the term is up, like when the president gets shot.  

On the other hand, we have the Bush and Cheney model. 

Second, the two dominant candidates clashed too hard during the primaries.  It’s not just a case of differences – these could be complementary, based on each one’s capabilities: Clinton has the subtlety and effectiveness of a sledgehammer, is the one who hoards information from tons of background checks for artillery, which she uses in cross-examining the hell out of the soon-to-be roadkill on the witness stand.   Obama, on the other hand, is the lawyer who hates remembering all the those information (and opts for surprising things to say instead) but is cute and very persuasive, so he always gets to handle the closing in front of a jury full of suckers.  Again, the capabilities just mentioned would fit into a partnership only if Clinton is the one in action.  The reverse would be a bit awkward and brings me back to the second reason: how could a hypothetical Obama-Clinton tag team fare well when the two have only been only full-metal storm on each other during the race?  They would contradict earlier statements.  Their opponents would have a ball: “Clinton insisted Obama’s a clueless bonehead and now she’s running with him?” The team-up is really not a good idea for either candidate. 

However, given that everyone has an ego, least of all high profile public servants, HRC probably at least expected a courtesy talk with Obama when he was considering his ‘shortlist’ for running mates, formally recognizing her weight as a serious candidate with solid supporters.  Hey, like it or not, she does carry clout and was a worthy adversary/nominee.  And sure his camp said they were in no way considering her so why waste everyone’s time… but the response was only a deadma, if you will, signalling with a ‘maybe’ to talk but then blowing past her and talking to other candidates of even lesser balls.  And clout. 

Incidentally, Obama chose Joe Biden as his running mate, which is a safe decision, much like his ‘present’ votes in Senate.  I think many people can predict Obama’s moves by now.  John Edwards, the third biggest vote drawer in the party, would have been a great running mate, if only his little affair hasn’t become public, but no matter.  Move on to Joe Biden, fourth in line, with enough supporters.  By the way, both endorsed Obama after dropping out of the run.  Clinton threw in what she could after her run.  It is interesting that Biden, when still running, also said Obama’s not prepared to be president.  What’s even better is when McCain was still an Independent candidate, Biden invited him to be his running mate (McCain then ran to the Other Side).  Which is why there’s a great start for ya.

And why John McCain’s choosing Sarah Palin for running mate is, well… brilliant.  It’s bold, it’s unexpected, and Kasparov would approve.  It’s something Obama would not have done.  It may score or fail (Palin may turn out to be a bonehead, or the Obama charm may be that omnipotent), but it’s a call that differentiates him from Mr. Safe Consensus.  Palin is:  

1. Likeable, attractive, and has mass appeal
2. Seemingly generally solid and has clean resume; no blemish (for now) about extracurriculars or hanky-panky 
3. Relatively young
4. A woman
5. Inexperienced, with regards to how things work in the White House and diplomatic work outside the States

In short, she’s a Republican female white Obama, but with no embarrassing gaffes so far.  Can’t see Dems attacking her on a shallow level without having the stuff backfire at their elected candidate. Ditto for any attempts at gender-related black propaganda, which will only aggravate the situation with disappointed and angry solid Hillary supporters who believe their candidate wuz robbed this year.  The first two purposes of McCain’s strategy are levelling the playing field somewhat by limiting attacks from the other camp to differences in policies rather than qualifications or appeal, and emphasizing McCain’s standing a leader who thinks fast on his feet even when under pressure, and makes the right decisions that get the result he wants, which, in this case, is levelling the playing field.  

The third purpose is Palin will be tasked to appeal to some of Hillary’s feminist supporters.  But Palin and Clinton differ on policies (abortion rights, Iraq, and gay rights, to name a few) and actual experience, brains, appeal, and scope of work… but let’s have a go at the shallow attempts to connect them so far.  It is well known that McCain supporter once referred to Hillary as a bitch; Palin said lipstick was the difference her, ”a hockey mom”, and a pit bull.  More:

“Sarah’s smile is sincere, which I never felt from Hillary, who has anger and resentment in her eyes.”

Ha ha ha… erm.  There we have ‘em, to start things with for women running for office… an affinity to canines and sincere smiles, which are, of course, important standards politicians are measured up against these days.  It does not hurt then that Palin was first runner-up in a beauty pageant during her salad days — she had lots of practice! — while Clinton was a sledgehammer of average physical attributes and a nerdy sledgehammer before that.  How Biden would measure up using the same criteria, I don’t know.  Considering my own ignorant and skewed idea of the vice president’s job requirements, I think Palin has the better credentials.

Jackasses Make Bed And Lie In It.

He’s charming. People jump to help boost his popularity… among them, in fact, are a networking whiz who helped launch Facebook, my man George Clooney, my favorite Gilmore Girls in their last gasps — sob! — on the CW (Hillary Rodham Clinton’s probably all, where’s the love you showed me around four to five seasons ago, Palladinos?), Oprah of the Midas tongue (Ditto — HRC), and those wimps John Edwards, John Kerry, and… Al Gore!  An inconvenient truth. 

But angels do not come out of Barack Obama’s butt, and it’s small comfort some people can see.  He’s just another politician living on Earth, and I really don’t get this halo most people insist putting on his every photo op splashed on web pages and broadsheets while Hill and Bill are the devil.  They’re all the same!  Obama, like Hillary Clinton, is a politician; it’s impossible he got to where he is without having made deals with people with dubious agenda somewhere along the way as well.  It’s part of the job.  So really, until he’s proven it, both “Change” and “Hope” are just marketing tools, albeit very good ones.  And he has a face that goes very well with this campaign.  

It’s not like HRC is without flaws, but Barack Obama did have his moments showing that he’s kind of the more obvious bonehead.  A few more and he’ll probably surpass George W. Bush’s record, and he’s not even president yet.  However, he is young, he’s attractive, he takes care not to offend.  That’s why the people like him, in effect, the media and the voters seem to be more forgiving than say, if Hillary Clinton or John McCain made those same gaffes (those out of touch old fogeys!).  

Still, many people were sold on it.  Really brilliant campaign.  Never mind he’s been noted to be full of fluff and makes decisions based on popular opinion.  

So Hillary Clinton voted yes on sustaining troops in Iraq.  But I liked that she stood by her decision and tried explaining why she did it first before eventually bowing to her her PR aides to let things go in order to not offend voters who are against the move.  In contrast, people who also voted for Iraq — John Edwards, Joe Biden, and a host of other supposedly thinking people — immediately announced to voters that they were wrong and they’re sorry.  Many US senators, most of whom have at least a law degree so they couldn’t have been cluelessly voting yea, voted for Iraq because it was obviously the most logical move based on the facts they were presented with at the time.  It’s not their fault that Bush’s direction went astray after they made the decision.  So the way Edwards et al reacted about their votes because the people booed, it’s like the aliens came to earth and took control of their brains at the time of voting and they just came to when they announced their intention to run and were like, wha… we did what!??  

Obama’s move here was to vote present.  Again, like many of his votes on controversial issues, it’s a very safe vote.  If he voted yes, he’d earn the ire of the the anti-war groups, the hip generation, and the bigger bulk of Hollywood endorsers who love him so much.  If he voted no and it turns out waging war was the right move, he’d suffer an ugly backlash from the media and younger voters, lose the confidence of older, more conservative voters, and be considered a wimp by the armed forces, in case he wins the presidency.  In his career as a Senator, he has voted more presents than yesses and nos.

I’m also basing things on what primary debates aired so far.  Clinton also seems to know in detail what she’s talking about when asked about platforms and solutions to present problems, and she’s done all sorts of jobs from menial blue-collar jobs to stock trading, corporate law.  I prefer her abrasiveness to airheaded promises like Obama’s talking to the despots and dictators of the world with no preconditions (is he for real on this?).

Obama attacks competitors with accusations of racism and prejudice.  Again, a very good tactic… his timing when to be quiet and when to jab is perfect.  He appears with his African grandmother to score points with the African American voters.  There seems to be fewer photo ops with his white relatives, who raised him… however, when he talks of his grandfather who is like the veterans he appeals to from time to time, he means his white grandfather.  He distanced himself from Muslim supporters because he wants to avoid being linked to secret terrorist movements.  He likens himself to Abraham Lincoln.  He is Martin Luther King’s dream realized.  

Noo-nee-noos were certainly plenty; it’s like George W. Bush, but with better vocabulary.  He refuses to release details of his college and university transcripts, his theses, the list of organizations he personally represented as a lawyer to the public, and yet the media fawn all over him, and they choose to diss Hillary in favor of this guy.  There’s an X-File somewhere for all those missing IQ points. 

DSTS would like to interrupt my rant and say that better EQ beats better IQ anytime… Obama’s proven it.  Joseph Estrada!  And look at Bill Clinton the time he did not have sexual relations with that woman.  And what’s the big deal, we’re not voting Americans anyway, and why am I so affected, it’s not like we bet on a horse or anything.  

I can’t help it… you have seen what it’s like in the Philippine political scene, right?  It’s like watching a comedy.  This one, well… it’s like watching a very moving soap opera. 

Of all the useless things to focus on…?

I know, I know, shut up.

I Thought Filipinos Were Known For Their Uniquely Outstanding Sense Of Humor

Look, I am all for national pride, patriotism, and all things good, but isn’t this recent uproar over Desperate Housewives a little OA?   

First, Desperate Housewives is a primetime TV show that touches comedy.  Being primetime entertainment, it’s also one step above afternoon soap operas… therefore people take it seriously? Then again it may be said that Filipinos are people who take primetime TV seriously… soap operas, even more so.

Second, Susan Mayer, Teri Hatcher’s character, is supposed to be the ditziest, the most exasperating, and most annoying of all the Housewives.  What do you expect from her character’s lines?  She was written that way.

Third, other ethnic groups have been the butt of jokes, why were those funny and not done in bad taste.  In the show, Susan Mayer is Jewish and quite dim, Gabrielle Solis is a Latina with a penchant for unnecessary melodrama, Bree Van De Kamp’s a delicious parody of neurotically uptight white Americans.  The second season featured Alfre Woodard, who is black, with a good-looking but violently unstable son.  I understand the Filipino communities were miffed because they feel they’ve contributed enough to their society to deserve this low blow.  But in movies and TV, how many times have, say, African Americans, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, Indian Americans, Italian Americans, Jewish Americans  been made fun of compared to Filipino Americans?  Many times over.

I’m not saying what the writers wrote was the smartest thing, but don’t Filipino TV writers also take potshots at other races in our TV shows?  From the days of John En Marsha,even earlier and beyond, I’ve lost count of skits on pongas with intsik-accented Tagalog, unsightly (to a culture steeped in colonial mentality) egoys, smelly five-sixing bumbays, and stupid ‘kanos.  Filipinos have programmed some unkind stereotyping into their brains, too.

It’s like that recent gag on Comedy Central concerning Cory Aquino that was meant to have an effect like George W. Bush’s picture labeled with “genius” underneath.  Again, people, it’s COMEDY CENTRAL.  It’s not like some senator like Miriam-Defensor Santiago, who should be ideally a dignified public official, making a callous slur on Chinese to make a point — these the people she’s also tasked to maintain diplomatic relations with.  And at a formal senate hearing investigating a transaction with ZTE, no less, broadcast on serious news programs that are potential resources for serious international news.  How are you going to argue technical correctness when you’re biting the hands that you’ve begged to feed you?  She later apologizes and says it was a joke meant to illustrate a point — like that would make things OK.  “Sorry for bashing you guys earlier, now about that kickback you promised…”  I will not be surprised if another TV series will pick on how things are done by politicians here, we’re kind of asking for it.

If by some miracle we realize we have a sense of dignity after all and not tolerate this kind of funny stuff, emulating the rest of our anal-retentive Asian neighbors, why don’t we do as they did and apply killer discipline, focusing on things we could fix, like getting our education system at par with the times?  We already had a headstart in Southeast Asia, but sadly, we’re now left in the kangkungan.  It’s a far cry from the days when people from Hong Kong were the ones coming to Manila to find work, and our folks were grooming us to be doctors, lawyers, architects.  In stark contrast, today, thousands of domestic helpers and technicians fly to Hong Kong to find work, and the current goal of many parents for their brood is showbiz. And about that.  The LEAST we could do is hammer the lyrics of Philippine anthem deep into these cute, little showbiz heads so they won’t embarrass anybody like crap when they’re tagged to sing it on the already rare occasions when people actually win something on behalf of the country. We could improve the way our board exams are regulated to prop up our professional credibility.  We could stabilize the local economy and update our laws, so everyone can get a life.  I mean, if living in this country takes care of everything from worthwhile activities to all types of self-fulfilment, who has time to look for a job abroad?

Then the Philippines’ finest doctors, among others, would stay here instead of immigrating to countries like the US, saving hundreds of hospitals across this country from closing down, and the Desperate Housewives writers would’ve used another third world country’s education standards to zing Susan Mayer’s punch line — it’s kind of ironic the Filipino communities would have no problem finding that funny, ‘no?