Kailan ba magiging hindi-English ang wika ng SONA?
NAKAPAGTATAKA na ang dahilan para sa pagkakaroon ng isang Wikang Pambansa ay ang pag-uugnay ng mamamayang may iba’t ibang pananalita. Bagamat marami pa ang isyu tungkol dito ay hindi naman siguro natin maipagkakait na isang layunin ng Wikang Pambansa ay ang pagiging simbolo ng pagkakaisa at nasyonalismo. Ngunit sa mga nakalipas na taon, ang punong wikang ginagamit ng ating Pangulo sa kanyang SONA ay Ingles, at may piling bahagi lamang na Filipino.
Hindi ba weird kung ang wika ng State of the Nation sa USA ay Spanish? O ng France ay English? Kapag ang mga kausap mo ay Pilipino, bakit pa kailangan gamitin ang Wikang Dayuhan kung pwede namang mag Wikang Pambansa? Wala naman yun sa official language policy, nasa common sense lang.
Why “squatter” should not be an insult
SQUATTER is a derogatory term that implies one is cheap or ill-mannered, definitely beyond tolerance. One who is called squatter is accused of behaving according to a socially-recognized, imagined lifestyle of the poor. While others may deny its “recognition,” its existence in our collective memory is asymptomatic of the lack of conscious effort to eradicate this elitist perspective. Let’s admit: we know what it means when someone is insulted as ‘squatter.’
The term denotes someone living in shanties illegally located on land that is not one’s own. But when we use the ’squatter’ as an insult, their situation of poverty becomes not only a financial state; but also a subhuman lifestyle that merits disgust. The gap between the rich and the poor is widened by pulling down the description of poor into the fringes of the intolerable. [Read more]
Attn: PISAY people – Ito na ba ang halaga ng diploma niyo?
Should a student with a 5.0 in Math be awarded a Pisay diploma?
Apparently, someone is marching on Tuesday in spite of a 5.0 (failure) in a Math subject.
Here’s an excerpt from blog entry “Attention : Batch 2008! Ito na ba ang gusto niyong maging value ng pisay diploma?” by the Math teacher / PSHS alumna who started the online discussion:
Don’t you realize that you’re stripping the pisay diploma of it’s worth when you vouch for your batchmates who you know don’t really deserve the diploma?
Alam niyo yan!
Kahit gaano katamad ang estudyante sa pisay, kahit gano katamad KAYO sa pisay, hindi kayo nakakakuha ng grade na 5.0!
Mahirap, sa totoo lang, makakakuha ng 5.0 sa pisay,unless talagang WALA KANG GINAWA! (aka tinamad ka). Kaya wag niyong sabihin na may ginawa talaga ang mga classmate niyo kung di niyo naman talaga alam. Ang sama ng luob ko sa mga sumulat ng letters vouching for the “diligence” of some of your batchmates. Diligence?? What the …?!!!!
Please read the entire post in [this link].
To readers unfamiliar with the Pisay community: Yes, this is a big deal because Math is a major aspect of the school, the school is Philippine Science High School Main Campus, and the grade is a 5.0, not even a 4.0. Read its [Mission and Vision].
What is Jason Castro doing?
Jason Castro’s a talented lad who pulls off great singing performances every now and then. As Simon said, one aspect of his charm is definitely his goofiness.
Jason Castro just might be Goofy in human form.
When ‘Forgive and Forget’ is a Farce
The “unforgivable” people– the other day, my student and I were talking about these characters in our lives.
It’s odd that I write this now, having written a published article on forgiveness. It’s not that I want to hold an eternal grudge against this person, whom we shall call Voldemort (for this person must not be named). I have tried many times to understand the situation and convince myself to forgive Voldemort. I even said “it’s okay, I don’t have anything against you.”
An action-packed summer awaits me: Last week, there was small talk about the possibility of encountering Voldemort within the next few weeks.
Malu Fernandez Strikes Again: “Blogging is a Slacker Job”
Read BryanBoy’s thoughts on Malu Fernandez’s latest [lack of] insight here:
http://www.bryanboy.com/bryanboy_le_superstar_fab/2008/03/malu-fernandez.html
I completely agree with him. These are the lines that are contested:
But blogging, aside from Perez Hilton and the other big time bloggers (you know who you are) is for me a slacker job or a medium and pastime for lonely people to connect. Unless you’re in bloody Siberia or in a Gulag prison, try stepping outside your comfort zone and turn off the laptop or pc, you just might find some real live people to talk to instead of typing away in cyber space.
Read her original article here:http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=goodLife2_mar10_2008Â
Although she repeatedly denies that she’s taking revenge, she does admit that her perspective is from “the point of view of someone who has been a victim of vicious blogging and blogging as a new communication medium.” There you have it, an admission that her thoughts are tainted by the past issue.
Apparently, the only name she drops and equates as a big time blogger is Perez Hilton. What are her standards of quality blogging anyway?
Binibining Pilipinas 2008 Controversy: It’s NOT just about the English
Many people have already talked about Bb. Pilipinas World winner Janina San Miguel’s horrifying Question & Answer portion for her terrible English.
As an English teacher who’s taking up MA English Language and Literature Teaching, what bothers about the win is not her terrible grammar.
What Do You Believe is True Even If You Can’t Prove It?
I asked my students to answer this question in their group blogs.
Yep, we’re posting our homework online. To add extra pressure…haha! I hope you could drop by their posts and comment. Just don’t forget that they’re freshmen. 
Thanks!
Here’s a list of links to their posts (in alphabetical order):
- Against the Wall
- The Alpha and The Omega
- Blame It on the Weather
- BS MD: Bachelor of Self-confidence Major in Determination
- Cryptozoology
- Death’s doorstep
- A Dream’s Prophecy
- Dreamt there, dreamt that
- Fate or Future?
- From Humans to Roaches
- Ghosts! Where?
- I See Dead People
- Just My Luck
- My Name is Nicko
- Mythbusting the Ghostbusters
- The power of thought
- Santa W-ho-ho-ho?
- Of Shakespeare and basketball
- Subconscious Strange Sensation
- Three Kinds of Sausages
- To Do It or Not to Do It? That is the Question
- Two worlds in one
- Water for the Torch
- Why kicking at Life is dangerous to your health
- Words Break My Bones
- The X-Files
- Zeitgeists in Zeitgeists
Movie Review: Juno
This is not your ordinary teen flick. Juno is a wonderful, intelligent, and witty movie about awakenings, decisions, and relationships.
This film’s charm lies in the the realistic portrayal of characters. No spunky, beautiful high school girl on lead. The protagonist is a sarcastic yet sensitive wisecrack who can easily be tagged as a weirdo. Juno MacGruff (played by Ellen Page) decides that it’s time to explore sex and she does so with her classmate, Paulie Bleaker (Michael Cera). When she finds out that she’s pregnant she plays it cool and considers an abortion but she later decides to stay pregnant and give up her child to well-to-do couple Mark (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner). The plan looks perfect but as it is in real life, things don’t always work out that way.
Movie Review: My Best Friend’s Girlfriend (BFGF)
Poor girl meets rich guy. Enemies become lovers. The tacky lass morphs into a hot chic. A spoiled brat learns responsibility. An initial threat becomes the biggest life-changing opportunity ever. Make-believe turns into reality. Add the signature Marimar dance and a dozen product placements! Name an old trick, this movie probably has it!
Grace (Marian Rivera) the working student and Evo (Richard Gutierrez) the spoiled brat first collide when she dances at a stag party and he steals a kiss from her. They clash and hope to never see each other again. But that doesn’t happen. Grace’s boyfriend, Mark (JC de Vera,) introduces her to his best friend, who turns out to be Evo. Mark leaves for the US and Evo takes advantage of the opportunity to convince Grace to pose as his new girlfriend so that his Ex would get jealous. Otherwise, he’ll let Mark know about Grace’s gimmick at the stag party. We all know what happens next: They unexpectedly fall in love.
“Love comes in unexpected packages,†says the movie.
The irony is that there’s nothing beyond expectation in BFGF, not even love.
