"Trends don't continue forever. Dominant businesses don't stay dominant forever (except maybe Exxon Mobil). The world is a charmingly (and sometimes not so charmingly) unpredictable place. Which means, of course, that Microsoft could become scary again any day now."Just to remind us that the old saying that "nothing lasts forever" is true. Which may be cold comfort for every Filipino who is wondering whether politics in the Philippines will change for the better, at least in their lifetime.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
This too shall pass...
From The Curious Capitalist - Justin Fox talking about Microsoft in the 90's.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Free Software Bootcamp
I've been encouraging friends in the civil society movement to switch to free software for a while now. I believe that the philosophy of free software mesh with the pricnciples and philosophy of the civil society movement in the Philippines. I've always thought that I am not alone in this thinking. Bayan Muna's advocacy of Free software use in government convinced me that civil society is moving in this direction.
Now the Computer Professional's Union is organizing a Free Software Boot Camp for grassroots organization. They aim to familiarize/introduce free software that will help grassroots organizations in fulfilling their visions/missions.
To end this post, I want to quote the CPU
Now the Computer Professional's Union is organizing a Free Software Boot Camp for grassroots organization. They aim to familiarize/introduce free software that will help grassroots organizations in fulfilling their visions/missions.
To end this post, I want to quote the CPU
"Free software development is much like the advocacy work of most people’s organizations in their encouragement of community involvement in its development. While technical persons are recruited as volunteers for the core development, end users are encourage to send feedbacks on the usability, functions and other aspects of the said free software. As a result, the whole software is acknowledge to be owned not by a single person but by the community that contributed to it.
Free software and people's organizations are both born with the aims for freedom. Free software upholds the freedom from monopoly restrictions by allowing users to run, copy, study, and modify its implementation. People's organizations, on the other hand, are advocates of genuine freedom from monopoly interests, and all types of repression and exploitation.
The Free Software bootcamp aims primarily to introduce the various free software/programs that may be of practical use for people’s organizations in their advocacy and other tasks . If properly implemented, this can greatly help these organizations with their different tasks. Morever, the inherent stability and security of free software programs can reduce the risk of viruses, malicious programs and other intrusions.
The bootcamp is designed with an overview on the use of the Internet and its possibilities for grassroots work. Hands-on demonstrations of computer operating systems and website development software will be the main activity of the Free Software bootcamp. It may also be a venue for geeks, computer techies and hobbyists to get to know of people’s organizations and their work."
Friday, January 12, 2007
Global Integrity Index
A friend alerted me to the website of Global Integrity. The organization measured the effectiveness of anti-corruption mechanism in different countries. I looked at the country report of the Philippines.
My impression is that the overall score the Philippines garnered (73 - Moderate) is fair, based on the criteria they measured.
Of the 6 categories measured, the Philippines got the highest score in the Oversight and Regulation and Anti-Corruption and the Rule of Law categories. We got high scores in this categories because we have national agencies that deal with corruption (the Ombudsman and the COA) and we have laws against corruption. I urge people to visit the site and see for themselves, I found myself generally agreeing (with a few quibbles) to the scores given.
1. Civil Society, Public Information and Media - 72
2. Elections - 60
3. Government Accountability - 71
4. Administration and Civil Service - 73
5. Oversight and Regulation - 85
6. Anti-Corruption and Rule of Law -78
From a Filipino's viewpoint, the anti-corruption measures are poor, but this is why a comparative survey can be useful, it forces us to think differently about corruption in our country. This survey tells us that though we may view our country and government officials as hopelessly corrupt, from a worldwide perspective, we're not that bad, our plight is not hopeless.
From the specific findings in the survey, we can conclude that we already have the institutional mechanisms necessary to combat endemic corruption , we even have a vigorous civil society sector to help us, but we need, (1) Electoral Reform, the category that we scored the lowest, (2) An effective whistle-blowing process of the country (we may have the laws but as long as we cannot find credible witnesses against the perpetrators of corruption, we cannot effectively go after them) (3) Accountability, specifically, budget and legislative accountability.
Which is why it is imperative that we elect people with known probity. It is imperative that we elect people who will implement the laws against corruption to the fullest.
My impression is that the overall score the Philippines garnered (73 - Moderate) is fair, based on the criteria they measured.
Of the 6 categories measured, the Philippines got the highest score in the Oversight and Regulation and Anti-Corruption and the Rule of Law categories. We got high scores in this categories because we have national agencies that deal with corruption (the Ombudsman and the COA) and we have laws against corruption. I urge people to visit the site and see for themselves, I found myself generally agreeing (with a few quibbles) to the scores given.
1. Civil Society, Public Information and Media - 72
2. Elections - 60
3. Government Accountability - 71
4. Administration and Civil Service - 73
5. Oversight and Regulation - 85
6. Anti-Corruption and Rule of Law -78
From a Filipino's viewpoint, the anti-corruption measures are poor, but this is why a comparative survey can be useful, it forces us to think differently about corruption in our country. This survey tells us that though we may view our country and government officials as hopelessly corrupt, from a worldwide perspective, we're not that bad, our plight is not hopeless.
From the specific findings in the survey, we can conclude that we already have the institutional mechanisms necessary to combat endemic corruption , we even have a vigorous civil society sector to help us, but we need, (1) Electoral Reform, the category that we scored the lowest, (2) An effective whistle-blowing process of the country (we may have the laws but as long as we cannot find credible witnesses against the perpetrators of corruption, we cannot effectively go after them) (3) Accountability, specifically, budget and legislative accountability.
Which is why it is imperative that we elect people with known probity. It is imperative that we elect people who will implement the laws against corruption to the fullest.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Saturday, January 06, 2007
Salsal
from Dispatches from the Culture Wars
"...if God didn't want us to masturbate he would have given us shorter arms."
Saturday, December 23, 2006
Amazing
The last few weeks of the year was hectic. I am just beginning to catch up with my reading and I came upon this post from stepping on poop. It seemed that Jaime Licauco wrote a column where he referenced James Randi.
For those who does not yet know, James Randi is a magician who heads the James Randi Educational Foundation. The Foundation offers a prize of one million dollars
What I really found amazing is that James Randi actually lived in the Philippines and performed here. I sure wish he'd come back so I can see him perform.
For those who does not yet know, James Randi is a magician who heads the James Randi Educational Foundation. The Foundation offers a prize of one million dollars
"to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event."Anyway, SOP demolishes a lot of Mr. Licaucos claims and James Randi himself wrote a letter to the editor to the inquirer to refute Mr. Licauco's claims.
What I really found amazing is that James Randi actually lived in the Philippines and performed here. I sure wish he'd come back so I can see him perform.
Good Riddance
The US canceled (PDI story) the balikatan exercises because
Can the US ensure that no Filipino civilian will be harmed by any US troop that will participate in the balikatan? I think not. Any blanket assurance of the protection of military personnel is just stupid.
This is why the United States is seen negatively all over the world. They invade their enemies and bully their allies, especially the week ones. A US soldier was convicted of a crime. The custody of the soldier is now in dispute. Rather than following the procedures laid out by the agreement between the Philippines and the US. The US exerts extra pressure on the Philippine government to get their way.
They are canceling the balikatan. I say good riddance. And do not come back!!!!
"The annual military exercises in 2007 under the Balikatan would be canceled. The reason is the current custody issue. The usual protection for US servicemen remains in doubt,"
"He said that if the Philippines cannot ensure the protection of US military personnel, it wouldn’t be prudent to bring in US troops to the country."What kind of bullshit is this? The Philippines cannot ensure the protection of US military personnel. The US itself cannot ensure the protection of US personnel (see Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam).
Can the US ensure that no Filipino civilian will be harmed by any US troop that will participate in the balikatan? I think not. Any blanket assurance of the protection of military personnel is just stupid.
This is why the United States is seen negatively all over the world. They invade their enemies and bully their allies, especially the week ones. A US soldier was convicted of a crime. The custody of the soldier is now in dispute. Rather than following the procedures laid out by the agreement between the Philippines and the US. The US exerts extra pressure on the Philippine government to get their way.
They are canceling the balikatan. I say good riddance. And do not come back!!!!
Friday, December 22, 2006
Manny Poohkiaw
My wife got this vid from an e-mail. I hope abs-cbn let this video stand. They need all the advertisement they can get.
Other Pooh clips here
Other Pooh clips here
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Monday, December 04, 2006
Foaming at the Mouth
Just watched Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago going ballistic with her non-inclusion in the list of nominees for Chief Justice.
Does she not realize her action actually validates the decision of the Judicial and Bar Council? Who in their right mind will actually think she should be the Chief Justice of the Supreme court after her histrionics?
Update 12/5/2006
story from the Philippine Daily Inquirer and quotes
Found a clip from YouTube
Does she not realize her action actually validates the decision of the Judicial and Bar Council? Who in their right mind will actually think she should be the Chief Justice of the Supreme court after her histrionics?
Update 12/5/2006
story from the Philippine Daily Inquirer and quotes
“I am irate. I am foaming at the mouth. I’m homicidal. I’m suicidal. I’m humiliated, debased, degraded. And not only that, I feel like throwing up to be living my middle years in a country of this nature. I am nauseated. I spit in the face of Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban and his cohorts in the Supreme Court.”
“I will say that I resent it very deeply. I take it very personally and I will see to it that while I remain in public office that every member of the JBC shall eventually be held to account for their partisanship. For this reason, I will participate in the Con-ass (constituent assembly) for the main purpose of abolishing the JBC for corruption,”Update 12/26/2006
Found a clip from YouTube
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