Kennedy's presence

A few days ago, the world lost the physical presence of last of the famous Kennedy brothers. Senator Edward M. Kennedy passed away at the age of 77. He died of brain cancer. He had served 46 years as a Democrat in the Senate.

His other brothers, President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated in the 60s. Both were young. Only in their 40s. Their eldest brother, Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., died at the age of 29 during World War II while on a bombing mission. Photo of the famous three brothers (July 1960) by Associated Press

Senator Kennedy of Massachusetts could have been president, following his famous brother, John F. Kennedy. But along his political and personal life, he had a couple of stumbles, specifically the Chappaquiddick accident which resulted to the death of Mary Jo Kopechne.

And we would all surely remember the death of John F. Kennedy Jr. during a plane crash in 1999. Many had hoped he would follow JFK’s footsteps in the White House and keep the Kennedy tradition alive. See the young Ted on his father's lap in this photo from the New York Times.

President Obama said, “His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives — in seniors who know new dignity, in families that know new opportunity, in children who know education’s promise, and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just — including myself.” Wonder what Pres. Obama is whispering to the late Senator's ear in this photo by Brendan Smialowski (NYT).

Still, this tradition will continue to live with the Kennedy Library in Boston, the Kennedy Center in Washington and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Last December, in Harvard University, he said, “We know the future will outlast all of us, but I believe that all of us will live on in the future we make. I have lived a blessed time.”


The Kennedy spirit will continue to shine in US politics as long as there are Democrats and Republicans who argue and debate in the halls of Congress. Am no expert in American politics but am sure many will miss the fire and vigor of Sen. Kennedy in the US Congress. Photo by George Tames in the late 60s, shows the young Ted talking to his supporters on top of a van.

Many Filipinos here are also Kennedy followers. They are not only mesmerized by the “royal family” of US politics, but firm believers of the democratic process and good governance. Associated Press photo shows the Kennedy family after the death of JFK.

Come May 2010, we do need to make our own presence felt as we select leaders who live and practice the ideals of good governance, just like the Kennedys. There is still time to seek change. Let us trash all traditional politicians and support those whose ideals are for the greater good of Filipinos.

Esther Ku is cute!

Since the Yahoo media event last December 2008 at Spicy Fingers, Greenbelt 3, I had been exposed to local stand-up comedians. Today, I am even working with a couple of young comedians, Stanley Chi and Mike Unson.

I have seen both Stanley and Mike make their presence felt on stage a few times at Spicy Fingers. And even swapped jokes and lines as part of the writing team of “Front Act,” the newest comedy show on ABC5, aired every Sunday evening at 6pm. Just before "Wow Mali."

Chief and I would appreciate and laugh at the lines thrown by David Letterman, Jay Leno, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. All men. Have not seen, watched or heard a female stand-up comic until I got to watch Esther Ku on Star World a couple of weekends ago.

Who is Esther Ku? Well she is definitely one of the cutest comedians on stage. A Korean-American, she is known for her Asian jokes, which some find racist or offensive.

I first watched her presence at Star World’s “Last Comic Standing” last Saturday, August and I quickly “googled” her name. I read that she had been chosen as one of the ten best comedians for the 2006 NBC Stand-up for Diversity Showcase in New York City and had performed at the Boston International Comedy Festival and the New York Underground Festival.
During an interview, Esther was asked about her comic influences. She said, “My comic influences are the people around me who make me laugh: my mom, my siblings, my teachers, my pastor, etc. My mom has always poked fun at my dad in public, telling all her friends how he used to have hair before we were born. My siblings and I shared everything growing up. We teased each other constantly and incorporated wordplay to outwit each other. I always enjoyed it when my teachers incorporated a sense of humor in class. Whenever the teacher said something funny, I wrote it down in the margins of my notebooks.”

Now am thinking, does someone in my classes also take down my jokes?

Esther says that her most embarrassing moment was back in kindergarden when she decided to pee while in class. She admits, “I learned that day in school that farts are invisible but pee is not! I have not yet fully recovered from that day. I do occasionally release farts in public but never my bladder.”

In today’s tough economy, we could surely use a few laughs from stand-up comedians who dare make their presence felt before a live discriminating audience.
Whether Esther Ku farts or pees in public, her cute presence still stands above the rest of female stand-up comedians. You can check out her website at http://www.funnyku.com/

Stanley Chi, I think she can be number 55?

Thomasians For Cory

Around 5pm, Tuesday afternoon, I had moved to the front of the Palacio del Gobernador. A couple of hundred students had slowly started to gather here. Many of them were wearing yellow. A few wearing their uniforms. Some wore shirts with “glowing tigers” mascot. Their lynards said it all. Glowing Tigers. Faculty of Civil Law. College of Fine Arts and Design. Education. Arts and Letters. Physical Therapy. Clearly, these students were Thomasians.

I had learned that Thomasians had been called to attend the Tuesday 9pm Mass at the Manila Cathedral. There was some commotion, specially, as the rain poured. But that didn’t dampen the spirit of the students. Most, if not all of them, had not been born during the assassination of Ninoy Aquino back in 1983 or EDSA Revolution in February 1986. This was probably their first and closest experience to a “people power” type of gathering.

Now, I feel old as I had lived through those times and been a part of EDSA Revolution. Yup, I was on top of the gate Camp Crame when Enrile and Ramos crossed from Camp Aguinaldo to Camp Crame. I snapped hundreds of photos during those days. Now, I just need to post them in Facebook or Blogger. But need to digitized them first.

I could sense that these Thomasians wanted to be part of history as cameras were snapping and clicking, using the Manila Cathedral as their background. Many proudly raised the “Laban” sign. I saw a couple of priests. The elder one even lent his umbrella to me and a middle-aged lady.

I wish and pray that behind all these “Kodak” moments, students, regardless of affiliation or course, channel all their youthful unadulterated values into specific action that will lead to change. It starts with their registration as voters, choosing and even campaigning for the right candidates, protecting their ballots and staying vigilant as the winning candidates take office.

The challenge of Ninoy’s death in 1983 and EDSA Revolution remains the same today. Food on the table for majority of the poor. Less of corruption, more of basic services. Simply, just honesty and integrity in government.

Words for President Aquino

It was a Tuesday afternoon when I made my own presence felt, among the thousands who gathered for the wake of the late President Corazon Aquino. I had left our Greenhome around lunchtime and just wanted to grab a quick lunch at the Jollibee outlet near Convergys, but the place was full. “Forget it,” I said to myself.

It was a slow bus ride to Manila. The rains made it more complicated. “I should have taken a taxi.” But I was in “tipid-mode.” Plus, I wanted to feel the community around me during these times of bereavement.

I was not able to enter the Cathedral itself. But I really opted not to queue as I just wanted to capture the emotion outside the Cathedral. It was by accident (or by fate?) that I strayed into the parking lot near the Manila Cathedral, 3pm, Tuesday afternoon.

Not known to many Filipinos near the Cathedral, there was a parking lot. Here, cars of relatives and friends found parking. Flowers were found there way near the gate. But most of all, hundreds of Filipinos wrote their thoughts to pay their respects to the late President Corazon Aquino.

In this parking lot, there was three large-format print out of Cory’s images. Besides these larger than life images, where white tarpaulins where Filipino can write their messages for their hero.

Here are some of the messages that expressed how Filipinos feel about the late president and what she had achieved for the country and Filipinos.

A couple of young volunteers, wearing black T-shirts and jeans, warned a few who tried to find space inside the actual image of President Aquino. Earlier, a few wrote on the face of the late president. How could they do that?
What would my own message be for the late president?

Words can't fully express how the presence and governance of President Aquino has influenced the lives and history of the Philippines. She is both an icon of democracy and an inspiration to Filipinos to pursue the greater good for our country. The challenge today is how to translate these outpouring of love and respect for the late president into specific action that results to change and fulfillment of the dreams that remains to be realized 23 years after the EDSA Revolution.

Wanted: Angelina Jolie

Last night was a quiet Sunday evening and I was flipping around the cable network, just awaiting for “Boston Legal” at 10pm at Star World. And then, Chief said, “Oh… your favorite.” Yup, it was Angelina Jolie on HBO. The movie was a 2008 action film called “Wanted” which was based on a comic book series by Mark Millar.

The movie was 20 minutes into its running time, but still I kept my fingers off the remote control. Chief also managed to switch between the Harry Potter book (Chamber of Secrets) she was reading and the action scenes between Angelina Jolie and James McAvoy. Who is he anyway? Did you know that McAvoy once considered on becoming a priest.

The movie was directed by Timur Bekmambetov and also stars Morgan Freeman, whom I remember best as Ned Logan in “Unforgiven,” the award-winning 1992 Western film directed by Clint Eastwood and in “Million Dollar Baby” where he won Best Supporting Actor in 2004


Here, Freeman plays the role of Sloan, the leader of the Fraternity. Fraternity? Well, that is group of assassins which recruits Wesley Gibson, who is the son of a professional assassin. The names of targets are revealed through a binary code hidden in weaving errors of the fabric.

The movie was released last June 25, 2008. We did fail to catch this movie in Greenbelt Cinemas last year.

Guess, what is “amazing” in this movie is the way the characters are able to control the spin and curve of bullets even when they shoot from a far distance. Or from a fast-moving train.

My favorite, Angelina Jolie, as Fox trains Gibson which gives him superhuman strength, extra speed and reflexes. His training is brutal and bloody.


The highlight of the movie is the shoot-out inside the train. Fox even crashes a car into the train. Cross saves Wesley’s life by preventing him from falling into the ravine. But Wesley shoots his father. Yup, Cross is his father which Fox confirms who is also out to kill Gibson. Now, who is killing who anyway? Gibson escapes by shooting out the glass underneath him and plunging into the river below. He now plans to eliminate Sloan and the Fraternity. How? By an army of rats carrying small bombs.

Director Timur Bekmambetov had announced last June that there would be a sequel. Would Jolie make her presence in the sequel and come back to life? Note that Fox dies at the end of the movie. Photos and movie poster from Universal Pictures.