Flaming attraction

 

A feature of summer in the Philippines is the explosion of flowers like the fire tree and the golden shower. Although they may not be indigenous to the country, they certainly have proven to thrive well here and offer at least a visual relief from the oppressive summer heat.

The trees are truly beautiful and pleasing, I hope that someday, a community can create a park or a festival dedicated to them.

This will be a long gestating project but I am sure it will be well worth the effort in the time invested to make this a reality.

Religion is the opiate of the magnanakaw

There is nothing wrong for people in trouble to resort to religion for spiritual comfort and strength to face their problem.

But when people hijack religion as a cover to hide their sins and their crimes, religion is debased and loses its value.  Religion then merely becomes an opiate of the magnanakaw.

Torii

The torii which means bird's nest in Japanese has become an iconic symbol of Japan. It signifies an entrance and is mostly found in gardens specially of shrines and other holy places.

In the University of the Philippines at Los Banos, there is a torii to be found which is a friendship gift of the Japanese government and some local organizations.

May this torii symbolize the free flow and positive exchange of influences between the Philippines and Japan.

Tiananmen Plaza

(pic to follow)

When a government massacres its own citizens to suppress its demand for democracy and freedom, as the Chinese Communist Party did in __ 1984 at the Tiananmen Plaza, it shows that it is an occupation government albeit of its own citizens.

It is said that hundreds and even thousands died on this sad day and people who value freedom and democracy have an obligation not to forget. All those who died for freedom and democracy are heroes of the world.

I hope that we can do the right thing and dedicate even a small public place - maybe someplace in Chinatown in honor of their memory.