Do Filipinos Really Eat Dogs?

 Well, a little Soy Sauce and Vinegar goes a long way...

"The Haunting Story of Filipinos Locked in a ‘Human Zoo’"

 At the 1904 World Fair in St Louis, indigenous peoples of the Cordilleras Region of the Philippine Islands  were displaced and relocated to a mock village; all for the viewing pleasures of the [white] Americans of the time.

Children, mothers, grandmothers, fathers and warriors were put on display as the wild head-hunting dog-eating savages they were projected to be.

The people of the time and still to a great degree presently, were a people who had maintained their pre-colonial culture after the colonization of the low-land tribes.  By the time of the Spanish-American war, much of the "native" content of those low-land cultures (Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Visayans etc) were already a distant memory.

It's wild to consider that my Sungay Popoy Akay was already older than 50years when this took place.  She passed away from this Earth in the 1960s.

"The Filipino natives were forced to eat a total of 900 dogs just to satisfy the demand from the 1904 St. Louis World`s Fair. The Philippine Pavillion was the main attraction and drew the largest crowds. All these degradation just to justify an unjust war with the Philippines` Generation of 1898- the greatest generation of Filipinos." - Ka Eliseo Art A. Silva

The Haunting Story of Filipinos Locked in a Human Zoo
Bushman [Congo] Shares a Cage with Bronx Park Apes
The Forgotten History of Human Zoos

Be-UP -New IItalian-made/designed Plaquette Belay Device_2014 Market

Be-Up -By Climbing Technologies, an Italian Climbing Equipment manufacturer.
Introducing their new plaquette Belay Device.

7.3mm ropes
Easier lowering
Less rope lock-up under load

WebPage:  Climbing Technology.com

Falling into Flight

Parked at the free camping ground at the start of the Rubicon Trail, in North Lake, Tahoe CA. The back of this ZipCar Jeep Compass Mojave is full of its second load of Samples; Gregory Bags & Packs, MSR tents and ThermaRest Pads- and I'm just way too tired to set-up one of these HubbaHubbas to get some needed rest and dreams.

Half-awake, I fashion a clumsy bed of sleeping bags and stuffed duffles, elevated to above the height of the steering wheel because its the only way to get a best-case-scenario even-ish platform.

And it's cozy too.

I wake several times from some one's car horn honking in the dead of night/morning only to realize that my own leg was to blame.

I slept so well.

This morning I woke up thinking about flying through the atmosphere, more like falling, really.  At an incredible velocity yet almost still -like that reoccurring dream I have where I fall from the sky to my death below, but only this time I was flying.  I leapt from a high mountain cliff gaze set on a distant expanse of water towards the setting sun.

My arms and body felt like wings.

Filipino BarkCloth_Batak in Palawan?

Batak bark cloth making from GrassrootsVoices on BC Diversity on Vimeo.


The date of this blog post is March 28, 2014.
Finding information on the web about Bark Cloth art form amounst the various peoples of the Philippines, produces little to no results.  Even this video provides little to no information beyond its multimedia content...which is still highly valuable.

March 28, 2014

T'nalak Clothing Designed in Dreams -Musamanila

"Tribal Prints and Filipino Indigenous Textiles"_Indigenous Textile Art on Display for the World...

Interesting post from StyleStudioManila.com

Is this a bit out of context?  I'm not sure what, but something doesn't sit right with me.

Mr. Obama, You are a Rock Star.

That's right.
President Obama as James Bond.
On the front of a package of Black Market Viagra apparently in high demand in parts of Pakistan.

His politics and the dramas of his administration aside, there has been a keen personality-character attributed to this man as the President of the United States.

Even in a comedy skit that pokes fun and serves a critique to some of the things that happen surrounding his politics, Mr. Obama is portrayed as hip and chill sort of dude.
I dig it alright.

Jimmy Fallon_Obama Reads Buzzfeed's 43 Things That Will Make You Feel Old

Mind = Blown


Pakistani merchants use President Obama’s face to sell imitation Viagra-Daily News

Solvay Hut_On Top of the Matterhorn in the Swiss Alps

So rad!
Dreaming of Adventure at the moment...when I should be writing reports instead.

Climb all day, reach the 13,000+ ft high cabin and hang out for some coffee and donuts??
Sounds like a dream.
The nice thing about this hut is the Swiss Alpine club keeps it up.  Unlike say, huts in the Sierras where you're likely to find ice two feet thick inside from daily snow melt and nightly freeze cycles in the winter time.

Matterhorn, Hornelli Ridge, Video

Matterhorn, Hornli Ridge, Roy LaChica

So many memories dancing in my head .
Like the time when Pepper Jack invited me to join him on a climbing trip to do a route on The Eiger with some buddies.

I was married at the time and considered it way out of my league. Jack didn't think so, as he said my fitness and current level of experience and skill would be enough with the party he was going with and anyway there were all sorts of routes..."ahhh, we'll figure it out, you know."

Wow.
Sigh.

I day dreamed a lot about it for some time after that, wondering what that would have been like. Going on that trip would have changed the course of my life.  I was just starting to compete on my bike.  Climbed more than I rode.  Eventually, it was riding that took me away from climbing.

Funny, not too long after, I was invited to submit a resume for a guiding company that would fly by helo, tourists and adventurers to the top of high summits in Alaskan and South American ranges; and then lead them down on mountain bikes.
Day dreamed for a while on that one too.

Of course I harbored no regrets.
I haven't been married for almost five years now and today as a vendor rep in the Outdoor Industry, I am for the first time in my adult life, in a position to do wild, time consuming adventures.  However, I seem to have arranged things in a way that doesn't actually support such endeavors.
Got myself all questioning the way I am going about things, yet again.
What am I doing?
Oh yeah!  Important preparations...
I guess this is just another one of those reminders that I should be pretty solid on knowing what exactly I'm 'preparing' for and just what my visions entail.
...and to not forget the nourishment of my soul.

The truth is, I have been on such a long hiatus from a athletic lifestyles, that my body is a little, um, tight.  Gotta take it slow.  These connective tissue injuries continue to present themselves.
Here I am.  Just gotta take it slow and from the beginning.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a...

Check out the links for the original articles here:
Viral Nova
Amusing Planet


And now, a short 6:20 min video a climb on the Eiger's Mittelligi Ridge

Dave Linnett Climb, Eiger- Mittellegi Ridge

Earth Under Water - A Sea Level Rise Documentary

According to this documentary by National Geographic, if sea level where to rise just three feet, 80% of Bangladesh would be underwater, devastating food supply and displacing millions of people.  What would this mean for the Islands within the Pilipinas archipelago?

Earth Under Water - World Wide Flooding and Sea Level Rise

Super-Dams would have to be constructed to protect the Bay from going under...but that wouldn't be the worst of it.  The Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta would be incredibly vulnerable because so much of it is currently at or below sea level -as much as 25 ft below (Spur.org).  The consequences to the food and water supply would stretch great distances from the Bay Area and surrounding regions.
The critical point is that this is a scenario that has enough potential to warrant concern and the stakes are just too high to gamble against.  Isn't it our responsibility to provide for the generations of the future?

According to San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR), even if the measures necessary to halt the conditions contributing to Climate Change were taken, certain impacts such the rapid increase of world wide sea level rise is now irreversible.  They estimate that by 2050 sea level will have increased by 16 inches, best case scenario.
What can we possibly do to change our trajectory?  So many still do not take the situation seriously.  I feel urged to determine a sound approach to a "best case scenario" future; a future which has very different variables than I ever imagined would be at play.
Again, the hypotheticals explored in this film only address the consequences of Sea Level Rise.  It does not focus any of the other number of hazardous possibilities human kind faces.
They are cause for at least attention and deserves consideration.
Still business as usual?
I would not bet my family on it.
Even more reason to reassess how the future is approached and just how the role of sustainable culture will play for our descendants.
Strategy not for Armageddon, but for best case scenario...with capability for contingency.


ART Project- Adapting to Rising Tides -San Francisco Community
Sea Level Rise Bay Area, map -Geology.com
SPUR- San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association
Philippines Flood Map -GlobalFloodMap.org
National Geographic
Global Warming Conspiracy Theory??? -Jessie 'The Body' Ventura

Durability vs. Sustainabiltiy_Dr. Guy McPherson

Very interesting argument.

According to Dr Guy McPherson, Sustainability is a Myth and we should instead, prepare ourselves with a capacity for great durability.
Based on the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics, where entropy is concerned, he argues that all in existence goes through a process of creation to destruction, thus decay and end is inevitable.
Endurance is the key.
hmmmm

The Myth of Sustainability by Dr. McPherson

Blog:
Nature Bats Last

James Lovelock Condemns Hope for Avoiding the Catastrophies of Climate Change on Earth

Pessimism kills hope. 

 I was reading an interview held by The Guardian, an on-line media site, with James Lovelock, who echoed a message that a brilliant physics student once told me in Flagstaff AZ: "there really isn't much to look forward to for us humans....  Things are looking pretty bad...  We are past hope."

I conveyed to her that I hear her point of view and agreed that things are looking very bad.  I also expressed it is the non-logical nature of Hope that must never be given up, for it serves as the glue for any efforts that are made to achieve intended change.
At times, I too fear that we may be reaching the threshold of no return and that our future on this Earth will be one of simple survival -for that is where the model of our existence is heading if things don't drastically change.
It is the most reasonable conclusion.

Perhaps even more reason to learn all that is possible in what makes up a sustainable culture.
That, is planning for the future, no matter the scenario we manifest.

http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2008/mar/01/scienceofclimatechange.climatechange

"Lovelock believes global warming is now irreversible, and that nothing can prevent large parts of the planet becoming too hot to inhabit, or sinking underwater, resulting in mass migration, famine and epidemics. Britain is going to become a lifeboat for refugees from mainland Europe, so instead of wasting our time on wind turbines we need to start planning how to survive. To Lovelock, the logic is clear. The sustainability brigade are insane to think we can save ourselves by going back to nature; our only chance of survival will come not from less technology, but more.
Nuclear power, he argues, can solve our energy problem - the bigger challenge will be food..."  -article excerpt, theguardian 

No matter what the future looks like, we must never abandone hope.  

The day we do is the day we cease to be human.

Who is James Lovelock:

Website_Jameslovelock.org

Wiki

For a more Sustainable Future:

Occidental Arts and Ecology Center

Asian Rural Institute

Education for Sustainablilty

Gaia University

UrbAN_Random SF_Late Summer 2013

URbAn _Oakland and Berkeley Misc_Fall 2013

My Indigeniety vs. Non-Indigeniety Tirade

I read a short article that noted the book, Internalized Oppression: the psychology of marginalized groups.

The Psychology of Marginalized Groups and Why We Need to Stop Hating Ourselves.

This was followed with a film cut of Morgan Freeman making a point on Black History Month 

(which I think people took way out of context).

"...Imma stop callin' you, a white man. And, Imma ask you to stop callin' me, a black man. I know you as Mike Wallace and you know me as Morgan Freeman..."

I was really affected by that.  Truly resonated, but wasn't sure how exactly at the time.  I just knew that I didn't want to be attached to labels anymore, no longer want to participate in being categorized and a slave to life long programs of personal oppression.

 I would like to be free from these constructs that chain us all. I don't want to be "half- anything" anymore. I would just like to be-human and learn to honor all my ancestors as the continuation of them.
 That just goes to show that Race -as a construct- transcends ethnicity. I have struggled with identification of my 'race' as long as my memory goes. I am embraced as brown or even black by ethnic communities, taken for exotic or ethnic by 'whites' and taken for anything but Filipino by Filipinos. And the only reason why all of this non-sense has a anchor deep into my psyche is because of a misconstrued belief of what I should look like. I want to be 'brown', to resemble my Mama and Lolo; But all I would see when I look in the mirror is 'white'...but check it out yo! I am brown! Today, sometimes I see Pinoy, sometimes I see Anglo. Also, realized recently, that though I am not ashamed of my white ancestry, I harbor a certain degree of resentment of being raised 'White'. Taken out of context this will probably sound extremely offensive, I'm sure. It all comes down to these obsolete constructs that lend to social control.

I'm ready to move through this now and find peace. The sooner I do with this personal struggle, the sooner I can be useful to the rest of us.

A day later I read an article about a Kalinga tribal victory against a mining firm's incursion into their ancestral land. This article which brought up the question of indigeniety; one that had has brewing within me for some time now.

I reacted with an inspired post:

 More than 500 years ago, a dominating culture from a far far foreign land, made contact, colonized, systematically subjugated, and then nearly annihilated the indigenous cultures that were native to this continent. Not too long after, much of the same happened throughout the Islands known today as the Philippines. 

The indigenous peoples of this continent are still indigenous and they always will be. One can have indigenous ancestry in their bloodline...a "percentage" over shadowed by some other ancestry originating not from this continent, and, they will still be Indigenous.

So, how is it, that throughout the archipelago today known as the Philippines, in the regions where cultures whose people still live in the old ways have maintained their indigenous identity, while the rest of the Filipinos, who's ancestors, for all intensive purposes, are native to those islands also, are other-than indigenous?

As a so-called mestizo "half-blood", I understand about being a multi-ethnic person. But I'm pretty sure back on the islands of my mother's ancestors, the foreign bloodlines in the mix of the population today are in the minority.
It seems to me that all Filipinos are indigenous by default and there should be change in the way we (Filipinos in the homeland and in the diaspora) position ourselves to our own country women and men.

What is this really?
Indigenous = the descendants of the unconquered
vs.
non-indigenous = the descendants of the colonized?

Fact: Pre-colonial Philippines = No Philippines!

Primarily through the effective tactics of divide and conquer and realignment of loyalties through religious conversion, foreign entrepreneurial cultures of Europe slowly but surely seized effective control over the islands.

These were thousands of islands inhabited by innumerable tribal peoples of rich cultures. They were complex societies and governments, possessed native spirituality, complete healing systems, knowledge of how to live in harmony with the earth and the cosmos, written language, music, art, poetry, native instruments, dances, rituals, myths and creation stories, master hunters, warriors, farmers, and sea farers, as well as established and respected trading with their neighbors.
Complete Cultures.

Isn't this the heritage of all Filipinos?

Don’t get me wrong, I do not take issue with the way things have gone for our human existence. Human beings do what human beings do. I am well aware that I am also the descendant of those ‘colonizing dominating cultures’ at some point or another as well as Pinoy. The way I see it, it is my responsibility to take issue with the results of those who have long passed on and whom I am a continuation of.
Those hundreds of years ago are so far removed; yet I will not deny that my immediate ancestors are the products of a catastrophic clashing of cultures. This is about the here and now, dealing with the process of equalization and a much needed timely reassessment of cultural identification.

I have had the privilege of making many friends recently who know quite a bit on the matter and have been fighting this fight for sometime, and I would love any technical or personal insight, please.

However, to my family, friends, comrades, guests and strangers alike; to any this subject strikes a cord somewhere deep within:
Whether this be sorely familiar, fresh or even the first time that you are being confronted with such a harsh concept of the reality which is the severed connection to the heritage of our own ancestors, to 'Filipino Culture' understood and embraced entirely -I invite you to explore this crucial inquiry with me and let yourself get concerned, annoyed...heck! get irate and up in arms!
In this moment I know I am.
I feel pissed, yo!

Several friends and elders responded with empathy, sentiments, wisdom and encouragement.
The following email with a comrade is where I have left off on the subject.


I've done some digging around after I let me raw thoughts and emotions simmer for bit.
This whole thing regarding indigenous, native, tribal...how have these words evolved in their political context?
Cause really, this is the arena we are playing in, no?
I had to consider a recap of how the trigger was pulled to set me off on that roll...

My '500 years ago' response was off the cuff. Just like raw.  sort of embarrassed actually.. After I cooled a bit, it kinda read like a temper tantrum haha.

It turns out that to be identified and labeled as an Indigenous Group has evolved into a sort of protection measure politically -which I totally advocate.
However, this brings up the greater problem and the root of the matter:  The rotten fruits of Colonialism.

In PI, I can perceive at least three basic sub-groups within Society: Urban, Rural and Tribal.  But ALL Filipino. 
Isn't the Philippines classified as being divided into a vast number of 'ethnic groups'?  If this is the case, then the situation isn't about who is indigenous/non-indigenous, but instead is about dominant ethnic groups and class disparity.  

I feel that this perspective of separation from our "indigenous" roots is fairly new; I suspect like post-WW2 generation new.  And what's further, the demarcation of who is considered indigenous in today's Philippines could be on the verge of total invisibility.  I hope this is making sense...could it be that in an effort to preserve the liberty and sovereignty of minority ethnic groups, those who fight for justice are creating this construct of separation?  Yo!  If so, this is shite!  I'm referring to that rotten ass fruit.  What's more, there is this whole other critical element of authenticity and the question of [mis]appropriation.  I know you feel me on this. 
 I want to jump on board with the 'Getting back to our indigenous roots' as the leaders at the conference [talk about], but I just don't know how we can with all the political loop holes.  

The Baybaylan approach I resonate with very much. What's more, because spirituality stands to transcend politics, there is a high chance of sustainability as a movement.  But again, there is a critical need for authenticity and a great degree of credibility.  If this movement is going to go anywhere, I imagine it must always maintain a balance.  I fear it could easily fall short of its potential if it is ever dismissed as a movement of "New Age Asian Hippies."  Of course I am referring to Baybaylan as the legitimate inheritance of all Filipinos no matter their ethnic dominance or the condition of their societal structure and/or class.   I suspect that a path of consistent academia and professionalism could be enough to assure preservation. To be embraced "mainstream" could effectively bypass any of the side effects that come from defining who is indigenous -and therefore who is not-  in order to protect the rights of those who are in the extreme political minority.


  You know, I remembered today that my Momma, when talking about the "tribal people" when I was growing up...she never referred to them as such, nor as indigenous, natives or 'indians'.  She would just say: mountain people, primitive people.  But they were still Filipinos.  She always had a very strong reaction to the subject and beyond these derogatory dismissals, she refused to talk anymore on the subject of ethnic minority groups . As a child, she received a lot of abuse because of the darkness of her skin.  There are many pieces to our family story between her and my Lolo that have gaps that need filling.  In 2015, I plan to dig up all that I can when I return to the Islands (haha since I was 4y/o)  

The whole thing's incredible, how we are all a part of this piecing back together what was taken apart  hundreds of years ago.  

[My Friend], I have truly appreciated connecting with you.  Maraming salamat!

  

--


That was my tirade. I'm learning and pray I will always remain learning.

What's next?
I've been invited to have tea to discuss the topic and concern with one of the elder kapwatids.

The Existential Crisis of a So-called Adventure Blog

I recently posted an adapted re-post of a Facebook conversation with a friend on a hot topic regarding Sexism.  Our conversation was dialectic and productive.  More than that however, it served as a catalyst to understand why this blog even exists.

 I have been struggling with finding inspiration and purpose for this Velocitramp Blog for several years now.

 I can't remember an instance of ever reposting from FB to make up a blog, as a practice.  I have blogged and then re-posted on FB and even Google+ it (in an attempt to draw an audience that might share value in the contents within), but never the other way around.  It had occurred to me after the conversation mentioned that FB could serve as a sort of a testing ground of topics that are relevant to people within my circle...certainly to those who Like or Comment on it.  

I remember in the second year of this blog, a respected elder and mentor-figure in my life at the time, referred to affectionately as the Oz, upon fulfilling a personal request to read its contents, posed the following question to me: 

"Who's your target audience?"

Ever since that moment, the evolution of this Blog had become intertwined with my own purpose and identity with cycling, adventure and creative expression.  It even split in several personalities (multiple blogs); a Motorcycle and Overlanding nerdy blog, an Adventure blog and a Philosophy/Poetry?Spiritual blog.  This was later shattered by the challenging encouragement  of Brendan C. of Siren Bicycles to, "heck! put em all together into one blog!  Let’s read it all!"  ...er something like that.  Even another close friend and blogger, Yumi, encouraged similar sentiments.

Technical difficulties and headaches with the BlogSpot format, tendencies for procrastination, forgetfulness, lack of inspiration and motivation, as well as flat out dis-interest, lead to less and less posting to practically none at all.  And some of my writing of recent times I have kept from sharing in fear that it might be read by people of my past and may potentially invoke sad and negative feelings.  It is not the first time (or the last) fear has stood in the way of inspiration.

Facebook

Towards the end of 2012, I started to get involved with Facebook again in a deliberate effort to stay connected with far away family and friends. In 2013, my local community expanded exponentially and I found myself surrounded by topics and discussions that fulfilled my interest and passions again.  At first a little shy about posting contents that would harass the pages of my network community, eventually I began to make more and more posts and re-posts that were "important enough", after realizing that folks are just going to block what they don't want to read, after observing my own behavior in response to their own Facebook activity.  Luckily, this is something FB has gotten better at facilitating.  I have limited my participation from potentially worthwhile networking and discourse all because I  was concerned about what others were going to think or be affected.  The solution today is to continue the current course of participation while maintaining a balance of not posting "garbage" and keeping to relevant topics and connecting personally.

In regards to this Blog

Perhaps re-posting a version of what proves itself to be of interest in the dynamic social-platform of Facebook, is just sound approach.  Part of my struggle has been a sincere aversion to redundancy in a struggle to find purpose in writing for an undefined audience.  Perhaps I am just tasked with facing the reality that this whole time I have been living under the assumption that I am writing for someone other than my own brain and ego.  This blog is and has been nothing more than a virtual mirror that may at times enjoy the occasional guest.  

And, I guess, that's okay.
Well, actually, that's quite nice! Haha.

Hello to me, O' my virtual-self.
Why, Hi there.

Lol

Ahhhhh. Le sigh.

I just LOL'd my virtual-self.  Or is it the other way around?


What comfort and joy and the satisfaction that the feeling of a great load seemingly dissipate from my shoulders invokes, knowing that I may be the only one who ever reads these words.

So funny that I never knew that I have been writing to myself all these years.

Simply Wow.

The satisfaction I feel right now is like eating cookie dough during a descent in quicksand like terrain with the Women's Pro-Field at the Sea Otter Classic. 

Correlating an Example..?

Though I'm not sure why at the time of this writing, this reminds me, somehow, of a singlespeed mountain bike night-ride with P1L and the crew of AABikes about ten years ago.  Mission Hills was freshly burned and the flora was just starting to grow back.  At the approach of the main switchback climb, I charged ahead and hammered my way to the top and waited. This was what riding my bike was all about: a personal expression through exertional effort.  
Once the rest of the group had all gathered on the ridge line and some beers went round while enjoying the city lights below in the distance (except for me...I stretched while enjoying the view), Andrew and Dan announced that it was time to descend and one by one the riders followed queue down the trail -lights dancing and bouncing their way through the darkness.   I looked in confusion and glanced at the trail that continued in the opposite direction along the ridge line, expecting some sort of one-way loop.  I then said aloud, "You mean, we climbed up that trail just to go down it?"  Dave and Ernie turned to me with shit-eating grins and Ernie replied, "Yeah. haha! What did you climb it for?" and proceeded to shred down.  Dave laughed in amusement and chased immediately after. I watched them all, those dancing lights, listening to the hoots and laughing and giggling.  I couldn't help the smile creeping across the left side of my face as I looked on in wonder.  I remember the experience.  It felt like my brain had encountered a glitch; a momentary “does not compute” error message.  And then something popped!
  I too followed not long after, in many ways experiencing my bike in a way that I hadn’t sense I was a little boy charging down a trail of endless fields to the Park with the Big Swings.   That event, that evening, changed my riding forever.  It was the first time I had become consciously present with the element of "play and fun" since I began riding competitively.
 Today in the early 2014, I am starting to fall in love with my bike again, and I have observed that I won't ride unless the purpose includes fun and joy.  It  has truly been a long process to get to such a point of relationship, and even required a hiatus of nearly five years.  

Will I continue to ride?  
Will I continue to blog?
I guess I will just have to see what inspires. 

Short Film: This is What Sexism Feels Like...To a Man.

Parts of this post is inspired and an adapted excerpt from a Facebook conversation.

Short Film:  This is What Sexism Feels Like...To a Man.

Slightly confusing in the beginning as I tried to follow -likely because my perspective is accustomed to a male-biased paradigm-...but the message is all too clear.
Please watch...starts to really come together around 4:06

A friend posted a very valuable comment questioning the target audience and the intended message:

That was really intense. I'm a bit confused by the message, though. The underlying message I got was that the world is a scary, violent, and powerless place for women. I think that message is problematic because it perpetuates us as victims to male domination, where the only way to empowerment is with the support (permission) of men. Now, that raises the question: Can women as a group be empowered without the help/support of men? Perhaps men are the target audience for this film. One thing that I think is lost during this, is that there is real sexual violence against men and boys, and I feel that this video portrays that terrible reality as something that could only exist in a parallel universe. I would have liked to see a step towards a solution rather than a french version of law and order svu. I don't think it was your male-bias that got in the way in the beginning. I had to consciously flip the gender script in my mind while watching the first few min. It was confusing at first. 

The following is an adaption of my response:

 You bring up some very good points... I feel that the target audience is not necessarily male, but rather for those who currently exist within a very real cultural demographic...one that does not discriminate by sex or even gender identification. As an example, I know quite a few lovely and wonderful people, many of whom are female, while being very aware and against sexual violence, believe to some degree, that the important topic of sexism is hyped-up and drama-ridden. In many ways, their personal experience and perspective of the world has not provided them with (adequate) context. 
For such an audience, I feel that the video is great. 
I agree with you about the somewhat ambiguous message. I’m not so sure if the video’s aim is to directly address the topics of Rape Culture, Misogyny or Misandry. One of the least intense but not less important topics portrayed was the bias of currently dominant patriarchal society. The climax in the middle of the film sort of stole away the spot light...however, in many ways, when it comes down to it, the subject of the scene is arguably the ultimate means of control exercised by the violent dominating antagonist, and with the topic being sexism, primarily men terrorizing women. As I mentioned in the post description, it was at this point that everything clicked into place in my mind’s attempt to “flip the gender script”.
Personally, I feel that the world is as scary as it is beautiful and courageous. Women, girls, boys and men are all targets by precedence; perpetrated by those who are of a predator mind-set, whether it be deeply ingrained or subjectively situational. I also feel that the topic of Sexist Culture is a viable platform to begin from in regards to the fight against sexual violence and sex/gender disparity.

---
As we finished, I found that we both agreed on the profound importance of the subject matter and how a discussion with a larger group was a great formula to gain valuable perspective and further insight. 


Such interaction is so beautiful. 
I admit hestitation.  To put myself in an environment where the dialectic process stands to be overrun by aimless debate, provides no desire in any of its forms.  However, I feel that my personal management of such an event is worth the adventure of failing or succeeding.
To feel satisfied emotionally, socially and intellectually is a joy I seldom participate in these days...and has it all been for the sake of avoiding drama?
Well...




if so, I must have needed the time off.

Ever heard of Grace Nono? Filipina Vocalist

 I had the fortune of meeting her, along with the many culture bearers present, at the 2nd International Baybaylan Conference in 2013.  She sang on a few occasions as a part of her presentations. I remember closing my eyes that first time, preparing to receive her voice...only to be suddenly jerked open in wonderment and awe at its power!  It wasn't so much that I was surprised that it would be so full of energy and prowess, but I was certainly shocked...almost literally.
 As an expert and academic on the subject of Filipino music genre, she was kind to answer an inquiry of mine on the origins of a mysterious pinoy lullaby from my childhood.

 I find her music exceptional.  If you haven't already, please check it out.

Grace Nono
A Journey to Reclaim Her Voice

Sample One- Baleleng_YouTube
Sample Two- Anungan_YouTube

The Pitfall of Hyper-Positive Thinking and the Myth of The Secret

Over the years my perception and angle on hope and positivity have gone through many shapes of -more or less- the same basis. 
These days I contemplate if I have finally become hardened along with so much of the world population..(within my own bubble of subjectivity and privilege, of course). I have been burned, have failed and hit rock bottom, have traded emotional blows with Loved Ones, and am still trying stay in- touch with the reality that it takes great focus for visions to become real.

Recently, when welcomed to make a connection with the hyperpositive, manifest-your-reality culture that is prevalent in the Bay area...I discovered that I just could not jump on-board. I realized that for what I need in order to succeed is some in-no-uncertain-terms undeniable hard work and dedication, discipline, sound strategy, patience and a little bit of anger-management. 
Okay, so a lot of anger management. 
But even anger can be enough to change an undesirable situation. It just gets complicated to feed the monster later down the road. It is simply unsustainable and harmful for all involved.
And I guess that's a big part of the problem: Sustainability.
If you build a world around you that is enclosed by a glass structure of "Affirmation" alone, what's gonna happen when it shatters?
Catastrophic Failure.

Another crucial element I am discovering for the formula of success is it must be glued together by a powerful Motivation.
Without a drive, no one accomplishes anything.
That drive is either intrinsic or extrinsic.
These days I have been focusing on finding a purpose greater than myself...and i think that is what is different now for me.
The closer i get to that model and purpose, the more easeful it seems the microcosmic world will manifest.
But none of this so-called manifestation will ever happen because we simply "intend it" and make "believe".
It comes with work, determination and a lot of help and compassion from friends and -perhaps as crucial- from total strangers.
And, playing the cards we are dealt very well...including that one good hand.
What Reality looks like and Staying in-touch with it should always be of highest importance.
What's that called? Oh yeah, Sobriety.


The following is an incredible (as far as production and illustration goes at the least) clip by RSA and author/activist Barbara Ehrenreich on the subject:

To finish:

In regards to The Secret and the Laws of Attraction:  

I'm a fan of the concepts and principles described.  However, to put it simple and bluntly, there is a counter culture that remains out of touch with reality and instead is in danger of forever dwelling in a state of delusion -which has nothing to do with the rest of the inhabitants upon this Mother Earth.  It could be oh so much better if we could just get in touch with Reality as a whole.

I have been becoming more and more averse to Hyper-Spirituality and Positivity with each day that passes.

I understand that this is all a part of the evolution process, but ugh.  

It does provide me with a powerful desire to create a life that has depth in meaning and purpose, is filled with magic and belief yet entirely grounded in being in-touch.  

Oh, Ancestors- please guide me along this path.

RSA- Animate

Barbara Ehrenreich-Wiki

The Secret- Everything is Possible.  Nothing is Impossible.

The Secret and The Laws of Attraction