The Daily Bluster

We are so used to the idea of giants that we take it for granted that they exist, or must have existed at one point in our history.  You know, those very large and very tall human-like creatures, carrying a humongous club, and being very nasty. Like this: And if you are a typical, god-fearing Catholic Pinoy, you would swear that not only are they true, you even saw one beside that big-ass, scary-looking tree not far from your home, one night when you were going home after an evening of binge-drinking with your buddies. And the bastard’s smoking a cigar as long and as big as your leg! Or you know someone who saw one of those cigar-smoking monsters. This creature is called a kapre —a cigar-smoking giant wearing a loincloth. Or maybe a tikbalang —a half-man, half-horse creature about as tall as a kapre. Unlike a centaur, however, a tikbalang is a giant with the torso and arms of a man, and the head and legs of a horse.  Scary creatures, these—and, if I may add

If there is one book that I wish everyone (or at least, a great number) would read, it would be Carl Sagan’s The Demon-Haunted World . Carl Sagan, with a model of the Viking lander  I visited several bookstores a few months ago looking for a copy, but I did not find any. The bookstores I visited all had prominent displays of those “Shades of Grey” books, and many, many editions and translations of the Bible (you really can’t miss those two), but no Carl Sagan books, unfortunately.  Or any other sciencey books, for that matter.  Carl Sagan was an American astrophysicist who popularized science and promoted scientific thinking in his books. Published in 1995, “The Demon-Haunted World” is one of those books that the rather trite expression “eye-opener” applies perfectly. The book promotes critical thinking to be applied in everything , to help people avoid being bamboozled by charlatans and crackpots (like  the people on this list )  who deceive and hoodwink others. It

In an interview by Egyptian news outlet El Wady , Ali Ahmed displays unbelievably astute observation and intelligent commentary on his country’s political, social, and religious condition, considering he’s only twelve years old. TWELVE YEARS OLD! I bet many of our politicians can’t even spell “fascist theocracy.” I am awed— I am humbled!—by this kid’s intelligence and cogent observations.  This video has gone viral these past few days. Although the interview occurred last October, his views are  more relevant  now  than ever, as the Egyptian military removed from office President Mohamed Morsi last week, a year after he was elected to office.  The twelve-year-old spoke passionately on topics like religion’s undue influence on politics, society’s disingenuous treatment of women’s rights, and the lack of social justice. The kid would put to shame even our country’s current crop of leaders—both political and religious. Watch the interview, and weep: