Who Flinches First? A Syrian Civil War Sentiment from an insignificant person from Southeast Asia.

• Syrian Gov't and the Rebels are pointing fingers at each other on who used Chemical Weapons.
• Syrian Gov't says that the Rebels have everything to gain by using Chemical Weapons.
• USA wants to punish the Syrian Gov't saying that they killed their own citizens using Chemical Weapons.
• USA still strongly contemplating on military action vs Syria.
• Putin orders massive strike against Saudi Arabia if West attacks Syria.
• The British fails to secure backing from the Parliament for Military Action on Syria.
• France says it will stand alongside the USA in punishing Syria.

So far, here are the team-ups: 

Team "Leave Syria Alone": Iran, Lebanon's Hezbollah, Russia, China

Team USA-PD: Israel, French, UK(backed out)


Your move Obama, what's it gonna be? You now have the opportunity to start World War 3. But we'll make sure who started it will be well-remembered.


Quotes:

“There are few countries that have the capacity to inflict a sanction by the appropriate means. France is one of them. We are ready. We will decide our position in close liaison with our allies,” - François Hollande, President of France

"Frankly, part of the challenge we end up with here is a lot of people think something should be done but nobody wants to do it." - Barrack Obama, President of the USA

"The British Parliament, reflecting the views of the British people, does not want to see British military action." - David Cameron, British Prime Minister

"A political solution is always the only realistic means to resolve the Syria issue"  - Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister


P.S.

The USA was convinced Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction which prompted the invasion.  After Saddam Hussein was removed from power, no Weapons of Mass Destruction were found.  Is this history repeating itself?

The Suffering State of Suffrage in the Philippines.

With the upcoming local elections less than a week from now, I talked to a few people about what they think of the upcoming elections.  Most of the "Intellectually-Capable" voters I talked to are not even considering casting their votes.  It's funny how these people now say that they will not vote simply because they don't believe in the system.  I wonder how they would react if the right to vote is removed from them simply because the system doesn't believe that they are capable of making the right decisions?

In the past, so many people have fought to obtain the rights to suffrage (mostly women) and I feel that they have fought in vain whenever these select individuals refuse to exercise their right to vote.  Browsing the internet, I found out that there are countries that compel their citizens to vote whenever there are elections (Argentina, Australia and Brazil are just a few).  I now think that this Compulsary Voting should also be enforced here in the Philippines and now I'm thinking they will start deciding as soon as they are at the polls.

Going to the point, what I hate about these people refusing to vote is that they are primarily the ones that complains the most about their public officials.  Bottomline, If you don't vote then don't complain.  You had your chance to make a difference and make your choice be considered but you waived it.

NOW VOTE UP OR SHUT UP!

Complaints about Public Transport in the Philippines (LTFRB)

  I was reading through Twitter yesterday and came across a tweet about the new account of the LTFRB Chairman.  As per the tweet, they will be answering complaints & inquiries through twitter (@LTFRB_CHAIRMAN).

  Me being me, I was skeptic on the possible response time and actions that are gonna be taken.  I actually tweeted a reply and to my surprise got an answer for it.

  For now, I will take their assurance at face value but then again, the skeptic me is still overwhelming.  Let's wait and see.

The "Maundy" in Maundy Thursday.

   Since I was a child I've been asking the same question every time the Holy Week comes.  What exactly does the word "Maundy" in Maundy Thursday means?  Thanks to google and wikipedia I am now able to look it up.  This was a resource not available 2 decades ago and is something that I can use now.  So far, I have gotten 2 significant definitions of the word online:

1. :a ceremony of washing the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday.
2. a: alms distributed in connection with the maundy ceremony or on Maundy Thursday
   b: maundy money.

   The second definition is more of a tradition that was started by the English Monarchs centuries ago.  The first one, on the other hand, is more of what the explanation I needed was.  Connecting it to what I actually know about the New Testament in the Bible, it was then a Thursday when Jesus washed his disciples' feet which was just before the Friday when he died on the cross.

   Now I can rest knowing what it meant and not asking myself the same question I've been asking since childhood.

contents source: wikipedia
image source: www.istorya.net

FGCU Eagles: A Cinderella Run on 2013 March Madness.

   I'm not a fan of March Madness but I usually check it out whenever I can.  I believe that College Basketball is where Players actually play the game for the love of it. When they get to the pros, it only becomes a job that they need to do and the passion becomes secondary.

   News of March Madness has become very interesting lately. Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) to be specific. They've only been playing in the NCAA Div I for a handful of years but they ended up whooping Georgetown's ass.  These are the #2 seed we're talking about.  Not only they did not beat them but beat them while having fun. It didn't end there, next on the list was San Diego State Aztecs(#7) the 21-5 run ended the close back-and-forth first half beating them by 10 pts.  The first 15th seed team to qualify for the Sweet 16.

Florida Gulf Coast's Chase Fieler's alley-oop against Georgetown

They're definitely a team to watch out for on their next assignment versus the Florida Gators(#3) on March 29.  Let's wait and see if Cinderella will ever wake up and face the hurtful truth or if they will continue on and reach the Final Four. (do I hear NCAA Div I Champs?)


A few facts about their dream run at March Madness that I got off the internet:

1. They are the first 15th seed to enter the Sweet 16.
2. FGCU was only established in 1991.
3. They are nicknamed by the media as "Dunk City" for their high-flying athletic finish at the basket.
4. FGCU only became a full NCAA Division I member on August 11, 2011.
5. Their coach, Andy Enfield, was a previous assistant coach for 2 NBA Teams(Bucks 94-96 & Celtics 98-00) and Florida State(2006-2011) before taking up the Head Coach post for FGCU.
6. And finally, Coach Andy Enfield is married to a former Supermodel (Amanda Marcum)