“The Prevalence of Deceit” (F. G. Bailey)

The President has announced she will not attend the Philippine Military Academy homecoming this weekend (because of a startling coincidence involving assassinations plots) . She is in a mess of her own making, and which requires loyalty at a time when her officials have to wonder if it’s worth it to lose all, for her. [...]

Nalito Atienza; Watchful nuns “Hello, M’am?”; Romeo Macalintal settles in Razon’s bravado; Razon’s pensiveness The aggrieved Senate sergeant-at-arms; Razon seeks comfort from the lawyers Madrigal schmoozes; Razon betrays lack of confidence Lights, camera, action; Mascarinas the admin’s muscle Mike Defensor does his job; Bautista the Hutt arrives Actor Pen Medina; the admin lineup Gloria’s Dragon [...]

JDV3 on phone; Lacson as early bird Nuns in the gallery; more senators arrive Villar surveys his domain; reporters around JDV3 Atty. Princesa, Lozada’s lawyer, schmoozes; the two Manuels in a huddle Roxas talks to reporters; Lozada enters the Session Hall Lozada greets nuns; sits down Joint meetings called to order; Lozada prepares Lozada takes [...]

“Remembered Past: John Lukacs On History Historians & Historical Knowledg” (John Lukacs) (my appreciation to a regular reader of this blog for getting me this book from my Amazon wish list!).

Of course the law-and-order types are silent in the face of Neri’s dodging a lawful warrant of arrest.Yesterday, the buzz in political circles mainly concerned whether the Speaker of the House would still be Jose de Venecia, Jr.  by Monday or not.Also yesterday, during the investiture ceremony for Adel Abbas Tamano as President of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, I had the opportunity to talk to Liling Briones, former Treasurer of the Philippines.I asked for her views on the proposed stimulus package.  She replied that the institutional stimulus package is the national budget and for that reason, she opposed a special stimulus package.She also argued that the power of the president to veto is a limited one, subject to stringent criteria, but personally I tend to disagree with that assertion, in the past, anyway, presidential vetoes have been based on constitutionality and legality questions but also in the basis of presidential policy.You will see on the chart above, which comes from a presentation of Dr. Michael Alba, that the line showing the country’s GDP is broken at one point.