One for the Books: The Last Word
So I'm sure everyone's heard the news already, that GMA had the Department of Finance order taxing books scrapped. Well and good. Somewhere in the murky depths of my catpiss heart, I had hopes the developing Internet 'noise' barrage would do... something! anything!... to get people to notice. And it looked like it worked.
Still, as a number of bloggers have commented, vigilance is needed especially since even booksellers are afraid that the DoF might go back on their word. Personally, I find it strange that this government agency has this great idea to tax books-- but they don't want to tax cereal because it's against our international committments.
Cereal?! What's wrong with taxing cereal?! If there's ever a more luxury item on the supermarket shelves, it's friggin' cereal. Personally I like the damn things myself, especially Froot Loops but I definitely know I'm breaking my wallet here for some breakfast cheer. What, are the DoF people committed cereal-eaters such that they will not allow a government agency (Philrice) get much-needed research funds to develop our rice supply? (Which is ironic given we're primarily a rice-planting nation but we lack enough rice for everyone.) Are they now going to raise an Internet campaign to "Trip the tax on Tony the Tiger!" (how's that for alliteration?) and the "Great Cereal Blockade of 2009" (with apologies to Robin Hemley)?
Still, with all the on-going Hayden Kho sex video hullaballoo that has overwhelmed us today, which combines the best of both worlds (politics and showbiz), has sex, drugs and more sex, plus has a main character that seems straight out of a porn/psycho movie, it's sad to note that the struggle and victory in reclaiming our books has barely made a nudge into the collective psyche of our nation. Ah well... (And why do we need to elaborate on the fact that a sex video issue is a sex video scandal? Isn't a sex video presumptive to be already scandalous? Or am I making too many logical jumps here?)
For more notes, check out Robin Hemley's last word here (I like the fact that he mentioned how a great essay title made all the difference in the world) and a victory timeline made by Manuel Quezon III on The Great Book Blockade of 2009. Great job, everyone.
Still, as a number of bloggers have commented, vigilance is needed especially since even booksellers are afraid that the DoF might go back on their word. Personally, I find it strange that this government agency has this great idea to tax books-- but they don't want to tax cereal because it's against our international committments.
Cereal?! What's wrong with taxing cereal?! If there's ever a more luxury item on the supermarket shelves, it's friggin' cereal. Personally I like the damn things myself, especially Froot Loops but I definitely know I'm breaking my wallet here for some breakfast cheer. What, are the DoF people committed cereal-eaters such that they will not allow a government agency (Philrice) get much-needed research funds to develop our rice supply? (Which is ironic given we're primarily a rice-planting nation but we lack enough rice for everyone.) Are they now going to raise an Internet campaign to "Trip the tax on Tony the Tiger!" (how's that for alliteration?) and the "Great Cereal Blockade of 2009" (with apologies to Robin Hemley)?
Still, with all the on-going Hayden Kho sex video hullaballoo that has overwhelmed us today, which combines the best of both worlds (politics and showbiz), has sex, drugs and more sex, plus has a main character that seems straight out of a porn/psycho movie, it's sad to note that the struggle and victory in reclaiming our books has barely made a nudge into the collective psyche of our nation. Ah well... (And why do we need to elaborate on the fact that a sex video issue is a sex video scandal? Isn't a sex video presumptive to be already scandalous? Or am I making too many logical jumps here?)
For more notes, check out Robin Hemley's last word here (I like the fact that he mentioned how a great essay title made all the difference in the world) and a victory timeline made by Manuel Quezon III on The Great Book Blockade of 2009. Great job, everyone.
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