headlines below the fold

PersianParadox notes how thugs insulted the truly pious at a ceremony in Iran.

This is another sign, in the long string of events in recent years, that indicates a serious rift and distancing with the original line and thought of Imam Khomeini, now led by a minority that wills to cling to power by any means possible.

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Speaking of Iran, a bus full of tourists including some Iranian docs and medical students, when it lost it's brakes and plunged off a cliff in Cebu, killing 20. Our prayers for their families.
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Why are Iranians studying in the Philippines, you might ask:
A lot of non Pinoys study here, because of the high quality of our medical and nursing schools.

and when you hear rich New England Yuppies lamenting the "brain drain", just remember that a lot of folks here become docs and nurses in order to work overseas to support their families. Their families often pooled their savings to pay school fees.

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VJHansen writes a satire on the effete ivory tower types who have no practical experience but think they should tell the hoi polloi how to live.
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The "forgotten war"....

Well, maybe someone should say "thanks", and offer them a vacation in the vital, dynamic Korea. and show them how things have changed.


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July 12 was Philippine Independence day.

Turn up speakers and dance!


not much public celebration here.

In contrast, everyone in the US celebrates July 4th...


Maybe it's because there are so many different "independence" days to celebrate, or maybe it's because here in the Provinces "independence" only meant getting rid of outsiders who supervised the rich elites to run the country to letting the rich families run the country without interference...

One sign of this resentment was that although Erap lost to NoyNoy, Erap's VP won. The local farmers groups are pro Erap but figured Noy noy would be a better president. I suspect if Noy Noy hadn't run, Erap would now be president again (despite his poor health).

Presumably NoyNoy might be able to clean up the place, although with Gloria in the congress, she'll probably try to slow real reform down.