This set rocks on all levels in spite of the plethora of repacks/repaints/re-decos. It’s a lot of value for the cost, plus you get Short-Fuze and the MOBAT. Before I display the loose pics, here’s a quick review:

Cobra Commander: Not much new here except darker shade of blue, silver trim/highlights, and no stripe down the leg. **

Destro: Iron Grenadier mold without the cape, silver and grey highlights instead of gold, and chrome head. **1/2

Cobra Vehicle Gunner: Straight-up repaint of the Cobra Trooper in dark grey with red highlights. ***

Cobra HISS Driver: Silver chestplate with black trim. Still an excellent figure. ***

Sgt. Stalker: Darker green and lighter skin tone, and comes with a JUMP pack and Air Trooper weapon. ***

Short-Fuze: Repainted Doc head on top of Steeler body (Snake Eyes torso and legs, Cobra Trooper Arms, Double Clutch/Steeler boots); mortar stand is loosey-goosey. Slight disappointment in this. **1/2

Ralph ‘Steeler’ Pulaski: Lame code name since it can’t just be Steeler, but a straight-up repaint of the figure that came with the Armadillo, this time in tan hues. Helmet too loose on his head doesn’t stay on. **

Flight Pod: Trouble Bubble in blue. Great update of a classic. ***

HISS Tank: Red color to accompany your basic black and previous blue exclusive. Excellent! ***1/2

MOBAT: Green tank with rubber treads and extendable cannon. Never had this as a kid so it’s a definite plus! ***1/2

Once news hit the boards that people were able to get the Target Exclusive Ultimate Battle Pack using the DPCI#, I got bit by the bug so hard that I went out and actually used that number to my advantage for the first time. On Wednesday, I used the scanner to check the stock and got a big fat “No!” I went home empty-handed, but relieved that my wallet would not be crying, keeping me up at night.

All that changed today. After work, I visited the same Target and input the DPCI# into the scanner again. This time it was a glorious “YES!” I then did another thing for the first time, and actually approached an employee and asked him to input the DPCI# in hopes he would pull it from the back. And he did. He was so helpful, he even flagged down the department lead (Toys & Electronics wasn’t his department) in order to help me out! Then he called the stockroom and got the stock shelf number and a few minutes later, I was hauling this huge sucker down to the registers!

Anyway, enough blabbing. Here are the pics!

Some notes after the jump.

The sucker is huge. Wider than it is taller (about 24” wide), you could have trouble finding space to display this properly, but because of the latest trend to package these figures and vehicles in “action” poses, it displays like a cool diorama with the two opposing factions facing off across a ravine in the middle.

For some reason, they packaged the Cobra Vehicle Gunner and Cobra Commander without their helmets on (I can only assume this was to insure that there wouldn’t be loose helmets rattling around the package).

Sgt. Stalker is dark green and comes with a green-colored JUMP jet-pack and green Cobra Air Trooper weapon.

Short-Fuze appears to have a repainted Doc head on a Snake Eyes body and Cobra Trooper arms (in fact, it is the same body as Steeler’s).

Steeler is a repaint of the figure that came with the Armadillo, so the figure is a Snake Eyes body / Cobra Trooper arms combo. The MOBAT appears to be motorized just like the original.

Cobra Commander looks the same but a darker blue with silver trim instead of red, his sigil is over his left breast rather than in the center, and he has no stripe down his leg; the Trouble Bubble is blue.

The HISS Driver has a silver chest plate with black trim, and the HISS Tank is absolutely bad-ass in red.

Destro is the Iron-Grenadier version sans cape and with silver/grey highlights instead of gold and red like the carded version; and his head is vac-metallized silver!

The Cobra Vehicle Gunner is a repaint of the Cobra Officer, but in a gray uniform with red highlights, which looks really cool.

Overall, a massively cool set, though kinda lame that it’s the only way to get Short-Fuze and Steeler at the moment.

Love them or hate them, they’re still around and probably will be for at least another 25 years. Microsoft’s Windows platform turned 25 this week. Back in 1983, Bill Gates showcased Windows 1.0 and some of its features. Little did he know how powerful a software company Microsoft would become, 25 years on. Stuart Johnston reports more on InternetNews.com - thanks to Kevin for the link.
 

I became a quarter of a century old in less than seconds and it was a great experience. I had a show of friends that really showed me what love is. I spent the afternoon with my friend Pam watching a movie and having pizza. My friend Karri and I then went and crossed off something on my Day Zero project…I got a tattoo! Then the following night after Tuesday Worship a couple of my friends surprised me! Here are a few photos from the event that really made me see what true friends are! I love them with all my heart!

All the friends from Tuesday night I am not publicly posting without their permission but they are on my Facebook and Myspace!

Gift from Bryan

Pam and I

Karri and I

Me with my cake!

Happy November, kids.  The holidays are nearly upon us, and I have to say I’m pretty excited this year.  I think after having spent last Christmas in Africa where the temperatures were sweltering and their Yuletide celebrations were less than underwhelming, I seem to have a shiny new appreciation for the holidays this year… something I hadn’t anticipated.  I was actually hit by a wave of excited giddiness the other day when I heard an obnoxious re-worded rendition of Carol of the Bells for… oh, I dunno, Wal Mart or something…. Usually those types of advertisements (long before Thanksgiving, no less) just make me want to throw the remote through the TV screen, but apparently not this year.  Hooray for actually being in the holiday spirit this time ’round!  Don’t get me wrong… I had an incredible experience in Cameroon last year (especially when my parents were on the phone telling me it was well below 0 in Chicago and the power had gone out while I was preparing to hit the beach and work on the ol’ tan… I know, I’m an insensitive a-hole.)  However, while a very large chunk of the population in Cameroon is Christian in some form or another, they just have no idea how to celebrate Christmas properly.  I tell you this now; you will never fully appreciate the excruciating irritation brought on by musical Christmas lights, [which seems to be the only variety they sell in the entire region] until you’ve heard “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” at least 1000 times in that scratchedy, high-pitched, whiny digital droning.  Everywhere you go.  Egh, I still cringe at the memory.

Anyhow, I realise I’ve already rambled on for an entire paragraph now and haven’t yet made any acknowledgment of the pictures of deliciousness that I have strategically planted throughout this post of mine.  I’m getting to that.  I was just hoping that perhaps Santa’d catch a glimpse of this humble little blog of mine and maybe I could wake up to one (or more) of these boys under my Christmas tree on the morning of the 25th….  Not too unreasonable a request I should think?  And before anybody wants to callously dash my dreams; yes, I am fully aware that Jason Isaacs is married with children, that Jon Hamm has a long-time girlfriend and that Anderson Cooper is rumoured to be homosexual.  Details, details.  I can work around all that.  Seriously.  I’ve been REALly good this year.  Please?

Okay, anyway, I know it’s actually been a while since I’ve posted anything on this bad boy.  It’s been a very busy past few months, and I’ve actually made a few life-altering decisions in that time (yay life-altering decisions!)  Mainly… to go back to school and finish up my degree in Anthropology.  Yeah.  That’s all I’m going to say about that for the time being.  We’ll leave my Yay-for-Realising-my-lifelong-Dream-of-Becoming-an-Archaeologist spiel for another post. Though I will include the disclaimer that… well  from here on out this is now a blog from the perspective of…. a student.  So, you know, you may be subjected to posts about bones and relics and ancient civilisations and such.  All 100% fascinating, I assure you.  Though if you ever read this for my cooking and baking antics… need I remind you that the holidays are nigh and everybody knows the holidays mean pies and cookies and cakes and all sorts of thigh-thickening fun.  Not to mention my gingerbread log cabin project which, admittedly, may or may not actually be realised this season.  We’ll see.  But either way, there are still guaranteed to be plenty of culinary shenanigans and experiments in my kitchen to report about in the next couple of months.  So until next time, my loyal readers (all 2 of you…)….

I wish you a good night, and sweet dreams of Sugarplum Fairies and Don Draper! ; )

The day has come! 10,000 hits. I havent had a party since my 1000 hits so this will be good. Here is the invitation:

We will do lots of stuff like sled racing, snowball fights and of corse, dancing! Everybody is welcome!

~hasta la vista, baby!

Club Penguin: Elite Penguin Force Update is being released to many North American stores on November 25th . Here are a few more sneak peeks of the game!

A cool thing about this game is that you can upload the coins you earn in the game to your Club Penguin account!

This figure was available only by sending 6 proof of purchase stickers found with the comic 2-packs, as well as a shipping/handling fee. For some reason, even though I sent away for only one, I received two!

**REVIEW**
Doc comes in a plain white box with the G.I. Joe logo on one side and, in small print, G.I. Joe Doc on the opposite side. Opening the box reveals the carded figure nested within a plastic keep-case that prevents some crushing and all minor dings.

He comes on a 25th Anniversary foil card with the Wave 4 figures on the back. Definitely part of the appeal of these figures is the eye-catching character art.

Doc is a great example of re-using parts to create a wholly new figure. It’s basically a repainted Duke body with a new head and new accessories. The familiar stretcher and flare gun accompany Doc, but he also now comes with a silver pistol that fits into a thigh-holster,as well as a packed-in stand that comes with all the figures in the G.I. Joe line. Finally, he has a removable shoulder bag.

A great looking figure and well worth the effort to secure in your collection.

**UPDATE**
Knowing that I had two Docs, I was all set to open one to provide loose pics. However, I discovered that Doc comes on a variant card-back, similar to several of the Wave 7 singe-carded figures. The foil treatment on one card is the regular “matte” version — a flat foil treatment; on the second card, the foil is embossed and shinier. It‘s a subtle difference that is difficult to capture on digital camera, but I believe that I was able to get it.

Foil Treatment — “matte” version

Foil Treatment — “embossed” version

In its 24 years of existence, the Bogotแ International Film Festival (BIFF) has never had Germany as its guest of honour. But that has changed this year, for the 25th edition features Germany in many of its 20 different sections, …
http://www.independentfilmsdirect.com

I love surprises…like totally oblivious-don’t-have-a-clue types of surprises. So this year my friends and I really celebrated each others birthday’s with our presence (no typo) mixed with an event they’d really appreciate.

Carlie was given her FIRST surprise birthday party for her 21st bday at one of the best tasting a Peruvian-South American- Brazillian restaurants in Boston.

Tamara  was escorted by Pedi-Cab to the Charles Playhouse to see what she had wanted… the Blueman Group and then treated to lovely Finale’s in Back Bay for dessert.

Francesca was whisked away to Rhode Island to enjoy a Japanese Lunch at Tokyo then was serenade on the Gondola and then enjoyed a sweet white chocalte cheesecake at the cozy L’Ezabeth’s.

*Note Bene- no birthday girl pays a penny and has NO CLUE what they will be given.

Now I had a part in all three birthday’s of course and now it was my turn. So this past Saturday morning Carlie blinded-folded me with my shirt, had me put on my jacket to leave my house. As we were walking downstairs I statred to hear some nice smooth music. I was sat down and unveiled to a msaage therapist! I was treated to a FULL BODY HOT OIL MASSAGE…in my LIVING ROOM! They had the massage therapist come and set up while I was taking a shower.  THEN I was treated to breakfast in “bed” (massage bed) made by Francesca…she even put powdered sugar on the homemade french toast! Then I had to change and get in the car….I ended up in Harlem, NY lol…Kenthia’s sister Ruthzee hooked us up with her lovely harlem spot to stay in. We chilled for a bit  and grubbed on some Pappa John’s . A few hours later I was getting prettied up for the night out, hopped on some trains and enjoyed a live band (we love  live music) who put us on the spot and had us humming some Stevie Wonder joint lol, ate Blackened Catfish (first time) with Sweet plantains and Candid Yams at Mobay after “touring” Manhattan” led by Tamara lol..This was the first night we didn’t share our food because it was DE-LISH! The girls really did it up.. I had no idea we were going out of state nor did I have an idea about the therapist… I soooooooooooooooooooo needed these things…it was truly a gift….Problem is…we godda top it for the next cycle of birthdays lol….shouldn’t be too bad…:) just some trips around the world and a few more cities here and there lol Thanks girls for the flyest bday gift. Happy 25th Birthday to me

P.S.-  Customized jewelry by Sylvie S. of V-Anne Designs. Customized dress by Akia R. of Sweet Society. Make up artistry by Francesca S. www.lovely-locks.blogspot.com

A press release from Mary Still’s campaign this morning announced that the 25th District House candidate has received the endorsement of three more major organizations: The Missouri Nurses Association, the Missouri State Council of Fire Fighters and The Missouri State Teachers Association.

The nod from the Teachers Association is the third major education endorsement Still has received thus far— she is also the endorsed candidate of the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers.

Still is running in the 25th District House race and will face Republican candidate Ryan Asbridge on election day, Nov. 4. Asbridge, a naval intelligence officer, was recently called to active duty. The location and duration of his assignment are classified, but he will likely be out of the country on election day.

Update 9/30/2008 Video & Transcript Katie Couric’s 2nd Interview of Sarah Palin & John McCain

Quick Click Here, See it While You Can, YouTube Does Not Have It - But We Do - Sarah Palin Miss Alaska 1984 Beauty Pagent Swimsuit Footage

Sarah Palin: That Alaska has a very narrow maritime border between a foreign country, Russia, and, on our other side, the land-boundary that we have with Canada. It’s funny that a comment like that was kinda made to … I don’t know, you know … reporters.

Couric: Mocked?

Palin: Yeah, mocked, I guess that’s the word, yeah.

Couric: Well, explain to me why that enhances your foreign-policy credentials.

Palin: We don’t have to second-guess what their efforts would be if they believe … that it is in their country and their allies, including us, all of our best interests to fight against a regime, especially Iran, who would seek to wipe them off the face of the earth. It is obvious to me who the good guys are in this one and who the bad guys are. The bad guys are the ones who say Israel is a stinking corpse and should be wiped off the face of the earth. That’s not a good guy who is saying that. Now, one who would seek to protect the good guys in this, the leaders of Israel and her friends, her allies, including the United States, in my world, those are the good guys.

Palin: Well, it certainly does, because our, our next-door neighbors are foreign countries, there in the state that I am the executive of. And there…

Couric: Have you ever been involved in any negotiations, for example, with the Russians?

Palin: We have trade missions back and forth, we do. It’s very important when you consider even national security issues with Russia. As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border. It is from Alaska that we send those out to make sure that an eye is being kept on this very powerful nation, Russia, because they are right there, they are right next to our state.

Couric: When President Bush ran for office, he opposed nation-building. But he has spent, as you know, much of his presidency promoting democracy around the world. What lessons have you learned from Iraq? And how specifically will you try to spread democracy throughout the world?

Palin: Specifically, we will make every effort possible to help spread democracy for those who desire freedom, independence, tolerance, respect for equality. That is the whole goal here in fighting terrorism also. It’s not just to keep the people safe, but to be able to usher in democratic values and ideals around this, around the world.

Couric: You met yesterday with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, who is for direct diplomacy with both Iran and Syria. Do you believe the U.S. should negotiate with leaders like President Assad and Ahmadinejad?

Palin: I think, with Ahmadinejad, personally, he is not one to negotiate with. You can’t just sit down with him with no preconditions being met. Barack Obama is so off-base in his proclamation that he would meet with some of these leaders around our world who would seek to destroy America and that, and without preconditions being met. That’s beyond naïve. And it’s beyond bad judgment.

Couric: Are you saying Henry Kissinger …

Palin: It’s dangerous.

Couric: … is naïve for supporting that?

Palin: I’ve never heard Henry Kissinger say, “Yeah, I’ll meet with these leaders without preconditions being met.” Diplomacy is about doing a lot of background work first and shoring up allies and positions and figuring out what sanctions perhaps could be implemented if things weren’t gonna go right. That’s part of diplomacy.

Couric: You recently said three times that you would never, quote, “second guess” Israel if that country decided to attack Iran. Why not?

Palin: We shouldn’t second guess Israel’s security efforts because we cannot ever afford to send a message that we would allow a second Holocaust, for one. Israel has got to have the opportunity and the ability to protect itself. They are our closest ally in the Mideast. We need them. They need us. And we shouldn’t second guess their efforts.

Couric: You don’t think the United States is within its rights to express its position to Israel? And if that means second-guessing or discussing an option?

Palin: No, abso … we need to express our rights and our concerns and …

Couric: But you said never second guess them.

UPDATE:  We now have the transcript and video from the 2nd night of Katie Couric’s interview shown on September 25, 2008.  Click here. 

Here is a preview of what will be on CBS News tonight when Katie Couric shows the second part of her interview with Sarah Palin.  In this clip they discuss foreign policy and Palin’s need to suspend the campaign so she can go keep an eye on Russia.

Dit jaar vieren we de zeventigste verjaardag van “The Hobbit” en de dertigste van “The Silmarillion”. Ook zagen we dit jaar de publicatie van een gloednieuw Tolkien boek, “The Children of Hurin” (De Kinderen van Hurin). Maar de meeste mensen weten niet dat wij dit jaar ook de 25ste verjaardag van “Mr. Bliss” (Meneer Blijleven) vieren. Een verhaal dat zowel geschreven als geïllustreerd is door J.R.R Tolkien. Speciaal voor die gelegenheid is er een nieuwe editie van Mr. Bliss verschenen.

Op 15 van Oktober 2007 publiceerde HarperCollins een herdruk van het verhaal Mr. Bliss, dat door Tolkien zelf werd geschreven en geïllustreerd. Het boek werd oorspronkelijk gepubliceerd in 1982 en was, behalve via de tweedehands markt, sinds de jaren ‘90 niet meer verkrijgbaar. Deze nieuwe uitgave in foedraal markeert de 25ste verjaardag van het boek.

De nieuwe uitgave ziet er volledig verschillend uit van de eerste druk en heeft als doel de definitieve uitgave van het verhaal te zijn; ideaal voor verzamelaars en aantrekkelijk voor nieuwe lezers. Dit boek is het perfect kerstgeschenk en ziet er ongelooflijk goed uit. In dit artikel zal ik eerst de nieuwe uitgave van Mr. Bliss voorstellen en daarna in het kort de ontstaansgeschiedenis van het verhaal vertellen.

De herdruk van M. Bliss:
Het eerste wat opvalt als je de verjaardagseditie bekijkt is dat het boek enorm veel groter is dan de eerste druk. Het formaat is bijna verdubbeld en het boek zit ook nog eens in een mooie foedraal. Alles in deze uitgave is een enorme verbetering en persoonlijk vindt ik alles in deze editie gewoon “fantastisch”.

De drukker Imago in China heeft een briljant werk gedaan! De verbeteringen kunnen het best worden gewaardeerd wanneer men de nieuwe druk naast een eerste uitgave plaatst; je zou bijna denken dat deze editie de “luxe” uitvoering is van Mr. Bliss.

Tijdens “The Children of Hurin Release Party” had ik de kans om met Matt Blessing, het hoofd van de “Department of Special Collections and University Archives at Marquette University” te Milwaukee te spreken (daar bewaren ze de manuscripten van vier Tolkien boeken: The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Mr. Bliss (het oorspronkelijke hand geschreven boek), en Farmer Giles of Ham). Ik wist er een nieuwe uitgave van M. Bliss werd voorbereid en vroeg hem: “We will see a new printing of Mr.Bliss this year and the illustrations are made from new scans… how was this realized?”

Matt Blessing antwoordde als volgt: “Yours truly made the scans on a Epson scanner…huge TIFFs. The clarity is impressive, if I say so myself. The new edition will really show off Tolkien’s skills.”

En dat is ook zo! De nieuwe scans van de manuscripten zijn een erg grote verbetering en tonen de werkelijke kleuren van het manuscript. Je kan er zelfs de kleinste details perfect op zien. In de eerste druk leek het alsof Tolkien op (licht) rooskleurige papieren had geschreven en getekend, nu zien we echter de echte kleur van het manuscript en krijgen we een waaier aan mooie kleuren voor ogen in de illustraties.

Een ander groot verschil is dat de pagina’s op een donker groene achtergrond zijn geplaatst; terwijl ze in de eerste druk binnen een kader, met een zeer dikke zwarte lijn, stonden. De nieuwe manier van voorstellen geeft ons het idee dat de pagina’s van het manuscript bovenop een groene achtergrond zijn gelijmd, zodat je nu zelfs de schade aan de randen van het manuscript kan zien. Dit is echt zeer prachtig.

Naast het opnieuw inscannen van het manuscript hebben ze in deze herdruk ook de tekst onderhanden genomen. Waar in de 1ste uitgave de tekst gewoon bovenaan de tegenovergestelde pagina werd geplaatst (aan de linkerzijde) zien we in de nieuwe uitgave dat de tekst nu recht tegenover de handgeschreven versie van Tolkien staat; en waar ere en illustratie van Tolkien is weergegeven krijgen we nu dus een leegte. Ook is het lettertype een klein beetje vergroot en dat is veel beter in een kinderboek.

Om alles even samen te vatten, als je deze nieuwe herziene uitgave zal kopen zie je dat elke pagina van het originele Tolkien manuscript uit de jaren ‘30, met zijn eigen kleuren illustraties en opmerkelijk handschrift, perfect is gereproduceerd. Voor een verhoogde leesbaarheid is op elke pagina de tekst volledig herzet, met een groter lettertype voor jongere lezers. Alle beelden zijn onlangs opnieuw ingescant van de archiefmanuscripten om de best mogelijke reproductie te geven. Wij moeten Matt Blessing enorm danken voor het uitstekend resultaat!

De gegevens van deze uitgave:
Type: Boek met harde kaft
Pagina’s: 112
Uitgever: HarperCollins
Publicatiedatum: Herziene uitgave - 15 Oktober 2007 (Engeland)
Taal: Engels
Formaat: 189×246 mm
ISBN-10: 0007255330
ISBN-13: 978-0007255337

Pieter Collier

You will find everything you need at www.YorkWhite.com to make your milestone anniversary as special as it can be.  You’ll find Anniversary Toasting Flutes, Anniversary Party Favors,  and an Anniversary Guest Book for your guests to record their best wishes, just to name a few.  You may also personalize many of the items available for 25th, 40th, and 50th Wedding Anniversaries.  There are also hundreds of Party Decorations to choose from to make your event the most memorable.

A Tribute to FSF.

Check out All FSF Poster Design Series on Folsom Street Fair™ Official Site
(if you like the art, please VOTE for me!) Thanks!

Description:

SILVER, the element which represents the number of 25th, is the main inspiration of my poster series for Folsom Street Fair™ 2008.

While applying the fun stuff into the poster designs, I love the idea of being mysterious yet but playful, which also the only way leads to fun, frolic, and fetish. Either a fantasy, or in real life, the imaginations and dreams are the starting point for everything in life.

Actual printed size: 18×24 inches, Pro Kodak™ Photo paper, CMYK.
*Click on image below for larger view.

© 2006-2008 daviolicious.com | David Cheong | Folsom Street Fair™
“Folsom” trademark used with special permission of Folsom Street Events.
“Folsom”, “Folsom Street Fair” and “Folsom Street Events”
are trademarks of South of Market Merchants’ and Individuals’ Lifestyle Events, Inc.
(SMMILE), a non-profit corporation. © Copyright 2008 SMMILE.

Miley Cyrus

So, you all have been waiting for the VMA’s wondering who in the world is our presenters? Well , we have their names right here, right now. The VMA’s presenters are!: Miley Cyrus, Michael Phelps, Lindsay Lohan, High School Musical !!! Scarlett Johansson Ciara, Christopher Mintz-Plasse will also be there , handing out Moonman(s)!!! Michael Phelps has been gone for the Olympic Games, and now he has returned with setting a record of eight gold medals! After returning home, he gave Disney World a visit and enjoyed his time there, now he is heading to the 2008 MTV VMA’s!!! He will be heading out to Los Angelas Paramount Picture Studios where the VMA’s will be held live on September 7th to hand out Moonman(s)!!! The Show is being held live at 9 pm ET. The “Twlight” Stars will also be there , as they where heard to be the presenters as well. There are more additions to the performances and the show , including DJ AM and Blink-182 kitman Travis Barker will be playing drum beats, and mixes for the evening! Later into the show will include the two with Kate Perry,T-Pain,Lupe Fiasco, and the Ting-Tings and other guests / celebrities to perform and celebrate the 25th MTV VMAS!!! Be sure to remember that Paramore, Rihanna, Pink, T.I. , Kid Rock, Lil Wayne , and the Jonas Brothers will be performing live on stage! The VMA’s will be hosted by Russell Brand from the British Comic “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”!

Homily for the 25th Anniversary of the Death of Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.

Church of the Gesù, Ateneo de Manila University, 17 August 2008
by Fr. Jojo Magadia, S.J. (current Jesuit provincial)

When I was telling a group of friends about this Mass for the 25th anniversary of the death of Ninoy Aquino, the common reaction was disbelief: “Twenty-five years? Already?” Even more striking was the conversation that followed. One said, I was driving my car when I heard the news and I felt so heavy and distressed and sad, and there was this strange emptiness inside. Another said, I was just coming out of class, when word spread on the crowded corridors of our school, and many were stunned and confused and outraged. A third one said, I was at home, and a friend called me, and as I heard the news, the tears started coming for reasons I could not understand.

One after another, my friends and I recalled, how each one remembered that day so vividly, where we were, what we were doing, the thoughts and the feelings that hit us when the news broke out, what we did after, how we all found time to fall in line with the millions of Filipinos from all walks of life who paid their respects at Santo Domingo Church, how some of us joined that unforgettable twelve-hour funeral march from Santo Domingo, down España, crossing Quiapo and Luneta, and all the way to Parañaque, singing and praying, as millions more lined the streets in solidarity, chanting “Ninoy, Ninoy!”, dressed in the signature yellow. I remember feeling so proud of being Filipino and so proud of Ninoy Aquino, and so emboldened by his death, to continue the fight, and to take part in the next three years of nonviolent struggle, and to join the Filipino people in assuring each other with Ninoy’s immortal words, “Hindi ka nag-iisa.” Yes, those were graced days of unimaginable courage, and I consider myself so blessed to have been part of that.

As I look back, I ask myself, how did Ninoy Aquino do it? How did he leave such a mark on many of us? Was it the disbelief and shock that blood was spilled? Was it the incredible audacity of a man who knew he was risking death, and yet went on with such determination? Was it the sacrifice that was so strikingly and powerfully communicated? Was it the dignity that came with courage recovered?

I suggest that there were two fundamental experiences that marked those days –redemption and conversion.

First, redemption. In the Old Testament, the idea of redemption boiled down to something quite simple. It had to do with the payment of a price, in order to release the enslaved or imprisoned or oppressed. It had to do with ransom, in order to liberate and grant freedom to one who is held captive. It had to do with setting free from a power that controls, that burdens, that possesses and imposes and dominates, that makes people unable to take their lives into their own hands, and determine their own futures with dignity. The sacrifice of Ninoy Aquino left such a mark on us because it redeemed us who witnessed the boldness and bravery of someone who was willing to give up his life for those he loves.

The Filipino is worth dying for, Ninoy said, and that anchored our actions in those days. It gave us a share in his vision, his daring, his tenacity. It gave us a spirit that was so fresh and infectious. It made us creative, thinking out of the box, in our ways of fighting the injustices of those days, to the point of being playful and even enjoying ourselves. It gave us a staying power that didn’t give in to petty discouragements, through three long years of seeming impasse. It gave us energy and faith to just hang on, no matter what and no matter how long. Ninoy’s death was our ransom, our redemption. We were saved, because through his sacrifice, we felt a new strength. We were won over by the power of good and righteousness that Isaiah speaks of in today’s First Reading. Observe what is right, says the Lord, and do what is just, for my salvation is about to come. And Ninoy’s sense of what is right and just gave us a new vitality.

Second, conversion. In that most touching 1973 letter Ninoy wrote to Senator Soc Rodrigo, he recounts his experience of solitary confinement. He was already in prison, when on March 12, 1973, he and the late Senator Pepe Diokno were ordered to get dressed, and thereafter, the two were blindfolded, handcuffed, and flown by helicopter to an unknown destination.

In that letter, Ninoy writes: “When my blindfold was finally removed, I found myself inside a newly painted room, roughly four by five meters, with barred windows, the outside of which was boarded with plywood panels. There was a six-inch gap between the panels and the window frame to allow slight ventilation. There was a bright daylight neon tube that glowed day and night. There were no electric switches in the room, and the door had no knobs, only locks on the outside. The room was completely bare except for a steel bed without mattress. No chairs, tables, nothing.

“I was stripped naked. My wedding ring, watch, eyeglasses, shoes, clothes were all taken away. Later, a guard who was in civilian clothes brought in a bedpan and told me that I would be allowed to go to the bathroom once a day in the morning, to shower, brush my teeth and wash my clothes [two shirts and underwear]…. the intention was to make us really feel helpless and dependent for everything on the guards.”

In those days of solitary confinement, Ninoy reached a point of desperation and desolation, as he questioned the justice of God. He told Soc Rodrigo, “I remembered your famous words: Hindi natutulog ang Diyos…but I felt, at that moment, he was having a very good sound siesta and I was afraid when he finally woke up, I would have been gone! … Would God allow me to die without seeing my family? What terrible crimes have I committed to deserve this fate? The magnanakaws are living it up and I who tried to walk the narrow path of public service with integrity am now about to meet uncertain fate? Is this justice?

And then, something happened. “Suddenly,” Ninoy relates, “Jesus became a live human being.” And he awakened to the truth that in Jesus was “a God-Man who preached nothing but love and was rewarded with death…. who had power over all creation but took the mockery of a crown of thorns with humility and patience. And for all his noble intentions, he was shamed, vilified, slandered, and betrayed.”

“Then as if I heard a voice tell me: Why do you cry? I have gifted you with consolations, honors and glory which have been denied to the millions of your countrymen. I made you the youngest war correspondent, presidential assistant, mayor, vice governor, governor, and Senator of the Republic, and I recall you never thanked me for all these gifts. I have given you a full life, a great wife and beautiful lovable children. Now that I visit you with a slight desolation, you cry and whimper like a spoiled brat!

“With this realization, I went down on my knees and begged His forgiveness. I know I was merely undergoing a test, maybe in preparation for another mission. I know everything that happens in this world is with his knowledge and consent. I knew He would not burden me with a load I could not carry. I therefore resigned myself to His will.”

This, my friends, is conversion. And it is this conversion that we were invited to in those three years of struggle against the dictatorship – a conversion that meant working and giving it our best, but in the end, knowing that we could only depend on God. It was a conversion that meant accepting our limitations, and allowing the Lord to move in and fill in the blanks, and bring all the loose ends together into some unity. It meant surrendering everything, and then allowing ourselves to be surprised by the Lord’s ways, as he would later show so wonderfully at EDSA in 1986.

For Ninoy, and for those who saw his conversion, it also meant embracing the ways of active non-violence, which called for courage and daring. It sought reconciliation, and not the defeat of an adversary. It was directed at eliminating an evil, not destroying an evil-doer. It entailed a willingness to accept suffering for the cause, should it be called for, but never to inflict it. It rejected hatred, animosity or violence of the spirit, in addition to renouncing all forms of physical violence. It demanded a fundamental faith that in the end, justice would prevail. And that is why, the conversion to non-violence also means an openness to even the inclusion of the dogs who depend on the crumbs that fall from the master’s tables, an openness to receiving the aggressor who turns away from his old ways, an openness to reconciliation and forgiveness, after repentance.

As I look at the Philippines today, I feel sad. I am sad about the brazen corruption of many who are supposed to serve in public office. I am sad about how we Filipinos have become so tolerant of injustice and oppression, and how we do not challenge ourselves enough, and easily let ourselves off the hook. I am sad about how many have given up integrity to claim their share of the booty that the powerful dangle before them. I am sad that so many of our people have to leave their homes and their families, in search of employment overseas, because the country could not offer them opportunity. I am sad about the acts of violence all around, from the violence of the criminal, to the violence in Mindanao, to the violence of poverty and hunger and inequality and miseducation. This morning we received news from the Assumption sisters, asking for prayers because of the war that has just begun again in Lanao del Norte. I feel sad about the greed of those who abuse power, and selfishly cling to it at any cost. And through all this, it is so easy to be discouraged. But if we were to give in to this discouragement, then this commemoration of the sacrifice of Ninoy will have been merely ritual, and nothing more.

Instead, today, I suggest that we are asked to step back for a moment, and look back to the life of this man, twenty-five years after the great sacrifice of his life. We are invited to consider that what Ninoy’s experience really tells us is that the struggle is really not meant to end, that the true offering of self is a daily and ongoing oblation that can only last a lifetime, and that the fight for justice must go on, ever-renewing itself, and ever re-creating itself in the face of new injustices. We are challenged to re-tell the story of Ninoy to our young, those who did not see, firsthand, those years of amazing spirit, and to rekindle in them that fire that burned so strongly in many of us.

My friends, if we are to live through all the difficulties in our country today, if we are to persevere with dignity and determination, we can draw our strength once more from Ninoy, by reclaiming the redemption he offered, and the conversion he shared. This day, we thank the Lord once more for all our Filipino martyrs and heroes, men and women, known and unknown, whose lives have been a great light and a source of hope, that feed into the work of continuing national transformation.

Today, we pray very especially for President Cory Aquino, for healing and for strength. We pray for peace in Mindanao. We ask Ninoy to pray for us and intercede for us, for we know he is with the Lord he sought to serve, the Lord in whose redemption Ninoy participated, the Lord in whose hands we entrust our lives and our loves, confident that he will bring us his peace.

Amen.

Hey you guys!!!

Maria has very kindly promoted me to admin level here so that I can help spread the news about the 25th anniversary of The Goonies, which is in 2010.

For those of you who don’t know, there was a huge 20th anniversary event in 2005 where over 1000 fans from around the world gathered in the Goondocks, aka, Astoria Oregon, to celebrate their mutual love of The Goonies all weekend long. Some travelled from England, Canada, Japan, Spain and even Australia!!! (Crazy, I know) There were movie location tours, cast signings, truffle shuffle contests and even a movie screening too, not to mention entry into the Goonies house, which every hardcore Goonies fan wishes to do.

So, I am writing to let you all know that you can join the following Goonies event group where I would also like to keep you informed about the next anniversary event! Please tell your friends… Goonies never say die and all!!

Click and join here! - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2450545212

Last time we had 3 cast members join us - they were Mikey (Sean Astin), Chunk (Jeff Cohen) and Mr Perkins (Curt Hanson)! I’m working again with the Astoria Chamber of Commerce to make the next event bigger and better than the last. Please have a look at all the links in the group and sign up if you’re ready for the adventure of a lifetime!!!!

Thanks!!

Andy (theoriginalgoonie at www.thegoonies.org)

PS - THIS IS OUR TIME, IT’S OUR TIME DOWN HERE!

“Bihira lang ang mga ganitong tao, may malasakit sa mga estudyante, kaya ginawa nyang walang pasok!”

Early life and career

Ninoy Aquino was born in Concepcion, Tarlac to a prosperous family of hacienderos (landlords). His grandfather, Servillano Aquino was a general in the revolutionary army of Emilio Aguinaldo while his father, Benigno Aquino Sr. was a prominent official in the World War II Japanese-organized government of Jose P. Laurel. His father died while Ninoy was in his teens amid rumor of alleged collaboration with the Japanese during the occupation. He was educated in private schools–elementary at St. Joseph’s College, and high school at San Beda College. He took his tertiary education at Ateneo De Manila with a degree in Liberal Arts but he did not graduate. At age 17, he was the youngest war correspondent to cover the Korean War for the newspaper The Manila Times of Joaquin “Chino” Roces. Because of his journalistic feats, he received a Philippine Legion of Honor award from President Elpidio Quirino at age 18. At 21, he became a close adviser to then defense secretary Ramon Magsaysay. Ninoy took law at the University of the Philippines, where he became a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi. He interrupted his studies however to pursue a career in journalism. In early 1954, he was appointed by President Ramon Magsaysay to act as personal emissary to Luis Taruc, leader of the Hukbalahap rebel group. After four months of negotiations, he claimed credit for Taruc’s unconditional surrender. He became mayor of Concepción in 1955 at the age of 22. In the same year he married Corazón Cojuangco, and they had 5 children; Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon, Benigno Aquino III, Victoria Elisa and TV host Kris Aquino.

Political career

He was no stranger to Philippine politics. Ninoy was a third-generation Aquino, a family who had been involved with some of the country’s political heavyweights. His grandfather served under President Aguinaldo while his father held office under Presidents Manuel Quezon and Jose P. Laurel. He became the youngest municipal mayor at age 22, and the nation’s youngest vice-governor at 27. He became governor of Tarlac in 1961 at age 29, then secretary-general of the Liberal Party in 1966. In 1967 he made history by becoming the youngest elected senator in the country’s history at age 34. He was the only “survivor” of the Liberal Party who made it to the senate, where he was inevitably singled out by Marcos and his allies as their greatest nemesis. In 1968, his first year in the Upper House, he warned that Marcos was on the road to establishing “a Garrison State” by “ballooning the armed forces budget”, saddling the defense establishment with “overstaying generals” and “militarizing our civilian government offices”–all these caveats uttered almost four years before martial law.

In many ways, Aquino bedeviled the Marcos regime, chipping away at its monolithic facade. His most celebrated speech, insolently entitled “A Pantheon for Imelda”, was delivered on February 10, 1969, and assailed the first lady’s first extravagant project, the P50 million Cultural Center, which he dubbed “a monument to shame”. President Marcos, outraged, called Aquino “a congenital liar”. The First Lady’s friends angrily accused Aquino of being “ungallant”. This so-called “fiscalization” tactics of Aquino quickly became his signature trademark at the senate. During his tenure as senator, he was selected by the Philippine Free Press magazine as one of the nation’s most outstanding senators. His achievements at a very young age earned him the moniker “Wonder Boy” of Philippine politics.

Aquino was considering the highest office in the land, the presidency. Surveys during those times showed that he was the number one choice among Filipinos, since President Marcos by law was prohibited to serve another term.

Martial law, hunger strike

It was not until the Plaza Miranda bombing however–on August 21, 1971 (12 years to the day before Ninoy Aquino’s own assassination)–that the pattern of direct confrontation between Marcos and Aquino emerged. At 9:15 p.m., at the kick-off rally of the Liberal Party, the candidates had formed a line on the makeshift platform and raised their hands as the crowd applauded. The band played, a fireworks display drew all eyes, when suddenly there were two loud explosions that obviously were not part of the show. In an instant the stage became a scene of wild carnage. The police later discovered two fragmentation grenades that had been thrown at the stage by “persons unknown”. Nine people died, 85 others were wounded, many critically.

Although suspicions pointed to the Nacionalistas (the political party of Marcos), Marcos allies sought to deflect this by insinuating that, perhaps, Aquino might have had a hand in the blast in a bid to eliminate his potential rivals within the party. Later, the Marcos government presented “evidence” of the bombings as well as an alleged threat of a communist insurgency, suggesting that the bombings were the handiwork of the growing New People’s Army. Marcos made this a pretext to suspend the Writ of Habeas Corpus, vowed that the killers would be apprehended within 48 hours (they never were), and arrested a score of known “Maoists” on general principle. Ironically, the police captured one of the bombers, who was identified as a sergeant of the firearms and explosive section of the Philippine Constabulary, a military arm of the government. According to Aquino, this man was later snatched from police custody by military personnel and the public never heard from him again.

President Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972,and he went on air to broadcast his declaration the midnight of September 23. Aquino was one of the first to be arrested and imprisoned on trumped-up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms and subversion. [1] On April 4, 1975, Aquino announced that he was going on a hunger strike, a fast to the death to protest the injustices of his military trial. Ten days through his hunger strike, he instructed his lawyers to withdraw all motions he had submitted to the Supreme Court. As weeks went by, he subsisted solely on salt tablets, sodium bicarbonate, amino acids and two glasses of water a day. Even as he grew weaker, suffering from chills and cramps, the soldiers forcibly dragged him to the military tribunal’s session. His family and hundreds of friends and supporters heard Mass nightly at the Santuario de San Jose in Greenhills, San Juan, praying for his survival. Near the end, Aquino’s weight had dropped from 180 to 120 pounds. Ninoy nonetheless could walk throughout this ordeal. On May 13, 1975, on the 40th day, his family and several priests and friends, begged him to end his fast, pointing out that even Christ Himself fasted only for 40 days. He acquiesced, confident that he had made a symbolic gesture. But at 10:25 p.m. on November 25, 1977, the government-controlled Military Commission found Aquino guilty of all charges and was sentenced to death by firing squad. However, Ninoy and many others believed that Marcos, ever the shrewd strategist, would not want him to suffer death that would surely mark him (Ninoy) for martyrdom. Whatever the end may be, Aquino was convinced, it will be by devious and dastardly means.

1978 elections, bypass surgery, exile

In 1978, from his prison cell, he was allowed to take part in the elections for Interim Batasang Pambansa (Parliament). Although his friends, former Senators Gerry Roxas and Jovito Salonga preferred to boycott the elections, Aquino urged his supporters to organize and run 21 candidates in Metro Manila. Thus his political party, dubbed Lakas ng Bayan (People’s Power), was born. The party’s acronym was “LABAN” (the word laban means “fight”). He was allowed one television interview on Face the Nation (hosted by the infamous Ronnie Nathanielsz) and proved to a startled and impressed populace that imprisonment had neither dulled his rapier-like tongue nor dampened his fighting spirit. Foreign correspondents and diplomats asked what would happen to the LABAN ticket. People agreed with him that his party would win overwhelmingly in an honest election. Not surprisingly, all his candidates lost due to widespread election fraud.

In mid-March 1980, Aquino suffered a heart attack, possibly the result of seven years in prison, mostly in a solitary cell which must have placed a heavy toll on a gregarious personality such as his. He was transported to the Philippine Heart Center where he suffered a second heart attack. The doctors administered ECG and other tests and found that he had a blocked artery. The surgeons were reluctant to do a coronary bypass because of their unwillingness to be involved in a controversy. Additionally, Aquino refused to submit himself to the hands of local doctors, for fear of a possible Marcos “duplicity”, preferring to either go to the United States for the procedure or return to his cell at Fort Bonifacio and die.

On May 8, 1980, Imelda Marcos made an unannounced visit to Aquino at his hospital room. She asked him if he would like to leave that evening for the U.S., but not before agreeing on two covenants: 1.) That if he leaves, he will return; 2.) While in America, he should not speak out against the Marcos regime. She then ordered General Fabian Ver and Mel Mathay to make necessary arrangements for passports and plane tickets for the Aquino family. Ninoy was shoved in a closed van, rushed to his home on Times Street to pack, hustled to the airport and put on a plane bound for the U.S. that same day accompanied by his family.

Aquino was operated on at a hospital in Dallas, Texas. He made a quick recovery, was walking within two weeks and making plans to fly to Damascus, Syria to contact Muslim leaders, which he did five weeks after. When he reiterated that he was returning to the Philippines, he received a surreptitious message from the Marcos government saying that he was now granted an extension of his “medical furlough”. Eventually, Aquino decided to renounce his two covenants with Malacañang “because of the dictates of higher national interest”. After all, Ninoy added, “a pact with the devil is no pact at all”.

Aquino spent three years in self-exile, setting up house with Cory and their kids in Newton, Massachusetts, a suburb of Boston. On fellowship grants from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he worked on the manuscripts of two books and gave a series of lectures in school halls, classrooms and auditoriums. He traveled extensively in the U.S. delivering speeches critical of the Marcos government.

Marcos and his officials, aware of Aquino’s growing popularity even in his absence, in turn accused Ninoy of being the “Mad Bomber”, allegedly masterminding a rash of bombings that had erupted in Metro Manila in 1981 and 1982. Aquino denied that he was advocating a bloody revolution, but warned that radicalized oppositionists were threatening to use violence soon. He urged Marcos to “heed the voice of conscience and moderation”, and declared that he (Aquino) was willing to lay his own life on the line.

“I have returned”

Throughout his years of expatriation, Aquino was always aware that his life in the U.S. was temporary. He never stopped affirming his eventual return even as he enjoyed American hospitality and a peaceful life with his family in American soil.

In the first quarter of 1983, Aquino was receiving news about the deteriorating political situation in his country combined with the rumored declining health (due to lupus) of President Marcos. He believed that it was expedient for him to speak to Marcos and present to him his rationale for the country’s return to democracy, before extremists took over and make such a change impossible. Moreover, his years of absence made his allies worry that the Filipinos may have resigned themselves to Marcos’ strongman rule and that without his leadership the centrist opposition would die a natural death.

Aquino decided to go back to the Philippines, fully aware of the dangers that awaited him. Warned that he will either be imprisoned or killed, he answered, “if it’s my fate to die by an assassin’s bullet, so be it”. [2] His family, however, learned from a Philippine Consulate official that there were orders from Manila not to issue any passports for them. At that time, their visas had expired and their renewal had been denied. They therefore formulated a plan for Ninoy to fly alone–to attract less attention–and the rest of the family to follow him after two weeks. Even with government restriction, he had acquired a passport through the help of Rashid Lucman, a former congressman from Mindanao. It carried an alias, Marcial Bonifacio–Marcial for martial law and Bonifacio for Fort Bonifacio, his erstwhile prison. [3] He eventually obtained a legitimate passport from a sympathizer working in a Philippine consulate. The Marcos government warned all international airlines that they would be denied landing rights and forced to return if they tried to fly Ninoy to the Philippines. Aquino insisted that it was his natural right as a citizen to come back to his homeland, and no government can prevent him from doing so. He left Logan International Airport on August 13, 1983, took a circuitous route home from Boston, via Los Angeles, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taipei, before heading towards Manila. He had chosen Taipei as the final stopover when he learned the Philippines had severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan. This made him feel more secure; the Taiwan authorities could pretend they were not aware of his presence. There would also be a couple of Taiwanese friends accompanying him.

It would have been perfectly convenient for the Marcos government if Aquino had stayed out of the local political arena, however Ninoy asserted his willingness to suffer the consequences declaring, “the Filipino is worth dying for.” [4] He wished to express an earnest plea for Marcos to step down and seek a peaceful regime change and a return to democratic institutions. Anticipating the worst, during a pre-return interview, he revealed that he would be wearing a bullet-proof vest, but he also said that “it’s only good for the body, but for the head there’s nothing else we can do”. Sensing his own doom, he quoted during the interview that they (the journalists) “have to be ready with your camera because events will happen very fast…in a matter of 3 or 4 minutes it could be all over…and I may not be able to talk to you again after this…” In his last formal statement he said, “I have returned to join the ranks of those struggling to restore our rights and freedom through nonviolence. I seek no confrontation.”

Assassination

On August 21, 1983, while on his way to Manila, Ninoy was accompanied by several foreign journalists to ensure his safety or, in the least, record events for posterity in case rumors of a planned assassination proved to be true. Despite a convoy of security guards (all assigned to him by the Marcos government) and a contingent of 2,000 military and police personnel on the tarmac, he was fatally shot in the head as he was escorted off the airplane. Government investigators claimed that he was gunned down by Rolando Galman, who was immediately shot dead by the aviation security. No one actually saw who pulled the trigger. Post-mortem analyses disclosed he was shot on the back of the head in close range with the bullet exiting at the chin. Even more suspicions arose on who ordered the execution.

Everyone from the CIA to the Communist Party of the Philippines to First Lady Imelda Marcos was accused of conspiracy. President Marcos was reportedly gravely ill, recovering from kidney transplant when the incident occured. Theories arose as to who was in charge and who ordered the execution. Some hypothesized that Marcos had a long-standing order for Aquino’s murder upon the latter’s return.

The Marcos government then ordered an independent body, the Agrava Commission, to investigate. The men on the tarmac, the rank and file of the military, were found guilty and are currently serving life sentences at National Bilibid Prison. They have recently filed an appeal to have their sentences reduced after 22 years, claiming the assassination was ordered by a Marcos crony and business partner (and Corazon Aquino’s estranged cousin), Eduardo Cojuangco Jr., who was eventually cleared by the Aquino family.

Aquino’s funeral procession on August 31 lasted from 9 a.m.–with a funeral mass officiated by the Catholic archbishop of Manila, Jaime Cardinal Sin, and held at Santo Domingo Church–to 9 p.m., when his body was interred at the Manila Memorial Park. Two million people lined the streets during the procession which was aired by the Church-sponsored Radio Veritas, the only station that covered the procession. The procession reached Rizal Park, where the Philippine flag was brought to half-mast.

Aftermath

The death of Ninoy transformed the opposition from a small isolated movement to a massive unified crusade, incorporating people from all walks of Filipino life. The middle class got involved, the impoverished majority participated, and business leaders whom Marcos irked during martial law endorsed the campaign–all with the crucial support of the military and the Catholic Church hierarchy. The assassination showed the increasing incapacity of the Marcos regime—Ferdinand was mortally ill when the crime occurred while his cronies mismanaged the country in his absence. It outraged Aquino’s supporters that he, if not masterminding it, allowed the assassination to happen and engineered its cover-up. The mass revolt caused by Ninoy’s demise attracted worldwide media attention and Marcos’ American contacts, as well as the Reagan Administration, began distancing themselves. There was global media spotlight to the Philippine crisis, and exposés on Imelda’s extravagant lifestyle (most infamously, her thousands of pairs of shoes) and “mining operations”, as well as Ferdinand’s dictatorial excesses, came into focus.

The assassination thrust Ninoy’s widow, Cory, willingly or unwilling, into the public eye. Convinced by leaders of the opposition that she was the person to best Marcos, Cory Aquino went on to campaign tirelessly in the 1986 snap elections which were called by Marcos to pacify rampant public discontent. In 57 days of trying to win people’s votes before the February 7, 1986 election, her United Nationalists Democratic Organizations|UNIDO party took to the streets, visiting all but a few of the Philippine provinces. On the campaign trail, Mrs. Aquino was greeted by throngs of people throwing confetti and cheering “Cory! Cory! Cory!”. Despite the Marcos-controlled Commission on Election’s declaration of a Marcos’ victory, the majority of the Filipino people refused to accept the allegedly fraudulent outcome, prompting the People Power revolution that drove Marcos into exile and placed Cory at the seat of power.

While no Filipino president has ever been assassinated, Ninoy Aquino is one of three presidential spouses who have been murdered. Aurora Quezon was killed along with her daughter and son-in-law in a Hukbalahap ambush in 1949, while Alicia Syquia-Quirino was murdered by the Japanese along with three of her children during the Battle of Manila in 1945.

Legacy

In Ninoy’s honor, the Manila International Airport where he was assassinated has been renamed Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and his image is printed on the 500-peso bill. The Philippine Congress enacted Republic Act (R.A.) 9256, declaring August 21st, the anniversary of his death, as Ninoy Aquino Day, an annual public holiday in the Philippines. Several monuments were built in his honor. Most renowned is the bronze memorial in Makati City near the Philippine Stock Exchange, which today is a venue of endless anti-government rallies and demonstrations.

Although Ninoy Aquino was recognized as the most prominent and most outspoken critic of the Marcos dictatorship, he was regarded by many, in the years prior to martial law, having descended from political families, as representative of the entrenched familial bureaucracy which, to this day, still predominates Philippine politics. While atypically telegenic and uncommonly articulate, he had his share of detractors and was not known to be immune to ambitions and excesses of the ruling political class. However, his years in prison which included lengthy periods of solitary confinement, had a profound effect on his spirit and in his character. In his moments of despair he renewed devotion to his traditional Catholic faith, drawing strength from it. He also voraciously perused the writings and speeches of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr., deriving inspiration.

As result, the remainder of his personal and political life would undertake a distinct spiritual sheen. He emerged as a contemporary analogy to the great Rizal, who was among the world’s earliest proponents of non-violence as the instrumentation to combat a repressive regime. Many remained skeptical as to Aquino’s redirected spiritual focus, nonetheless it ultimately had an apparent effect on his wife’s political career. Some doubt the prominence given him, yet it was his assassination that was pivotal to the downfall of a despotic ruler and the eventual restoration of democracy in the Philippines. His greatness still being measured, Ninoy Aquino’s death somehow destined him to be a modern-day martyr in the ranks of Jose Rizal and other Philippine heroes.

( taken from http://ninoyaquino.50webs.com, a tribute page to ninoy aquino)