10 Facts about Leonardo da Vinci

As a Leonardo da Vinci enthusiast, I think it is good if I’m gonna make an article about Leonardo da Vinci, so I give you here some facts about the great painter.

                                       Francesco Melzi’s portrait of Leonardo da Vinci

1. Leonardo da Vinci was speculated to be gay. There was a historical document that tells that Leonardo was charged of sodomy (was then an illegal act punishable by death) with a male artist’s model Jacopo Saltarelli and three other men. The anonymous accusation was left in a tamburo or “letter box.” However, the charges upon the five men were dismissed. (Spoiler alert: Eminem is gay). It’s also been speculated that he had homosexual relationships with his apprentice Salai. Moreover, Leonardo himself said that when he was still an infant he had a dream that a bird of prey stuck its tail inside his lips again and again. Sigmund Freud in his 1910 paper Leonardo da Vinci, A Memory of His Childhood said that this dream was a sign of homosexuality. Furthermore, Leonardo’s drawing The Incarnate Angel has a large erecting penis, suggesting homosexuality.

     The Incarnate Angel with a large erecting penis—a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci

2. Leonardo da Vinci could write with his left hand and draw with the right hand at the same time. Seven words: Leonardo da Vinci was so f*cking awesome.

3. Leonardo da Vinci mostly wrote in mirror script. Scholars say that Leonardo wrote in mirror script (you could only read his writings using a mirror) because he don’t want anyone to steal his ideas. But some scholars say that he did it because he’s left handed and if he writes with the normal script, the ink would stick in his hand. (The ink in those days takes time to dry.)

                                 The word “Wikipedia” in Leonardo’s style

4. Leonardo da Vinci did not have a role in Titanic. I have to say that.

5. Leonardo da Vinci was a polymath. Leonardo was not only a renowned painter and sculptor, but also an expert in civil engineering, chemistry, geology, geometry, hydrodynamics, mathematics, mechanical engineering, optics, physics, pyrotechnics, botany, zoology, anatomy, cartography, architecture, writing and aeronautics. Scholars regard him as the epitome of the Renaissance Man.

6. Leonardo had an advance scientific knowledge. Leonardo’s scientific knowledge was so advance that if he had the opportunity to publish his works during his lifetime, the science of the Renaissance would be dramatically revolutionized. He had advance knowledge of fossils, plants, tectonic plates, animals, optics, astronomy and anatomy. He also formulated a rudimentary theory of plate tectonics even before Alfred Wegener developed his own. This advance scientific knowledge could also be seen in his paintings. The plants you see in his painting Virgin of the Rocks were amazingly classifiable to the modern botanist. Moreover, the effects of light in his paintings, notably in the Lady with an Ermine, was also extraordinarily accurate.

                                                              Virgin of the Rocks

                                                             Lady with an Ermine

7. Leonardo was a futurist. Leonardo was also a prolific inventor, that the Italian Duke Cesare Borgia hired him as a military engineer. He visualized the concepts of tanks, helicopter, parachute, car, an underwater breathing device and a robot before they were even invented. He also visualized a large crossbow weapon, an early machine gun, a scythe chariot and an ornithopter.

                                                         Leonardo’s concept of tank

                                                   An early concept of a helicopter

                                                                          Parachute

                                                                    Self-propelled car

                                                              Breathing apparatus

                                                           Huge cross bow with wheels

                                                  Machine gun

                                                                        Scythe chariot

Leonardo da Vinci’s ornithopter being used by Ezio in the videogame Assassin’s Creed II. Leonardo also appeared in the game.

                                     Leonardo’s robot built based faithfully on Leonardo’s design

8. He’s Vegan. Yes, because he love animals so much. But he’s not a member of PETA and he never go outside naked and urge people not to eat meat.

9. He had a life long quarrel with Michelangelo. The reason why Leonardo never stayed in Florence and spent most of his life traveling is because he had a long time quarrel with Michelangelo, who was based in Florence.

Michelangelo (the sculptor of the famous David and painter of the Sistine Chapel ceiling) and Leonardo da Vinci were mortal enemies. 

10. He was a bastard child. The phrase “da Vinci” in the name “Leonardo da Vinci,” means “of Vinci” in Italian. It’s actually not a surname but only a phrase that tells the birthplace of that person common in many Italian names. (Like “Ezio Auditore da Firenze.”) The reason why Leonardo had no surname is because he was a bastard child of the Florentine legal notary Messer Piero Fruosino di Antonio da Vinci to peasant named Caterina. Leonardo’s full name was “Leonardo di Ser Piero da Vinci” (literally means “Leonardo [son] of Piero [from the town] of Vinci”).

References:

1. wikipedia.org (once again)

2. tomduhamel.wordpress.com

3. leonardodavincisinventions.com

4. pixgood.com

5. theinventors.org

6. wikiart.org

7. pikdit.com

8. scarleteen.com

9. drheckle.net 

10. assassinscreed.de

12. curiosidades.batanga.com

8 Facts about Christmas

I know my readers are already sick of my anti-STI posts, so I decided to write something about Christmas. Here, imma gonna give you 8 facts about Christmas.

1. Christmas was actually a Christianized pagan festival held every December 25 called birthday of the Unconquered Sun. Early Christians began to associate it to the birth of Jesus because they referred the LORD as sun of righteousness (Malachi 4:2). Moreover, in 350 CE, Pope Julius I officially declared December 25 as the official date of Christmas celebration. The followers of Felix Y. Manalo always emphasize this fact to Catholics, but they are just jealous because we have something like this were the whole family celebrates together. Mamatay kayo sa inggit. :P 

                                                        Pope Julius I

2. Nothing is bad about using ‘Xmas’ instead of ‘Christmas,’ because in ‘Xmas,’ ‘X’ is the abbreviation of ‘Christ’—the Greek name for ‘Christ’ was actually Χριστος (“Christos”). So shut the fuck up and stop complaining about how people use ‘Xmas’ instead of ‘Christmas.’

3. The concept of the Christmas tree was actually invented by the Protestant Martin Luther, the most influential figure of the Age of Reformation. He was thought to put candles to an evergreen tree to make his family happy. 

                                                          Martin Luther

4. It was said that a man gave Christmas bonuses to his factory workers and let them go home to their families during Christmas Eve after he heard the English writer Charles Dickens read his novella A Christmas Carol. Remember that fact every time an employee in Max’s serves you when you chose to celebrate Nochebuena in that restaurant.

                                        Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol

5. The Simbang Gabi or Misa de Gallo was held during dawn because Pope Sixtus V want the farmers to attend a mass before harvest time in sunrise.

6. Santa Clause was based on Saint Nicholas, who was also thought to give presents to children during winter.  

         
                 Saint Nicholas saves three innocents from death by Russian painter Ilya Repin

7. Some astronomers thought that the Star of Bethlehem was actually the planet Jupiter, because Jupiter appears to be the brightest star in the sky of Bethlehem during winter. 

8. The Bible never said that Jesus was visited by the three magi in his birth. The concept was developed when Matthew 2 was combined with Isaiah 60:1-3: “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you and his glory will be seen upon you. And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.”

                                                  
                                                       The three Magi in Byzantine art

References:

1. Once again, Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

2. Did You Know (didyouknow.tumblr.com)

3. National Geographic (nationalgeographic.com)

Note: All pictures are from Wikipedia except the merry-christmas-ya-filthy-animal pic. 

STI's takeover of PWU proven wrong: a response to STI's dirty tactics

From Lydia Brown of PWU Media Center:

"Tanco/STI just issued a FALSE statement claiming the Benitez family resigned from PWU. We have challenged their claim that we are in default & today they tried to hold a board meeting but did not have a quorum. They timed their press release so that our response will be too late for tomorrow's newspapers. They are using dirty tactics to sow disinformation to dissipate public outcry over their predatory move. Pls help us by contacting our supporters & friends to help us fight this brazen attempt to take over our beloved PWU & JASMS."

          This just shows us how aggressive STI is to takeover PWU. They are very very desperate to extend their power to satisfy their never-ending need for money. Greed is really trying to destroy our society from the inside like tooth decay.

RIP PWU: STI gains control of PWU, Benitez Representatives quit

Wala na. Wala na. Ang historical na Philippine Women’s University—the first university for women in Asia, founded by Asians na itinatag noong 1919—ay nakuha na ng STI. Ayon sa isang article sa Inquirer.net, nag-quit o sumuko na DAW ang 8 na officials ng PWU para ibigay ito sa mga officers na galing ng STI. May magagawa ba tayo?

          Pinalitan daw ng STI ang mga Benitez dahil nagkautang daw sila ng milyon milyon sa STI. May magagawa ba tayo?

          Bagong kabanata ito sa kasaysayan ng PWU. Dahil ang PWU ay STI na. May magagwa ka ba?

          Kalimutan na ang mga marun en wayt, marun en wayt na ek ek. Dahil ang PWU ay yellow and blue na. May magagawa ba tayo?

          Hindi na tayo PWU. Tayo na ay PWU-STI. Kalimutan mo na ang battle cry na “Maroon ‘n white! We will fight! For PWU!” dahil ang bagong battle cry na naten ay “Go PWUSTI (pwus-tee)! Go PWUSTI! Go PWUSTI!” May magagawa ka ba?

          Wala ka naman magagawa di ba? Kaya mabuhay ang STI! Mabuhay ang PWUSTI!

From Sex to Politics to Education—Everything is Business

May dalawang reasons kung bakit sinimulan mong basahin to: una, kasi nakita mo na may ‘sex’ sa title kaya napukaw ang attensyon mo; pangalawa, dahil interested ka sa social happenings. Ngayong nasimulan mo na, sana tapusin mo na.

          Halos lahat na ata ng institusyon sa Pilipinas ay business: ang gobyerno ginagawang business ng mga politicians, ang kaban ng bayan ginagawang business ni Napoles, pati mga educational institutions ay business na ng mga naglalakihang mga businessmen (tulad ni Henry Sy na stockholder na ng De La Salle University at may ari na ng National University), pati ilang simbahan dito sa Pilipinas tulad ng Iglesia ni Cristo ay family  business ng pamilya Manalo, pati Intramuros na supposedly ay isang Heritage Site ay may mga commercial buildings na sa loob, at ngayon ni hindi natin mapigilan ang pagpapatayo ng isang condominium na sumisira sa view ng Rizal Monument sa Luneta. Halos lahat na ng institusyon sa Pilipinas ay commercialized na. At sa sobrang commercialized na ng kultura nati ay okay nalang na bastusin natin ang sarili nating sibilisasyon.

          Dahil ang edukasyon ang bumubukas ng pinto sa kinabukasan ng bayan, patuunan natin ng pansin ang commercialization ng mga educational institutions. Oo, isang dahilan kung bakit tayo nagtatayo ng isang eskwelahan ay dahil gusto natin ng profit. Ang mga Dominicano, Franciscano at mga Hesuita ay nagtayo ng mga eskwelahan sa Pilipinas hindi para lang magpaaral ng mga tao, kundi para rin sa profit. Pero hindi maituturing na “business” ang mga eskwelahang itinatag nila dahil, bagamat oo business ang isa sa kanilang pakay, hindi iyon ang mismong layunin nila dito. Mas pinagtutuunan nila ng pansin ang pagbibigay ng isang edukasyong Katoliko para sa mga Katoliko.

          Mayroon kasing dalawang klase ng educational institution: non-profit at profit. Yung non-profit, yun yung institution na mostly for education purpose at kakaunti lang ang purciento na pang business. Yung profit naman, yung mostly for business talaga, for profit.  Yung mga institusyon na pinagmamayari ng mga Franciscano at Dominicano ay non-profit since ang pangunahing pakay ng mga ito ay magbigay ng edukasyong Katoliko para sa mga Katoliko. Non-profit rin ang University of the Philippines since ang pangunahing layunin nito ay magbigay ng quality education sa mga taong maituturing na halimaw sa talino. Habang Profit Institutions naman ang mga institusyong pagmamayari ng mga businessmen, tulad ng mga eskwelahang pagmamayari na talaga nila Henry Sy at ng mga Tangco.  

          So ano ngayon ang pinaglalaban ko dito?... Ano ba ang mangyayari sa lipunang binubuo ng mga commercialized na mga institusyon? Eto ang mga posibleng mangyari:

     

     1. Magkakaroon tayo ng isang lipunang selfish. Since ang mga businessmen ay makasarili at gusto lamang na kumita ng kumita ng kumita hanggang sa ang buong mundo ay kanila na, ang mga institusyong pagmamayari nila ay magiging makasarili rin ang pamamalakad. Kakalat ang epidemyang ito sa lipunan at gagawa ng isang lipunang makasarili. Napansin ko rin na marami nang mga Pilipino ang tumitingala sa mga businessmen. Kung magpapatuloy ang pag-a-idolized natin sa mga makasarili, dahil fans tayo, may tendency tayo na gayahin sila at maging makasarili rin.

     

     2. Isang lipunang tulad ng Estados Unidos. Kung titignan mo ang kasaysayan ang kaisipan ng commercialism ay impluwensya ng mga Amerikano sa atin. Nang dumating sila dito sa bansa, ginawa nilang isang bagay na pwedeng bilhin ang sex na nung una’y tinitignan natin bilang sagrado. Ang pasko na isang religious holiday kung saan ang tunay na diwa ay pagsasama ng buong pamilya sa atin ay kinommercialized nila at ginawang holiday kung saan bibili tayo ng mga mamamahaling regalo na kanilang ginawa. Kung magpapatuloy tayo sa pagtanggap ng commercialization, tayo ay maaari nang matawag na mga Amerikanong Brown. Kung talagang alam mo kung anong klaseng lipunan ang Estados Unidos, malalaman mo kung bakit masama maging isang Amerikano.

    

     3. Isang lipunang walang respeto sa kultura at sibilisasyon. Walang kultura sa mundo ng negosyo. Gagawin lahat ng mga negosyante para lang kumita. Kahit bastusin ang monumento ng isang pambansang bayani ay gagawin nila para lang kumita.

                                      Courtesy of: Lew Benedict Cañete Ranes 

         Nang pamasok ako sa Philippine Women’s University (PWU), nakita ko ang mga advantages ng isang edukasyong hindi pinapatakbo ng mga negosyante. Dahil ang mga Benitez (ang pamilyang nagmamay-ari sa PWU), bagamat mga negosyante rin sila, sila ay mga edukado at may sapat na kaalaman sa edukasyon, mas may alam sila sa pagbibigay ng sapat na academic needs ng mga estudyante. Kung matutuloy na makukuha na talaga ng mga negosyante ang PWU, maraming magbabago, at isa na rito ang pagbabawas ng pagbibigay ng sapat na academic needs sa mga estudyante nito. Marami na akong narinig na mga educational institution na nasira ang dating reputasyon dahil nailipat ang administrasyon sa mga negosyante. Ang minsang mga magagandang eskwelahan na nakuha ng mga negosyante ay tila naging mga mall at kung minsan ay ginagawang marketing device ang mga school publications. Mas pinagtutuunan rin ng pansin ng mga commercialized na mga eskwelahang ito ang athletics kaysa academics dahil mas napapasikat nila ang eskwelahan sa pamamagitan nito para maraming mag enroll at marami ang kita ng mga negosyante. Bakit? Dahil walang alam ang mga negosyante sa academic needs ng mga estudyante at wala silang gusto kundi ang kumita! Gumanda nga ang eskwelahan dahil naging kasing linis ng mga mall, pero naibigay ba ang sapat na edukasyon?

See the story about the Tangco takeover of PWU here. 

European Philippines: Thoughts upon ‘Westernity’ of the Philippines

                                                       Source: Manila Bulletin 

I. The most westernized among the Asians—that’s the phrase the book Story of Nations used to described the Filipino people. Our country has been colonialized by Western powers for almost 400 years, so it is not surprising that half of the Filipino culture is westernized. Our virtually Asian culture has changed dramatically when the Spaniards conquered the Philippines for over 300 years and another dramatic change was taken when the Americans succeeded the Spaniards in handling us for almost half a century (and probably, they are still politically influencing the Philippines up to today.)

II. The Filipino culture has undergone 2 major types of Westernization—Hispanization and Americanization. The Hispanization was started, of course, when the Spaniards came in the Philippine Archipelago, while the Americanization interrupted the Hispanization when the Americans came in the islands. Actually the Hispanization was still strong even when the Americans started handling us, but weakened when the Walled City of Intramuros, the center of Hispanic culture in the country, was destroyed by the Americans in World War II. These two strong westernizations created such a large impact in our culture that anthropologists described our culture as a combination of Asian and Western culture. In other words, paraphrasing the words of the philosopher Ronaldo Gripaldo, the Filipino culture is a Western tradition in an Eastern setting.    

III. By just exploring Manila, you could see that the country is pretty much fucked up. You’ll see so many slums, homeless people sleeping just in front of the City Hall, the heritage site Intramuros inhabited by illegal settlers, the beautiful Manila Bay sunset being destroyed by floating trash and crap, the Metropolitan Theater that is supposed to be a cultural property slowly being destroyed by vandalism and illegal settling and so many diseases that the government of Manila did nothing to cure. But optimist thinkers said that we should not worry too much because, as their favorite phrase said, “The Philippines is not in a state of being, but in a state of development.”

With this phrase I realized that the Philippines should pattern its development with the pattern of the development of Europe. First, we should undergone in an Antiquity; secondly, to a Middle Age; thirdly, to a Renaissance, then to an Age of Enlightenment, then a Modern Age. After this, we should aim for a Utopia—a stage that the West still haven’t achieved (and I guess the West in going to the opposite of it, a Dystopia.) But by looking at the history of the Philippines, it seems to jump and miss and go back from one stage to another. We could look at the pre-colonial and the early part of Hispanic Philippines as the Antiquity; the Middle part of Hispanic Philippines as the Medieval times; the later part of Hispanic Philippines as both the Renaissance and the Age of Enlightenment where Rizal and the so called Illustrados made so many cultural achievements; the American Period as a Renaissance where the Golden Age of Filipino literature in the Spanish language was taken place; the early post-World War II era to the Marcos reign as an Age of Enlightenment where many buildings in Manila were restored after the war and Filipinos overthrow the Marcos tyranny (similar to the French Revolution) and a large body of great subversive writings were produced. And our day is another Medieval Age.         

Illuminati Confirmed!

                                        Everything is Illuminati, if you’re just brave enough. 

The San Agustin Church in the Walled City of Old Manila, also known as Intramuros, was the oldest building in Manila. It was built in 1607 and survived many earthquakes and wars, including the devastation of Manila by the Americans during World War II. Miraculously, it was the only building that survived when the Americans reduced the building within the walled city into rubble. The treasures and the murals inside the church also remained intact and later became a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

        San Agustin church façade (top) and San Agustin church murals (bottom). Source: Wikipedia. 

          The murals on the ceiling of San Agustin church were painted to look like they were carved on it. The murals are full of symbolisms… and you could even see Eye of Providence symbols scattered throughout the murals.

One of the Illuminati symbols (Eye of Providence) in the murals. Source: I forgot where I got this pic. 

          Coincidence? Probably not.