http://doninlondon.com 21st December 2006 (written last night)

A Matter of Life and Death - Joy

Odd reflections on my day today. I have been able to get out and purchase some ink so I may write up some tables to monitor various actions I take on a daily basis. Health these days is a priority for me, it never used to be as I have enjoyed some good health along the way. Now into recovery and more alert than ever, it seems timely to be reminded it could be so different.

High Street Kensington

A bitter morning, and my dogs are barking quite horribly (feet are hurting as I have diabetic neuropathy, the nerves are dying off). I am in the High St simply because the shops there have what I need today, just some ink. And as I am moving slowly ahead I see a crowd. Not too big a crowd as the onlookers realise they are witnessing life and death. Someone has collapsed and is being given CPR. I see the person and realise the best attempts at revival are most likely not going to work. No sign of a siren and no sign of ambulances. Its just happened, I see the person giving the resuscitation and know they know what they are doing, I have seen this before. There is nothing I may do, and nothing anyone can do, except accept what has happened and move along. That feeling and knowledge of another lying in the cold of the day, and they are gone. No doubt really, having just enough experience to know. And then the sirens and ambulance are moving through chocabloc traffic and its going to be too late I feel for anything which might restore this person to life again.

I get on my bus and I am shocked. And its because I realise I am older and just about managing with what I have to do. And had I been that person, well I wear a chain with my ailments around my neck so they know most likely what causes my problem.

Selfish thoughts

I consider myself lucky today its not me that’s lying there on a cold hard pavement with strangers, and absolutely with someone knowing what they need do. They don’t lack attention, they lack breath. And no amount will make the difference for them today. As to me and sitting on an empty bus, odd its empty as people were standing quite shocked back there. And a lesson to remind me that life is precious and it goes out of us when we don’t expect. At least now for today I am not self harming like I used to with drink as my weapon of choice.

In some ways it made me realise for the person concerned what was happening was not an issue as their journey in the present seemed done. And as to those helping I could say without doubt, they did their best. And for me if it were me, I am I’d be glad to be going about my business as I learn now just one day at a time. With some luck and sure knowledge, I am unlikely to expire from neglect or lonely or without someone knowing I am missing. And I am connected to this one day always.

Fellowship

After this morning, well the day felt odd and really quite peculiar. I sent a text to a friend or less a friend than before, there are always petty reasons why we end up not talking to someone somewhere. And life is too short for it. As is anger and all the entails.

In my fellowship for the most part we do get on, we look out for one another and we keep faith with this one day at a time. And as gently and reminded that life is just so precious I may not make it worse through my drinking ever again, and our fellowship offers a way out of the deepest of troubles any might encounter.

We may never be rich, we may never be famous, we may always live this one day as best we can with whatever troubles we may have. And we can be connected, and keep strong with experience strength and hope. Seeing someone go where ever we do go after we expire, a friend reminded me what I saw. As he said you can see the life go out of a person, and he is right of course. A surprise, a shock, and just a matter of life and death.

Life

Is too short. And we need not make it shorter. Tonight our speaker was near thirty years sober. And I have heard them share on quite a number of occasions about life and how it goes. And how they got sober and restarted living after years of being caught in this wretched addiction we call alcoholism. A mental disorder actually, a recognised disease. And yet so many suggest it’s a self inflicted ailment.

For those predisposed through nature and nurture, well that is the way of any disease, to have no tolerance after one incident with drink and then a life long realisation we are addicted as we may be. Its absolute madness as we know to drink ourselves to death, yet so many do, simply because people just don’t know the dangers and where they lead or simply how to stop!.

I never knew, or did I just avoid this simple truth of me. I have and had a liking to addiction for that which gave me oblivion from pain in my head. The pain of depression actually. And I have probably said enough this week about that.

People know me and listen to me

Odd really for me, as I keep myself low profile I felt. And its hard to wonder at what motivates me every day. I was writing notes to self today. About what can I do to make a living again. As it seems this grinding poverty is going to get worse as my fixed income cannot cover my outgoings these days. Gas, electric, power and utilities have risen some 20-40% and nothing extra for me to get by. Harsh times indeed. At the same time a government hell bent on finding scroungers too. I don’t see any really, I have yet to see anyone I know doing this. But our programme is about honesty. And in honesty without some help from a very supportive relative who lets me use this machine to write, well my life certainly would be more difficult. It would not stop me, it would mean cold and porridge more often. So I am determined to do something whatever I may do. As to what well its always a good time to find out. And of course there is a strong desire in me to pay back all help given so freely from love. Meanwhile back to this.

Yes people do listen and I listen to them, most of the time I make sense of nonsense that rolls around in my head.

And tonight I did feel like sharing a lot. And realised it was a short time and many were anxious to get a look in, as I go every day and share very often I was happy to be silent and listen some more. At the end when I shook the hand of our chair, “sharer”, he said he had listened to me yesterday somewhere else, and I had not thought he had been there. So it seems even when we think we speak out for ourselves, we do good for people with thirty odd years experience. And this person certainly made the difference some years back to my attitude and my coming to terms with this killer disease.

Odd at Christmas

So many people do expire, as times are not routine or ordinary and our bodies are often subject to more strain from food and drink. I am lucky not to need ever drink alcohol again now I have found recovery. And seeing someone who has enjoyed as best they may, near on thirty years of celebrations of this and that, marriage divorce death and births. Well it’s a good example to us tonight. And a jovial and wise person, steeped in sober living, with nothing to prove other than life goes on quite extraordinarily ordinary just a day at a time.

Life and Death

We all, most likely got to the fellowship of AA, as it had become a matter of life and death. At least for those I know it was so. And now we may cherish life and our experience, that life is for living again. And for those of us with a little more to contend with and manage, well the programme helps enormously and actually gives us level pegging and equal to the challenge of living today as ordinary people do without any addictive behaviour, thank goodness this is the majority, although sometimes I do wonder.

As to today, a gentle reminder how we are taken out of the game of life as quickly as we enter. Or as near as. We never know what is round the corner unless we know how we are self destructing and a certainty we hurry our end through tortured eyes and no understanding of the way out of hell on earth.

Today, to be fair and even, to let go troubles and ego, and anger, and all that clap trap. And get on towards peace and harmony as best we can in these fractious days ahead, where the world goes slightly mad as we go soberly and raucously about the joys of this time of year? Some of us celebrate and make what we can of the next best thing. My happiness is turning up for lunch with family who have seen the worst and best of me over the years and welcome me today in sober frame of mind. And a chance to see nephews and god son on boxing day too. This would not have been possible just a few years back, and today its all possible, with gentle connection to fellowship, and good connection to living as we may whatever our capacities, the equal of all and everyone equal as it may be. I need not worry about any other person place or thing, I am powerless over all that, and I have choices how to view this world and me in it, just one day at a time.

A good day today

Although death is always present in our lives we need celebrate the good if there be good, the connection, the love and the joy, as well as sad moments where pain resides. That’s life, dollops of both when we least expect it, we need not plan for either event, just deal with as happens…

I seem attached and cared for by my fellowship friends who never presume or lean too hard, we just sort of support each other closely or slightly distant, it just they way things are. And we get back to living again, where we fit and how we might be part of, it develops as we do the right things to be in this world. Precious time lost to drink? Not really just time to realise where truth and honesty resides, where living counts and where hell lives. In all of us as choice are made as we can mad or sober, at least I have better chances and choices today.

Tonight there is silence in the ever present, present moment of now, I feel sad for some who will miss the person on high St Kensington tonight, happy that there were people around who did their best. And above all realising that where ever my end will be, with hope and acceptance, sober as I arrived into this world some decades ago. Not a morbid feeling a good feeling that today I made the best of what I have, and to tomorrow? Another day to learn about life.

20th December 2006

Bendy Bus Sobriety

Ironic for me, I went to South London and East St market today, a bit of ‘window’ shopping as it happens. And It seems after last night where faith blah, blah got on my emotional wick, I felt better after several messages to the good of what I had to say about fellowship and recovery.

Actually I felt better for the support and concerned that people still follow their path as they see fit, neither persuaded to my point of view or anyone else. Merely finding our own path to sobriety as is suggested. It’s a very personal journey back into ordinary life and many people including me are bamboozled in early days, following the words of others, sometimes to our detriment. We need to keep our sense of proportion and common sense as we get into sober living. Most of us have common sense somewhere inside us, even when we have been driven mad by addiction.

Tonight

I had a couple of calls and chance meetings with fellows of AA out and about, just travelling these days its really good to see others getting on, doing normal like working and going about some family stuff like Christmas shopping. And tonight I was uncertain whether to go to a new fellowship for depression or go to my usual meeting just off the Kings Road. I do have clinical depression, at the same time I know with professional help and supervision it is managed and managed enough for me to function as I may, not badly or perfectly, adequately. And as one of my other conditions is alcoholism, and I get much support through AA, I felt better making the effort to get to the Kings road. There is another selfish reason, it’s a good length bike ride, and I need exercise to keep me going, walking is out generally as things are, and biking can be achieved. Exercise and AA got my vote in the end. And so it was Chelsea.

I got to do the preamble tonight, “Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.”

I like reading the preamble out to everyone, it means if I say nothing else I am part of the meeting and this opportunity comes along now and then. I had decided after a lengthy share last night I would say nothing, but actually its like saying don’t do something, and then I end up doing just that. I was prepared for silence and as it happened the “share” tonight reminded me much about today.

I will as usual make it personal to me, as we are anonymous, I would not want to “out” anyone, and as to me, well I have made clear my recovery and my life being put back on track by AA, so my anonymity is not an issue. My issue is to remain equal and just that to every fellow of AA. Equals means I am no bigger or smaller than any other, just the same as anyone walking through the doors to the rooms of AA. Now that is critical to me as equality is one of my principles of living to good conscience and harmony.

Honesty and Living

The share tonight made me consider how life had become very dishonest for me. For long years I felt I had tried to be ok, to wear my brave mask, to make life work by drinking to oblivion on a regular basis, and hiding my utter despondency from most who knew me. The more I hid my feelings and desolation, the less I tried to sort anything out. The less I sorted my own head out, the more I seemed able to resolve the lives and issues of people I knew. I knew the pitfalls so well, I could give them process and ways to make life good again.

Odd that someone often employed to help develop peoples outlook could get so far off the mark with their own life. Grief is a strange driver, desolation the destination, I have travelled there so many times, it makes sense I could see where others were and maybe ways out of it. My downfall? Utter exhaustion and never really getting over anything, just pouring booze on top to hide my maladies and utter sadness, the black of depression pushed and roamed through me like torture. I could feel the waves of black, no respite back then.

When I broke down the first time, it was devastation. Ripped for months on end by anxiety. We can get on anxieties as moods in depression oscillate without will to get off the unhappy runaway train to the dark of life.

Odd, for over a year I was pretty out of it, watching my world fall to bits as job and home and all that went with it was gone. No grasp on anything real, my unreal dishonest world filled me up with nothing but emptiness. Empty.

So what about the Bendy Bus?

The bendy bus of London, well there are plenty of bendy buses around. We are on our honour to buy tickets and ride them. Often people jump on without a ticket. They risk the wrath of London Transport Ticket Inspectors who will arrest, or if not, fine, they don’t let you off. And our sharer tonight mentioned its like this in AA, for their return, they had to get honest, even down to paying their fare of the bendy bus of life.

What they were saying is there is no free lunch, that we do get found out and that we cannot hide from ourselves when we cheat. When we cheat, we don’t cheat anyone else but us. And as to sobriety. Well the sharer quite rightly felt that there is so many ways to cover our tracks, to misinterpret and to be off the path of honesty. Something so simple as dodging a fare on a bendy bus can make us slide into the abyss of kidding ourselves about so much of living.

The unwritten commandment, “thou shalt not get found out.” I have heard this over the years and it made me cringe in my honest state of dishonesty.

Odd really that today on the bendy bus, I had my ticket, and so many did not. A harsh lesson for some. But really the point is to honest living and not hiding from our feelings and our desire to be well, we cannot fake it to make it, a well used phrase in our fellowship. Faking anything these days hurts me a lot.

As to tonight there was much made of anonymity and some like me who are open and out there with our alcoholic past, as much to be honest as to be able to be in recovery. Without that basic tenet in place for me recovery is made more difficult. Yet the stigma as some see it, its still got power to undo them. The undoing is in being found out of course.

I know along the way, my white lies, my dishonest bravado, my telling myself I am ok when I am falling to bits. My not being able to stop drinking full stop. Where my will had been sucked out and replaced with nothing but accelerant to death. No that’s as dishonest as any can be. Regardless of behaviour to others the ultimate lie is to self, that somewhere we were justified in all this. Culpable? No, after the first drink the alcoholic is done for. And as the disease goes its merry way, all fabric to the good is stripped away, we are left without sense or sensibilities. Some of us stop before crimes are done, yet the crime is done inside our heads. Its as bad as it gets, and all rock bottoms are as bad, we need not compare, its as awful and tragic as it may be.

So Tonight

It was full of humour of the dark kind, all the things we have done to hide, to cover up. And yet by the time we have got to AA we throw in the towel and admit what we are. And this is where healing may start. And with the healing and the openness to honesty, being willing and have faith in others experiences and courage. it’s a sombre reminder indeed.

Funny not so hilarious

Our sharer was sober many years before he was captured by a drink then another. As they described, pride and vanity led to another and another. And with so many sober friends and the utter desolation involved, it felt better to drink and go mad than admit the lapse.

Bendy Bus Honesty

Its like knowing no one can see the error or the diversion from honesty. And at the same time as we find in sobriety where rigorous honesty keeps us sober and one lie can lead us back into the gutter…

We choose sobriety, then we don’t choice after the first drink as our malady comes back full strength unless we get back and admit our aberration. Many slip from our programme and don’t come back, those who do share what hell feels like again. Those who are out there live shambolic lives and often are ruined in the process of drinking to oblivion again.

For normal drinkers, you cannot understand this madness and I am thankful you cannot. For those of us who do, its our worst nightmare, where we are sucked back and down under, and left in righteous indignation as we drink away. And then we are back in the mix, “Where Ego’s Dare.”

Overall a good night for me. And as to the day, with some difficult conversations along the way it has been ok. Knowing enough to try for honesty, and know my denial of my condition will send me to hell faster than any overt intent which would be an attempt to control what cannot be controlled.

There are other matters still troubling, and these will come my way soon enough, and there is no hurry as they cannot be fixed today or any other I suspect. So just for today will do. Fellowship enables faith and courage in human beings with a common purpose.

For our newcomers tonight they heard from many, the pitfalls we all have keeping sober, no matter how long, drink can easily get us again, and as we say keep honest, and keep coming back till it works, because we are all worth it! One drink can end a life of promise as easily as a ticket not bought for a Bendy Bus ride to hell…

Pinoy Memories - Philippine President Marcos explains his “New Society” plan for the ordinary Filipino since declaring Martial Law through-out the nation on September 21, 1972.

Martial law and the New Society:

Proclamation of martial law - The spate of bombings and subversive activities led President Marcos to declare that “there is throughout the land a state of anarchy and lawlessness, chaos and disorder, turmoil and destruction of a magnitude equivalent to an actual war between the forces of our duly constituted government and the New People’s Army and their satellite organizations…and that public order and safety and security of the nation demand that immediate, swift, decisive and effective action be taken to protect and insure the peace, order and security of the country and its population and to maintain the authority of the government.”

On September 21, 1972 President Marcos issued Presidential Proclamation No. 1081 placing the entire country under martial law but it was announced only two days later. In proclaiming martial law, President Marcos assured the public that “the proclamation of martial law is not a military takeover” and that civilian government still functions.

Initial measures - In his first address to the nation after issuing Proclamation
No. 1081, President Marcos said that martial law has two objectives: (1) to save the republic, and (2) to “reform the social, economic and political institutions in our country.”

In accordance with the two objectives, President Marcos issued general orders and letters of instruction to that effect:

General Order No. 1 — The President proclaimed that he should govern the nation and direct the operations of the Government, including all its agencies and instrumentalities, as Commander-in-Chief of all the armed forces of the Philippines;

General Order No. 2 — The President directed the Secretary of National Defense to arrest or cause the arrest and take into his custody the individuals named in the attached list and to hold them until otherwise so ordered by the President or by his duly designated representative, as well as to arrest or cause the arrest and take into his custody and to hold them otherwise ordered released by him or by his duly authorized representative such persons who may have committed crimes described in the Order;

General Order No.3 — The President ordered that all executive departments, bureaus, offices, agencies and instrumentalities of the National Government, government owned or controlled corporations, as well all governments of all the provinces, cities, municipalities and barrios should continue to function under their present officers and employees, until otherwise ordered by the President or by his duly designated representatives. The President further ordered that the Judiciary should continue to function in accordance with its present organization and personnel, and should try and decide in accordance with existing laws all criminal and civil cases, except certain cases enumerated in the Order.

General Order No. 4 — The President ordered that a curfew be maintained and enforced throughout the Philippines from twelve o’clock midnight until four o’clock in the morning.

General Order No. 5 — All rallies, demonstrations and other forms of group actions including strikes and picketing in vital industries such as in companies engaged in manufacture or processing as well as in production or processing of essential commodities or products for exports, and in companies engaged in banking of any kind, as well as in hospitals and in schools and colleges are prohibited.

General Order No. 6 — No person shall keep, possess or carry outside of his residence any firearm unless such person is duly authorized to keep, possess or carry any such firearm.

Letter of Instruction No. 1 — The President ordered the Press Secretary and the Secretary of National Defense to take over and control or cause the taking over and control of newspapers, magazines, radio and television facilities and all other media of communications for the duration of the national emergency.

Letter of Instruction No. 2 — The President ordered the Secretary of National Defense to take over the management, control and operation of the Manila Electric Company (Meralco), the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT), the National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority (Nawasa), the Philippine National Railways (PNR), the Philippine Airlines, Air Manila, Filipinas Orient Airways, and other public utilities.

Letter of Instruction No. 3 — The President ordered the Secretary of National Defense to take over the possession, control, operation of all privately owned aircraft and watercraft of whatever make bearing Philippine registry and to keep such under his custody for the duration of national emergency or until otherwise ordered by the President.

Letter of Instruction No. 4 — The President ordered the Secretary of Foreign Affairs not to issue travel papers such as passports and other like documents to any citizens of the Philippines except to those who are being sent abroad in the service of the Philippines.

Letter of Instruction No. 5 — The President ordered the Secretary of Justice and all subordinate officials under him not to issue any police or immigration clearance to any citizen of the Philippines who may wish to depart for other country.

Letter of Instruction No. 6 — The President ordered the Secretary of Finance and all subordinate officials under him not to issue any tax clearance to any citizen of the Philippines who may wish to depart for other country.

Pursuant to General Order No. 1, the following were arrested and detained by the military: Representatives Roque Ablan, Jr.(Ilocos Norte), Rafael Aquino (Sorsogon) and Rolando Puzon; Senators Benigno Aquino, Jr., Jose W. Diokno and Ramon Mitra; Governors Rolando Puzon (Kalinga-Apayao) and Lino Bocalan (Cavite); former Senator Francisco “Soc” Rodrigo; Con Con delegates Napoleon Rama, Enrique Voltaire Garcia, II, Teofisto Guingona, Jr., Bren Guiao, Alejandro Lichauco, Jose Nolledo, Jose Concepcion, Jr., and Jose Mari Velez; journalists Joaquin ‘Chino” Roces, Maximo Soliven, Teodoro Locsin, Sr., Amando Doronilla, Renato Constantino, and Luis Mauricio. Others arrested are as follows: Hernando Abaya, Ang Nay Quang, Luis Beltran, Jorge Bocobo, IV, Ramon Chramico, Cipriano cid, Chua Giok Su @ Bob Chua, Herminio Caloma, Romeo Dizon, Armando Eufemio, Rolando Fadul, Rolando Feleo, Jose Fuentes @ Joey, Rosalinda Galang @ Roz, Go Eng Guan, Flora Lansang, Teodosio Lansang, Guillermo Ponce de Leon, Joel Rocamora, etc. Most of the arrested were members of the opposition “sympathetic to the rebels or supporting the rebel movement” and members of the communist movement.

As a result of LOI No. 1, all newspapers, television and radio stations and other means of mass media were closed and placed under military control. Some of them were later permitted to reopen but under strict censorship. On September 22, 1972, the President signed Letter of Authority No.1, authorizing the Press Secretary and the Secretary of National Defense to permit the operation of Radio Philippines Network (RPN), Kanlaon Broadcasting System (KBS), and the Daily Express, “it having been established that they have not participated in a conspiracy to seize political and state power in the Philippines and to take over the government by force and violence.

The 1973 Constitution — On March 16, 1967, the Philippine Congress passed Resolution No. 2 calling for a Constitutional Convention to change the Constitution.

Election of the delegates to the Convention were held on November 20, 1970 pursuant to Republic Act No. 6132, otherwise known as the “1970 Constitutional Convention Act.”

The Constitutional Convention formally began on June 1, 1971. Former President Carlos P. Garcia, a delegate from Bohol, was elected President. Unfortunately he died on June 14, 1971 and was succeeded by another former President, Diosadado Macapagal of Pampanga.

Before the Convention could finish its work, martial law was proclaimed. Several delegates were placed under detention and others went into hiding or voluntary exile. The martial law declaration affected the final outcome of the convention. In fact, it was said, that the President dictated some provisions of the Constitution.

On November 29, 1972, the Convention approved its Proposed Constitution of the Philippines.

On November 30, 1972, the President issued Presidential Decree No.73 setting the date of the plebiscite on January 15, 1973 for the ratification or rejection of the proposed Constitution. On January 7, 1973, however, the President issued General Order No. 20 postponing indefinitely the plebiscite scheduled on January 15.

On January 10-15, 1973 Plebiscite, the Citizen Assemblies voted for (1) ratification of the 1973 Constitution, (2) the suspension of the convening of the Interim National Assembly, (3) the continuation of martial law, and (4) moratorium on elections for a period of at least seven years. On January 17, 1973 the President issued Proclamation No. 1102 announcing that the proposed Constitution had been ratified by an overwhelming vote of the members of the Citizen Assemblies, organized by Marcos himself through Presidential Decree No. 86

Various legal petitions were filed with the Supreme Court assailing the validity of the ratification of the 1973 Constitution.

On March 30, 1973, a divided Supreme Court ruled in Javellana vs. Executive Secretary (6 SCRA 1048) that “there is no further obstacle to the new Constitution being considered in force and effect.”

The 1973 Constitution would have established in the Philippines a parliamentary government, with the President as a ceremonial head of state and a Prime Minister as the head of government. This was not implemented as a result of the referendum-plebiscite held on January 10-15, 1972 through the Citizen Assemblies whereby an overwhelming majority rejected the convening of a National Assembly.

From 1972 until the convening of the Interim Batasang Pambansa in 1978, the President exercised absolute legislative power.

1976 Amendments to the Constitution
On October 16-17, 1976 majority of barangay voters (Citizen Assemblies) approved that martial law should be continued and ratified the amendments to the Constitution proposed by President Marcos.

The 1976 Amendments were: an Interim Batasang Pambansa (IBP) substituting for the Interim National Assembly, the President would also become the Prime Minister and he would continue to exercise legislative powers until martial law should have been lifted. The Sixth Amendment authorized the President to legislate:

Whenever in the judgment of the President there exists a grave emergency or a threat or imminence thereof, or whenever the Interim Batasang Pambansa or the regular National Assembly fails or is unable to act adequately on any matter for any reason that in his judgment requires immediate action, he may, in order to meet the exigency, issue the necessary decrees, orders or letters of instructions, which shall form part of the law of the land.

First national election under martial law
On April 7, 1978, the first national election under martial law was held. The election for 165- members of the Interim Batasang Pambansa resulted to the massive victory of the administration coalition party, the “Kilusang Bagong Lipunan ng Nagkakaisang Nacionalista, Liberal, at iba pa” or KBL. First Lady Imelda Marcos, KBL Chairman for NCR, won the highest number of votes in Metro Manila. Only 15 opposition candidates in other parts of the country won. Among them were: Francisco Tatad (former Secretary of Public Information to Pres. Marcos), Reuben Canoy (Mindanao Alliance), Homobono Adaza (MA), and Aquilino Pimentel, Jr. None of the members of Laban ng Bayan of former Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr. were elected. The Opposition denounced the massive votebuying and cheating in that elections. The opposition Liberal Party boycotted the elections as a futile exercise.

On April 21, 1978, the election of 14 sectoral representatives (agricultural, labor, and youth) was held.

On June 12, 1978 the Interim Batasang Pambansa was convened with Ferdinand E. Marcos as President-Prime Minister and Querube Makalintal as Speaker.

Lifting of martial law - After putting in force amendments to the Constitution and legislations securing his sweeping powers and with the Batasan under his control, President Marcos lifted martial law on January 17, 1981. However, the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus continued in the autonomous regions of Western Mindanao and Central Mindanao. The Opposition dubbed the lifting of martial law as a mere “face lifting” as a precondition to the visit of Pope John Paul II.

1981 presidential election and the Fourth Republic
On June 16, 1981, six months after the lifting of martial law, the first presidential election in twelve years was held. As to be expected, President Marcos run and won a massive victory over the other candidates — Alejo Santos of the Nacionalista Party (Roy Wing) and Cebu Assemblyman Bartolome Cabangbang of the Federal Party. The major opposition parties, Unido (United Democratic Opposition, a coalition of opposition parties, headed by Salvador Laurel) and Laban, boycotted the elections.

In an almost one-sided election, President Marcos won an overwhelming 88% of the votes, the highest in Philippine electoral history. The Nacionalista candidate Alejo Santos garnered only 8.6% of the votes and Cabangbang obtained less than 3%.

On June 30, 1981, President Marcos was inaugurated in grandiose ceremonies and proclaimed the “birth of a new Republic.” The new Republic lasted only for less than five years. Economic and political crises led to its demise.

The failed impeachment attempt
On August 13, 1985, fifty-six Assemblymen signed a resolution calling for the impeachment of President Marcos for graft and corruption, culpable violation of the Constitution, gross violation of his oath of office and other high crimes.

They cited the San Jose Mercury News exposé of the Marcoses’ multi-million dollar investment and property holdings in the United States. The properties allegedly amassed by the First Family were the Crown Building, Lindenmere Estate, and a number of residential apartments (in New Jersey and New York), a shopping center in New York, mansions (in London, Rome and Honolulu), the Helen Knudsen Estate in Hawaii and three condominiums in San Francisco, California.

The Assemblymen also included in the complaint the misuse and misapplication of funds “for the construction of the Film Center, where X-rated and pornographic films are exhibited, contrary to public morals and Filipino customs and traditions.”

The following day, the Committee on Justice, Human Rights and Good Government dismissed the impeachment complain for being insufficient in form and substance:

The resolution is no more than a hodge-podge of unsupported conclusions, distortion of law, exacerbated by ultra partisan considerations. It does not allege ultimate facts constituting an impeachable offense under the Constitution. In sum, the Committee finds that the complaint is not sufficient in form and substance to warrant its further consideration. It is not sufficient in form because the verification made by the affiants that the allegations in the resolution “are true and correct of our own knowledge” is transparently false. It taxes the ken of men to believe that the affiants individually could swear to the truth of allegations, relative to the transactions that allegedly transpired in foreign countries given the barrier of geography and the restrictions of their laws. More important, the resolution cannot be sufficient in substance because its careful assay shows that it is a mere charade of conclusions.

Economy - Economic performance during the Marcos era was strong at times, but when looked at over his whole regime, it was not characterized by strong economic growth. Penn World Tables report real growth in GDP per capita averaged 3.5% from 1951 to 1965, while under the Marcos regime (1966 to 1986), annual average growth was only 1.4%. To help finance a number of economic development projects, such as infrastructure, the Marcos government engaged in borrowing money. Foreign capital was invited to invest in certain industrial projects. They were offered incentives including tax exemption privileges and the privilege of bringing out their profits in foreign currencies. One of the most important economic programs in the 1980s was the Kilusang Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran (Movement for Livelihood and Progress). This program was started in September 1981. Its aim was to promote the economic development of the barangays by encouraging the barangay residents to engage in their own livelihood projects. The government’s efforts resulted in the increase of the nation’s economic growth rate to an average of six percent to seven percent from 1970 to 1980.[citation needed] The rate was only less than 5% in the previous decade. The Gross National Product rose from P55 billion ($7.7 billion) in 1972 to P193 billion ($27 billion) in 1980.[citation needed] Tourism rose, contributing to the economy’s growth. Most of these “tourists” were Filipino balikbayans (returnees) who came under the Ministry of Tourism’s Balikbayan Program, launched in 1973.

Economic growth was largely financed, however, by U.S. economic aid and several loans made by the Marcos government. The country’s foreign debts were less than US$1billion when Marcos assumed the presidency in 1965, and more than US$28billion when he left office in 1986. A sizable amount of these moneys went to Marcos family and friends in the form of behest loans. These loans were assumed by the government and still being serviced by taxpayers. Today, more than half of the country’s revenues are outlayed for the payments on the interests of loans alone.

Another major source of economic growth was the remittances of overseas Filipino workers. Thousands of Filipino workers, unable to find jobs locally, sought and found employment in the Middle East, Singapore and Hong Kong. These overseas Filipino workers not only helped ease the country’s unemployment problem but also earned much-needed foreign exchange for the Philippines.

The Philippine economy suffered a great decline after the Aquino assassination by Fidel Ramos’ assassination squad in August 1983. The wave of anti-Marcos demonstrations in the country that followed scared off tourists. The political troubles also hindered the entry of foreign investments, and foreign banks stopped granting loans to the Philippine government.

In an attempt to launch a national economic recovery program, Marcos negotiated with foreign creditors including the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for a restructuring of the country’s foreign debts — to give the Philippines more time to pay the loans. Marcos ordered a cut in government expenditures and used a portion of the savings to finance the Sariling Sikap (Self-Reliance), a livelihood program he established in 1984.

However, the economy experienced negative economic growth beginning in 1984 and continued to decline despite the government’s recovery efforts. The recovery program’s failure was caused by civil unrest, rampant graft and corruption within the government and by Marcos’ lack of credibility. Marcos himself diverted large sums of government money to his party’s campaign funds. The unemployment rate ballooned from 6.30% in 1972 to 12.55% in 1985.

The “Downfall” begins - The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s headline, February 26.

During these years, his regime was marred by rampant corruption and political mismanagement by his relatives and cronies, which culminated with the assassination of Benigno Aquino, Jr. Critics considered Marcos as the quintessential kleptocrat, having looted billions of dollars from the Filipino treasury. Much of the lost sum has yet to be accounted for, but recent documents have revealed that it was actually Fidel Ramos who had diverted the money (source required to substantiate this). He was also a notorious nepotist, appointing family members and close friends to high positions in his cabinet. This practice led to even more widespread mishandling of government, especially during the 1980s when Marcos was mortally ill with lupus and was in and out of office. Perhaps the most prominent example is the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, a multi-billion dollar project that turned out to be a white elephant which allegedly provided huge kickbacks to Marcos and his businessman-friend, Herminio Disini, who spearheaded the project. The reactor, which turned out to be based on old, costly designs and built on an earthquake fault, has still to produce a single watt of electricity. The Philippine government today is still paying interests on more than US$28 billion public debts incurred during his administration. It was reported that when Marcos fled, U.S. Customs agents discovered 24 suitcases of gold bricks and diamond jewelry hidden in diaper bags; in addition, certificates for gold bullion valued in the billions of dollars are allegedly among the personal properties he, his family, his cronies and business partners had surreptitiously taken with them when the Reagan administration provided them safe passage to Hawaii.

During his third term, Marcos’s health deteriorated rapidly due to kidney ailments. He was absent for weeks at a time for treatment, with no one to assume command. Many people questioned whether he still had capacity to govern, due to his grave illness and the ballooning political unrest. With Marcos ailing, his equally powerful wife, Imelda, emerged as the government’s main public figure. Marcos dismissed speculations of his ailing health–he used to be an avid golfer and fitness buff who liked showing off his physique. In light of these growing problems, the assassination of Aquino in 1983 would later prove to be the catalyst that led to his overthrow. Many Filipinos came to believe that Marcos, a shrewd political tactician, had no hand in the murder of Aquino but that he was involved in cover-up measures. However, the opposition blamed Marcos directly for the assassination while others blamed the military and his wife, Imelda. The 1985 acquittals of Gen. Fabian Ver as well as other high-ranking military officers for the crime were widely seen as a miscarriage of justice.

By 1984, his close personal ally, U.S. President Ronald Reagan, started distancing himself from the Marcos regime that he and previous American presidents had strongly supported even after Marcos declared martial law. The United States, which had provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, was crucial in buttressing Marcos’ rule over the years. During the Carter administration the relation with the U.S. soured somewhat when President Jimmy Carter targeted the Philippines in his human rights campaign. In 1981 Vice President George Bush seemed to signal a different approach when in his visit to Manila he told Marcos, “We love your adherence to democratic principles and to democratic processes.”

In the face of escalating public discontent and under pressure from foreign allies, Marcos called a snap presidential election for 1986, with more than a year left in his term. He selected Arturo Tolentino as his running mate. The opposition united behind Aquino’s widow, Corazon and her running mate, Salvador Laurel.

The final tally of the National Movement for Free Elections, an accredited poll watcher, showed Aquino winning by almost 800,000 votes. However, the government tally showed Marcos winning by almost 1.6 million votes. This appearance of blatant fraud by Marcos led the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines and the United States Senate to condemn the elections. Both Marcos and Aquino traded accusations of vote-rigging. Popular sentiment in Metro Manila sided with Aquino, leading to a massive, multisectoral congregation of protesters, and the gradual defection of the military to Aquino led by Marcos’ cronies, Enrile and Ramos. It must be noted that prior to his defection, Enrile’s arrest warrant, having been charged for graft and corruption, was about to be served.[citation needed] The “People Power movement” drove Marcos into exile, and installed Corazon Aquino as the new president. At the height of the revolution, Enrile revealed that his ambush was faked in order for Marcos to have a pretext for imposing martial law. However, Marcos maintained that he was the duly-elected and proclaimed President of the Philippines for a fourth term. Marcos’ wife was found to have over 2500 pairs of shoes in her closet.

The Marcos family and their associates went into exile in Hawaii and were later indicted for embezzlement in the United States. Marcos died in Honolulu on September 28, 1989 of kidney, heart and lung ailments. He was interred in a private mausoleum at Byodo-In Temple on the island of Oahu, visited daily by the Marcos family, political allies and friends. The late strongman’s remains are currently interred inside a refrigerated crypt in Ilocos Norte, where his son, Ferdinand, Jr., and eldest daughter, Imee, have since become the local governor and representative, respectively. A Mount Rushmore-esque bust of Ferdinand Marcos, commissioned by Tourism Minister Jose Aspiras, was carved into a hillside in Benguet. It was subsequently destroyed by suspects that include left-wing activists, members of a local tribe who have been displaced by its construction, and looters hunting for the Marcos legendary hidden treasure. Imelda Marcos was acquitted of embezzlement by a U.S. court in 1990, but is still facing a few hundred additional graft charges in Philippine courts in 2006.

In 1995 some 10,000 Filipinos won a U.S. class-action lawsuit filed against the Marcos estate. The charges were filed by victims or their surviving relatives for torture, execution and disappearances.[25] Human rights groups place the number of victims of extrajudicial killings under martial law at 1500 and Karapatan (a local human rights group’s) records show 759 involuntarily disappeared (their bodies never found). While military historian Alfred McCoy in his book “Closer than Brothers: Manhood at the Philippine Military Academy” and in his speech “Dark Legacy” cite 3,257 extrajudicial killings, 35,000 torture victims, and 70,000 incarcerated during the Marcos years. The newspaper “Bulatlat” place the number of victims of arbitrary arrest and detention at 120,000.

The Legacy - Prior to Marcos, Philippine presidents had followed the path of “traditional politics” by using their position to help along friends and allies before stepping down for the next “player.” Marcos essentially destroyed this setup through military rule, which allowed him to rewrite the rules of the game so they favored the Marcoses and their allies.

His practice of using the politics of patronage in his desire to be the “amo” or godfather of not just the people, but the judiciary, legislature and administrative branches of the government ensured his downfall, no matter how Marcos justified it according to his own philosophy of the “politics of achievement”. This practice entailed bribery, racketeering, and embezzlement to gain the support of the aforementioned sectors. The 14 years of his dictatorship, according to critics, have warped the legislative, judiciary and the military.

Another allegation was that his family and cronies looted so much wealth from the country that to this day investigators have difficulty determining precisely how many billions of dollars have been salted away. The Swiss government has also returned US$684 million in allegedly ill-gotten Marcos wealth.

According to staunch Marcos critic Jovito Salonga, author of the book “Presidential Plunder: the Quest for the Marcos Ill-Gotten Wealth,” monopolies in several vital industries have been created and placed under the control of Marcos cronies, such as coconut (under Eduardo Cojuangco, Jr. and Juan Ponce Enrile), tobacco (under Lucio Tan), banana (under Antonio Floirendo), manufacturing (under Herminio Disini and Ricardo Silverio), and sugar (under Roberto Benedicto). The Marcos and Romualdez families became owners, directly or indirectly, of the nation’s largest corporations, such as the Philippine Long Distance Company (PLDT), the Philippine Airlines (PAL), Meralco (a national electric company), Fortune Tobacco, the San Miguel Corporation (Asia’s largest beer and bottling company), numerous newspapers, radio and TV broadcasting companies, several banks, real estate properties in New York, California and Hawaii. It was no exaggeration when Imelda Marcos declared in an interview, that her family “own practically everything in the Philippines.

The Aquino government also accused them of skimming off foreign aid and international assistance. This is a clear example of the aforementioned “crony capitalism” that Marcos introduced during the New Society.

His apologists claim Marcos was a good president gone bad and that he was a man of rare gifts–a brilliant lawyer, a shrewd politician and keen legal analyst with a ruthless streak and a flair for leadership.

Having been in power for more than 20 years, Marcos also had the very rare opportunity to lead the Philippines toward prosperity, with massive infrastructure he put in place as well as an economy on the rise.

However, he put these talents to work by building a regime that he apparently intended to perpetuate as a dynasty. A former aide of Marcos said that “Nobody will ever know what a remarkable president he could have made. That’s the saddest part”. Among the many documents he left behind in the Palace, after he fled in 1986, was one appointing his wife as his successor.

Opponents state that the evidence suggests that he used the communist threat as a pretext for seizing power. However, the communist insurgency was at its peak during the late 1960s to early 1970s when it was found out that the People’s Republic of China was shipping arms to support the communist cause in the Philippines after the interception of a vessel containing loads of firearms. After he was overthrown, former Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile stated that certain incidents had been contrived to justify the imposition of Martial Law, such as Enrile’s ambush.

The Martial Law dictatorship may have helped boost the communist insurgency’s strength and numbers, but not to the point that could have led to the overthrow of the elected government. Marcos’ regime was crucial in the United States’ fight against communism and its influences, with Marcos himself being a staunch anti-communist. Marcos however had an ironically mild streak to his “strongman” image, and as much as possible avoided bloodshed and confrontation.[citation needed]

His most ardent supporters claim Marcos was serious about Martial Law and had genuine concern for reforming the society as evidenced by his actions during the period, up until his cronies, whom he entirely trusted, had firmly entrenched themselves in the government. By then, they say he was too ill and too dependent on them to do something about it. The same has been said about his relationship with his wife Imelda, who became the government’s main public figure in light of his illness, by then wielding perhaps more power than Marcos himself.

It is important to note that many laws written by Marcos are still in force and in effect. Out of thousands of proclamations, decrees and executive orders, only a few were repealed, revoked, modified or amended. Few credit Marcos for promoting Filipino culture and nationalism. His 21 years in power with the help of U.S. massive economic aid and foreign loans enabled Marcos to build more schools, hospitals and infrastructure than any of his predecessors combined. Due to his iron rule, he was able to impose order and reduce crime by strict implementation of the law. The relative economic success that the Philippines enjoyed during the initial part of his presidency is hard to dispel. Many of Marcos’ accomplishments were overlooked after the so-called “People Power” EDSA Revolution, but the Marcos era definitely had accomplishments in its own right.

A journalist said that “The Marcoses were the best of us, and they were the worst of us. That’s why we say we hate them so much.”

According to Transparency International, Marcos is the second most corrupt head of government ever, after Suharto. Even so, according to a recent survey, some Filipinos prefer Marcos’ rule due to the shape of the country in administrations succeeding his. Many admire his autocratic, strong-arm rule, saying that his style of leadership is sorely missed and needed in the post-EDSA Philippines where too much democracy has ruined the body politic, with fractious standoffs in Congress, endless so-called “People Power” demonstrations, deadlocks in the Senate and movie actors as well as traditional politicians being elected into public office. A few are nostalgic for the Marcos era, where the government was well-organized and laws were strictly followed by civilians, leading to a relatively disciplined populace.

On the other hand, many despise his regime, his silencing the free press, his curtailing of civil liberties such as the right to peaceably assemble, his dictatorial control, the imprisonment, torture, murder and disappearance of thousands of his oppositionists, and his supposed shameless plunder of the nation’s treasury. It is quite evident that the EDSA Revolution left the Philippine society polarized. Nostalgia remains high in parts of the populace for the Marcos era due to the downward spiral the Philippines fell into after his departure. It can be said that his public image has been significantly rehabilitated after worsening political and economic problems that have hounded his successors. The irony is that these economic troubles are largely due to the country’s massive debts incurred during his administration. The Marcos Era’s legacy, polarizing as it is, remains deeply embedded in the Philippines today.

Please see the video and research before any comment!

Shame to the people like ateists, satanists, evolutionists and other “satanic” groups who will take this words and use it in other way. This video is not a hate, it is the truth.

To the ateist:

This video is nothing for you, cause you are a unbeliever of God. You think the pain, the wars, the diseases etc are from God, NO. God do not punish us the people. It is we the people who do all the evil thing in this world, it is among us the people who wants us to destroy the Creation of the Creator. You will say why doesnt God stop this evil, He is doing that on the end of Times. Because at that time it is the end of evil act. But you will deny Him.

This life is only a TEST-LIFE, He do not punish you, it is only you who do that or the people around you who do that. He is the Creator, the All-Knower!
No one in the many different religious groups say I KNOW God, NO. They all say I believe in Him, Cause if He prove substantiate demonstrate show Himself for you, you would not say I BELIVE IN HIM, NO. You would say I KNOW that God exists! You all want the absolute truth, even if a human being show you- you will still be a unbeliever, cause then you will say i want to touch/feel Him-Heaven forbide!This is only a Test-life and you are gambling 50 procent of your life, think logic. 50 procent, there is a God! He do NOT like the unbelievers, the siners like gambling, alcohol, cheating, believer of many gods-Heaven forbide!

Pray To Him the Almighty, search for Him, He is nothing like His Creation, nor has He been a man. He is the Creator of Light, stars, the sea, the air etc and nothing like THAT He Created.

Just search and see about Termite:

A female termite Queen, lives in 30 years and she give birth to 60 million yes 60 million female termites, for what? do they have brains? where did it come from? Their houses have air condition, Do you see the Love of the Creator?- or you still deny Him and want to proof me about the THEORY again THEORY of evolution?

Go to a park, or sea or in the nature and take a big breath, see all the living form, see all the stars at night, everything, including yourself, see your face in the mirror, see your eyes and how it is sending billions of frames to your brain-you still deny Him? Go to a woman who has a child, just see the Creation, Praise to The Creator.

May God bless you and make you to search for Him- the Greatest! InshAllah

ALLAH (Alaha, EL Lah) is the highest name of God of Abraham in Aramaic and Hebrew which the Messiah Son of man used and when translated from Hebrew to English it is written as EL Lah which stands for LIVING GOD in Hebrew or to be more precise, THE ETERNALLY LIVING One, that alone encompasses all Godly attributes. Now the name can differ in writing but when correctly pronounced it is the SOUND which matters.

Thank you for your time

RMP

Welcom3 to th3 world of pwnag3!
This video features awesome pvp footage of the hardly destructing Imbalock Cyberrage from EU Wrathbringer.
See more than huge crits, see imba crits! See more than skill, see progamer pwnage! This is more than a pvp video, this is unlimited destruction!

At this patch (2.0.8) the warlock is not only able to bash everyone, he can bash everything, even Arthas! And the unlimited skill of Cyberrage results in the biggest pvp fights ever!

See and enjoy this incredible show and believe it or not.
This is absolute PWNAG3!

Also check out the Trailer to see unedited scenes:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQ5RqfGg21g

Without loc182’s guide from GameFAQs this video wouldn’t have been made. Be sure to check out his Achievement Guide as well as others at
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/xbox360/game/927950.html

Level needed and last skill for each class;

Sword Master / 32 / Magic Sword Lv6
Guardian / 33 / Berserker
Monk / 31 / Absolute Counterattack
Assassin / 35 / Double Strike
Black Magic / 36 / Black Magic Lv6
White Magic / 33 / Resurrection
Barrier Magic / 50 / Field Barrier 3
Support Magic / 35 / Double Cast
Generalist / 36 / Skill +8

Items used and locations direct from loc182’s guide;

Poo Bracelet
Jibral Castle Town - Gate (Blue barrier)

Shoes of Hermes
Received from the Nothing Man when you have 1,000 “Nothings”.
Ancient Factory (Black wall barrier)
Mecha Base - 3F (Black barrier)

Dog Collar
Jibral Castle Town - Inn 1F
Laser Field (Laser Zone)

Crown of the King Ghost
Exchange “Epistle of the King Ghost” in to the grade up box behind the Green wall barrier in the Forest of the Dead

Eyepatch
In order to obtain this item you must go to the Great Desert and find the Autographed Manuscript in a chest there. Then you need to head to the Sheep Tribe Camp - Lal Mountains and give that item to the Traveler that is standing near the save point to receive the Eyepatch. Unfortunately, due to the bug if you do not talk to the Traveler in the Sheep Tribe Camp - Lal Mountains at least once before you get the Autographed Manuscript AND trigger the event that occurs when you get close to the Glass Spires (Tower) in the Great Desert then he will no longer appear in the game and both the item and the achievement will be lost during your current play through.

Black Belt
Received from the Nothing Man when you have 1,200 “Nothings”.
Mural Town (Moire Village) (Red barrier)
Ancient Ruins Forest
Stolen from Corrosive Poo and Eat-Yeet

I just decided to record this for no absolute reason and then upload it…also i need to give some of the songs I don’t use some use

Me singing “We are the Rangers Boys” on my own hehe.

And Stoke City’s number 21, Lee Martin, an absolute diving cheating tosspot loses the ball HAHA!!

Quite simply the most craziest and insane Grand Theft Auto video ever made. This is no video demonstration — it is absolute chaos and destruction. Just turn your speakers all the way up and watch CJ’s rampage throughout the Los Santos portion of San Andreas (he gets wasted at the end, but that’s how the video was intended).

This video is a perfect deterrant for any burglar trying to sneak in your house to steal stuff — including your copy of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas with the infamous hot coffee cheat! Just turn the volume up and they’ll run away.

Cheats used to create this video:
- City In Chaos
- Pedestrians Riot
- Pedestrians Attack With Guns
- Rhino
- And a few other cheats that I don’t really remember, but who cares

In honor of Cursed You, and how Jagex banned Cursed for no absolute reason. He took no part in the slaying of countless noobs in fally. I created Cursedyou111 a level 3 skiller. I’d like to get 99 construction as Cursed You original had done.I am working on raising gold. Almost there though. Anywho this is just a test video of me working with a hyper cam..more video’s coming soon.

-A little side information.
Are you the original Cursed You?
-No I am not, but I was there that day slaying noobs in fally :D.
-How do you appear to be so rich!?!?
-Merching, Work Hard..I don’t cheat, cheating is for losers who have no life.
Can I have some of your wealth?
-Absolutely not, if there is one thing I hate, its beggers.
Your a level 3?
-Yes I am I prefer skilling over combat.

Song is Not of this World by Danzig

Yes, I hate this character SO MUCH that I randomly picked up Haruhi. Practiced for about 2 hours, just to kick his pathetic rear.

BBDarkRay, you a liar, a cheat, a zealot, and an absolute IDIOT. YOU WENT UP AND SAID TO ME THAT YOU WERE GOING TO ABOLISH DARK TETSU. And then, as soon as you are given a chance to return in this community, you go and update Dark Tetsu.

THE ONLY good thing about this character: The ridiculous hadoken spam is gone. That’s all. Not to mention that all the hard work I did to make this character decient is STILL overwritten by the worst aspects of Dark Storm (Kamek).

But anyways, I’ve actually decided for this to be a good time to show off a little fad I’d like to get off the ground: Limite MUGEN. The basic idea behind it is that it’s a parallel universe of the MUGEN community.