Before 'Stupid is Forever', there was 'The Miriam Dictionary' | ABS-CBN
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Before 'Stupid is Forever', there was 'The Miriam Dictionary'
Before 'Stupid is Forever', there was 'The Miriam Dictionary'
Aaron Lozada,
ABS-CBN News
Published Oct 01, 2016 01:40 PM PHT

Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago endeared herself to her young supporters with witty jokes, "hugot" lines and funny anecdotes.
Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago endeared herself to her young supporters with witty jokes, "hugot" lines and funny anecdotes.
These have been immortalized in two books: ABS-CBN Publishing's "Stupid is Forever" and its sequel, "Stupid is Forevermore".
These have been immortalized in two books: ABS-CBN Publishing's "Stupid is Forever" and its sequel, "Stupid is Forevermore".
But before these two humor books became overnight successes, Santiago already had a humor bestseller under her belt: "The Miriam Dictionary".
But before these two humor books became overnight successes, Santiago already had a humor bestseller under her belt: "The Miriam Dictionary".
A pun on the iconic Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "The Miriam Dictionary" is a collection of excerpts from Santiago's speeches and media interviews in the early 1990s.
A pun on the iconic Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "The Miriam Dictionary" is a collection of excerpts from Santiago's speeches and media interviews in the early 1990s.
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The book was dedicated "to the education of crooks and criminals in the Philippines so that they might learn a lesson" and was published to raise funds for MOVERS-YOUTH, or the Movement for Responsible Public Service Youth Organization for Unity, Truth and Honesty in 1991, as Santiago embarked on a nationwide campaign for the presidency.
The book was dedicated "to the education of crooks and criminals in the Philippines so that they might learn a lesson" and was published to raise funds for MOVERS-YOUTH, or the Movement for Responsible Public Service Youth Organization for Unity, Truth and Honesty in 1991, as Santiago embarked on a nationwide campaign for the presidency.
In 2014, Santiago recalled the time she released "The Miriam Dictionary" and stated the need to release another one of its kind.
In 2014, Santiago recalled the time she released "The Miriam Dictionary" and stated the need to release another one of its kind.
In 1991, I published "The Miriam Dictionary," dedicated to crooks. I need to release another one soon. #tbt pic.twitter.com/YGNviTNLoL
— Miriam Santiago (@senmiriam) October 30, 2014
In 1991, I published "The Miriam Dictionary," dedicated to crooks. I need to release another one soon. #tbt pic.twitter.com/YGNviTNLoL
— Miriam Santiago (@senmiriam) October 30, 2014
Like "Stupid is Forever" and "Stupid is Forevermore", "The Miriam Dictionary" is a treasure trove of witty statements and anecdotes from the late senator. Here are some of the entries in the 1990s bestseller:
Like "Stupid is Forever" and "Stupid is Forevermore", "The Miriam Dictionary" is a treasure trove of witty statements and anecdotes from the late senator. Here are some of the entries in the 1990s bestseller:
ON CABINET MEMBERS
"The cabinet is afflicted with a dread disease. It is known as logorrhea, or incoherent talking."
"The cabinet is afflicted with a dread disease. It is known as logorrhea, or incoherent talking."
"Some of them are devotees to a cult of self-praise. I refused to join that hallelujah chorus!"
"Some of them are devotees to a cult of self-praise. I refused to join that hallelujah chorus!"
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"Natalo ako ng Bulong Brigade sa Malacañang. Sa kabubulong nila, nagka-ear infection si Presidente (Corazon) Aquino. Bulong na sila nang bulong, hanggang nahilo at nalito ang pangulo, at bigla akong natanggal sa gobyerno!"
"Natalo ako ng Bulong Brigade sa Malacañang. Sa kabubulong nila, nagka-ear infection si Presidente (Corazon) Aquino. Bulong na sila nang bulong, hanggang nahilo at nalito ang pangulo, at bigla akong natanggal sa gobyerno!"
ON HER CONFIRMATION HEARING
"I feel like Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom."
"I feel like Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom."
"I'm hanging there [by] my fingernails. My lips are at the water line."
"I'm hanging there [by] my fingernails. My lips are at the water line."
"I am surrounded by idiots."
"I am surrounded by idiots."
ON CONGRESS MEMBERS
"Ipinaliwanag ko na, ayaw pa niyang makinig. Eh, kung hamunin ko na lang siya ng suntukan?"
"Ipinaliwanag ko na, ayaw pa niyang makinig. Eh, kung hamunin ko na lang siya ng suntukan?"
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"The members of Congress treated me like an undesirable alien!"
"The members of Congress treated me like an undesirable alien!"
"Appearing before Congress is cruel and unusual punishment!"
"Appearing before Congress is cruel and unusual punishment!"
"Matapang silang manira sa akin. Pero wala namang matapang sa kanilang kalabanin ang mga sindikato. Alam naman natin, asawa lang nila, takot na sila, sindikato pa kaya?"
"Matapang silang manira sa akin. Pero wala namang matapang sa kanilang kalabanin ang mga sindikato. Alam naman natin, asawa lang nila, takot na sila, sindikato pa kaya?"
ON CROOKS
"They should be chopped into a thousand pieces and fed to the sharks in Manila Bay, but it is problematic whether the sharks will eat them, out of [a] sense of professional courtesy!"
"They should be chopped into a thousand pieces and fed to the sharks in Manila Bay, but it is problematic whether the sharks will eat them, out of [a] sense of professional courtesy!"
"Go stick your finger in the wall socket!"
"Go stick your finger in the wall socket!"
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"Those crooks exhibited the epidermis of pachyderms. But I am prepared to fight them. I have cultivated intestinal fortitude."
"Those crooks exhibited the epidermis of pachyderms. But I am prepared to fight them. I have cultivated intestinal fortitude."
"I will rub their noses in the mud, for mud is their natural habitat."
"I will rub their noses in the mud, for mud is their natural habitat."
"This is the concrete jungle, populated by savages. They are no longer bound by any canon of civilized conduct."
"This is the concrete jungle, populated by savages. They are no longer bound by any canon of civilized conduct."
"Discombobulated moral retardates!"
"Discombobulated moral retardates!"
ON DEATH AND DEATH THREATS
"I eat death threats for breakfast!"
"I eat death threats for breakfast!"
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"Death is only state of thermodynamic equilibrium!"
"Death is only state of thermodynamic equilibrium!"
"I am not afraid of death threats, but I am appalled that so many people are capable of so much wrong spelling and fractured grammar."
"I am not afraid of death threats, but I am appalled that so many people are capable of so much wrong spelling and fractured grammar."
ON HER ENEMIES
"They all have the intelligence of retarded political cockroaches."
"They all have the intelligence of retarded political cockroaches."
"Miserable little intellectual amoeba."
"Miserable little intellectual amoeba."
"They are already salivating at the thought of becoming President."
"They are already salivating at the thought of becoming President."
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"He sounds like he is suffering from dyspepsia."
"He sounds like he is suffering from dyspepsia."
"I challenged him to a debate in UP or Ateneo campus. His reply was that he cannot debate with women. I asked around, and I learned that he cannot debate with men, either. I short, he simply cannot debate."
"I challenged him to a debate in UP or Ateneo campus. His reply was that he cannot debate with women. I asked around, and I learned that he cannot debate with men, either. I short, he simply cannot debate."
ON HER MANAGEMENT STYLE
"My management style? Spiritual fortitude, intellectual scholarship, and [smiling] if all else fails, physical violence might prove salutary."
"My management style? Spiritual fortitude, intellectual scholarship, and [smiling] if all else fails, physical violence might prove salutary."
"They were not only rebellious, they were malicious to boot. Naturally I got mad, but I restrained myself... No, I did not throw a chair at my employees. [Laughing] The accurate statement is that I may have rearranged the furniture."
"They were not only rebellious, they were malicious to boot. Naturally I got mad, but I restrained myself... No, I did not throw a chair at my employees. [Laughing] The accurate statement is that I may have rearranged the furniture."
ON POLITICS
"Entering politics is a fate worse than death."
"Entering politics is a fate worse than death."
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"I have only entertainment value in Philippine politics."
"I have only entertainment value in Philippine politics."
"This is the politics of cannibalism! We need a new politics--the politics of synergism."
"This is the politics of cannibalism! We need a new politics--the politics of synergism."
"My ambition is more modest. I desire only to be the Demi Moore of Philippine politics."
"My ambition is more modest. I desire only to be the Demi Moore of Philippine politics."
"I am the recurring ghost of Philippine politics."
"I am the recurring ghost of Philippine politics."
ON RESIGNATION FROM GOVERNMENT
"The president said she accepted my resignation. Actually, I got kicked out of the cabinet."
"The president said she accepted my resignation. Actually, I got kicked out of the cabinet."
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"Nakakalungkot na naniwala si Presidente (Corazon) Aquino sa mga bintang laban sa akin, at hindi man lang ako bingyan ng pagkakataon na makapagpaliwanag, Si presidente naman, hindi na naawa. Hindi man lang ako pinakitaan ng kahit konting pagtingin."
"Nakakalungkot na naniwala si Presidente (Corazon) Aquino sa mga bintang laban sa akin, at hindi man lang ako bingyan ng pagkakataon na makapagpaliwanag, Si presidente naman, hindi na naawa. Hindi man lang ako pinakitaan ng kahit konting pagtingin."
"It was stinging sensation, accompanied by deep humiliation."
"It was stinging sensation, accompanied by deep humiliation."
And lastly, ON GOODBYES
"This is goodbye. I shall not importune you any longer. I shall fade into the night like Batman."
"This is goodbye. I shall not importune you any longer. I shall fade into the night like Batman."
Miriam Defensor Santiago may have faded into the night like she said, but her memory will live on and her legacy, like her aptly titled books, will be remembered forever...and forevermore.
Miriam Defensor Santiago may have faded into the night like she said, but her memory will live on and her legacy, like her aptly titled books, will be remembered forever...and forevermore.
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