A blogger got it all wrong, I think. He took it personally, and raised the issue to absurd lengths when he attempted to write an intelligent retort to Dana Batnag’s blog post that raised the question why there was no liveblogging or citizen journalism coverage at all in the recent polls.
Category: Musings
As expected, the court freed the Tagaytay 5 after finding the rebellion charges without merit and spurious.
I am so very happy for the family of poet and activist Alex Pinpin, one of the five who were abducted, jailed and falsely charged, and also for the others. I mention Alex because I’ve met his sister Cyrine and saw in her eyes the pain of losing her brother to political vendetta. But now, Cyrine is happy and could only express her profound and sincere thanks to everyone who made the freedom of the Tagaytay 5 possible.
Blogging today has become an intellectual outlet for the more articulate Filipino middle class. In my view, this rage is a cumulative product of the following:
(1) the explosion of the worldwide web and the accompanying availability of blogging platforms;
(2) the widespread availability of affordable internet access;
(3) this social stratum’s readiness to study and engage in debate on various issues and concerns;
(4) the “individuality” and “personality” sought by individual members of this social stratum;
(5) the closed nature of the established press and media.
Whether blogging may become a tool for social change requires a leap of faith,
Paris Hilton has shot back, through a parody, at Republican presidential candidate John McCain’s ad painting Democratic contender Barack Obama as a mere celebrity like her.
McCain defended the ad below, saying he was “proud” of it:
Rick Astley was sooooo hit many years ago. At Manila Science, we have a friend who idolizes him so much that he was always ready to smash the face of anyone who dares insult Rick Astley or any of his songs.
Sadly, that friend is now in the States and missed Rick Astley’s recent concert in Manila. Not only that, he missed seeing Roderick Paulate singing with Rick Astley on the same stage!
View the video at the jump!
The policy of omerta is gripping many parts of government. The lack of transparency is a playground for bacteria and viruses called unconstitutional and criminal acts. It also shows great disrespect to the Filipino people and the media.
The policy of silence has reached absurd heights with statements attributed to the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Westmincom chief Major General Nelson Allaga and which were reported by Inquirer.net’s Julie Alipala.
I just recently came from Singapore where I joined a good number of journalists cover the 41st Asean Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and related gatherings.
I went there to take a good look at the event and get some good dose of on-the-job training. As a journalist, it was my maiden foreign assignment and I did not plan to waste it. My employer, one of the Japan’s leading newspapers, would perhaps have been very disappointed had I failed them.
Below is my attempt to live-blog de facto President Arroyo’s eighth State of the Nation Address. the SONA is an annual constitutional ritual where the President gives a report to a joint session of both houses of Congress.
3:58 pm – Villar and Nograles call the joint session to order. Nograles introduces the national anthem.
4:00 pm – Villar introduces “legislators’ prayer”.
Several religious leaders lead the prayer. Muslim leader included.
Plume of smoke rises after GMA makes the sign of the cross.
4:02 pm – Nograles introduces GMA. Applause. GMA walks down to the podium. Applause galore.
Thank you Speaker Nograles. Senate President Villar… etc. The usual pleasantries.
We ended 2007 with the strongest economic growth in 2007. We are looking to a brighter future.
Because tough choices were made.
Applause galore.
I’m on my way back now to Manila, after covering the 41st ASEAN Ministerial Summit here in Singapore.
Singapore is really clean, as if someone washes it with antiseptic every night while all Singaporeans sleep. Everything’s orderly and everyone seemed disciplined.
I’ve been tagged several times and I only tagged back twice (?) and this time, I’m returning the favor to good friend Sarah.
I’m writing this using Microsoft’s Live Writer which promise to make blogging easier.
Asustek’s EEE PC has opened the floodgates to the entry of many new truly affordable sub-notebooks.
One of them
A non-leftist writes about her visit to Quiapo to buy flowers which she will bring (on her father’s behalf) to the wake for Anakpawis Rep. Crispin Beltran.
This is a must-read, I tell you.
Here’s an excerpt:
I’m planning to buy a new phone as a “reward” for three months of good work!
My blog went offline for nearly a week, no thanks to a server hiccup on the part of […]
I’m here right now at Robinsons Galleria, for a sit-down with Gov. Grace Padaca. Details later…
Sulpicio Lines must brought to court so it may be held accountable for the tragedy that killed hundreds of passengers of MV Princess of the Stars.
First, the government prosecutors should immediately file appropriate charges based on President Arroyo’s appraisal that the company erred in letting the ship leave Manila for Cebu. The results of the Board of Marine Inquiry investigation may buttress the legal cases on Sulpicio Lines’ many and perhaps repeated violations of laws.
The Department of Foreign Affairs tonight quietly announced through a press release that the Philippines was recently elected vice president of the United Nations Human Rights Council, even amid the government’s reputation of demonizing, jailing, falsely accusing, and killing dissenters.
This is a most cruel joke from the UNHRC and the Arroyo government. The UNHRC should have set aside the Philippine nomination, while the Philippines should have had the decency to improve first the human rights record before running for such a post.
The political opposition and some pundits are raising hell over President Arroyo’s ten-day state visit to the US. They are saying that the calamity and disaster brought by “Frank” should compel Mrs. Arroyo to cut short her trip, and immediately go back.
She won’t. Knowing Mrs. Arroyo as an activist and observer, she really won’t not because she thinks it is better to be in the US now, but that she really likes to be in the limelight with her master, President Bush. (Never mind if Bush is a lame duck and may well be replaced by a Barack Obama due to his and his party’s growing unpopularity.)
A friend working at Bayan texted me hours ago with grim news: Retired Navy Capt. Danilo P. Vizmanos has died last night.
His remains lie in state at the Sacred Heart Church in Kamagong, Makati City.
Now is the time to help.
The Citizens’ Disaster Response Center (CDRC), a reliable and competent relief agency, is soliciting everyone’s help to send relief goods to the hundreds of thousands of victims of typhoon “Frank”.